Amamiya Rei had never before felt so vividly what it meant to wield a max-level skill.
The moment his hand gripped the short blade, every fiber of his being—his skin, his bones, his very breath—resonated with the weapon as if blade and body were one.
His breathing began to shift—
Long, drawn-out, silent.
The surrounding air stirred.
Fallen leaves scattered.
Gathering every ounce of strength into his right foot, Rei drew in a breath so sharp and violent that the very air seemed to be torn apart.
In that instant, a streak of lightning flashed across Kakashi's vision—too sudden to comprehend.
BOOM!
A thunderous crash resounded.
Ten meters away, a towering tree was cleaved clean in half and fell with a deafening crash.
Sparks of lightning that had twined around Rei's hand and blade gradually dissipated.
Thunder Breathing: First Form — Thunderclap and Flash!
Kakashi's pupils shrank to the size of a needlepoint.
Kakashi's pupils contracted into the narrowest of points. Slowly, his gaze followed, fixing on Rei standing ten meters away, expression blank yet faintly trembling with exhilaration.
That speed—
Even he hadn't been able to react.
So fast!
It had completely surpassed the fastest movements Amamiya Rei had ever displayed in combat before!
If not for the mixture of bewilderment and faint excitement on her face, and the slightly awkward, immature way she held her blade, Kakashi might have suspected he was facing a swordsman who had spent decades honing the blade.
But then, almost immediately, Kakashi noticed how Amamiya Rei corrected her own awkward stance, smoothing out every flaw on her own.
"..."
Kakashi drew a long breath, momentarily at a loss for words.
Just as Amamiya Rei herself had claimed, she was gifted with the sword. A natural genius, to the point that Kakashi was forced to admit the truth: in swordsmanship, he had nothing to teach Rei.
But Kakashi also realized— Rei needed no teacher.
If that technique had been Rei's own creation, then surely she could continue to forge her own complete style of swordplay, a unique sword art born from instinct and brilliance. Outside instruction would only dull that radiance.
"Do you have any other techniques in mind?"
Leaning against the tree trunk, Kakashi decided to change his approach.
If he couldn't instruct her in swordsmanship, then at least he could stir inspiration, prompting her to explore deeper, sharper forms.
And Rei's eyes lit up.
"Mm!" She nodded enthusiastically.
She explained carefully, "I've rehearsed them in my head, but I don't know if I can actually pull them off."
Though her words carried uncertainty, Kakashi clearly saw the blazing confidence sparkling in Rei's radiant eyes.
This side of Rei—so vibrant, so alight with anticipation—was rare indeed.
Behind his mask, the corners of Kakashi's lips curved upward. Without even realizing it, his tone carried gentle encouragement.
"Try it," he said gently. "You'll succeed."
Amamiya Rei had no time to think about what Kakashi was feeling.
His mind was filled with only one thought:
—— Thunder Breathing is too magnificent!
I, Amamiya Rei, am the most magnificent of all!
Who agreed?
Who dares oppose?
Excellent. No objections.
Rei steadied himself once more.
Fresh air circulated through his lungs.
Lightning began to dance across his body, dazzling and radiant.
The instant he drew her blade, countless bolts of lightning erupted outward from his body.
Kakashi's vision was devoured by white brilliance; for a heartbeat, it was as though the entire forest had been set aflame by lightning.
The ear-splitting crackle of lightning mingled with the sound of trees splitting apart, echoing endlessly.
When the light faded, Kakashi's eyes widened at the sight surrounding them.
Every tree trunk surrounding Amamiya Rei bore marks—deep, sharp cuts etched into their flesh.
Only then did realization dawn on him.
What had radiated outward from Amamiya Rei's body wasn't a lightning attack—it was nothing more than simple sword strikes.
But because lightning had wrapped around her body and blade, and her sword speed was so unbelievably fast, it had looked like bolts of lightning had slashed everything in sight.
Up close, the truth was undeniable: those scars belonged to the blade.
Kakashi was so stunned, he was momentarily speechless.
In his vision, Amamiya Rei was already running toward him with her short blade in hand.
"I've only thought of these two techniques for now!"
She smiled sheepishly, though her bright, glittering gaze fixed on Kakashi with earnest fire. "But by the next training session, I'll definitely work hard to develop more techniques!"
Kakashi slowly returned to himself. His gaze fell on the short blade in her hand, and suddenly, his heart stirred.
This blade... wasn't fully suited to Rei.
What suited her better—
Was a longsword.
And in Kakashi's household, blades were never in short supply.
"Tomorrow, I'll bring you a proper longsword. For now, take this short blade back with you to practice."
Kakashi spoke directly.
Amamiya Rei's eyes lit up in delight, and she nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Kakashi-senpai!"
When Rei returned to Kushina's home after finishing his morning training, the house was eerily empty.
Neither Kushina nor Minato were anywhere to be found.
Had they already left?
Amamiya Rei spotted a note on the table, written in Kushina's hand:
—— "I've gone ahead. Don't worry."
Rei held the slip of paper, sinking into the sofa.
So... it is tonight?
The Nine-Tails' Rampage?
For a moment, his thoughts lingered heavy—until suddenly, a shadow flickered before his eyes.
He raised a brow, fixing his gaze on the shifting darkness.
Once again—Zetsu.
Like a phantom, Black Zetsu emerged from the earth, those bead-like yellow eyes locking unblinking onto Rei.
"Where is Kushina giving birth?"
No preamble, no courtesy—his words cut sharp and direct.
Rei didn't answer. Instead, sprawling lazily across the sofa, he countered with a drawling question:
"Where's my meat?"
"..."
Expressionless, Black Zetsu replied in that chilling monotone: "When Kushina's childbirth is over, she will be delivered to you. For now, just tell me the exact location."
Rei's gaze lingered on him. Something felt amiss.
By now, Kakashi should already have disclosed Kushina's childbirth date and location to Obito.
If that was the case, Obito must have already made his plans.
And as Obito's partner, Black Zetsu could not possibly be ignorant of such vital intelligence.
Then why was he asking again?
Unless...
Rei narrowed his eyes.
Could it be... a test?
Yes. Most likely a test.
Still, Rei gave him the location Kushina had entrusted him with.
Black Zetsu's expression took on its usual scheming look—but upon closer inspection, there was a flicker of satisfaction on his darkened face.
"..." Rei pressed his lips together.
So it really had been a test.
"Don't wander around tonight."
Black Zetsu suddenly warned her.
"..." Rei blinked.
What was that supposed to mean? Did he think Rei would get in the way?
"Don't forget—you are our spy left inside Konoha."
Black Zetsu knew well that the creature before him had questionable intelligence.
If it were to foolishly insert itself into the chaos of the Nine-Tails' Rampage, its cover could be shattered. Should that happen—should this 'beast' be sealed away or captured before fulfilling its purpose—then all of Zetsu's careful investments, all the endless feeding and coaxing, would have been for nothing.
***