Chapter 54: A Clash with Sakumo
The white-haired young man handed over the money for the broken vase. Tenchi looked at him, a spark of interest lighting in his eyes. This boy had an air of sharpness about him, like a polished blade.
"What's your name?" Tenchi asked.
"My name is Sakumo Hatake. What's it to you?" the white-haired young man replied, his expression guarded and a little confused.
"You're pretty good. Do you want to learn ninjutsu from me?" Tenchi offered. He felt a pang of pity for the future Sakumo Hatake, the man who would be driven to suicide by a single failed mission. The idea was ridiculous. A shinobi who overshadowed the Sannin, ending his own life? He wanted to steer this talented boy away from that dark fate.
"Thank you, but no," Sakumo declined politely but firmly. "I don't rely much on ninjutsu. I prefer to use my sword. I appreciate the offer, but I have to go." He pressed the money into Tenchi's hand and turned to leave.
"Hey!" Tenchi called out, but Sakumo was already walking away. Tenchi looked down at the coins in his palm. "Is he treating me like I'm some kind of con artist? Or are people just that confident in their own strength these days?"
A slow smile spread across Tenchi's face. "Oh, young man, you're not getting away that easily." He found the whole situation amusing. With a light step, he began to follow Sakumo Hatake.
He trailed Sakumo to a training ground in the forest behind the village.
Sakumo stopped in a small clearing and spoke without turning around. "You've been following me for a while now. That's enough. Show yourself."
*'Oh, his senses are sharp. He noticed me a long time ago.'* Tenchi was impressed. He didn't bother hiding any longer and stepped out from behind a tree.
Sakumo finally turned and got a clear look at his follower. It was the strange man from the street! "Who are you, and why are you following me?" Sakumo's hand drifted slightly toward the hilt of the short sword on his back.
"Sakumo Hatake," Tenchi said, his voice calm. "A famous genius of Konoha. They say you've even beaten the Hokage's own students in sparring matches. Your swordsmanship is supposed to be exceptional." He looked Sakumo up and down, assessing him.
"You know a lot about me. So, bumping into me on the street wasn't an accident. What do you want?" Sakumo's frown deepened.
"I just want to fight you," Tenchi said, a thrill of excitement in his voice. He had wanted to test his skills against Konoha's White Fang for a long time.
"Why? Give me a reason," Sakumo said, his tone flat.
"A reason?" Tenchi took a step closer. "Does the strong need a reason? Aren't you a genius? Or is that title just for show?" He was trying to provoke him, to get a reaction.
"You think too much. I'm not a genius. The real genius is Uchiha Tenchi. I don't care about empty titles like that." With that, Sakumo turned his back, ready to walk away again.
"You don't care? What if I told you I *am* Uchiha Tenchi?" Tenchi said to Sakumo's retreating form.
The words made Sakumo freeze in his tracks. He slowly looked back over his shoulder. "Are you sure you're Uchiha Tenchi?"
"Right now, I don't think anyone in Konoha is brave enough or foolish enough to use my name," Tenchi said, a confident smirk on his face. "If there's only one Uchiha Tenchi, then it's me." He drew his own sword, the steel singing as it left the scabbard. He saw a flicker of fighting spirit ignite in Sakumo's eyes. It was brief, but it was there.
*Clang!*
In a flash, Sakumo moved. His short sword met Tenchi's blade in a shower of sparks. *Clang! Clang! Clang!* Their movements were a blur of speed, a deadly dance of strikes and parries.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!* As the exchange continued, Tenchi began to feel himself being slowly pushed back. Sakumo, however, seemed to grow stronger and faster with every passing second. *'As expected of the White Fang,'* Tenchi thought, gritting his teeth. *'His sword style is so aggressive and dominating. To think I'm being suppressed by a Jonin.'*
*"Chidori Sharp Spear!"*
After breaking apart from a clash, lightning crackled to life in Tenchi's free hand. It extended out like a brilliant, chirping spear, forcing the advancing Sakumo to leap back to a safe distance.
"What a Hatake Sakumo," Tenchi said, his voice even. "Your sword skills are truly powerful." The admiration in his eyes was genuine and unconcealed.
"Your sword skills are also good," Sakumo acknowledged, his grip tightening on his blade. "Not many can trade blows with me for so long. And you're primarily a ninjutsu user, right? You live up to your name, Uchiha Tenchi." There was a new light of respect in Sakumo's gaze.
