Kakashi had intended to use Water Release to block Chen's Fire Release.
However, when their jutsu collided, the flames didn't go out as they normally would. Instead, they quickly burned through the water.
It wasn't evaporation. The water had been utterly consumed by the flames.
This abnormal behavior left Kakashi quite shocked.
So, after dodging Chen's Fire Release, he actually took off his mask of his own accord, revealing his Sharingan.
"Isn't this taking things a little too seriously?
I only took a book. Is it really necessary to go all out like this, Kakashi?"
Chen's voice rang out. Kakashi's eyes flickered with confusion for a moment, but then he thought that it wasn't strange for someone to recognize him as Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Ninja.
"Although you haven't done anything particularly outrageous, taking my things without a word is going to cause me a lot of trouble.
After all, I'll have trouble sleeping without my bedtime reading."
Since he'd already been recognized, Kakashi simply removed his Anbu mask.
Taking Icha Icha Paradise as bedtime reading finally made Chen understand why Kakashi was always running low on chakra.
It wasn't the Sharingan draining him. The guy was simply the result of indulging himself too much.
As he spoke, Kakashi charged at Chen. With the Sharingan helping him, he saw through all of Chen's attacks, putting Chen at a disadvantage.
"Why don't you just surrender? Since you're still a kid, I can promise not to hurt you."
"Even if the Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi probably doesn't lie, I'm not the type to give up so easily."
Before his words had even finished, Chen used Flash Step to put some distance between himself and Kakashi.
Since it was a power that didn't belong to this world, even the Sharingan couldn't copy it.
"O Ruler! Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, flutter of wings, and those who bear the name of man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams, rise! Way of Destruction No. 33: Pale Fire Drop!"
Taking advantage of Kakashi's momentary confusion, Chen unleashed Pale Fire Drop.
The powerful attack shot straight at Kakashi, and it was just as impossible for the Sharingan to copy.
Although Chen hadn't intended to kill Kakashi, the difference in their strength clearly left him no room to hold back.
He should still be alive, right?
Pale Fire Drop was powerful and impossible for the Sharingan to copy, but surely it wasn't enough to kill Kakashi in one hit.
Sure enough, Kakashi emerged from the side, looking a little worse for wear. There was a faint scorch mark on his clothes, but he didn't have a single injury.
"That's a powerful jutsu, and my Sharingan can't copy it. Is this your Kekkei Genkai?"
Under normal circumstances, the only things the Sharingan couldn't copy were Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques.
For example, Haku's Ice Release and the Nara Clan's shadow techniques. Neither could be copied by the Sharingan.
So Kakashi's first thought was that Pale Fire Drop belonged to one of those categories. After all, no one would normally consider the possibility of a power that didn't belong to this world.
"You could say that.
After all, I'm the only one who can use this kind of power. Calling it a Kekkei Genkai or a secret technique wouldn't be wrong.
So, how about surrendering, Kakashi?
If you do, I'll give Icha Icha Paradise back to you, and we can pretend we never saw each other.
You came here and only saw a pile of headless corpses.
If you insist on carrying on, at the very least, I can destroy this book, can't I?"
Chen spoke as he held up Icha Icha Paradise.
He really wasn't confident he could beat Kakashi.
After all, just like that guy Naruto, Kakashi was practically a walking cheat code who could go toe-to-toe with anyone.
"That's an interesting proposal..."
Kakashi pretended to think it over, but just then, a figure rushed toward Chen from behind at incredible speed.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Because he had the system, Chen had to consider the environment when using jutsu. So even though there wasn't enough water nearby, his Water Release could still unleash its full power.
Using Water Formation Wall to block Kakashi's attack, he also used Flash Step to put some distance between them.
"Shadow Clone?
You really do use that trick from beginning to end, Kakashi. The clone draws fire and gathers information while the real one hides nearby, waiting for a chance to strike.
But we don't seem to have any serious grudge between us, do we?"
Chen looked helpless. He'd only taken a book. Could it really be Kakashi's wife?
Come to think of it, Kakashi still didn't have a partner by the time of Boruto. Could this be the reason?
By the time of Boruto, among the older generation, only Kakashi and Guy were still single.
Maybe Guy was single because his fiery personality put Tenten off. But even with his face covered, Kakashi was still handsome. How could he not find someone?
The more Chen thought about it, the more he felt that what he was holding wasn't Icha Icha Paradise at all. It was Kakashi's wife.
"True, we don't have any serious grudge between us. But if I let a powerful person like you go and don't report it, Lord Hokage will give me an earful when I get back.
So why not cooperate with an investigation? If there's nothing wrong, you'll be free to leave.
Or, if you're willing, you could join Konoha.
Wouldn't a fixed home be better than wandering around out there?"
Kakashi spoke, but Chen obviously wasn't going to agree.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
Chen was about to speak when someone grabbed his legs. The next moment, they pulled him down into the ground.
"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"
Kakashi's voice rang out, and only then did Chen realize that the two Kakashis he'd seen earlier had both been Shadow Clones.
Damn, I thought he was supposed to be low on chakra. Two Shadow Clones to distract me—is that what running low on chakra looks like?
"I'm sorry to do this, but there are some things I need to confirm. As long as you cooperate, I won't hurt you."
Kakashi emerged from the ground and spoke, his Sharingan still warily fixed on Chen.
"So that's what happened."
Just then, Chen's voice came from behind Kakashi.
To Kakashi's surprise, Chen, whom he'd buried in the ground, was now standing some distance behind him.
"How is that possible?"
Kakashi was completely baffled. In a situation like that, even he wouldn't be able to escape and go from one place to another in the blink of an eye. It was just like teleportation.
In Kakashi's mind, the only person who could do something like that was his late teacher, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
But after his teacher's death, only three people could use the Flying Thunder God Technique, and they had to work together.
"What exactly was that ability you just used?"
"Telling your enemy about your abilities doesn't seem like a good idea, does it?"
Chen's voice came from another direction, and this time he had appeared in midair.
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