"Huh~"
Kakashi placed his saber at his waist, closed his eyes, and calmed his mind.
The next second, he instantly disappeared from everyone's sight!
When his figure reappeared, there was only the thunder from his saber, slashing toward Hiruzen's chest!
Hiss!
At the critical moment, Hiruzen pulled out a special kunai in his right hand and raised it to block.
A wind blade extended from the kunai and collided with the lightning, the two forces grinding against each other, annihilating on contact.
"Nice speed!"
"You're able to master the Hatake sword technique to this degree at your age. Sakumo really did raise a fine son."
Hiruzen praised.
Although the two stood opposed, Hiruzen's confidence in his own strength made him slip into his usual habit—lecturing a junior in the middle of combat.
But while his words praised, his hands showed no mercy.
The wind blade on his special kunai grew sharper, almost solid, pushing back the lightning wrapped around Kakashi's sword!
Click!
A clear sound, like jade shattering.
Kakashi's ordinary blade, pushed to its limit, broke apart in his hands!
He pulled back instantly, barely avoiding the wind blade aimed for his chest.
"Haha, Kakashi, the quality of your blade is a bit poor. Could it be that the salary of Anbu's captain isn't enough for a proper weapon? Minato, this won't do. You'll make the subordinates lose faith."
Hiruzen chuckled, his tone mocking.
Kakashi's brows furrowed.
The village's finances had always been managed by Utatane Koharu, and Minato needed the Third Hokage's approval to use public funds. To keep the village running smoothly, Minato often covered half the expenses out of his own salary.
Kakashi, in solidarity, donated half of his as well.
Moved by this, the younger Anbu followed their example, giving part of their pay to ease the strain on Konoha.
A rare and admirable thing.
And now Hiruzen twisted it, making it sound like Minato was withholding Anbu's pay… as if their captains left them too broke to even buy a decent sword.
That stung.
Careless…
He'd been so focused on testing himself against Hiruzen without relying on his trump cards, he forgot the most basic fact: his sword was ordinary steel.
In real combat, either his enemies were weak and died instantly, or they were strong enough to make him fight full-force, coating his blade in Lightning Chakra so it never broke. Over time, he'd simply ignored the sword's actual durability.
As for why he didn't use his father's White Fang short blade?
Simple. It's too short. I like them long. Make of that what you will.
Whoosh!
A pitch-black sword flew in from the left, stabbing into the ground at Kakashi's feet.
"…?"
Kakashi turned, only to meet a pair of golden, snake-like eyes glimmering with amusement.
Uncle Snake had arrived mid-experiment to watch the show.
"Kakashi-kun, this demon sword Muramasa was something I stumbled upon while collecting Kusanagi blades. As they say, a fine blade belongs in a fine hand. I've no use for it, so… take it."
Orochimaru licked his lips, chuckling. "By the way, sensei is very strong. Do be careful."
"Orochimaru!"
Hiruzen's voice carried clear anger.
His most beloved disciple had just handed a cursed weapon to the opponent right in front of him. If Hiruzen's earlier words hinted that Minato couldn't care for his men, then Orochimaru's act was the exact opposite—openly supporting Kakashi.
A slap to the face, delivered in public.
"Haha, sensei. Kakashi is still a teenager. You already have the advantage of age and experience. Suppressing him with chakra-forged blades hardly seems fair. I only want to make the game even. After all, I look forward to seeing how far Kakashi-kun can go."
Orochimaru's hoarse voice carried amusement.
"Snort!"
Hiruzen only gave a cold snort, saying no more. He couldn't deny it—Orochimaru had a point.
"Thanks, Uncle Snake."
Kakashi smirked.
Normally, nothing could drag Orochimaru away from his lab. If he came running now, it wasn't for the fight itself—it was for him.
That thought was oddly warming.
Still, when Kakashi gripped the hilt of Muramasa, a surge of malice and hunger stabbed into his mind. Blood… the blade demanded it.
A lesser man would have been consumed immediately.
Kakashi, however, pressed his thumb against the edge, drawing blood across the cursed steel.
The black blade pulsed scarlet, murderous aura exploding outward.
Oh. So I just unlocked the "murder everything" setting? Nice.
He recalled the legends—Muramasa, a blade that devoured blood and energy, feeding its wielder, but twisted with such murderous will that many owners were driven insane.
Uncle Snake hadn't even given him a warning. Guess he really does trust me not to go nuts. Or maybe he just wants to see if I do. Classic Uncle Snake.
Kakashi gave a half-shrug. Trust or guinea pig—it felt about the same.
"In that case…"
"The Third Gate—Gate of Life—open!"
"Hundred Healings Mark, Release!"
"Sage Mode, activate!"
"Sage Art: Lightning Style Armor!"
Azure lightning erupted across Kakashi's body, every hair standing on end, his sword now a conduit of divine thunder.
"…Sage Mode?"
Hiruzen's pupils contracted. The aura Kakashi now exuded made even him feel a flicker of unease.
Before he could process it, Kakashi vanished.
Fast—!
Hiruzen barely had time to register before—
Slash!
Blood sprayed as his body was cut cleanly in two.
But Kakashi didn't relax.
And sure enough, the bisected body crumbled into mud.
Earth Clone.
"Earth Style: Earth Flowing River!"
The ground beneath Kakashi shifted, turning into a rushing stream of mud that tried to swallow him whole.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb!"
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bomb!"
Hiruzen's seals blurred, his counterattack immediate.
A massive earth dragon rose from the river, spitting boulders, while a roaring fire dragon's breath followed, fusing with the earth technique.
The combined flames and mud swallowed Kakashi in an instant, leaving behind only a burning, clay-like husk.
It had appeared—Hiruzen's signature collaboration jutsu, Earth-Dragon Flame Stream. A technique so demanding, it usually required multiple elite Anbu working in tandem.
The watching Anbu felt their blood surge.
This was their Hokage—the Professor, the strongest of them all.
How dare anyone challenge his authority?