Chapter 330: Transparent World vs. Konoha Dragon God
The rapid shifts in the arena left the crowd stunned.
When Obito had unleashed that overwhelming Fire Release, everyone thought victory was his. Yet Kakashi pierced straight through the roaring Fire Dragon Flame Bullet and counterattacked in an instant.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback. He had not expected Kakashi to explode with such power at the last moment and shred that terrifying sea of fire head on.
"My rival, I can feel your burning desire to fight me!"
Watching Thunderclap Flash tear through the flames and fell Obito, Might Guy clenched his fists. In his heart, he swore that when his battle with Kakashi came, he would fight with one hundred and twenty percent of his strength in answer to that passion.
"These two guys are way stronger than I expected," Asuma muttered.
He had fought Obito personally, and now, after watching Obito and Kakashi's duel, Asuma felt the gap between them had only grown wider.
Back when they trained together, Obito had been stronger, but only by a little. Now, Asuma knew that if Obito had opened with that level of Fire Dragon Flame Bullet, he would have had no chance at all.
"Their strength has grown this much already…"
Shisui's expression shifted from calm to shaken.
They often trained together, but training could never push them to this degree. Seeing them fight without holding back like this truly shocked him.
His face darkened slightly. He realized that if he fought either Kakashi or Obito right now, his chances of winning were not high.
He was Mugetsu's first disciple, the only one on the team who had never once tasted defeat. Until now, he had been the undisputed strongest disciple.
For the first time, Shisui felt a crushing sense of urgency. He wished he could return to training immediately.
"Maybe they really can become the new Three Sannin," Jiraiya sighed inwardly.
He had already been optimistic about Mugetsu's three disciples on the battlefield. Their performance today proved his eye for talent had not dulled.
Not only Kakashi and Might Guy, who had reached the final, but even Obito, who had lost, had displayed strength far beyond ordinary genin.
"I hope they're both alright," Rin said worriedly, looking at the two collapsed figures in the arena.
Anyone could see they had fought with everything they had. Kakashi and Obito were both badly injured and utterly exhausted.
"Lady Tsunade, could I trouble you to help heal Kakashi and the others? Otherwise, they won't be able to continue the exam," Mugetsu asked from beside her.
Konoha had scheduled a decent rest period before the final, but healing was a different issue. Tsunade was free anyway.
"Healing is fine. But next time I make a request, you are not allowed to refuse. My consultation fee is very expensive," Tsunade said with her arms folded, giving him a sideways look.
Her meaning was simple: no free rides. He would owe her a favor.
"As long as it is within my ability, Lady Tsunade, you can ask anything," Mugetsu agreed with a smile.
What could Tsunade ask for? At most some good food. Mugetsu agreed without hesitation.
If it were someone like Danzo or Orochimaru, he would have had to think more carefully.
Of course, Mugetsu was not a rigid idealist. His bottom line was flexible. A verbal promise alone would never be enough to make him do truly dirty work.
There was a certain Dragon that had illustrated this perfectly: when needed, they would toss out promises freely, and when not, a noble Dragon felt no obligation to keep them.
Even though Tsunade was in a slump, she still did what she said. Once Mugetsu spoke, she immediately headed for Konoha Hospital to personally treat Obito and Kakashi.
With Tsunade taking action, Kakashi and Obito recovered quickly and regained consciousness.
"Damn it, if I had just held on a few more seconds, maybe I'd be the one who won," Obito said as soon as he saw Kakashi lying on the next bed, his face full of frustration.
Obviously Kakashi had been injured badly as well, or he would not be in a hospital bed beside him.
"But the fact remains that I was the victor. That will not change," Kakashi replied calmly.
"Winning once and you are already this arrogant? Don't act like I've never beaten you," Obito said, picking up on that familiar smugness and immediately bristling.
"You have only beaten me once," Kakashi emphasized. "Once."
They might be evenly matched now, but a year ago he could defeat Obito with ease.
Obito fell silent. Every word Kakashi said was true. He regretted not fighting Kakashi more back when he was ahead. If he had stacked a few more wins, Kakashi would not be this insufferable now.
"Honestly, the two of you are like this and still not resting properly."
Rin's voice came from the doorway. Obito immediately turned and saw her standing there, with Mugetsu behind her.
"Are you feeling better?" Mugetsu asked, looking at them.
"Mhm, mhm. I feel like I can fight Kakashi again right now, no problem," Obito said, thumping his chest.
"My body is fine. My stamina just hasn't fully recovered yet," Kakashi replied honestly.
"That is alright. Considering your injuries, the rest time for the final has been extended a bit. It will not affect the match," Mugetsu said, smiling reassuringly.
