Contest

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

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

As Guy swallowed, he said, "Mmph, this is... mmph... good enough. I forgive you, Kakashi."

Kakashi looked at the two spectators. "So, you two, how about we go get some exercise after we finish eating?"

"Sure, I have no objections." Shisui Uchiha made his stance clear. He was quite interested in sparring with Kakashi.

Itachi Uchiha smiled. "Neither do I."

Seeing Guy eagerly wolf down the dango on the table, sweeping it clean in anticipation of a youthful contest, Kakashi said, "Then it's settled. Let's head to the Seventh Training Ground."

The four of them chatted as they walked.

"There are four of us, so let's split into teams of two. It'll test both individual ability and teamwork," Shisui suggested.

"Sure, sure! Then I want to team up with Kakashi." Guy immediately spoke up, 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 experience the captain's strength for a long time, but I never found a suitable opportunity."

"Good, then the teams are set. Should 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 a thousand laps around Konoha on their hands!"

Shisui fell silent for a long while. "How about we cancel the punishment..."

Kakashi nodded frantically. "I think so too."

Itachi was equally succinct. "Agreed."

Guy was a little disappointed, but then he thought about it again. He would not lose anyway. Once he won, he could reward himself by training with a thousand handstand laps!

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

Kakashi and Might Guy had grown up and trained together, and they had excellent coordination.

Shisui and Itachi had likewise grown up together. In terms of cooperation, they were no worse than Kakashi and Guy.

Thus, this was an evenly matched contest, and both sides' eyes burned with intense battle intent.

"Then... let's begin, everyone!"

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

Kakashi and Might Guy rushed toward the other two. Shisui drew his katana and met them head-on, while Itachi swiftly repositioned himself, seeking an opportunity to strike.

"Lightning!" Kakashi formed a one-handed seal, and lightning-nature chakra crackled over White Fang, letting out a long-awaited cheer.

White Fang struck Shisui's katana, and the tremendous force halted Shisui in his tracks.

Guy seized the opportunity from the side and launched a Konoha Great Whirlwind kick.

Whoosh!

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

"Body Flicker? I can do that too!"

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, he had produced two nunchaku, which lashed at Shisui like venomous snakes striking with their tongues.

He's so fast!

Shisui Uchiha was startled. Guy's speed was not inferior to his at all!

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

A blade of fire formed from Fire Release, mixed with a trace of wind-nature chakra, blocked both of Guy's nunchaku at a tricky angle.

"Konoha Rock Rise!" Kakashi took the opportunity to drive an elbow forward, trying to seize the rhythm of battle.

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

"Fire Release: Manyflower: Crimson Claw!"

The same technique wielded by different people did not necessarily have the same power.

After the shuriken carrying phoenix flames collided with one another in midair, they actually changed direction again, sealing off both Kakashi's advance and retreat.

"Blade Art: Heaven Severing!"

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

Kakashi lifted the forehead protector over his left eye. He would use magic to fight magic!

He charged toward the distant Itachi, leaving Shisui to Guy. He believed Guy was more than capable of holding Shisui back.

"Fire Release: Great Flame Ball!"

A fireball 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 rapidly rose, barely blocking the flames.

Who would have thought that the fireball would explode the moment it reached the wall, blasting the earthen barrier apart by force.

Itachi swiftly closed in, 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 with a Body Flicker, and the two rapidly formed seals at the same time. "Fire Release: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

Two enormous fire dragons erupted from their mouths. The two repeatedly used Body Flicker to change positions, and raging flames covered the entire training ground in an instant.

"Eight Gates: Gate of Pain, open!"

Guy opened the Fourth Gate in an instant and shot upward with a fierce leap, somehow jumping above both Shisui and Itachi and evading the flames.

"Damn!" Seeing the terrifying flames filling the sky, Kakashi decisively chose to play it safe.

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

"Reverse Lotus!"

Guy ran forward through the air, stepping on it with his feet, and kicked at supersonic speed toward Itachi, whom he considered the weaker opponent.

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

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

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

"Extreme: Konoha Great Whirlwind!"

This kick was faster and fiercer than the last, its speed faintly overwhelming even Shisui. Shisui could only choose to take it head-on.

Pfft!

The kick landed squarely on Shisui's crossed arms. Shisui felt as though he could barely catch his breath, and his rhythm fell apart along with it.

Guy pressed his advantage without mercy, attacking Shisui with kick after kick. For a time, Shisui could only struggle to fend them off.

Itachi's figure silently appeared beside Guy, but at that moment, a cold glint flashed, and Kakashi's blade had already descended.

"Itachi, I'm your opponent!"

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

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

Itachi used a kunai to defend himself and was forced into a passive position for the moment.

Itachi's strength lay in genjutsu. However, he had yet to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, and he was still in a period of rapid growth, allowing Kakashi to gain the upper hand.