Kakashi calmly faced the two jōnin. On one hand, he wanted to test his current level without relying on certain crutches. On the other, the identity of Ryugasaki's undercover chūnin remained unclear, and Kakashi couldn't risk injuring the wrong person in the heat of battle.
His lone Sharingan-less right eye narrowed as he assessed the terrain. Chakra signatures. Both enemies before him—Shui Li and Shan Chuan—emanated levels that were undeniably elite. Not on the level of a Sannin, but not to be underestimated.
He brushed his fingers against his left eye. The Four Symbols Seal still held strong, keeping the Sharingan completely suppressed. He wasn't planning on using it this time.
Previously, against opponents like Orochimaru, Kakashi had no choice but to unseal it, even at the cost of chakra strain. But this battle was different. These two weren't Orochimaru. He wouldn't depend on Hatake Kakashi's famous Sharingan this time.
Today, it would be about raw skill—his kenjutsu, his precision in ninjutsu, and his mastery of the Shunshin no Jutsu.
With all three combined, there was no reason he couldn't best these two jōnin without revealing everything.
He lightly rested his right hand on the hilt of Chidori no Ken, prepared to draw at a moment's notice.
At a distance, Shui Li and Shan Chuan exchanged glances as Ryugasaki ran off toward the cluster of chūnin, leaving this fourteen-year-old to face them. Both were momentarily baffled.
"Ryugasaki, you coward," Shui Li sneered. "You won't fight us yourself, so you send a brat instead?"
Shan Chuan chuckled derisively. "Is he serious? A Genin?"
They were mocking, but Ryugasaki paid them no mind. His focus was locked onto the five chūnin ahead—among them, his spy. If he wasn't careful, even a prepared shinobi could lose everything in a single misstep.
Seeing Ryugasaki ignore them, the two jōnin turned back to Kakashi.
"Unlucky for you, brat," Shui Li smirked. "Don't expect Ryugasaki to come save you. You'll be dead before he even has time to look back."
Kakashi gave a soft chuckle. Without removing his gaze from the two men, he slowly unsheathed Chidori no Ken and spoke:
"Help? From Ryugasaki? I wasn't counting on that. I'll be done with you long before he's finished."
The mockery turned to fury.
"You arrogant little—!" Shui Li's eyes flared with rage.
Shan Chuan's expression was equally ugly. "You think we're going to let a brat talk to us like that?"
Typical, Kakashi thought. So many loud voices, so little skill to back them up.
With a tap of his foot, he vanished—Shunshin no Jutsu activated with deadly precision, a technique he'd been refining ever since watching Mifune in the Land of Iron.
The silent movement, the subtle chakra control—it was becoming second nature.
Both Shui Li and Shan Chuan were momentarily stunned when Kakashi disappeared from view. But before they could even shift their stances, he was already upon them, blade flashing through the air.
His first target: Shui Li.
Despite Kakashi's speed, Shui Li had solid instincts. He twisted his body at the last second, but not fast enough. Chidori no Ken slashed cleanly across his chest, drawing a line of blood.
A tear of flesh, blood spraying.
Not deep—but enough to sting his pride. Shui Li stumbled back, clutching his wound, rage overtaking reason.
"Damn brat!"
Kakashi calmly flicked the blood from his blade. If he had been just a heartbeat faster, Shui Li would have died where he stood.
He didn't gloat. Shinobi didn't celebrate half-finished work.
A wounded opponent was just as dangerous, especially one who couldn't control their emotions.
Shan Chuan quickly moved beside Shui Li. "You good?"
Shui Li hissed but nodded. "It's nothing. Just a cut. He's fast, but we can read him now."
He had already sealed the wound with chakra, but his breathing was uneven. It was enough to tell Kakashi that the initial momentum had rattled them.
Kakashi held his ground, blade at his side, unmoving, unreadable.
"Enjoy that lucky hit, kid?" Shui Li growled. "Because that's all it was."
But Kakashi said nothing. His silence was more infuriating than insults.
"Shan Chuan, wait here. I'm finishing this punk."
Shan Chuan looked hesitant. "You sure?"
He wasn't so confident anymore. Kakashi's composure, his restraint—it didn't match his age. There was something about him that didn't feel like a Genin at all.
At Kakashi's age, Shan Chuan had been a hot-headed academy dropout. But this kid... this kid was dangerous.
"Can I do it? You really have to ask?" Shui Li snapped. "Just give me one minute."
And with that, he charged, chakra surging into his fists as he threw a punch toward Kakashi's ribs.
Shan Chuan didn't move to stop him. He still didn't believe Kakashi could win—but the seed of doubt had been planted.
Some shinobi simply couldn't be measured by traditional logic. Geniuses were like that.
Kakashi didn't flinch.
He countered with ease.
Fist met fist, elbow met shoulder. Blow after blow was exchanged. Their bodies blurred as they moved faster, neither giving ground.
Shui Li's taijutsu was solid—formidable, aggressive—but it was also predictable. A textbook brawler from a lesser-known village. It lacked the refinement of true hand-to-hand masters like Guy.
Still, Kakashi respected the power behind it. But he also saw the openings.
And then he took one.
With a pivot and spin, he slammed his heel into Shui Li's chest with crushing force.
Boom!
Shui Li went flying.
Shan Chuan's eyes widened as he leapt to catch his partner, barely managing to slow his momentum as Shui Li crashed into a tree trunk, gasping for breath.
From behind them, Kakashi's voice rang out. Calm. Flat.
"One minute."
The words stung more than the kick.
Shui Li coughed and staggered back to his feet, veins bulging on his arms as he glared at Kakashi.
"Damn brat…"
But this time, he didn't charge in.
This time, he understood.
The kid wasn't bluffing.
"Where the hell did Ryugasaki find someone like him?" Shui Li muttered under his breath.
He wasn't ready to say it aloud—but in his heart, he knew.
They had underestimated the wrong opponent.