Puff! Puff!
Two bursts of water exploded into existence beside Ren.
In an instant, two Water Clones formed—perfect replicas, identical down to their breathing and posture. They moved with practiced precision, stepping apart from the original and forming a triangular formation, each figure spaced several meters from the others.
Three identical Rens.
Six sharp eyes.
All silently observing.
The forest clearing fell into a tense stillness. Even the faint rustle of leaves seemed to vanish, replaced by the subtle tremor of chakra sensing beneath their feet.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Then—
"Here!"
One of the clones suddenly pointed toward a slight disturbance in the earth to the left. The soil bulged almost imperceptibly—something only a trained shinobi would notice.
The next moment—
BOOM!
The ground burst open.
Like a hunting cheetah, Kakashi shot out from underground, his body low and fast, his movement clean and deadly. In his hand, a kunai flashed with cold light as he thrust straight toward the back of the nearest Water Clone!
It was a perfect ambush.
Fast. Silent. Lethal.
But—
Whoosh!
Before the blade could land, Ren's original body moved.
Without even turning his head, his wrist flicked.
Three kunai shot backward in a tight arc, slicing through the air with sharp, piercing whistles. Their trajectory was flawless—angled precisely toward Kakashi's neck, as if Ren had already known exactly where he would appear.
"...Tch."
Kakashi clicked his tongue.
That wasn't supposed to happen.
Truthfully, he hadn't even identified the real body. Without the Sharingan or Byakugan, distinguishing between clones and the original at a glance was nearly impossible. His plan had been simple—pick one target, strike fast, and observe the reaction.
A test.
A probe.
But Ren… had reacted instantly.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head.
A Water Clone wasn't worth worrying about. It carried only a tiny fraction of the original's chakra. But those incoming kunai?
If even one landed wrong—especially on his wrist—it could cripple his combat ability.
Kakashi made his decision in a split second.
He abandoned the attack.
Instead, he twisted his body mid-motion, raising his kunai to deflect Ren's incoming strike.
Clang!
Steel collided.
And in that tiny moment of hesitation—
The battlefield flipped.
"Now!"
The attacked Water Clone lunged forward, grabbing Kakashi's right arm with surprising force. At the same time, the second clone darted behind him, locking onto his legs.
A perfect two-sided restraint.
Kakashi's body was pinned—if only for a heartbeat.
But that heartbeat was enough.
Ren's original body had already completed his hand seals.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Flames erupted.
Not one.
Not two.
But a swarm of small, blazing fireballs burst forth, scattering like a flock of fiery birds as they surged toward Kakashi from all directions.
"Got him!!"
From underground, Obito's muffled voice echoed, filled with excitement. He was practically vibrating with anticipation, as if he himself had landed the attack.
For a moment—
Even Kakashi felt pressure.
His chakra surged violently.
"Break!"
With a sharp burst of force, he shattered both Water Clones instantly—two puffs of smoke exploding beside him.
At the same time, his hand moved.
From behind his back, he drew a short blade—
The White Fang sword.
And slashed.
Swish!
A brilliant arc of steel flashed across the air.
Under normal circumstances, that strike should have cut straight through the incoming flames.
But something was wrong.
The fireballs… moved.
They twisted mid-air like living creatures, weaving and bending around the blade's path with eerie agility. One by one, they slipped past Kakashi's strike, continuing their pursuit.
"?!"
Kakashi's eyes narrowed.
No hesitation.
He rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding the incoming flames, while his hands formed seals at high speed.
"Water Release: Water Chaos Wave!"
Whoosh!
A powerful stream of water burst from his mouth, crashing into the fireballs and extinguishing them in a cloud of steam.
But—
It was too late.
Ren had already closed the distance.
Using Partial Transformation: Might Guy's Body, his physical speed and strength had surged to another level. His figure blurred as he appeared directly in front of Kakashi, kunai already thrust forward.
Kakashi reacted instantly, raising his sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The clearing erupted into a storm of steel.
Sparks flew.
Metal rang out in rapid succession as the two clashed at blinding speed. Their weapons collided again and again, each strike precise, efficient, and deadly.
They separated—
Then collided again.
Faster.
Sharper.
More intense.
Kakashi's swordsmanship was refined, systematic—every movement honed by discipline and experience. His blade carried a clear structure, a deadly rhythm.
Ren, on the other hand, lacked that refined system.
But he had something else—
Initiative.
Momentum.
And relentless aggression.
