256

Haruto stood across from Kakashi, the tension between them palpable. It had been a long time since they last sparred—back in the academy, before Kakashi had graduated after just a year. Both had been at the top of their class, Haruto following Kakashi by only a year. But as he stared at his old rival, Haruto could feel how much had changed. The boy from their academy days was gone, replaced by someone sharper, colder, and more focused—a precision that only came from real experience. Life had hardened him.

Kakashi's hand hovered near the hilt of the sword strapped to his back—a weapon Haruto hadn't seen him use before. He recognized the gleam of polished steel, the mastery in Kakashi's stance. Haruto recalled how, in the anime, Kakashi had stopped using a blade after his father's sword was destroyed, supposedly out of respect for Sakumo's tragic death. But Haruto believed there was more to it than grief alone. The Sharingan drained too much of Kakashi's chakra, limiting his versatility. Seeing Kakashi wielding a sword again meant something significant had changed. Kakashi had taken his skill to a new level.

Haruto's pulse quickened. A grin tugged at his lips, excitement bubbling in his chest, but he knew better than to take this fight lightly. Kakashi had grown stronger, faster, and this spar would test everything Haruto had gained since mastering his chakra-enhanced strength.

"Ready?" Kakashi asked, his voice calm and even, though his eyes were sharp and focused.

Haruto nodded, adjusting his grip on the kunai in his hand. His chakra hummed just beneath the surface, waiting to be released in controlled bursts. Tsunade's training had sharpened him, teaching him how to enhance his movements without exhausting himself. He wasn't the same shinobi Kakashi had sparred with in their academy days. This fight would reveal just how much Haruto had evolved.

Kakashi moved first, his body vanishing in a blur. Lightning Flicker, Haruto recognized immediately. It wasn't the same as Haruto's own Static Charge—Kakashi's technique was faster, more refined. Kakashi's speed would be hard to match, but Haruto had prepared for this. His mind split instinctively, one half tracking Kakashi's every movement while the other planned his next action.

The first strike came fast and sharp. Kakashi's sword sliced toward Haruto's side, and instinctively, Haruto raised his kunai, meeting the blow with a sharp clash of steel. Sparks flew as their weapons collided, the impact reverberating up Haruto's arm. A quick micro-burst of chakra stabilized him, grounding his stance, but Kakashi's relentless assault forced Haruto to remain on the defensive, dodging and blocking more than he could counter.

"He's faster," Haruto thought, gritting his teeth as he deflected another precise slash. Kakashi's strikes were methodical, leaving little room for a counter. "But speed alone won't win this."

Haruto's eyes followed Kakashi's movements, searching for an opening. Finally, he saw it. He surged forward, delivering a chakra-enhanced punch aimed at Kakashi's midsection. Kakashi twisted just in time, his sword flashing up to block the punch, but the sheer force of Haruto's blow sent a shockwave up the blade. Kakashi winced, his defenses cracking, and Haruto allowed himself a small smirk.

Kakashi leaped backward, putting distance between them. His expression sharpened, and with a swift series of hand seals, he unleashed his next move.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Surge!"

Electricity crackled in Kakashi's palm, surging into a concentrated bolt of lightning chakra. Haruto narrowed his eyes. This wasn't Chidori—there was no deadly intent behind it—but the technique was still dangerous. Designed to disrupt and immobilize rather than kill, the lightning chakra could disrupt an opponent's movements long enough to land a decisive blow.

"I can't let that hit me," Haruto thought, activating Static Charge. His feet crackled with energy as he boosted his speed. Kakashi was faster, that much was clear, but Haruto had his own advantage: the ability to split his focus.

As Kakashi lunged forward, his lightning-coated hand aimed directly at Haruto's chest. Haruto split his attention—one mind tracked Kakashi's strike, while the other focused on a quick defensive counter. His hands moved swiftly, one side parrying the attack with his kunai while the other started weaving seals.

At the last possible moment, Haruto sidestepped, his kunai rising to intercept Kakashi's attack. Lightning crackled between them as their jutsu collided, sparks flying in all directions. The electricity surged up Haruto's arm, but he gritted his teeth, a chakra-enhanced burst of strength keeping him grounded against the force of the blow.

Kakashi's jutsu disrupted his balance, but Haruto's dual-minds ability took over. While one half focused on keeping the lightning at bay, the other had already begun planning his next strike.

He shifted his stance, the seals now complete.

"Lightning Ball!"

Haruto's hands shot forward, releasing two spheres of electricity—one from each hand. The two simultaneous jutsu crackled toward Kakashi from opposite directions. However, just before they could reach him, Kakashi formed his own seals in a blur.

"Water Wall!" Kakashi's voice was steady as water surged up, forming a barrier. The spheres of lightning clashed with the water, electricity hissing and sparking against the watery defense, before fizzling out. Haruto smirked, impressed by Kakashi's quick response.

"He adapted fast," Haruto thought, noting the ease with which Kakashi had countered. "But he won't expect this."

The moment the water wall dropped, Haruto closed the gap with a burst of Static Charge. Kakashi's sword was raised, ready for the next exchange, but Haruto wasn't aiming for a head-on collision. His movements shifted seamlessly into the Senju Taijutsu style—fluid, unpredictable, and dangerous. He combined swift punches and chakra-enhanced kicks with the speed of his lightning techniques, each strike timed perfectly to add force just at the moment of impact.

Kakashi managed to block the first few strikes, his sword deflecting each blow with practiced precision. But Haruto's relentless assault was beginning to push him back. A well-timed chakra-enhanced kick caught Kakashi in the ribs, sending him stumbling. Haruto pressed his advantage, spinning low and aiming to sweep Kakashi's legs from beneath him.

Kakashi leaped back just in time, avoiding the sweep, but Haruto was already moving. He feinted a punch aimed at Kakashi's chest, then pivoted at the last second, driving his knee into Kakashi's side. The impact, enhanced by another burst of chakra, forced a grunt of pain from Kakashi as the air was knocked from his lungs.

Still, Kakashi wasn't one to be easily outmatched. He recovered quickly, his sword flashing in a spinning slash aimed at Haruto's midsection. Haruto's kunai met the strike just in time, but the power behind it sent him skidding back several feet.

For a moment, both shinobi paused, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped down their faces, and Haruto's arms ached from the relentless blocking and countering. His body still tingled from the residual effects of the Lightning Surge, but he wasn't about to back down.

Kakashi's expression had shifted. Where there had once been cold precision, there was now respect. "You've improved," Kakashi said, wiping the sweat from his brow. His voice was steady, but Haruto could sense the acknowledgment in his words. "But I know you're holding something back."

Haruto's breath came in ragged gasps, but he smirked. "So are you."

Kakashi's eyes crinkled slightly above his mask—Haruto knew that meant a smile. "Next time, I won't be so easy on you."

Haruto's pulse still raced with the thrill of the fight. He knew Kakashi was holding back—just as he had held back his own strongest techniques. But this had been a test, one that showed how far both of them had come since their academy days. Haruto's two-minds ability, the Senju Taijutsu, and his mastery over chakra bursts had come together in ways even he hadn't fully realized before. He was stronger now, more adaptable.

"I'll be ready," Haruto replied, his grin widening.

As the two shinobi stood there, silently acknowledging each other's strength, Haruto felt the unmistakable thrill of progress.