Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

"Yo, Kakashi. Running into you here is pretty lucky. I promised my students we'd have a proper special training session tonight. So how about you come alon—"

Guy's familiar booming voice once again exploded beside Kakashi's ear.

Kakashi couldn't help sighing internally.

Can't even eat dinner peacefully…

"Please spare me today."

Kakashi weakly complained.

Ignoring the dissatisfied stares from nearby customers inside the izakaya, the excited Guy originally assumed this was just Kakashi's usual half-hearted refusal.

He was already preparing to passionately persuade his old friend—

Only after sitting down did he finally notice something strange.

Kakashi wasn't wearing his usual shinobi gear today.

Instead, he wore casual clothes.

He also wasn't eating with his dominant hand.

And bandages clearly wrapped around his right shoulder.

"You got injured?"

Guy stared in surprise.

"Did you take a mission today? No… it was training with your students…"

Then suddenly realization struck him.

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

Seeing Guy's expression rapidly shift into disbelief, Kakashi helplessly nodded.

"Exactly what you're thinking."

"No way!"

Guy's voice instantly jumped an entire octave higher.

Everyone in the restaurant immediately turned toward them again.

"Don't bother the other customers."

Kakashi looked utterly exhausted.

"We're eating."

"Y-You were holding back though… right?"

Guy hurriedly lowered his voice.

"I even used the Eight Gates."

"..."

Instantly, silence fell between them.

Only the tapping sound of Kakashi's fingers against the table remained.

After all, before Guy sat down, Kakashi had already finished eating and planned to leave.

And somehow—

Even while eating—

Nobody ever managed to see Kakashi's real face.

Under normal circumstances, Guy would definitely already be proposing another eternal rivalry challenge.

But now—

The information Kakashi just revealed shocked him so deeply that Guy nearly forgot the training session he promised Lee.

"Then doesn't that mean Naruto-kun's strength has already reached—or even surpassed—the Jōnin level?"

"Yes."

Kakashi answered calmly.

"Then…"

Guy suddenly understood what Kakashi meant earlier.

"You're planning to recommend Naruto for direct promotion to the Hokage?"

"Not yet."

Kakashi stood while supporting his injured shoulder.

"Though I do have that intention."

"Based on his current abilities, he only needs—"

Then Kakashi abruptly stopped himself.

Looking toward Guy's thoughtful expression, he pointed toward his shoulder.

"You see this?"

"Can't you at least help escort me home? It's only a few steps."

"It won't interfere with your promise to your students."

"Wait, seriously?!"

Guy suddenly clenched his fists dramatically.

"Does this mean my youth still isn't burning brightly enough?"

"I'm actually falling behind the next generation?!"

"Looks like I need to ignite my youth even harder!"

Then he suddenly looked toward Kakashi excitedly.

"How about this, Kakashi?"

"Come train together with us tonight!"

"Your injuries are fine! I'll just carry you while training!"

"You're literally treating me like extra weight, aren't you?"

Kakashi immediately exposed him.

Still, Guy ignored the complaint and skillfully slung Kakashi's arm across his shoulders anyway.

The moment they stepped outside the izakaya—

Guy suddenly remembered something.

"Oh right, right!"

"Kakashi!"

"Recently some Kirigakure ninja came to the village several times on missions."

"They kept asking about you."

"What was her name again…"

"You don't even know their name, yet you're asking about them?"

"It wasn't me asking!"

Guy protested immediately.

"At first I thought maybe you offended someone outside the village and they came here for revenge."

"But Kurenai became really interested in the situation."

"She kept saying something like 'only female ninja understand female ninja'…"

"Then are you a female ninja?"

Kakashi deadpanned instantly.

"No!"

Guy immediately roared proudly.

"I, Might Guy, am a true youthful man!"

"Then clearly you don't understand."

Kakashi sighed lazily.

"If you don't understand, then don't make random guesses."

"Doesn't that make sense?"

"Ah?"

Guy blinked blankly.

"That… actually sounds reasonable…"

Nighttime.

Neji Hyūga sat quietly in meditation.

Surprisingly, Rock Lee—who normally trained beside him every single night—was nowhere to be seen today.

Still, Neji could already guess where he went.

Obviously training with that "youthful and passionate" teacher again.

Thinking about earlier today when he and Tenten first saw Might Guy—

Neji couldn't help feeling speechless.

For a moment, they genuinely thought Lee's father had arrived.

Those two looked absurdly alike.

And they acted incredibly close too.

Honestly…

Even the memories Neji had of his own father felt nowhere near as intimate as the relationship between those two.

Crunch.

A faint footstep suddenly sounded through the nighttime wind.

"So you came."

Neji opened his eyes and looked toward the approaching figure.

Then he slightly raised one eyebrow.

"You came prepared."

"I mean, you sounded ridiculously confident."

Sasuke walked toward him dressed entirely in training gear.

Bandages wrapped around his wrists.

Weapon pouches hung at his thighs.

Even his forehead protector was already equipped.

"I doubt this is some casual spar."

"And…"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly.

"After this morning's lesson, I'm not careless enough to underestimate people anymore."

"So. Taijutsu or ninjutsu?"

"Surely you're not planning to challenge an Uchiha with genjutsu."

"Still taijutsu."

Neji slowly rose to his feet.

"Though with a slight difference."

He immediately noticed Sasuke felt somewhat different compared to yesterday.

At the very least, the arrogance Sasuke constantly revealed previously had clearly diminished.

Sasuke nodded silently.

Then he closed his eyes.

When he reopened them—

The two-tomoe Sharingan had already activated.

By now, the number of battles between Sasuke and Neji had long become impossible to count.

Both viewed Naruto as their target.

Every time one of them developed a new technique or idea, they would immediately seek out the other for testing.

As a result, the number of fights between them had already surpassed even their sparring sessions with Naruto.

The two constantly pushed each other forward.

Meanwhile, Neji activated his Byakugan as well before speaking seriously:

"Go all out."

"Because after Lee and Guy-sensei's suggestions, I made additional modifications to this technique."

"Of course…"

A dangerous gleam flashed through his eyes.

"I still can't fully control the damage."

"Hmph."

Sasuke snorted coldly.

"That sounds like you're already assuming you can injure me."

Truthfully, Kakashi's lesson earlier that day remained deeply lodged inside Sasuke's mind like a thorn.

Constantly reminding him of his flaws.

Yet Sasuke had to admit—

Part of him still felt unconvinced.

However, Sasuke also understood something now.

That stubborn unwillingness didn't originate from blaming others.

It came from dissatisfaction toward himself.

After all—

Ever since repeatedly losing to Naruto years ago, Sasuke had already understood there would always be stronger people above him.

His frustration stemmed only from his own weakness.

"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Under Neji's Byakugan, a massive Eight Trigrams diagram expanded beneath his feet.

Everything within that formation would soon be overwhelmed by his storm-like barrage of attacks.

"I thought you had some new move."

Sasuke let out a mocking laugh after capturing Neji's charging figure through the Sharingan.

"This is just your same old—"

At that exact moment—

Another familiar voice suddenly echoed directly behind Sasuke.

"Eight Trigrams: Two Palms!"

Another Neji Hyūga had appeared directly within Sasuke's blind spot.

And launched an attack toward him.

An unavoidable strike!

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