https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-162-Too-Much-Detail-Can-Be-a-Bad-Thing/12558091/
Chapter 161: United (3k)
Chapter 161: United (3k)
However, something unexpected happened to Kakashi. Just as his shadow clone had done earlier, Mu Yue before him also turned into white smoke and disappeared, without a bell dropping to the ground.
"It's a shadow clone!"
Kakashi's pupils narrowed, and he immediately wanted to slash behind him. But just as he had this thought, a cold kunai was pressed against his neck.
"When using the shadow clone tactic yourself, consider if your enemy might be using the same strategy." Mu Yue, who had appeared behind Kakashi, said.
"After all, I'm not always within your line of sight, right?"
Kakashi remained silent. He had just lectured Obito on being reckless, and now it was his turn to learn a lesson.
Hearing Kakashi being criticized, Obito rushed to the scene without delay to mock him.
"The enemy had already disappeared from your sight, and you didn't even bother to observe carefully before charging in. If Mu Yue were an enemy, you would be dead by now," Obito said bluntly.
Seeing that Kakashi had failed, Obito felt that the pain on his body had lessened a lot.
It didn't matter if he failed, as long as Kakashi didn't succeed either.
"At least I took out Captain Uchiha's shadow clone. That's better than you, lying on the ground after being knocked out without even touching your target," Kakashi retorted when he heard Obito mocking him with his own words.
Mu Yue smiled but remained silent. With their current abilities, Kakashi, Obito, and Might Guy wouldn't stand a chance against her shadow clones if she didn't hold back.
As Kakashi was personally instructed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mu Yue didn't want to reveal too much of her strength, even though she believed that Hiruzen wouldn't be bored enough to spend hours watching them play this bell-snatching game. Still, she was cautious to prevent Hiruzen from seeing anything through his Telescope Technique.
She had already used her Byakugan and sensory ninja techniques to check the surroundings, and there were no Anbu spies present.
"After all, Kakashi isn't his son. He probably wouldn't care that much," Mu Yue thought to herself.
"But I wasn't facing a shadow clone at all! I managed to hold on for a while against your real body, Mu Yue-sensei, but Kakashi here couldn't even do that," Obito argued.
"Maybe the one who knocked you down at the beginning was also a shadow clone," Kakashi sneered.
"Absolutely not!" Obito firmly denied Kakashi's suggestion.
"Right, Guy?" Obito turned to Might Guy, trying to get him on his side.
"There's no point in discussing this. We all failed," Might Guy said.
He felt that it didn't matter whether it was a shadow clone or the real body; the fact was that they had all been defeated and failed to get the bell. They were all in the same boat.
Might Guy's words took Obito by surprise, as he had expected him to take sides. Instead, Might Guy remained neutral.
"It's good to reflect on our failures, but let's focus more on improving ourselves," Mu Yue interrupted the argument among the three.
"There's still some time before the sun sets. You still have a chance."
"Actually, your strengths are not weak among your peers. Why don't you try teamwork? The power of collaboration can make the whole greater than the sum of its parts," Mu Yue suggested.
The bell-snatching exercise was designed to test teamwork. As soon as the instructors saw that the students were working together, they would naturally adjust their expectations. It would be impossible for three fresh genin to take a bell from a jonin if the instructor didn't hold back.
Mu Yue chose this classic exercise to start with, intending to encourage more interaction between Kakashi, Might Guy, and Obito. She wanted Kakashi to realize that his teammates were no longer the same as before.
Hearing Mu Yue's words, the more mature Kakashi basically understood her implied meaning. He had been a chunin for over two years and was well aware of the importance of teamwork.
"Looks like we have no choice but to cooperate," Kakashi decided to put aside their differences for now and focus on completing the bell-snatching task.
On the other side, although Obito was very reluctant, he quickly adjusted his mindset and walked up to Kakashi, saying:
"Kakashi, now you know that you can't do it alone, right? Let's work together. The three of us will team up."
"Let's ignite our youth together!" Might Guy also invited Kakashi to join them.
"Collaboration is fine, but I'll be the one to come up with the battle plan," Kakashi ignored Obito's previous comment and said expressionlessly.
"Why does it have to be you? Can't we discuss it together?" Obito asked, a little displeased.
"I've been a jounin for over two years, not a chunin. Isn't that enough?" Kakashi said nonchalantly.
"Your setup was too crude. If Captain Uchiha hadn't taken it easy on you, you wouldn't have stood a chance."
Kakashi directly used their ninja ranks to assert his authority, leaving Obito temporarily speechless and unable to think of a rebuttal. He could only regret not having met Mu Yue earlier, as he would have been a chunin by now as well.
