But among them, there was no sign of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. At this moment, he was attending a high-level village meeting to discuss how to face the imminent outbreak of the Ninja World War. Just a few days ago, Hiruzen received an incredibly shocking piece of news from Danzo.
It appeared there was an issue with the Third Kazekage of the Sand Village, who was reputed to be the strongest Kazekage in history; he had not shown himself for a very long time. Simultaneously, troubling news came from the borders between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind. Sand Village ninjas frequently broke through the borders and carried out espionage activities toward Konoha.
This alarming development made Konoha handle the situation with utmost caution! One misstep could trigger a cascade of consequences, destroying the hard-earned peace in an instant. Thus, he entrusted this year's Chūnin Exams entirely to Jiraiya. Meanwhile, Hiruzen himself stayed at the Hokage Building to deal with this sudden turn of events fully.
In the arena, Kakashi stared at Uchiha Toshiro across from him, then looked at his own right hand holding the White Fang, his expression turning unprecedentedly serious. His right hand was trembling slightly out of his control, caused by the opponent's earlier incredibly fast and powerful slash.
Earlier, Kakashi had been forced into a defensive position due to avoiding the blast of an explosive tag, and Toshiro had taken advantage of this opening to launch an attack, catching Kakashi off guard. In his hasty defense, Kakashi drew the White Fang short sword from his back to counter the blow.
One side had long prepared for this, while the other faced the attack hastily. Coupled with the age-related differences in physical condition, the outcome was almost decided from the start. Fortunately, Toshiro did not follow through with another attack, giving Kakashi a brief respite. Otherwise, he would have had a hard time returning from the disadvantage and would likely fall into the opponent's rhythm, almost ensuring defeat.
Toshrio held back because Kakashi was a character he liked in this anime adaptation. Additionally, he wanted to see if Kakashi had truly inherited Sakumo Hatake's White Fang swordsmanship. Famous for wanting to see the White Fang swordsmanship first-hand, Toshiro took out a small katana that he had rarely used during the exam.
Given that Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze were the main examiners, they had expressly prohibited fatal or disabling moves. In previous battles, Toshiro had fought barehanded and still resolved most fights swiftly. Using a katana would make it harder to control the situation without accidentally causing injury or worse. He didn't want to create unnecessary trouble.
After about ten breaths, seeing that Kakashi had mostly recovered, Toshiro hesitated no longer and launched another attack. This time he refrained from using ninjutsu or shurikens right away. Kakashi, having caught his breath, showed no intention of backing down. As soon as Toshiro moved, Kakashi charged to meet him head-on.
"Clang!" With the ringing sound of sword against sword, the two clashed again, their weapons creating continuous sparks that lit up the battlefield. The intense direct confrontation left the audience holding their breath once more, entranced by the spectacular display of skill.
Both warriors fought with masterful swordsmanship. Toshiro's was intricate, elegant, and deadly, striking pinpoint weaknesses in Kakashi's defensive movements, forcing him to be extraordinarily cautious with every move. This Uchiha-style swordsmanship stemmed from the clan's famed Sharingan, emphasizing precision and exploiting weaknesses with fluid, beautiful strikes.
In contrast, Kakashi's White Fang swordsmanship was practical and straightforward. Each move was devoid of unnecessary flourishes, focusing on the shortest attack distance, the most unpredictable angles, and unparalleled accuracy and speed.
The essence of Sakumo's White Fang swordsmanship can be summarized in three words: fast, precise, and ruthless. Dispensing with all superfluous actions, it attacked swiftly and accurately at the most unexpected moments and positions.
As waves of aggressive strikes were exchanged, even Minato Namikaze, standing close by as the referee, felt the intensity of their duel. Although impressed by their swordsmanship, his main concern was the risk associated with their close-quarter combat.
Their exchanges were so rapid that in one moment, Kakashi would be on the offensive, only to have Toshiro seize an opportunity the next. The proximity and pace left little room for Minato to intervene in case of an accidental critical hit. Any misstep could result in serious injury, or worse – a fatal or disabling blow.
These two were the future hopes of the village. Even minor injuries could leave lasting damage, a considerable loss to the village.
(End of Chapter)