Contest

"Oh? Is that true?" Guy asked skeptically.

"Absolutely. Here, have some dango." Kakashi smiled apologetically. "I'll feed you. Open wide, ah~"

As Guy swallowed, he said, "Mm, mm, that's... mm... more like it. I forgive you, Kakashi."

Kakashi turned to the two spectators. "What do you two say? Once we're full, want to get some exercise?"

"Sure, I have no objections." Shisui Uchiha stated his position. He was quite interested in sparring with Kakashi.

Itachi Uchiha said with a smile, "I have no objections either."

Seeing Guy, eager for a youthful contest, wolfing down the dango and sweeping the table clean in no time, Kakashi said, "Then it's settled. Let's head to the Seventh Training Ground."

The four chatted as they walked.

"Since there are four of us, let's split into two teams. It will test both individual ability and teamwork," Shisui suggested.

"Sure, sure! Then I want to team up with Kakashi." Guy spoke immediately, afraid someone else would steal Kakashi from him.

This guy... Kakashi smiled helplessly.

Itachi said, "Then I'll team up with Shisui. I've wanted to see the captain's strength for a long time, but never found a suitable opportunity."

"All right, then the teams are decided. Will there be a punishment for the losing team?" Shisui asked, rubbing his hands together.

Guy was brimming with fighting spirit. "The losers have to do handstands around Konoha a thousand times!"

Shisui was speechless for a long while. "How about we cancel the punishment..."

Kakashi nodded frantically. "I think so too."

Itachi was equally concise. "Agreed."

Guy was a little disappointed, but then he thought about it—he would not lose anyway. Once he won, he could reward himself with a thousand laps around Konoha on his hands as training!

The four arrived at the training ground and stood in pairs on opposite sides of the field.

Kakashi and Might Guy had grown up and trained together, and they understood each other extremely well.

Shisui and Itachi had also grown up together, and their coordination was no worse than Kakashi and Guy's.

Thus, this was an evenly matched contest, and both sides' eyes were filled with intense fighting spirit.

"Then... begin, everyone!"

At Kakashi's command, all four vanished from where they stood.

Kakashi and Might Guy charged swiftly toward the two across from them. Shisui drew his tachi and met them head-on, while Itachi quickly repositioned himself, searching for an opportunity to strike.

"Lightning!" Kakashi formed a seal with one hand. Lightning-nature chakra crackled over White Fang, letting out a long-unheard cheer.

White Fang struck Shisui's tachi, and the powerful force brought Shisui to a halt.

Guy seized the opportunity and launched a Konoha Great Whirlwind.

"Whoosh!"

Shisui Uchiha used his signature Zetsu technique, vanishing in a Body Flicker to evade their pincer attack and reappearing on the other side.

"I can use the Body Flicker too!"

The Body Flicker required extremely fast taijutsu movement speed, and Guy undoubtedly met that requirement.

"Taijutsu: Twin Fang Assault!"

Guy instantly appeared beside Shisui. At some point, two nunchaku had appeared in his hands, and they lashed toward Shisui like venomous snakes flicking their tongues.

He's so fast!

Shisui Uchiha was startled. Guy's speed was not inferior to his in the slightest!

Shisui's expression turned solemn. "Uchiha Style: Sword Leaping Flame!"

A blade of Fire Release flames mixed with a trace of wind-nature chakra blocked both of Guy's nunchaku at once from an awkward angle.

"Konoha Rock Rise!" Kakashi took advantage of the moment to drive an elbow forward, attempting to seize the rhythm of battle.

Kakashi joined Guy in attacking Shisui, but Itachi's attack arrived from the other side.

"Fire Release: Manyflower: Kurenai Claw!"

The same jutsu wielded by different people did not necessarily possess the same power.

The shuriken carrying phoenix flames collided with one another in midair, then unexpectedly changed direction again, sealing off both Kakashi's advance and retreat routes.

"Blade Art: Heaven Severing!"

Itachi's timing was impeccable. Kakashi had no choice but to halt his offensive and stop to block the burning shuriken.

Kakashi removed the forehead protector over his left eye. He would fight magic with magic!

He rushed toward Itachi in the distance, leaving Shisui to Guy. He believed Guy was more than capable of holding Shisui back.

"Fire Release: Great Flame Ball!"

A ball of fire twice the size of a Great Fireball burst from Itachi's mouth and flew toward Kakashi.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Kakashi slapped the ground, and an earthen wall carved with dog heads rose swiftly, barely blocking the flames.

Unexpectedly, when the flames reached the earthen wall, they exploded outward, forcibly blasting it apart.

Itachi took the opportunity to close in quickly, but as if he had sensed something, he abruptly stopped.

"Shadow Clone—the real body is... here! Shisui!" Itachi shouted.

"Ah, coming!" Shisui answered.

He appeared beside Itachi in a Body Flicker, and the two rapidly formed seals together. "Fire Release: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

Two enormous fire dragons erupted from their mouths. The pair kept using the Body Flicker to change positions, and blazing flames covered the entire training ground in an instant.

"Eight Gates: Gate of Pain, open!"

Guy opened the Fourth Gate in an instant and leaped fiercely upward, forcibly jumping above Shisui and Itachi to evade the flames.

"Oh, hell!" Faced with the terrifying flames filling the sky, Kakashi decisively chose to play it safe.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!" Kakashi plunged straight into the ground, avoiding the assault of the flames.

"Reverse Lotus!"

Guy ran forward through the Ki toward Itachi, whom he considered the weaker of the two.

The terrifying pressure made Itachi's expression change. "Substitution Technique!"

"Hmph!" Guy tapped off the substitution log with his toes and spun around, smashing toward Shisui.

Shisui's figure vanished instantly, but Guy vanished as well, arriving at the spot where Shisui would reappear even faster.

"Extreme: Konoha Great Whirlwind!"

This kick was faster and fiercer than the last, its speed even faintly surpassing Shisui's. Shisui had no choice but to take it head-on.

"Pfft!"

The kick landed squarely on Shisui's crossed arms. He felt as though he could barely catch his breath, and his rhythm immediately fell into disarray.

Guy pressed his advantage relentlessly, kick after kick flying toward Shisui. For the moment, Shisui could only struggle to defend himself.

Itachi's figure silently appeared beside Guy, but at that moment, a cold flash streaked past. Kakashi's blade had already come down.

"Itachi, I'm your opponent!"

Kakashi also brought out his signature Zetsu technique. "Sword Art: Azure Lotus!"

The short blade in Kakashi's hand grew faster and faster, each strike aimed at Itachi's vital points.

Itachi held a kunai to parry, and he too was forced into a passive position.

Itachi's strength lay in genjutsu, but he had not yet awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Coupled with the fact that he was still in a period of rapid growth, Kakashi was able to gain the upper hand.