Kakashi nodded. He would be extremely unwilling to lose to Might Guy because he was not in top condition.
As the final approached, Kakashi returned to full strength. He went back to the Chunin Exams venue with Mugetsu and the others and stepped into the waiting room to await the last match.
Seeing Kakashi fully recovered, Might Guy beamed.
"My rival, my youthful blood is burning for the battle that is about to begin!"
"I will not disappoint you," Kakashi answered in his usual steady tone.
Just then, Hiruko's voice rang into the waiting room.
"Final match: Might Guy versus Kakashi Hatake. Contestants, please prepare to enter the arena."
Kakashi and Might Guy exchanged one last glance. Guy flashed his shining white teeth and gave Kakashi a thumbs up.
Beneath his mask, Kakashi's lips curved slightly. He raised his hand and returned the thumbs up.
Side by side, they walked into the arena. The stands erupted into thunderous cheers.
"Guy, go for it! Let your youth burn even brighter!" Might Duy jumped to his feet and shouted from the stands, pouring every ounce of spiritual support he had into his son.
Although Might Guy could not clearly make out the voices from the audience, he knew his father would definitely be cheering. He showed a radiant smile and turned to wave at the crowd.
"Guy's Eight Gates together with Rock Breathing makes his strength and speed terrifying. This time first place has to go to Guy," Obito said, adopting the tone of an objective commentator.
If Kakashi took first place, Obito would feel worse than if he himself had lost.
Right now, he was cheering for Guy with everything he had, praying Guy would crush Kakashi completely in front of Rin.
Hiruzen stroked his small beard, smiling. No matter who won, this Chunin Exams had been a complete success. Konoha's strength had been put on full display.
Under everyone's gaze, Hiruko finally raised his voice.
"Begin!"
"Rock Breathing, Total Concentration!"
"Eight Gates, Gate of Opening, open! Gate of Healing, open! Gate of Life, open!"
The long awaited clash began. Might Guy went all out from the first instant, opening three Gates at once and pushing his breathing to the absolute limit.
A violent aura exploded from his body. The surge of chakra alone stirred the air, kicking up dust across the ground.
"Thunder Breathing, Total Concentration!"
Facing this Might Guy, Kakashi did not dare to hold back. He immediately entered his own extreme breathing state and gathered chakra in his feet, ready to unleash his full speed at any moment.
Guy's heart pounded with exhilaration. Fighting Kakashi in a setting like this was everything he had been looking forward to.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Chakra surged into his leg. Might Guy turned into a green blur as he charged, his speed whipping up a gust in his wake.
Kakashi did not hesitate. He applied Nature Transformation to the chakra in his own leg, stimulating his body, and in the next instant he seemed to turn into a streak of lightning as he vanished from his original position.
Guy's style was pure, explosive taijutsu. With three Gates and Total Concentration, his physical boosts were massive. Kakashi had no intention of meeting that kick head on.
While dodging, he flicked his wrist and sent several shuriken infused with Lightning Release chakra flying toward Guy.
If they were ordinary shuriken, Guy might have kicked out a gust to blow them off course, but with nature transformed chakra, they were not so easily dealt with. Guy chose to use Shave to avoid them outright.
Kakashi was not bothered that they missed. Both of them were speed type fighters. At this level, it would come down to who exposed a weakness first.
On that, Kakashi was confident. Compared to Guy, he had far more techniques, and his talent for ninjutsu was excellent.
After dodging Kakashi's first volley, Guy did not slow down for even a moment and lunged straight back into the offensive.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall."
Kakashi retreated while raising a long, thick earthen wall, cutting off Guy's direct charge.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
He quickly formed hand seals, creating a Shadow Clone, and then both he and the clone performed Clone Technique. In an instant, more than a dozen Kakashis appeared, most of them mere illusions without substance.
Illusory clones were useless against Sharingan or Byakugan; those eyes could see through them at a glance, making such tricks a waste of chakra.
But Might Guy had no special eyes, and he had yet to master the Transparent World. For him, they were more than enough to sow confusion.
When Guy leapt onto the Earth Flow Wall and looked out, he saw over a dozen identical Kakashis rushing toward him.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
He did not hesitate. He poured chakra into his leg and spun, unleashing a whirlwind kick with tremendous force.
The wind pressure alone tore through the illusory clones, causing several to vanish on the spot.
Even the solid Shadow Clone, reinforced with Lightning Release chakra, could not withstand the blow and burst apart in a puff of smoke.
Just as the last clone disappeared, Kakashi's real body emerged from underground at Guy's flank. A blinding arc of Purple Lightning crackled in his hand.
Guy was not particularly surprised. Kakashi had used this strategy before. He had already prepared for it, having gathered chakra in his palm in advance.
