"Sensei, why aren't they setting more traps?"
Maya asked, puzzled.
Guy glanced at Neji.
"Neji, what do you think?"
Today's whole viewing arrangement was mainly for Neji's sake, so Guy wanted his opinion first.
"It would be pointless," Neji said calmly. "A jōnin's perception far surpasses ours."
Lee nodded vigorously beside him, as if saying, I thought so too!
The guy smiled.
"Correct. Assess your own strengths and weaknesses, analyze the enemy, then choose the most effective strategy. That's the mindset of a proper shinobi."
"But Neji… that's only half of it. The other reason is—"
He raised a finger.
"They can't afford to waste stamina."
"Stamina?"
Neji frowned.
He hadn't considered that. Normally, stamina conservation wasn't an issue at the start of a test.
"They didn't eat breakfast," Guy explained. "By now their stamina is half of what it should be. They can't expend energy carelessly. Those tree-spike traps are mostly for retreat. Highly targeted."
"..."
Neji activated his Byakugan to confirm.
Indeed—rows of wooden stakes lined the retreat routes.
Compared to that, their team had barely put any thought into environmental usage at all.
Strategic thinking—he'd already lost the first exchange.
Neji narrowed his eyes.
This guy… Souma…
He stared toward the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Kakashi was wandering through the forest, posture completely relaxed, as though he couldn't care less about ambushes.
"Well now, quite patient, aren't you? But don't forget—if you can't get a bell before time runs out, you still lose. I'm not the one who should be worried."
Kakashi's voice floated lazily through the forest.
Tenten's heart was hammered.
But Yagyu Souma still hadn't moved, so she forced herself to stay hidden.
Souma remained perfectly calm.
At this moment, Kakashi wasn't relaxed at all.
If they attacked now, he'd counter instantly.
Their only chance was to wait.
Come on, Souma thought, lips curling faintly.
Keep reading your book. Once the plot gets good, your attention will dip. That's when our odds improve.
Both sides waited.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
He had already pinpointed one person's location—Tenten.
But the other two remained hidden.
Which meant…
Those two were the real threat.
And one of them—
Yagyu Souma.
Kakashi knew better than to treat him like a normal genin.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have once tried to recruit Souma into ANBU.
In several fields—not chakra, but skill—Souma was already at jōnin level.
If someone told the Third Hokage Souma deserved a "Special Jōnin" title, no one would object.
Thus, Kakashi focused on the two dangerous ones.
He shut his book.
If he read any further, he'd reach the good parts.
No matter what, he had to stop.
And right as the book closed—
—whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Kunai rained from the shadows, dozens of them whipping toward him—then abruptly changing trajectory mid-air, surrounding him like a living swarm.
Too reckless! Kakashi's eyes widened.
This little girl—Tenten—might not be average after all.
Still… kunai alone wouldn't—
Then he sensed it.
Chakra threads? Double-layered control?
The kunai moved unnervingly, colliding, ricocheting, sealing off every escape angle.
Kakashi's expression hardened.
He sped through hand seals.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A violent gale erupted.
Leaves, dirt, and kunai whirled violently, obscuring vision completely.
"Switch!"
Souma's eyes sharpened.
He could sense something was off.
And then—
BAM!!
A figure burst from underground, closing the distance instantly.
He's fast!
Souma barely had time to react before Kakashi was already behind him.
"Taijutsu: Shadow of the Dancing Leaf."
A shadow flickered behind Souma.
But—
BOOM!
The clone exploded into smoke.
Neji involuntarily leaned forward.
Not only Kakashi—but Souma's speed as well.
That strange chakra-sphere technique—he activated it in an instant and destroyed the clone as if it were nothing.
If it were him, even with Rotation…
He wouldn't make it in time.
He's strong… too strong.
"His Rasengan's activation speed rivals the Fourth Hokage's," Guy said solemnly.
Maya blinked. "That's the Fourth's jutsu?"
Lee immediately protested:
"No! This is a jutsu Souma-kun created himself! Even if it looks similar, it's different!"
Neji's heart pounded.
He created it… himself?
"This part is key," Guy suddenly said, leaping several branches ahead.
At that moment—
Kakashi's true body burst from the earth and charged at Tenten.
Tenten jumped between trees, unable to dodge midair.
In that instant—
Threads shot out, attaching to her limbs.
Her body jerked aside unnaturally, as though controlled like a puppet—just enough to avoid Kakashi's killing strike.
But then—
Tenten froze where she landed.
"Genjutsu: Demonic Illusion – Hell Viewing."
Kakashi spoke deliberately.
He knew Souma would hear.
"Aren't you going to act?" he taunted. "Even with your clan's ability, hiding won't give you the perfect opening anymore. If you wait any longer—she will die."
He blurred forward, striking Tenten's chakra threads apart with a kunai.
When the blade descended—
A flash of cold steel sliced at his neck—
A hidden blade. Silent. Deadly.
Kakashi felt a chill.
Stealth? No—she doesn't have full Hiding-in-Mist or Hiding-in-Stone. Just zero killing intent… and perfect suppression of her presence.
She must've used Transformation to slip between the foliage.
Kakashi twisted.
His heel smashed into Kasumi's wrist.
Her sword wavered—still held tightly, but forced off course.
Just as he prepared to finish her—
Souma arrived.
And—
JINGLE— JINGLE— JINGLE—
Kakashi stiffened.
The genjutsu—
Souma broke it!
Tenten staggered awake.
Kakashi immediately chopped down at her arm, knocking the bells away and snatching them back—
Then—
POOF!
A substitution log appeared.
Kakashi reappeared tens of meters away in the shadows, breath slightly sharp, a bead of sweat forming at his temple.
These kids… really can't be underestimated.
If I keep holding back… I might actually lose a bell.
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