36 Chapter 36 - Sakumo's Test

With Mikumo and Kakashi's extensive training over the past few years, they were easily able to quickly make their way to the third training ground. Kurenai barely managed to keep up as well. Although Kurenai's physique isn't as strong as Mikumo's or Kakashi's, it can still be said that she had most Genin and even some Chunin easily beat, as Mikumo had tailor-made her training program based on what she learned from Sakumo.

Upon reaching the training ground, Mikumo and her two teammates found Sakumo there waiting for them.

"There you guys are, what didn't eat breakfast today? Hahaha."

Mikumo pouted and crossed her arms in feigned contempt.

"Hmph, gloat while you can, Sensei. I'll beat you in a race soon."

"Oh, is that so? I'll have to look forward to that then."

Sakumo said with a smirk.

"Alright kids, as you can already tell, as of today I'll be your team captain. For formality purposes, let's do a round of introductions. Introduce yourself, your likes and dislikes, what you're good at, and what you're bad at. I'll start. I'm Sakumo, I like collecting swords, and I don't like pickled food. I'm good at Kenjutsu and weak at Genjutsu. Alright, who wants to go next?"

Mikumo raised her hand and then started speaking.

"Mikumo here, I like learning new Jutsu and I don't like bean sprouts. I'm pretty good at everything with Genjutsu being my strong point."

Sakumo nodded and looked at Kakashi and Kurenai.

"Okay, who's next?"

"I'll go, nice you formally meet you, Sakumo-sensei. My name is Kurenai, I like small snacks and red blouses, I don't like sweet food. My specialty is in Genjutsu, I'm okay in Taijutsu and weak in Ninjutsu."

"I see, okay. Last up, Kakashi."

"Name's Kakashi, I like taking care of my Ninken and reading, and I don't like fried food. I'm good at Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu, weak at Genjutsu."

Sakumo nodded, satisfied with everyone's responses.

"Okay, pretty well-balanced team. Alright, since this is the first team that I'm leading, I'll just keep it simple. We're going to be doing a combat test."

Sakumo then charged a lot of chakra and summoned a shadow clone.

"Your mission is to defeat my clone. If you can do so within an hour, then the mission is complete. Any questions?"

Mikumo and her team shook their heads.

"Combat test? Simple enough."

Kakashi said, satisfied with the test. Mikumo nodded and agreed.

"Today's the day you get your first loss, Sensei!"

Sakumo laughed and then jumped up onto a tree branch.

"Is that so? I'll look forward to it then. You guys have five minutes to prepare before my clone starts hunting you. Time starts...now!"

Upon Sakumo's signal, Mikumo and her team shunshin'd out of sight. They met back together a good distance away from the clone's position to go over their plan of attack.

Mikumo, Kakashi, and Kurenai knelt down behind a big tree and started discussing. Mikumo was the first to speak, seeing Kakashi and Kurenai look to her for a plan.

"Okay, first off, I definitely think we should take the initiative to attack. If we let Sensei act, he'll separate us and hunt us down one by one. Even in training, I've never landed a hit on Sensei, so even though he's using a clone, we should go full power right from the start."

"I agree. I've never landed a blow on father either."

"Sounds good to me."

Seeing Kakashi and Kurenai agree with her analysis, Mikumo continued.

"I've already come up with a few attack strategies for our team last night after I confirmed our team yesterday. Here's what we'll do..."

Mikumo explained the combat strategy she came up with using her teachings from Sakumo.

"So, do you think you can do it, Kakashi?"

"No problem."

"Heh, as expected of my little brother. Alright, Kurenai? Do you agree with this plan?"

"Mhm, no complaints from me."

"Okay then, mission start!"

Upon Mikumo's declaration, everyone dashed away to go prepare to fulfill their roles.

Sakumo's clone stood in the middle of the field, quietly counting the seconds until the five-minute grace period was up.

"They should be coming soon...now, I wonder what you'll show me today, Mikumo."

Clone Sakumo didn't wonder for long, for as soon as the words left his lips, Mikumo appeared a medium distance away from him in the field. Seeing her appearance, clone Sakumo gave her a satisfied nod.

"Good judgment, alright, what have you got for me?"

Mikumo snickered and then swiftly did a few one-handed hand signs. Clone Sakumo went on guard and drew a tanto blade as he took a combat stance.

"Today's the day you lose your winrate against me, Sensei."

