(Pov: Mysterious Narrator)
With an agile and calculated movement, Merlin scanned the surroundings with her sharp eyes. Now, everything seemed clearer and more fluid. In an instant, she traced the trajectory of the shurikens surrounding her.
— There's a blind spot... — she discovered. — A gap left on purpose. Her eyes narrowed. He will regret underestimating me...
Without hesitation, Merlin propelled herself gracefully, slipping through the gap smoothly and precisely. At the exact moment the shurikens collided with each other, a brief expression of horror crossed her face.
"So cunning..." — she thought, suppressing the shock. "He was ready for my escape. I don't have time to turn the tide."
With a swift spin, she executed hand seals in sequence: Rat → Horse → Bird.
In an instant, she launched her own shurikens, redirecting the projectiles coming her way. The metallic sound echoed through the air as the blades veered off course.
— This time, I won't lose, Grandpa... — she murmured to herself, a silent promise, her lips moving almost imperceptibly as her body spun through the air.
Suddenly, she darted straight toward her opponent. Her eyes shone with renewed determination. Fighting head-on would now be the only option. Her heart beat steadily, but her spirit brimmed with confidence. Her grandfather had taught her everything about the Sharingan, and now she felt proud to see her own power awaken.
— It seems you're confident... — Tenmei commented calmly, his eyes cold as ice, without any unnecessary taunt.
Their gazes locked. For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. Then, like two shadows dancing under the moonlight, the two launched into combat. Punches and kicks collided with absolute precision, each strike revealing superhuman skills.
Merlin's Sharingan had elevated her dynamic perception and sharpened her reflexes to an extraordinary level. It was as if she could see the movement even before it happened.
— There's a huge difference... — she thought, feeling the power of the bloodline pulse through her veins. — Between an Uchiha without the Sharingan and one who has awakened it. The new power not only made her stronger and faster, but shattered limits that once confined her.
Tenmei felt challenged. His chakra was drained, and bluffs wouldn't work against the Sharingan. His body had no limits. Every fiber seemed to beg for rest, but he knew he couldn't give in.
He sank into his thoughts: things had spiraled out of control. "Three minutes... That's the maximum I can endure before my body collapses from exhaustion."
"I have to act now... It seems there's no other choice."
Taking a deep breath, he gathered the last of his strength. His muscles tensed with controlled resistance, each one prepared like a warrior about to face his final battle. In a moment of fluid serenity, he advanced. The punch seemed ordinary, but he used his other hand as a feint, obscuring a specific angle of the Sharingan's vision, almost as if weaving an illusion with his hand movements. Tora, Ushi, Saru, Hitsuji – the seals formed imperceptibly, disguised within his attack.
The impact came with a terrible crash. Clink. Something broke. Merlin was thrown backward, her arm twisted into a grotesque position. The pain was immediate.
She gasped, surprised. "How can he be so strong after so many battles?" Her red eyes, empowered by the Sharingan, analyzed Tenmei's body: the tense muscles, burning energy with every second. He finally sat down on the ground, gasping deeply, revealing the exhaustion hidden beneath his determination.
The pain in Merlin's right arm was sharp and throbbing. "A punch... breaks my bones? How is that possible? Even if he's stronger, it shouldn't be that much... And he's already exhausted. What an unusual technique... An impressive trump card of Taijutsu."
Tenmei, drained, gave a clumsy smile.
— I lost... Haha! You won, little leaf. Come on, smile! — he said, breaking his usual cold demeanor, releasing light and playful laughter.
— I had a great time! Thanks for the battle! You surprised me... The Uchiha clan should never be underestimated, always full of surprises. — He commented, sincerely praising her.
Merlin, still tired, let out a genuine smile.
— Tsk... Hahaha... You idiot... — she said, panting but satisfied. The memory of her grandfather filled her heart: he would surely jump with joy knowing she had awakened the Sharingan.
The atmosphere suddenly softened. Merlin realized she hadn't won through strength but because Tenmei was exhausted. He had fought not only against her friends but also against himself before separating them into different battlefields.
