The school bell rang.
Students filed out in twos and threes, their voices hushed, but their glances kept drifting toward Kakashi.
“Did you hear?
About White Fang-senpai…” “Shhh—” Kakashi sat by the window.
He didn’t move.
Guy packed his bag and stood up.
He glanced at Kakashi’s back, then at the door.
Obito was waving at him: “Bushy Brows!
Let’s go!
Still training after this?” “You go ahead.
I’ve got something to do.” Obito blinked, followed Guy’s gaze toward Kakashi, and seemed to understand.
“Oh…
I’ll wait for you at the back hill then.” He pushed the door open and left.
Most of the class had already gone.
Kurenai stopped at the doorway, looked back at Guy with worried eyes.
Guy smiled at her and gave a thumbs-up.
Kurenai pressed her lips together and left too.
Only two people remained.
Guy walked over to Kakashi, sat down in the seat in front of him, and turned around.
“Kakashi.” No response.
“Kakashi.” Still no response.
Guy waved his hand in front of Kakashi’s face.
Kakashi finally moved, turning his head to look at him.
His eyes were still red, but his expression was cold as ice.
“What?” Guy got straight to the point: “Your dad.
What do you think about it?” Kakashi’s eyes sharpened.
“None of your business.” He stood up, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door.
Guy followed.
“I think it is my business.” Kakashi kept walking.
“Your dad saved his comrades.
Was that wrong?” Kakashi stopped dead in his tracks, spun around, and stared at him, his voice low but harsh: “What do you know?
You don’t know anything!” “I don’t know.
That’s why I’m asking you.” Guy said.
Kakashi bit his lip, his chest heaving.
“Move.” “No.” Kakashi walked around him and kept going.
Guy followed, out of the school building, out of the gate, all the way down the street.
“Stop following me!” Kakashi whirled around and shouted, drawing stares from passersby.
Guy stopped and looked at him.
“Then tell me.
What are you really thinking?” Kakashi clenched his fists.
“What I’m thinking has nothing to do with you!
You’re the dead last.
I’m a genius.
We were never on the same level!
Stop bothering me!” He turned and walked away.
Guy stood there, watching that small white back.
Then he spoke: “Let’s fight.” Kakashi’s footsteps halted.
“Let’s fight.” Guy repeated.
“If I win, you tell me what you’re really thinking.” Kakashi turned around, looking at him with a strange expression.
“You?
Fight me?” “Yeah.” “What can you even do?
You can’t even use the Clone Technique.” Guy grinned, gave a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming: “But I’ve got youth!” Kakashi was silent for two seconds.
“Boring.” He kept walking.
Guy chased after him and grabbed his shoulder.
“You want to know what’s right and what’s wrong?
After we fight, I’ll tell you!” Kakashi shook off his hand and stared at him.
Those eyes held anger, confusion, and something else that couldn’t be named.
“Fine.
You want to fight?
Let’s fight.” School training ground.
The sun was setting.
Guy and Kakashi stood facing each other, ten meters apart.
No one was watching.
Just the rustle of wind through the leaves.
“Rules?” Kakashi asked.
“No rules.” Guy tossed his bag aside.
“Fight until one of us can’t stand up anymore.” Guy grinned and dropped into his starting stance.
Kakashi assumed his stance too, one hand in front, the other holding a dull-edged kunai.
“Come.” Guy charged.
First kick—Vajra Leg—sweeping toward Kakashi’s shin.
Fast.
Kakashi sidestepped, his kunai slashing backhand toward Guy’s arm.
Guy pulled his leg back, retreating a step to dodge.
Kakashi gave him no time to breathe.
He formed a hand seal— “Clone Technique!” Poof.
Three Kakashis stood side by side, identical movements, identical eyes.
Guy froze for half a second.
All three Kakashis charged at once.
“Which one’s real?” He gritted his teeth and kicked at the nearest one— Poof.
The clone vanished in smoke.
The other two were already upon him.
The one on the left stabbed with his kunai; the one on the right kicked at his stomach.
Guy had no time to think.
He thrust two fingers at the left one while twisting his body— Thwip.
His fingers pierced through a clone.
Poof.
But the kick from the right connected.
Guy stumbled back two steps, his stomach burning with pain.
Before he could steady himself, a whistling sound came from behind.
“Shuriken!” Guy ducked low.
Two shuriken whizzed past his back and embedded themselves in a tree trunk.
He turned.
Kakashi stood five meters away, two more shuriken in his hand.
Not one of those three clones had been real.
Guy panted, a grin spreading across his face.
“Impressive.” Kakashi said nothing.
He formed another seal.
“Body Flicker Technique!” His figure blurred, suddenly appearing right in front of Guy, his kunai slashing horizontally.
Guy had no time to dodge.
He raised his arm to block.
The kunai sliced across his forearm.
Blood splattered.
Guy grunted, but his other hand shot toward Kakashi’s shoulder.
Kakashi leaned back to avoid it, then followed up with a kick to the back of Guy’s knee.
Guy dropped to one knee.
“Enough.” Kakashi stepped back, looking at him.
“Enough what?” Guy looked up.
Sweat and blood mixed as they dripped down his forehead.
He pushed himself up.
Blood from his right arm dripped off his elbow.
“I’m just getting started.” Kakashi frowned: “You can’t beat me.” “I know.” Guy flexed his fingers.
His knuckles were scraped raw from blocking.
“But I’m not down yet.” He charged again.
