Sparring

"Yueshu, you haven't been coming by as often lately."

Inside the Hatake residence, a white-haired man sat in the living room and spoke as soon as he saw Yueshu arrive.

"My apologies, Brother White Fang. I've had some things to take care of recently, so I haven't had much time."

Yueshu admitted it straightforwardly and offered an apology, even though he hadn't really done anything wrong.

"What are you saying? If you have matters to attend to, go take care of them first. There's no rush for training; you can do that anytime."

Although Sakumo Hatake was a powerhouse on the level of a Kage, he was unexpectedly a good-natured man. Especially when it came to his comrades, there were perhaps few in all of Konoha who valued them more than he did.

Who would have thought that this man, a warrior comparable to the Hokage, possessed a heart softer than anyone else's? Though, it must be said, Sakumo remained merciless toward his enemies.

It was precisely because of this trait that Sakumo would eventually be schemed against by the Third Hokage and others, leading him to commit suicide out of the guilt of a failed mission. This, in turn, caused Kakashi's personality to twist, eventually leading to the tragedy of Minato Namikaze's team, the birth of Obito, and the Fourth Great Ninja War.

This was the ripple effect; every single event influenced countless others. This world was interconnected, and even the slightest deviation could result in massive consequences. This was why Yueshu had chosen not to interfere too much with the plot, but it was already too late—the so-called original storyline had long since descended into chaos.

For instance, when Kushina was kidnapped back then, Minato Namikaze hadn't been informed, nor had he gone to rescue her alone; instead, he had followed the Konoha forces to provide support to Yueshu.

If things had gone according to the original timeline, Minato would have had absolutely no way to rescue Kushina, and she would have been successfully abducted. The entire trajectory of the ninja world would have shifted, and the Third Great Ninja War might have broken out right then and there.

"It's nothing much, just practicing ninjutsu with some friends lately. Come on, let's spar."

Yueshu began to warm up, the Kusanagi Sword strapped behind his waist. He prepared to do as he usually did: engage in a friendly spar of blade techniques with Sakumo Hatake, though Yueshu's style was strictly swordsmanship.

Relying solely on the mastery of sword and blade techniques was a true test of one's skill, not to mention a trial of combat experience.

"So, it's finally time, is it? I was wondering when you'd bring it up."

Sakumo Hatake smiled. He had grown accustomed to this; ever since Tsunade brought Yueshu to see him, the two had become close friends through their shared love of blade work, especially since the kid enjoyed these pure, technical exchanges so much.

What surprised Sakumo even more was that Yueshu's swordsmanship was far from amateur, which had actually helped Sakumo improve his own techniques during their spars.

"Today, I'm definitely going to let you experience the taste of this blade."

"Oh? Using the real thing today? I don't mind at all."

Sakumo and Yueshu usually sparred with wooden swords, but after a while, neither was satisfied with that. Gradually, they began using live steel, which inevitably resulted in a few superficial cuts and bruises after every session.

The spars were always friendly, so serious injuries were naturally out of the question.

After speaking, Yueshu and Sakumo began to stretch, their eyes filled with excitement.

In a world full of ninjas, using a sword or blade might seem strange, but the Hatake family was famous for their blade techniques, and Yueshu just happened to have a deep fascination with them.

It wasn't just modern weapons that were a man's romance; for some, cold steel was the true embodiment of it.

Listening to the sound of weapons clashing at close range—that feeling was simply magnificent.

"Are you ready?"

"I've been ready."

Sakumo and Yueshu locked eyes, both of them wearing smiles.

"Then let's go!"

Sakumo drew his blade and headed toward the courtyard, with Yueshu following close behind.

Even though there was a gap of over a decade between their ages, they were unexpectedly in sync.

Was it because of the cold steel? Or was Yueshu too mature, or perhaps Sakumo too much of a child at heart?

No one could say for sure; perhaps it was a bit of both.