"Leaf Hand Blade!"
Chakra erupted from Guy's palm as he twisted and drove a transparent shockwave into the air.
"Purple Lightning."
At the same time, lightning exploded from Kakashi's hand, a wide swath of purple bolts lashing toward Guy. At that distance, even Guy could not fully evade such a broad attack.
Boom.
The Purple Lightning crashed into him, forcing his body back as he skid across the ground. His neat bowl cut instantly puffed up into a wild mess.
Guy's Leaf Hand Blade landed cleanly as well, slamming into Kakashi and smashing him into the Earth Flow Wall.
"Guy has already mastered that move," Kakashi muttered under his breath, frowning as he touched the spot where he had been struck. The bone underneath was cracked.
According to his plan, Guy should have at best dodged part of the lightning and would not have been able to counterattack at the same time.
Purple Lightning showed its greatest power at close range. To be safe, Kakashi had deliberately dispersed it over a wide area to ensure a hit. Even so, the result was a painful exchange.
"But can you still dodge my Thunderclap Flash now?"
Kakashi pushed himself up and rushed Guy again.
Taking a direct hit from Purple Lightning left a numbing effect. Even with Guy's monstrous physique, there was no way it had done nothing.
The bone that had cracked was not critical. Aside from pain, Kakashi could still move.
"Flash!"
He did not immediately use Thunderclap Flash, which was still difficult to fully control.
Instead, he chose Flash, which he could handle without risk.
After all, Rock Breathing strengthened not just power but defense as well. It was entirely possible that the paralysis effect had been mostly absorbed. If he misjudged and Guy caught him mid charge, the consequences would be disastrous.
Yellow lightning bloomed along Kakashi's leg, and as he shaped the chakra, a dazzling streak flashed across the field.
Guy tried to dodge, bursting chakra from his feet, but his body was just a fraction of a second slower than usual.
That tiny delay was enough.
The lightning blade's edge grazed his chest, and blood sprayed out as Guy staggered back.
"My reaction really is slower. So that ninjutsu had this kind of effect," Guy thought as he quickly steadied himself.
It was his first time taking Purple Lightning head on. He had not known it could paralyze like this.
He had been hit by Lightning Release before, but it had never caused problems on this level.
"Guy, you are way too impatient!" Obito shouted, his heart in his throat.
Watching Kakashi edge toward victory was intolerable.
From his point of view, Guy had gone in too recklessly this time. Facing someone like Kakashi, who had a pile of tricks and Shadow Clones, he should have advanced carefully.
Might Duy did not shout anymore. He simply watched the center of the arena with a serious expression.
The son he knew would not stop moving forward because of a setback like this.
"It works after all," Kakashi exhaled softly.
He calmed himself and gathered the last heavy chunk of chakra in his body, ready to end things with one final Thunderclap Flash.
If Guy could not avoid Flash in his current state, then there was no way he could avoid Thunderclap Flash.
Sizzle.
Blazing yellow lightning flared around Kakashi's body. The White Fang Short Blade in his hand elongated into a towering lightning blade.
He poured everything he had left into boosting his own power, aiming to unleash one ultimate strike.
"Hmph."
Guy let out a long breath. Blood was still flowing from the wound on his chest. His muscles throbbed with stabbing pain.
But as he looked up at the dazzling Kakashi, his face broke into a brilliant smile, and then a booming laugh burst from his chest.
"Hahahahahaha!"
He was satisfied. Immensely satisfied with this Kakashi.
He had chosen Kakashi as his rival because Kakashi had been blindingly brilliant back then, a genius who crushed everyone around him.
When other students were still struggling with Clone Technique, Kakashi had already learned Shadow Clone.
When others were just learning how to hit the target, Kakashi was already landing bullseyes every time. It felt like there was nothing he could not do, dominating every subject in the Academy.
At that time, Guy had been the dead last in every subject, the tail of the class.
Their first challenge had ended in a single instant. Kakashi defeated him with one move.
Even so, Might Guy had always believed that with hard work, he could catch up to and surpass a genius like Kakashi.
He had proven that belief right. A few months ago, he had beaten Kakashi for the first time, achieving a goal he had chased for years.
But one victory was not enough.
He had lost to Kakashi countless times. One win was nothing.
Now he was no longer the tail of the class, no longer the boy who could be knocked out by a single blow.
Now he had Rock Breathing from Mugetsu, the Eight Gates from his father Might Duy, and taijutsu drilled into his body by Teacher Chen.
How could he possibly give up when victory was still within reach?
Guy focused his breathing more sharply than ever before. He forced his eyes wider, driving his breath to batter the fourth gate that had never fully opened.
"Eight Gates, Fourth Gate, Gate of Pain, open!"
