Chapter 160: Respective Countermeasures
"Alright," Mugetsu said calmly, hanging two small bells from his waist. "From this moment on, you can use any method you like to snatch these bells from me before sunset."
After speaking, he leaned lazily against a large tree, eyes half-closed as though he were about to nap.
Despite how exposed he appeared, none of the three made a move.
Obito and Guy, both having trained under Mugetsu for a long time, knew all too well how terrifying his strength truly was. Guy, especially, had witnessed Mugetsu's battle against his father when he had opened the Sixth Gate. The speed and power on display then were still far beyond his reach.
Kakashi, meanwhile, already had experience as a Chunin. He wasn't foolish enough to test Mugetsu head-on. Instead, he chose to observe and wait—let Obito and Guy take the initiative, then move when the opportunity presented itself.
"What do we do?" Obito whispered, scratching his head. "There's no way we can just walk up and grab those from Mugetsu-sensei."
Guy nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Charging straight in would be suicide."
Rushing in against that kind of speed would only end one way.
"Do you two know anything about Captain Hayate's abilities?" Kakashi asked after a moment of thought.
"If we know what we're up against, we'll have a better shot."
"Of course I do!" Obito said confidently—then froze midway through his sentence as he remembered he wasn't supposed to reveal too much. "He's, uh… our summer training instructor!"
"And?" Kakashi raised a brow.
"Teacher Mugetsu has insanely good Chakra control. He's great at tree climbing and water walking, and his Body Flicker Technique is ridiculously fast," Obito said quickly.
Kakashi blinked. Out of everything, only one part mattered. "So… fast Body Flicker. Got it."
"It seems he wasn't being careless earlier," Kakashi thought. Judging from that, Mugetsu was a speed-type shinobi.
That gave him an opening—at least in theory. Speed types had limited margin for error. And Mugetsu was a teacher—someone who probably hadn't fought seriously in years. Kakashi, with recent real-combat experience, had the edge in reaction and timing.
After analyzing it, Kakashi felt quietly confident. "If I play this right, I can win."
"Fighting head-on one-on-one is suicide," Obito said, thinking aloud. "But we only need to grab the bells. What if we use traps to distract him?"
He had learned from experience how deadly traps could be—especially during his Soru training. A single lapse of focus and he'd end up hanging from a tree or face-first in a pit.
Guy nodded firmly. Even if Obito's idea wasn't perfect, it was better than nothing.
"Hey, Kakashi! Aren't you coming to help us set traps?" Obito called, growing irritated at Kakashi's relaxed attitude.
"Don't come crying when you're hungry later!"
Kakashi didn't even glance back. "You have quite the imagination," he said flatly. "But I don't trust your trap-making skills. I'll get the bells myself."
Trap-making was basic shinobi work, especially when the terrain was fixed. Kakashi planned to set up his own traps—but separately. He didn't want to waste time with amateurs.
When he glanced over at Obito and Guy's work, he couldn't help but sigh. Their traps were simple, predictable, and easy to spot. They'd barely slow anyone down.
"With traps like that, they might as well charge straight in," Kakashi thought. Still, in bell tests like this, teachers usually held back. Maybe Obito would get lucky and snatch one by accident.
"Kakashi! Even if you beg me later, I'm not sharing dinner with you!" Obito huffed, wiping sweat from his brow.
"There's a thing called a marketplace," Kakashi replied without emotion. "You can buy food there."
He paused, then added calmly, "Also, I won't lose."
Before Obito could yell back, Kakashi's figure flickered—and vanished.
Obito clenched his fists. "That guy…! Acting like he's better than everyone else!"
But he forced himself to focus. "Guy, here's the plan. You move fast and draw Mugetsu-sensei toward the trap zone. Once he's caught in range, I'll hit him with Fire Release while the traps spring. He won't have time to defend against everything. When that happens, you go for the bells!"
Guy's grin widened, his eyes burning with enthusiasm. "Leave it to me! My youth is blazing brighter than ever!"
Wary of Mugetsu's speed, Guy stopped twenty meters away and launched several Shuriken in quick succession.
Mugetsu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them instantly—his movements sharp, fluid, almost casual. He dodged each projectile with ease.
"So you're finally ready," he said, stretching his arms lightly before pushing off the ground.
In the blink of an eye, he charged straight toward Guy.
After throwing the shuriken, Guy immediately turned and sprinted toward the trap zone. Glancing back to see Mugetsu closing in, he focused his breathing and began using Rock Breathing to boost his speed.
Since this was only a test, Mugetsu didn't use his full strength. He deliberately controlled his pace, maintaining just enough distance behind Guy to keep the chase alive.
Obito, waiting in ambush ahead, saw the two approaching. His eyes lit up—this was the moment. Pulling out a kunai, he slashed a taut rope.