His attacks came like a storm, giving Kakashi no time to breathe. For a brief moment, the two of them were locked in a perfect stalemate.
Then—
[Ding! High-quality potential target detected: "Hatake Sword Style"!]
Ren's eyes flickered.
Just for a fraction of a second.
But that was enough.
Kakashi noticed.
His expression sharpened instantly.
The rhythm of his blade changed.
From defense—
To offense.
A sudden, overwhelming pressure descended as Kakashi's sword strikes grew faster, sharper, more aggressive. Each swing carried lethal intent, forcing Ren back step by step.
Danger.
Real danger.
In that critical moment—
"Substitution Jutsu!"
Swish!
Ren vanished.
A log appeared in his place, splitting apart under Kakashi's blade.
Dozens of meters away, Ren reappeared, breathing slightly heavier as he steadied himself.
The distance between them widened.
The air grew tense once more.
Kakashi recovered quickly.
Too quickly.
With a flick of his wrist, he sheathed the White Fang sword behind him. His hands immediately began forming seals—fast, fluid, almost impossible to follow.
One.
Two.
Three—
Ten.
Twenty.
More.
Ren's eyelid twitched.
What kind of ninjutsu needs this many hand seals?
Even advanced techniques rarely required such complexity. Could this be some high-level Water Release…?
Before the technique could be unleashed—
"That's enough."
A calm voice cut through the tension.
Minato Namikaze appeared between them, his presence gentle yet undeniable. He raised one hand slightly, smiling as he signaled the end of the match.
The battle stopped instantly.
Kakashi lowered his hands, the sharpness in his gaze fading as he returned to his usual lazy demeanor, slipping his hands into his pockets.
Ren exhaled slowly, releasing his transformation and letting his body relax.
The pressure dissipated.
"Ren-kun, are you okay?"
Rin hurried over, her expression filled with concern. Obito followed close behind, still buzzing with excitement from the fight.
"I'm fine," Ren replied, shaking his head.
Minato stepped forward, his expression turning thoughtful as he began his evaluation.
"The exercise ends here."
His voice was calm, but every word carried weight.
"Ren, your battle plan was excellent. Your tactical execution against Kakashi can even be described as brilliant. You controlled the flow of the fight and created multiple opportunities."
Ren listened silently.
"But—"
Minato's gaze shifted.
"Execution depends on teamwork."
He looked at Obito first.
"Obito, your Great Fireball was reckless. You didn't consider your teammates' positions or the follow-up impact. It was easy to counter."
Obito's shoulders slumped as he scratched at the dirt on his head, clearly embarrassed.
Then Minato turned to Rin.
"Rin, your shuriken support was insufficient. Your close combat ability also needs improvement. When Ren created an opening, you failed to regroup and provide effective support."
Rin nodded seriously.
"Yes, Minato-sensei. I understand."
Finally—
Minato looked back at Ren.
"Your individual ability is excellent. Although you don't know many ninjutsu, your usage is precise and effective—almost on par with Kakashi."
That was high praise.
"But your weaknesses are also clear. You lack real combat experience, and your taijutsu needs improvement. We'll address that with targeted training."
Ren nodded.
"I understand."
Minato's tone softened slightly.
"But remember this—ninja fight as a team. An individual's weakness becomes the team's weakness."
His eyes swept over all three of them.
"How to cover each other's flaws… and how to maximize your combined strength… that is your next lesson."
He paused.
"On a real battlefield, even a single mistake can be fatal."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Ren took them seriously.
He had been keeping his distance from Obito before, wary of what the future might bring.
But now—
They were teammates.
And until that future arrived, he had no choice but to fight alongside him.
Kannabi Bridge…
The thought flickered through his mind.
That incident was still years away.
If necessary—
He would find a way to avoid it entirely.
After all, survival came first.
Minato suddenly clapped his hands lightly, breaking the tension.
"Alright!"
His signature warm smile returned.
"The goal of today's exercise has been achieved perfectly."
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
"Starting tomorrow, our team will officially begin missions and training. It won't be easy… so let's take the rest of today off."
Obito's eyes lit up.
Minato continued, smiling:
"We're going to Yakiniku Q later. My treat—eat as much as you want."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
"OH!!"
Obito exploded with excitement.
Even Rin couldn't hide her smile.
Ren let out a small breath, the tension finally fading from his shoulders.
But deep inside—
A new goal had already taken root.
Hatake Sword Style.
He had seen it.
Felt it.
And now—
He wanted it.
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