Haseo's fleeting thought vanished almost as soon as it formed. Regardless of circumstances, the upcoming combat training could never be a "1 vs.13" scenario.
It wasn't just about whether Haseo could win under normal conditions—it was about the very logic behind this training scenario. This extreme form of practice contradicted the core purpose of the exercise: to enhance familiarity and build "friendship" between Konoha and the Uzumaki factions. So why make it so intense?
Whether Haseo managed to take on ten opponents at once or those thirteen individuals successfully beat him in a show of teamwork, neither outcome would be acceptable. Their relationships were meant to improve through fighting—not sour. And "souring" could mean either literally knocking someone's brains out or seriously damaging their pride.
Therefore, the match format was decided shortly afterward. On Haseo's side, he stood alone. Facing him would be a four-man squad.
Sakumo Hatake, plus Ka-jin, Mokkō, and Sannai from the Uzumaki clan—exactly two men and two women.
Haseo couldn't help but give a slight nod. Actually, this arrangement might not be bad. It wasn't necessarily his sole responsibility to integrate closely with the Uzumaki members. If Sakumo Hatake could achieve that goal, then the same effect would follow. Look how naturally Sakumo Hatake had blended into the Uzumaki group? As for Haseo himself… Leaders needed to maintain some mystery. Sometimes distance was necessary between superiors and subordinates.
Well, right now, this was all Haseo could tell himself to feel better.
"Are you ready?" Haseo asked the four members of Sakumo Hatake's team.
"We're ready. Although it's somewhat rushed, this is already the best temporary configuration we can manage," Sakumo Hatake replied. "Honestly speaking, most of the Uzumaki's abilities aren't directly expressive on the battlefield." There was an obvious note of regret in his voice.
Haseo understood Sakumo Hatake's feelings, though his own view differed. He didn't see anything worth feeling regret over in this case. Combat might constitute most of a ninja's work, but not absolutely everything. If one were talking about professional positioning, the Uzumaki clan should be considered top-tier support. Once they mastered their specialties, charging headlong into frontline combat wouldn't even be necessary.
In most situations, their influence outside of direct combat far outweighed the significance of taking down just one or two enemies head-on.
"If you're ready, let's begin then…" Haseo said. "Truth is, I've been stuck recovering from injuries so long I haven't even stretched properly in ages. I've even nearly forgotten the hand seals for many ninjutsu."
As he spoke, Haseo took his stance ten meters across from the joint Konoha-Uzumaki team.
As for what Haseo had just said, Sakumo Hatake didn't believe a single word of it. This was clearly part of the psychological game—Haseo had already started pressing forward with his assault… Even though Haseo indeed had been convalescing previously, no ninja would ever forget something like basic hand seals—they were essential tools for survival. Sure, Haseo's hand seals might be more intricate and unconventional, but those quirks made them easier to recall, not harder.
Based on normal judgment, Sakumo Hatake believed that Haseo at this moment was no weaker—probably even stronger—than before his injuries.
If Uzumaki Haseo could somehow hear Sakumo's thoughts, he would undoubtedly feel very exasperated. This kid is thinking too much. Was he Haseo the kind of person who liked to confuse allies with words? Everything he said earlier was nothing but the truth. He really hadn't used his body actively for quite some time…something like six months or so. First came recovery from injuries, and then the war had ended.
"Hatake-sama, you just mentioned that Haseo's fighting style is particularly unique…could you briefly explain it?" Before the fight began, the Uzumaki ninja named Ka-jin couldn't help but finally ask…
After all, Haseo was a ninja who had previously defeated Jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts. The members of the Uzumaki clan rarely took part in The Great Ninja World War. Though talented, they lacked practical battle experience, so they felt a bit nervous.
"No need for all that formal stuff. Just call me by my name. I'm merely an ordinary member of Kagenami, just two days senior than you. As for how Haseo fights, there's actually no need for description. Even if I explained thoroughly beforehand, it wouldn't be useful—it'd only confuse you more. You won't truly get how unique he is until you see it with your own eyes," Sakumo Hatake explained.
