Garou didn't stop to rest.
He said a few words, and in the next instant, his body flickered forward with the Body Flicker Technique.
Might Guy held back his full speed, keeping pace with Garou.
Their fists flew, legs clashed. It was an actual brawl.
Guy vanished in a blur.
Sensing the danger, Garou abruptly shifted tactics and lashed out with a backward whip kick.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed as the ground cracked beneath Guy's landing.
Guy raised a brow. "His legs too?"
Not only that, his kicks hit even harder than his punches.
'Interesting.'
The technique reminded him faintly of Lady Tsunade's monstrous strength. It seemed Garou's self-developed taijutsu bore some of its essence.
While dodging and observing at the same time, he was still piecing it together when a fist suddenly surged toward him.
This time cloaked in concentrated chakra.
Guy was blown back.
Thankfully, it was just the chakra that connected. Mid-air, he regained control and flipped, launching off a tree branch into a retaliatory charge.
From the side, Lee was burning with excitement.
If he had already mastered the Eight Gates, he would've probably popped one open just to spice things up.
Garou had once told him that if he trained well, every muscle in his body could become a weapon.
And now he was seeing it.
Shoulders, elbows... everything could strike with lethal force.
The damage varied depending on the point of impact, but most people couldn't block any of it.
Only someone like Guy, with absurd durability, could take those hits and get even more fired up.
"BURN WITH YOUTH!!" Guy howled, diving in with a fiery flying kick.
Garou's eyes narrowed.
This speed… completely on a different level than before.
In the shadows, a certain copy ninja who had come to spectate quietly stepped forward, ready to intervene.
'This idiot Guy… he's going all out against a kid? That's too much!'
But just as Kakashi tensed, Garou's fingers glinted.
Two sharp, glowing needles of chakra had formed between them. They were condensed to a lethal edge, as sharp as chakra scalpels.
Guy's posture was perfect mid-air, but then he froze.
"Guy-sensei! What if you'd hurt Garou!?" Lee cried.
"Hahaha! I got a bit carried away!" Guy said, standing up, his face twitching from pain.
It hurt. A lot.
'Damn kid nailed me at the perfect moment…'
But in front of Lee, he couldn't lose face. He gave a thumbs-up and beamed,
"Lee! You saw it! With hard work, even taijutsu alone can create a shining future! You too can become an outstanding ninja!"
"Yes, Guy-sensei!"
Lee didn't doubt him for a second.
Each step Guy took was agony. He knew his foot muscles had been sliced.
"Yo, isn't that my eternal rival, Kakashi?" Guy grinned through the pain.
"Let's have a passionate handstand race! First one to reach the Konoha Hospital wins!"
Guy flipped upside down.
'Ah… much better this way!'
Kakashi squinted from behind his book, unsure what to say.
'Guy, seriously, if you're hurt, just go to the hospital quietly.'
Getting overexcited sparring with your student and ending up injured was embarrassing.
Still, Kakashi could somewhat relate.
'But… why the hell am I getting pulled into this?'
Kakashi pretended not to hear and turned the page.
"You never disappoint, Kakashi!" Guy shouted.
"I'll join you, Guy-sensei!" Lee cheered.
"Let's go!"
And with that, Guy jogged away on his hands.
Garou stayed silent.
"What's that jutsu called?" Kakashi asked.
"Doesn't have a name yet."
"It's interesting. Let me guess. It's inspired by Lady Tsunade's techniques, right?"
"Chakra-enhanced strength combined with muscle manipulation. No wonder you're attending the medical division."
Kakashi was sharper than Guy.
While Guy had… unique priorities, Kakashi always noticed the important details.
He'd been wondering why Garou joined the medic team in the first place. Now it made sense.
On one hand, he was learning to use chakra scalpels. On the other hand, techniques like this clearly needed a deep understanding of anatomy and chakra control, something he could only gain from hospital experience.
And earlier, when Guy lost control of his speed and strength, Garou's response had been flawless.
At that moment, Kakashi had been reminded of someone.
Orochimaru.
Genius. Calculating. Ruthless.
"Yeah, though I've never met Lady Tsunade. I just heard stories. Pieced it together based on guesswork and theory," Garou admitted.
Kakashi, known as the Copy Ninja, master of a thousand jutsus, could clearly see the intricacy behind the move.
"Ever thought of joining the Anbu?"
"Anbu?"
Garou blinked. 'Kakashi hasn't resigned yet?'
"Yeah. The Assassination and Tactical Squad. I'm sure you've heard of it."
Garou frowned, thinking deeply before shaking his head.
"Honestly, I'm interested, but not right now. Anbu requires battlefield readiness and killing. I'm still in a phase of accumulating knowledge."
Kakashi was quiet. His lone eye studied the boy.
'Anyone else would've jumped at the offer. But this kid doesn't show a flicker of excitement on his face.'
Instead, he considered how it might interfere with his personal study plan.
Even Kakashi hadn't been that calm at twelve.
'This kid is too rational. He already has a roadmap, step by step, planned out far in advance.'
Kakashi sighed.
He scratched the back of his head and gave a faint smile. "Alright. If you ever have questions, feel free to ask me. That is… if we run into each other. If not, then oh well."
"Actually, wait! Kakashi-senpai, I do have a question."
"Hmm? Ask away," Kakashi said, surprised.
He gave himself a mental out. "If I know the answer, that is."
"I heard you're pretty skilled with a sword. And in the Land of Iron, where the samurai live, they're known for their swordsmanship too. How's their style different from yours?"
Garou was curious.
Aside from Mifune's techniques, he knew little about the Land of Iron. But Kakashi, being a former Anbu team leader, would know plenty.
Kakashi thought for a moment. "They're samurai. For them, chakra is just an enhancer for speed and power, not a foundation."
"My father and I, on the other hand, integrate chakra into the core of our techniques. Then you've got the Uchiha sword styles, which are heavily tied to ninjutsu…"
He listed several examples before pausing.
"Are you thinking of picking up a sword?"
"Maybe. I heard the Land of Iron doesn't practice ninjutsu, just sword arts. Got curious."
Kakashi nodded.
"Their style evolved from the Warring States era. Pure technique, honed to a deadly edge."
He gave a solid explanation, sharing both common and rare knowledge. Some Garou already knew, but much of it was new, his understanding deepened.
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