Still, with her single-tomoe Sharingan activated, she felt a quiet confidence. Even if she lost, it wouldn't be a disgraceful defeat like before. But the truth was that she was satisfied. She had gained much from this battle... and enjoyed it more than she expected.
Then, someone appeared among the trees, walking slowly, as if weighed down by exhaustion. It was Haruto, his shoulders slumped and a warm smile on his face, arriving with the intention of rescuing someone.
— Tenmei-san! — he offered breathlessly, with a hand on his waist. — Are you... are you alright?
Tenmei gave him an enigmatic glance, a half-smile playing at the corner of his lips.
— Ah, haha! Haruto, you arrived just in time! Let's go check on Kakashi. That guy still hasn't shown up... must be having a great time. — He said with a playful tone.
Haruto laughed, still catching his breath.
— It's always like that with that guy, isn't it? Tsk... You go ahead. I'm exhausted. — he said, leaning against a tree while wiping the sweat from his forehead.
— Rushing to help you, and here you are, all relaxed... — Haruto muttered, not with resentment, more to himself.
— Don't be like that, — Tenmei said in a low, controlled voice. — We need to go home and rest. Tomorrow's our first day of school.
There was a lightness in his words that betrayed neither exhaustion nor disruption, only the monotony of routine.
Merlin watched everything from a distance, her expression cold and unreadable.
"So that's how it is? You're going to pretend I'm not even here?" — she thought, without blinking. Idiots...
"And what about Akuma? If Haruto is here, Akuma is probably lost. He'll be furious. As always. Dealing with him after this will be a pain."
With a brief sigh, Merlin deactivated the Sharingan and began walking, her steps light and unhurried, heading toward where Akuma was most likely to be. After that, she would go home and tell her grandfather the news, as she always did.
Tenmei warned Merlin to step aside for a brief moment. His gaze was distant, almost empty.
"Everything went as it should... Now, just to finish this act. I'm tired."
Meanwhile, Kakashi faced his opponent with the precision of someone who had studied the perfect moment for each movement. The two blades danced through the air, tracing perfect arcs and releasing sparks with each clash.
— This girl is more skilled than I thought. I need to finish this soon. I won't give Tenmei a reason to mock me. — Kakashi thought, a tired half-smile on his lips.
The swords clashed again, and with every strike, he felt the exhaustion grow. Not that it mattered. A fight was a dance, and Kakashi knew how to keep the rhythm until the end.
(Point of View: Kakashi Hatake)
My hands are starting to go numb, but that's nothing new. Every strike requires more focus than the last, but there's no room for frustration.
I remember my father's words about the way of the sword:
"Don't fight against the current. Use it."
With a quick Tiger seal to focus my breathing, I advance in the blink of an eye. My short sword glides in a smooth and precise motion. I'm in front of Mirla before she even realizes it.
I execute a vertical slash. The blades collide, and sparks dance between us. I pivot effortlessly, delivering a direct kick to her chest, creating a momentary gap between us.
Wasting no time, I throw shurikens at unpredictable angles. But Mirla is quick, dodging with the grace of someone deeply familiar with both her body and her sword.
This girl has no openings.
"I'm getting tired... her stamina is impressive, but it's time to end this."
— Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!
I exclaimed softly, as my fingers formed seals in rapid succession. My hands flowed like water in a river, performing the precise movements of Tiger, Boar, and Horse before unleashing the attack. Small fireballs danced around me, like flaming petals of a reborn phoenix.
"I need to use ninjutsu now; I can't win with just taijutsu and kenjutsu."
— Suiton: Doryū Shōkō!
She exclaimed in response, her fingers quickly forming seals as she dodged my attack. Her feet touched the ground lightly at a distance, and suddenly, I felt the earth give way beneath me. Water gushed from the ground, transforming the battlefield into a watery trap. I had to stop my attack immediately, forcing my feet to propel me away from the spot. In one swift motion, I pulled a kunai from my pouch and attached an explosive tag to it, launching it straight toward her.