This time, faster.
The Shaolin Muscle-Tendon Change Classic surged through his body, warm currents flowing through his limbs, pushing down the pain from his wounds.
Replaced by boiling blood.
Vajra Leg!
Whoosh— Kakashi dodged sideways, but Guy’s leg suddenly changed direction mid-air, sweeping toward his waist.
Kakashi’s eyes shifted.
He planted one hand on the ground and flipped over, barely avoiding it.
Before he could get up, Guy’s fingers were already thrusting toward him.
Vajra Finger!
Thwip.
His fingers struck Kakashi’s shoulder.
Kakashi grunted, his arm going numb.
“You!” Kakashi gritted his teeth and kicked Guy in the stomach.
Guy staggered back a few steps, but didn’t fall.
He took a breath and charged again.
Kick.
Thrust.
Kick.
Thrust.
No flashy moves.
Just the simplest two techniques.
But every kick carried wind.
Every thrust struck hard enough to hurt.
Kakashi dodged and countered, his kunai adding cut after cut to Guy’s body.
His clothes were torn.
His arms were covered in blood.
His face was scraped raw too.
But Guy kept coming forward.
Thud!
Kakashi’s fist slammed into his face.
Guy’s head snapped to the side.
Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
But his hand shot out and grabbed Kakashi’s wrist.
The grip of Vajra Finger!
Kakashi struggled, but couldn’t break free.
Guy’s other hand clenched into a fist and drove into Kakashi’s stomach— Thud.
Kakashi doubled over.
But he used the moment to wrench his wrist free and stumble backward.
They stood five meters apart, gasping for air.
Kakashi’s chakra was almost depleted.
He’d used too many Clone Techniques and Body Flicker Techniques.
Now his body felt hollow.
And across from him, that green-clad idiot was covered in blood—but still standing.
His eyes burned with an intensity that was almost frightening.
“You…
you’re insane.” Kakashi panted.
Guy grinned, showing teeth stained red with blood.
“Youth is insane.” He charged again.
This time, no ninjutsu.
No tricks.
Just fists and legs, at their most basic.
Kakashi had no chakra left either.
He could only trade taijutsu blows.
Thud!
Their fists collided.
Smack!
Their legs swept together.
Kakashi’s fist landed on Guy’s ribs.
Guy’s kick landed on Kakashi’s thigh.
One blow for one blow.
No dodging.
No defending.
Just pure, head-on exchange.
Almost as if they were venting something.
Until finally— Guy threw a punch and missed.
Kakashi threw a kick and missed.
They both stumbled, then collapsed onto the ground at the same time.
And just lay there.
Neither could move anymore.
The sun had fully set.
The sky was growing dark.
The forest was quiet, save for their ragged breathing.
Guy lay on the ground, staring up at the darkening sky.
Every part of his body hurt.
His right arm was completely numb.
Every breath sent a spike of pain through his ribs.
But he smiled.
“Kakashi.” Beside him, heavy breathing.
No reply.
“Now…
can you tell me…
what you really think?” Silence.
A long moment passed.
Then Kakashi’s voice came, soft and hoarse.
“I…
don’t think Dad was wrong.” Guy turned his head.
Kakashi lay on the grass two meters away, his eyes fixed on the sky.
Tears ran from the corners of his eyes, disappearing into his white hair.
“What’s wrong with saving your comrades?” His voice trembled.
“But…
but everyone keeps saying…
saying he brought shame to Konoha…
saying he’s unworthy of being a shinobi…” “I don’t know…
I really don’t know…” He raised his arm to cover his eyes, his shoulders shaking.
Guy watched that usually cold genius cry like an ordinary child.
He pushed himself up.
His whole body screamed in pain, but he forced himself up and crawled over.
He crouched beside Kakashi.
Then he placed his hand on Kakashi’s shoulder.
Kakashi froze, moved his arm away, and looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.
Guy’s face was swollen, blood at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were terrifyingly serious.
“I don’t think he was wrong.” Kakashi stared.
“Anyone who doesn’t value their comrades is the one unworthy of being a shinobi.” Guy’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word hit Kakashi’s heart like a stone.
“Your dad saved his comrades.
He’s a hero.” “Those gossiping people—what do they know?” Guy grinned, pulling at the wound on his lip, wincing from the pain—but his smile didn’t waver.
“When I become a shinobi, I’ll save my comrades too.
Even if the mission fails.
Even if everyone curses me.
I’ll still save them.
I’ll protect the people I care about.” He gave a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming.
“Because that—that is my nindo!” Kakashi stared blankly at him.
That swollen-faced, blood-soaked, utterly battered guy in green.
His eyes burned like two flames.
Tears welled up in Kakashi’s eyes again.
But this time, he didn’t hide them.
He just cried, right there in front of Guy, sobbing openly.
Guy didn’t say anything.
He just crouched there, his hand on Kakashi’s shoulder.
When Kakashi had finally cried enough, he sniffled and sat up.
He looked at Guy, his lips moving.
“Why…
why are you helping me?” Guy thought for a moment.
“Because you’re my classmate.” Kakashi blinked.
“And also.” Guy scratched his head.
“Your dad praised that kick I threw during the graduation exam.” He chuckled.
Kakashi looked at him, and suddenly realized this dead last was kind of an idiot.
The kind of idiot that made you want to cry.
[Bond Triggered: The Genius and the Dead Last] [Reward: Monk Points +30] End of Chapter 10