The Value of Konoha’s White Fang

Thousand Years of Death!

Obito and Guy gasped upon hearing the name. The fact that Konoha's White Fang created it and that it was a secret Jutsu showed its extraordinary nature. They couldn't wait to learn this Thousand Years of Death and test its power on Kakashi.

With eager eyes, they watched as Natsuhiko snapped his fingers and began the lesson using projection Jutsus. Two small figures appeared beside him. This time, instead of using his projection, Natsuhiko projected images of Obito and Kakashi. Obito watched in amazement as he and Kakashi engaged in a fierce taijutsu battle within the projection.

Suddenly, the Kakashi projection swung and missed while the Obito projection accelerated behind him, crouched, and made a hand sign with crossed fingers.

"It's the Tiger Seal! Is Sensei about to teach us a legendary nin-taijutsu?" Obito exclaimed excitedly to Gai.

Then, with a sudden thrust, the Obito projection struck. Kakashi's projection fell to the ground with his butt high up, eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth, and twitching slightly.

**Hiss—!** 

Obito and Guy both felt a tightening sensation and drew a sharp breath. Guy stepped back a few paces, covering himself protectively, and cried out to Obito, "Don't come near me!"

"I didn't, I wouldn't. Stop jumping to conclusions!" Obito hurriedly clarified, then turned to Natsuhiko with a trembling voice. Sensei, is this the Thousand Years of Death you're teaching us?"

Natsuhiko gravely replied, "Indeed, making an enemy feel the pain of a thousand years' death is aptly named the Thousand Years of Death."

The two were speechless. 

Are they aptly named?

Why give such a formidable name to such a vulgar Jutsu?

Trying to maintain a polite smile, Obito said, "Natsuhiko Sensei, surely you're joking? No matter how much I dislike Kakashi, I wouldn't use such a Jutsu on him."

Using it would ensure that there were no real winners in the fight.

Natsuhiko waved his hand, "I didn't intend for you actually to use it on Kakashi. It's enough to make him believe you might."

Seeing their confusion, Natsuhiko explained further, "A ninja's battle can change in an instant; even a moment of hesitation can alter the outcome. Human attention is limited. If Kakashi focuses most of his attention on defending against the Thousand Years of Death, he'll be slower to react to your other actions, creating an opening."

"But Sensei," Obito looked troubled, "couldn't other Jutsus achieve the same effect?"

It felt like another one of Natsuhiko's peculiar whims. 

Natsuhiko remained severe, "To pursue victory; you must commit fully. This Jutsu, although difficult to land, has unparalleled deterrence because no one can withstand its consequences. More importantly, this Jutsu holds special significance for Kakashi as his father, Sakumo Hatake, developed it. This means Kakashi will be particularly on guard against it, diverting more of his attention."

Obito and Guy found Natsuhiko's reasoning oddly convincing. If they knew their opponent was intent on using such a move, they'd be on high alert, affecting even their fighting style. Sure, kicks might become too risky.

Still, Obito had doubts. After hesitating, he asked, "But Sensei, is this really invented by Kakashi's father, the esteemed Konoha's White Fang?"

"Isn't he a renowned ninja, even acknowledged by the Sannin as superior?"

Natsuhiko smiled wryly, "Thinking that powerful ninja won't use underhanded Jutsus is a naïve belief. Remember, creating false information can be as crucial as any combat skill. If you assume an opponent won't use such moves, you might already be falling into their trap."

Obito and Guy felt a chill, picturing Sakumo with a mischievous grin, holding his short White Fang sword, and targeting behinds…

"Turns out Konoha's White Fang was like this!"

However, Natsuhiko clarified, "White Fang didn't use Thousand Years of Death in such a manner. If he could get behind an opponent, he'd finish them with his blade. This Jutsu was actually designed for large summon beasts or wild animals. You learned about the tough creatures in the ninja world during your studies. White Fang, being more of a traditional assassin, wasn't well-suited for such enemies. He adopted hunting methods from pack predators, having allies distract the beasts while he struck their weak points from behind. That's the origin of the Jutsu."

"Therefore, the Sannin acknowledged White Fang's prowess. His reputation in the summoning world isn't great; even the Three Great Sage Regions' beasts prefer to avoid fighting him."

Obito and Guy didn't know whether to feel proud of White Fang's formidable reputation.

Natsuhiko continued, "After graduation, you'll face missions involving wild beasts. This Jutsu might come in handy. White Fang summarised his experiences into a guideline for us: 'Many fur, weak to fire; large body, weak to gates; heavy armour, weak to lightning; fat body, weak to...'"

"If you want to know more, White Fang's book 'The Chrysanthemum and the Sword' has detailed explanations."

Obito shook his head, feeling he already knew too much. Guy, however, was intrigued, as he also struggled against giant beasts as a taijutsu specialist.

Perhaps combining Eight Gates and Thousand Years of Death could yield surprising results.

Natsuhiko smiled at Obito, "Do you still doubt White Fang invented this Jutsu?"

Obito shamefully shook his head.

"Good," Lunchtime is nearly over. Let me teach you the essentials. Besijitsuhe Jutsu, you need to make Kakashi believe you'll use it against him."

He produced a training dummy resembling Kakashi and instructed Obito on his plan.

Obito looked at the Kakashi dummy, feeling increasingly exasperated…

Later that day, in a secluded grove, Obito practised Thousand Years of Death on the Kakashi dummy for over two hours before limping away. Meanwhile, Kakashi, who had been watching from a tree, stood up dazedly. His initial anger had turned to suspicion and then to cold fear.

Was his treatment of Obito too harsh?

What kind of grudge would drive Obito to this extent?

Kakashi dismissed the idea of Obito considering him a best friend.

What friend would train on a dummy like that?

It confirmed his belief that the Uchiha clan was insane, and Obito was no exception.

Where did Obito learn this Jutsu?

Didn't he know it was for wild beasts, not classmates?

Kakashi felt compelled to address his concerns. Though he doubted such a Jutsu hit him, the image of Obito's expressionless face, as he practised, haunted him, stirring a rare fear.

The thought of being hit by that move in front of others…

Shiver.

Kakashi felt no eagerness for the upcoming duel with Obito…

(Chapter end)

I am back after a short break, as my laptop was completely fucked up. I did not get any support on my Patreon, so I did some minor fixes to my device, and here I am. The fiction will be updated on a regular basis now.

Chapters 128-125 are up on my Patreon.

Chapter 105 is free on my Patreon.

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