Kakashi initiated the first probing attack.
He cut in from Shinichi's blind spot with sudden, terrifying acceleration. The short sword in his hand moved silently, striking like a venomous snake lunging from the grass, aiming directly for the joint of Shinichi's elbow at an extremely tricky angle.
Shinichi did not attempt to block the swift attack with his longsword. He knew that trying to match that speed defensively would likely result in a miss and leave him open.
Instead, he reacted with immediate aggression. Taking a half-step back to stabilize his center of gravity, he used the torque of his waist to drive his longsword in a heavy, sweeping horizontal slash. He was using offense as his defense, the blade cutting a path that covered all possible angles of Kakashi's approach.
This strike was powerful and incredibly fast, accompanied by the low, heavy whistling of wind pressure.
Kakashi's pupils contracted slightly. He instantly aborted his thrusting motion. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaned his upper body backward and spun away like a willow leaf caught in a sudden gale, allowing the tip of Shinichi's heavy blade to pass within a hair's breadth of his nose.
He did not take the bait, nor did he give Shinichi a chance to use the momentum of the miss to pursue him. With a light tap of his toes, Kakashi glided in another direction, resetting the distance.
After being crushed in the first physical duel, Kakashi had already deeply internalized the reality of Shinichi's inhuman strength. Therefore, as this second duel of swordsmanship began, his tactical approach was crystal clear.
He would loiter on the edge of engagement, look for weaknesses, strike decisively when an opening appeared, but never give the opponent a chance to utilize their strength advantage in a bind.
Thus, in the first round of the exchange, the blades passed only inches apart without a true collision.
But soon, Kakashi's offensive came in waves.
His figure moved swiftly from left to right, a blur of motion. His short sword sometimes thrust like lightning, and other times sliced like a gentle breeze, targeting vulnerable spots like the knees, wrists, and ribs.
His swordsmanship was agile and unpredictable, his footwork exquisite. He made full use of the short sword's flexibility and his own superior speed, bringing out the fluidity and variability characteristic of the Hatake clan style to its fullest extent.
Shinichi, in contrast, was like a rock standing firm in a raging torrent. His range of movement was small, economizing his energy, but every step he took was solid and rooted to the earth. He gave up on the idea of chasing Kakashi's ghostly figure and instead focused entirely on defense and counter-attacking within his reach.
He wielded his longsword methodically, no longer pursuing the aesthetic perfection of sword forms, but transforming his movements into the most effective means to parry and zone his opponent.
Each swing of his sword was powerful and heavy, the wind from the blade billowing outward. He was not necessarily aiming to hit the elusive target, but to force Kakashi to retreat and prevent him from completing his exquisite combos.
Snap.
The short sword slashed across Shinichi's sleeve, slicing through the fabric of his clothes. Shinichi reacted instantly, tensing his muscles and twisting his body slightly to dissipate the force, leaving only a shallow red mark on his skin rather than a deep cut.
Whoosh.
Kakashi leaped aside a fraction of a second before the longsword slashed back, the heavy blade striking only the fading afterimage of the silver-haired boy.
Clang.
Kakashi rolled in close to the ground, slashing upward toward the legs with his short sword. Shinichi suddenly raised his knee, using his hardened iron guard to deflect the flat of the blade, while simultaneously slamming down the pommel of his sword to force his opponent back.
After several rounds of this high-speed chess match, a strange balance emerged. Kakashi's attacks were like a whirlwind, constant and eroding, but Shinichi always managed to neutralize the threat or force him back with immense strength and instinctive defensive reactions just as a fatal blow was about to land.
Outside the venue, the students held their breath, their eyes glued to the scene.
The two homeroom teachers, Matsumoto and Inoue, were even more tense. They leaned forward, their muscles coiled, watching the two students like hawks. Chakra was already circulating quietly within their bodies, and they were ready to intervene the moment the spar threatened to cause serious injury or worse.
