"I'm going to win!" Obito thought confidently.
The legend of Shisui's undefeated record in internal battles was a thing of the past. Through various unexpected events, he had gone through multiple transformations, and Obito was confident he could defeat Shisui, who was two years younger than him.
Shisui activated his Sharingan earlier than him, but it was Obito who had already reached the Three Tomoe first. This proved that he had surpassed Shisui.
Obito was already thinking about who his opponent in the second round would be.
Obito and Shisui both walked to the open ground and assumed the Seal of Confrontation.
"Begin!" Rin shouted as soon as the two were ready.
As soon as Rin's voice fell, both of them sharply focused their breath, enhancing their physical abilities, and used the Body Flicker Jutsu to rush toward each other.
Boom boom!!
The two exchanged punches and kicks, the sound of their bodies colliding nonstop, and for a moment, neither could gain the upper hand.
At this moment, Shisui suddenly shifted from offense to defense and seized the opportunity to use Body Flicker Jutsu to create some distance.
He was well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. Due to his age, Obito's body was larger and more imposing. Though they were at a standstill, if the battle dragged on, Obito would have the advantage.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Obito didn't choose to immediately pursue the attack because he knew Shisui was very skilled with Body Flicker Jutsu. Blindly chasing would only allow Shisui to evade and potentially cause Obito to expose a weakness.
A large amount of Chakra gathered in Obito's throat, then was instantly converted into fire-type Chakra and exhaled as a burst of flame.
Whoosh!
The massive flames quickly formed into a gigantic orange-red fireball, about five meters tall, flying toward Shisui.
As an Uchiha who often used the Great Fireball, Shisui was familiar with all its properties. To conserve Chakra, Shisui didn't use Ninjutsu to counter the attack. Instead, he relied on his nimble movement to dodge the incoming flames.
In general, Shisui's Chakra was more than enough, and he didn't need to conserve it carefully, because as an Uchiha who had already unlocked the Three Tomoe Sharingan, his Chakra reserves were far greater than that of a regular ninja.
But this battle was different. Shisui's opponent, Obito, also had the Three Tomoe Sharingan. If Shisui wanted to break the deadlock using the Color of Arms, he would have to reserve some Chakra for Armament Haki.
Seeing that Shisui didn't use Fire Release to counter the Great Fireball and instead chose to dodge, Obito immediately launched a fierce attack. He threw a large number of Shuriken, then used Body Flicker Jutsu to close the distance and unleashed a series of rapid Taijutsu strikes.
When Obito used the Great Fireball, he had already prepared two offensive strategies.
If Shisui used Fire Release to cancel the attack, Obito would immediately counter with an even stronger Fire Release to suppress him. Obito was confident in his Fire Release abilities, after all, he could enter Flame Breathing Chakra Mode.
If Shisui didn't face the attack head-on, Obito would use the opportunity to wear down Shisui's stamina and inflict some light injuries.
Faced with Obito's relentless assault, Shisui calmly activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan to enhance his abilities.
Obito also immediately gathered his Chakra and activated his Sharingan, maintaining his aggressive stance.
"As expected, I'm stronger now," Obito thought to himself.
He had been speculating that he was stronger based on the previous battle between Kakashi and Shisui. However, since a long time had passed since that fight, and Obito hadn't sparred with Shisui in the meantime, he hadn't been entirely certain of his victory before the battle. He had underestimated Shisui strategically, but in his heart, he hadn't been 100% sure he would win.
After a few clashes, Obito was now certain that Shisui was not as strong as him. In terms of overall strength, he had surpassed Shisui by a wide margin.
The probing was over. Obito focused his breath to the limit and entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, preparing to defeat Shisui in one powerful strike.
Flame Breathing Chakra Mode not only greatly enhanced his Nature Transformation, boosting the power of his Fire Release, but also took his physical abilities to the next level. The only drawback was the high Chakra consumption, but otherwise, it had no weaknesses.
Obito felt a steady flow of power coursing through his body and couldn't help but grin.
Entering Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, Obito unleashed Fire Release without needing hand seals, and the power was immense. What could Shisui use to fight back?
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu."
Obito clasped his hands together and then opened his mouth, spitting out a large number of small fireballs toward Shisui.
Shisui quickly retreated, moving his hands at lightning speed. Just as the fireballs were about to hit, he successfully used Ninjutsu.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
Though both used the same Ninjutsu, Obito, having entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, not only produced more fireballs than Shisui, but they were also much larger in size.
With the same Nature Transformation and even the same Ninjutsu, it was clear that the stronger one would win. Obito's fireballs overwhelmed Shisui's, crushing them and continuing to slam toward Shisui.
