Although he didn't know why the examiner had suddenly changed to Kakashi, Uchiha Jiyue thought for a moment and decided he would go all out—
But without revealing the powers of the Ope Ope no Mi.
Something feels… off.
He couldn't see any figures, but the increasingly heavy killing intent in the woods made the sensitive Sasuke grow uneasy.
As time passed, the Third Hokage's expression also became more serious.
He pulled out his crystal ball, using the Telescope Technique to watch the battle alongside the nearby Danzō.
"Hm? That Uchiha brat looks like he's about to get caught by Kakashi," Danzō remarked, puzzled as he watched the image in the crystal.
What was the point of watching this?
Just what had Hiruzen called him here for?
At the same time, the Third Hokage's mind was in turmoil.
The reason he had agreed to Kakashi's request earlier was because Kakashi had been getting along well with Jiyue lately—he thought Kakashi wouldn't make things difficult for him.
But now…
It seemed that might not be the case at all.
On the crystal ball's surface, Kakashi and Pakkun had already closed in on the tree where Jiyue was hiding.
Man and Ninken had coordinated their approach in advance, launching a pincer attack from both sides toward Jiyue's perch.
This is bad!
Kakashi's "no-escape" stance made the Hokage's face grow very grim.
And yet—
In the very next moment, Uchiha Jiyue would show everyone what genius meant.
"A pincer attack, huh?"
After only a brief thought, Jiyue deliberately moved toward the right-hand side—toward Pakkun—and just as the ninken's jaws were about to clamp down on his thigh, he triggered a pre-prepared substitution and trap.
"Puff! Puff!"
The boy's body turned into a chunk of wood and vanished.
At the same time, Kunai shot out from the trap, forcing Pakkun to voluntarily cancel the summoning.
"Using yourself as bait, is it?"
Seeing the kunai embedded in the substitution log, Kakashi's brows furrowed.
This kid was ruthless in his decisiveness.
"That's some ridiculous calculation ability."
Danzō, who had watched the entire process—from the kunai being set overhead to their fall, altering the trajectory of the other three kunai—couldn't help but comment.
"The thrown kunai completely sealed off the ninken's retreat. Otherwise, it wouldn't have canceled the summoning so easily."
"Indeed…"
Seeing the surprise on Danzō's face, the Third Hokage finally let out a breath of relief.
Good—Jiyue was delivering.
Otherwise, the entire plan would have been ruined.
Soon, Jiyue and Kakashi entered their second round of exchanges.
I underestimated him, Kakashi thought.
But that was fine—
because now he'd get serious.
"The difference in our bodies makes it impossible for you to fight me in close combat. The difference in our chakra makes you unable to rely on ninjutsu to win.
"So all you can do is act like a mouse afraid of a cat, constantly luring me into your traps.
"Am I wrong, Jiyue?"
"You're clever, I'll give you that. Your read on the situation is spot-on.
"But do you think you can beat me? Don't be ridiculous—I'm Kakashi.
"I've already seen through your trump card.
"It's Fire Release, isn't it?
Great Fireball Technique?
Or maybe Phoenix Sage Fire?
In fact… given your skill with shuriken, you might have even secretly mastered the B-rank Fire Release, Phoenix Flower Nail Crimson.
"You plan to use that on me, don't you?"
Kakashi's voice drifted from somewhere ahead.
Jiyue broke into a cold sweat.
He guessed everything…!
Could he stand against an opponent like this?
For a moment, his resolve wavered—
But only for a moment.
No—I am Uchiha.
I carry the hopes of the Uchiha clan.
How could I surrender here?
In his fear, the fledgling took its first courageous step toward becoming an eagle.
"Wait… my right eye—"
On the polished surface of his kunai, reflected alongside his young face, Jiyue saw a single new tomoe appear in his crimson right eye.
This is…?
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan—!
My vision feels sharper… my ocular power is stronger… even my chakra reserves have doubled or more!
So this… this is the power of the Uchiha!
Covering his slightly aching right eye, Jiyue let out a long breath.
But at that moment—
Kakashi suddenly appeared before him!
"Jiyue, now's not the time to rest!"
"Kakashi-senpai!? So fast!"
Even though his eye could track Kakashi's movement, Jiyue's body couldn't keep up—
And he was punched, sent flying toward the ground.
"Your heavy breathing gave away your position.
"It's over, Jiyue."
Balancing upside down on a thick branch, Kakashi kicked off, using the force of his fall to dive after Jiyue.
"No! Not yet!"
Scrambling to his feet, Jiyue formed hand seals and shouted:
"Fire Style — Great Fireball Technique!"
A fireball as tall as a man roared from his mouth, dragging a long tail of flame as it blasted upward toward Kakashi.
"So it is Fire Release?"
Kakashi reacted instantly.
"Water Style — Water Formation Wall!"
Though his jutsu was two seconds slower, Kakashi's water still met the Great Fireball head-on.
In an instant—
Heat and steam erupted!
The air filled with a violent hiss as white mist surged upward, shrouding both combatants.
With his vision blocked and heat pressing in, Kakashi was forced to land on a branch again.
And then—
From below came the sharp whistle of something cutting through the air.
"That sound—
A Fūma Shuriken!?"
"Damn!"
Kakashi hadn't expected Jiyue to have this in his arsenal.
Without hesitation, he pulled down his mask, revealing his Sharingan.
"Screeeech—!"
A giant Fūma Shuriken ripped through the mist, speeding straight for Kakashi!
Unfortunately—
Under the Sharingan's insight, its trajectory was laid bare.
Kakashi was confident he could dodge.
The evening sun faded toward the horizon, and in the dimming woods, the duel had reached a fever pitch.
"Shuriken won't work on me."
Calculating its speed and path, Kakashi sprinted two steps along the branch, then vaulted in an almost gymnastic leap over the oncoming weapon.
"As expected of Kakashi-senpai."
From below, Jiyue's voice floated up:
"But what about the next one?"
The whistle of blades didn't fade—it grew sharper.
Looking up instinctively, Kakashi saw a second Fūma Shuriken plummeting from above.
"A hidden shuriken inside the shadow of another…
The Shadow Shuriken Technique!"
Refusing to let himself be forced into using a Substitution Technique, Kakashi decided to meet it head-on.
"Eight Gates — Gate of Opening, open!"
With the Gate open, his speed and power spiked.
He drew the short blade from his back, slashing upward to deflect the second weapon.
But—
Though the whistling of the shuriken was fading, another sound reached his ears:
The hiss of steel wires slicing through the air.
He didn't need to look—
He knew the first shuriken had another trick.
"A mechanism shuriken…?"
The sound of a blade behind him made Kakashi's composure falter for the first time.
His feet hadn't even touched the branch yet.
His body was still locked from the full-force swing of his blade.
I'm at my limit…
This kid—he's growing fast.