Apprenticeship

Just then, applause suddenly rang out from nearby.

Clap, clap.

Fang Xu and Kakashi turned their heads at the same time.

A white-haired figure dropped down from a tree and landed by the riverbank.

The man wore simple shinobi attire and carried a sword at his waist. His demeanor was gentle, yet impossible to ignore.

Kakashi froze.

"Father?"

Fang Xu immediately recognized the newcomer as well.

The White Fang of the Leaf, Hatake Sakumo, a renowned Kendo master in the Shinobi World.

He did not play dumb and immediately straightened up to bow.

"Uncle Sakumo."

Hatake Sakumo smiled and nodded.

"You fought well."

After saying that, he looked at Kakashi.

"You did not disgrace the Hatake Family."

Kakashi turned his face away.

"I didn't lose."

Hatake Sakumo smiled but did not expose his little bit of resentment.

Then his gaze settled on Fang Xu.

"Fang Xu, I have a question for you."

Fang Xu immediately said, "Please ask, Uncle Sakumo."

Hatake Sakumo looked at the ninja tool pouch around his waist.

"Who taught you the Kendo you used with that kunai just now?"

Fang Xu answered honestly.

"No one."

Hatake Sakumo's brow twitched slightly.

"You taught yourself?"

"Yes."

Fang Xu nodded.

"There's a set of swordsmanship insights at home. I've been practicing according to it for a while recently."

Hatake Sakumo pressed further.

"How long?"

Fang Xu thought about it.

"Seven or eight days."

The smile on Hatake Sakumo's face paused.

Kakashi also turned to look at Fang Xu.

Seven or eight days?

He had sparred with Fang Xu for so long just now, so of course he could tell Fang Xu's swordsmanship was still crude.

But crude as it was, he had still crossed the threshold.

Someone could study a set of insights on his own for seven or eight days and already apply Kendo forms in actual combat?

That was no ordinary talent.

Hatake Sakumo examined Fang Xu again, his tone turning noticeably serious.

"To reach this level in seven or eight days, you have great talent for Kendo."

He took a step forward.

"I'm not just being polite."

"Your foundation is still shallow, your technique is rough, and your distance judgment needs refinement."

"But it is rare that you found the right direction on your own."

Hatake Sakumo looked at Fang Xu, his voice gentle yet solemn.

"Fang Xu, you are a Kendo genius."

After pausing for a moment, he said directly, "If you are willing, then from today onward, I can take you as my disciple and teach you true Kendo."

Fang Xu's heartbeat immediately sped up.

Hatake Sakumo was taking on a disciple.

Those four words carried too much weight for him right now.

His original plan had been to slowly get close to Hatake Sakumo through Kakashi, then find an opportunity to ask for guidance in Kendo.

The Thousand Hands Swordsmanship Insights at home were indeed formidable, but formidable as they were, there were many parts he could only figure out by guessing.

With something like Kendo, without someone to guide him, even a slight mistake could leave him far behind.

More importantly, Fang Xu needed someone to back him.

The Third Hokage had given him compensation money and the Lightning Body-Tempering Technique. That was an investment, as well as an attempt to win him over.

But if an old monster lurking in the shadows like Danzo really set his sights on him, an ordinary background would never be enough to protect him.

If the White Fang of the Leaf stood behind him, if the head of the Anbu stood behind him, if a top-tier powerhouse wearing the Hokage's half-cloak and holding immense prestige in the village stood behind him, then many people would have to think twice before reaching for him.

Fang Xu had not expected a spar with Kakashi to directly accomplish his goal.

He barely hesitated. Taking half a step back, he lowered his hands and gave Hatake Sakumo a deep bow.

"Disciple Fang Xu greets his teacher."

The moment he said "teacher," a huge weight lifted from Fang Xu's heart.

Awesome.

This felt incredible.

His lightning abilities were his trump card, and Exchange Talent was his foundation.

But in a place like Konoha, having trump cards alone was not enough.

Without anyone to protect him, he might be crushed before he had the chance to grow.

Now, things were different.

Hatake Sakumo nodded, the smile on his face deepening.

"Good."

He did not offer any empty pleasantries, merely reaching out to steady Fang Xu.

"Since you have called me teacher, I will teach you seriously from now on."

Fang Xu straightened up, his tone steady.

"Please rest assured, Teacher. I will work hard."

Hatake Sakumo looked at him, growing more satisfied the longer he looked.

Gifted, with a steady temperament.

What was even rarer was that Fang Xu had not become cocky just because he had drawn with Kakashi.

As long as a child like this did not stray from the right path, he would definitely become someone great in the future.

He turned to glance at Kakashi.

Kakashi stood nearby with one hand still resting on his short sword. The exposed eye was somewhat displeased.

His father had just praised Fang Xu as a Kendo genius.

And now he had accepted him as a disciple on the spot.

Kakashi did not dislike Fang Xu.

But he had been a genius since childhood, accustomed to being valued by his father and to staying ahead of his peers.

Now, another boy his age had suddenly appeared. Not only could he fight him to a draw, but his father had also said his Kendo talent was exceptional.

That feeling was not pleasant at all.

Hatake Sakumo naturally saw through him.

He deliberately asked, "Kakashi, what kind of expression is that?"

Kakashi turned his face away.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Hatake Sakumo smiled.

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't quite convinced?"

Kakashi's voice was stiff.

"I didn't lose."

Hearing that, Fang Xu could not help glancing at him.

This white-haired kid really had a stubborn mouth.

Hatake Sakumo did not expose him either, only nodding.

"That's true. You didn't lose."

Kakashi had just started to relax when Hatake Sakumo's next sentence came.

"But Fang Xu's talent in Kendo may be better than yours."

Kakashi snapped his head around.

"Impossible."

He said those three words very quickly.

Fang Xu was somewhat surprised as well.

"Teacher, I've only just begun."

Hatake Sakumo waved a hand.

"Talent is talent. Strength is strength."

"Your current Kendo foundation is still very shallow. If you truly fought Kakashi with swords, there is a high chance you would lose."

"But you taught yourself for seven or eight days using only a set of insights, yet you could already apply Kendo's force generation in actual combat. Kakashi was not this fast back then."

Kakashi fell silent.

If those words had come from someone else, he could have refused to accept them.

But the one saying them was Hatake Sakumo.

His father, and also the Kendo master he respected most.

Hatake Sakumo looked at his son, his tone becoming more relaxed.

"What? Feeling motivated?"

Kakashi tightened his grip on the hilt of his short sword.

"I'll prove it to you."

"That's more like it."

Hatake Sakumo smiled. "Your progress has slowed considerably lately. It isn't because you haven't worked hard, but because you are too used to being ahead."

"Now that someone else has caught up, isn't that a good thing?"

Kakashi looked at Fang Xu.

Fang Xu looked back at him.

They had fought for eight or nine minutes just now, and neither had gained an absolute advantage.

Kakashi admitted that Fang Xu was indeed qualified to be his opponent.

Not just because of Lightning Mode.

There was also that kind of split-second judgment.

That Substitution Technique followed by Lightning Ball—if his reaction had not been fast enough, he would have suffered badly.

Kakashi let out a breath.

"Fang Xu."

"Yeah?"

"Next time, I'll beat you."

Fang Xu smiled.

"I'll be ready anytime."

Kakashi added one more thing.

"And don't think that just because you became my father's disciple, you can keep being the junior disciple forever."

Fang Xu raised an eyebrow.

"So you want to be the junior disciple?"

Kakashi's eyelid twitched.

"You're overthinking it."