Facing such a large-scale attack, Shisui could only try to use Chakra to protect himself while desperately maneuvering.
But the distance was simply too close, and Shisui couldn't avoid taking damage. Obito's Sharingan clearly saw the wounds on Shisui's body.
"Shisui, though I'm technically your cousin, I can't let you win in this kind of situation," Obito thought the victory was certain and felt a small twinge of guilt in his heart.
But when he thought about how much work he would have to do if he lost, that small guilt quickly disappeared. He exploded with Chakra and charged straight at Shisui.
Before his injury, Shisui could barely match him in Taijutsu, with both of them evenly matched. Now that Obito had entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode and Shisui was injured, the odds had shifted to nine to one in Obito's favor.
Actually, Obito felt it was more like ten to zero, but he thought that would come off as too arrogant, so he gave Shisui a bit of credit.
Obito gathered Chakra in his palm and swiftly converted it into fire-type Chakra. Intense flames erupted in his hand, and with each punch and slap, the flames surged with tremendous heat.
Faced with such an Obito, Shisui seemed unable to counter and could only keep dodging. However, due to Obito's rapid large-scale Fire Release attacks, Shisui continued to take damage. The scales of victory slowly tilted in Obito's favor.
"Obito looks like he's going to win," Rin thought, sensing Obito's overwhelming advantage.
Compared to Shisui, Obito not only had the advantage, but he also wasn't injured at all.
"Not necessarily," Kakashi shook his head and immediately shared his thoughts.
"Shisui shouldn't be getting suppressed like this. Even if Obito wins, it can't be this easy."
Kakashi couldn't tell if Shisui had any hidden moves, but he was sure that Shisui had something up his sleeve.
This battle had been going too smoothly for Obito, too smoothly to the point where Kakashi felt like Shisui might be acting.
"Is this the bond between close friends? I think so too," Guy said with a loud laugh, giving Kakashi a thumbs-up.
Guy felt that Shisui was deliberately feigning weakness, even willing to take injuries rather than use Ninjutsu.
"Fire Release: Fire Fist!"
Obito clenched his fist and gathered a large amount of Chakra, preparing to finish the battle with Fire Release NinTaijutsu.
Flame Breathing Chakra Mode was powerful, but its Chakra consumption was also immense. Obito realized he had unknowingly used up two-thirds of his Chakra.
But what he didn't expect happened. The Fire Fist he threw was actually caught by Shisui's palm. To be more precise, it was caught by the black-colored palm of Shisui's hand.
Obito paused for a moment, but quickly realized this was the Color of Arms Secret Jutsu that Mutsuki had taught them.
Obito immediately planned to unleash all the fire-type Chakra he had gathered in his fist. Just now, he had thought Shisui was about to lose, so he hadn't used much power.
However, Shisui anticipated Obito's thoughts and immediately slammed Obito hard onto the ground. The immense force kicked up a cloud of dust and falling leaves.
Obito had no time to worry about the pain in his palm and back. He gathered a large amount of Chakra in his throat and then opened his mouth, spitting out a torrent of flames toward Shisui. Taking advantage of Shisui's dodge, Obito quickly got back on his feet.
But soon, Shisui used Body Flicker Jutsu to close the distance. If Obito dared to use Ninjutsu, he would definitely take Shisui's Color of Arms Iron Fist. Obito could only once again engage Shisui in Taijutsu.
Although hand seals weren't necessary, releasing Ninjutsu still took a little time. And right now, the one thing Obito was lacking was just that little bit of time.
The situation flipped completely, and now Shisui was overwhelming Obito. With his right fist injured, Obito couldn't surpass Shisui in Taijutsu, especially with Shisui using Color of Arms.
"So that's how it is, he mastered Color of Arms. No wonder he used that kind of strategy," Kakashi realized.
Shisui's earlier injuries weren't just to deceive Obito, but also to conserve Chakra for using Color of Arms, as this Secret Jutsu required a considerable amount of Chakra.
"You've already lost," Kakashi thought, foreseeing Obito's defeat.
Overall, Obito's combat abilities were still stronger than Shisui's, even though Shisui had learned Armament Haki.
Obito's loss came down to a lack of information and overconfidence. If Kakashi had Obito's strength, Kakashi felt he had a 75% chance of beating Shisui.
Just as Kakashi had predicted, Obito quickly lost.
"I've lost," Obito admitted, facing the black-glowing flame Kunai in front of him.
"Shisui wins," Rin announced the victor of the first round and moved to treat both of them.
The battle ended, and the weight in Shisui's heart finally lifted. Winning this match meant he wouldn't have to face punishment.
