"Yesterday?"
Kyoichi quickly pieced it together.
After pointing Might Guy in Kakashi's direction, it seemed Kakashi had been unwilling to let it go. He must have confronted Guy to identify the "culprit" and then set up this ambush as revenge.
But...
He was still a bit lacking.
Kakashi's assassination techniques and swordsmanship were exceptional, and his adaptability was commendable. Unfortunately for him, Kyoichi's mastery of Earth Spear didn't require hand seals and his body was far too resilient. It made taking Kakashi's blade almost effortless.
Of course...
The key to his success had been dodging the initial attack.
"Ugh..." Kakashi wanted to turn and leave, but his father's short blade was still in Kyoichi's hand.
He had only intended to teach Kyoichi a lesson and hadn't even unsheathed his blade. Yet somehow, he ended up losing—along with his pride.
Damn it!
"Do you know why you lost?"
"Uh..." Kakashi stared intently at him.
Kyoichi smiled. "First, you underestimated your opponent."
"Mm..."
Kakashi nodded without protest.
He had indeed underestimated Kyoichi, thinking he was just a lowly Chūnin teacher unworthy of concern. But as soon as the fight began, it became clear that Kyoichi's strength was on an entirely different level.
It wasn't just his Earth Release and taijutsu.
Even his Body Flicker Jutsu carried an elusive mystery that Kakashi couldn't unravel.
More importantly...
He was just too fast!
Kakashi prided himself on his speed, outpacing even many Jōnin. Yet compared to Kyoichi, he was noticeably slower.
From the moment he attacked to the point where his blow landed on a clone, he couldn't figure out when Kyoichi had cast the Body Flicker.
"Second..."
Kyoichi twirled the short blade in his hand with practiced ease.
The flourish was unnecessary in combat but served as a subtle message: I know my way around a blade too.
Kakashi narrowed his eye, fixating on Kyoichi and waiting for the rest of the explanation.
"I think it'd be better if you reflected on it yourself," Kyoichi said with a shrug.
Kakashi was stunned.
After all that waiting, this was the conclusion?
He could've just said so earlier!
Grabbing his short blade, Kakashi turned and left in frustration.
Kyoichi couldn't help but chuckle.
No matter how serious he tried to act, Kakashi was still just a kid.
Glancing at Might Duy and Guy, Kyoichi noted that Duy had just finished disciplining his son after Guy's earlier mocking of Kakashi. The scene had been rather violent, but now they were back to training.
Kakashi, meanwhile, trailed behind.
Though he had initially walked away, his mind kept returning to the flaws in his performance.
But...
What flaws?
Kakashi was confident in his abilities. Against most opponents, he believed he could win with enough time and effort.
That was the confidence of a genius.
However...
Kyoichi was different.
At just fifteen, the gap between them was both small and vast. Kyoichi was skilled in every area, leaving no obvious weaknesses.
For the first time, Kakashi doubted himself.
"Flaws..."
He replayed the battle in his mind, searching for answers. Suddenly, it clicked.
The blade!
His eyes lit up as he rushed forward to catch up. "Was it my blade?"
"Well, well, Kakashi. You didn't leave after all! I knew it—you want to challenge me to a youthful and fiery battle!" Guy interjected enthusiastically.
Kakashi ignored him.
This guy...
Even though Kakashi had beaten him yesterday, Guy still acted as though he had won. It was irritating.
Focusing on Kyoichi, Kakashi demanded, "Is the problem my blade?"
Kyoichi chuckled. "Your swordsmanship, ninjutsu, and taijutsu are all excellent. But none of them stand out. Your blade skills are strong, yet deep down, you reject them. You don't fully embrace or refine them."
"Ugh..." Kakashi clenched his fists, his forehead twitching with irritation. "What gives you the right to say that?"
"Am I wrong? From what I've heard, the Hatake Clan were originally samurai before they became ninja. Swordsmanship is your family's legacy. If you truly believed in it, why haven't you integrated your ninjutsu and taijutsu into your blade techniques?"
Kyoichi didn't know the full details of White Fang's swordsmanship.
However...
Based on both the anime and his brief exchange with Kakashi earlier, it was clear that Kakashi didn't truly trust his blade.
He depended on it, yet he resisted it.
That was Kakashi's current state.
"Ugh..." Kakashi fell silent.
Sakumo's swordsmanship was nothing like his.
Sakumo had mastered ninja swordsmanship, blending chakra and combat skills seamlessly. The White Fang short blade was a chakra weapon designed for this very purpose.
Yet Kakashi rejected it.
Because every time he used the blade, he couldn't help but think of his father—the man who had brought shame upon their family.
"Do you really understand your father?"
"If you think White Fang was a disgrace, then abandon the blade altogether. As you are now, you're unworthy of wielding it. Someone else could put it to better use."
Kyoichi smiled slyly. "If you're willing, I could trade you my Earth Release jutsu and a secret technique in exchange. It'd be a great deal for you."
Those words...
Cut to the heart.
Might Duy turned to Kakashi and said solemnly, "Your father was a great man."
Duy had known Sakumo Hatake—a great man, not just a great ninja.
From a ninja's perspective, Sakumo had failed when he abandoned his mission to save his comrades. But as a person, he had protected those he cared about, even at great personal cost.
That kind of man deserved respect.
"You don't understand anything!" Kakashi shouted, gripping the White Fang blade tightly before disappearing with the Body Flicker Jutsu.
Kyoichi shrugged. "Looks like he doesn't get it. Let's continue training."
"Sigh..." Duy let out a soft sigh.
Guy, on the other hand, was confused.
Lacking the sharpness for deep reflection, Guy remained oblivious to the complex emotions in play.
"Well, he's still reliant on his blade. Even so, he refuses to abandon it," Kyoichi remarked, his tone pointed.
He knew Kakashi hadn't gone far. With a ninja's keen hearing, Kakashi could still catch every word.
But Kyoichi wasn't about to chase after him.
There was a limit to how much guidance he'd offer.
As a life mentor, he wasn't some desperate teacher begging for students. If Kakashi wanted to understand, he could figure it out himself—or let Minato deal with him.
Kakashi, meanwhile, sat on a tree by the river, staring at his blade in silence.
"Do you really understand your father?"
That question echoed in his mind.
It was direct, piercing. Others had said similar things before, but Kyoichi's words stung more deeply this time.
Resisting the blade?
Kakashi didn't know.
After a while, his fists clenched.
No!
His father had abandoned the mission, disgracing their family. That was why he had taken his own life.
That was why the Hatake Clan had lost their honor.
Frustrated, Kakashi stormed off.
Kyoichi received no system notification, but he wasn't surprised. Kakashi was stubborn; if words alone could reach him, he wouldn't have been stuck in his own head for so many years, earning the disdain of his peers.
Still...
It stung a little that Kakashi hadn't even remembered Kyoichi from their brief time on the same team.
Shaking it off, Kyoichi resumed training near the woods. This time, he focused on mastering the Seven Heavens Breathing Method.
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