One Thousand Years of Death

Sasuke could wait no longer and rushed out.

[Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique]

Unlike the Sasuke in the original story, this Sasuke had been taught by Itachi Uchiha and was considerably stronger.

Faced with the incoming fireball, both of them instinctively dodged.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Shuriken shot toward Kakashi.

Kakashi dodged with ease.

Naruto stood to one side, watching.

"This guy's much stronger than in the original story. His Taijutsu, ninjutsu, and shuriken skills are all pretty good."

Watching Sasuke's attacks, Naruto was fairly satisfied.

"Too bad he's just copying Itachi Uchiha's fighting habits."

Sasuke's entire fighting style was modeled after Itachi Uchiha's.

Kakashi was also quite pleased. For someone this age, Sasuke was already quite capable. A ninja didn't need to know many techniques; what really mattered was combat experience. Ninjutsu and the like were just flashy tricks. What mattered was killing the enemy.

In Kakashi's eyes, all three of them were capable. The only thing they lacked was combat experience.

Kakashi was already thinking about how to leave an opening so that one of them could get a bell.

The test wasn't about their strength, but their principles.

"Kakashi, test Naruto's strength."

At that moment, Tsunade, Shizune, Shikaku, and the others were in the Hokage building.

"That kid's pretty strong, but I doubt that's all he can do."

Tsunade watched Naruto standing there through the crystal ball.

"Lord Hokage, should we have Kakashi test him?"

Shikaku suddenly spoke up.

Tsunade looked at him in confusion but didn't stop him.

Inoichi Yamanaka didn't think much of it and immediately sent Kakashi a telepathic message.

The Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques could send a voice directly into someone's mind.

"It's Lord Hokage."

Kakashi immediately understood that someone in the Hokage building was watching.

He had been about to end the fight, but now he instantly got serious and looked toward Naruto.

Naruto was still watching the fight with great interest.

Naruto knew Hinata's abilities inside and out, since he had taught her many of her techniques.

But when Naruto noticed Kakashi looking at him, he froze.

"What's Kakashi trying to do? Why hasn't he ended the fight yet?"

Naruto knew what the test was really about from the original story: it was mainly about teamwork.

After all, Kakashi hadn't delivered his famous line about teamwork yet.

So what was this?

The moment Kakashi got serious, he sent the two of them flying.

Then he charged straight toward Naruto.

Naruto furrowed his brows.

He didn't know what Kakashi was up to, but seeing Hinata's condition, he decided to take things seriously.

He raised both hands and formed them into the shape of a pistol.

A miniature Rasengan appeared on his index finger.

[Spiral Pistol]

The Rasengan shot out like a bullet.

It might have been small, but it was more than powerful enough to kill someone.

"Is that a Rasengan? How can he shoot it?"

Kakashi recognized his teacher's signature technique at a glance. What he couldn't understand was how Naruto had managed to fire it.

Not daring to underestimate it, he did his best to dodge.

The Rasengan struck the ground, leaving a hole the size of a fist.

Its destructive power hadn't diminished. Instead, the force was even more concentrated.

Seeing this, Kakashi grew even more cautious.

But Naruto was faster. The Rasengan in his hand swept out like a machine gun.

Bang!

Kakashi was hit and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Where is he?"

Naruto scanned his surroundings.

At the same time, a hand emerged from the ground beneath Naruto's feet.

[Double Suicide Decapitation Technique]

Naruto's legs sank into the earth.

Kakashi seemed to be holding back, though; the technique was unusually slow.

Naruto instinctively prepared to fight back.

But just then, another Kakashi appeared behind him.

"This should be enough to make him angry. I just hope he doesn't beat me to death."

Thinking this, Kakashi clasped his hands together and formed the Tiger seal.

[Konoha Taijutsu Secret Technique: One Thousand Years of Death]

Naruto sensed what was happening instantly.

He'd been taking things lightly, but he hadn't expected Kakashi to be so nasty.

It had seemed funny in the anime, but now Naruto could feel the chill creeping up his spine.

And with Hinata right across from him, getting hit by this move would be the ultimate humiliation.

He forgot every technique he knew. His chakra erupted instinctively.

The enormous amount of chakra formed a terrifying pressure and storm.

Kakashi couldn't resist at all and was blown away.

"That's an enormous amount of chakra."

That was what everyone watching thought.

The chakra receded, and Naruto's expression darkened.

He glared at Kakashi.

Kakashi's pupils contracted. He sensed danger.

He immediately raised a hand to his headband, ready to reveal his Sharingan.

But Naruto stretched out his right hand.

He clenched it in midair.

[Reverse Eight Directions]

Naruto didn't know how far this ability reached for other people, but within fifty meters, everything was in range of his attack.

In an instant, Kakashi found himself unable to move.

A powerful force had seized control of his body.

"Damn, what kind of power is this?"

[Flying Thunder God]

Naruto vanished and appeared behind Kakashi.

He clasped his hands together.

[One Thousand Years of Death]

He thrust two fingers upward.

Kakashi's pupils shrank. The move didn't do much physical damage, but it was incredibly humiliating. He definitely didn't want to experience it himself.

Bang!

A puff of smoke appeared.

Only a wooden substitute log remained.

Naruto smashed it to pieces.

"He dodged."

By now, Naruto had calmed down.

Kakashi appeared in the distance, a bead of cold sweat running down his forehead.

In the Hokage's office.

"He really is impressive. No wonder he's a Perfect Jinchuriki."

Shikaku couldn't help but marvel. Kakashi was an elite Jonin, after all.

There was no official ranking system among Jonin, but everyone agreed on one thing.

Jonin fell into three tiers. First were Special Jōnin, who had one exceptional specialty but weren't especially strong in other areas.

For example, Kurenai Yuhi wasn't particularly strong in Taijutsu or chakra reserves, but she excelled at genjutsu and had a few connections, so she'd been promoted to Special Jōnin. Then there was the famous Guy.

Next came ordinary Jonin, who had earned their rank through their strength or experience.

Finally, there were elite Jonin, whose raw strength was already at the Jonin level. Kakashi and Danzo were examples.

"Not bad. That kid's strength is improving very quickly."

That was the difference between Tsunade and Hiruzen Sarutobi: she didn't suppress the people under her.

As for the Perfect Jinchuriki, only the village's upper echelons knew about it for now.

"Should we promote him? Kakashi was already a Jonin at his age."

"No need. That kid wants to advance one step at a time, and I agree with his thinking. People should do what's appropriate for their age."

Tsunade watched the scene in the crystal ball with an admiring expression.

Shikaku was surprised. At the same time, being a clever man, he understood what Lady Tsunade meant.

"So she's going to raise him as the next Hokage."