Chapter 18: Apprenticed to Sakumo

Early the next morning, Kai Mitarashi woke up, tidied himself up, fastened his forehead protector, and set off for Training Ground No. 44.

Training Ground No. 44, better known as the Forest of Death, earned its ominous name from the countless wild beasts that dwelled within. Each year, dozens of villagers lost their lives in its depths.

Still, for lower- and mid-level shinobi, it served as an ideal training ground, which was why it had been preserved.

As Kai approached the training ground, he spotted a figure standing in the distance. With short silver hair and a straight posture, the man exuded an air of authority. It was none other than Sakumo Hatake, the famed White Fang of Konoha.

"Sakumo-sensei!" Kai quickened his steps, running toward him.

"Hmm."

Sakumo acknowledged Kai with a nod before speaking in a cold, measured tone: "Sakumo Hatake. I enjoy practicing kenjutsu, dislike interruptions during my practice, specialize in kenjutsu and Lightning Release, and strive to protect the village forever."

Kai couldn't help but notice the striking similarities between Sakumo and his son, Kakashi—even their likes and dislikes seemed identical.

When Sakumo turned his sharp gaze toward him, Kai quickly introduced himself: "Kai Mitarashi. I enjoy unknown challenges, dislike things beyond my control, specialize in taijutsu and Wind Release, and aim to become the strongest shinobi."

"This is my first time serving as a jonin instructor. Our squad consists of just the two of us. I won't lower the difficulty of my missions for your sake. If you feel it's too dangerous, you're free to request a different instructor from the Third Hokage. However, as your jonin instructor, if you have any questions, you can come to me at any time. Is that clear?"

Sakumo's tone was icy, but Kai, knowing the storyline, understood that beneath this cold exterior lay a heart as fiery as the sun—a heart that cherished his comrades and protected Konoha.

"Understood, Sakumo-sensei," Kai replied firmly.

"Good. Now show me your strength. Attack me with everything you've got," Sakumo said, his gaze unwavering.

"Got it."

As soon as Kai finished speaking, he clenched his right hand into a fist.

Strong Fist: Mountain Crusher!

Kai launched a fierce punch straight at Sakumo's face, holding back nothing.

Bang!

The body that Kai struck dissipated into a puff of smoke—it was a Clone Technique! In that split second, Sakumo had used the Clone Technique to evade the attack, demonstrating a mastery of the technique ingrained into his very being.

"Your timing was good, but your shoulder twitched before you threw the punch. Try again," a cold voice rang out from the side.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

Kai wasn't fazed. After all, Sakumo Hatake was the White Fang of Konoha, a shinobi feared across the ninja world. If such a simple trick could trouble him, he wouldn't deserve his reputation.

As Kai turned, he was already forming hand seals. The moment he spotted Sakumo, he unleashed the ninjutsu. Simultaneously, his hands didn't pause for a moment.

Mitarashi Style Ninja Tool Throwing: Tenfold Ambush!

A barrage of ninja tools rained down on Sakumo from all directions. This was Kai's first time using his ninja tool throwing ability at full strength. Each tool varied in angle, creating an unpredictable and seamless assault.

However, faced with this overwhelming attack, Sakumo showed no sign of panic. He drew the short blade strapped to his back, and with a few swift movements, the blade danced like a flower before his eyes.

Only a handful of shuriken were deflected, yet each deflection altered the trajectory of several other tools, effortlessly neutralizing Kai's relentless offensive.

Strong Fist: Void Breaker!

From over ten meters away, Kai thrust his right fist forward with immense force. A visible shockwave of compressed air and chakra surged toward Sakumo in the next instant.

This was the final form of Kai's Strong Fist technique!

Strong Fist: Void Breaker was a long-range attack method. Within a short span of time, Kai delivered dozens of punches, each compressing air and chakra to the extreme. The result was a high-density chakra shockwave capable of inflicting significant damage.

Its power was comparable to the Hyuga Clan's Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!

"Did I hit him?"

But to Kai's disappointment, the moment Void Breaker struck Sakumo's body, it dissolved into a cloud of wooden debris—it was a Substitution Technique! Sakumo had dodged the attack once again.

"Impressive taijutsu and excellent ninjutsu combinations. Even elite jonin would struggle to counter such an assault," Sakumo's voice rang out, calm and unaffected.

Rasengan!

Without warning, Kai spun around and lunged forward. Sakumo was standing right behind him, and the Rasengan in Kai's hand hurtled toward Sakumo's abdomen.

"You've lost!"

Feeling the cold steel against his neck, Kai looked at the figure before him, which once again dissolved into smoke. He couldn't help but feel dejected. Was this the power of a peak Kage-level shinobi? The gap between them was still immense.

The pride Kai had felt earlier vanished completely in the face of such a decisive defeat.

"It seems I still have a long way to go. Sakumo-sensei didn't even use ninjutsu, and I was defeated," Kai said helplessly.

"You've done well. My specialty is kenjutsu; ninjutsu is merely a supplementary tool for me. Forcing me to draw my blade is already quite an achievement," Sakumo replied, sheathing his short sword.

"Really? Sakumo-sensei, could you teach me your kenjutsu?" Kai asked eagerly, unable to resist the temptation. After all, this was the legendary White Fang's kenjutsu—the technique that had made Sakumo a force to be reckoned with across the ninja world.

"Sure," Sakumo agreed without hesitation.

"Huh?" Kai was taken aback by Sakumo's straightforward and indifferent response.

As if sensing Kai's thoughts, Sakumo explained, "The Hatake Clan's kenjutsu isn't as mystical as you might think. It's all about your understanding of swordsmanship. You'll realize that in time."

"Oh... Well, Sakumo-sensei—" Just as Kai was about to ask more questions, an Anbu with a cat-like mask suddenly appeared before them. Kneeling on one knee before Sakumo, the Anbu said:

"Sakumo-sama, Lord Third has ordered the Sakumo Squad to assemble at the Hokage's office immediately."

"Sakumo Squad? Looks like I'm already part of the team," Kai thought to himself.

"Understood. Kai, move out immediately." Without giving Kai a chance to respond, Sakumo disappeared in a flash, heading toward the center of the village.

"Looks like it's an urgent mission," Kai mused.

Without delay, he followed closely behind Sakumo.

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