Obito, in Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, was stronger than he had expected. If they fought normally, Shisui would almost certainly lose.
"I need to focus more on my Breathing Technique training," Shisui thought, though the sense of urgency in his heart grew stronger despite his victory.
Obito had Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, Kakashi had mastered Transparent World, and Guy, though not having advanced Breathing Techniques like Shisui, had the powerful Eight Inner Gates.
Though Color of Arms was strong, Shisui's current Chakra reserves weren't enough to use it alongside other Ninjutsu at full power.
"It's just one battle. It's no big deal. Just work harder next time," Rin said gently, seeing Obito with his head down and not speaking.
"Ah, haha, yeah, it's just one battle," Obito replied, lifting his head and forcing a strained smile. "I don't mind."
Lies. Obito cared more than he let on, wanting to cry. He had talked big before the battle, only to lose to Shisui, whose strength was slightly inferior to his own. Obito's emotions exploded all at once—he felt ashamed, frustrated, and full of regret.
He even wanted to go back in time to slap himself before the fight began. Why was he so confident? He had become one of those who lost in the face of the weak defeating the strong.
As much as he felt bad, he still had to put on a brave face in front of Rin. This was his last bit of stubbornness.
Seeing Obito on the verge of tears, Rin hesitated, not knowing what to say. In the end, she chose to stay silent, thinking that might be for the best.
Obito took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down, but the more he thought, the angrier he became.
But he wasn't angry with anyone else—he was angry at himself for underestimating Shisui during the battle.
"Don't be sad," Kakashi said, patting Obito on the shoulder.
Obito was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected Kakashi to refrain from mocking him at a time like this, instead offering comfort. "Kakashi, you..."
Before Obito could finish, Kakashi continued, "If you're feeling down, just think about all the test papers and questions you'll have to do next. That'll make you even sadder."
Obito: ...
Obito pushed down his gratitude and, unable to hold back, cursed, "You're laughing at me now, but just wait—when you lose next, I'll be laughing even harder."
Kakashi's expression didn't change. "If I lose to Guy, it doesn't mean anything. Guy's strength is no less than mine."
Obito's face flushed red from the implied insult, but he couldn't find a solid comeback due to his lack of confidence.
Seeing Obito speechless and furious, Kakashi nodded in satisfaction.
It was this kind of harsh humiliation that would make Obito remember. A little negligence in practice could be punished, but in real combat, negligence could lead to death.
"In the future, no matter who the enemy is, as long as you haven't defeated them, you can never underestimate them," Obito thought to himself with determination.
He never wanted to experience the humiliation of being so thoroughly put down by Kakashi again.
Meanwhile, Kakashi and Guy moved to the open area and assumed their stances.
"My dear friend, let me feel your growth," Guy said, excitement written all over his face.
"Why does it sound so weird to say 'let's battle' like that?" Kakashi couldn't help but complain.
A minute later, Rin announced that the second match had officially begun.
"Youth, ignite!" Guy shouted, and in an instant, he activated the Eight Inner Gates, opening the Gate of Opening. "Gate of Rest, open!"
With a roar, Guy opened the fourth gate of the Eight Inner Gates, his Chakra and momentum surging explosively.
Facing Guy, who had opened the fourth gate and was in focused breathing, Kakashi didn't dare to be careless. He immediately concentrated his own breathing and entered the state of Transparent World.
In his full power state, Guy's speed and strength were immense, and Kakashi could not afford any mistakes.
"Konoha Great Whirlwind!"
With a surge of Chakra, Guy sped toward Kakashi at a terrifying pace, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Because Kakashi was in Transparent World, he was able to clearly see Guy's movements, allowing him to easily dodge the first Whirlwind Kick.
Kakashi didn't rush to counterattack; instead, he threw several Shuriken at Guy to test his current strength.
"Konoha Hand Blade!"
Guy gathered a large amount of Chakra into his palm and then struck fiercely toward the Shuriken. A transparent wave of energy shot out, deflecting the Shuriken and cutting down a large tree in its path.
Without losing momentum, Guy pressed on, continuing his attack on Kakashi.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
This time, Guy's attack was even stronger and faster.
Boom!
All the trees around Kakashi were snapped by Guy's whirlwind kick. The force of the blow sent a gust of wind through the area, causing the surrounding leaves to rustle loudly.
This time, Kakashi used Lightning Release Chakra to enhance his leg strength and speed, successfully dodging the attack again.
"His physical strength has increased significantly, but there's been no fundamental change," Kakashi thought, comparing Guy's current state to their last battle.
"There's a chance to win," Kakashi thought, having finished his test. He was preparing to switch from defense to offense.
