The two resumed their fight in the hall, the clash of weapons ringing out again and again.
Both were sweating heavily and breathing hard. Kakashi was nowhere near as fast as he had been at the start.
Whenever Kakashi used Lightning Release, Obito quickly pulled away to put distance between them.
Their weapons collided once more. Obito suddenly changed the angle of his kunai and thrust upward toward Kakashi's ribs.
Kakashi hurriedly shifted his short sword to block. Obito instantly picked up the pace, driving him back with a flurry of attacks until he could do nothing but defend.
Obito's rapid attacks had captured Kakashi's full attention. After all, Kakashi had no Sharingan.
"Looks like Kakashi has lost this match. Obito's growth is astonishing," Hatake Sakumo said.
Fugaku nodded. "Obito certainly has talent, and his mind is relatively pure. Clan members like him naturally awaken their eyes more easily than others."
Hatake Sakumo understood. No wonder Fugaku valued Obito so highly. That was probably a major reason.
Just then, the fight took an unexpected turn. A mass of Lightning Release Chakra suddenly gathered in Kakashi's free hand, and he slammed it into Obito.
Obito's body went rigid. A kunai immediately stabbed toward his throat.
Many of the Konoha leaders in the stands were stunned. None had expected the fight to change so completely in an instant.
Fugaku glanced at the lightning in Kakashi's hand. It was probably the beginnings of Chidori—nothing more than Lightning Release Chakra concentrated in his palm.
Time seemed to slow. The two were extremely close. Obito's Sharingan turned slowly as his stiff right hand trembled again and again. Then the kunai in his grip flew upward, straight toward Kakashi's throat.
Kakashi instantly redirected the kunai he had aimed at Obito and knocked the incoming weapon away.