Chapter | XVIII |

The blazing hot fire traveled through the air in a spherical shape. Kakashi stood motionless for a moment, digesting the shock he just received.

'He... Knows an elemental Justu? At this age?'

The ball of fire landed on where he stood, the inferno scorched the ground, ash, and smoke flew out. As the grey cloud of smoke enveloped the burned ground, Naruto and Sasuke held their breath.

As the smoke cleared, there was nothing but the scorched ground. Frowning, Naruto moved his body by instinct.

Pank! Pank! Pank!

Three shurikens flew past him, pinning him into the tree behind. Sweating, Naruto looked to the left, Kakashi was standing there in the distance.

"Neat trick, but you'll have to do better"

The silver-haired Jōnin said with a yawn. With a grim, Sasuke again jumped into the air. But instead of a single tiger seal, the graduate began to perform a series of hand signs.

'Oh...'

Surprised, Kakashi stood there like before.

'Fire Style: Great Fireball Justu!'

Forming the spherical shape as it descent on Kakashi, the flames grew hotter, and much, much more in size. However, what Kakashi didn't expect were shurikens flying into the ball of fire, and descending toward him aflame.

His gaze flickered to Naruto, and before the blonde realized it, Kakashi was behind him.

Widening his eyes, Naruto gazed back just to see Kakashi perform multiple signs at break-neck speed. Time seemed to slow down as horror filled his eyes. A Justu! He screamed internally.

"Leaf Village Sceret Justu! Thousand Years of Death!!"

Naruto's mind went blank as he felt... Penetrated? Before he knew it, he was sent flying in the air as Kakashi launched him by the ass.

Naruto felt as if his butt was on fire! He crashed to the ground, and was sent rolling by the momentum. As the bruises pilled up, a groan escaped between his gasping breath.

He propelled himself, and somehow landed on both feet to brake. After sliding a little more, he somehow stopped himself from drowning in the lake behind him.

His black jacket was torn apart from place to place, groaning, he straightened up. His eyes fell on the torn flesh on his forearm, which was slowly healing itself. His gaze flickered to Kakashi, who was dodging Sasuke's barrage of kicks and punches.

As if a switch got turned on, something flared within Naruto. A feeling so addicting that he lost himself in a trance. Then, his mind blank for a moment, then as if like an explosion, the world lit up, more vibrant... Slower.

Naruto, who was lost in the depths of this unknown feeling, rushed forward without any planning or hesitation, his thoughts were floating aimlessly through the vast and endless sea; his mind.

Then, he threw his hand forward. Kakashi, who was preoccupied with Sasuke, glanced back to the incoming blonde, and his pupils shrunk looking at his golden eyes.

'This soon!?'

As he was distracted, Sasuke took the opportunity and flipped in the air, throwing a barrage of kunais.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The kunais hit the mark, but contrary to Sasuke's expectation, Kakashi's figure disappeared with a cloud of smoke, and then revealed a log.

Crack!

Naruto, who was only half-conscious, failed to recognize the Jutsu and hit through the smoke, what followed after was a log... On his arm. His punch was so precise and powerful, that it penetrated through the wood rather than breaking it.

Gritting his teeth, the blonde took out the log. The sharp ends of the broken log grazed his fingers. Ignoring the pain... Or rather, not even aware of it, Naruto's eyes scanned the surroundings, his golden eyes like a predator's.

Then, he rushed again, his eyes looking through the bushes, gazing right at Kakashi. The silver-haired Jōnin felt a shiver run through his spine as he locked eyes with the young blonde, it was as if... He was looking at himself, his past self.

Naruto leaped in the air, and pounced on the Jōnin. Kakashi lingered for a moment, before settling his thoughts. He let Naruto come closer, and seeing his hands shoot toward his waist... At the bells.

'So he still has a bit of ra-'

Instead of grabbing the two bells, Naruto clenched his hand and punched Kakashi's abdomen. The instructor caught his breath, his mind digesting the current turn of events. Then, without any warning, he Karate-chopped Naruto's neck at shocking speed.

Thud.

Naruto fell on his back, unconscious. Sasuke and Sakura caught up right in time to see the blonde falling to the ground. They stood there, hesitant to make a move.

"You pass"

Kakashi blurted out. Sakura blinked her eyes a couple of times, before wearing a confused expression. Sasuke too was perplexed.

"But we haven't got the bells"

Sasuke internally nodded. How could they pass without even completing the objective they were given?

Kakashi's eyes never left the blonde, even when responding to them.

"I said you pass. If you don't wanna accept it, feel free to go back to the academy.... I have better things to do"

'And many things to consider'

His voice contained a tinge of chilllness. Sasuke, reading the atmosphere, just walked off toward his home. Sakura meanwhile, was still shocked to hear the news, after a while, a big grin formed on her face.

"Ya-hoo!!!"

She shouted as she ran behind Sasuke. Kakashi knelt on the ground, inspecting the blonde from head to toe. He remembered the predatory look of those golden eyes, that hollow stare. Those pair of eyes that seemed as deep as an endless abyss.

'How... How did he achieve "Trance"...?'