"The next group, step forward. Asuma Sarutobi against the Hidden Leaf's pride, Hatake Kakashi..."
"Wait a minute!" Before Hideyoshi Yamamoto could finish speaking, someone shouted, "Sensei, I want to challenge Kakashi Hatake!"
"This..." Hideyoshi Yamamoto looked back and forth between Asuma and Kakashi, feeling a bit awkward.
Over the past few months, Mitsuno-kakashi (Three Ninja) had not faced Kakashi in actual combat. It's possible that Hideyoshi Yamamoto's hesitation was driven by personal reasons. In his mind, although Asuma was quite talented, there was still a considerable gap compared to Kakashi Hatake.
Therefore, Yamamoto didn't want to schedule a fight between them. He was concerned that if Asuma lost, it would damage his confidence, especially since the young shinobi's self-esteem was fragile.
"Wow!" Uchiha Obito exclaimed as he heard Asuma was going to challenge Kakashi. He jumped up excitedly and pointed at Kakashi. "Kakashi, are you scared? You won't dare to fight, will you?"
Kakashi, unfazed, stepped forward. "I accept your challenge," he said with a calm expression.
Hideyoshi Yamamoto had been ready to deny the request, but Uchiha Obito's loud taunting, coupled with Kakashi's acceptance, made it difficult for him to reject the challenge any longer.
Sarutobi Asuma, meanwhile, breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
As the son of the Third Hokage, Asuma had grown up somewhat entitled and often acted arrogantly. On the first day of the academy, he'd picked a fight with one of the other students—Chao Yuren. Back then, they were evenly matched.
However, as they started training with chakra, Asuma found himself outclassed by Yuren, even though Asuma had the benefit of training with elite jonin.
Recently, in every sparring session, Asuma would find himself overpowered, which left him feeling frustrated. After one such encounter, he had begun training more diligently in private, hoping to catch up.
"Alright! The next match is between Asuma Sarutobi and Kakashi Hatake. Step forward!" Hideyoshi Yamamoto announced.
Asuma stepped forward, standing opposite Kakashi, preparing for the match.
"First, the seal of opposition!" Hideyoshi Yamamoto instructed, signaling them to begin.
Asuma's expression was resolute, but Hideyoshi couldn't help but think, Asuma is promising, but he's still overconfident. This match will humble him a little—I'll make sure to encourage him afterward.
After exchanging the hand signs, Asuma drew his kunai and faced Kakashi with a vigilant stance.
Although Kakashi was only five years old at the time, his skills were already exceptional. A young child could be a dangerous ninja in this world, and under the guidance of his father, Konoha's White Fang, Kakashi had grown quickly.
"Is that a genjutsu?" Asuma's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of something from the corner of his vision. Is someone watching me? He felt a strange, vague intuition. This sixth sense had developed recently, possibly due to his intense training or innate talent, but he couldn't quite pinpoint the source.
"Go, Kakashi!" Rin Nohara cheered excitedly from the sidelines, her cheeks flushed.
"Hah! Asuma, take him down!" Uchiha Obito shouted loudly, urging Asuma on.
Asuma was focused. He quickly drew two shuriken from his pouch and hurled them at Kakashi with precision, then rushed forward, following his attack.
Kakashi dodged the shuriken effortlessly, leaping into the air.
But suddenly, puff! puff!—to Asuma's surprise, his shuriken hit Kakashi midair, striking him down!
"Kakashi!" Rin gasped, startled.
"Did... Did Asuma kill Kakashi?" Obito exclaimed, his face pale with shock.
"Silence! Watch closely," Hideyoshi Yamamoto ordered, his voice low.
Boom!
As Kakashi's body hit the ground, it turned into a log—a substitution jutsu! The log clattered to the ground where Kakashi had once been.
"What a quick substitution," Asuma muttered under his breath, impressed.
Realizing the trick, Asuma swiftly turned around just in time to see Kakashi's attack incoming from behind.
Kakashi had already closed the distance. His kunai curved in the air, aiming straight for Asuma's throat. The speed was astonishing.
Asuma reacted just in time, arching his back to evade the attack. As he did, he used the momentum to strike at Kakashi's kunai, forcing him to retreat.
Both shinobi retreated a few paces, locking eyes. The atmosphere was tense. Asuma was finally taking this match seriously.
I didn't expect him to be this strong at just five years old, Asuma thought to himself. No wonder Kakashi is called a genius.
Meanwhile, Kakashi assessed his opponent. He had been trained rigorously by his father, the famed White Fang, and had fought against more experienced shinobi. Yet now, facing a civilian-born ninja, Kakashi found himself in an unexpectedly challenging battle.
They both charged again, engaging in rapid taijutsu, their kunai clashing in mid-air as sparks flew from their weapons. They moved too fast for the audience to follow, their movements a blur.
Kakashi was undoubtedly stronger in terms of raw ability, but Asuma had an advantage—his mentality. Despite being younger, Asuma had the mind of an experienced adult, able to keep calm under pressure. Many of Kakashi's moves, though unfamiliar, were anticipated and countered by Asuma's sharp instincts.
Though Kakashi had tremendous talent, he lacked the combat experience that might have allowed him to finish the match earlier.
Kakashi is still too young, Asuma noted. His genius is undeniable, but experience is what will truly make him a formidable ninja.
"Go, Kakashi!" shouted Rin.
"Don't give up, Asuma!" Obito cheered loudly.
The crowd was fully engaged, caught up in the intensity of the battle as the two shinobi continued to fight with unrelenting speed and skill.