Hayato VS Kakashi

The curtain officially rose on the final exam, and the duel between Hayato and Kakashi was like the collision of two brilliant stars, instantly igniting the passion of the entire arena.

The two began with a flurry of spirited taijutsu, their movements swift and powerful. They traded blows with an elegance akin to a dance, clearly still in the testing phase and not yet exerting their full strength.

After a brief exchange of punches and kicks, Kakashi flashed away, quickly drawing a sharp kunai from his waist to launch a fierce attack on Hayato once more.

Playing with weapons? Who was afraid of whom?

Hayato did not show the slightest weakness, calmly drawing an equally sharp kunai from his ninja pouch.

Their kunai clashed instantly, the metallic ringing of clang, clang, clang echoing incessantly.

Sparks flew where the blades met, blooming like fireworks in the night sky—brilliant yet fleeting—showcasing both their solid fundamentals and profound mastery of ninjutsu.

"Let's end this boring probing here." Hayato smiled indifferently, then retreated rapidly, putting distance between himself and Kakashi to prepare a more powerful jutsu.

After pulling back to a distance of over ten meters from Kakashi, Hayato quickly formed hand seals and let out a low shout.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, a massive fireball roughly two meters in diameter erupted from Hayato's mouth.

Carrying a scorching heat, it tore through the air like a burning meteor, whistling toward Kakashi.

This sight immediately drew gasps and exclamations of awe from the spectators.

They whispered among themselves, "My god, is that a Fire Style jutsu? It's truly incredible; he is worthy of being a genius of the Uchiha Clan."

On the other side, facing the Great Fireball unleashed by Hayato, Kakashi appeared calm and composed.

After all, this was not his first time seeing Hayato use this technique, and he already had a countermeasure in mind.

As if he had rehearsed it many times in his heart, Kakashi quickly formed hand seals and spat out a stream of water that resembled a mountain brook.

"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"

The water column struck the center of the Great Fireball, instantly extinguishing the flames and carving a path through the center.

A thin mist began to drift across the arena, as if they were standing in a fairyland.

This scene left the audience marveling once again, as they sighed in admiration at Kakashi's strength and wisdom.

In the stands, Obito witnessed this and muttered to himself, "What? So Kakashi has also learned such a powerful jutsu? At this rate, the outcome is truly hard to predict."

He had originally thought Kakashi was slightly inferior to Hayato, but now it seemed their strengths were evenly matched, and the winner remained unknown.

Hiruzen, watching the match, looked at the agile figures on the field and couldn't help but remark, "Both are gifted geniuses."

To have mastered ninjutsu above E-rank at this age showed their talent clearly. As long as they were nurtured with care, they would surely become vital forces in protecting Konoha in the future.

Regardless of how shocked or impressed the onlookers were, the two on the field remained completely immersed in their battle.

Their eyes were filled with determination and resolve, as if they were intent on thoroughly defeating the other.

"That move of yours won't work on me, Hayato." Kakashi spoke confidently; he knew Hayato's strength well but felt no fear.

The corner of Hayato's mouth curled up, his face showing no sign of frustration despite the failure of his jutsu.

He understood in his heart that if a single Great Fireball could win the match, his opponent wouldn't be Kakashi.

He knew this battle had only just begun, and the real contest was still to come.

Seeing that Hayato did not respond, Kakashi's eyes grew deep, as if he could perceive everything.

"This time, it's my turn to attack." Kakashi quickly formed hand seals.

He formed the seals again and shouted, "Earth Style: Earth Flow River."

The ground beneath Hayato's feet became as soft as flowing water, and his body swayed, losing its balance as if he were about to fall.

Kakashi seized the opportunity to form more seals, unleashing the "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu."

In the stands, Obito was incredibly excited: "Kakashi is going to land it!"

Although he was shocked by Kakashi's strength, he felt a sense of pride in seeing Kakashi succeed.

Hayato's consistent excellence had always weighed on them like a mountain.

Now that someone could finally step up to cross that mountain, he felt thrilled.

If Kakashi could succeed, did that mean that one day, he could too?

"Go, Kakashi!" Rin cheered from the side.

On the other side, Kurenai watched Hayato with some worry, clutching her skirt and praying for him in silence.

Shuichi looked at the battlefield with concern and asked Hiruzen, "Hokage, do we need to stop them?"

The battle between the two had exceeded the scope of the Ninja Academy; if something went wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.

However, Hiruzen shook his head, his gaze fixed firmly on Hayato: "That child hasn't lost yet."

He did not see a single trace of panic on Hayato's face.

And indeed, that was the case. Although Hayato was surprised at first, he quickly adjusted his state, using water-walking techniques to stabilize his footing.

He looked at the ground, which had turned into a flowing river, and smiled: "So this has become a conductor, too." He then formed hand seals, and indigo electric arcs flashed in his hands.

Just then, Kakashi suddenly lunged, grabbing Hayato's calf and shouting confidently: "I've won!"

"That remains to be seen!" Hayato said calmly.

"Lightning Style: Earth Flash!"

An indigo arc of electricity burrowed into the ground like a green snake, striking Kakashi.

Kakashi's body shuddered as he was hit by the current, and he was immediately launched from the ground, his face turning slightly pale.

"You still have a long way to go, Kakashi!" With Kakashi's position fully exposed, Hayato seized the opportunity to close in, his hands rising into a stance.

"Baji: Twenty-Four Postures!"

In an instant, his fists rained down on Kakashi like buckshot, each blow imbued with immense power, knocking Kakashi to the ground and rendering him unable to fight.

This sudden reversal of the battle left the watching students stunned.

"What just happened? Wasn't Kakashi the one with the advantage a moment ago? How did he get defeated by Hayato in the blink of an eye?" Obito asked, shocked.

Rin, sharp-eyed, noticed, "It seems Hayato used another Lightning Style jutsu just now; he really is amazing."

Kurenai watched the victorious Hayato, a flash of joy appearing on her face before being replaced by a hint of worry.

It seems the gap in strength between Hayato and me is growing wider. If this continues, we will end up in different worlds. Will I still be able to stand by Hayato's side?

It wasn't just the students watching who were surprised; Shuichi was also taken aback.

He had been wondering whether he needed to intervene in the fight, but Hayato's movements had been so fast that it was over before he could even react.

He quickly entered the arena to check on Kakashi's condition.

Fortunately, Hayato had gauged his strength well; Kakashi had merely fainted and was not seriously injured.

After calling over a couple of medics to carry Kakashi away, Shuichi announced the final result.

"The winner is Uchiha Hayato!"

Following the announcement, the audience spontaneously broke into applause and cheers.

They did not look down on Kakashi for his defeat; instead, they admired the strength and talent of both boys even more.

They knew that such a battle was beyond what they were currently capable of.

But they all looked forward to the day when they, too, could stand on that stage and showcase their own strength just like Hayato.

The value of Hayato's top-ranking status continued to rise.

After the brief commotion, Hiruzen stepped into the arena, looking at the vibrant, youthful children with a kind smile.

"Children, the future of Konoha belongs to you. As long as you continue to work hard and strive for progress, you will surely become the pillars who protect Konoha."

His words inspired everyone present, strengthening their convictions and resolve.