Duel with Kakashi

As if in answer to Obito's question.

Footsteps sounded.

Hatake Kakashi appeared some distance away, wearing a black mask and carrying a short sword on his back. He swept Mikami Yu and Rin with his dead-fish eyes before looking at Minato. "Minato-sensei, are we starting now?"

"..."

Fine.

By Shinobi World convention, most ninja squads consisted of one Chunin leading three Genin, so Kakashi technically was qualified to serve as an "assistant instructor." Besides, Minato did have quite a few missions, so finding someone to help share the burden made sense.

But...

Didn't that make Kakashi their "teacher"?

They had to call Kakashi "sensei"?!

Yu took it fairly well when he realized that, but Obito's reaction was especially intense.

"Damn it, why is it you?! I refuse to acknowledge you as a teacher! You're just a Chunin! I'm a Genin now too, and I'll surpass you soon enough!"

Kakashi nodded blandly. "Oh."

"What do you mean, 'oh'?!"

"It means you can say those things to me after you become a Chunin. For now, as Minato-sensei requested, you have five minutes to devise a battle plan. Then, attack me. Your objective is to defeat me, or avoid being defeated by me."

"..."

Seeing that Namikaze Minato said nothing,

Mikami Yu let out a soft breath and pulled Nohara Rin and the eager Obito aside. "I won't waste time with unnecessary words. The graduation exam tested individual ability, but this exercise tests teamwork. So, one of the three of us needs to be the core and give the orders."

"Sure! I'll be the core—"

"Obito, shut up and listen to Yu!"

Nohara Rin cut off Obito before he could finish.

Yu continued, "Kakashi excels at Lightning Style, Earth Style, and Hatake Family Swordsmanship. Overall, he specializes in close combat. We need one person to launch a frontal assault, suppress the enemy, and create openings; one person to support from the side; and one person to wait for an opportunity and take the enemy down in a single strike."

"Obito, you'll suppress Kakashi!"

"Got it!"

Obito readily agreed.

At this point, Obito was basically a weaker version of Naruto. He had little concept of the gap between the strong and weak, wholeheartedly believing he was not much worse than Kakashi. On top of that, he wanted to show off in front of Nohara Rin, so his confidence was through the roof. He did not even mind being ordered around by Mikami Yu.

"Then I'll provide support."

Nohara Rin said.

Naturally, Mikami Yu would be the "assassin" waiting for an opportunity.

Put simply, this lineup was the classic ranged, tank, and assassin team-fight combination. Though Yu's ability to break through defenses was actually far stronger than Obito's, he could hardly have Obito serve as the assassin, so he had to settle for this.

Next,

Yu briefly explained the tactics, then gathered their ninja tools together and redistributed them.

During this, Namikaze Minato stood some distance away with his arms crossed, listening to their conversation and nodding slightly.

Come to think of it...

That practical combat exercise at the Ninja Academy had actually been designed by him.

One purpose was to fulfill Hiruzen Sarutobi's request and determine whether Mikami Yu had the potential to practice Space–Time Ninjutsu. The other was to assess the overall quality of all students in this class, especially their practical combat ability and teamwork.

Unfortunately, apart from Nara Zhenyuan, most of the students had shown none of the latter ability. They had all fought on their own, blindly throwing punches based on instinct.

In fact, even Kakashi, the "assistant instructor," had this problem. Otherwise, he would not have been repeatedly complained about by his teammates. However, tracing it back led to last year's Konoha White Fang Incident. The rights and wrongs involved were difficult to judge, and even Namikaze Minato could not casually comment on them.

And now...

This Mikami Yu, on the other hand, had displayed some unique potential. It was a pleasant surprise.

Namikaze Minato decided to keep watching.

The five minutes quickly passed.

As time ran out,

Yu and the others rose at the same time. Obito charged out first, forming hand seals as he ran, his cheeks puffing up. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"

With a whoosh, he forcefully expelled an orange-red fireball. It rumbled toward where Kakashi stood, stirring the surrounding air into a scorching wave that rushed at him.

However—

Poof!

The "Kakashi" that was hit turned into a wooden substitution log.

"Huh?"

Obito froze for a moment, then felt the ground beneath his feet loosen. An arm shot out of the earth like lightning, grabbed his ankle, and yanked hard!

"Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"

"Aaaah—!"

Obito only had time for a short cry before his entire body was dragged into the earth, leaving only his spiky head exposed aboveground, his face smeared with dirt.

On this side, Nohara Rin rapidly flung up both hands, sending a large cluster of wooden shuriken toward Kakashi as he emerged from the ground beside Obito. Kakashi casually drew a kunai, his wrist flickering like lightning as he knocked away every incoming shuriken. Then he pushed off the ground and lunged straight at Nohara Rin!

"Rin! Watch out!"

Obito shouted anxiously from the pit, struggling in vain.

Nohara Rin hurriedly raised her kunai to block.

Clang! Clang!

Two crisp rings sounded. With the vast difference in strength, Kakashi flicked and thrust his wrist, sending Rin flying back with irresistible force. As she staggered backward, the kunai in her hand flew free against her will.

Now!

"Substitution Technique!"

Mikami Yu's figure suddenly vanished, switching places with the kunai Rin had dropped and appearing behind Kakashi's flank! A Leaf Hurricane swept viciously toward Kakashi's waist and ribs!

A sneak attack!

Kakashi abandoned his pursuit of Nohara Rin, twisting his waist and dropping his shoulder as he raised his kunai in a backhand slash!

Bang!

Yu's leg collided fiercely with the kunai's metal handle! The tremendous force jolted both of them, and they each borrowed the impact to slide several meters back.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"

The instant Yu landed, he had already completed his hand seals, and chakra surged forth.

Whoosh—!

A blazing fireball two to three meters tall roared out. Whether in speed, size, or sheer force, it vastly surpassed the one Obito had just unleashed! The blistering heat wave instantly scorched the surrounding blades of grass!

Kakashi's pupils narrowed. Without hesitation, he slapped both hands against the ground. "Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"

Rumble!

A thick earthen wall carved with several lifelike dog heads surged up!

Boom—!!!!

The Fire Ball Jutsu slammed into the dog-head earth wall and exploded violently, scattering flames and chunks of earth everywhere! The wall shook fiercely, nearly half its surface blasted apart, and the carved dog heads flew far into the distance. Still, it had ultimately blocked the attack.

Smoke and dust filled the air.

Using the earthen wall as cover, Kakashi silently slipped underground—Earth Style: Hiding in Earth Technique!

The moment Yu released the Fire Ball Jutsu, he formed hand seals as well. "Water Style: Water Clone Technique!"