https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-528-One-Power-to-Break-All-Laws-Two-in-One-/12558787/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-530-A-Brainstorming-Session-with-Obito/12558789/
Chapter 529: Kakashi's Limit of One Sword
Chapter 529: Kakashi's Limit of One Sword
Might Guy focused all his strength on his arms, the veins on his arms bulging as he transformed into a tiger about to pounce on its prey.
Huff! Huff!
Guy clenched his fists and punched the air in front of him at an incredibly high speed that was imperceptible to the naked eye. The rapid punches created a strong gust of wind.
The Daytime Tiger was not only wide in range but also incredibly powerful. Guy felt that even Kakashi wouldn't be able to block this move easily.
And after blocking the Daytime Tiger, Kakashi might not have enough chakra to perform the One Mind, No Sword technique.
"As expected, the amount of chakra is a weakness," Kakashi instantly understood Guy's plan upon seeing this, and he sighed softly.
Guy's tactic was simple yet effective.
Chakra limited Kakashi's options in most battles, forcing him to choose between different techniques rather than being able to use them all.
"However, they say that people's potential is brought out when pushed to their limits. Since I will be led to failure no matter what I choose, I might as well go all out," Kakashi thought to himself as he quietly entered the Lightning Breath Chakra Mode.
A simple earthen wall wouldn't be able to withstand Guy's Daytime Tiger. Whether Kakashi used an offensive technique to counter it or employed a defensive ninjutsu to block it, he would be left without the ability to perform the One Mind, No Sword technique afterward.
So, Kakashi prepared to use all his chakra to deliver the most powerful sword strike of his life, gambling that this one strike would not only vanquish the Daytime Tiger but also catch Guy off guard.
If he won this gamble, he would emerge victorious. If he lost, he would suffer defeat.
If this had been a real battle, Kakashi might have hesitated, as losing one's combat effectiveness on the battlefield could be terrifying.
But this was just a match, and his opponent was a friend. Kakashi felt that this was a risk worth taking.
After all, if he didn't take this chance, he would definitely lose and face a punishment akin to losing the civil war. But by gambling, he still had a chance to advance.
Zzzt! Zzzt!
The buzzing noise of electricity filled the air as dazzling purple lightning crackled along Kakashi's arms, eventually flowing down his palm and into the White Fanged Short Sword that he had just unsheathed.
"Daytime Tiger!"
Under Guy's rapid strikes, the air in front of him was continuously compressed. At the moment when the air was compressed to its limit, Guy roared and changed his fist to a palm, slamming his hands forward with immense force.
ROAR!
The highly compressed air erupted like a volcanic explosion, and a powerful blast of air burst forth, the howling wind resembling the ferocious roar of a tiger.
Immediately afterward, the compressed air took on the form of a tiger, resembling a real tiger as it pounced toward Kakashi.
At this moment, Kakashi didn't need excellent perception to understand the terrifying power of this advanced taijutsu; the strong wind that buffeted his face was enough to convey the might of the Daytime Tiger.
"Haa," Kakashi slowly exhaled, his right hand tightly gripping the hilt of the White Fanged Short Sword as he channeled all his strength into it.
At this moment, the entire short sword was enveloped in purple electric light, making it difficult to discern its shape even from a close distance. The spectators watching from afar could only see Kakashi holding a ball of lightning.
With the enhancement of the Lightning Breath Chakra Mode, Kakashi's chakra was rapidly converted into lightning-natured chakra, most of which was channeled into his right arm and the White Fanged Short Sword, while a small portion was used to reinforce his entire body.
"One Mind, No Sword!"
As the tiger of air rushed toward him, Kakashi swung his sword.
In the instant the White Fanged Short Sword left its sheath, a dazzling and brilliant purple lightning arc appeared on the battlefield.
Even though the range of this purple light was not as vast as the sea of fire created by Nagato's fire jutsu or Kisame's water jutsu, at this moment, all the contestants and spectators were captivated by this flash of purple light.
BOOM!
The purple lightning sword was brandished with tremendous force, its thunderous roar filling the air as a narrow beam of lightning instantly sliced through the air and collided with the white tiger formed by compressed air.
