Arata stood by the lake, calm as still water.
He didn't notice the quiet pride in Kakashi's gaze — the faint smile hidden behind the silver-haired jōnin's mask.
All of his focus was on the lightning gathering in his palm.
He drew a slow breath, and then—
"Lightning Release: Chidori Spear (Chidori Eisō)!"
A sharp crack split the air.
"Zzzzt—! Shhh! BOOM—!"
A golden flash ripped through the lake, piercing straight across the water's surface.
In the next instant, a streak of lightning slammed into the distant treeline — and an entire swath of forest hundreds of meters away was split clean through.
Dozens of thick trees toppled with a thunderous crash, each trunk sheared perfectly smooth — as if cut by a blade of light.
Kakashi froze mid-step, staring wide-eyed.
"That… that was stronger than I expected," he muttered, almost in disbelief.
He had assumed the range would be maybe ten meters — a modest extension of Chidori's thrust.
But Arata's spear had reached hundreds of meters, its end-point still carrying S-rank destructive power.
"Unbelievable. He actually matched the speed of natural lightning…"
Ordinary chakra-based lightning could never reach the speed of a real thunderbolt.
Yet the golden streak Arata unleashed just now — it had.
Kakashi swallowed hard.
"From range to force… that's already an S-rank technique. And it's practical, too."
Indeed, it was terrifyingly practical.
Hundreds of meters in reach. Instantaneous. Near-silent.
A true sniper's jutsu.
Arata stared at his hand, lightning still faintly flickering across his fingertips.
Even he looked a little surprised.
"The power… was more than I expected," he admitted, brows furrowing.
Kakashi chuckled softly. "You don't look happy about it."
Arata shook his head. "I am. But… It feels unreal. I still can't properly gauge how much power I'm outputting. In a real battle, that lack of control could be fatal."
For a moment, Kakashi simply looked at him — this boy who should've been basking in triumph, but instead analyzed his own weaknesses.
No wonder he kept so quiet during those six years at the Academy, Kakashi thought. Even now, he's grounded.
He stepped closer, speaking gently.
"Chakra control like that takes time, Arata. You're already far beyond most shinobi your age. Don't rush."
Arata nodded, though the faint crease in his brow lingered.
Then Kakashi asked, half-concerned, "You still have chakra left? These techniques are draining — even I'd be dry after one."
Arata smiled faintly as he began channeling energy again.
"Don't worry. I've got plenty."
Kakashi tilted his head. "Plenty, huh? At this rate, your chakra pool might rival Naruto's."
Arata laughed. "Not quite. He's got the Nine-Tails sealed inside him — that's… a different level."
Kakashi's eye curved slightly. He couldn't help but sigh.
To think I'd hear someone casually compare themselves to a jinchūriki.
Still, there was no arrogance in Arata's tone — just a calm fact.
Moments later, the air around him began to hum again.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Senbon!"
Crackling arcs burst from Arata's hand — hundreds of golden needles forming midair.
"Zzzt! Crack—crack—crack—!"
With a flick of his wrist, the cloud of lightning needles shot forward like a torrential storm, streaking across the entire lake and vanishing into the forest beyond.
Unlike the Chidori Spear's raw destructive blast, this attack relied on speed and piercing precision.
Each senbon flew with surgical accuracy — thin, fast, and utterly lethal.
Arata exhaled lightly, lowering his hand.
"Let's check the result."
He darted across the water in a blur, his feet barely disturbing the surface.
Kakashi followed, curiosity in his single visible eye.
When they reached the opposite shore, the sight before them left even him speechless.
Countless trees bore small, blackened holes punched clean through their trunks — some the size of a coin, others thinner than a needle.
Arata crouched beside one, examining it closely.
"Good penetration. Still sharp even after traveling several hundred meters. If that were a human body…"
He trailed off, satisfied.
Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "You're calling that good? Those senbon tore through fifteen trees straight. That's beyond 'good,' Arata — that's terrifying."
Arata only smiled modestly.
After inspecting a few more trees, he stood up.
"The range and force are stable. About fifteen trees deep — that's the limit. It's efficient."
Kakashi shook his head in disbelief.
"Efficient, he says… You realize a normal jōnin wouldn't even survive one of those hits, right? These two jutsu — Chidori Spear and Chidori Senbon — if you use them smartly, even elite jōnin won't stand a chance."
He paused, looking at Arata with open admiration.
"A twelve-year-old with jōnin-level mastery… No. With elite jōnin strength. That's unheard of."
A faint smile crept under Kakashi's mask.
"I told you before — your talent surpasses mine by far. At this point, your raw power already exceeds that of Mokuhon Tōichi."
Arata blinked. "Tōichi-sensei? I don't think so. He's an ANBU veteran — his combat experience alone would crush me."
Kakashi chuckled softly.
"You're too modest. Experience is important, yes. But there comes a point where raw strength outweighs experience entirely. And you, Arata…"
He looked at the cratered lake behind them, then back to the boy beside him.
"…you've already crossed that point."
Arata glanced away, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "You really think so?"
Kakashi nodded firmly.
"At this rate, it won't be long before you even surpass me."
His voice wasn't envious — it was proud. Warm.
He saw in Arata what the Fourth Hokage once saw in him — the spark of brilliance, the balance between calm and courage.
And deep down, Kakashi knew — this wasn't the end of Arata's growth.
It was only the beginning.
The boy who could wield golden lightning… might one day illuminate the whole world.
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