If Guy couldn't open the Fifth Gate, then Kakashi still had a good chance of winning.
Kakashi would say that losing to Guy didn't matter, but if he could win, Kakashi definitely wanted to.
Not to mention, the punishment for losing was really unpleasant. Obito's jumping routine that week was unforgettable.
"My friend, how about we settle this with one final move?" Guy suddenly said.
Guy wanted to witness Kakashi's strongest attack when he was at his full potential. He was worried that if they continued at this pace, neither of them would be able to use their most powerful moves.
"Alright," Kakashi said after a brief moment of thought, agreeing to Guy's proposal.
It wasn't just because it would end things faster, but Kakashi felt that this would actually work in his favor.
With the advancement of Thunder Breathing and the improvement of his Lightning Release Nature Transformation, Kakashi could now use more Chakra to enhance a larger portion of his body. If he used this state to perform Thunder Flash, its power would be far greater than a normal Thunder Flash.
Normally, Kakashi wouldn't use this technique, as putting so much Chakra into a single move was too risky.
But since Guy had proposed the idea, Kakashi decided not to hold back.
Guy smiled. Since he dared to suggest a decisive move, it was clear he had confidence. Over the past few months, he had been training relentlessly with Golden Skyline.
The good news was that his Golden Skyline had become more proficient, and Guy could use more of the Eight Gates Chakra to enhance it. The bad news was that it was too powerful. After using it once, his two fingers would be out of commission for the whole day.
Though Guy didn't use hand seals, for a Taijutsu ninja, the fingers were still very important. So, he thought, why not settle this with one move?
Guy took out a short staff, wrapped the chain around his index and middle fingers, and placed his right hand on his waist, assuming a sword-drawing stance.
"Golden Skyline!"
Guy poured all his strength into those two fingers, then concentrated a massive amount of Chakra in his fingers before rushing forward and unleashing the strike.
Zzzzzt!!
A blinding yellow lightning enveloped Kakashi's body, and under the lightning's glow, even Obito and the others had trouble making out Kakashi's face.
Kakashi gripped the White Fang Tanto tightly, and a surge of Lightning Chakra flowed into the blade, extending a lightning edge from the Tanto.
"Thunder Flash!"
Boom!!
A thunderous roar erupted as Kakashi shot forward like a bolt of lightning, leaving a blackened mark on the ground.
Boom! Boom!!
The lightning strike collided violently with the golden thread, causing a massive explosion. The ground cracked open, and a fierce wind howled around them.
Rin squinted as she looked at the battlefield. The distance between her and the fighters felt like an endless road.
Despite Rin's best efforts, every time she saw Kakashi and the others fighting at full strength, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"So strong, but it doesn't seem like a move that can be used casually," Shisui remarked, surprised by the intensity of their attacks.
At the moment, the strongest Ninjutsu Shisui can use is still some distance away from theirs.
"Guy, you can do it!" Obito stared at the battlefield, constantly cheering Guy on in his heart.
If Kakashi also lost, it would be much easier for him.
Bang!
The lightning edge extending from Kakashi's White Fang shattered upon impact, and at the same time, blood splattered from Kakashi's body as he collapsed to the ground.
Meanwhile, Guy's two fingers were covered in blood, and after breaking the lightning edge, they hung limp.
"I need to learn Armament Haki soon, or I won't be able to fight using White Fang or Guy in the future," Kakashi thought to himself as he glanced at the White Fang Tanto in his hand.
Just now, he almost thought that the White Fang, left by his father, was going to be shattered by Guy, but luckily he had reinforced it with Chakra.
"Guy wins," Rin declared, announcing the result of the battle.
From the perspective of Rin, a medical Ninja, Guy's finger injuries were likely more serious than Kakashi's physical wounds, but since Kakashi had collapsed, it meant that Guy had won.
"Guy, you did well!" Obito instantly felt overjoyed.
Though he was sad about losing the battle, it was a different story knowing that Kakashi, who had been mocking him, had also lost. Obito was happy.
Taking both into account, Obito was now only half sad.
Kakashi was about to mock Obito a little, but when he thought about his own punishment, he quietly closed his mouth.
"This is going to be a tough week," Kakashi thought, feeling that the punishment he'd set for himself might have been a bit too harsh.
Not hearing a response from Kakashi, Obito was initially puzzled but quickly remembered Kakashi's punishment.
Just as Obito was about to taunt Kakashi some more, Kakashi walked off.
"Aren't you going to train?" Obito called out, asking him.
"It's nothing. I'm just going to ask Mutsuki-sensei for some more practice problems," Kakashi replied casually.
