Decided, you go fight the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki

At the Team Three training grounds, Hyuga Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee gathered.

"Wahahaha! Excellent, not a single one of you is late." Might Guy nodded in satisfaction.

"Guy-sensei, what is the mission this time?" Tenten asked, propping her chin on her hand.

"Hmm, this time... it is not a mission," Might Guy said with a grave, deep voice.

"Eh?" Tenten looked puzzled.

"Although it is not a mission, it is a contest comparable to an A-rank mission," Might Guy explained to the three of them.

Hyuga Neji: "Comparable to an A-rank mission?"

Rock Lee: "A contest?"

"I intend to select one of you three to compete against the students of my best friend, Kakashi. It will take place one week from now."

"For this contest, you may only use techniques newly learned within this week. How about it? Sounds challenging, doesn't it?!" Might Guy looked at his three students, observing their facial expressions.

"..." Tenten remained silent.

"Not interested," Hyuga Neji said indifferently.

"Guy-sensei! Let me do it!!" Rock Lee raised his hand high, brimming with excitement.

"To be fair, I intend for you to draw lots."

Might Guy produced a cardboard box.

"Your opponents are students still attending the Ninja Academy. If you do not wish to compete, I shall simply tell Kakashi that I concede..."

"Wuu wuu..."

Might Guy knelt on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Although I truly do not wish to concede to Kakashi, I respect your wishes, wuu wuu wuu..." Might Guy raised a hand to wipe his tears, sobbing.

"Guy-sensei, please don't be like this!!" Tenten shouted, reaching out to pull at him.

"Let me go!! Guy-sensei!! I guarantee I will win the contest!" Rock Lee hugged Might Guy, kneeling beside him with tears swirling in his own eyes.

"Ugh... I can't budge him," Tenten said, speechless.

"Fine." Hyuga Neji, unable to watch any longer, finally agreed.

"Let's draw the lots," Hyuga Neji said.

"Good!!"

Might Guy instantly regained his vitality and sprang up from the ground, showing no trace of the heartbroken state he had been in just a moment ago.

"Come, come! Take a slip of paper from the box."

Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee each took a slip of paper from the box.

"A '〇' means you have been selected, and an 'X' means you have not."

"Open your slips and show me who has won the right to compete," Might Guy asked.

"Guy-sensei, it is me." Hyuga Neji calmly unfolded the slip he had received and showed it to the three of them.

He had drawn a "〇".

"Oh! It is Neji!!"

"Kakashi will have a hard time winning now," Might Guy said, mimicking Neji's tone.

"Hmm..." Might Guy looked at Hyuga Neji and fell into deep thought.

"Guy-sensei, is something wrong?" Neji asked.

"Neji, for this contest, you will not be allowed to use your Byakugan, nor will you be allowed to use your clan's Gentle Fist."

"I intend to teach you something new. Will you feel uncomfortable with that?" Might Guy asked.

"That is fine. It will be a good chance for me to test my own abilities," Neji said.

"The opponents are only Ninja Academy students, after all. I can win without those."

"But Guy-sensei, what do you intend to teach me?" Hyuga Neji asked.

"What to teach you..."

"I have recently mastered a new set of fist techniques," Might Guy replied to Neji.

What Might Guy spoke of was nothing other than the Arhat Fist, which he had learned from Kakashi during their daily sparring sessions.

Might Guy had no intention of stealing the techniques; his body had simply memorized them subconsciously during their daily clashes. Kakashi always used him to test out his Ultimate Boundless, and as a result, Might Guy, a genius of taijutsu, had passively learned most of the moves.

Might Guy's situation was much like how Kakashi had learned the Eight Inner Gates.

"Neji, attack me. Experience this set of fist techniques for yourself!"

Might Guy assumed a stance before Hyuga Neji and beckoned him forward with his hand.

One week passed in the blink of an eye.

"Click-clack." The sound of knocking echoed.

"Please, come in."

"Lord Third."

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, looked up at the person who had entered.

"Oh, it's Iruka. Did something happen at the academy?"

"It's Naruto. He has been skipping class for a whole week now. I went to his house to look for him today, but he wasn't there either."

"Oh, so it's about Naruto," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

"Iruka, you don't need to worry about Naruto."

"Lord Third, it has been a full week! Naruto hasn't come to school, and he isn't at home! He hasn't been pulling any pranks in the village either. It's hard not to imagine that something has happened to him!"

"As his teacher, how can I not be worried!"

"Iruka, my apologies." Sarutobi Hiruzen walked out from behind his desk and stood by the window.

"He is currently at the mountain behind the village."

"Why don't we go take a look at him together?" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Umino Iruka.

"Very well, Lord Third."

Ever since the first day Naruto skipped school, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been keeping an eye on Naruto and Kakashi through the Telescope Technique.

Seeing Kakashi with Naruto, and witnessing Kakashi teaching him things, brought a sense of relief to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed silently to himself, wondering if Kakashi had finally changed and was finally able to view everything he had experienced in the past in the right light.

Sarutobi Hiruzen led Iruka toward the mountain behind the village, stopping about a hundred meters away from the spot where Kakashi and Might Guy had agreed to hold their contest.

"The view is good from here; let's watch from this spot." Sarutobi Hiruzen and Umino Iruka concealed themselves.

"Here, Lord Third? What are we watching?"

"Naruto isn't here either, is he?" Iruka asked in a low voice.

"Wait a moment, Naruto will be here soon."

A few minutes later, Might Guy arrived from another direction with all the members of Team Three.

"As expected, I knew Kakashi wouldn't be on time," Might Guy said.

Might Guy began his warm-up exercises, and Hyuga Neji joined him in warming up on the clearing.

"Sorry, I'm a minute late." Kakashi and Naruto appeared.

Hyuga Neji immediately looked at Naruto Uzumaki, who was standing behind Kakashi, sizing up his opponent for the match.

"..."

Blonde hair, a smile like a fox, and wearing dirty clothes.

Naruto Uzumaki was someone he knew. A rather troublesome guy, a guy who was impossible to like.

"Guy, who are you planning to send?" Kakashi asked.

"Neji, it's your turn to step up," Might Guy said with a smile.

"Kakashi, it must be fate that Neji was chosen; he drew the lot among the three students."

"Be careful, Neji is a genius," Might Guy added.

"Understood." Kakashi nodded.

"Naruto, you go. Show them what you've got."

"Oh!!"

Naruto leaped out.

Hanging from Naruto's waist was a thin bamboo stick, about two fingers thick, possessing great toughness and elasticity.