Chapter 16: Surpassing Kakashi-sensei
In the end, Zabuza still agreed to bring them the employer behind everything.
After all, he was a missing-nin. So what if he betrayed his employer and abandoned all credibility?
Nothing was more important than his own life.
"However, he has to stay behind as a hostage. Once you bring the mastermind here, I'll return him to you."
After seeing that Zabuza had agreed, Kakashi put away her kunai and pointed at Haku.
Zabuza fell silent for a moment when he heard that. He looked at Haku, said nothing, and simply turned around and left.
"Zabuza-san, wait until your injuries are healed before you go!"
Haku tried to stop him, but Zabuza acted as if he had heard nothing and continued walking away without even turning his head.
"Well then, that settles things for now. Mr. Tazuna, let's keep moving."
Kakashi then turned around and looked at Tazuna, who had been silently watching everything from behind.
If she did not hurry back and lie down, she was going to collapse right here on the ground.
Since the battle began, she had been using the Sharingan at high intensity the whole time, afraid that if she missed even the slightest thing, Sakura and the others would get cut down by Zabuza in an instant.
On top of that, she had used several Water Clones, one Super Electromagnetic Rasengan Spear, and one Raikiri Light Sword.
Her chakra was almost empty now.
Her legs were already trembling slightly, and she could barely walk without going weak.
If just fighting Zabuza could drain her to this extent, then facing one of the Sannin, Orochimaru, later on, and the even more dangerous Uchiha Itachi after that, would only be harder.
Unless she used the Mangekyo Sharingan and released Kamui right from the start, if she tried to use it halfway through the battle, she would probably collapse the moment Kamui was finished.
That was right.
Against powerful enemies like Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi, she would have to use Kamui right at the beginning and catch them off guard.
Very soon, the group arrived at Tazuna's house.
Kakashi then announced that everyone was dismissed and could go rest.
"Wait, Kakashi-sensei, hurry up and teach us that Lightning Release: Super Electromagnetic Rasengan Spear! And Raikiri too!"
Uzumaki Naruto was still thinking about learning a super-powerful jutsu and making everyone look at him differently.
Although Uchiha Sasuke still wore his usual cold expression, there was a trace of anticipation in the way he looked at Kakashi.
Sakura did not say anything, but after what had happened, she wanted to become stronger more than before.
Especially because Kakashi-sensei was also a girl, yet she was unbelievably strong. Sakura could not help wondering whether, if she became as strong and cool as Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke might finally like her.
"...Whatever it is, we'll talk about it tomorrow."
Kakashi held onto the doorframe with one hand, forcing herself not to fall over.
"No, no, it's still so early, and there's still plenty of time. Kakashi-sensei, teach us now!"
Naruto could no longer wait when it came to getting stronger.
"Go fight Haku and see for yourselves how weak you still are. You're still far from being able to learn S-rank Ninjutsu."
Seeing that, Kakashi had no choice but to let Haku help out.
On the way back, Haku had already introduced himself to them and said that during this period, they could ask him for anything they needed.
After saying that, Kakashi hurried into the room and shut the door. She staggered forward, then collapsed onto the bed.
"Damn it! Kakashi-sensei actually said we're still far from ready! We've obviously gotten stronger, and just now we even rescued her from Zabuza's Water Prison!"
Naruto complained indignantly.
They had trained desperately during this period, and now they could even rescue someone from a Jonin's hands. Wasn't that enough to prove how much stronger they had become?
"Well... but the one trapped in the Water Prison was Kakashi-sensei's Water Clone, right?"
Sakura corrected him weakly.
"It's basically the same thing."
Naruto pouted.
"Um, about what Kakashi-san said earlier, when should I start sparring with you?"
Haku had quietly waited for them to finish talking before finally raising his hand and asking softly.
"Alright, then let's start now. I'll go first. I'm definitely going to beat you and earn Kakashi-sensei's approval!"
The moment Naruto thought of that, he was immediately full of energy again and eagerly ran outside.
"Let's go into the forest."
The others followed after him.
Soon, the group arrived at an open area and began one-on-one sparring.
"Take this—"
Naruto charged in head-on right from the start.
A few minutes later, Uzumaki Naruto had been beaten so badly that he began doubting his entire life. For a moment, he even thought that maybe Kakashi-sensei had been right and that he really was still far from ready.
"So strong!"
Watching from the side, Sakura looked at Haku with complete amazement.
"Haku, you look about the same age as us, don't you? And yet you're already this strong!"
"No. I'm still far from strong enough."
Haku shook his head. He had failed to protect Zabuza-san, so he was far too weak.
"How could that be? You're already really strong, and you're still so young!"
Sakura thought he was just being humble. Then she curiously asked, "By the way, how old are you now?"
"...Fifteen."
After a brief silence, Haku answered.
"Wow! That's only two or three years older than us, and you're already this strong!"
Now Sakura was genuinely shocked.
Naruto, who had been lying on the ground, sprang back to his feet the moment he heard that. His heart felt unbelievably heavy. He looked at Haku, opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end said nothing.
Uchiha Sasuke, standing nearby, also fell silent.
"Oh right, earlier that Zabuza guy said his little notebook had information on Kakashi-sensei in it. Did it say how old Kakashi-sensei is?"
At that moment, Sakura suddenly remembered. She had grown curious about Kakashi's age too, because Kakashi really did not look much older than they were, yet she was incomparably stronger than them.
The moment those words came out, Naruto and Sasuke both pricked up their ears as well.
Haku shook his head.
"There was no record of Kakashi-san's age."
"I see..."
Not only Sakura, but Naruto and Sasuke also felt a little disappointed.
"However, it did say that Kakashi-san became a Genin at age five, passed the Chunin Exam and became a Chunin at age six, and passed the Jonin Exam at age twelve, becoming the youngest Jonin in history."
Haku then told them the basic information he knew about Kakashi.
"What?!"
"A Genin at five?"
"A Chunin at six?"
"A Jonin at twelve?!"
Now Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke were completely stunned.
Five years old?
What had they been doing when they were five?
And what about when they were six?
At twelve...
Well, they had just become Genin...
And yet by twelve, she had already been a Jonin.
At that moment, Sasuke suddenly remembered Kakashi's earlier claim that she could go fifty-fifty with that man.
Maybe it had not been boasting after all.
Thinking of that, Sasuke's hands began trembling slightly. Then he clenched them into fists.
That meant that as long as he could surpass Kakashi, he would be able to seek revenge on that man.
"Kakashi-sensei... really is terrifyingly strong!"
After his shock, Naruto felt blazing fighting spirit rise in his heart.
If he could not even surpass Kakashi-sensei, then how could he ever surpass all the Hokage?
"So that guy who's always late, has a pretty awful personality, and always seems so absent-minded... is actually this strong, and this famous?"
Sakura's impression of Kakashi changed a little as well.