"Obito-senpai, long time no see."
Shisui greeted Obito with a polite smile.
Though the two were not close, being members of the Uchiha clan meant they had crossed paths before. It wasn't entirely unusual for Shisui to recognize him.
"Uh..." Obito nodded hesitantly, then asked, "You're Uchiha Shisui, right? What are you doing here?"
Recently, Shisui's name had been spreading throughout the Uchiha clan. The young prodigy had already gained favor with the clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku, making Obito even more curious about why someone so talented was here.
"Idiot, he's the substitute member joining our class to replace Rin." Kakashi, leaning casually against a tree, shot Obito a glance and half-closed his eyes in exasperation.
"Ah?" Obito exclaimed, then turned back to Shisui. "We're both Uchiha! Why would they put us in the same team?"
Minato chuckled softly. "Because, among all the ninja teams, only our team has a vacancy right now."
"Oh." Obito shrugged, seemingly satisfied with the explanation.
Shisui extended his hand toward Obito, his expression kind and respectful. "Obito-senpai, I look forward to learning from you."
Obito, always more straightforward than Kakashi, eagerly shook Shisui's hand and laughed. "Leave it to me! You've got a great senior here!"
Minato smiled at the exchange, glad to see that Shisui didn't carry the haughty demeanor often associated with the Uchiha clan. Even Obito seemed more enthusiastic than usual. Meanwhile, Kakashi stood off to the side, his disinterested gaze betraying a quiet skepticism. He knew better than to underestimate someone as renowned as Shisui.
"Minato-sensei, what mission are we doing today?" Obito asked eagerly, his energy bubbling over as usual.
Minato shook his head, smiling. "Shisui just joined the team, so we won't be doing any missions today. I'm sure, though, you're all curious about the strength of our newest member."
At those words, Kakashi, Obito, and even Shisui perked up. Kakashi's calm exterior didn't waver, but his eyes glimmered with a spark of interest. Shisui mirrored that intensity, though his polite smile never faltered.
"But how are we testing it? Like our graduation exam?" Obito asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He still remembered how the three of them had been completely outmatched by Minato. After more than a year of training, he was itching to test his growth.
Minato seemed to read his thoughts effortlessly. "Not quite," he replied. "Instead, I'll have Kakashi spar with Shisui."
The moment Minato spoke, Kakashi and Shisui exchanged glances. Though their expressions remained composed, a flicker of determination passed between them. Both had their own reasons for wanting to measure their skills against the other.
Obito, however, frowned. "Why Kakashi? Let me fight Shisui instead!"
Minato raised his hands in a placating gesture. "You and Shisui share similar styles as members of the Uchiha clan. It would be difficult to gauge his true strength if you fought him."
Obito grumbled under his breath but ultimately relented. "Fine. But don't embarrass us, Kakashi. If you lose to the junior, Minato-sensei and I won't let you live it down!"
Kakashi, unbothered by the jab, simply murmured, "Idiot," under his breath. He wasn't fooled by Minato's reasoning. The truth was likely that Minato didn't want to risk damaging Obito's fragile confidence by having him lose to Shisui.
"When do we start?" Shisui asked, his tone steady and polite.
Minato's sharp gaze dropped to Shisui's legs. "Not just yet. First, remove the sandbags from your legs and take a short rest."
Shisui blinked in mild surprise but nodded, crouching down to untie the weights hidden beneath his clothes. The training method was one Minato recognized immediately, one he himself had practiced in his youth.
An hour later, after Shisui had rested, Minato stood and clapped his hands. "Alright, Kakashi, Shisui. Let's begin."
The two stood opposite each other in the training ground. Shisui's polite demeanor didn't waver as he bowed slightly and said, "Kakashi-senpai, please give me your guidance."
Kakashi returned the gesture with a nod, his eyes already locked onto Shisui's every movement.
Minato and Obito stepped back, clearing the field for the sparring match.
The tension in the air grew as the two young shinobi stared each other down, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Swish!
Kakashi was the first to move, lunging forward with a kunai in hand. His approach was fast and direct, but Shisui reacted instantly.
With a powerful stomp, Shisui propelled himself backward, creating distance between them. In the same motion, he drew several shuriken from behind his back and hurled them at Kakashi.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
The weapons whizzed through the air, each one aimed precisely at a vital point—Kakashi's face, chest, abdomen, and ankles.
Minato's eyes narrowed as he observed. "He's testing Kakashi. A cautious but smart approach."
The attack wasn't meant to land; instead, it was designed to gauge Kakashi's speed and reaction time.
Kakashi understood Shisui's intention immediately. "So, you want to test me?" he muttered under his breath.
Instead of dodging the shuriken directly, Kakashi waited until the last possible moment. Then, with a sudden burst of chakra, he disappeared from their path.
"The Body Flicker Technique," Minato remarked, his interest piqued.
Reappearing within striking distance of Shisui, Kakashi slashed out with his kunai, aiming for his opponent's torso.
Shisui's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by Kakashi's quick counter. But the surprise lasted only an instant. With a burst of chakra to his legs, Shisui's body blurred.
Minato's eyes widened. "He's already mastered it?"
Obito's jaw dropped as Shisui vanished in a flash of black. "The Body Flicker Technique!" he exclaimed.
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