As the person on the receiving end, Kakashi realized almost immediately what Kazama was doing.
The moment Kazama began thrusting at him with the kunai, Kakashi recognized the movements.
It was the exact same swordsmanship Kakashi had just used against Kazama— only Kazama was reproducing it with a kunai instead of a short blade.
Kakashi immediately remembered what Kazama had told Obito earlier: Anything he had read or any movement he had seen could be memorized clearly and reproduced almost perfectly.
“Damn it…” Kakashi felt incredibly frustrated.
Having someone use his own swordsmanship against him felt absolutely miserable.
The jōnin instructor standing nearby was also watching Kazama with growing interest.
Naturally, he could tell that the attack pattern Kazama was using with the kunai was exactly the same swordsmanship Kakashi had demonstrated only moments ago.
Kazama had copied it yet again.
Clang!
Kakashi was intimately familiar with his own swordsmanship.
He quickly found an opening and swung his short blade, knocking aside Kazama’s incoming kunai.
Whoosh!
The moment his attack was blocked, Kazama sprang backward.
At the same time, he casually hurled the kunai in his hand toward Kakashi.
Then his hands began forming seals.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
His fingers moved so quickly that they were almost impossible to distinguish.
Only a blur of afterimages remained.
The seals were completed in an instant.
“Fire Release: Fireball Technique!” Kazama opened his mouth.
A fireball roughly the size of a washbasin shot toward Kakashi.
This was merely one of the basic ninjutsu Kazama had learned.
Its power wasn’t particularly impressive.
It might have been enough to deal with an ordinary child, but against Kakashi— it was clearly insufficient.
Clang!
Kakashi knocked away the approaching kunai with his short blade.
He was mildly surprised by Kazama’s hand-seal speed.
But when he saw the Fire Release technique coming toward him, he immediately relaxed.
It was only a basic Fire Release ninjutsu.
At that moment, Kakashi finally understood why Kazama had proposed exchanging the Six Powers for ninjutsu.
Kazama simply had too few ninjutsu available to learn.
The Ninja Academy only taught the most basic techniques.
More advanced ninjutsu were generally taught after graduation by a student’s assigned jōnin instructor.
Whoosh!
Kakashi swung his short blade toward the approaching fireball.
“Wind Release: Wind Blade Slash!” Before Kakashi’s blade could even reach the fireball, Kazama had already completed another sequence of hand seals.
In fact, he had finished early enough to deliberately wait for the right moment.
The Wind Release struck the fireball.
Whoosh!
The originally compact ball of flame instantly spread outward under the force of the wind.
A wide sheet of fire surged toward Kakashi.
Bang!
The Kakashi engulfed by the flames suddenly transformed into a wooden log.
He had used the Substitution Technique to evade the attack.
Whoosh!
Kakashi reappeared almost immediately— already charging straight toward Kazama.
His short blade slashed down.
“Genjutsu: Illusory Path Technique!” Facing the incoming Kakashi, Kazama formed hand seals while retreating slightly.
The genjutsu silently took effect.
Then another five seals were completed without the slightest pause.
“Genjutsu: Bewildering Heart!” Kakashi saw Kazama dodge slightly.
His short blade descended— and sliced across Kazama’s shoulder.
Kakashi instinctively reduced the force behind the strike.
He had no intention of seriously injuring Kazama.
At most, it would leave a shallow cut and draw a little blood.
Nothing serious.
“You lost.” Just as Kakashi believed he had won the match— a cold edge suddenly pressed against his throat.
Kakashi’s mind cleared instantly.
He looked again.
There was no injured Kazama in front of him.
In fact— he hadn’t even reached Kazama.
The slash he had just made had cut through empty air.
No wonder there had been no real sensation of impact.
“Genjutsu?” Kakashi should have realized it sooner.
Kazama spent every day with Kurenai.
How could he possibly not know genjutsu?
And considering Kazama’s ability to perfectly remember books and movements after seeing them once, his spiritual strength clearly couldn’t be weak.
“Exactly.” Kazama withdrew the kunai from Kakashi’s throat.
“Genjutsu.” “I only learned it recently.” “You’re actually the first person I’ve used it against in a real fight.” When Kakashi had charged toward him, Kazama first used Genjutsu: Illusory Path Technique to make Kakashi believe he had already closed the distance.
Then Kazama followed it with Genjutsu: Bewildering Heart.
That second illusion made Kakashi believe the slash he wanted to land had successfully struck Kazama.
Once Kakashi thought he had won— he lowered his guard.
By then, Kazama’s kunai was already resting against his throat.
“Don’t forget.” Kazama smiled at Kakashi.
“I want six ninjutsu.” “One of them has to be either the Shadow Clone Technique or the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.” “As for the other five, I want Wind Release, Lightning Release, or Fire Release.” “The rank doesn’t matter.” Then Kazama added cheerfully, “Thanks for the sponsorship.” “Damn it…” For once, genuine irritation appeared on Kakashi’s usually cold face.
At that moment, Kazama looked especially punchable.
Still— a loss was a loss.
“I’ll look through what I have when I get home,” Kakashi said.
“I can’t guarantee I have the exact techniques you want.” “If I don’t, I’ll just find five other ninjutsu for you.” “Try your best.” Kazama nodded.
“Thanks.” Kakashi was speechless.
Still, his mind remained on the fight.
He had actually lost because of genjutsu.
That alone proved just how powerful Kazama’s spiritual strength was.
Kakashi had fallen into the illusion without noticing anything was wrong.
And this had supposedly been Kazama’s first time using genjutsu in actual combat.
The only flaw had appeared when Kakashi’s blade “struck” Kazama.
There had been no physical sensation of impact.
“Next time, I won’t lose.” Kakashi stared at Kazama’s departing figure and spoke quietly.
It was unclear whether he was saying it to Kazama— or to himself.
“You’re welcome to challenge me anytime.” Without turning around, Kazama casually waved and walked off the rooftop.
“Amazing!” “They only just entered the Ninja Academy, right?
Why do they already seem stronger than actual ninja?” “Couldn’t those two just graduate already?” After witnessing the battle between Kazama and Kakashi, the surrounding students immediately erupted into noisy discussion.
“An ordinary genin is probably around their current level.” The jōnin instructor slowly nodded after watching the entire match.
“Whoa!
Teacher said they’re already genin-level!” “That’s incredible!” With even the instructor acknowledging their strength, the students became even more excited.
Kakashi was preparing to leave.
He disliked noisy places like this.
But before he could turn away, he heard Kazama speak to the jōnin instructor.
“Teacher.” “I want to apply for graduation this year.” “Would that be possible?”