Chasing and Being Chased

Having learned a profound lesson from last time, Yatsuhashi went all out this time. Not only did he extract several portions of First Hokage Cell Serum from the recovered First Hokage cell culture, but he also diluted them several times over. To guard against Uchiha Fugaku, he even utilized Inuzuka Yuka's laboratory equipment to extract something special.

The reason First Hokage cells cause a backlash and lead to the collapse of the subject's body after transplantation is due to the rejection reaction between immune suppressants. This was a point that even Orochimaru was not told by Yatsuhashi. By performing a simple reverse operation, a lethal portion of First Hokage Cell Serum appeared in Yatsuhashi's hand. Unless the First Hokage were to return from the dead, Yatsuhashi dared to guarantee that no one could survive its touch.

At the Konoha training ground, the air was permeated with the scent of fresh grass. Looking at that familiar spandex suit and bowl cut, Yatsuhashi knew that Might Guy, who had been away on a mission, had returned. The two leaned against a wooden post, eating the Okonomiyaki that Yatsuhashi had packed from the shop. "Long time no see, how come I feel like you've gotten stronger?" Might Guy leaned in close to Yatsuhashi, his eyes beneath those thick brows seemingly trying to see right through him. "Is this the transformation of youth?!" Yatsuhashi laughed, "Isn't that thanks to you?" After saying this, he returned the Eight Inner Gates scroll that Might Guy had given him previously.

Aside from those in the archives, the village's ninjutsu also included secret clan techniques. These secret techniques were not restricted by the village, nor was their circulation prohibited. On the contrary, if a clan was willing to pass their secret techniques on to other ninjas in the village, the village would not only refrain from opposing it but would actively support it. Might Guy put away the scroll and gave Yatsuhashi's shoulder a heavy pat. "As expected, I didn't misjudge you!" He hastily finished the Okonomiyaki in his hand, "Come, Yatsuhashi, let me see your growth!" "Eh?" Yatsuhashi was stunned; this transition was too fast. Watching Might Guy, who had already assumed a combat stance, Yatsuhashi helplessly put down the Okonomiyaki in his hand. "Since that's the case, then please enlighten me." "Hahaha! Come on!"

The two stood facing each other, their auras colliding instantly. Yatsuhashi did not activate his Sharingan, and Might Guy did not use the Eight Inner Gates. There were no flashy ninjutsu between them, only a contest of the purest strength and speed. "Bang!" Their fists met, and shockwaves rolled outward. Guy's taijutsu was wide and open, filled with explosive power, each strike carrying the passion of burning youth to its end. Yatsuhashi, however, appeared calmer, always able to use softness to overcome hardness, neutralizing Guy's most ferocious offensives. "Good! Excellent!" Guy fought with increasing vigor, completely ignited by Yatsuhashi's "softness overcoming hardness" style.

"Yatsuhashi, I can already feel you conversing with me through taijutsu!"

"This is what youth is all about!"

On the training ground, two figures intertwined, fists and kicks blurring into a storm, scattering the sweat of their youth across this land.

It was only after quite some time

that the two of them collapsed onto the grass, panting heavily.

"Yatsuhashi..."

Might Guy looked up at the sky and said with sudden earnestness, "From today on, you are one of my, Might Guy's, rivals!"

Yatsuhashi wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at the simple-minded Might Guy beside him, he felt a rare sense of relaxation wash over his entire being.

"Yatsuhashi! Let us battle for another three hundred rounds..."

Might Guy sprang up from the grass with a kip-up, striking a passionate pose, his thick brows gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Guy, let's do it next time."

Yatsuhashi lay sprawled on the grass, unwilling to move.

"Yo, it's a good thing you two are both here."

A lazy voice drifted over from a wooden post nearby.

Kakashi was leaning there, though no one knew when he had arrived, the pages of the manga in his hand rustling as he flipped through them.

His eyes swept over the panting Might Guy and then lingered on the prone Yatsuhashi, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

"Kakashi!"

Might Guy pointed at Kakashi and shouted, "Come and take Yatsuhashi's place, and accept my passionate challenge of youth!"

Kakashi scratched his silver hair.

"Not today."

His expression turned serious, "The Hokage wants to see you both. There is a new mission."

"A mission?" Upon hearing this, Yatsuhashi immediately sat up from the ground and brushed the grass clippings off his body.

Might Guy's thick brows arched, a flash of fervor in his eyes: "Oh? Finally, a decent mission?

Kakashi, I absolutely will not lose to you this time!"

"Clean yourselves up and come with me to see the Hokage, especially you, Acorn Guy."

Might Guy's face flushed red, "You bastard, Kakashi!"

But he suddenly froze in place, and then struck an incredibly exaggerated starting pose.

"Let's have a new contest! Let's see which of the three of us reaches the Hokage Office first!"

Before the words had even faded, Might Guy transformed into a green whirlwind, sprinting toward the Hokage building.

"Now is really not the time for this kind of thing..."

Though Kakashi said this, his body followed right behind, turning into a silver bolt of lightning as he gave chase.

Yatsuhashi watched this scene, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

These two bickering rivals were far more childish than he had imagined.

The next second, Yatsuhashi's figure vanished from the spot.

At first, Yatsuhashi had no desire to compete, simply wanting to keep up with their pace.

But because Might Guy and Kakashi were hindering each other and constantly clashing, their speed was inadvertently affected.

As a result, Yatsuhashi unintentionally surged into the lead.

This made both Kakashi and Might Guy realize that Yatsuhashi's taijutsu was not inferior to either of theirs.

The two exchanged a glance and tacitly stopped their skirmish, chasing after Yatsuhashi one after the other.

"Yatsuhashi—!"

Might Guy shouted fiercely toward Yatsuhashi up ahead.

Yatsuhashi turned his head instinctively.

In the blink of an eye, Guy's large hand lunged toward Yatsuhashi's chest like an eagle's talon.

"Heh."

Yatsuhashi had been prepared; with a slight shift of his body, he easily evaded Guy's sneak attack.

However, just as his old momentum faded and the new had yet to arise, a comic book was hurled straight at his face.

Yatsuhashi had no choice but to reach out and catch the book, which caused his movements to falter for a split second.

In that brief pause, Kakashi surged ahead, overtaking them both.

"Captain Kakashi!"

Yatsuhashi couldn't help but laugh bitterly, clutching the comic book tightly in his hand.

"Damn it!"

Guy let out a roar and gave chase once more.

Yatsuhashi had no choice but to pick up his pace, and the three of them turned into streaks of light, chasing one another through the streets of Konoha.

By the time they reached the entrance of the Hokage Office, Yatsuhashi was leaning against the doorframe, watching the two bickering men arrive late.

In the end, he had come out slightly on top.

"Yatsuhashi!"

Guy gasped for air while clutching his knees, yet he still stubbornly gave a thumbs-up.

"I'll count this round as your win, but the next one won't be so easy!"

"If it weren't for you, it's hard to say who would have won!"

Kakashi offered a rare retort, clearly having been pestered quite relentlessly by Guy along the way.

The corners of Yatsuhashi's mouth curled up, his mood excellent.

He tossed the dog-eared comic book back to Kakashi.

"Then let's wait and see next time!"