"Next pair, Zhao Yi Qianming versus Asuma Sarutobi…"
"Hold on!" Before Yamamoto Hideyoshi could finish, Zhao Yi Qianming called out, "Instructor Yamamoto, I want to challenge Kakashi Hatake!"
"Well…" Yamamoto Hideyoshi looked at Zhao Yi Qianming, then at Kakashi Hatake, feeling torn.
For over half a year, Zhao Yi Qianming had never been paired against Kakashi in live sparring, likely due to a bit of Yamamoto Hideyoshi's private caution. In his view, Zhao Yi Qianming was talented, but still a step below Kakashi.
He didn't want to match them and risk crushing Zhao Yi Qianming's confidence with a loss. Children's hearts were fragile.
"Nice!" Obito Uchiha jumped up the moment he heard the challenge and jabbed a finger at Kakashi. "What's wrong, Kakashi, you scared?"
"Fine. I accept," Kakashi stepped forward and agreed.
Yamamoto Hideyoshi had planned to refuse, but with Obito stirring the pot and Kakashi himself consenting, he no longer had grounds to deny it.
As for Asuma Sarutobi, he secretly let out a breath.
As the Hokage's son, Asuma had been arrogant at the start. On the first day he'd picked a fight with Zhao Yi Qianming. Back then they were evenly matched and both went home bruised.
But once Zhao Yi Qianming began refining Chakra, even with a top-tier jōnin coaching him, Asuma gradually fell behind.
In recent months, every practical test had ended with Asuma getting routed, which frustrated him into finally training hard at home.
"All right. Next match: Zhao Yi Qianming versus Kakashi Hatake. You two, step up," Yamamoto Hideyoshi said.
Zhao Yi Qianming strode out to face Kakashi.
"Begin with the Seal of Confrontation," Yamamoto Hideyoshi said, eyeing Zhao Yi Qianming while thinking, 'Everything about Qianming is fine, except his pride. So be it. Let Kakashi humble him a little. I'll talk to him after.'
After the seal, Zhao Yi Qianming drew a wooden Kunai and watched Kakashi warily.
Kakashi was only five, but shinobi could not be measured by common sense. A five-year-old could kill a grown man.
Though still young, Kakashi had been guided by the White Fang. Who knew how far his training had gone.
'Hm? Just my imagination?' Zhao Yi Qianming flicked his gaze toward the distance, suspicion tugging at him.
Maybe it came with being a transmigrant, or maybe it was just hyper-vigilance, but he often had hazy premonitions about his surroundings—like sensing hostility or feeling eyes on him—though he could never pin them down.
Just now he'd felt someone watching, but when he turned, he found nothing.
"Go, Kakashi!" Rin cheered nearby, face flushed with excitement.
"Hmph!" Seeing that, Obito Uchiha shouted at once, "Let's go, Qianming! Knock that jerk Kakashi into the sky!"
Chapter Six Match With Kakashi (2 / 2)
"Let's settle it today," Zhao Yi Qianming ignored the noise around him. His left hand flashed out two Shuriken at a tricky angle toward Kakashi, and he himself surged forward.
While sprinting, he flung two more Shuriken at the leaping Kakashi.
Thup! Thup!
To Zhao Yi Qianming's surprise, before Kakashi could react in midair, the blades struck home!
"Kakashi!" Rin cried, worried.
"Whoa! Qianming, you killed him!" Obito yelled, aghast.
"Quiet and watch," Yamamoto Hideyoshi snapped under his breath.
Poof!
As he spoke, the 'Kakashi' pinned by Shuriken puffed into a cut log.
"Fast Substitution Technique," Zhao Yi Qianming muttered, frowning.
Seeing the target turn into a training stump, he instantly pivoted toward his back.
Sure enough, Kakashi's attack was already upon him.
Kakashi's right wrist gave a small twist. The Kunai in his hand traced a perfect curve through the air and in a blink hovered at Zhao Yi Qianming's throat. It was so fast he almost failed to react.
A sharp backbend took him under the strike. Using the snap of his own wrist, Zhao Yi Qianming flicked his Kunai at Kakashi and forced him to retreat.
They opened distance. Both stared, intent. The playfulness was gone.
Zhao Yi Qianming hadn't expected a five-year-old Kakashi to have such excellent combat instincts. No wonder he would become the era's brightest prodigy.
Kakashi, meanwhile, hadn't expected that despite his strict training under his father, facing a civilian student could feel this troublesome.
"Ha!"
Moments later they clashed again, bursting into a fierce Taijutsu exchange.
Steel rang in the air as Kunai met Kunai. Their figures flashed and traded space. Neither yielded an inch.
After tasting Kakashi's style firsthand, Zhao Yi Qianming had to admit that in raw attributes Kakashi held the edge. Zhao Yi Qianming had trained hard, but compared to lessons from the White Fang, what he'd learned was limited.
He had his own advantage, though: an adult's mind. He didn't rattle in battle and could manage his state. Even when he'd never seen a move before, he kept solving it on the fly.
Kakashi's fundamentals were excellent, but his age showed. Give these same techniques to a fighter with real field experience and Zhao Yi Qianming would likely already be dead.
Kakashi's lack of live combat was the opening Zhao Yi Qianming needed.
"Go, Kakashi!"
"Go, Qianming!"
Cheers rose in waves around them. Their duel set blood boiling.