At the moment of impact, a dazzling light erupted from the point of collision, rapidly expanding and engulfing the entire battlefield in a blinding flash.
BOOOM!
A deafening explosion followed, the sound of the tiger's roar and thunder reverberating throughout the venue.
The shockwave from the explosion rippled outward, causing the ground to tremble violently as if it were about to crack open.
Even the spectators in the stands felt a powerful gust of wind, causing many of them to squint their eyes.
This display left the eliminated contestants in awe, wondering if all the quarter-finalists were monsters.
They had thought that Sasori and Nagato's fight had already reached the pinnacle of the Youth Ninja Competition, but they never expected that the subsequent match between Kakashi and Might Guy would be equally astonishing.
As the dust and mist settled...
HISS!
The purple lightning arc seemed determined to tear everything apart, its momentum unabated as it sliced through the giant tiger of air, reducing it to nothingness. The lightning arc then continued on its path, speeding directly toward Guy. The air in its wake seemed to be torn apart, emitting an ear-piercing roar.
"You actually broke through that move, Kakashi Hatake," Zabuza Momochi couldn't help but exclaim. "Your sword is supposed to be for protecting your comrades. How come it looks like you want to reduce your comrades to ashes?"
The might of the One Mind, No Sword technique was truly terrifying. The Daytime Tiger had previously cleared out all of Kisame's sharks and even severely injured him, yet it was still obliterated by this fearsome lightning arc.
"As expected of my dear friend, burning with youthful passion!" Far from being intimidated by the approaching lightning arc, Guy laughed heartily.
Although his fight with Kisame could be considered exhilarating, most of the time had been spent beating up Kisame. That wasn't the kind of battle Guy yearned for.
The battles Guy sought were those where both sides gave it their all, not ones where he completely dominated his opponent.
Therefore, Kakashi's destruction of the Daytime Tiger with his lightning sword was exactly what Guy had hoped for. How could he possibly be afraid of what he had wished for?
"Golden Horizon!"
As the lightning arc rapidly closed in, Guy didn't have time to execute the perfect Golden Horizon. Instead, he channeled as much power as he could into his fingers, bringing his index and middle fingers together, and then swung them as if they were a sword.
Another fierce explosion rocked the arena, shattering the ground and sending stones and sand flying. A violent gale kicked up, stirring up dust and enveloping the battlefield once more.
"Both of them are top geniuses, but it's a shame they're both from Konoha," Huang Tu sighed, shaking his head.
This generation's young geniuses from the Rock Village were clearly no match for Konoha's Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake. Either of them could easily defeat any ninja from the Rock Village under the age of eighteen, and even if the age limit was raised to twenty, the outcome would likely be the same.
"Konoha is truly brimming with talent these days," Huang Tu thought, considering that five of the remaining eight contestants were from Konoha. He felt that Danzo's actions targeting Konoha were entirely justified.
If nothing was done, the gap between the two villages would only widen over the next twenty years, leaving the Rock Village far behind.
"Come on, Guy!" Obito cheered, his eyes fixed on the battlefield as he silently rooted for his friend.
At that moment, his heart was filled with personal emotions, unclouded by any sense of duty.
Kakashi's loss would be significant to him because the penalty for losing this civil war-like competition was that Kakashi wouldn't be able to refute anything Obito said for a week.
Although the current Kakashi could threaten Obito without saying a word, Obito could also use Kakashi's inability to refute him as leverage, resulting in a mutual deterrence.
"At this age, they already possess such formidable strength. Without my Rinnegan, I wouldn't stand a chance against them," Pain admitted to himself.
He felt that Mu Yue's other disciples were more impressive than him because, while he relied on his naturally gifted eyes, Might Guy and the others had achieved such powerful techniques through their own hard work at a younger age than him.
"What's the outcome?" Danzo narrowed his eyes, focusing on the center of the mist where the dust was about to settle.
Although Kakashi's One Mind, No Sword technique was impressive, Danzo still hoped that Might Guy would emerge victorious and then face Pain, as the odds of winning would be higher.
