Before Konoha's memorial stone, all the ninjas currently in the village had gathered, each silently gazing at the names etched into the stone.
Every name represented a ninja who had sacrificed their life for Konoha—heroes of the village, forever remembered in the hearts of the living.
Exceptional ninjas would even be immortalized in legends, used to teach Konoha's new generation.
Standing at the forefront of the crowd were the Third Hokage, Homura, Koharu, and Jiraiya and Danzo, whom Kakashi had never met before. Of course, this was the current Kakashi; the Kakashi of the past had known Jiraiya well.
Here, Kakashi saw many future luminaries of Konoha: the parents of the Konoha Twelve, his own generation including Guy, and even younger ninjas like Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Shisui, and Anko.
Beyond these familiar faces, Kakashi also noticed many unfamiliar ones—some from Minato Namikaze's generation, others from his own, and many more from Konoha's rising generation. He knew that most of these unfamiliar ninjas would perish in the Nine-Tailed Fox's attack next year, or in the upcoming battles against the Cloud Ninja.
What truly caught Kakashi's attention were Guy, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Shisui.
Guy, who would later become a taijutsu master rivaling even Kakashi himself, and Uchiha Itachi, a terrifying prodigy, were destined to become legendary ninja.
The funeral concluded swiftly, and everyone departed with heavy hearts.
As Kakashi prepared to report to the Anbu, Guy intercepted him.
"Kakashi, I challenge you! I'll prove that even someone with ordinary talent can defeat a genius through sheer effort!" Guy roared, blocking Kakashi's path and striking a combat stance, ready to fight.
The scene mirrored Lee's future challenge to Sasuke, though Guy wasn't yet wearing his signature green tracksuit, making him appear less comical.
His eyebrows, however, remained as thick as ever.
"I need to report to the Anbu. I don't have time for sparring," Kakashi replied coolly, his voice indifferent. He had no interest in fighting Guy, whose current skills paled in comparison to his future strength. Even in taijutsu alone, Guy was no match for Kakashi.
"Ah, Kakashi, you're joining the Anbu?" Guy exclaimed, his jaw dropping in surprise.
"No matter! I'll defeat you in just one minute! Come on!"
Guy's surprised expression immediately shifted to one of fiery determination as he roared at Kakashi with renewed fervor.
*Whoosh!*
Before Kakashi could react, Guy charged forward with explosive speed. His powerful right leg swept upward in a sweeping kick aimed at Kakashi's temple.
"Damn it! This is just a forced spar, isn't it?!"
Kakashi's brow furrowed as he dodged Guy's sudden attack, inwardly cursing. Guy's self-confidence was truly boundless!
With a mere half-step back, Kakashi evaded the kick, the powerful gust of wind whistling past his face.
"So fast!"
As he dodged, Kakashi was inwardly startled. Guy's speed had improved dramatically since their last challenge. It seemed Guy had made significant progress during this time.
At least in terms of speed, Guy was now on par with him!
This meant Kakashi no longer held any advantage over Guy in taijutsu.
"As expected of Kakashi!"
"Now face my Leaf Whirlwind!"
Seeing Kakashi effortlessly evade his enhanced attack, Guy immediately praised him before launching another Leaf Whirlwind kick.
*Whoosh!*
*Bang!*
Under Guy's renewed assault, Kakashi seemed unable to evade and was struck squarely by Guy's attack!
But the moment Guy's fist connected, Kakashi's body exploded into a wooden log with a *poof!*
"Ah..."
"No! It's the Substitution Technique!"
Guy, who had been ecstatic at finally landing a hit on Kakashi, immediately cried out in alarm when he realized he had struck Kakashi's substitute.
"Secret Technique: Thousand Years of Pain!"
Kakashi's calm voice echoed from behind Guy. His hands were clasped together, forming the Thousand Years of Pain hand seal as he thrust his fingers toward Guy's anus.
Frustrated by Guy's shameless insistence on sparring, Kakashi suddenly recalled his signature move from the original series: the Thousand Years of Pain. He decided to unleash it on Guy.
Though he didn't know the exact mechanics of the original technique, Kakashi had condensed a small, potent lightning charge into his fingertips, channeling it in the form of Chidori. While the strike itself wasn't lethal, the explosive entry into Guy's anus would send excruciating pain searing through every cell of his body, leaving him writhing in agony for a short time.
*Bang!*
With a resounding *thud*, Guy's body was sent flying by Kakashi's Secret Technique: Thousand Years of Pain!
"Aaaah..."
A bloodcurdling scream erupted from Guy's mouth as he soared through the air, a scream so earth-shattering it made Kakashi sweat nervously. *Could the damage really be this severe?*
*He probably won't challenge me again after this,* Kakashi thought, watching Guy's retreating figure. He turned away, dismissing Guy, and continued toward the Konoha Anbu headquarters.
Kakashi knew his easy victory was due to Guy's lack of combat experience. In a few years, when Guy truly matured and fully unleashed his taijutsu prowess, defeating him would become far more challenging.
*No way can I let that beast Guy catch up to me. Once I join the Anbu, I need to find Tsunade as soon as possible!*
Despite his effortless victory, the thought of Guy surpassing his future strength weighed heavily on Kakashi. This only strengthened his resolve to find Tsunade and resolve the Sharingan issue.
Kakashi understood that the longer he delayed finding Tsunade, the slimmer his chances of success became.
His only hope lay in seeking treatment while the Sharingan was still newly transplanted.
(End of Chapter)