Genius Against Genius

Toru was still dressed in white, with a black jacket bearing the Uchiha Clan crest. He stood tall in the gentle breeze.

A year had passed since the two of them had last faced each other. Now, standing opposite one another in the Training Ground once again, they couldn't help but feel the passage of time.

With their teacher absent, Toru asked Kurenai, who stood at the edge of the Training Ground, to serve as referee.

As the onlookers waited eagerly, Kurenai announced the words that signaled the start of the match: "Both sides, form the Seal of Confrontation. Begin!"

Toru and Kakashi formed the Seal of Confrontation with practiced ease.

Kakashi made the first move, seemingly confirming what the two of them had said earlier: Kakashi was the challenger.

Kakashi pulled a Kunai from his Ninja Tool Pouch and darted toward Toru, striking as soon as he was within reach.

Toru leaned back to dodge the Kunai, then swept out a leg with a sharp kick, forcing Kakashi to retreat.

Since class had just ended, Toru hadn't even brought his Ninja Tool Pouch. He could only fight bare-handed.

Kakashi noticed and tossed the Kunai in his hand toward Toru.

He deliberately threw it slowly, and Toru caught it without trouble. "Thanks," he said.

"I don't want to win unfairly," Kakashi said. "I'll win fair and square."

Toru chuckled. "Win? You seem to have gotten something wrong again. That's something you have to earn in battle."

Toru was in a good mood, so he was more talkative than usual.

"Did you know? To me, fighting is a joy, even more than hunting or playing the shamisen."

"The shamisen brings me peace and a sense of the mysterious. Hunting helps me relieve stress and relax. But only fighting can bring me joy outright."

"Kakashi, let's enjoy this fight together!"

Kakashi tightened his grip on the Kunai. "That's exactly what I had in mind."

They closed in again, trading blows with their Kunai at high speed. The weapons clashed, ringing with sharp metallic notes.

The pair's fluid exchange of attacks left the onlookers stunned.

"Is this really a fight between people our age?" many of them wondered.

"That's what geniuses are like. This is a battle between two geniuses," Might Guy said, his admiration tinged with frustration.

Might Guy envied geniuses, but he would never give up on himself because of it. Instead, he turned that envy into a reason to demand even more of himself.

"After school today, I'm doubling my training. I'll catch up to them!" Might Guy clenched his fist and swore under his breath. His palm was already covered in training scars.

Obito stared, dazzled by the bewildering fight unfolding before him. All he could do was marvel at how strong the two of them were.

Toru's first-ever defeated opponent, Gekko Hayate, coughed softly twice and thought, "There's no shame in losing to either of them."

Then there was Sarutobi Asuma, Toru's half-rival in love. He thought glumly, "I'd thought the gap between us wasn't that big, but I never expected..."

It was true: Toru and Kakashi were already far stronger than every other person their age in Konoha.

Only Toru could compare to Kakashi, and only Kakashi could compare to Toru.

Below the field, two little girls silently cheered on the geniuses they admired. One was named Yuhi Kurenai, and the other was Nohara Rin.

Back on the field, Kakashi and Toru exchanged blows several times in quick succession, neither gaining a clear advantage.

Kakashi's Kunai slashed toward Toru's waist. Toru calmly dodged, then circled to Kakashi's side and swung his Kunai toward Kakashi's neck.

Kakashi hurriedly raised his Kunai to block the strike.

Clang!

Since Toru had aimed at a vital spot, Kakashi didn't dare take any chances. He put extra strength into pushing the attack away.

But he hadn't expected Toru's move to be nothing more than a feint.

Toru had only lightly tapped Kakashi's Kunai with his own, throwing it off balance and knocking it outward.

Toru took advantage of that tiny opening.

He immediately turned his Kunai and slashed downward. The sudden attack caught Kakashi off guard.

Clang!

Another metallic ring. Kakashi was forced back again and again.

Just now, Kakashi had only managed to block the strike by hurriedly raising his arm in front of his chest.

If he hadn't been wearing a sturdy arm guard, that blow would have drawn blood.

Nohara Rin was terribly worried. "Kakashi!" she cried.

Kakashi looked down at Nohara Rin and waved to reassure her, then turned back to Toru.

"Why aren't you using your full strength?"

Toru understood perfectly well why Kakashi was asking.

He hadn't used Cursed Energy at all so far.

And in their first fight, it had been Cursed Energy that let Toru defeat Kakashi.

So Kakashi could tell that Toru still had another card up his sleeve.

Toru smiled. "Hahahaha, you noticed."

"Why aren't I using my full strength? Because this is a fair fight between two ninja."

Kakashi didn't understand why Toru thought his hidden trump card was unfair or somehow didn't count as a ninja's ability.

But if Toru put it that way, then it wasn't because he looked down on him.

Kakashi understood the answer and felt reassured.

"Then let's keep going."

"Sure," Toru replied.

The fight resumed.

Kakashi threw his Kunai. This time it flew fast and true, aimed straight at Toru's forehead.

Toru raised his own Kunai to knock it aside, and Kakashi seized the chance to begin forming Hand Seals.

Kakashi realized that even with Toru holding back, he still couldn't gain the upper hand in Taijutsu.

But Kakashi considered Taijutsu Toru's specialty, whereas Ninjutsu was another matter.

Back when they were at the Ninja Academy, Kakashi had believed his Ninjutsu skills were superior to Toru's.

In their first fight, Kakashi had even gained the upper hand for a time by using a variety of Ninjutsu.

So, naturally, when this fight reached a stalemate, Kakashi turned to Ninjutsu.

Kakashi had successfully become a Chunin this year, and his Ninjutsu had improved further.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

Kakashi formed Hand Seals and exhaled a violent gust of wind.

The gust whipped up sand and stones across the Training Ground. Even most of the spectators surrounding it had their eyes stung by the dust.

Toru raised an arm to shield his face and lessen the impact of Great Breakthrough. At the same time, he gathered Chakra beneath his feet to keep himself from being blown away.

Kakashi pressed his advantage, throwing several Shuriken to block every direction around Toru.

Empowered by the wind, the Shuriken were especially fierce. Even Toru didn't dare let his guard down.

Toru swung his Kunai again and again, dodging and deflecting the Shuriken to keep them from piercing his body.

Seeing that he had gained the upper hand, Kakashi immediately pressed the attack.

The effect of Wind Release: Great Breakthrough was fading, and Toru had already deflected all the Shuriken.

Kakashi had charged right up to Toru, giving him no chance to catch his breath.

Just then, Toru rapidly formed Hand Seals. Kakashi charged in, warily watching Toru's eyes—but that very decision made him fall into Toru's trap.