Chapter 26

Between good buddies, there shouldn't be any conflicts that a meal can't resolve.

If there are any, then it's two meals, bring out the fancy dishes, bring out the drinks, and if necessary, have another round of sparring. Then conflicts naturally resolve themselves.

But if it still doesn't work out, then maybe they aren't good buddies after all.

Patting his stomach while looking at Kyomu counting his money with a hint of sympathy, Kakashi felt quite content. After all the hustle and bustle, most of the money Kyomu earned ended up in his own belly.

If he had another stomach, he'd surely bankrupt Kyomu as well.

As Kyomu went to settle the bill and Kakashi headed to the restroom, Obito finally found the chance to have a private conversation with Rin.

"Rin, I was just kidding, um... about you... don't take it seriously, okay?"

Blushing, Obito fidgeted, looking nothing like his future crazy self.

With her fingers fiddling with her clothes, Rin lowered her head to hide her flushed cheeks and nodded gently. "We're still young... I didn't take it seriously."

"No, I mean... if you feel..."

"I understand." Rin lifted her head to look at Obito. "But it's too early to discuss this issue now. Can't we just... be like before?"

Obito nodded. "We will always be like before, always."

Rin suddenly lowered her head, feeling a bit flustered, a bit wanting to escape from here.

Fortunately, Kyomu arrived just in time. "Hey, where's Kakashi?"

"He went to the restroom," Rin immediately answered.

"True, he drinks the most juice, doesn't he?" Kyomu shrugged. "Drinking the amount of three people by himself and needing to use the restroom three times as much, he's really something."

"Haha..." Obito couldn't help but laugh. "Kyomu, you're really funny. I didn't notice that."

"What didn't you notice?" Kakashi, with his trademark dead-fish eyes, approached.

"Nothing." Kyomu draped his arm over Kakashi's shoulder. "Let's go, to the training ground."

The four of them left the barbecue restaurant and headed straight towards the direction of the Forest of Death.

In less than twenty minutes, they reached their destination. Kakashi, who was originally bored, immediately became alert.

"Kyomu, today let's spar swordsmanship!"

"Hey, can you guys ask for my opinion?" Obito preempted, "I think practicing Ninjutsu PvP would be better, and if not, practicing genjutsu and genjutsu release wouldn't be bad either."

"Of course." Kyomu nodded. "But I noticed Kakashi seemed to have learned a new move today. You and Rin can spar first, I'll evaluate Kakashi and give you guys a demonstration."

Glancing at Kakashi, the two of them simultaneously stepped back, slowly drawing their respective ninja swords from behind their backs.

"Kakashi, you're still so short..."

"Hmph, all you have is a sharp tongue." Kakashi swung the fake white fangs in his hand. "You'll shut up later. Bring it on!"

Advancing quickly, the two small figures clashed immediately.

Clang!

Sparks flew as Kakashi couldn't help but shake his eyes, retreating to dispel the force while making a flashy knife movement to conceal the tingling in his wrist.

Such strength!

"Is your hand tingling?"

"You should use a stick instead of a ninja sword." Kakashi advanced again, "It's all strength without technique. I don't know what you've been training for these two days."

Clang clang clang!

Sparks flew as the two fought fiercely, the battle reaching a white-hot stage.

It must be said, Kakashi, who inherited the White Fang's legacy, was quite proficient in swordsmanship. Even though he wasn't as strong as Kyomu, he always managed to dispel the excess force from the blade in a very clever way.

"They're both so powerful..." Rin couldn't help but sigh. "I can't even see their sword trajectories clearly, and once they change moves, I can't react."

Obito, not being stubborn at the moment, agreed, "In terms of swordsmanship alone, they're indeed very strong, and compared to them, Kyomu's performance is even more amazing."

Rin nodded in agreement with Obito's view.

The reputation of Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, needed no further elaboration. Kakashi, who inherited his legacy, was definitely top-notch in swordsmanship among his peers.

And Kyomu, without any swordsmanship inheritance, could spar evenly with Kakashi, which already proved a lot.

Clang!

The two clashed again, their figures crossing paths.

~Huff, huff, huff~

Kakashi, panting heavily, looked at Kyomu with changing eyes.

He remembered the day before yesterday when Kyomu barely lasted a hundred moves against him, and although the battle was intense, he still came out victorious.

But today.

A hundred moves had passed, and it was close to two hundred moves now, yet Kyomu showed no signs of weakness.

Since that's the case...

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, it was time to unleash the trump card he had practiced all day today.

Raiton - Hatake Sword Art - Zenkou Sekka (Instant Slash)

Swish.

Kakashi traced a straight trajectory, very direct, with many flaws, but correspondingly, the attack speed was faster, making it difficult for others to react.

