Chapter 177 – Scaring Kakashi
Kakashi's genjutsu had absolutely no effect on Naruto and Sakura.
In the shinobi world, there were three names that stood at the pinnacle of genjutsu mastery.
The first was Uchiha Shisui, wielder of Kotoamatsukami, the most powerful genjutsu capable of permanently altering someone's will.
The second was Uzumaki Naruto, with his divine-level "Asura Reincarnation"—and the one and only user of the Kekkei Genkai known as Talk no Jutsu, capable of shaking even the strongest enemy's conviction.
And the third... was perhaps the most terrifying of all: Haruno Sakura with her self-cast genjutsu—Kotoamatsukami: Sakura.
Unlike the others, Sakura didn't cast it on enemies—she used it on herself. Even when Naruto had mastered full control over Kurama and entered Sage Mode, and Sasuke had awakened his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Sakura still believed she had caught up to them.
That alone showed how terrifying her self-hypnosis genjutsu truly was.
Within moments, Sakura and Naruto dispelled Kakashi's illusion. Sakura wasted no time. She punched a nearby tree with all her strength, shattering it completely—revealing Kakashi's hiding spot behind it.
"Now!" Naruto seized the moment, charging forward with a massive Ōdama Rasengan.
But Kakashi vanished in a flash—using Soru to sidestep the attack and escape the pincer strike.
He landed several meters away, and in one fluid motion, his hands blurred through a series of hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
A colossal dragon made of surging water formed behind him, roaring as it crashed toward them.
Naruto met it head-on with his Rasengan.
Kakashi didn't pause. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he called, forming another set of seals in a flash. A huge sphere of flame surged forth.
Sakura stepped in, driving her fist into the fireball and scattering the flames with sheer force. Then, she slammed the ground, shaking the entire field.
"Geppō!" Kakashi soared upward, using air-step techniques like climbing invisible stairs.
Naruto followed, forming hand signs.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Multiple clones burst into existence midair. Working in perfect sync, they hurled Naruto upward by launching each other like a human slingshot.
Kakashi's eyes sharpened. "Rankyaku!"
With a sharp kick, a crescent blade of compressed wind chakra tore through the sky, slicing down several clones in an instant.
But Sakura wasn't done. She pulled out a massive shuriken and hurled it with all her strength.
Kakashi twisted his body midair, dodging it—but just as it spun behind him, the shuriken transformed.
It was Naruto!
"Ōdama Rasengan!"
Naruto struck from behind with the oversized Rasengan, but—
"Black Lightning: Chidori!" A jagged spear of black lightning surged from Kakashi's hand.
The two forces collided. Sparks and chakra exploded outward. The Rasengan and Chidori canceled each other out, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
"Iron Body!" Kakashi's body hardened like steel as he fell from the sky.
But just before hitting the ground, he slowed his fall and landed safely.
Sakura leaped up from behind.
"Tenshukyaku!" she cried, her leg descending with brutal force.
Kakashi raised his forearms—now coated in Armament Haki—and blocked the strike with crossed arms.
But before he could recover, Naruto and his clones closed in.
Each clone held a swirling sphere of chakra.
"Rasengan Barrage!"
Caught off guard by the relentless flurry, Kakashi was finally pushed back.
Outside the ring, Hatake Yusuke shook his head.
"Jiraiya-nii… how the hell did you mess up like this? Rasengan was supposed to be a seal-less technique. You turned it into something that needs hand signs and clone coordination."
Jiraiya scratched his head. "Don't blame me. The brat's chakra reserves are insane—plus, with Nine-Tails' chakra mixed in, his control's all over the place. This was the only way to stabilize it."
Back in the arena, Kakashi grew more serious. He drew a slender blade from his back.
"Hatake Style: Slash—Lotus."
With a lightning-fast movement, he cut down the clones. Sakura and Naruto pulled back, hiding behind a shattered tree.
But Kakashi didn't pursue.
Instead… he opened his book and began reading again.
"Looks like it's over," Shikamaru muttered. "There's no way they can beat Kakashi-sensei now."
Kakashi had the upper hand in everything—battle experience, raw power, ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu—and even intelligence.
There was simply no opening.
Unless… someone overpowered him entirely.
"You're wrong, kid," Hatake Yusuke said softly. "This exam isn't over yet."
"Wait… you think they still have a chance?" Shikamaru asked, surprised.
Even Tsunade turned to Yusuke. She wasn't so sure herself.
"Kakashi is strong. But he has a fatal weakness. The only question is—will that knucklehead figure it out?"
Yusuke smirked.
He knew Kakashi better than anyone.
Moments later, Naruto and Sakura stepped forward confidently.
"Oh? Are you surrendering?" Kakashi asked, lifting his gaze from the book.
"Of course not," Naruto grinned. "But Kakashi-sensei, that book you're reading… I already finished it."
He took a deep breath, then blurted out the ending of the story—loudly.
"THE PLOT TWIST IS—XXXXOOOOOOO—!!"
"NOOOOO!!" Kakashi dropped his book, covering his ears in agony.
But it was too late.
He instinctively turned to Naruto, eyes wide. His Sharingan activated on reflex—only to betray him.
Reading lips.
"Don't look!!" Kakashi wailed, closing his eyes in despair.
When he opened them again—
Sakura was holding the bell in her hand.
"We win," Naruto smirked, nudging her shoulder.
Sakura offered a tired smile. "Kakashi-sensei… really can't be trusted."
"Hahaha! Impressive," Hatake Yusuke clapped as he approached. "You two actually beat him. Well done."
"Uncle Yusuke!"
"Master Yusuke," Sakura added, bowing politely—something she'd picked up from Shizune.
"You've grown strong, Naruto," Yusuke nodded with pride.
Then, he turned to Kakashi.
"You lost to your students… because of one book?"
Kakashi looked away, pained.
"Hand it over. It's being confiscated," Yusuke said coldly.
"NO! That's my soul food!" Kakashi turned and bolted.
"You really trying to run from me?" Yusuke narrowed his eyes. "You're not a kid anymore, Kakashi…"
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"
The ground surged up, grabbing Kakashi by the legs.
He sliced through it and kept running.
"Ryūi: Heaven-Earth Tornado!"
The skies darkened. Wind whipped into massive dragons spiraling toward Kakashi.
He deflected desperately with his sword—but the sheer pressure cracked the earth below.
"Not bad. But what about this?"
Yusuke raised his hand, generating a glowing white sphere—trembling with power.
"Wait—NO!! You're using that?!"
"Yusuke!!" Tsunade's voice boomed.
She stepped between them, furious. "Do you want to destroy Konoha?!"
She recognized that power. Gura Gura no Mi—the same fruit Yusuke had once used to shake entire continents. Even now, its force was terrifying.
"Relax. I was just trying to scare him," Yusuke smiled casually.
Like it was no big deal.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
🎉 NEW YEAR SPECIAL! 🎉
🔥 20% OFF first month — Limited Time Only! 🔥
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
👉 Use code: NEWYEAR26
✅ Enjoy 95+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ 2 new chapters every day (Monday–Saturday), exclusive on Patreon
🌙 Note: Sunday is a rest day, so there will be no updates tomorrow. Regular uploads resume as usual on Monday.
Join now and dive deeper into the story—weeks ahead of public release!
Thank you for your amazing support 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —