243-Handicap

The sound of footsteps echoed softly across the stone floors of the ANBU base as Yano, Renjiro, and Kakashi moved into a training hall.

Renjiro, with his red hair catching the dull glow of the lanterns, couldn't help but glance at Kakashi beside him. The boy stood poised, a mask covering his face but with an unmistakable intensity radiating from his visible eyes.

Yano halted abruptly, turning to face the two shinobi. "Since you'll be working together in the same squad, it's only fitting that I evaluate your combat abilities," he said, his tone firm yet even. His eyes flicked from Renjiro to Kakashi.

"We'll do that by having you two spar. You two will fight, and I'll observe. I need to see how you handle yourselves against each other."

Kakashi, standing with his hands loosely at his sides, tensed slightly at the thought. His visible eye narrowed as he glanced at Renjiro.

'A fight?'

The idea piqued his interest, but there was a nagging sense of competition simmering beneath the surface. Kakashi had always been driven to prove himself—to show that despite his age, he could surpass those older and supposedly stronger than him.

And now, facing someone like Renjiro, whom Minato and others spoke so highly of, he couldn't help but feel a surge of competitiveness rise within him.

Before they could begin, Yano stepped closer to Renjiro and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"One thing, Renjiro," he said, his voice low but commanding. "You are not to use your Sharingan."

Renjiro blinked, taken aback by the instruction. "What? Why?"

Kakashi, who had been preparing himself mentally for the upcoming spar, stiffened at Yano's words.

'Does he think Renjiro is stronger than me?' Kakashi thought, irritation flickering in his mind.

The idea that Yano was placing some kind of handicap on Renjiro sent a ripple of frustration through him. He was eager to prove himself against the older shinobi, but now it seemed like Yano was holding Renjiro back. Unable to contain his curiosity, Kakashi asked the question that had formed in his mind.

"Why?" Kakashi said bluntly, his voice colder than he intended. "Why does he need to hold back?"

Yano turned his head slightly to look at Kakashi, his expression unreadable.

"Because in the ANBU, we operate in secrecy. Renjiro's Sharingan is too recognizable. It could be traced back to Konoha." he said.

'And it could be traced back to me as well,'

Renjiro's gaze darkened slightly as he caught onto what Yano implied.

The Sharingan wasn't just a tool of power—it was a symbol of the Uchiha clan, and using it indiscriminately would leave a trail. He had to get used to not using it a lot, which would be hard for him.

Yano's tone softened, but there was still an edge of seriousness. "You're allowed to use it only as a last resort, Renjiro. And only when you're certain your target won't live to tell the tale."

'No Sharingan,' Renjiro thought, 'That's fine. I can manage without it.'

Renjiro nodded, a small, grim smile playing on his lips. "Understood."

Kakashi stood silent, feeling a surge of determination. 'So he's holding back the Sharingan? Fine.'

Yano stepped back, giving them both space in the centre of the training hall. "Whenever you're ready," he said simply.

Kakashi took the initiative and darted forward, his kunai flashing in the dim light as he struck at Renjiro's midsection.

"Clang!"

Renjiro deflected the blow with his own kunai, his movements fluid, almost casual.

The metallic clash of steel echoed through the room as their blades met again and again, neither gaining the upper hand in those first few moments.

Renjiro's eyes narrowed slightly as he countered Kakashi's swift, precise attacks.

'He's fast,' Renjiro thought, assessing the boy's speed and agility.

Kakashi moved with the grace of a seasoned shinobi, despite his young age. His strikes were sharp, clean, and well-timed, but Renjiro could tell that they were just probing each other's reflexes. There was no real intent to harm, at least not yet.

Suddenly, Kakashi feinted left and launched a kunai with his right hand, aiming for Renjiro's shoulder. Renjiro dodged with ease, pivoting on his heel and countering with a swift roundhouse kick aimed at Kakashi's head.

"Whoosh!"

The air hissed as the kick sailed toward Kakashi, but the boy was already gone, flipping backwards with catlike reflexes to avoid the blow.

They broke apart, their eyes locking for a brief moment. Both knew that the real fight hadn't started yet.

Renjiro moved first this time, charging at Kakashi with surprising speed. His fist shot out toward Kakashi's midsection, but Kakashi spun on his heel, dodging the blow with millimetre precision.

Renjiro didn't relent, launching a barrage of swift punches and kicks, each aimed to test Kakashi's defences. But Kakashi was slippery, his movements quick and efficient as he evaded each strike.

'He's got good reflexes,' Renjiro thought as he pressed Kakashi harder.

With a sudden burst of chakra, Renjiro's speed increased, his movements becoming a blur. He appeared behind Kakashi in an instant, his hand raised to strike—but Kakashi was ready.

"Clang!"

A kunai blocked Renjiro's hand just in time, the force of the impact sending Kakashi skidding backwards across the stone floor.

Renjiro smirked. 'He's talented, no doubt about it.'

Meanwhile, Kakashi was frowning behind his mask.

'He's not even using his Sharingan, yet I can't break through his defences.'

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, his mind working quickly to come up with a strategy. Raw power wasn't going to win this fight—not against someone like Renjiro. He needed to outthink him, outmanoeuvre him.

With that thought, Kakashi leapt back, forming a series of hand signs.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!" he called, slamming his hand onto the ground.

A bolt of lightning shot forward, forming into the shape of a snarling wolf that charged at Renjiro with crackling ferocity. The air hummed with the sharp scent of ozone as the lightning wolf surged forward, its fangs bared and ready to strike.

Renjiro's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the jutsu, but he reacted quickly.

"Earth Release: Mud Wall!" he called, slamming his palms to the ground.

"Boom!"

A wall of solid earth erupted from the ground in front of Renjiro, blocking the lightning wolf just before it could strike. The two jutsu clashed with a thunderous crack, sending sparks and debris flying through the air.

But Kakashi wasn't done. He had already moved, darting around the side of the mud wall to flank Renjiro.

'He's clever,' Renjiro thought, a grin forming on his lips. 'But not clever enough.'

Renjiro ducked just as Kakashi's kunai whizzed past his head, the blade missing by inches. He spun on his heel, sweeping his leg out to trip Kakashi, but the boy was already in the air, flipping over Renjiro's leg with ease. Kakashi landed lightly on his feet, his eyes narrowed as he prepared for the next exchange.

From the sidelines, Yano watched in silence, his arms crossed over his chest. He had expected Kakashi to be formidable, but what he was seeing was beyond his expectations.

The boy's ingenuity and quick thinking were impressive, especially for someone so young. But Renjiro... Renjiro had grown too. His movements were refined, precise, and lacked the youthful recklessness that clouded him during their previous missions together.

'They're both strong,' Yano thought, a small smile tugging at his lips.

'But there's still room to grow.'

The spar continued, with Renjiro and Kakashi exchanging blows in a whirlwind of motion. Renjiro's strength and speed were undeniable, but Kakashi's agility and quick thinking kept him in the fight.

Every time Renjiro seemed to gain the upper hand, Kakashi would counter with a clever move, closing the gap between their abilities.

But as the fight wore on, it became clear that Renjiro's fighting experience, chakra reserves and raw power were beginning to overwhelm Kakashi.

Despite the boy's ingenuity, he couldn't break through Renjiro's defences. Sweat dripped down Kakashi's face as he struggled to keep up, his breaths coming faster and faster.

'He's strong,'

Kakashi thought, frustration gnawing at him. 'Stronger than I expected.'

Renjiro, for his part, was impressed. 'He's good,' he thought, his eyes narrowing as he blocked another of Kakashi's strikes.

'Really good. If Kakashi is this talented, I can't wait to meet Itachi.'

But even with Kakashi's talent, it was clear that the older shinobi had the upper hand. Renjiro's movements were fluid and controlled, his strikes powerful and precise. He wasn't even using his Sharingan, and yet Kakashi couldn't break through.

'Boom!'

Renjiro's fist connected with Kakashi's kunai, sending the boy skidding backwards once more. Kakashi's eyes widened in frustration.

But before the fight could escalate further, Yano's voice cut through the air like a sharp wind.

"That's enough."

Both shinobi froze, breathing heavily as they turned to face Yano. The ANBU captain stepped forward, his arms still crossed over his chest.

"Your combat abilities are acceptable," Yano said, his tone calm but final.

Renjiro blinked, surprised by the word acceptable.

'Acceptable?' After all that, the term felt like an insult.

Kakashi, too, was offended.

'Acceptable?' he thought, his frustration barely concealed behind his mask. He had given it his all, and yet Yano had only deemed it "acceptable"?

Yano, oblivious to their offended expressions, continued. "We'll meet every day for training. Your first mission will be in a week. Be ready."

With that, Yano turned and left the training hall, leaving Renjiro and Kakashi standing in silence. Renjiro glanced at Kakashi, who stood with his arms crossed, his eye glaring at the ground.

"You're strong," Renjiro said after a moment, his voice low but genuine. "I can see why they talk about you."

Kakashi didn't respond, but his visible eye flicked upward to meet Renjiro's gaze. For a moment, there was a quiet understanding between them—one born of respect, despite the rivalry that simmered beneath the surface.

Renjiro too was waiting for when Kakashi would mature up, maybe their fights then would be fun.

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