As Toshiro exerted his strength, the eight shurikens in his hands traced elegant arcs as they shot toward their target.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The continuous sounds of shurikens cutting through the air indicated the significant force they carried. If not dealt with carefully, they could cause great harm!
It's important to know that aside from their renowned kekkei genkai, fire jutsu, and genjutsu, the Uchiha clan's shurikenjutsu is also famous in the ninja world. Many careless foes have paid with their lives due to these deadly techniques.
However, as two puffs of smoke appeared, Toshiro's attack proved futile. Unexpectedly, not only was the Kakashi that had charged out a decoy, but even the one hiding behind the earth wall was also a clone.
Upon seeing this, Toshiro showed no surprise. It was evident that none of this affected him.
He had started to suspect when Kakashi charged out and used an earth jutsu. While his opponent prepared the clone technique to deal with the upcoming earth wave, there were still some flaws.
These flaws were not something Toshiro could overlook. Even without activating his Sharingan, his observation skills were extraordinary. A slight focus allowed him to notice even the slightest changes.
As for the figure behind the broken earth wall, Toshiro suspected it was also a decoy to divert his attention and attack. It was no wonder.
At that moment, a hand suddenly appeared beneath Toshiro's feet...
"Earth Style: Head Hunter Jutsu"
The hand grasped Toshiro's ankle. It was Kakashi, who had hidden behind the earth wall, using the jutsu to try and bring Toshiro down. However, before Kakashi could exert his strength, he realized something was off with the texture in his grip and quickly released his hold to re-enter the ground.
What remained was only a wooden log. Before Kakashi launched his attack, Toshiro had already prepared a substitution jutsu, anticipating Kakashi's move.
Battling such a cunning opponent, Toshiro knew he needed an excellent bait to catch Kakashi off guard. Thus, he used his own body as the bait.
On the substitution log, wisps of blue smoke rose, accompanied by the sound of a paper bomb igniting. Toshiro had not only prepared the substitution log but also attached a paper bomb, waiting for Kakashi to fall into the trap.
He never underestimated his future opponent, the Sixth Hokage. Many well-known figures, regardless of their strength, had battled Kakashi evenly.
As the explosive sound erupted, a cloud of smoke spread throughout the field. Toshiro had already moved to a safe spot, his eyes fixed on the battlefield.
"Now... Body Flicker Slash..."
After using the substitution jutsu, Toshiro bent his knees, focusing intensely. With a burst of chakra from his legs, he used a high-speed Body Flicker Jutsu, rushing into the smoke without hesitation.
He trusted that Minato was present and wouldn't let any unexpected incidents happen. Even if there were, Minato would intervene.
"Clang!"
A metallic clash echoed from within the smoke, followed by a long silence. When the smoke cleared, the scene was revealed. Toshiro stood wielding two swords, staring intently at his opponent.
On the other side, Kakashi also adopted a ready stance, pointing White Fang's blade forward.
The spectators exhaled the breaths they had been holding. The battle had been so intense and tied that they had forgotten to breathe. Now, seeing the two resuming their standoff, they finally exhaled.
"These two... really cunning."
As Toshiro's teammate, Uchiha Flame commented. The two had been deceiving each other throughout the fight, only genuinely clashing at the end.
Nearly every observing genin shared this feeling, wondering if they had really graduated from the same ninja academy.
Even Jiraiya on the stands couldn't help but marvel at the remarkable skills of the current young generation, reminiscing that at their age, his biggest achievement was "gathering resources."
In Jiraiya's case, he had lagged behind until he signed a summoning contract with Mount Myoboku, benefiting from their toad sage techniques. Only then did he surpass many of his contemporaries.
Now, the two boys in the arena had already left their peers behind. One was from the renowned Uchiha clan, and the other was the son of the late "White Fang of Konoha."
Reflecting on his past, Jiraiya couldn't help but think that if he had been this skilled at their age, Tsunade might not have chosen someone else.
(End of Chapter)