Danzo could tell that Kakashi had used the One Mind, No Sword technique very forcibly, and he might not be able to replicate it in a subsequent battle. That would make it challenging to defeat Pain.
As the dust settled, two figures stood revealed.
"My dear friend, that sword strike was truly magnificent!" Might Guy laughed heartily, but his right hand was trembling uncontrollably.
Kakashi noticed that Guy's middle and index fingers were covered in wounds, the white bones visible beneath the blood and flesh.
Despite using the Golden Horizon technique, Guy hadn't gotten off scot-free after receiving Kakashi's attack.
"It's good that Teacher Mu Yue is here. You can ask her to heal you, and it shouldn't affect your match this afternoon," Kakashi said.
He trusted Mu Yue's medical skills more than those of the Ninja Academy's healers.
The quarterfinals were in the morning, and the semifinals wouldn't start until 3:30 PM, leaving plenty of time for Guy to fully recover with Mu Yue's medical skills and the enhanced recovery abilities granted by the Breathing Technique.
"Announce his victory then. I concede," Kakashi said calmly, facing the referee.
He had truly poured every ounce of his strength into that final sword strike, and he was only standing now due to sheer willpower.
Hearing Kakashi's words, the referee acknowledged his concession and declared, "Might Guy wins!"
The announcement sparked a flurry of excited discussions among the spectators.
While this match had been one of the quickest in the tournament, its intensity and spectacle were undeniable.
"What an unforgettable battle! I doubt I'll be able to forget it for at least a year," Might Guy exclaimed as he made his way toward the contestants' resting area.
Seeing Kakashi standing motionless, Guy asked in confusion, "Kakashi, why aren't you moving? The next match is about to start soon."
"I'm waiting for you to come over so we can find Teacher Mu Yue together," Kakashi replied nonchalantly, maintaining his stance.
Realization dawned on Guy, and he briefly spoke with a Ninja Academy staff member, indicating that he didn't need the academy's medical attention and wouldn't be returning to the contestants' resting area for the time being. Then, he made his way toward the audience seats.
"I meant for you to come and support me," Kakashi said, seeing that Guy hadn't understood his intention at all.
Guy then escorted Kakashi to the audience seats.
"The next match is between Uzumaki Naruto, number nineteen, and Sarutobi Asuma, number twenty-four!" the referee quickly announced the next pair of contestants.
Naruto and Asuma wasted no time and promptly made their way to the battlefield.
"Unbelievable! Asuma actually made it to the quarterfinals," Moegi exclaimed, recalling the previous two matches.
While Asuma wasn't weak, compared to the contestants in the previous two matches, he was undoubtedly the one dragging down the average skill level of the quarterfinals.
"That's a bit harsh on Asuma," Konohamaru defended. "We should sincerely congratulate him on reaching the quarterfinals."
"Are you already counting him out before the match even begins?" Udon retorted, his words no less scathing than Moegi's.
"Well, let's be realistic. Asuma doesn't stand much of a chance against Naruto," Moegi explained honestly.
Moegi had met Naruto when he was still a first-year student, and she had been a graduating ninja at the time. Even back then, the first-year Naruto had left a deep impression on her, as he had been truly invincible.
"Indeed," Hayate Gekko nodded in agreement.
While Asuma was his good friend and teammate, the fact was that he couldn't beat Itachi, and they had to accept that.
"The battle begins!"
"Wind Style Breathing, Full Concentration!"
Asuma instantly focused his Wind Style breathing, enhancing the wind nature of his chakra, and gathered a large amount of chakra in his throat to change its nature.
"Vacuum Orbs!"
Asuma sucked in a large mouthful of air and then fired several vacuum light waves at Itachi.
He knew that Itachi possessed the Sharingan, giving him strong insight, so he opted to use the Vacuum Orbs, which could attack continuously.
While they might not hit their mark, they would be harder to dodge than ordinary Wind Style jutsu.
Bang, bang! Asuma's light waves left pits in the ground but failed to damage even the hem of Itachi's clothes.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
While dodging, Itachi quickly performed hand seals and spat out a giant fireball toward Asuma.