Sakumo had already shown as much respect as possible to Haseo, his so-called "leader." His reason for withholding details of Haseo's fighting style wasn't just the publicly stated one; more importantly, he wanted Haseo to leave a deep first impression on these Uzumaki clan ninjas. From this, we can see that although Sakumo appeared cold on the outside, he certainly wasn't lacking in emotional intelligence.
Sakumo led from the front, followed by Mokkō in the center, while Ka-jin and Sannai flanked the sides. Haseo's gaze locked firmly on the four figures before him—he remained rather serious. Next, he absolutely couldn't mess up; if he did, things would go south fast.
An Uzumaki ninja stepped between the two groups and raised his hand to signal…Who was this guy again? Hakushō or Ryōshō?
"Ready…Begin!"
But now wasn't the time to focus on their code names. With Ryōshō's hand chopping down, training commenced.
The moment his hand dropped, Sakumo Hatake already unsheathed his chakra blade tanto and dashed forward while Haseo simultaneously flashed backward. Compared to Sakumo, whose body moved freely, Haseo needed to activate a ninjutsu first to obtain high-speed capabilities.
Ten meters—that distance alone gave Haseo enough space to complete his hand seals.
"It's coming. Lightning Release."
Even before Haseo completed his seals, Sannai had already relayed the related information to her teammates. Truly, the Uzumaki clan didn't lack Sensor Ninjas.
The other three charged after Sakumo too, but they lacked his sharpness—and their speed trailed far behind his.
Faint blue arcs flickered across Haseo's body. Sakumo inwardly clicked his tongue in frustration. For him, if he failed to close in on Haseo immediately at the start of the match, things were going to become a bit troublesome.
Lightning Release: Mikage was an extremely troublesome ninja taijutsu technique. It granted Haseo remarkable speed and allowed him complete freedom of movement in battle.
Sakumo Hatake, on the other hand, was a textbook bladed assassin. Lightning Release: Mikage gave Haseo such superior speed and agility that it heavily countered Sakumo in their match.
"Clang!"
The chakra-infused tanto of Hatake clashed with Haseo's longsword, producing an exceptionally crisp metallic sound.
"Damn, I can't keep up with them!"
The one behind them muttered helplessly—he didn't have Hatake's raw power or Haseo's mastery of ninja taijutsu, so he couldn't follow the two's fight properly.
But this wouldn't do. They were supposed to be sparring partners, yet now it had turned into a solo duel between two Konoha shinobi—what kind of impression would this leave on outsiders? Would the Uzumaki clan not be looked down upon because of this?
Mokkō, standing between the three, bit her lip before making a firm decision.
"I'll use [Forbidden Technique] now. You two watch our flanks while I focus on gathering my chakra."
"This... fine, we get it."
Mokkō was about to use a move that was strictly forbidden in standard combat conditions. Her teammates initially wanted to discourage her, but quickly realized—the time had come to go all out.
While exchanging blows with Sakumo Hatake, Haseo also noticed the Uzumaki trio had stopped chasing after them. Instantly, he figured out what the Uzumaki were planning.
He couldn't give the Uzumaki too much time to prepare—the longer they had, the worse his chances.
Thus, in the middle of dodging Hatake's relentless attacks, Haseo started forming hand seals.
"It's… [Earth Release]?"
[Water Release]?
[Fire Release]??
Or [Wind Release] or [Lightning Release]???!
San'nai, who had been confident in her assessment, soon found herself lost for words.
"San'nai, are you even seriously sensing the battlefield right now?"
Ka-jin stared at her, slightly exasperated. This wasn't the time to slack off—not a joking matter, even if it was just a mock battle, considering the reputation of the Uzumaki clan.
"I… I think my sensory abilities might've malfunctioned." Accusations from her teammates nearly brought San'nai to tears.
Kid, your sensing ability is actually quite accurate—you wouldn't even realize there was something wrong otherwise… The issue lies with your target.
Remember how Haseo put it? "Understand my jutsu, and you'll understand who I am as a person."
Then he started unleashing a chaotic barrage of random techniques, proving exactly what kind of unpredictable and wild individual he was.
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