A violent surge of chakra howled out of him, elevating his aura to a whole new level.
The pressure alone kicked up a gale, whipping his green jumpsuit and hair.
In that instant of forcing open the gate, Mugetsu's teachings, Might Duy's teachings, Teacher Chen's movements all flashed through Guy's mind like lightning.
"Thunderclap Flash!"
Boom.
Thunder roared.
Brilliant yellow lightning exploded from Kakashi's body. Lightning Release chakra condensed to a terrifying degree around the White Fang blade.
Even the spectators could feel the pressure. It was as if this slash could tear the world apart.
"Kakashi, this is the move I have trained just for you! Leaf Dragon God!"
Guy roared. The Eight Gates pumped an enormous volume of chakra into his body, while Rock Breathing refined it and poured it into his limbs. His power soared. The wounds Kakashi had inflicted on him began to knit themselves at an alarming rate.
In truth, Teacher Chen had never finished teaching him Leaf Dragon God. Guy had been unable to perform it then and had only practiced part of it.
But as he recalled those training sessions, his body and instincts filled in the rest on their own.
Mugetsu's Rock Breathing. Might Duy's Eight Gates. Teacher Chen's Leaf Dragon God.
At this moment, Might Guy fused all of it and unleashed his full potential.
His body spun at extreme speed, and a long azure dragon took shape around him, coiling and roaring into existence in front of everyone.
"Leaf Dragon God. So Guy actually mastered it," Hiruzen said in surprise as he stared at the azure dragon dominating the field.
Teacher Chen's signature taijutsu was notoriously difficult. No one in Konoha besides him practiced Leaf Dragon God. For Guy to manifest it in just a few months was astounding.
As the man known as Konoha's strongest, Teacher Chen and his ultimate technique were well known among the jonin. Excited discussions broke out all around the stands.
"This kid… I have not even finished teaching him. How is he already using it?"
Teacher Chen, sitting quietly in a corner, could not help but chuckle in surprise.
The Might Guy standing in the arena now was completely different from the one who had first entered the Chunin Exams. This current Guy could easily defeat his past self.
"Incredible, Guy. So you were holding back this whole time!" Obito blurted, retracting his earlier judgment.
That was not impatience. It was confidence.
Rumble.
The yellow lightning and the azure dragon collided. A deafening explosion shook the arena, followed by a chain of roars as shockwaves ravaged the ground.
When the dust finally cleared, a huge crater had appeared where they had clashed. Around it, the earth was carved with thunder scorches and razor sharp gouges.
A white haired figure crashed back at high speed and slammed into the arena wall.
"So strong…" Kakashi panted, staring at the fading remnants of the azure dragon.
This was the first time Thunderclap Flash had failed to completely crush an opponent head on.
The current Might Guy was terrifying. Kakashi felt that in this state, Guy alone could probably defeat Akami Hideyuki.
"Am I going to lose?"
He took stock of his body.
His bones had already cracked from Guy's earlier Leaf Hand Blade. The failed clash just now had left him with injuries all over.
His chakra and stamina were nearly drained. He had used Thunderclap Flash and Flash, several ninjutsu on top of that, and Purple Lightning's cost had not been small.
Kakashi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and answered that question with his actions.
He forced himself to his feet again.
As long as he could still stand, as long as he could still swing his blade, there was still a chance to win.
He tried desperately to enter that state again.
Transparent World.
That was his only hope for a comeback.
The azure dragon was incredibly fast. Kakashi did not need to move forward. The moment he stood, the dragon rushed straight at him.
And in that final instant, Kakashi saw it again, just as he had a month ago.
He saw his own body and Might Guy's body clearly.
"So Thunderclap Flash still has so many flaws," Kakashi thought, refining the technique in that instant.
He no longer had strength to spare for extra thoughts.
Now, there was only one thing in his mind.
Swing the blade.
As long as he could unleash that one cut, there was hope.
"Slash."
The White Fang Short Blade extended again under the infusion of chakra, lengthening into a lightning long sword.
Without any flourish, Kakashi swung straight into the charging dragon.
Rumble.
A streak of yellow light flashed. Thunder exploded. Dust billowed up in a wave, and another long, narrow scorch mark carved itself into the earth.
When the light faded, the azure dragon was gone.
In its place, a green clad figure stood amid the settling dust.
"My best friend, that is just like you," Might Guy said, giving Kakashi a thumbs up before his knees buckled and he collapsed.
The White Fang blade slipped from Kakashi's fingers. With his last bit of strength, he returned the thumbs up. Then he too fell to the ground.
"Kakashi Hatake wins!"
Hiruko announced the winner of the Chunin Exams.
Kakashi had collapsed only a heartbeat later.
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