"Kakashi, suppose one day we are on a mission together, and I am accidentally captured by the enemy, facing imminent death."
"Would you seize the opportunity to steal intel and return to Konoha?"
"Or would you abandon the mission and save my life?"
Kakashi fell silent. Two conflicting voices were fighting inside his head.
One said that a shinobi is merely a tool for completing missions.
The other said that we shinobi are human beings, not tools, and how could we abandon a comrade just to complete a mission.
After a long while, he picked up the book his late father, Hatake Sakumo, used to read, and flipped to the most familiar page.
"Lord First Hokage said that Konoha was founded to unite everyone and resist invasions from other villages."
"My father spent his entire life protecting Konoha and protecting his comrades."
"If I ignored a comrade's life for the sake of a mission, my father in heaven probably wouldn't be very happy."
Uchiha Reki let out a sigh of relief. Kakashi seemed back to normal.
Come to think of it, Kakashi's mental fortitude was among the strongest in the entire history of the Shinobi World.
His father Hatake Sakumo's suicide turned him into a mission-executing machine.
During the Third Shinobi World War, he watched helplessly as Uchiha Obito was crushed beneath a massive boulder.
Later, he was manipulated by that old schemer Madara into killing Nohara Rin with his own hands.
Even later, his teacher, the young sun Namikaze Minato, also sacrificed himself.
Despite all this, Kakashi never turned to the dark side—it was simply awe-inspiring.
Even after leaving the Anbu, he could still look Sasuke in the eye and say something like everyone close to him had already died long ago...
Uchiha Reki couldn't help marveling: if his father Hatake Sakumo had possessed even half of his son's resilience, he wouldn't have met such a tragic end.
Suddenly, Kakashi bowed to Uchiha Reki.
"Li-kun, thank you for clearing up my confusion today."
Uchiha Reki waved a hand. "It's nothing."
Kakashi looked down at his own fist. "You're right. A shinobi is someone who protects comrades, not a ruthless killing machine."
"Kakashi, I'm glad you've figured it out."
Uchiha Reki glanced at the time. "It's getting late. I have to go."
Just then, Kakashi stood up, opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.
"Kakashi, is there anything else you want to say?"
Kakashi awkwardly scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"If possible, would you spar with me? I'd like to witness the Wood Release from Lord Hashirama."
"Huh?" Uchiha Reki didn't process it immediately. Kakashi, who had been agonizingly anxious just a moment ago, actually wanted to fight him?
The way you people resolve internal conflict is truly down-to-earth and dry.
Kakashi retrieved the White Fang from its stand. "Please."
Uchiha Reki pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Alright."
In the training ground, Uchiha Reki and Kakashi stood facing each other.
With the short blade strapped to his back, Kakashi looked like a sharp spear.
The wooden stakes in the training ground cast long, slender shadows in the setting sun, and Kakashi's headband reflected a cold glare.
"Li-kun, if you want to use a weapon, I can get one for you."
"No need, I have my own."
With that, Uchiha Reki pulled out a scroll.
A short while ago, Uchiha Reki had resealed the Karma Fire inside a small scroll so he could use it at any time.
"Ninjutsu Release: Release."
*Bang.* The smoke cleared.
When Kakashi saw Uchiha Reki shouldering the Karma Fire, he was completely dumbfounded.
Both of them were still growing and weren't particularly tall.
Yet the Karma Fire on Uchiha Reki's back towered a head above them both.
"This blade is way too big..."
Kakashi muttered at the sight of the colossal Karma Fire.
Compared to the Karma Fire, the short blade left by his father looked practically like a toy.
Fortunately, Kakashi adjusted his mindset quickly. So what if it was big? Small meant agile!
Senju Hashirama sat on a sofa, watching Uchiha Reki and Kakashi intently.
Life as a soul body was dreadfully boring, so watching Uchiha Reki fight had become his daily entertainment.
In the words of that passionate youth in green spandex, this was youth!
"Li-kun, I'm coming!"
"Bring it on! My whole body is fired up!"
As the words fell, Kakashi burst into motion, pushing his speed to the absolute limit.
He lowered his center of gravity slightly, spinning the reverse-gripped White Fang short blade to create a silver arc of light at his fingertips.
Almost simultaneously, Kakashi's figure suddenly blurred, the airflow stirred by his Body Flicker Technique sending loose gravel flying from the ground.
Kakashi's strategy was crystal clear: use speed to counter slowness.
"As expected of an elite from the Hatake clan, making a judgment call in such a short time."
Uchiha Reki remarked inwardly as the tomoe in his pupils spun wildly.
Enhanced by the Sharingan's dynamic vision, Kakashi's charging trajectory was broken down into countless frame-by-frame images.
*Clang!* Amidst a deafening screech of clashing metal, the broad blade of the Karma Fire accurately intercepted the thrust of the White Fang.
Uchiha Reki could clearly see the flash of astonishment in Kakashi's eyes—he had probably never imagined his lethal strike would be neutralized so effortlessly.
"Nice swordplay, but..."
Uchiha Reki suddenly grinned, veins bulging on the hand gripping the blade, "Too weak!"
A massive surge of monstrous strength erupted instantly, and the Karma Fire, carrying a piercing whistle through the air, forced the White Fang down with a groaning creak.
Uchiha Reki increased his force, pinning the short blade firmly in place.
Kakashi's pressure multiplied instantly, forcing him to switch to a two-handed grip.
To his absolute shock, however, Uchiha Reki's physical strength was terrifyingly immense.
The edge of the blade inched closer and closer to his neck.
In a single exchange, Kakashi found himself on the defensive.
Senju Hashirama grinned broadly. "The Senju clan's monstrous strength combined with the simplest swordplay—my teachings to him last night weren't wasted."
That's right, Uchiha Reki hadn't fully mastered those delicate sword techniques yet; right now, his style relied on brute force to crush everything.
Just go all out and be reckless.
The strength in Kakashi's arms was waning, and the unease in his heart grew intense.
If this kept up, he was going to lose.
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi twisted the blade, deflecting the majority of the Karma Fire's force.
At the same time, he shifted to a one-handed grip, drew a kunai with his left hand, and thrust it viciously toward Uchiha Reki's throat.
Uchiha Reki slightly sidestepped, moving out of range of the kunai.
Taking advantage of the opening, Kakashi put some distance between them.
Simultaneously, an assessment of Uchiha Reki rapidly formed in his mind.
Possessing strength far superior to his own, he might not gain any advantage in close-quarters combat.
He needed to change strategy and find an opportunity to use a high-burst ninjutsu to quickly finish Uchiha Reki.
Kakashi pulled out a smoke bomb and slammed it heavily onto the ground.
His figure was instantly swallowed by the smoke.
Taking cover in the smoke, Kakashi rapidly formed hand seals.
Rat - Tiger - Dog - Boar - Rabbit - Tiger.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."