"If this were the Kakashi of the past, facing the current Senju Haruto, he'd have no chance of winning."
From his hidden position in the treeline, Araki Itsuma silently observed.
Haruto was no longer the same as before—he had grown beyond recognition. But at the same time, Hatake Kakashi had changed just as drastically.
Under his years of training and guidance, Kakashi had mastered the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. He had even reached the point where, by sheer force of will, he could step into a second state.
And with Obito's Sharingan to support him, Kakashi's full power now surpassed even the Fourth Raikage.
Even Senju Haruto, in his golden cloak mode, had once suffered defeat at the Raikage's hands.
So when it came to this clash—victory wasn't guaranteed for Haruto at all.
"Hatake Fifty-Fifty…"
Itsuma's lips curled slightly as the unique nickname for Kakashi popped into his mind. He then refocused his attention on the duel unfolding before him.
Staring at the boy in front of him, Kakashi had no choice but to acknowledge the truth.
This was not a genin like the others.
"…Sorry," Kakashi said slowly.
The words caught Haruto completely off guard. His second wave of attacks froze mid-motion, the surprise stealing his momentum.
"It seems I underestimated you, Haruto."
As he spoke, Kakashi closed the copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand and tucked it into his pouch.
"You're not the kind of opponent I can face while reading."
His single eye sharpened—serious at last.
But even so, Kakashi hadn't yet unveiled his Sharingan.
For one, Shadow Clones split chakra evenly among their copies, creating real physical doubles. Even the Sharingan couldn't distinguish the true body from the fakes.
And for another—though Haruto's growth was shocking, it hadn't yet reached the point of overwhelming him.
"But to take these bells from me… you're not qualified. Not yet."
Kakashi's voice dropped low, though in his heart he was thinking something else entirely.
Notice it already, Haruto… This test isn't about raw strength. It's about teamwork.
A squad without cooperation—even if their leader shines—can only stumble into irreversible tragedy.
Just like I once did…
The memory stung. If not for his obsession with working alone, Obito might never have died.
And right now, Team 7 was showing the exact same lack of unity.
Haruto, strong as he was, charged forward alone.
Sasuke and Sakura hid in the shadows, watching coldly from a distance.
Yes, it was true they displayed the basic qualities of shinobi—caution, observation, restraint. But instead of supporting Haruto, they treated him like a disposable pawn, a lab rat to probe their teacher's defenses.
Such a team…
Kakashi would never accept it.
His fists clenched. With a burst of force, he met Haruto and his clones head-on for a second round.
Taijutsu—the art of hand-to-hand combat—was one of the three pillars of a shinobi, equal to genjutsu and ninjutsu.
But… during his training at Mount Myōboku, taijutsu had never been Haruto's main focus.
And Kakashi was an elite jōnin, his skills forged in countless missions and battles far beyond Haruto's imagination.
Even while facing over a dozen Harutos at once, Kakashi didn't falter.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One strike after another, Kakashi's fists landed clean, knocking back the rushing clones.
Haruto's style was straightforward—every move aimed directly at the bells.
That simplicity made his intentions easy to read.
Though there were a few close calls where Haruto nearly succeeded, Kakashi countered each one.
The more Haruto fought like anything but a genin, the more complicated Kakashi's feelings became.
Because this boy still didn't grasp the true purpose of the test.
He was charging in the wrong direction, chasing the wrong goal.
"You really are amazing, Kakashi-sensei!"
Even as his attacks failed, Haruto grinned and praised him with genuine admiration.
But in Kakashi's ears, those words felt oddly bitter.
At that moment, Kakashi suddenly dropped low, slipping under Haruto's sweeping kick. His hand shot forward, seizing the ankle of another charging Haruto clone.
"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Jutsu!"
Even without Itsuma's interference, Kakashi was a man of a thousand jutsu.
With a sharp motion, he dragged the struggling body down into the ground, leaving only Haruto's head above the surface.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One by one, the clones popped out of existence.
"…The real one?!"
Kakashi's brow furrowed in genuine surprise.
He had used the jutsu on instinct, without knowing whether he'd grabbed a clone or the original.
Based on his understanding of the Shadow Clone Technique, Haruto's real body should have been hiding in a safer position while the clones drew his teacher's attention, creating openings.
That was the proper way—to safeguard the original while maximizing the clones' advantage.
But Haruto had abandoned all of that.
His true self had been right at the front lines, charging in alongside his doubles.
Not sending them in his place—
But fighting shoulder to shoulder with them.
On the surface, it looked reckless. But to Kakashi, it revealed exactly what kind of person Haruto was.
Others might have missed it, brushed past without noticing.
But Kakashi—an elite jōnin of Konoha—saw it clearly.
"…I think I'm starting to like you," he admitted, looking at Haruto's head protruding awkwardly from the ground.
Yet even as Haruto struggled, neither Sasuke nor Sakura moved to help.
They were still misled by Kakashi's earlier words, believing only two could pass while the rest would be sent back to the Academy.
In other words, they still hadn't realized the true nature of the test—
That teamwork was the only path to success.
Itsuma, looks like you're going to be disappointed, Kakashi thought, his heart heavy.
No matter how much he admired Haruto's spirit, he couldn't give a pass to such a team.
"Damn… I can't move at all…" Haruto growled, straining to free himself, but his strength wasn't enough.
Still…
"…This feels a little familiar."
A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He remembered his training. Closing his eyes, he began to gather the natural energy around him.
Hidden in the shadows, Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Haruto grew still.
"He's given up…" he muttered, misreading the situation.
"Haruto, you've grown a lot. But the gap between you and a jōnin is still too vast to cross."
His voice was low as he judged his teammate. At the same time, his right hand slipped into his pouch, readying a strike.
"…Now!"
Sasuke inhaled sharply, then snapped his wrist, hurling a kunai straight at Kakashi. In the same instant, his foot dug into the ground and he shot forward like a black panther lunging at its prey.