[Read up to Chapter - 84 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Although he had only just returned, Sakumo had already heard the news—Uchiha Kanzou had become the new Patriarch of the Uchiha clan.
Whether Kanzou was the patriarch or not didn't matter to Sakumo. What did matter was why he had suddenly come here. After all, there was no friendship between them, and judging by Kanzou's demeanour, this visit was clearly not friendly.
Forcing open the front door without a word was anything but courteous.
"What do you want?" Sakumo asked, his voice calm but firm.
"Konoha's White Fang," Kanzou began, "I've taken a great interest in your kenjutsu. Would you be willing to teach me?"
The moment those words left Kanzou's mouth, Sakumo's expression turned cold. "The Kenjutsu passed down through my family is not something I'll teach to outsiders. You are not welcome here. Please leave."
Sakumo was a man of calm temperament.
Had it been someone more hot-headed, they likely would've already drawn their blade at such a presumptuous request.
Asking to be taught the Hatake family's kenjutsu right off the bat—how absurd.
Even if Sakumo were to take on a disciple, there was no guarantee he'd pass on the Hatake Kenjutsu. That legacy was meant solely for his son, Hatake Kakashi.
"I'm not planning to leave so easily," Kanzou said as he slowly drew Ryūjin Jakka.
"What is the meaning of this?" Seeing Kanzou unsheathe his blade, Sakumo's eyes sharpened, fixed intently on him.
Judging by Kanzou's posture, it looked like he was prepared for a fight. If Kanzou truly wanted to cross blades, Sakumo didn't mind teaching him a lesson.
Sakumo had full confidence in his strength.
"Hatake Sakumo-dono… I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to happen to your son," Kanzou added darkly.
That single sentence immediately lit a fire in Sakumo's eyes. 'Is he threatening me with… my son?'
"I suggest you take those words back," he warned, voice low and steely.
Kanzou merely chuckled. "Ha ha," and activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan.
He already knew Hatake Sakumo would never willingly pass down his family's Kenjutsu.
So, he had no choice but to copy it with his Sharingan. But to do that, Hatake Sakumo needed to engage him in combat.
Kanzou said coldly, "Sakumo-dono, are you ignoring the fact that I can find an excuse to arrest Hatake Kakashi and put him behind bars? Do you think a four or five-year-old boy would still cry out 'Tou-san' from inside the prison cell?"
"You are asking for it," Sakumo growled.
Already in a foul mood, Kanzou's provocation pushed him over the edge.
With a flash of white, the famed short blade of the White Fang was drawn in an instant, slicing toward Kanzou like lightning.
"What great speed…" Kanzou muttered, raising Ryūjin Jakka to block the strike.
Sakumo's White Fang was no ordinary weapon—it was a specially crafted chakra short sword, designed to conduct chakra with remarkable efficiency. A rare and powerful ninja tool, not just anyone could wield it.
White Fang radiated a brilliant white chakra light with every swing. Each slash of the blade was sharp, swift, and deadly.
Despite being on the defensive, Kanzou appeared remarkably composed. While his pure Kenjutsu skills were indeed inferior to Sakumo's, he had one crucial advantage—his Sharingan.
Even with just the Three Tomoe Sharingan activated, Kanzou could clearly trace the path of each of Sakumo's strikes.
Within moments, the two had already exchanged dozens of blows. As the battle continued, Kanzou grew increasingly adept at handling his sword.
Being a natural genius, his learning speed was extraordinary.
As he clashed with Sakumo, Kanzou began to understand the key characteristic of Hatake Kenjutsu—the speed.
Without his Sharingan, keeping up with Sakumo's swift movements would have been nearly impossible, at least when relying solely on Kenjutsu.
But now, Kanzou was adapting quickly. With each pass of the blade, he not only held his ground but also began to discreetly learn and internalise Sakumo's sword style.
Sakumo was growing increasingly alarmed. He had heard of Uchiha Kanzou's talent before, and while he had acknowledged that Kanzou might one day surpass him, he hadn't expected Kanzou to already be this powerful.
This wasn't just quasi-Kage-level strength—Kanzou had undeniably reached Kage-level.
And Sakumo wasn't holding back. Enraged and going all out, he had used his full strength. Yet, Kanzou was keeping up with ease.
'Nothing is indestructible, but speed is unbeatable, is that it?' Kanzou mused inwardly, beginning to grasp the essence of Hatake Kenjutsu.
With such blistering speed and precision, it was likely that Sakumo's swordsmanship could even slice through ninjutsu.
Of course, Sakumo rarely relied on head-on combat. His short blade wasn't designed for prolonged frontal engagements. It excelled in stealth and surprise—striking swiftly from the shadows where no one could react in time.
Clang!
Ryūjin Jakka clashed violently against White Fang's short blade. Sparks flew.
Sakumo was forced to retreat, flipping gracefully in mid-air before landing lightly on his feet like a watchful civet cat.
Gripping the White Fang short blade with both hands, Hatake Sakumo's arms trembled slightly.
Across from him, Kanzou held Ryūjin Jakka in one hand, his arm also quivering from the clash.
"You've got some strength," Kanzou remarked.
"You've got even more," Sakumo replied, eyeing Kanzou like he was some kind of monster.
"Let's go again."
A surge of lightning sparked at Sakumo's legs—Lightning Style Chakra coursed through his muscles, amplifying his speed. In a flash, he lunged forward, aiming his blade straight for Kanzou's throat.
But Kanzou remained calm. He raised his sword with one hand to block and simultaneously performed a one-handed hand sign. 'Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu' erupted toward Sakumo.
Yet the Sakumo who took the hit vanished in a puff of smoke—poof.
A Shadow Clone.
But Kanzou, his Sharingan spinning, scoffed, "Under my eyes, nothing is hidden."
Twisting his body sharply, Kanzou channelled power from his waist into his arm and swung Ryūjin Jakka behind him—right at the real Hatake Sakumo, who had reappeared for a surprise attack.
Only Sakumo's lightning-fast reflexes saved him.
Had he been a second slower to block, that strike would have taken his life.
Sakumo was half-kneeling on the ground, a long groove carved into the earth behind him—the result of being forcefully knocked back.
"Sharingan…" he muttered, head lowered.
The Uchiha clan's dōjutsu was truly something to envy.
In this world, those with Kekkei Genkai always held an edge over those without—and among them, the Sharingan was undoubtedly one of the most powerful.
During the battle, Sakumo had felt the full weight of that disadvantage.
The Genjutsus cast by the Sharingan can lead to terrifying yet instantaneous outcomes.
For this reason, he hadn't dared to make direct eye contact with Kanzou even once.
It was common knowledge in the ninja world—when fighting a Uchiha, avoid their gaze at all costs.
Just a moment of eye contact could mean falling into a Genjutsu, and even a second's delay could be fatal.
Kanzou slowly sheathed Ryūjin Jakka.
"The Hatake clan's Kenjutsu really lives up to its name. It was a pleasure exchanging blows with you. But sadly," Kanzou added with a pointed tone, "even if I wanted to continue learning from you… I doubt there'll be another opportunity."
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Read up to Chapter - 84 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]