Taunting Kakashi

Sunlight baked the Ninja Academy training grounds until they were scorching, while the wind sent the dust on the ground spinning in little whirlwinds.

Dozens of children in light blue Ninja Academy uniforms stood in a line, their faces full of nerves and anticipation.

Today was the monthly test, and their scores would directly affect their graduation rankings.

The Ninja Academy trained Genin. Only those who passed the test could become official ninja.

The test was being overseen by a young instructor named Umino Ikkaku. Holding a record book, he glanced over the children in line.

"Next, Hatake Kakashi."

A boy wearing a black mask that revealed only the upper half of his face stepped forward.

His gaze was far too calm for a child. He walked to the center of the training ground and took three Shuriken from his ninja pouch.

Throwing was a basic ninja skill. It tested accuracy, chakra control, and wrist strength. A skilled thrower could adjust the trajectory of multiple ninja tools mid-flight and hit their targets precisely.

"Twenty-meter target. Bull's-eye." The instructor pointed to a distant human-shaped target. The red dot at its center was only about the size of a coin.

Kakashi turned his wrist slightly, and the three Shuriken left his hand almost at once, flying with a faint whistle.

With three soft whooshes, all three Shuriken struck the same hole in the bull's-eye. Their tails quivered, and even the angles at which they were embedded were exactly the same.

"Perfect accuracy!" The instructor's eyes lit up. He marked a perfect score in his record book. "Hatake Kakashi, full marks! What control. No wonder he's a genius!"

Accuracy in throwing directly reflected a ninja's fine control over their tools and chakra. Kakashi had driven three Shuriken through the same spot in the target, clearly demonstrating top-tier skill.

The children around them gasped in amazement.

"Wow, Kakashi's amazing!"

"He pierced right through the bull's-eye!"

Kakashi stood where he was, showing no expression. He merely glanced at the other students, as if this were all perfectly ordinary.

Just then, a lazy voice rang out.

"Tch. That's just fancy showmanship."

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice—Uchiha Arashi.

He leaned against the training ground fence, his hands in his pockets and his eyes full of disdain.

His left eye was still a little bloodshot from awakening the Sharingan earlier, but now it held an unsettling arrogance.

Kakashi's gaze turned cold. For the first time, he looked directly at the usually inconspicuous Uchiha.

"Uchiha Arashi, you're up." The instructor frowned, clearly displeased by his remark. "Same target: twenty meters, bull's-eye."

Uchiha Arashi slowly straightened and walked to the center of the training ground.

Unlike Kakashi, he didn't bother to steady his breathing. He simply pulled a Kunai from his ninja pouch.

It weighed almost twice as much as an ordinary Kunai, and its blade bore a dark pattern. It clearly wasn't standard issue.

"Twenty meters?" He weighed the Kunai in his hand, his tone mocking. "Too close. Boring."

The instructor was about to say something when Uchiha Arashi drew his arm back. His muscles tensed in an instant, then he hurled the Kunai forward with a sudden swing.

He didn't even use his wrist—he threw it with the strength of his arm alone!

The Kunai cut through the air with a sharp whistle, moving so fast that it seemed to leave an afterimage.

With a dull thud, the Kunai struck the bull's-eye, pierced straight through the wooden target, and carried half the target board with it into the tree behind. It sank nearly three inches into the trunk! Bark showered down from the tree.

The power of a thrown weapon depended not only on accuracy but also on strength and speed.

The greater the force, the faster the weapon flew and the deeper it pierced. It was pure physical dominance.

The children nearby stumbled backward in fright. Even the instructor's mouth fell open as he stared at the Kunai quivering in the tree and the shattered target board. His throat bobbed.

"Th-this kind of strength... it's beyond that of many Genin! Uchiha Arashi, full marks! No, that's far beyond full marks!"

The children were stunned, their eyes wide as they stared at Uchiha Arashi with awe.

An ordinary Genin's throw could at most pierce the target. He had gone straight through it and buried the Kunai in the tree!

Only Uchiha Obito clenched his fists in frustration and muttered, "What's so impressive about that? He's just strong... I can do that too..." His voice grew quieter and quieter.

Before he could finish, Uchiha Arashi had already turned to look at Kakashi, who stood beside him.

A provocative smile tugged at his lips. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him.

"That throwing display just now was boring."

"Only weaklings get smug over a little trick like that."

Hatake Kakashi's gaze immediately turned cold. His hand crept toward the Kunai at his waist. "What did you say?"

"I said your throwing is garbage."

Uchiha Arashi took two steps forward, his arrogance utterly undisguised.

"True strength doesn't need flashy tricks like that. All it needs is overwhelming power."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his right foot and kicked a sturdy oak post at the edge of the training ground.

Crack! The thick oak post shattered into pieces, sending splinters flying.

It was pure physical strength.

The whole training ground erupted in an uproar!

"My god, that's an oak post! Even a Genin might not be able to break it!"

"Arashi's so violent!" Nohara Rin covered her mouth in fright, worry in her eyes. "Arashi..."

Might Guy excitedly raised his fists. "What incredible kicking technique! Uchiha Arashi, I want to challenge you!"

Uchiha Arashi ignored the commotion around him. He stood still, sensing the changes within his body.

When he had kicked apart the post, he'd felt an energy unlike chakra flowing through him—warm and powerful. It was "ki," the unique energy of the Saiyans.

Just then, the system's voice sounded in his mind again:

[Host has completed the beginner mission: Show the pride of Vegeta as the 'Prince of Saiyans']

[Template progress +2%, current progress: 2%]

[Reward received: Ki Sense (Intermediate)—allows clearer perception of the ki within the host's body]

Uchiha Arashi's smile grew wider.

He looked at Hatake Kakashi, his gaze full of disdain. "What? Don't like it? Then show me what you can really do. Don't just hide behind that mask and act cool."

Kakashi stood still, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles had gone white. In the end, he didn't retaliate, but a thorn called "pride" had already taken root in his heart.

Seeing Kakashi's anger held in check, Uchiha Arashi looked even more contemptuous.

He turned to the instructor and said coolly, "Is the test over? Then I'm leaving."

Before the instructor could answer, he turned and left the training ground, leaving behind a crowd of wide-eyed classmates and a furious, trembling Hatake Kakashi.

Only after he had walked a long way away did Uchiha Arashi finally let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close. Thankfully, the instructor was so shocked he didn't start yelling. Otherwise, my image would've gone straight down the drain."

"Sorry, Kakashi, my friend. In the future, I'll make sure fewer of those painful things happen to you."

Uchiha Arashi's lips curled as he thought to himself.

Uchiha Arashi knew that since his cheat was called the 'Vegeta' template, he had to model everything he said and did on Vegeta.

As the Prince of Saiyans, Vegeta had been born expecting to be the center of the world. That arrogance was carved into his very bones—and it was what drove him to become stronger.