But Naruto didn't retreat. Instead, he used offense as defense, once again activating the powerful taijutsu he had inherited from Might Guy. "Konoha Great Cyclone!"
*CRACK!*
The powerful blow collided violently with Kakashi's kick, and both of them felt a jolt of intense pain. But neither would back down.
"Heh, no wonder Might Guy-sensei calls you his lifelong rival!" Naruto shouted, grinning through the impact. "Your taijutsu is amazing, Kakashi-sensei!"
It was an understatement. With his own extraordinary talent and years of sparring against Guy, Kakashi's taijutsu, while perhaps not as ferocious, was every bit as skilled and experienced. He shook his head, a flicker of genuine surprise in his eye. "I was really being underestimated..."
In an instant, he drew a kunai and launched a counterattack. The sharp edge hissed through the air as Naruto quickly dodged, not daring to meet the steel with a direct taijutsu block. Kakashi pursued relentlessly, parrying Naruto's arms with one hand while thrusting the kunai with the other. Just as the blade neared Naruto's throat, Kakashi turned it, slamming the pommel into Naruto's chest and sending him flying.
"You lose, Naruto."
However, the next moment... *Poof!* With a soft sound, the Naruto that went flying dissolved into a wisp of white smoke.
"What? A shadow clone?!" Kakashi thought, stunned. "This kid actually mastered such an advanced ninjutsu?"
The real Naruto's laugh echoed from the shadows as he burst from his hiding spot, launching a fierce attack at Kakashi's back. His arm stretched out, fingers reaching for the bells at Kakashi's waist.
A cold sweat broke out on Kakashi's back. *Did he create a shadow clone before the test even started? The one I was fighting wasn't his real body; he was hidden the entire time! What a cunning little devil!*
At that moment, even Hinata and Sasuke couldn't help but be impressed.
"Naruto-kun, you're amazing..." Hinata whispered.
Sasuke thought to himself, *Hmph, it's just child's play, but that loser is indeed cunning enough.*
Even for an elite Jonin like Kakashi, Konoha's number one technician, such a tactic was completely unexpected. But he was, after all, Kakashi Hatake. In an instant, without even turning his head, he delivered a powerful back kick, his senses having already pinpointed Naruto's attack. Naruto's expression changed as he hurriedly tried to block, but he was still kicked away.
"Damn it! Kakashi-sensei, do you have eyes in the back of your head?!" Naruto yelled, landing on his feet.
Kakashi finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, although you surprised me, tricks like that won't be enough to defeat me."
Naruto just grinned. "Fine! Then let Kakashi-sensei see what I'm really capable of! Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant... *Poof! Poof! Poof!*
Under Kakashi's stunned gaze and Hinata and Sasuke's equally incredulous stares, hundreds upon hundreds of Naruto Uzumakis suddenly appeared, flooding the training ground. It was one of the forbidden techniques created by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
"Wh-what?! You've even mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique?! And this number... what terrifying chakra reserves!" Beyond the shock, Kakashi's tone carried a hint of bitterness. *Why does a genin have this much chakra? As an elite Jonin, I have to be careful with every drop!*
Hinata was both shocked and delighted. "Naruto-kun, you're so amazing..."
Sasuke, however, was simply unwilling to accept it. *Damn it! Naruto, just how strong have you become?!*
Hundreds of Narutos completely surrounded Kakashi, each one standing with his hands on his hips, laughing triumphantly. "Hahahaha! Kakashi-sensei, you can defend against one of me, but can you defend against hundreds?! I'm getting that bell! Let's go!"
At his command, countless shadow clones rushed forward in a tidal wave of kunai, shuriken, punches, and kicks. Kakashi, though shocked, did not panic. "Well, while it's certainly impressive, it won't be that easy."
He drew kunai with both hands and met the onslaught. His movements were exquisite, a flawless, watertight defense. Though Naruto tried to overwhelm him with sheer numbers, Kakashi defeated the clones one by one, holding his ground.
"Damn it! Are this many clones still not enough?! Everyone, all together!" In an instant, the remaining shadow clones pounced forward, piling on top of Kakashi like a mountain of orange, completely immobilizing him. "Got it!" The clones reached out, all of them grabbing for the bells.
However, at that moment... *Poof!* The Kakashi buried under the dogpile also turned into a cloud of white smoke.
"What?! That was a shadow clone too?!" Naruto shouted in frustration.
Meanwhile, the real Kakashi was already sitting leisurely on a tree branch, once again reading his book.
Naruto angrily pointed at him. "Kakashi-sensei, you're despicable!"
"Well," Kakashi said calmly, "that's called giving someone a taste of their own medicine."
Enraged at being tricked, Naruto unleashed a shuriken. The projectile flew true, but the Kakashi in the tree didn't dodge. It slammed into him with a dull thud.
"Ah!" Naruto gasped. *No way!*
The next moment, the figure on the branch turned into a wooden log.
"A Substitution Technique?! Where's the real one?!"
"Naruto-kun, be careful!" Hinata suddenly warned. "Kakashi-sensei transformed into your likeness! He's hiding in the group of shadow clones behind you!"
Kakashi, now exposed, was taken aback. *That girl, Hinata Hyuga... she used her Byakugan. As expected of the bloodline with the strongest insight.* Taking advantage of the brief confusion, he launched his attack. "Konoha Secret Taijutsu Technique... One Thousand Years of Death!"
With his index and middle fingers joined together like a sword, he thrust them fiercely towards Naruto's rear. Thanks to Hinata's timely warning, Naruto managed to dodge, quickly covering his backside in fear. "Kakashi-sensei, what kind of messed-up taijutsu is that?!"
Kakashi sighed. "You dodged it. As expected, you kids are all tough to deal with."
Sasuke snorted coldly. "Loser, step aside and let me handle this." He stepped forward and immediately launched his own attack. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Instantly, a massive sphere of blazing flames rolled forward, threatening to engulf and incinerate Kakashi.
"What?! This kid can use such an advanced ninjutsu?!" Kakashi finally understood what it meant to have the top three graduates on one team. He quickly formed a hand seal and pressed his palms to the ground.
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