That afternoon, Suzuki Nakamura walked into the classroom with the attendance register.
"No theory in today's lesson."
He swept his gaze across the class.
"An outdoor sparring test."
The classroom immediately grew lively, and Obito was the first to stand.
"Great! We finally get some real combat!"
Suzuki Nakamura tapped the lectern.
"Quiet, everyone."
"The rules are simple. Stop short of hurting each other. No attacking vital points, and no deliberately inflicting serious injuries on your classmates."
"Everyone, head to the sparring grounds."
The students immediately followed their teacher out of the classroom.
The sparring grounds were behind the Ninja Academy, with packed sandy soil underfoot, wooden posts, and simple fencing around the perimeter.
As soon as they arrived, Obito rushed up to Kakashi and pointed at him.
"Kakashi! I'm definitely challenging you today!"
Kakashi could barely be bothered to raise his eyes.
"Win a match first."
"You!"
Obito was about to retort when a green figure charged over.
Might Guy clenched both fists, so fired up he looked ready to steam.
"Wait!"
"Obito, Kakashi is the rival I've chosen for life!"
"This youthful showdown today should be mine!"
Obito refused to back down.
"Bushy Brows, don't cut in!"
Guy said earnestly, "This isn't cutting in. This is the destiny of youth!"
Watching the two students argue, Suzuki Nakamura felt his temple twitch and opened the attendance register.
"First match, Kakashi Hatake versus Might Guy."
Guy immediately gave a thumbs-up.
"Kakashi! Come on! Let our youth burn!"
Kakashi sighed.
"What a pain."
Meanwhile, Asuma walked up to Fang Xu.
"Fang Xu."
Fang Xu looked at him.
"Need something?"
Asuma lifted his chin.
"Let's have a match in a bit."
After saying that, he stole another quick glance at Kurenai Yuhi.
Fang Xu saw that little gesture perfectly clearly.
During lunch break, Asuma had secretly gone to see their teacher, Suzuki Nakamura.
After returning, he had kept staring at Fang Xu.
Now that their teacher had arranged an outdoor sparring test, Fang Xu wasn't surprised at all.
"Sure."
Fang Xu nodded.
"If you want to fight, I'm game."
Excitement surged inside Asuma.
As long as he defeated Fang Xu in front of Kurenai, she would surely realize he was the stronger one.
In the center of the grounds, Kakashi and Might Guy had taken their positions.
Suzuki Nakamura raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The instant the words left his mouth, Might Guy pushed off and charged forward.
"Kakashi!"
"Take this!"
"Leaf Hurricane!"
He leaped up, his right leg sweeping across with a rush of wind.
The kick was fast and fierce, on a completely different level from an ordinary student's attacks.
The surrounding students immediately cried out.
"Guy's taijutsu is so strong!"
"If that kick landed, it would really hurt, wouldn't it?"
Obito gritted his teeth.
"When did Bushy Brows get so fast?"
Kakashi didn't retreat.
His short sword left its sheath, and he blocked with the back of the blade.
Bam!
The leg struck the back of the blade. Kakashi's arm dipped slightly, but his feet remained firmly planted.
Guy didn't stop after landing. He swept his left leg across and drove his right fist forward, one move following another.
"Youth never stops!"
Kakashi kept turning his short sword.
He blocked kicks with the back of the blade and pressed down on wrists with the hilt, shifting his feet in small movements, each step placing him where Guy would find it hardest to keep applying force.
Clang! Bam! Smack!
Their movements grew faster and faster.
Might Guy attacked relentlessly with taijutsu alone, his fists and feet like a gust of wind.
Kakashi countered with the Hatake Sword Technique. His movements weren't flashy, but their precision was frightening.
Kurenai Yuhi watched intently.
"Guy's taijutsu is improving so fast."
Rin Nohara nodded.
"But Kakashi is steadier."
Fang Xu was watching too.
Might Guy hadn't yet reached the monstrous level he would in the future, but his taijutsu fundamentals were already solid.
More importantly, every time an attack was blocked, he adjusted the angle slightly on the next one.
This guy didn't just shout hot-blooded slogans.
He really was getting stronger.
Kakashi had clearly noticed it too.
His short sword blocked an elbow strike from Guy. Sliding sideways, he pressed the back of his blade down along Guy's arm.
Guy immediately pulled back his strength, flipping away to retreat.
"Good!"
"Kakashi, you really are worth pursuing with everything I have!"
A few minutes later, Guy's breathing grew heavier and heavier.
Kakashi suddenly seized an opening. His short sword slid past Guy's fist, and with a circling step, he instantly reached Guy's rear flank.
He didn't draw the blade to injure him.
He pressed the back of the blade against Guy's shoulder, holding the short sword across the front of Guy's neck.
"It's over."
Suzuki Nakamura immediately announced the result.
"The winner, Kakashi Hatake."
The surrounding students gasped.
"So fast."
"I couldn't even see that last move clearly."
Guy, however, wasn't discouraged in the slightest.
He turned his head, his teeth gleaming.
"Kakashi! I lost this time!"
"But next time, I'll definitely be stronger!"
Kakashi put away his sword.
"You say that every time."
Guy clenched his fist.
"Because youth never gives up!"
Kakashi turned and returned to the sidelines. Though he complained aloud about the hassle, he couldn't take this lightly.
Might Guy had improved again.
Fang Xu was catching up too.
If things continued like this and he stuck to his old training regimen, sooner or later they would be nipping at his heels.
Kakashi touched the short sword on his back, having already decided to train extra tonight.
The matches that followed took place one after another.
Kurenai Yuhi faced Rin Nohara.
Rin's fundamentals were solid, and she used throwing techniques and the Substitution Technique well.
But Kurenai seized an instant when she was distracted, disrupting her vision with basic genjutsu before stopping a kunai in front of Rin's shoulder.
"I lost."
Rin raised her hand with a smile.
Kurenai Yuhi put away her kunai as well.
"Let's go again next time."
A few more matches passed before it was Ebisu and Obito Uchiha's turn.
Obito stepped onto the field brimming with confidence.
"Watch closely! I'm the future Hokage!"
Ebisu pushed up the glasses on his nose, his tone blunt.
"Stop boasting, dead last."
Obito grew furious.
"Who are you calling dead last?"
"You."
The moment Suzuki Nakamura called for them to begin, Obito charged.
But he rushed too hastily, leaving far too many openings.
Ebisu first used shuriken to force him to change direction, then used the Clone Technique to misdirect his gaze, and finally tripped Obito with a kick, stopping a kunai behind his back.
"The winner, Ebisu."
Obito lay facedown on the ground, his face full of resentment.
"Damn it!"
"I'll definitely beat you next time!"
Ebisu put away his kunai and looked down at him.
"Dead last will always be dead last."
"If you want to surpass me, try not sleeping in class first."
Obito was so angry he nearly sprang up.
"Ebisu!"
Rin Nohara hurriedly intervened. "Obito, the test isn't over yet."
Only then did Obito grit his teeth and leave the field.
Nearly an hour later, Suzuki Nakamura turned to the next pair of names.
"Next match."
"Asuma Sarutobi versus Fang Xu."
Asuma stood almost immediately.
He had been waiting a long time for this moment.
The surrounding students perked up too.
One was the Third Hokage's son.
The other was Fang Xu, who had just become the White Fang of the Leaf's student.
This match had more to offer than most of the preceding ones.
Kurenai Yuhi's brows furrowed slightly.
"Asuma, don't do anything reckless."
Hearing her words, Asuma wanted even more to win in style.
"Don't worry."
With that, he jumped into the arena.
Fang Xu also walked in, holding a Kunai.