Even against a former opponent he had defeated, Itachi remained vigilant, choosing to first test Asuma's full strength before going all out.
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
Asuma spewed out a large amount of fire, intending to counter Itachi's fire with his own.
According to the theory of nature transformation, Asuma's idea wasn't flawed, as same-nature transformations could offset attacks on a one-to-one basis.
However, because it was a one-to-one offset, Asuma's fire jutsu would only be effective if his skill level wasn't inferior to his opponent's.
Asuma had apparently underestimated Itachi's fire jutsu. The fireball devoured Asuma's flame and continued to rush toward him.
Swish, swish! Not content with just the fireball, Itachi supplemented his attack with several flaming shuriken to seal Asuma's position.
"As expected of Itachi, always so cautious," Hayate remarked.
Seeing that Itachi wasn't falling for his ploy, Asuma had no choice but to focus his wind-attribute chakra nature transformation on his fingers and release wind blades to deflect the flaming shuriken.
Asuma's original plan was to lure Itachi closer by countering his fire jutsu with his own and then launch a surprise attack with the Wind Blades, which didn't require hand seals.
After all, he had been mainly studying Wind Style lately, and it would be foolish to think that his Fire Style could compare to Itachi's.
However, Itachi seemed to have anticipated this, and he didn't take the bait.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Itachi gathered chakra and quickly spat out three slightly smaller fireballs.
Asuma had no desire to engage Itachi in a fire jutsu battle, so he used the wind-attribute chakra nature transformation to accelerate his escape from the range of the fireballs.
Boom, boom! The three fireballs exploded together, releasing a brilliant burst of fire that temporarily obscured Asuma's vision of Itachi.
When the fire and smoke cleared, Asuma saw two Itachis.
"He used the Shadow Clone Jutsu," Asuma thought.
With more advanced solid clones available, no one would bother with ordinary clones unless they had a specific tactical plan in mind.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Inferno!"
One of the Itachis quickly performed hand seals and unleashed a massive sea of fire that rapidly spread and then divided into four flaming paths rushing toward Asuma.
"As expected, Itachi hasn't been using his full strength until now," Asuma thought, not too surprised to see Itachi use such an exaggerated fire jutsu.
Compared to Obito, who tended to defeat his opponents with a single powerful move, Itachi was more low-key, relying on ordinary fire, body, and illusion jutsu to overcome his adversaries.
Although Asuma felt victory was unlikely, he didn't give up, dodging with all his might while secretly gathering chakra to prepare for a Wind Blade attack.
"Why does Itachi look a bit strange?" Asuma thought he saw Itachi stifling a smile as he used his fire jutsu.
However, Asuma didn't dwell on it, as the shadow clone was also distracting him.
Just as he was about to be hit by one of the flames, Asuma had no choice but to defend himself against the shadow clone, unleashing a Wind Blade, as he didn't have the ability to withstand a fire jutsu head-on.
But something unexpected happened. A black substance appeared on the shadow clone, blocking the Wind Blade he had released.
The surging flames rushed toward Asuma, and he instinctively protected his face and groin.
Something even more unexpected happened. The flames didn't cause any pain when they hit him, nor did they ignite his hair or clothes.
"Am I immune to fire?" Asuma wondered, "No, no, no, I must be under an illusion!"
Asuma remained clear-headed. If he were immune to fire, he wouldn't have lost to Itachi and Obito repeatedly.
As the flames approached, Itachi also threw a kunai, which he used to hold Asuma in place by placing it against his neck as he appeared beside him with a Body Flicker Jutsu.
At the same time, the Itachi in Asuma's vision transformed into a gray-black fox with its head held high, chest out, and tail erect.
"Uchiha Itachi wins!"
Hearing the referee's announcement, Itachi sheathed his kunai.
He had taken advantage of the firelight to use a summoning jutsu rather than a shadow clone jutsu.
If Itachi had simply wanted to win, he could have done so with his genjutsu, but he chose to use this battle, which he could control, to train Soroya.
PS: This chapter is 5k words. As a slightly shorter chapter after my break, I will try to write more in the coming days, finishing the Chunin Exam arc as soon as possible.
(End of Chapter)
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