Read 20+ Chapter's Ahead in Patreon
"You picked it up just like that?"
Kakashi stared in disbelief at the wall before him, then turned to glance at Kitagawa Gen, his expression unreadable.
For a brief moment, even he found himself doubting reality.
He had deliberately slowed down the speed of his hand seals, yet no matter how slowly one demonstrated them, ninjutsu was never something that could be mastered just by watching once.
Ninjutsu was an intricate and delicate art. Every technique required persistent practice and refinement to unleash its true potential.
And yet...
This kid learned it after watching once?
Not only did he learn it, but he also created something like that?
And his seal speed—Kakashi had merely looked down at his book for a moment, and the technique was already complete?
Was this some kind of joke?
"Hmm, I've encountered this jutsu before, so..."
Kitagawa Gen spoke with humility, though the truth was he hadn't memorized much of the hand seals at all. What he truly grasped was the flow of chakra within the technique.
The bloodline of the Ōtsutsuki granted him an extraordinary affinity with chakra, along with a control so profound it defied common sense.
As for hand seals—weren't they originally devised by the Uchiha forebear to help ordinary people manipulate chakra more efficiently?
Once a shinobi's power reached the level of someone like Senju Hashirama, a mere press of the palms together was enough to summon any jutsu at will.
Naturally, Gen couldn't compare himself to such a legendary figure, but that didn't mean he couldn't replicate the technique—just that the strength of it might fall short.
As for those statues?
Since Kakashi's Earth-Style Wall lacked the traditional dog head design, then why shouldn't he carve the Hokage's likeness into his own?
Wouldn't that make him appear as someone who deeply loved the village?
After all, no one understands the love for Konoha better than I do.
"Is that so..."
Kakashi nodded with some difficulty. Gai hadn't mentioned anything like this before.
"Seems like your situation is even better—more impressive—than I'd expected."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Gen responded with a warm and modest smile.
"Gai-sensai has said something similar before. He even wanted to personally train me, but unfortunately, his application didn't get approved this year."
"..."
Kakashi's trademark dead-fish eyes rolled once more.
So I'm just the stand-in, huh?
But thinking about it, it would've been a real shame if this kid ended up under Gai.
True, Gai was an outstanding shinobi, and he would've ensured the boy's growth—but his expertise lay in taijutsu.
"So placing him with me is the best choice after all?"
This thought surfaced unbidden in Kakashi's mind.
Especially after hearing the boy affirm the words Obito had once spoken. That alone made Kakashi feel a growing fondness for him.
With that in mind, Kakashi's expression grew a little more serious.
"In that case, let's see what your real capability looks like."
"Huh? But didn't we already—"
Gen was momentarily stunned, but before he could finish his sentence, Kakashi had already taken action.
In the blink of an eye, Kakashi appeared behind him, his hand forming into a blade as it slashed toward the back of Gen's neck.
Even as he attacked, Kakashi calmly explained.
"Yesterday's test was to evaluate your team. But now that your squad has been disbanded and two of its members are gone, the circumstances are different. That's what I was struggling with. So now, I want to see your individual limits."
WHOOSH—
The hand chop fell, but Kitagawa Gen had already vanished.
"This kid's Body Flicker Technique... it really is fast."
Even though he had witnessed it before, Kakashi couldn't help but be impressed once again.
With this level of Shunshin no Jutsu, escaping from danger shouldn't be a problem at all.
"Tch."
Gen crouched atop the Earth Wall, glaring at Kakashi below. In a flash, several kunai appeared in his hand, and the next instant, they came flying straight at his teacher.
"Your aim's not quite there yet."
Kakashi leapt lightly, easily dodging the projectiles. But before he could land, he saw Gen launching another four kunai with remarkable speed.
This time, they were frighteningly accurate, each one aimed at his vitals. That alone made Kakashi raise an eyebrow in surprise.
More than that, he noticed Gen had already completed a hand seal.
In the next breath, the boy exhaled six fireballs, not too large but fast-moving, each of them chasing after the kunai as they tore through the air.
"This is..."
Four kunai, paired with six fireballs—it seemed Gen was attempting to encircle Kakashi entirely.
But Kakashi quickly spotted a gap in the formation and moved to withdraw through it.
The trouble was, that very gap was where the earlier kunai had landed. And then he noticed: nearly invisible wires, glinting faintly in the light, strung between them.
Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, and with this level of finesse...
Wasn't this the signature shuriken style of the Uchiha?
"Where did he learn that?"
Kakashi was genuinely puzzled now. But what he knew with certainty was that it was time to take this more seriously.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Without the slightest intention to dodge, Kakashi swiftly formed the hand seals. In the next instant, a massive fireball burst forth, surging ahead in a wave of searing flame.