After finishing her hand signs, Mikumo then took a step to the left. However, in Sakumo's eyes, it appeared she left an after image behind with her step, and with each subsequent step, another clone was left behind mirroring her actions.

Sakumo's instincts activated upon seeing the unfamiliar move.

"This is, Genjutsu? Kai!"

Sakumo tried to disrupt Mikumo's Genjutsu, however, the instant he freed himself, he felt the foreign chakra invading his senses once more. Sakumo's eyebrow raised in surprise.

"What?"

Mikumo grinned with smugness and smacked her tongue.

"Tsk tsk, Sakumo-sensei. You can't escape like that. This is my Rythmn Echo."

Sakumo racked his brain as his danger sense kicked into high gear. After a short moment, a light bulb went off in his head.

"Continuous sound-based Genjutsu?"

*Clap Clap*

Mikumo and her ever-increasing numerous clones clapped as they surrounded Sakumo.

"You got it, but unfortunately there are no prizes!"

Sakumo chuckled to himself and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Quite the neat trick, so, what's next?"

"Next game is, find the real Mikumo!"

As Mikumo's numerous clones sounded out, they started increasing their speed from a walking pace to a swift sprint, circling Sakumo all around.

Seeing himself get surrounded by Mikumo, Sakumo decided to test the clones to see if they had any mass. He reached into his pouch and threw a kunai at one of the Mikumo clones.

*Ding*

Sakumo's kunai was deflected and landed on the ground. Sakumo was a little surprised upon seeing this.

"Did you mix in real clones among the crowd?"

"Who knows~? Alright, time's up Sensei. Since you didn't find the real me, now it's time for punishment!"

Immediately after declaring her words, four of the Mikumos leaped at Sakumo from all sides whilst grasping upon the handle of their sheathed Katana.

Sakumo prepared his tanto for a counter, carefully scrutinizing each Mikumo closing in on him for any discrepancies to figure out if they had mass or not. However, Mikumo wasn't giving him any time to decide.

"Ittoryu Iai: Agitowari!" (One sword style draw: Chin Splitter)

All four Mikumo drew their sword at lightning speed, sending a horizontal slash threatening to bisect Sakumo's clone from all four directions.

Sakumo stayed calm and countered at blinding speed. Since he didn't know when ones were real and which ones were illusions he chose to counter all four at once.

Within an instant Sakumo met three Mikumo's slashes with his own, each counter landing accurately on her blade to deflect the slash away from his body. However, when it came to the fourth slash, he was a step delayed and decided to block instead. The force of Mikumo's blade launched Sakumo into the air.

As Sakumo tried to stabilize himself in the air, he felt danger come from behind him and immediately twisted his body around to defend.

*Ding*

Sakumo's tanto blade clashed directly with Kakashi's White Light blade that he had gifted him. Sakumo held Kakashi's blade at bay with just one hand, while Kakashi struggled to break Sakumo's guard, pushing with all his might using both hands. Suddenly Kakashi did something unexpected in Sakumo's vision.

Sakumo watched as Kakashi's index finger on his right hand that was holding the White Light tanto blade lifted and pointed directly at his collar bone. His danger sense kicked into high gear and he reacted as fast as he could before Kakashi launched his next move.

"Byakurai!" (Pale Lightning)

A small white beam of lightning shot out of Kakashi's finger. However, thanks to his preemptive movement, Sakumo barely leaned back in time, causing the hot beam of electricity to just graze past his shoulder.

"Whew, that was dangerous."

Not wanting to test his reflexes on another one of Kakashi's attacks, Sakumo pushed hard and broke away from Kakashi's entanglement and launched himself backward, using Kakashi's torso as a stepping stone.

Sakumo landed in a clearing just outside of Mikumo's clone encirclement. However, he wasn't able to relax for long.

"Sajo Sabaku!" (Eternally Binding Chain)

Alongside Mikumo's voice, accompanying a yellow chain swiftly descending from above, wrapping Sakumo's clone tightly.

"This is a binding Genjutsu? Another one I haven't seen before. You've been keeping secrets, Mikumo-chan."

Sakumo's clone tried to summon his Chakra to undo the Genjutsu, but just as soon as he did, he felt a stab right in the back.

"What?"

Sakumo's clone turned around while he still could to see Kurenai's body forming from out of nowhere holding the kunai stabbed into his back. With slight surprise and a smile on his face and let out one last chuckle.

"Heh, I see."

*Poof*