Chapter 15 – Sparring, Sparring… and Learning the Blade
The ninja academy's training ground.
Another day, another round of live combat drills.
On the field stood Taichi Matsushita and Might Guy.
By now, both of their taijutsu skills far surpassed the average genin. Even their instructor, Chūnin Yamada-sensei, had to keep full attention on their match to prevent any accidents.
"Taichi, you've gotten stronger again!"
"But I'm not falling behind—not one bit!"
Guy could feel the pressure, but it only made his blood boil hotter. His punches grew heavier, his kicks sharper, his movements faster with every exchange.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Fists and feet collided in rapid succession.
The fight was neck-and-neck, each trading blows without giving an inch.
The watching classmates cheered wildly—though, curiously, most of Taichi's supporters were girls, while Guy's were mostly boys.
Off to the side, Kakashi watched intently, keenly noting that Taichi's strength had clearly jumped since last time. He already knew Taichi's ninjutsu skills were formidable—especially the Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu, which Taichi had mastered to an art. Yet here he was, holding his own against Guy with pure taijutsu. That said a lot about his true capabilities.
Yamada-sensei nodded in approval at the bout. Both boys were exceptional talents… though it was a shame that Guy's genius in taijutsu was matched by his weakness in ninjutsu.
After dozens of intense rounds, the two fighters finally broke apart, both dropping to one knee, drenched in sweat and gasping so hard their breaths could be heard from the sidelines. They had nothing left in the tank.
"Matsushita Taichi, Might Guy—draw match," Yamada-sensei declared.
Once they had steadied their breathing and exchanged the Seal of Reconciliation, the teacher announced the next match:
"Next up—Hatake Kakashi vs. Uchiha Obito."
The two exchanged looks. Kakashi, ever the picture of cool detachment, strolled to the field, while Obito turned to Rin with a cocky grin.
"Rin, watch me take down that annoying Kakashi!"
Rin could only sigh in exasperation.
On the field:
"Kakashi, this time you'll fall to my fists!"
"If you stopped showing up late every day, I might believe that," Kakashi replied flatly.
"Tch… You arrogant jerk, just you wait!" Obito growled.
The moment they formed the Seal of Confrontation, Obito lunged forward, and the clash began—fast, fierce, and every bit as thrilling as Taichi's bout with Guy.
From the sidelines, the girls' cheers rang out for Kakashi, only fueling Obito's frustration and making his attacks even more aggressive.
Taichi watched with full focus.
It wasn't just him—everyone was improving. Even Obito had grown stronger.
After more than twenty exchanges, Kakashi found his opening and kicked Obito hard, sending him flying. Yet Obito twisted midair, landed in a controlled roll, and sprang back up, kunai in hand.
Kakashi drew his own kunai, and their blades clashed in a flurry of sparks.
"Looks like Kakashi's learning kenjutsu," Taichi noted, spotting the sword-style movements hidden in Kakashi's strikes—very different from their last spar. No surprise, given Kakashi's father was none other than the master swordsman known as the White Fang of Konoha.
That got Taichi thinking. Maybe he should start learning the blade too. Compared to kunai, he'd always liked the feel of a sword more.
The duel raged on. After another dozen moves, Obito, finding himself at a disadvantage again, suddenly leapt back. Forming hand seals, his cheeks puffed out before he spat a torrent of roaring flames.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique—a signature of the Uchiha clan.
Taichi's eyes widened; it was the first time he'd seen Obito use ninjutsu in combat. But it made sense—despite living with his grandmother, Obito was still born into a great clan with a proper training system. He wasn't like a civilian-born ninja who had to risk everything for a single technique.
Kakashi, unfazed, quickly ran through his own seals and slammed a palm to the ground. The earth surged upward, forming a thick wall.
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall.
Boom!
The fireball slammed into the wall, flames scattering around the barrier and forcing the watching students to step back.
"Tch."
Obito's carefully prepared ninjutsu failed to land. He clicked his tongue in frustration, then charged in again.
---
So this is the gap…
Even though this year's class was packed with prodigies, the difference between individuals was still huge. Just in Taichi's own class, people like Kakashi and Obito had already mastered multiple jutsu—while some civilian-born students still struggled with the most basic Three Body Techniques.
Taichi couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
In the past, Kakashi had clearly held back in sparring, relying purely on taijutsu. But watching him now, Taichi could tell from his precise execution that this wasn't some freshly learned Earth Release—Kakashi had been practicing it for a while.
You can see your own hard work… but you can't see how hard others have been working. That doesn't mean they haven't.
With Kakashi's family background, he'd probably started training at three or four years old.
Still, Taichi wasn't about to belittle himself. He had his "panel," and as long as he kept working, step by steady step, he wouldn't be inferior to anyone. In fact—hadn't he already caught up this far?
After another dozen exchanges, Kakashi's clone deceived the overly aggressive Obito. A well-placed kick sent Obito flying, and before he could get up, Kakashi was already pressing a kunai to his face.
Obito grit his teeth in frustration, but he could only bow his head in defeat.
On the sidelines, Yamada-sensei let out a quiet sigh.
"Kakashi is the son of the White Fang of Konoha—talented by birth and backed by a family tradition. He's bound to become an outstanding shinobi.
As for Uchiha Obito… his combat ability is solid, and to use the Great Fireball Technique at his age shows both talent and diligence. It's just that his recklessness needs refining."
Kakashi, seeing Obito concede, graciously offered his hand. Obito gave it a reluctant glance before taking it and standing. The two then performed the Seal of Reconciliation.
After that, Asuma, Rin, Shizune, and the others took their turns. Months of study and training had paid off—unlike the spars at the start of the school year, everyone now skillfully mixed the Three Body Techniques with ninja tools. Asuma even managed to flash a Wind Release or two.
The progress was obvious.
---
After school, Taichi, Guy, and Kakashi met up again and headed into a small grove for extra training. Once the session ended, Taichi stepped up to Kakashi.
"Kakashi, during your spar today, I saw hints of kenjutsu in your moves. Have you started learning the sword?"
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. He'd only been training in swordsmanship for just over a month—he hadn't expected Taichi to pick up on it so easily.
"Yeah. Why?"
"I was thinking… I'd like to learn swordsmanship too. I just don't have a way to start. Could you teach me? Just the basics will do."
"I don't mind," Kakashi replied. "But I'll need to ask my father first. I'm still a beginner myself."
"That'd be amazing! I wasn't prepared this time, but next time I'll cook for you myself as thanks."
Hearing that, Kakashi's eyes lit up, his motivation suddenly doubled.