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Cold sweat dripped from Saito Daisuke's forehead. He glanced at Suzuki Genji, then at Kagaya, his eyes filled with reluctance and hesitation. But in the end, his gaze hardened with resolve.
He made a surprising move, bowing deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Genji and Kagaya, speaking loudly. "I-I'm sorry! This time, I can't hold back. I'll go all out. If one of you gets eliminated because of me, I'm truly, truly sorry. But… but becoming a ninja is my dream! I want to be a genin, then a chunin, a jonin, and even the Hokage! It's my dream, and I won't give it up. I'm really sorry!"
As he spoke, Daisuke's body trembled slightly, clearly wracked with guilt at the thought of potentially ending someone else's ninja journey.
Kagaya looked at Daisuke, surprised. Compared to Naruto or Obito, Daisuke seemed to possess a genuine kindness from the heart. Kagaya could see his sincere remorse. Watching him, Kagaya couldn't help but ask, "And if you're the one eliminated?"
Daisuke paused, his eyes reflecting disappointment and resistance, but he finally answered with a sense of relief. "Then… that's fine too."
Kagaya was certain that such kindness, in the harsh ninja world, would be a liability unless you were someone like Naruto, an Asura reincarnate. But he smiled faintly. He didn't dislike it.
Unnoticed by the three, Kakashi's eyes flickered with a hint of approval as he watched Daisuke. But it was quickly masked by his cold demeanor. "Have you decided when to start?"
At that moment, Kagaya raised his hand, signaling he had something to say.
Kakashi nodded, granting permission. "Go ahead."
Kagaya looked at Kakashi seriously, his words shocking. "Kakashi-sensei, before the bell test, I'd like to have a one-on-one spar with you!"
When Kagaya realized Kakashi was his team leader, he hadn't expected it. But this was a perfect opportunity to test his current strength against an elite jonin. While he could spar with Shisui, most of his skills came from Shisui's teachings—fighting him was just asking to be crushed. Kagaya wanted to see how long he could last against a "normal" jonin relying solely on his own abilities.
Kakashi wasn't fond of the idea. He valued teamwork, not solo fights. But instead of refusing outright, he asked, "Can you give me a reason?"
Kagaya grinned, knowing Kakashi's philosophy. "Maybe with my strength, I can scout out some things for my teammates in advance. Plus, I want to see just how strong a jonin is."
Kakashi fell silent, thinking for a long moment before nodding. "Fine, I'll allow it. I'll stand here without moving. Come at me."
Kagaya signaled for Genji and Daisuke to step back, then prepared to attack. His current strength might barely handle a chunin, let alone a jonin, so he had no intention of holding back. He'd go all out from the start!
Body Flicker Technique!
Though he hadn't mastered Shisui's unique Body Flicker, Kagaya's relentless training had made his version exceptionally fast.
Thwack!
Kakashi raised his left hand, effortlessly blocking a kick aimed at his head.
'So fast!' Kakashi thought. When Kagaya moved, Kakashi's senses momentarily lost track of him. In his normal state, Kakashi couldn't follow Kagaya's movements!
'Looks like I'll need that eye.'
But losing track only applied when Kagaya wasn't attacking. Once he closed in for an attack, Kakashi could naturally follow his movements.
When the kick missed, Kagaya immediately used the momentum to flip backward, retreating far away.
Snake–Ram–Monkey–Boar–Horse–Tiger.
During the flip, Kagaya rapidly formed hand signs. By the time he landed, a Fireball Jutsu was already hurtling toward Kakashi.
Kakashi watched the fireball calmly. His Body Flicker is terrifyingly advanced, but his ninjutsu? Just average.
Kagaya's ninjutsu was at best genin-level. While impressive for his age, it paled in comparison to his Body Flicker. Snake–Ram–Monkey–Boar–Horse–Tiger.
Kakashi formed signs faster, unleashing a larger fireball. It quickly engulfed Kagaya's, then surged toward him.
Kakashi's eyes widened. He's not dodging?
Poof!
The fireball hit, but Kagaya vanished in a puff of smoke—a Shadow Clone!
Seeing the white mist, Kakashi instantly understood. When did he do it? During the Body Flicker? He used the moment he vanished to create a Shadow Clone to attack while his real body hid for an opportunity. So, his real body should be…
Kakashi spun around. The back was often the most overlooked spot, so Kagaya's real body was likely there.
But the moment he turned, he didn't see Kagaya—just several flaming shuriken flying toward him. "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
No time to use ninjutsu!
Kakashi sighed inwardly. 'Impressive.'
He hadn't expected this kid to force him to get serious.
Body Flicker Technique!
Kagaya's Body Flicker was near jonin-level, but Kakashi's was that of a true elite jonin. The Phoenix Sage Fire missed its mark, and a kunai was pressed against Kagaya's neck.
Kagaya raised his hands, speaking to Kakashi behind him. "As expected of Kakashi-sensei. Your speed's too fast—I couldn't escape at all."
Kakashi sheathed the kunai, speaking nonchalantly. "No big deal. Ready to start the bell test now?"
Daisuke was clearly shaken, swallowing hard as he watched Kagaya surrender. "That was incredible."
He was glad he hadn't challenged Kagaya to a spar earlier. Though brief, the fight had terrified Daisuke. He felt he wouldn't last a single move against either of them. While Kagaya lost, to Daisuke, just holding his own against a jonin was remarkable. From a transmigrator's perspective, a jonin might not seem like much, but to a fresh academy graduate like Daisuke, a jonin was a top-tier ninja. He'd even considered challenging Kagaya when he first arrived at the training ground.
Genji watched Kagaya with interest. "An Uchiha genius, huh."
Kagaya smiled faintly at Kakashi. "I'm ready. We can start the bell test anytime."
His spar with Kakashi wasn't just about testing his strength. He also wanted Daisuke and Genji to see his abilities—not to show off, but to ensure they'd follow his lead and cooperate during the bell test. Kagaya knew Kakashi's test required teamwork to pass. He couldn't rely on Daisuke and Genji to understand this, so he demonstrated his strength to subtly convey: I'm strong. Follow my lead and work with me.
Kakashi's hesitation before agreeing to the spar was because he'd seen through Kagaya's intent. But he still wanted to see if this Uchiha Kagaya was like the younger Kakashi, merely using his teammates, or genuinely aiming for teamwork.