Curious and slightly on edge, I decided to investigate.
I moved quietly through the dense foliage, my steps light and deliberate.
As I got closer, the sounds became clearer—the rhythmic sound of kunai hitting wood.
I carefully parted the branches and peered through the leaves, my eyes widening in surprise.
There, practicing kunai throwing with an intense focus, was a young Kakashi Hatake.
His familiar silver hair and mask were unmistakable, but his face was younger, his features less hardened by the trials of his future.
It was a familiar yet unfamiliar sight, a reminder of the timeline I had found myself in.
Kakashi's precision was impressive, even at his young age.
Each kunai hit its mark with pinpoint accuracy, embedding deeply into the wooden target.
He moved with a fluidity and grace that spoke of hours upon hours of dedicated practice.
I couldn't help but wonder if it was merely a coincidence that I had stumbled upon Kakashi practicing in this part of the forest.
Konoha was a large village, and the Forest of Death was vast.
The odds of our paths crossing seemed slim, yet here I was, witnessing one of the most skilled ninjas in the series honing his craft.
Was this fate? Or simply a random occurrence?
The thought gnawed at me, and I found myself torn between staying hidden and revealing myself.
If there was a chance to form a connection with Kakashi, it could prove invaluable.
On the other hand, drawing his attention might also bring unwanted scrutiny.
After a moment of contemplation, I decided to take the risk.
I made my way to the area where Kakashi was practicing, this time with the intention of revealing myself.
As I approached, I tried to move as quietly and non-threateningly as possible.
As I made my presence known, Kakashi's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he spotted me.
His hand moved instinctively to the kunai pouch at his side, and he dropped into a defensive stance.
"Who's there?" Kakashi's voice was calm but firm, his gaze piercing and watchful.
I stepped out from behind the trees, raising my hands in a gesture of peace.
"It's just me," I said, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
"I didn't mean to startle you."
Kakashi's eyes studied me intently, his grip on the kunai relaxing only slightly.
"Who are you, and why are you here?"
he demanded.
"I'm Kaito," I replied, using the name that belonged to this body.
"I was out here training and heard someone practicing. I didn't mean to intrude. I was just curious."
Kakashi's eyes flickered with suspicion, his gaze sharp as he analyzed me.
It was clear he was assessing my skills and trying to gauge whether I posed any threat.
"Training, huh?" he said, his tone neutral. "You don't look like a typical genin.
"I felt a pang of envy as I noticed the chunin vest Kakashi wore, a testament to his talent and prowess as a ninja despite his young age.
Here was a prodigy, already a chunin while I was struggling with the basics.
But I took solace in knowing that I had the almighty template system on my side, a secret weapon that could level the playing field.
I smiled wryly. "I'm not exactly a typical genin.
I'm trying to improve my skills, especially in taijutsu.
I saw you practicing and thought maybe I could learn a thing or two."
Kakashi's posture relaxed a bit more, though his guard was still up.
"You dont have a team?" he asked.I nodded.
"Yes, I don't have a team right now. So i'm focusing on getting stronger on my own."
"So, do you mind a spar?" I asked, trying to sound casual.Kakashi raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my request.
"A spar?" he echoed, then shook his head.
"Not interested."
He turned back to his training, throwing kunai with pinpoint accuracy.
I couldn't miss this chance.
I guess its time to test my abilities, I activated Soru, a high-speed movement technique from the Rob Lucci template.
In an instant, I appeared in front of the kunai Kakashi had just thrown, catching it mid-air.Kakashi's eyes widened in shock, clearly taken aback by my speed.
"What the...?""Not bad, huh?" I said, handing the kunai back to him.
Kakashi was left speechless for a moment, his analytical mind working overtime to process what he had just witnessed.
He quickly regained his composure, his gaze now filled with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "You're fast," he admitted.
I could see the gears turning in his mind. He was assessing my capabilities, trying to understand how a genin could move so quickly.
"Are you sure you don't want to spar?" I pressed, eager to push my limits.Kakashi hesitated, then sighed.
"Fine. Just a quick one," he agreed, adopting a defensive stance.
We began our spar, and it quickly became apparent that Kakashi couldn't keep up, despite his talent, but was determined to hold his ground.
He moved with precision, his kunai striking out in swift, calculated arcs.
I dodged his attacks with ease, my enhanced speed and reflexes making it almost effortless.
Kakashi's movements became even more precise.
He predicted my actions with uncanny accuracy, forcing me to up my game.
I used Tekkai to harden my body and blocked his kunai strikes, feeling the impact but remaining unscathed."Impressive," Kakashi muttered, clearly frustrated by my resilience.
I smirked, enjoying the challenge. "You're not bad yourself," I replied, activating Shigan.
With a swift motion, I thrust my finger forward like a bullet, aiming for Kakashi's shoulder.
He barely managed to dodge, his eyes widening in surprise as he glanceda the finher deep hole on the tree.
"What kind of technique is that?""Just something I picked up," I said cryptically, not wanting to reveal too much.
Kakashi came at me with a barrage of taijutsu, his strikes fast and relentless. I countered with a mix of Soru and Tekkai, using my speed to dodge and my hardened body to absorb his hits.
Despite his best efforts, he couldn't land a decisive blow.Growing more desperate, Kakashi created a series of shadow clones, surrounding me from all sides.
I activated Kami-e, making my body light and flexible, allowing me to dodge their attacks with fluid grace.
One by one, I dispatched the clones with precision strikes, leaving the real Kakashi standing alone.
Realizing he was outmatched, Kakashi made one final attempt to catch me off guard. He threw a handful of smoke bombs, obscuring my vision, and launched a sneak attack from behind.
But I was ready. Using Soru, I moved with blinding speed, appearing behind him and tapping his shoulder."Got you," I said, smirking.Kakashi froze, realizing he had lost.
He turned to face me, a mixture of frustration and respect in his eyes. "You're... really something," he said between breaths.
"What kind of training have you been doing?"I smiled, not revealing my secret.
"Just hard work and determination," I replied vaguely.
Kakashi nodded, still catching his breath. "You could really go far with that kind of speed and strength.
"Thanks."kaito replied.
As we talked, Kakashi proposed a spar the next time they meet.
And I eagerly accepted, since my plan to get closer to kakashi has finally shown some fruit.
After a few minutes we separated and went our way...
I returned to my small house, feeling a sense of gratitude for the food and shelter I still had.
After preparing a simple meal, I ate heartily, replenishing my energy.
The day's training had been intense, and I needed all the nourishment I could get.
After done with eating,I lay on my mat awaiting for tomorrow.