Kakashi's Horror
However, that idiot Obito had apparently forgotten one thing: since it was Rin's birthday, he could have given her the ninjutsu as a gift himself—there was no need to involve Taiyi at all.
But then again, for Obito, this sort of thing was simply business as usual.
It was also worth mentioning that, unlike in the original timeline, Kakashi had already begun attempting to develop his own ninjutsu.
After all, he didn't have many missions right now, and he already knew most of what the Academy taught. That left him with plenty of spare time.
So, following Sakumo's teachings, he started experimenting with creating techniques of his own.
He had already completed a small portion of the groundwork and was currently organizing his thoughts on hand seals and chakra flow.
From this perspective, staying at the Academy was actually a better choice for him. Without missions to distract him, he could focus on laying a solid foundation—something that would benefit him greatly in the future.
Although Kakashi had begun developing ninjutsu earlier than expected, his overall direction hadn't changed.
Lightning Release.
Among the techniques Sakumo excelled at were methods that stimulated the body using Lightning Release chakra, and Shiro had also discussed similar concepts with him before.
At the same time, Kakashi didn't want to waste effort on low-level ninjutsu. The more advanced a technique became, the narrower its development path—and that suited him just fine.
Thus, his chosen direction remained clear.
---
The next day after class, just as the three of them were about to head out for their usual training, Guy suddenly leapt in front of them.
"Guy, what do you want?" Kakashi said flatly. "Let me make this clear—we're not training with you."
Hearing this, Rin merely twitched her lips politely and said nothing, but her expression clearly agreed with Kakashi.
Obito, on the other hand, had no such reservations. He nodded frantically in agreement.
They couldn't help it—they were genuinely afraid.
It wasn't that they couldn't stand Guy's passionate attitude. They had trained together before, and once you got used to his enthusiasm and dramatic speeches, it wasn't that bad.
What truly terrified them was Guy's training intensity.
And worse—his enthusiasm was contagious.
Watching Guy train made you feel like you were wasting time. You'd feel guilty, then compelled to join him.
After that experience, they had sworn never to train with Guy again outside of class.
It was simply too exhausting. Completely unbearable for ordinary people.
However, Guy clearly knew his limits.
He shook his head, flashing his brilliant smile. "No! I'm here to challenge you to a match! Three days have passed—let's burn our youth once more, Kakashi!"
"Tch. Looks like I'll be making you wait another week after this." Kakashi sighed. "Fine. What's the event this time?"
"A Bell Duel! I'm telling you, I'm definitely going to win this time! It's finally my turn to make a request!"
"Heh. When have you ever not said that?"
This was a standing bet between Kakashi and Guy. The winner could make one request, valid for up to seven days, as long as it didn't cross any personal boundaries.
There was still a noticeable gap between them, so Kakashi usually agreed—partly so Guy wouldn't challenge him every single day, and partly so he could enjoy a few peaceful days in between.
As for why Kakashi limited Guy to three-day intervals instead of the full seven… only Kakashi himself knew.
Confident, Kakashi headed toward the training ground. He had complete faith in this Bell Challenge.
The Bell Challenge was a training method Shiro had adapted from certain martial arts concepts he'd discovered through Projection. Its purpose was to cultivate precise control over one's strength and movement.
The rules were simple: after putting on the bell, no matter how large your movements were, you were not allowed to make it ring.
At the highest level, one could fight freely without producing a single sound.
Right now, however, none of them—including Shiro—could even meet the beginner standard.
Because of this, Shiro had designed a special bell using data from the system's database.
This bell was even easier to trigger, but if force was applied in a very specific way, it would remain silent—making it suitable for beginners who couldn't yet grasp the basics.
Even so, fighting freely while wearing it was still extremely difficult.
But after training with it for a while, they discovered the method was remarkably effective, so they kept at it—and naturally, it became their standard dueling format.
After agreeing with Guy, Kakashi took the lead toward the training ground.
Because of that, he didn't notice Obito quietly slipping back to his seat after hearing the duel's theme, reaching into his desk drawer, and tucking something into his pocket.
He had been waiting for this moment for far too long.
He and Guy had planned this ages ago.
"Obito, what are you doing? Hurry up," Rin called.
"Coming!" Obito replied, quickly catching up after securing whatever he'd hidden away.
---
At the training ground, Kakashi and Guy stood facing each other.
They formed the Confrontation Seal, then fastened the bells to their bodies.
To avoid triggering them, both advanced slowly, step by step, constantly adjusting their posture and chakra flow. The offensive and defensive forces had to be prepared in advance.
Though their movements were slow, their concentration was absolute.
Neither felt bored—on the contrary, their excitement steadily climbed.
Obito and Rin, watching from the sidelines, felt quite differently.
Most of the curious classmates had already dispersed, leaving only the two of them behind.
Still, they stayed.
Obito had prepared for this moment for far too long to give up now, while Rin simply felt it would be rude to leave.
"Ding—"
A short while later, the bell at Kakashi's waist rang.
The duel was decided.
The instant Obito heard it, the boredom vanished from his face, replaced by open excitement. At the same time, his hand slipped into his ninja pouch, ready to record evidence at any moment.
Rin glanced at him strangely but said nothing. Obito acting oddly was nothing new.
"Tch. I lost," Kakashi said. "Speak. What's your condition?"
"Hahaha! Kakashi, my dear friend! Let's burn our youth together!"
As he spoke, Guy produced something he'd prepared in advance and held it out.
"!!!"
Kakashi's face instantly darkened.
Beside him, Rin stared with her mouth slightly open. Only now did she understand Obito's earlier reaction.
Because what Guy was holding…
…was his green jumpsuit.
And yet—why did she feel a tiny bit expectant?
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
"It's our agreement. Just wear it for one minute and run one lap with me."
"Never! I'd rather die than wear that!"
Guy suddenly lowered his head, his voice dropping. "Alright… then forget it. My dad's away on a mission, and I just wanted someone to train with me while wearing the same clothes. Sorry for bothering you."
Seeing Guy like this, Kakashi felt a pang of guilt.
After all, they had agreed beforehand—and now he was backing out.
After a moment's hesitation, Kakashi clenched his teeth.
"Guy. Give it to me. I'll run a lap with you."
"No, it's fine. I won't force you."
"It's fine. A promise is a promise. If you make one, you keep it."
"Hahaha! You said it, Kakashi! Let's burn our youth together!"
Guy suddenly lifted his head, laughing loudly. The gloomy atmosphere vanished without a trace.
Kakashi stared at him in shock.
He'd seen a ghost today.
Guy could actually act.
---
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