Time passed quickly.
Half a month had gone by since Uchiha Aoba awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
During that time, he had returned to his work with the Anbu and continued guarding the area around the Hokage Building.
Uchiha Aoba wasn't sure whether he should be happy or upset about it.
After all, being assigned to guard the Hokage practically meant he had become one of the Hokage's trusted men. Even Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi hadn't managed that in the original story.
On top of that, Namikaze Minato had sought him out not long ago for a heartfelt conversation.
From what they'd discussed, Uchiha Aoba could clearly sense that after the Rōran mission, Namikaze Minato's trust in him had grown by several levels.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Minato now treated him as one of his own.
That day.
It was a rare day off.
At Training Ground 7 in the village, a long-arranged sparring match was underway.
This could more or less be considered Uchiha Aoba's first battle after reaching Kage Level.
His opponent was Kakashi, who wielded the White Fang Blade.
Their strengths had already diverged considerably, but out of respect for Kakashi, Uchiha Aoba didn't intend to hold back too much. He used seventy percent of his strength.
Even so, Kakashi was on the back foot the entire time, barely able to fight back.
"Why does it feel like Aoba's gotten even stronger? He's already surpassed the limits of an elite jonin."
Standing outside the ring as the referee, Namikaze Minato watched the two of them intently and thought, Has he already reached that level at just thirteen?
"Whatever the case, I'm more and more convinced that Lord Hokage made the right decision."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Uchiha Aoba and Kakashi flashed back and forth across the field, the clash of their weapons ringing out again and again.
After another exchange, the two quickly leaped apart.
Kakashi's eyes had grown razor-sharp. He'd been driven into a corner.
The next instant.
He flashed behind Uchiha Aoba, the White Fang Blade in his hand gleaming with a bone-chilling light.
Clearly, Kakashi was giving it his all.
His speed was incredible, and his attack was ferocious.
An opponent weaker than Kakashi would have had no chance of escaping the lethal strike that followed.
Even Uchiha Aoba, back when he had only possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, would have had to take it seriously.
After all, thirteen-year-old Kakashi was a genuine jonin. There was nothing inflated about his strength.
Unfortunately, Uchiha Aoba had since upgraded.
He spun his blade in a flourish, then swept it back, placing it directly in the path of the White Fang Blade's tip.
Kakashi's pupils contracted at the sight, and he immediately retreated to put some distance between them.
"An opening!"
But Uchiha Aoba wasn't about to give him another chance. With a low shout, he seized Kakashi's right wrist—the one holding the blade—and yanked him forward, closing the distance again.
His left foot shot out, striking straight for Kakashi's knee. If it connected, Kakashi would lose his ability to fight on the spot.
Outside the ring, Namikaze Minato was already prepared to step in and stop them.
After all, a sparring match wasn't a fight to the death. He didn't want to see either of them get hurt.
Fortunately, Kakashi lived up to his reputation as a genius ninja.
Even after Uchiha Aoba caught him off guard, he didn't panic. His reaction was remarkably sharp. As Kakashi raised his leg to block, he swung a punch with his left hand.
"I knew you'd do that."
Uchiha Aoba laughed, catching Kakashi's fist with his own free right hand.
For a moment.
The two of them stood gripping each other's hands, turning the match into a test of pure strength.
"Whoa, dead fish eyes. You've got some strength."
Uchiha Aoba teased him.
Kakashi's forehead veins throbbed. "Red Eye, if you're about to give out, just say so."
"Is that so?"
"I've still got plenty of strength left. Can't say the same for you."
Uchiha Aoba looked perfectly relaxed. When he saw sweat beading on Kakashi's face as he stubbornly kept up the bravado, he couldn't help finding it amusing.
So he decided to stop dragging things out.
"Dead fish eyes, I'm borrowing your hands."
"What!?"
As Kakashi stared in shock, Uchiha Aoba used his right hand to control Kakashi's left, forming one hand seal after another. Who knew you could pull off something like that?
Kakashi tried to break free, but under Uchiha Aoba's strength, he couldn't move at all.
Once the final hand seal was complete.
Uchiha Aoba released Kakashi and sprang backward into the air.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
"You bastard, Red Eye! Are you trying to kill me!?"
Seeing the fire dragon bearing down on him, Kakashi cursed, but his hands kept moving.
"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"
A sturdy wall of earth surged up from the ground, rising between them.
Almost the instant the jutsu took shape, the fire dragon slammed into the wall with a thunderous boom.
Kakashi crouched on the ground and watched as the fire dragon's impact cracked the earthen wall again and again. He had to keep both hands pressed to the ground, pouring in chakra without pause.
Only then could he stop the wall from shattering completely.
Otherwise, all he could do was pray Namikaze Minato was quick enough to keep him from taking the Great Fire Dragon Technique head-on.
In the end, Kakashi managed to block the attack, but he was too exhausted to keep fighting.
All he could do was watch Uchiha Aoba stroll over as if out for a walk, a teasing smile on his face, and gently rest the long blade in his hand on Kakashi's shoulder.
It had barely hurt him, but it was deeply humiliating.
Kakashi's dead-fish eyes returned. He slapped Uchiha Aoba's blade away with annoyance and gritted his teeth. "Fine, you win. I lost this time."
"Hahaha! You were a worthy opponent!"
Uchiha Aoba didn't mind Kakashi taking out his frustration on him. He put away his blade, planted his hands on his hips, and laughed.
"Excellent. That was a splendid fight."
Namikaze Minato walked up to the two of them and offered his assessment. Then he turned to Uchiha Aoba with a smile. "Looks like you've improved again. Kakashi is no match for you now."
"You're too kind, Captain."
Uchiha Aoba quickly reined in his smugness and modestly replied, "I just got lucky. Kakashi is strong too."
"..."
Kakashi looked irritated. He wanted to point out that Uchiha Aoba hadn't been nearly so modest when they were fighting.
But when he thought back to their match, he realized he'd been on the defensive from start to finish.
He didn't want to lose both the match and his dignity,
so he simply shut his eyes and decided that what he couldn't see couldn't annoy him.
At the same time, he couldn't help clenching his fists, resolving to train even harder from then on. Next time they sparred, he'd win back this match along with the next one.
A while later, after he'd composed himself.
Kakashi opened his eyes again and looked at Uchiha Aoba. "How much of your strength did you use just now?"
"If I said you forced me to go all out, would you believe me?"
"Stop lying!"
Hearing Uchiha Aoba's blatant lie, Kakashi—who had just managed to calm down—flew into another rage.
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