With a heavy creak, a massive log swung down toward Mugetsu. Guy, having anticipated it, rolled to the side in time to dodge.
Whoosh!
Just before the log struck, Mugetsu's figure flickered and reappeared atop a nearby tree branch, completely unscathed.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Obito shouted, forming rapid hand seals. A blazing fireball nearly four meters wide roared forward, engulfing Mugetsu's position.
"It worked!" Obito cheered, pumping his fist.
He was close enough that dodging seemed impossible. At this distance, Mugetsu wouldn't have time to evade or counter—at least, that's what Obito thought. Guy, waiting nearby, was ready to strike the moment the flames cleared.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Mugetsu's calm voice cut through the roar. In an instant, a thick wall of water surged upward, snuffing out the flames with a hiss of steam.
"Rock Breathing—Total Concentration!"
Seizing the opening, Guy charged forward with explosive speed, every muscle surging with power. His hand shot out toward the bells—
—but froze in midair.
Guy's eyes widened. Mugetsu was already gripping his wrist, holding him effortlessly in place.
"Such incredible reflexes!" Guy gasped. The trap, the fireball, and his own assault had all unfolded within seconds, yet Mugetsu countered them all seamlessly.
Bang!
Mugetsu tossed Guy aside with a single motion, slamming him into a nearby tree trunk.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!"
Before Mugetsu could press forward, Obito unleashed another ninjutsu. This time, he didn't use one-handed seals. He formed the full sequence, channeling maximum chakra.
Dozens of flaming shuriken burst forth, streaking through the air like fiery meteors.
Mugetsu's expression didn't change. Without a word, he shifted his breathing—Rock Breathing gave way to Lightning Breathing.
A thunderclap echoed, and his figure vanished.
"So fast—where did he go?" Obito spun in place, scanning frantically. But Mugetsu's presence had completely disappeared.
"Damn it! If only I had a Sharingan…" Obito muttered bitterly, a flash of envy in his eyes as he thought of Shisui, who had awakened his at six years old.
Before he could react, a powerful gust of wind slammed into his back.
Wham!
The next instant, Obito was sent flying, crashing into the same tree Guy had hit earlier.
Groaning, he looked up just in time to see Guy forcing himself to his feet again. Guy steadied his breathing, eyes burning with renewed determination, and charged once more.
But against Mugetsu in his Lightning Breathing state, he didn't even come close.
Bang!
Mugetsu struck faster than sight. Guy was hurled backward, hitting the same tree trunk even harder than before. The ground trembled from the impact.
Watching Guy's state, Obito—who had been trying to stand—simply sat back down in defeat. "Forget it… I'll just recover some chakra."
After dealing with the two of them, Mugetsu's gaze turned toward the forest.
"Now… where's Kakashi?"
---
"His speed is insane… but if he moves just a bit closer—there's a chance."
Hidden in the shadows, Kakashi silently observed Mugetsu's movements. When Mugetsu stepped near his trap zone, Kakashi's eyes sharpened.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A hail of shuriken rained down from above, forcing Mugetsu to dodge backward.
At that moment, Kakashi burst out of hiding, leaping through the air with precise timing. Drawing the short blade strapped to his back, he slashed directly at Mugetsu.
Mugetsu reacted instantly, pulling out a kunai to parry the strike. Metal clashed against metal in a shower of sparks.
Kakashi's attacks were sharp and focused—each swing aimed at a vital point. Mugetsu was forced to step back under the relentless assault.
"Got him," Kakashi thought, flashing a smirk. He triggered the explosive tags hidden in the ground.
Sensing danger, Mugetsu immediately leapt aside.
Boom!
A deafening explosion lit up the forest, leaving a scorched crater several meters wide. The shockwave rippled through the air, scattering dust and leaves.
Amid the smoke, Kakashi lunged forward again, his hand reaching for the bells at Mugetsu's waist.
"The trap was clever," Mugetsu said calmly, catching Kakashi's wrist mid-motion. "But one person alone isn't enough."
Kakashi's eyes widened. So fast!
He hadn't felt much when he'd watched Guy and Obito get defeated, but facing Mugetsu himself—he finally understood. Mugetsu's speed was monstrous.
"Why didn't you attack together when Obito and Guy did?" Mugetsu asked lightly. "It would've been much easier to catch me off guard."
"Because I thought one person was enough," Kakashi replied evenly.
"Is that so? Then it seems you were wrong."
Mugetsu smiled faintly—and then threw him.
Bang!
Kakashi's body slammed into a tree, bursting into white smoke.
A clone.
From the shadows, the real Kakashi emerged, eyes locked on the bells. His short blade flashed in a silver arc as he dashed forward.
"This time…" he thought, tightening his grip, "one person is enough."
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