Chapter 97: Life Return
The next morning, even before the sun had fully risen, Kakashi barged into Yusuke's room and yanked him from his peaceful sleep.
Yusuke opened his eyes groggily, blinking at his little brother's unusually excited face. For a moment, he was speechless. Was this really all because of a single technique? He had been comfortably enjoying his rest, only to be forcibly awakened by a hyperactive shinobi-in-training.
Meanwhile, Kakashi looked rather satisfied with himself. Seeing his older brother's annoyed expression seemed to brighten his mood instantly.
"Come on, big bro! You promised! Teach me the technique already!" Kakashi urged, bouncing with barely contained excitement.
"Yeah, yeah, chill... Let me at least get dressed first," Yusuke muttered, rubbing his eyes with clear exhaustion written across his face.
He sighed heavily and shook his head. What started as a little tease had backfired spectacularly. Now, he was the one who had to deal with the consequences.
Still, he was an older brother. And more than that, he'd already decided to teach Kakashi this technique—to protect him, especially with the looming threat of war.
After getting ready, the two of them made their way to the training ground. Yusuke didn't use the Door-Door Fruit to shorten the trip. Instead, he ordered Kakashi to use Soru, one of the Rokushiki techniques, to get there quickly.
"Kakashi, you've gotten the hang of Rokushiki already, haven't you?" Yusuke asked once they arrived.
"Yeah, I'm fairly proficient in Shigan, Soru, and Geppo," Kakashi replied confidently. "You told me Kami-e was important, so I've been practicing it seriously too. Rankyaku… not so much. It's tied to swordsmanship, and I still lack that finesse. As for Tekkai, I've only learned the basics."
"Good enough," Yusuke nodded, arms crossed. "What I'm about to teach you is the ultimate secret of Rokushiki—a hidden technique that can only be used by those who've mastered all six styles."
"A secret technique? That sounds awesome!" Kakashi's eyes sparkled like a kid unwrapping his birthday gift.
"For someone at your current level… it's practically a god-tier move," Yusuke smirked. "It enhances all six base forms of Rokushiki. Even better, it allows you to control your body down to the cellular level. You'll improve your chakra control dramatically, and your ninjutsu efficiency will skyrocket. Oh, and bonus—you can eat like a pig and never get fat."
He explained it with a smug look on his face, clearly proud.
Kakashi was intrigued… until that last part.
Eat without getting fat?
Inwardly, he deadpanned, Who the hell cares about gaining weight in the shinobi world? Except for the Akimichi clan—whose large bodies were actually a family trait—every other ninja was either lean, muscular, or a combination of both due to sheer physical exertion.
Yusuke laughed heartily at his reaction.
"Pfft—Hahahahahahaha!"
"Stop messing around, big bro!" Kakashi finally snapped.
"Alright, alright, let's be serious now," Yusuke said, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Kakashi, activate your Sharingan and pay close attention," he said, his tone shifting to serious. "This technique is called Life Return. It allows you to control every part of your body—muscles, hair, even your internal organs. With total concentration and focused will, you can move everything independently, consciously."
Yusuke's voice was calm but heavy with intent as he began explaining.
"It's rooted in the core principles of Rokushiki. For example, Tekkai strengthens muscle through accelerated blood flow. Kami-e increases bodily sensitivity and control. But those are still isolated techniques. What you need… is total unity between body and will."
He then gave a live demonstration. His entire body shifted—muscles flexing and relaxing with uncanny control. Even his hair moved freely, as if each strand had a will of its own.
"Are you following, Kakashi?"
"Sort of. But… some parts still confuse me," Kakashi admitted honestly.
Yusuke patiently walked him through it again, step by step, breaking down each motion. Kakashi followed along, trying to replicate it, making mistakes that Yusuke corrected immediately. An hour passed like that.
He didn't master it, not yet. But Kakashi grasped the basics—which was already a huge win.
He really was a genius. With his Sharingan and exceptional chakra control, this level of progress was only natural.
By the time noon rolled around, Yusuke finally called a stop.
"That's enough for today. If you keep going, you'll damage your body. You've understood the essence—now it's just a matter of refining it."
"Alright," Kakashi nodded, though he still looked a bit reluctant.
He was exhausted, especially after keeping his Sharingan active the whole time. It drained a ton of stamina.
More importantly, he knew if he pushed too far and got injured, Yusuke would immediately drag him off to the hospital.
"No need to rush training," Yusuke said with a grin. "Now, let's go eat something nice. That's part of the training too, y'know?"
He threw an arm around Kakashi's shoulder and began dragging him toward the nearest yakiniku restaurant.
Kakashi let out a silent groan.
— — —
Not long after, they arrived.
"Hey! Long time no see, Yusuke! Kakashi!" the restaurant owner called out cheerfully as they stepped inside.
"Haha! Yeah, it's been a while, boss," Yusuke greeted with a wide grin.
"The usual?"
"Yup. But triple the portions this time!"
"Triple?! You sure you can finish that? If there's leftovers, you still pay full price!" the owner blinked in disbelief. Yusuke's usual order was already enough to feed ten people.
Kakashi tilted his head. "Wait, are we eating with someone else?"
"Nope. Just the two of us." Yusuke's reply came with a smile so bright it lit up the whole room.
It was dazzling.
So dazzling, in fact, that a few customers nearby blushed in admiration.
But to Kakashi, that smile was a red flag.
It was that smile.
The same one that haunted his childhood. The smile of a devil disguised as an older brother.
"Uhh…" Kakashi quickly formed a hand seal.
"Kakashi, where do you think you're going?" Yusuke asked casually, turning to him with a very thin, very dangerous smile. The kind that said, I already know what you're planning.
"I-I wasn't… I mean… Fine. I'm not running, okay?" Kakashi sighed in defeat. He knew there was no escaping. When it came to speed, only Minato-sensei could rival Yusuke.
"Relax. I'm paying. Think of it as training. When have I ever lied to you?" Yusuke said innocently.
Kakashi deadpanned again.
It's not about the bill, he thought bitterly. You already confiscate all my mission pay anyway.
It was true. Yusuke always seized Kakashi's rewards with the excuse:
"I'm saving it for you. You're still a kid—you can't manage your finances yet. What are you gonna do if you get married and can't afford a dowry? Embarrass the Hatake name?"
Kakashi once tried to protest, "Can't I rely on Dad and you when that time comes?"
Yusuke's response?
"If you're an adult and still asking your dad and brother for money, doesn't that make you pathetic? Come on, Kakashi."
And since then… Kakashi's wallet had been emptier than his expression behind the mask.
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