The Hatake family courtyard was spacious, filled with wooden posts used for sword practice.

The wind didn't blow gently; instead, it gusted with a sharp edge, as if setting the stage for the atmosphere between Yueshu and Sakumo.

A few fallen leaves drifted down, and another gust of wind brought a whole cluster of their companions along.

The falling leaves decorated the sky as Yueshu and Sakumo stood facing each other, locking gazes.

Their eyes pierced through the leaves, their focus fixed entirely on one another.

The leaves drifted lazily, eventually falling powerlessly to the ground.

The moment the first leaf touched the earth, Yueshu and Sakumo had already placed their hands on the hilts of their respective weapons.

Swish. The sharp blades left their scabbards.

Clang.

Two figures lunged forward, colliding in the center.

The Kusanagi Sword and Sakumo's ninja blade struck each other, emitting a crisp metallic ring.

The sound, much like the shockwaves generated around them, rippled and spread outward.

"You've improved again."

"Likewise."

Both being masters of the blade, Sakumo could tell Yueshu had changed after just one strike.

His swordsmanship was several times stronger than it had been just a short while ago—not only had he caught up to him, but he seemed on the verge of surpassing him.

This feeling, he had to admit, was truly terrifying, and Sakumo felt a flicker of that fear himself.

Something was constantly chasing him from behind, and at this moment, the thing behind him seemed to exert its strength. It was just like running; the person behind him was about to put on a burst of speed to overtake him from the side, leaving him filled with fear and unwillingness.

Sakumo Hatake curled the corners of his mouth.

The White Fang of the Leaf was not someone who feared his juniors, nor was he someone so easily surpassed by them!

With a surge of strength in his hand and his gaze turning cold, Sakumo Hatake was now like a hunting leopard, his eyes filled with the predatory intent of the hunt.

The sword in his hand was pushed aside, and Yueshu was shocked.

Every time he had sparred with Sakumo Hatake in the past, he had always been the one to suffer defeat, but this time was different.

Because Yueshu's swordsmanship had advanced from proficiency to the realm of a Swordmaster, and Yueshu had come here today to spar with the intention of winning.

To defeat the White Fang of the Leaf, a powerhouse renowned throughout the ninja world for his swordsmanship and whose strength rivaled that of a Kage, would make anyone feel proud and accomplished.

However, Sakumo Hatake did not seem to have any intention of letting Yueshu get his way.

The gap in age and physical stature meant that the difference in strength between Yueshu and Sakumo Hatake was too great; with just a single strike, Yueshu's body was sent reeling.

In that very instant, Sakumo Hatake's blade struck.

Strike while the iron is hot!

This was a principle every powerhouse understood, and Sakumo Hatake, as the White Fang of the Leaf, understood it even better.

The moment Yueshu was pushed back, he naturally left a massive opening, and with that, Sakumo Hatake's blade was almost certain to land.

But Yueshu was no pushover, and the system's Swordmaster skill was not for show either.

Gripping his sword tightly, Yueshu kept his eyes locked on the incoming blade.

It felt like slow motion as Yueshu watched the blade descend.

Just before the blade could strike his body, Yueshu swung his own sword out.

The Kusanagi Sword collided with the side of the blade, and Yueshu used Sakumo Hatake's own force to narrowly dodge the strike.

The ninja blade grazed past his side, missing by mere centimeters, and Yueshu successfully neutralized the crisis.

But it wasn't over yet!

A battle would not let a single opportunity slip by; whoever landed an effective attack had a chance at victory, so every strike was crucial.

Yueshu didn't have time to be smug about dodging Sakumo Hatake's blow; he observed him calmly and kicked out with his feet while suspended in the air, aiming for Sakumo Hatake's body.

As expected, such an attack was useless against the White Fang of the Leaf, and it was easily blocked by Sakumo Hatake.

"Tch."

"Still not enough."

Sakumo Hatake smiled, and Yueshu let out a disgruntled huff.