She noticed the danger and quickly moved away, but not before a powerful explosion echoed through the area, scattering debris in all directions. The battlefield bore the scars of our fierce fight. I needed an advantage, something to turn the tide.
I advanced again, moving with even greater speed. Sparks flew between our blades as we clashed repeatedly, the confrontation growing more intense with every strike.
(Pov: Uchiha Mirla)
"Damn it... this guy is giving me a lot of trouble. Merlin and Akuma... the sound of their battle has stopped for a while now. Did they lose or draw? I need to finish this quickly."
Suddenly, something rolled toward me. A smoke bomb! My pupils contracted instantly. In a desperate move, I tried to dodge, retreating quickly. But it was too late. Thick smoke engulfed everything around me, completely blocking my vision.
"I can't lose now..." I thought, feeling the adrenaline surge through me.
My instincts guided me as I advanced blindly. My strikes were precise but increasingly frantic — slashes, punches, kicks, the battle was intense. I was already at my limit... I couldn't believe I might lose to him.
"No!"
— Suiton: Doryū Shōkō...
Before I could complete the seal, I felt a heavy impact. I was thrown backward with force, the ground scraping beneath my feet as I tried to steady myself.
And then, I felt the cold edge of a blade against my neck.
"When...? A shadow clone? It was when he threw the smoke bomb..."
— "You did well... but not well enough."
His voice echoed with ironic calm, effortlessly. He knew he had won.
My body relaxed involuntarily. "I lost..." A small mistake, a momentary lapse, and the battle was over. I had been careless, letting my attention waver in such a balanced confrontation.
— "This isn't over... Next time, you will be the one on the ground."
My voice came out steady, laced with frustration and determination.
As he walked away, I saw two others approaching in the distance — Haruto and Tenmei. Just as I had guessed, Akuma and Merlin had lost, just like me. There was nothing I could do but watch as they chatted, relaxed and victorious.
"Damn it..." I thought, clenching my fists tightly. "I'll make them pay for this humiliation."
And then, my gaze locked onto that man... Hatake Kakashi.
"Just wait..."
As I watched him leave, two more figures came into view... Haruto and Tenmei. Just as I suspected earlier, Akuma and Merlin lost... just like me.
I could only watch them talking, at ease and victorious. Damn it! I'll make them pay for today's humiliation. That guy... Hatake Kakashi, right? Just you wait.
(Pov: Haruto)
— Well, that was something... — I muttered as I reached Tenmei, both of us still catching our breath. — Looks like everything went as expected.
— Of course, it did, — Tenmei replied with a smirk, wiping his brow. — Merlin and Akuma gave it their best.
We exchanged glances, both relieved that things had settled down without further complications.
— You know, it's rare to see Kakashi so focused... I think he really enjoyed that fight. — I chuckled, glancing toward where Kakashi had disappeared into the forest, his usual nonchalance masking his precision in battle.
— Yeah... it's almost unfair how good he is, — Tenmei said, still amused by it all. — But then again, Kakashi doesn't mess around when it comes to battle.
(Pov: Kakashi Hatake)
Walking calmly away from the battlefield, I allowed myself a small smile. "She put up a good fight... but in the end, there are levels to this."
I felt no triumph, no gloating — only the steady satisfaction of a well-fought battle. It's not about victory or humiliation. It's about staying sharp. And this fight? It was a reminder to me, too.
"They're getting stronger... especially Mirla. Next time, she won't make the same mistake."
The forest ahead seemed quiet, the air cooling as the tension of battle faded away. But I knew the real challenge wasn't over.
"Tomorrow is our first day back at the academy... and somehow, that feels harder than any battle."
With a final glance back toward the clearing where Mirla stood, still fuming with frustration, I muttered under my breath:
— Just you wait, too, Mirla... things are only getting started.
(Pov: Mirla)
I watched as Kakashi's figure faded into the forest. The anger bubbling within me settled, coiling into something sharper — a promise.
Next time, there would be no mistakes. No lapses.
"Hatake Kakashi... You'll remember my name."
Continue...