In an instant, the two passed each other.

Clang!

A broken blade segment fell straight down, firmly embedding itself in the ground between Kyomu's feet.

At the same time, a slit appeared on Kyomu's chest area, revealing the reddish skin underneath.

There wasn't a gaping wound, just a long scratch, but if it had gone any deeper, Kyomu would have been lightly injured today.

Turning his head to look at Kyomu, who was facing away from him, Kakashi didn't move, not knowing what had happened to him.

Clang!

The short blade broke from the handle, and blood gushed from Kakashi's hand holding the handle, dripping onto the ground.

How could there be so much strength!

How could there be!

Kakashi's mind was shocked, looking down at the torn flesh on his palm and the broken blade stuck in the ground.

Suddenly turning around, "Kyomu, what... how did you do that?"

"I was about to ask you the same." Kyomu displayed the broken blade in his hand. "How did you suddenly become so fast? If I hadn't reacted in time, I would've been cut open by you."

Pointing to his chest, Kyomu immediately dropped the broken blade and walked quickly towards Kakashi.

"Is your hand okay?"

Kakashi shook his head. "It's just a bit of torn skin and flesh from my strong grip. It'll heal by tomorrow."

"Let me see."

Rin approached at this time, taking out the hemostatic medicine and bandages she had prepared in advance, pulling Kakashi to tend to his wounds.

Of course, Rin didn't let Kyomu off the hook either, but his injuries didn't require bandaging, just some ointment.

"Thank you," both of them said.

"What are you guys doing, why are you sparring so seriously, it's just practice!" Rin wore a reproachful expression. "Fortunately, you're evenly matched, but if someone were a bit weaker, the injuries wouldn't be as minor, they could be fatal!"

Kakashi glanced at Kyomu. "I wouldn't spar with someone too weak. I hate feeling restricted."

"Me too." Kyomu smiled in response. "But judging by the injuries, I won this match. Following tradition, the winner asks the first question."

Kakashi opened his mouth to retort, but seeing the wound on Kyomu's chest and his right hand bandaged, he wisely closed his mouth.

"Your sudden speed increase just now, how did you do it?" Kyomu asked.

Kakashi considered his words for a moment. "It's a move from my family's swordsmanship. I can't tell you the specifics, but the fundamental reason is that I used Lightning Release chakra to maximize the activation of my body's functions."

"Got it." Kyomu nodded. "But your move just now seemed to lack a bit of refinement. You haven't completely mastered it, have you?"

"It's just a bit off." Kakashi's face under the mask showed a hint of embarrassment. "My hand isn't the real White Fang, and Lightning Release chakra can't cover the blade. If it could, you would've been cut in half just now."

"You." Kyomu shook his head. "Don't think I can't tell. The real issue isn't whether it's the White Fang or not, it's that you've only grasped the superficial aspects of chakra nature transformation and can't truly utilize all forms of this move."

"Do you know chakra nature transformation?!" Kakashi widened his eyes suddenly.

"What are you guys talking about, what's chakra nature transformation?" Obito curiously joined in.

Kyomu's eyes sparkled. "Really? As the first clan of the ninja world, the Uchiha, don't know what chakra nature transformation is?"

The Uchiha clan certainly teaches it, and even has the most comprehensive and professional literature on it in the ninja world.

But Obito was raised by his grandmother, and he wasn't old enough to learn these things yet.

The family's collection of books could be borrowed, but with Obito's single-digit scores in academic subjects, it was obvious he wasn't a keen reader.

"Of course, we teach it!" Obito puffed his chest out, "It's just that I haven't remembered much..."

Seemingly not wanting Kyomu to look down on him, Obito emphasized again, "Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll tell you guys."

"Okay, tomorrow it is."

Kyomu wasn't in a hurry. Kids of this age couldn't withstand provocation. What he wanted, Obito could definitely provide.

"But for today, you and Rin should listen to mine and Kakashi's explanations first." Kyomu looked at Kakashi. "You or me first?"

"It's me." Kakashi took the lead without hesitation, "My learning is more systematic, and all based on experience. It's much better than the little tricks taught by other teachers."

"Hmph, so proud, just because your father is the White Fang, but I'm still an Uchiha," Obito retorted.

Rin tapped Obito's head, "At this time, you should be humble, don't be so competitive."

Being reprimanded by Rin, Obito calmed down, listening to Kakashi's explanation of what chakra nature transformation was.

However, Obito was still competing silently, with a plan in his mind.

He wouldn't admit to knowing less than Kakashi or Kyomu, and of course, that included tomorrow's lesson.

And being friends should be reciprocal; that's the only way to sustain it.

(End of Chapter)