38 Satoru vs. Kakashi
"Look, the Hyuga shinobi and Kakashi are about to fight."
"Is this another spectacle? First an Uchiha, now a Hyuga. Is Kakashi planning to challenge all the prominent families today?"
The battle between Kakashi and Rin attracted many shinobis, and more and more of them gathered around the Mission Management Office, excitedly discussing.
Unlike other shinobis who were here to watch, the Hyuga shinobis around couldn't help but worry.
"Satoru, can he beat Kakashi?"
"After all, he's the first Hyuga shinobi with two kekkei genkai. It should be fine..."
Their voices lacked confidence and were barely audible amidst the clamor of discussions.
Kakashi's reputation was too high: a Genin at 5, a Chūnin at 6, the youngest Chūnin in the history of Konoha, White Fang's son, any title he held could easily crush Satoru.
The only thing Satoru could compare himself to was the fact that he had two kekkei genkai.
If he lost to Kakashi head-on, it would undoubtedly damage the honor of the Hyuga clan.
"Is that guy, Satoru, really Kakashi's match?" Kurenai was also worried.
During Kakashi's student years, he had been her constant rival, but the drastic changes he underwent in the last two years made him almost unrecognizable.
"He can!" Anko confidently declared.
"Why are you so sure?" Kurenai looked at her. Although Kakashi wasn't the most personable, he was undoubtedly at the forefront of the new generation in terms of strength.
"He just can, that's all. Besides, Satoru definitely won't lose, even if his opponent is Kakashi." Anko shouted, attracting the attention of many.
In his current condition, Satoru's physical strength was limited, and he aimed to avoid taijutsu battles as much as possible. He analyzed his situation and formed a basic strategy.
Kakashi held the White Fang short sword, and with chakra infused, the blade emitted a faint white light.
"I advise you not to use that sword." Satoru raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" Kakashi frowned unhappily.
"You'll see in a moment."
Suddenly, Kakashi's body shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring, hurtling toward Satoru at incredible speed. The White Fang's short sword in his hand turned into a white streak, slashing toward Satoru.
Satoru didn't dodge, nor did he move.
The short sword seemed to be lightly flicked by an invisible hand, its trajectory was unbelievably altered as it was deflected away from his body.
Kakashi frowned but didn't give up, slashing again.
Satoru shook his head, slightly shifting his body, and once again the sword missed its mark.
Out and miss, miss and out...
Kakashi seemed like a master sketch artist, madly drawing lines through the air around Satoru. The scene was quite comical.
"Can I understand that you're trying to slash through the air around me, suffocating me to death?" Satoru shrugged, a helpless expression on his face.
Rin couldn't help but chuckle. "Satoru is quite naughty, and his words are sharp."
Kakashi took a deep breath, his seriousness growing.
"Magnet Release? I didn't expect it to affect my swordsmanship so much."
He knew Satoru's Magnet Release could disrupt shuriken, but controlling a kunai manipulated by someone else was much more challenging, especially given the complexity of Kakashi's sword techniques.
But now, it seemed he had underestimated Satoru's Magnet Release.
Quietly retracting the White Fang's short sword, Kakashi clenched his fist and charged toward Satoru.
Satoru blocked Kakashi's attack with his arm, and when the strike didn't connect, Kakashi quickly shifted his momentum, executing a spinning kick. Satoru leaned to the side, narrowly avoiding it.
His arm felt a bit sore, and he couldn't help but grimace. His body hadn't fully recovered yet, and taijutsu battles strained his still-healing muscles.
Satoru pushed his electromagnetic perception to its limit, evading Kakashi's attacks before they reached him, only defending against the attacks he couldn't avoid.
This defensive stance, however, looked like something else in the eyes of the surrounding shinobis.
"He's... he's too strong. Kakashi's attacks can't even touch him."
"He's dodging with such ease, and he hasn't even counterattacked once. Is this Hyuga guy provoking Kakashi?"
The discussions shifted from initial skepticism towards Satoru to astonishment.
Kakashi's successive taijutsu attacks put immense pressure on Satoru. Seizing the opportunity when Kakashi's attacks left openings, he slightly sidestepped, transitioning his fist into an open palm strike, and imprinted it squarely on Kakashi's chest.
Thunk!
Accompanied by a muffled impact, a burst of lightning arcs erupted where the palm struck. Kakashi's body was propelled into the air by the force, crashing heavily onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
"What was that... the gentle fist?"
The observing Hyuga members' eyebrows twitched.
"It looks like the stance of the gentle fist, but the attack is completely different."
"I've heard from Iruha that it's called Magnetic Storm Fist. The principles behind it... seem quite complex."
"This guy, Satoru, never properly learned the clan's secret techniques..."
...
Struggling to rise from the ground, Kakashi's chest, where the lightning arcs had exploded, pulsed with discomfort, causing his body to twitch.
"I can't afford to clash head-on." He silently devised a countermeasure.
Reaching for his shinobi tool pouch at his waist, Kakashi took out two small balls and hurled them down forcefully. Thick smoke instantly engulfed him, shrouding both him and Satoru in its veil.
Amid the dense fog, Satoru shook his head. "It's useless."
...
Hokage's office.
The crystal ball displayed the scene of Satoru sending Kakashi flying with the Magnetic Storm Fist.
"A combination of Magnet Release and Gentle Fist? Satoru's mastery over the dual bloodline abilities is quite impressive."
Hiruzen nodded approvingly.
The Mission Management Office held a crucial position in Konoha. Even before the clash between Rin and Kakashi, ANBU operatives had reported the situation to him. Satoru's arrival had only deepened his interest.
The image in the crystal ball continued to change, now showing Kakashi throwing the two small balls, which generated thick smoke that engulfed both combatants.
"In the ultimate battle of the new generation, who will come out on top?"
Hiruzen's eyes shone brightly.
...
Within the thick fog, Satoru remained vigilant, his eyes scanning his surroundings.
Suddenly, a tremor came from behind him, and Satoru swiftly turned around, imprinting a palm on the incoming figure.
Thud!
The figure turned into a white mist.
"A Shadow Clone? It seems you couldn't resist any longer."
Just as he crushed the clone in an instant, the ground behind him ruptured. A figure shot up high, his right palm enveloped in lightning, emitting a sharp sound.
"Chidori."
At such close range, a miss was impossible!
Kakashi felt a glimmer of delight.
Just as he was about to strike, Satoru seemed to have anticipated it, his body inexplicably twisted, evading the Chidori attack perfectly by sidestepping.
His palm firmly grasped Kakashi's wrist, exerting a slight forward force. Kakashi went crashing to the ground like a ragdoll, and his Chidori pierced a large hole through the earth.
At that moment, the smoke dispersed, revealing the clear outcome of the battle before everyone's eyes.
"What... What happened?"
"Is it already over?"
Kakashi tumbled to the ground in a sorry state, a trace of astonishment at his easy defeat still lingering on his face, his right hand deeply embedded in the ground.
In the rear, Satoru stood indifferently.
"Do you know the significance of my earlier warning not to use that blade?"
"Because that's White Fang's blade, and you're not qualified to wield it."
