A fair fight — that was Naruto's way.
It suited his nature perfectly.
Though on the surface his actions seemed no different from the original events, the reasoning behind them carried more depth now. Naruto's straightforward personality never meant he was an idiot. Often, he simply chose not to overthink things — not because he couldn't.
This head-on, proactive assault…
was Naruto's answer.
"His speed's a little better than before," Kakashi noted quietly, eyes glinting with faint approval as Naruto closed in, moving with a swiftness that showed real growth.
Even though Kakashi hadn't taken out his "secret weapon" to test things — unlike in the original battle — Naruto's offensive still wasn't enough to make him nervous.
"Swish!"
A quick sidestep to the left, a smooth body rotation — Kakashi easily evaded the incoming shuriken.
Then came a sharp counter.
With a clean, efficient motion, Kakashi's foot whipped up and slammed into Naruto's guard.
"Bang!"
The impact echoed across the clearing, dust bursting outward. The force rippled through Naruto's arms, making him grimace as his body was sent skidding backward.
Kakashi landed lightly.
He was ready to press forward, to close the distance and finish the exchange—
"Swoosh! Swoosh!"
Two shadows flashed in from both sides — Sasuke and Menma — forming a perfect pincer attack.
"Shua! Shua!"
In the blink of an eye, both had closed the gap.
Kakashi's expression didn't change; he had already anticipated it. With a subtle leap and twist, he flipped diagonally through the air, slipping out of their trap with effortless precision.
Their cross-strike missed cleanly.
But Sasuke and Menma weren't done.
"Swoosh!"
Both spun sharply, redirecting their momentum. Twin kunai flashed in their hands as they lunged at Kakashi's vital points.
It was a coordinated, lethal strike.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
With calm fluidity, he crossed his arms —
"Keng! Keng!"
Metal rang out as his kunai met theirs. Sparks flew; the shockwave from the clash sent tremors through both Sasuke and Menma's grips. Their eyes widened.
Kakashi's strength was overwhelming. He had parried them casually — without even trying.
The gap between them was clear as daylight.
'Without the Nine-Tails' chakra… I still can't touch a high-level jonin like Kakashi-sensei,' Menma realized grimly.
Even without a serious collision, the difference was undeniable.
He could see his own limits.
It was the natural result of their paths.
He had no real combat experience. For twelve years, he had trained mostly alone or followed the basic curriculum of the Ninja Academy.
Rapid growth? Impossible.
Kakashi had become a jonin at twelve because he had survived real battlefields since the age of five. Uchiha Itachi followed a similar path — talent honed in blood and fire.
That was the difference.
Menma clenched his teeth. His resolve hardened.
He couldn't relax — not for a moment.
"Sasuke!"
Menma's sharp call cut through the air. His eyes were blazing, refusing to retreat.
At that moment—
"Boom!"
A second Sasuke appeared behind Kakashi.
"Oh?"
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly.
From the bushes, Sakura gasped. "A clone?!"
She wasn't wrong. It was Sasuke's Shadow Clone, perfectly paired with the original's Transformation Technique — an advanced combo for a fresh Genin.
Kakashi could already sense their coordination.
'Shadow Clone combined with Transformation… impressive. These kids are already beyond normal Genin level.'
Menma pressed from the front.
Sasuke's clone attacked from behind.
Kakashi felt genuine admiration for a split second. The synchronization between the three — fresh out of the Academy — was excellent.
'But still too young… too hasty,' he thought, narrowing his eyes.
He gathered chakra quickly.
"Bang!"
Menma and his clones lunged in, trying to restrain him. From behind, Sasuke flung out wires — razor-thin steel threads glinting in the sun.
"Whirr, whirr, whirr!"
They wrapped tightly around Kakashi, binding him from neck to ankle.
"Snap!"
Sasuke's hands blurred through seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Even by jonin standards, his speed was fast.
A roaring fireball burst from his lungs, rushing toward Kakashi's bound form.
Across the field, Naruto had recovered and joined in, forming his own seals.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A powerful gust erupted, merging with Sasuke's flames —
Wind fed fire.
The explosion doubled in power.
The massive inferno swallowed Kakashi whole.
Sakura, hiding in the bushes, screamed.
"You—you killed Kakashi-sensei!?"
Her voice rang through the field, pure panic etched across her face.
Menma and Sasuke ignored her, but Naruto's mouth twitched.
Seriously?
If something that simple could kill Kakashi, he'd have been long dead!
Even Naruto wondered how Sakura managed to graduate.
"Ah-la-la, you're still too careless, Sakura," came Kakashi's voice — calm, teasing.
Her eyes went wide. "Eh—!?"
Kakashi's figure rose from the ground beside her.
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Before she could react, the ground beneath her shifted. A hand shot up, grabbed her leg—
"Eeeek!"
With a pull, Sakura was dragged under up to her neck, her pink head sticking out from the dirt.
"Peng!"
A puff of dust marked the end of Kakashi's move.
Sakura's muffled cry echoed as the others froze in disbelief.
The lesson was far from over.
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