He is very fast, Kakashi thought, analyzing the situation as he circled. But he is not as fast as me. And he is certainly not as agile.
Perhaps it could be done like this.
A sharp glint flashed in Kakashi's eyes as he made up his mind. He was no longer content with merely probing and maneuvering. He paused for a microsecond, disrupting the rhythm, and then unleashed a burst of speed even faster than before. He transformed into a straight, silver streak of lightning, stabbing forward with everything he had.
He finally fell for it.
A slight, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Shinichi's lips. This was the moment Kakashi pushed his speed to its absolute peak—the moment when his old momentum was unleashed but new momentum could not yet be generated. It was the moment when his trajectory was most difficult to change.
Shinichi moved too.
Although his system panel listed Agility as a white trait that only slightly improved his coordination and movement speed, implying that speed was not his strong suit, the stats were merely equipment. The panel did not display the instincts he had earned through years of grueling training.
Furthermore, with the support of his monstrous physique and the explosive boost of chakra, Shinichi could achieve miracles of speed over short distances.
Bang.
The sand and gravel beneath Shinichi's feet suddenly exploded outward.
Without retreating or blocking, he met the silver flash head-on with a speed that rivaled Kakashi's thrust.
The longsword in his hand transformed into a precise, swift, and powerful slash that combined the strength and speed of his entire body.
This strike, though delivered after Kakashi had initiated his move, seemed to have anticipated everything. The blade was not aiming for Kakashi's body, but at the empty space directly in front of Kakashi's thrusting path—specifically, the space where the arm holding the sword would be in a fraction of a second.
This was a precisely calculated interception.
If Kakashi's speed was like a ghost, darting about unpredictably and difficult to fathom, then Shinichi was like a calm yet violent gale. The eye of the storm was silent, but once it erupted, it was devastating.
And this was the moment of eruption.
Kakashi's pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints as he faced the oncoming, incredibly fast slash.
He wanted to change his tactics. He wanted to dodge.
But a body is difficult to control at its maximum velocity, and all his momentum and power were poured into this single thrust.
Retreat? Too late.
Hide? The blade had blocked all angles of evasion.
Withdraw the move? His balance was already committed.
He had no choice but to take it.
Clang.
The short sword and the longsword finally clashed solidly together with no room for avoidance.
The sound was deafening, the ring of metal on metal far surpassing any previous encounter in the match. Sparks flew wildly from the point of impact.
Kakashi felt an irresistible torrent of force slam into his weapon. His arm went instantly numb, the shockwave traveling up to his shoulder. The short sword in his hand trembled violently, the vibration so intense it almost slipped out of his grasp. Instantly, his guard was blown wide open, revealing his vulnerability.
Now.
A cold light burst forth from Shinichi's eyes. The raging wind finally broke free from its restraints, transforming into a devastating tsunami.
He took a step forward, his aura rising to its peak. With no more reservations, he swung his longsword down in a simple, brutal overhead arc.
There were no fancy tricks. There was only the purest application of power and speed.
Kakashi, defenseless and off-balance, once again felt with unparalleled clarity the same relentless, suffocating pressure that Shinichi had shown during their first battle.
Clang.
The first strike slammed into the flat of Kakashi's barely raised short sword, sending the weapon flying from his numb fingers.
Bang.
The second strike followed instantly. Shinichi twisted his wrist, slamming the flat of his blade into Kakashi's hastily raised forearm. Kakashi groaned in pain as his arm collapsed and his defense completely crumbled.
Whir.
The third strike stopped instantly.
The cold edge of the blade was firmly pressed against Kakashi's neck, bringing with it a chilling sensation of metal on skin.
The storm had started suddenly and stopped just as abruptly.
Shinichi's weapon was rock steady against Kakashi's throat.
The field fell into absolute silence, as if all sound had been sucked out of the world. Only the longsword, a symbol of utter victory, reflected a merciless gleam in the afternoon sunlight.
At this moment, there was no longer any debate about who was the winner and who was the loser.