Obito's smile froze, and he immediately shifted from being half sad to about seventy-five percent sad.
Originally, Shisui had planned to postpone the third round of the battle by a day, since Guy's fingers hadn't fully recovered even after treatment, and it would affect his strength to some degree.
"Let's do it today. I've also learned about your Color of Arms, Shisui, so we're even now," Guy refused Shisui's suggestion.
"By the way, I'm not just limited to using Golden Skyline with these two fingers," Guy said, showing his big white teeth and laughing.
To prepare for more situations, Guy had specifically trained his little finger and ring finger, making sure they were also capable of using Golden Skyline.
Though not as powerful as using his index and middle fingers, they were still considerably strong.
Shisui thought for a moment and accepted Guy's proposal.
Guy's words made sense. Even if Obito wasn't his first opponent, Shisui was confident he could catch either Guy or Kakashi off guard.
Whether he could win was uncertain, but he felt confident that he could deliver a Color of Arms shock to them.
Looking at Guy in his Seal of Confrontation stance, Shisui took a deep breath.
If Guy were at his peak, Shisui believed he would have almost no chance of winning. But with two of his fingers still not fully recovered, this was Shisui's opportunity.
"Fight begins!"
Hearing Rin's command, Shisui immediately focused his breathing, activated his Sharingan, and used Body Flicker Jutsu to dash toward Guy.
With the support of Color of Arms and his Three Tomoe Sharingan, he believed he might be able to gain an advantage in Taijutsu.
"Eight Inner Gates, Gate of Pain, open!"
Guy laughed boldly, showing no fear. He was eager to test the strength of Color of Arms.
Bang! Bang!!
The two clashed at high speed. Despite the two fingers not fully recovered, Guy's Taijutsu was still smooth and powerful, seemingly unaffected.
Shisui was astonished. Even in this condition, Guy's Taijutsu still held its ground.
Though it felt a bit unfair, Shisui decided to seize every opportunity to win, deliberately targeting Guy's injured fingers.
However, what followed was somewhat unexpected. Despite having the Sharingan, Shisui found himself unable to catch a flaw in Guy's movements.
Shisui quickly changed his approach. He realized he shouldn't try to engage in Taijutsu with Guy, who had dedicated himself to training in it for years. That would be underestimating the effort Guy put into honing his Taijutsu.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
Shisui gathered Chakra in his throat and released a continuous barrage of small fireballs toward Guy.
With Stone Breathing and the Fourth Gate of Eight Inner Gates, Guy was nearly unaffected by Great Fireballs. Therefore, Shisui chose to use the more numerous Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu instead.
Shisui then used Body Flicker and Genjutsu in tandem, forcing Guy to dodge in all directions.
Kakashi, who had just returned with the test papers, nodded. A balanced ninja like Shisui should make full use of his advantages.
"However, Shisui still lacks experience." Despite Shisui's impressive performance, Kakashi believed Guy would still win.
Shisui's raw power was indeed somewhat lacking compared to them, not just because of his physical development but also due to his life experiences. Kakashi and the others had only reached their current level after facing several life-and-death crises.
Obito's Flame Breathing Chakra Mode and Kakashi's Transparent World were both realized through moments of life-and-death crises, and Guy's rapid progress with the Eight Inner Gates was similar.
As Kakashi had expected, while Shisui managed to gain some advantage, he could not defeat Guy.
On the other hand, Guy seized the opportunity to use Golden Skyline once more with his pinky and ring fingers, knocking Shisui out in one swift blow.
"Guy wins," Rin announced the final victor.
"Hahaha!" The victorious Guy laughed out loud, and the intense pain in his fingers didn't dampen his excitement.
"I am Mutsuki-sensei's strongest disciple!"
Shisui clenched his fists in frustration. That title had been his for a long time, until the Chunin Exams, when he was defeated by Kakashi.
"Next, focus on training Color of Arms Secret Jutsu more," Kakashi said, adding more time for Color of Arms practice, aiming to master it as soon as possible.
With the ultimate Lightning Release Kenjutsu combined with Color of Arms, Kakashi couldn't believe this wouldn't be enough to break through Guy's Golden Skyline. If it wasn't, then he'd have to ask Mutsuki for help.
Obito glanced at the triumphant Guy, then at the unwilling Shisui and the disappointed Kakashi.
"Next time, I'll definitely win everything." Obito didn't want to be the one still feeling down three months later.
He hoped to be the one laughing as he accepted Rin's congratulations. Obito then began thinking about how to defeat Guy. To achieve victory in three months, Guy would be a tough opponent.
The three defeated individuals all silently considered strategies for taking down Guy.
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