The blazing sphere not only swallowed Gen's Phoenix Fire whole, but also disrupted the kunai's trajectory and pressed onward in his direction.
"As expected of a jonin… In that case, Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu"
Kitagawa Gen made no move to evade either. Instead, he formed a few symbolic hand seals and brought his palms together in concentration.
BOOOOM—!
A fireball nearly as large as Kakashi's erupted in his hands. The two blazing spheres collided with a thunderous roar that ripped up through the air.
The scorching heat distorted the atmosphere, and the grass across the training field was instantly ignited in several places.
Kitagawa Gen moved swiftly from his position. He had no intention of standing still to receive an attack and kept a vigilant eye on his surroundings, trying to catch any trace of Kakashi's presence.
WHOOSH—
Almost instantly, Kakashi had already reappeared behind him. A kunai was pressed directly against Gen's nape.
"The battle isn't over yet. Don't let your guard down."
Gen didn't respond. Instead, he spun around and met the incoming kunai with his own.
CLANG—!
A crisp ring of metal echoed as the two blades clashed.
Without hesitation, Gen drew another kunai with his left hand and slashed fiercely, but Kakashi evaded it with a swift sidestep.
Still, Gen paid no mind. He continued to close the distance, engaging Kakashi in close combat.
Though his body and chakra had undergone tremendous improvement, his experience in battle was still noticeably lacking.
The bloodline of the Ōtsutsuki was no trifling matter. Otherwise, figures like Urashiki and Momoshiki, despite their astonishingly poor combat IQ, would never have been capable of obliterating entire planets.
But their downfall lies in that very weakness. One fell to a Hidden Rasengan, forced to rely on the Karma Seal, and the other was outright poisoned to death by Jiraiya.
Gen wasn't going to be that stupid. Besides, he had just noticed something else.
"It seems… I can 'cleanse' certain jutsu through training with Kakashi?"
Not only ninjutsu—even the sword techniques he'd obtained from Kakashi yesterday might also apply.
Even if Kakashi was using kunai instead of a blade, his movements were no different from the kenjutsu embedded in Gen's mind.
If that was the case…
A sharp gleam lit up in Gen's eyes. He pressed in more quickly than before.
CLING, CLANG, DING—
The ceaseless clash of metal rang out as their figures darted back and forth across the training field in a rapid, intricate dance.
Kakashi was clearly holding back, but Gen fought with complete focus. At that moment, the two appeared to be locked in a fierce stalemate.
However, a strange expression began to form on Kakashi's face.
"This kid… is he copying me?"
He could clearly feel it. Gen was mimicking his movements.
At first, there had been a hint of clumsiness, with slightly delayed transitions between actions.
But as the battle progressed, Gen grew smoother and more adept. His techniques flowed more seamlessly, and even his counterattacks began to appear confident and measured.
There was a moment—just a fleeting second—when Kakashi genuinely felt as if he were sparring with a reflection of himself.
Such an ability to learn… was nothing short of extraordinary.
"No wonder he could replicate the Uchiha's throwing technique"
At last, as Gen's movements became increasingly reminiscent of his own, Kakashi found he could no longer continue. He raised his hand and called a halt to the match.
"Alright. That's enough for now."
"Understood."
Gen immediately withdrew and put some distance between them.
"I've got a good grasp of your condition now. To be honest, it's better than I had expected."
Kakashi gazed at Gen with a curious expression for a long moment before speaking again in a low voice.
"What you're lacking now is combat experience. But I know what to do about that. Get ready. We might be leaving the village as early as tomorrow."
"Really?"
Hearing this, Kitagawa Gen instantly became energetic.
And right then, his system flickered again.
[Side Quest Completed: Who Is the True Copy Ninja]
[Reward Obtained: Kakashi's Lightning Style]
"Of course it's real."
Kakashi waved his hand, though his gaze drifted wearily toward the scorched and burning field beside them.
"Alright then, head home for now. Make sure you're up early tomorrow."
"Yes"
Gen nodded promptly. He was eager to return and inspect his new reward.
He gave a small bow, then turned and ran off, leaving Kakashi standing alone before the flames.
His gaze lingered on the crumbling Earth-Style Wall slowly being consumed by fire, where the carved visages of the four Hokage could still be faintly seen amid the blaze.
In that quiet moment, Kakashi too sank into deep thought.
..
..
[IMAGE]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Chapter End's]
🖤 Night_FrOst/ Patreon 🤍
Visit my Patreon for Early Chapter:
https://www.patreon.com/Night_FrOst
Extra Content Already Available