"It's a pity my pure swordsmanship still isn't as good as yours," Tenchi muttered to himself, a little annoyed. He was a powerhouse beyond the Kage-level, yet he was being matched in kenjutsu by a Jonin. It was frustrating.
"Your swordsmanship may not be on my level, but I can see you're an opponent worth my full power," Sakumo said, not hearing Tenchi's grumble. His body was coiled tight, ready to explode into action. "Come on. I don't believe for a second that Uchiha Tenchi is only this strong."
"Oh, is that so?" Tenchi's smirk returned. "I'm honored to face the strongest genius of the Hatake clan. Out of respect for my opponent, I won't hold back." He then focused his mind, sending a message inward. *'Hey, Nine-Tails. Lend me your chakra. All of it. I'm going into that mode.'*
*"Heh! No problem. Get ready!"* the Kyuubi's voice rumbled in his mind. The beast placed its paws together, and a torrent of immense chakra flooded into Tenchi.
*A surge of power!*
As the Nine-Tails' chakra flowed into him, a brilliant, golden energy cloaked Tenchi's body. A golden chakra cloak flared to life behind him, and three black magatama patterns appeared on the collar of the cloak.
*'This is the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode,'* Tenchi thought, feeling the incredible energy coursing through every part of his being. *'It feels like my whole body is overflowing with power. No wonder the original could fight on par with a Rinnegan user. This strength is incredible.'* He looked down at his golden form, traced with black lines, truly amazed.
Across from him, Sakumo Hatake frowned deeply. This "golden man" in front of him was radiating an immense pressure. Every one of his instincts as a shinobi screamed that this opponent was now incredibly dangerous.
"Come on," Tenchi said, his voice now echoing with power. He pointed his sword at Sakumo. "This is my strongest form. I won't hold back, and I will do my best to defeat you."
"I would never insult a respected opponent by holding back," Sakumo declared, his voice steady despite the tension. "This time, I will make sure you, the great genius, understand the true power of the Hatake sword style." He held his short sword in a firm, two-handed grip.
"Really?" Tenchi became a blur of golden light. He reappeared instantly at Sakumo's right side, his blade cutting through the air with impossible speed.
*Clang!*
*'He's so fast! And his power has increased tenfold!'* Sakumo hadn't even seen the movement clearly; he had blocked it purely on reflex and fighting instinct. The impact sent a painful shock up his arm, making his hand tremble. Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
"Is that all Hatake's swordsmanship has to offer?" Tenchi taunted, seeing Sakumo struggle to withstand the force. "You can't even properly receive my sword now?"
"Stop your nonsense! The Hatake style is more than this! Ahhh!!" Sakumo roared, pushing with all his might and finally managing to shove Tenchi back a few steps.
Tenchi took the distance, a wide, excited grin on his face. "That's more like it! Show me everything you've got! Come at me with everything!"
"Take this! Blazing Dash!" Fiery red chakra erupted around Sakumo's short sword. With a powerful shout, he swung it with all his strength toward Tenchi. A massive, crescent-shaped wave of fiery chakra shot across the clearing.
"Good move! Let's see you get past this!" As the blazing slash came toward him, Tenchi willed the Nine-Tails' chakra around him to form two massive, golden hands. They crossed in front of him, creating a solid shield.
*BOOM!*
The moment the fiery slash hit the chakra hands, Tenchi was forced to slide back a foot. The saber of energy didn't vanish; it pressed relentlessly against the golden palms, grinding forward. *'Such a powerful slash!'* Tenchi grunted.
"You blocked one? Let's see you block these! Two! Three! Four!" Seeing his attack stopped, Sakumo didn't hesitate. He unleashed three more consecutive slashes in rapid succession.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
The three new attacks slammed into the chakra hands. This time, the force was too great. Tenchi was pushed back, his feet digging furrows in the earth. One meter, two meters, three, four... He finally managed to stop after being forced back nearly five meters.
"Don't underestimate me! Ahhh!!! Break!" Tenchi roared, pouring every ounce of his strength into the chakra hands. The golden palms clenched into fists with crushing force.
*BOOM!*
The fiery slashes were shattered into a shower of fading red sparks, completely obliterated by the overwhelming power of the Nine-Tails' chakra.