However, it was impossible for Obito to admit defeat to Kakashi. So, he said:
"What if we still lose even with your battle plan?"
"Then we'll talk about it after we lose," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.
If they still lost after implementing his plan, Kakashi could only conclude that Mu Yue never intended for them to pass this training.
Kakashi then guided Obito and Might Guy in setting up traps and explained the next battle plan in detail.
Kakashi then instructed Obito and Might Guy to hide while he also concealed his real body, directing his clone to entice Mu Yue.
When the clone successfully lured Mu Yue's clone into the trap zone, hand shuriken flew from all directions toward the clones of Kakashi and Mu Yue.
Kakashi's clone, aware of its purpose, didn't dodge and instead turned back to use a Lightning Release ninjutsu to stall Mu Yue, causing both clones to dissipate instantly.
"That's a fine tactic. It would've been dangerous if it weren't for the clone," Mu Yue whispered to Kakashi, who was observing from the surroundings.
Kakashi was astonished at how Mu Yue had silently made her way to his side again!
He used the Body Flicker Technique to teleport directly to the ground, creating some distance between them. Mu Yue's earlier praise had startled him so much that he was drenched in cold sweat.
However, Mu Yue didn't rush to attack and instead jumped down from the tree, continuing with a smile, "That was good. You've learned from the last time."
Although the situation was unfavorable, Kakashi, who had faced true life-and-death crises before, managed to maintain his calm. He carefully observed Mu Yue and shouted,
"That's not her real body, it's a Shadow Clone! Don't come out yet, continue waiting for the right moment!"
He remembered Mu Yue resting on the grass, and even if she had brushed off the grass and dirt, it was impossible to be as clean as the Mu Yue before him, who looked like she had changed into a brand-new set of clothes.
Kakashi warily eyed Mu Yue, knowing that whether it was her real body or a clone, she was no easy opponent due to her incredible speed.
"Are you sure you can handle this alone? Have you forgotten how you failed not long ago?" Mu Yue continued to rush towards Kakashi, throwing punches as she spoke.
Mu Yue's speed and strength were impressive, and even with Kakashi's full effort, he found it challenging to keep up. He quickly took two punches and a kick, looking rather disheveled.
"Coming out now will only lead to failure. As long as they stay hidden, we still have a chance to seize the bell," Kakashi retorted.
If they exposed their positions to defeat Mu Yue's clone, the combination attacks they had prepared would be useless, and they had no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.
It was better for him to hold off Mu Yue while Might Guy and Obito remained hidden, searching for Mu Yue's real body. That way, they still had a glimmer of hope.
Kakashi's plan sounded good, but keeping Mu Yue occupied was more difficult than he anticipated.
His rich combat experience and precise and ruthless blade techniques were ineffective against Mu Yue, who seemed to see through all his attacks. Kakashi couldn't even touch the hem of her clothes, yet he had already endured countless strikes from her.
Mu Yue was far stronger than Kakashi had imagined, and he couldn't understand why a ninja of her caliber would be teaching at the ninja academy instead of taking on missions and making a fortune.
Kakashi grew increasingly weary, and Mu Yue's assault became more ferocious. He was struggling to hold on.
Despite the dust and dirt accumulating on his body, Kakashi had no intention of calling for Obito and Might Guy.
He clung to the idea that as long as they stayed hidden, there was still a chance of success, but if they revealed themselves, it would be a wasted effort and only lead to failure.
Clang!
Mu Yue seized an opening and knocked the short blade from Kakashi's hand, then threw a punch at him.
Just as Kakashi braced for the impact, a passionate voice rang out.
"Dynamic Entry!"
Might Guy suddenly appeared and delivered a rapid spinning kick to Mu Yue, forcing her back and saving Kakashi.
Kakashi, now rescued, didn't smile but instead furrowed his brows and asked,
"I thought I said not to come out. Now that you've exposed our position, we have no hope of succeeding."
"I don't understand what you're saying, but I know that I don't train just for the sake of training. This power is meant to protect the people I want to safeguard!" Might Guy said, staring intently at Mu Yue.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
A hideous fire dragon suddenly appeared and charged at Mu Yue. As she dodged, the fire dragon turned and pursued her, successfully pushing her back even further.
"This is no joke. If it's a victory at the cost of abandoning my comrades, I, Uchiha Obito, don't want it!" Obito added, continuing to throw shuriken at Mu Yue.
Seeing that Obito had also joined the fight, Kakashi's frown deepened. In his mind, this training exercise was destined to end in failure.
However, he wouldn't give up just yet. Since things had come to this, he decided to make one last desperate attempt...
(End of Chapter)
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