Huff!
Kakashi took a deep breath, concentrating the Breath of Thunder continuously until he entered the Breath of Thunder Chakra Mode.
Static electricity surged around Kakashi's body, the light pulsing in rhythm with his breathing, like a dancing thunder snake, enhancing Kakashi's physique, and continually increasing his strength and speed.
As his breathing deepened, the lightning on Kakashi's body became more dazzling, an aura of strength appeared, dispersing the dust and smoke around him.
Hozuki Mangetsu, noticing the drastic change in Kakashi, halted his advance, gripping his longsword tightly as he began to retreat.
Although Kakashi liked to use the Breath of Thunder Chakra Mode as a supportive technique for the Thoughtless Slash, the Breath of Thunder Chakra Mode itself was actually a very powerful ability.
Not only could it significantly enhance physical abilities, but it also increased the nature transformation of the Lightning Attribute Chakra, allowing the usage of Lightning Release without hand seals and with greater power.
However, the limitations in chakra meant Kakashi had to make trade-offs, carefully calculating to use the abilities most effective in battle.
Whoosh whoosh!!
Just as Hozuki Mangetsu was pondering what technique Kakashi was employing, Kakashi suddenly launched two kunai at him at an extremely fast speed, both empowered with the nature transformation of Lightning Attribute Chakra!
Clang!
Bam!
Hozuki Mangetsu slashed at the incoming kunai with one hand and intercepted with water droplets fired from a gun gesture with the other.
"Lightning Release: Pseudo-Darkness!"
Kakashi, without performing any hand seals, suddenly spewed sharp lightning at Hozuki Mangetsu.
Rumble!
Hozuki Mangetsu hadn't expected Kakashi's next move to come so swiftly, and though he tried to evade using the Water Transformation Jutsu, he was still affected by the lightning.
The nature of the lightning prevented Hozuki Mangetsu from maintaining his fully transformed water state, and the area affected by the lightning suffered severe damage.
"He actually hid a Lightning Release without Seals." Hozuki Mangetsu sensed the pain from his body, his face turning grim.
He knew Kakashi mastered Lightning Release and had been specifically guarding against it, but he didn't expect Kakashi to be able to deploy a Lightning Release without Seals so quickly, a skill that wasn't in the information he had on Kakashi's abilities.
Hozuki Mangetsu didn't have time to think too much, retreating with difficulty before raising his hand to cast a ninjutsu.
"Water Release: Water Scatter!"
A vast amount of water droplets, like raindrops, formed in front of Hozuki Mangetsu's palm and then flew out.
"Thunder Flash · Divine Speed!"
Kakashi wasn't one to give his opponent any opportunity, immediately utilizing one of his strongest techniques aside from the Thoughtless Slash.
He gathered all his strength, his body tense like an arrow about to be released from a bowstring.
Rumble!!
The roar of thunder erupted, and all his energy exploded in the instant the Lightning Attribute Chakra flared, with Kakashi dashing forward like a streak of lightning, leaving a charred mark on the ground.
Bam!
Hozuki Mangetsu hadn't even managed to see Kakashi's form clearly before Kakashi had already appeared in front of him, with the White Fang Short Blade wreathed in boundless lightning at his throat, the crackling arcs of electricity felt acutely by Hozuki Mangetsu.
"I lost..." Hozuki Mangetsu's eyes widened, astonished at how he was so easily defeated in the first round.
Hozuki Mangetsu felt very stifled, having many clever uses for the Water Transformation Jutsu left unutilized, and many techniques still unused, yet he had lost just like that.
Yet part of Hozuki Mangetsu also felt convinced, because Kakashi's strength and combat ability were formidable forces that his current self couldn't defeat.
"Hatake Kakashi wins!" the referee announced.
"This speed is rather impressive. If he could be a little faster and stronger, he might just have a chance to snatch first place from Nagato," Hanzo shook his head with some regret.
Given Kakashi's performance, he was undoubtedly a super genius, but being a few years younger than Nagato, his training time was at a disadvantage, otherwise, the final result of the Youth Martial Arts Tournament would be hard to say.
Hanzo wished for a dark horse to appear during the Youth Martial Arts Tournament and take the first place, because Sosuke's reaction would be entertaining.
Thinking his disciple strong enough to set his most powerful ninjutsu as the first prize, only for a spoiler to snatch it from right under his nose, Hanzo found the thought amusing.
"Hanzo, why did you suddenly laugh? Is it because your Rain Ninja participant is about to enter the field? I seem to remember no Rain Ninja reached the elimination rounds, or am I mistaken?" Kakuzu, sitting to Mokgetsu's left, asked curiously.
Hanzo's previously smiling face instantly froze and then returned to its usual stoic expression.
Since Hanzo was invited as a special guest to watch the Youth Martial Arts Tournament, many Rain Ninja had participated in it.
Whether it was due to lacking strength or having poor luck facing powerful opponents, all the Rain Ninja were defeated in the preliminaries, with none advancing to the elimination rounds.
For Hanzo, this was somewhat embarrassing.
Because he compared himself to Sosuke, with the Rain Village measuring itself against the Ninja Sect, the result was that the Ninja Sect's sent Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan all advanced, while the Rain Village's larger number of contestants were all eliminated before the elimination rounds. In terms of the next generation of talented ninjas, there was a significant gap between the Rain Village and the Ninja Sect.
With a face of indifference, Hanzo stared at the arena where the next fight had not yet begun, hoping the battle would start and end quickly so that he could return to the Rain Village, as staying in Six Paths City made him feel uncomfortable.