"It seems that if I want to defeat Kakashi, I need to think of a strategy..." thought Chao Yiqian as he faced off against Kakashi.
"Come on, Chao Yiqian! Beat that arrogant Kakashi!" Uchiha Obito shouted from the sidelines, clearly enjoying the idea of Kakashi getting humbled. It would seem as if Obito had a deep friendship with Chao Yiqian, but in reality, they'd exchanged no more than three sentences during their six months at the academy.
"Wait a second..." Chao Yiqian glanced at Obito, narrowing his eyes as an idea popped into his head. "That could work," he thought.
Boom!
A heavy punch forced Kakashi back, making him retreat. Chao Yiqian quickly followed up, his hands flashing through a series of seals.
"That... that's not possible!" Obito exclaimed, recognizing the jutsu Chao Yiqian was performing. It was the Uchiha clan's [Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu], a technique Obito himself hadn't fully mastered yet.
"No way! How did he learn that?" Obito was shocked.
Kakashi, too, recognized the hand seals. Despite his composure, he couldn't afford to be careless. He rapidly performed his own jutsu.
"[Earth Style: Earth Wall]!"
An earthen wall rose to shield Kakashi, but the expected fireball never came.
"I've got him!" thought Chao Yiqian, capitalizing on the moment. He leaped over the wall and launched six shurikens in a pincer-like formation.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! The shurikens pierced Kakashi, turning him into a human pincushion.
"Kakashi!" cried Rin Nohara, rushing forward to check on him.
Poof!
Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke, replaced by a log.
"A substitution jutsu, huh?" Chao Yiqian smirked.
Though Kakashi had dodged the attack, Chao Yiqian knew that his opponent, being only five years old, couldn't have much chakra left after using two jutsu in quick succession.
Klang!
Suddenly, two kunai came flying at Chao Yiqian from a tree nearby. He dodged and retaliated, forcing Kakashi out of hiding. Kakashi was visibly fatigued, his breathing labored.
"He's out of chakra," Chao Yiqian observed. "No more fancy jutsu for him."
Kakashi, on the other hand, felt the weight of his exhaustion. He had pushed himself to the limit, but Chao Yiqian still seemed ready to fight.
"I can't lose! Not as Konoha's White Fang's son!" Kakashi thought, frustrated. He drew a kunai and rushed toward Chao Yiqian, but the moment his weapon passed through what seemed like his opponent's body, Kakashi realized too late—it was just a shadow clone.
Bam!
Chao Yiqian's fist connected with Kakashi's face, sending him flying to the ground.
"You lost, Kakashi," Chao Yiqian said calmly, dusting himself off.
Kakashi tried to stand, but his body refused to cooperate. His chakra was completely depleted, and even his limbs trembled with exhaustion. Despite his best efforts, he had been defeated.
Kakashi stared at the ground, processing the reality of his first real defeat. He was only a child, but this loss, after being praised so highly as a genius, would weigh heavily on him.
For Chao Yiqian, this was no personal vendetta. He had no grudge against Kakashi and didn't envy his reputation. This duel was simply a means to gain recognition from Konoha's higher-ups, to secure a better future.
"You're despicable! You used my jutsu to trick Kakashi!" Obito yelled, glaring at Chao Yiqian.
Chao Yiqian responded coldly, "A ninja should be calm, patient, and strategic. Before using ninjutsu, you need to consider how to deceive your opponent's senses and anticipate their reactions. If you can't grasp that, you have no business being a ninja."
Obito grumbled, his pride bruised. "I... I know that!"
"Kakashi, are you okay?" Rin asked, her voice full of concern as she helped him to his feet.
"I'm fine," Kakashi said, shaking her off. He turned to Chao Yiqian, his expression serious. "You won this time, but it won't happen again."
"You're welcome to challenge me any time," Chao Yiqian replied confidently.
"The winner is Chao Yiqian! Both of you, please perform the reconciliation seal," announced their instructor, Yamamoto Hideyoshi.
"Please advise," Chao Yiqian and Kakashi said in unison, performing the reconciliation seal, a long-standing tradition in the ninja world that helped turn hostility into competition.
"It was a great match! Everyone, take note of what you've seen here today. We can all learn something from Chao Yiqian and Kakashi," Hideyoshi Yamamoto said, applauding both of them.