Chapter 12 — Sparring Matches and the Watchful Eyes in the Shadows
Ninja Academy — Classroom.
The moment Taichi stepped into the classroom, he heard Obito shouting at Kakashi across the room.
"Kakashi! In today's sparring match, I'm gonna beat you into the ground and show you the greatness of Lord Obito!"
Kakashi didn't miss a beat. "Lord Obito? More like Lord Perpetually-Late."
"Arghhh! I can't wait any longer! Let's fight now!" Obito was practically foaming at the mouth.
Rin hurried to block him.
"Idiot," Kakashi added, deadpan.
"Can you two just stop for once?" Rin sighed helplessly. "Every time you meet, you start fighting within minutes."
Obito, despite his bluster, was oddly obedient when Rin was serious. Seeing her genuinely upset, he dropped Kakashi and turned to try and coax her instead.
---
Taichi walked over to Shizune, glancing at the noisy trio. "Shizune, what's going on over there?"
Seeing Taichi approach, Shizune's ears flushed red. Still, she answered quickly, "Earlier, Yamada-sensei came by to say we'd be doing practical combat training today—and ranking everyone's performance. That's when Obito and Kakashi started arguing over who's stronger."
Taichi could only sigh. Those two could fight over anything.
At that moment, Might Guy—his usual enthusiasm blazing—strode over.
"Taichi! Are you nervous about today's sparring? My youthful spirit is burning already!"
"How could I be nervous, Guy? We train together every day."
"No, Taichi—you don't understand. This is my chance to show everyone my true power, to prove I'm not just the dead last of the class!"
So that was it. Because Guy had only just scraped into the academy, many students looked down on him. Taichi had thought Guy didn't care, but clearly, it still bothered him.
"I see… In that case, Guy, give it everything you've got. I'll be cheering for you."
"I knew it! Taichi, you understand me best!" Guy's eyes welled with tears on the spot.
---
After a few more classes, it was time for the afternoon sparring session. Yamada-sensei led the class to the training grounds.
"Listen up. When I call your name, step into the ring. Everyone else will observe from outside."
"Takashita Haneda, Sarutobi Asuma."
First up was the Hokage's son. Asuma always carried himself like the world owed him respect, so Taichi didn't interact with him much. This would be a good chance to see what he could do.
The two faced each other and formed the Seal of Confrontation.
"Begin!"
Asuma dashed forward immediately, his speed already surpassing most of the class. Takashita froze under the pressure, reacting too slowly.
One solid straight punch shattered his guard, and before Takashita could recover, Asuma unleashed a swift combo that knocked him flat.
"Asuma wins," Yamada-sensei announced.
After a quick Seal of Reconciliation, they stepped down.
"Asuma's solid—his fundamentals are rock-hard," Taichi murmured to Guy.
"Yeah… a worthy rival. Youth burns brighter through competition."
---
"Next match: Uchiha Obito vs. Hatake Kakashi."
The crowd murmured—this was happening earlier than expected. Rin, watching from the sidelines, rubbed her forehead in exasperation as Obito resumed taunting before the match had even started.
"Seal of Confrontation!" Yamada-sensei barked, clearly tired of their antics.
The two clashed. To Taichi's surprise, the first half of the fight was evenly matched, with both dismantling each other's attacks cleanly.
It was a reminder not to underestimate anyone just because he knew the original story. Kakashi's skill Taichi knew well—he'd sparred him many times—but Obito holding his own like this was unexpected.
The crowd cheered at the back-and-forth, though Kakashi was clearly the crowd favorite—especially among the girls.
Hearing the girls chant Kakashi's name, Obito's envy burned so hot it was practically visible. His frustration began to throw off his rhythm, and Kakashi seized the opening, landing a decisive combo.
"Hatake Kakashi wins."
Obito grudgingly offered the Seal of Reconciliation before stepping down.
---
"Third match: Matsushita Taichi vs. Hyūga Yuchu."
Hearing his name, Taichi stepped into the ring. Facing him was a Hyūga, and Taichi's eyes gleamed—he'd been curious to see the Gentle Fist in action.
Seal of Confrontation. Begin.
Yuchu assumed a defensive stance, clearly not planning to make the first move. Taichi lunged in with a straight punch. Yuchu parried, but Taichi spun into an elbow strike, forcing Yuchu to leap back—only to meet a high kick aimed at his head.
Unable to retreat, Yuchu blocked, but—crack!—the force of the kick drove his own hand into his skull, staggering him several steps before he steadied himself.
Taichi pressed forward with a flurry of attacks, but the Hyūga's Gentle Fist began to reassert control.
The first exchange ended with both stepping back to catch their breath.
This time, Yuchu took the initiative. His stance shifted—Taichi didn't recognize it, but Yamada-sensei's eyes sharpened immediately. That was the opening form of the Hyūga Clan's Eight Trigrams Palm.
Taichi tightened his guard. When Yuchu charged, shouting, "Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!" Taichi focused all his attention. This was no time to hold back.
Hyūga Yuchu's already blistering speed doubled the moment he unleashed his strike, moving so fast he nearly left afterimages in the air.
At that moment, Taichi's unique talent—Scholar—kicked in. Tenfold concentration. Thought speed doubled. Originally meant for study and learning, this gift was proving just as lethal in battle.
The world seemed to slow around him. Every movement of Hyūga Yuchu became crystal clear. While the sheer pace was still daunting, blocking and parrying suddenly felt effortless.
To the onlookers, both combatants were moving at blinding speed, their limbs almost a blur. But when Yuchu unleashed his final strike, he knew—he had lost. Sure enough, Taichi seized the brief gap in his opponent's breathing and drove a solid punch straight into Yuchu's midsection.
"Matsushita Taichi, victory!" announced Instructor Yamada. Relief washed over him—if something had gone wrong just now, even he might not have been able to intervene in time.
The two clasped hands in the seal of reconciliation before stepping down.
Meanwhile, deep within the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, exhaled in relief as he set aside his crystal ball. He was astonished that someone so young could execute the Hyūga Clan's Thirty-Two Palms—and even more impressed that Taichi had endured the full assault, counterattacking decisively. This was exactly the kind of talent he had his eye on.
---
"Fourth Match: Nohara Rin versus Shizune."
…
"All right, that's it for today's matches. Tomorrow, the rankings will be posted on the bulletin board. Class dismissed!"
With that, the day's lessons ended. Groups of students left the academy in twos and threes.
As usual, Taichi headed to the small forest with Guy and Kakashi to burn off their remaining energy. On the way, they were joined by Obito, Rin, and Shizune—a small crowd making their way through the fading light.
---
Night — Root Headquarters
In the dim-lit chamber, Danzō Shimura, still in his prime, reviewed the day's combat reports from the ninja academy.
"An orphanage child… both parents were shinobi killed in battle. No kekkei genkai. Exceptional learning aptitude and reaction speed," he read aloud.
The Root operative assigned to scout academy talent bowed. "Yes, Danzō-sama."
"This Matsushita Taichi has remarkable learning ability—whether ninjutsu, taijutsu, or theory, he ranks among the top in his class. Calling him the best would not be an exaggeration."
"While his taijutsu isn't yet outstanding, his reaction speed often turns the tide in his favor."
"Most importantly," the operative added, "he possesses an extraordinary trait—self-discipline."
"His discipline surpasses that of most adult shinobi. I believe such a person is well worth recruiting into Root."
"Self-discipline…" Danzō's single visible eye narrowed thoughtfully. "Yes. That quality suits Root perfectly. Combined with his other strengths, he is indeed worth cultivating."
"Keep a close watch on this Matsushita Taichi."
"Yes, sir."