Kakashi's Shock
Hoo ho ho!
A sudden gust of wind swept through the training field, causing Kakashi's flak jacket to rustle as leaves scattered around him.
Kakashi's lone visible eye narrowed as he steadied himself against the fierce wind. This chakra… He had known Naruto had an immense reserve due to being the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, but he had underestimated the boy's control over it.
Even most chūnin wouldn't use Wind Release on this scale…
The gust subsided, and Kakashi turned on instinct, raising his arm to block an incoming strike from behind. Naruto's fist slammed into his forearm, the impact carrying unexpected force. Kakashi reacted immediately, attempting to grab the boy's wrist and pin him, but Naruto slipped away like an eel, twisting midair before landing lightly on his feet.
Fast.
Naruto grinned and dashed forward again, launching a flurry of taijutsu strikes. Kakashi countered, parrying each one with precise movements, but Naruto's unpredictability forced him to stay on the defensive. Shuriken zipped through the air in between Naruto's attacks, and Kakashi barely dodged a Wind Release-enhanced kunai that whistled past his ear.
The relentless barrage made Kakashi reconsider his earlier assessment. He had entered this spar assuming he could handle Naruto with only his base genin-level strength. Yet, the boy's combination of shadow clones, Wind Release, and sheer persistence was beginning to prove difficult to suppress without using a higher level of skill.
Kakashi's expression shifted from mild amusement to genuine surprise. He's not just a chakra powerhouse—he's actually fighting at a mid-chūnin level…
"Why don't we just call it here?" Naruto said, smirking. "I'd hate to hurt you, old man. You're looking kinda sluggish."
A tic mark appeared on Kakashi's temple. "I'm a jōnin. I'm much stronger than you."
Naruto nodded with mock seriousness. "Good, 'cause I haven't even gone all out yet."
Kakashi's brow twitched. Haven't gone all out yet?
He sighed and adjusted his headband. Fine. If that's the case… I might as well see what he's really capable of.
As Naruto formed hand seals, Kakashi mirrored his actions. The boy unleashed another Wind Release attack, but Kakashi slammed his palm to the ground.
"Earth Release: Mud Wall."
A massive earthen wall erupted from the ground, carved with the distinctive stone hound motif. The powerful wind jutsu slammed against it but failed to break through.
Naruto, now airborne from the force of his own attack, widened his eyes as Kakashi appeared behind him in a flash. He's fast!
Kakashi grabbed Naruto's shoulder mid-air, aiming to slam him down—but the boy disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Shadow Clone Technique!
A dozen Narutos emerged from the treetops, each forming seals. Kakashi narrowed his eye. Which one is real? Before he could decide, they all unleashed Wind Release attacks simultaneously, forcing Kakashi to erect two more mud walls for cover.
Just as he caught his breath, he heard the unmistakable sound of whirling chakra. Wait… that's—
Kakashi's gaze snapped upward just in time to see Naruto descending toward him, a Rasengan spinning violently in his palm.
He moved instantly, dropping all pretense of holding back. His headband flipped up, revealing the Sharingan. He sidestepped at the last possible moment, letting the Rasengan smash into his earthen wall behind him, leaving behind a spiderweb of cracks.
Kakashi stared at Naruto, his expression unreadable. Rasengan?
"How did you—?"
Naruto smirked.
Kakashi's mind raced. Did Lord Third teach him? No… I doubt it. The Rasengan was a technique that took even skilled shinobi years to master. If Naruto had learned it on his own… That would be terrifying.
More than that, Naruto wasn't just an unpredictable fighter anymore—his sheer potential was beginning to feel eerily familiar. Minato-sensei had already reached jōnin level before he graduated… but he was eleven or twelve back then. Naruto is barely twelve now… and he's already at least mid-chūnin.
Kakashi exhaled. Is this… the result of his heritage? Or the Nine-Tails?
Naruto walked forward. "So? Wanna keep going?"
Kakashi lowered his hands. "If we keep this up, you'll run out of chakra before you land a solid hit on me."
Naruto huffed. "Tch, I still don't believe you were only using genin-level strength."
Kakashi gave him a sidelong glance. "And you weren't fighting like a regular academy student, either."
Naruto shrugged. "I mean, I am still a student. It's not my fault I'm this good."
Kakashi chuckled. "Being a ninja isn't just about combat, you know. To graduate, you still need to pass the academy's written exams."
"I already studied ahead. I know everything in the sixth-year curriculum."
Kakashi blinked. "Really?"
Naruto nodded confidently. "Go ahead, quiz me."
Kakashi obliged, throwing a few technical questions his way. To his surprise, Naruto answered every one without hesitation.
Kakashi fell silent. There was no real reason to hold him back from early graduation. But…
He thought back to his own childhood. He had graduated at five, joined ANBU young, and had been killing before he was even Naruto's age. The same was true for Itachi. Neither of them had truly enjoyed their youth. Is that really what's best for Naruto?
"Why do you want to become a ninja so soon?" Kakashi finally asked. "The life of a shinobi isn't as fun as you think. You'll have to kill. And people will try to kill you."
Naruto's usual grin faded. He hesitated, then murmured, "Because the Old Man Hokage promised me… if I became a ninja, he'd tell me about my parents."
Kakashi's eye widened slightly. So that's it…
The realization softened something in his chest. Until now, Naruto had seemed like just an overconfident troublemaker, but at this moment, he looked more like what he truly was—a child who just wanted answers.
For a brief moment, Kakashi wanted to tell him. You're the Fourth Hokage's son. But he knew he couldn't. Hiruzen had insisted on keeping that secret. If people found out… Naruto wouldn't just be a Jinchūriki. He'd be a target.
Naruto suddenly smirked. "Oh, and by the way, I know who you are."
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "What?"
"You're one of the ANBU guys who follow me around all the time."
Kakashi's heartbeat skipped. How did he—?
Naruto grinned. "I started sensing chakra after that last attack I had a while back. I can always feel when someone's watching me."
Just like Lady Kushina…
Kakashi sighed. "Fine. I'll tell Lord Third about your request. But if he agrees, you'll still need to take the official academy graduation exam."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Got it!"
As Kakashi walked toward the Hokage's office, he exhaled slowly. Naruto… you're going to be a monster one day.
He just hoped the world would be ready for him when that day came.
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