The leaf touched the ground. The wind stopped.
In the exact millisecond of impact, inertia was broken, and Matsuri vanished from everyone's sight.
It wasn't just a fast sprint. It was an instantaneous rupture of physics. The dry sound of a sharp crack echoed through the courtyard as the Micro-Shunshin detonated the dust beneath his sandals. In the blink of an eye, he materialized on Kakashi's right diagonal, the wooden sword descending in a lethal arc aimed straight at the Jōnin's ribs.
Fast. But linear, Kakashi thought, remaining perfectly still, preparing to take a simple, lazy half-step back to let the strike pass.
But Matsuri was not there to land the first blow. In the fraction of a second before the blade would have cut empty air, the boy's left hand had already formed a single, fluid seal.
Academy Trinity: Henge (Transformation).
The blade of the wooden sword suddenly stretched, its visual length doubling in a blur of optical illusion. Kakashi, caught off guard by the abrupt alteration of spatial reach, was forced to lift his orange book to block what now appeared to be an unavoidable strike.
When the wood met the book, there was no impact. The blade passed right through it like mist. It was a Bunshin (Clone) flawlessly integrated with the Henge.
A double feint? Kakashi's visible eye widened a fraction of an inch.
The real Matsuri was already in motion. Using a tactical Kawarimi (Substitution), he swapped places with a small pebble he had kicked near Kakashi's feet during his initial dash, emerging exactly in the Jōnin's blind spot, crouching low to the ground. He didn't aim for the body; his hand stretched out surgically toward the bells.
To worsen the Jōnin's situation, the instant Matsuri's hand shot forward, Kakashi felt the world tilt for a microscopic moment. A grotesque image flashed violently in his mind.
Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Art).
It wasn't a deep genjutsu meant to paralyze, but a micro-distraction—a psychological glitch perfectly timed to hit during the most critical split-second of the clash.
The spectators surrounding the arena widened their eyes in absolute shock. Sakura gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Sasuke leaned his entire body forward, mesmerized and infuriated by the terrifying fluidity of that chain of simple jutsus. Matsuri had subverted E-rank techniques to corner an elite Jōnin.
The boy's fingers grazed the cold metal of the bell. A faint jingle rang out in the courtyard.
But the brute force and reaction speed of a monster were absolute.
Relying on pure, unadulterated reflex, Kakashi abandoned the book in mid-air. His body spun with a velocity that the genins' eyes couldn't even process. Kakashi's hand came down like a steel claw, clamping around Matsuri's wrist with crushing, inescapable force, halting the movement exactly two millimeters away from snatching the bell.
The dust around them settled.
Matsuri remained crouched, his arm completely immobilized by Kakashi's grip. His breathing was slightly elevated from the rapid chakra expenditure, but the dark eyes behind the mask were cold, calculating, and entirely devoid of fear or frustration.
He had executed his plan with absolute perfection. The fact that he had failed to get the bell was merely the biological limit of his ten-year-old body against a veteran of war. There was no ego to be bruised; just data to be collected.
Kakashi stared down at the boy. He looked at his own hand gripping Matsuri's wrist, then down at the bell, and finally at his beloved Icha Icha Paradise lying in the dirt with a soft thud.
He chained three basic Academy jutsus and a distraction Genjutsu simultaneously, all while maintaining steady chakra control on his feet, Kakashi analyzed, genuine shock bleeding into his dark eye. No ego. No hesitation. No wasted movements. He didn't fight like a child seeking attention; he fought like a seasoned ANBU operative.
Kakashi released Matsuri's wrist, took two steps back, and scratched the back of his head, offering his typical closed-eye smile.
"Well... you made me drop my book. I think that counts as a victory for you, Matsuri. You pass."
The courtyard erupted.
"NO WAY!" Naruto let out a shrill scream, shaking the chain-link fence violently. "He actually did it! That's so cool, but I'm going to do it better!"
Shikamaru scratched his head, muttering a soft "what a drag," but a smirk of deep respect crossed his face. Sakura and Ino were completely speechless, processing the fact that the quiet boy from the back of the class was now a certified ninja.
But Sasuke swallowed dryly. He turned his back to the arena and marched silently back into the Academy building. The fire of rivalry, previously a smoldering ember, was now incandescent in his veins. The gap between him and the masked civilian was a chasm, and the Uchiha pride demanded it be closed.
In the center of the arena, Matsuri stood up, calmly massaging his throbbing wrist. He gave a brief, polite bow to the Jōnin.
"Thank you, Kakashi-san."
The first phase was complete. Now, it was time to claim the spoils of his victory.
[Author's Note]
Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying Matsuri's journey! Writing and planning each chapter takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort (even more so dealing with hand pain from the keyboard!). If you like my work, believe in the potential of this story, and want to encourage me to keep posting frequently, please consider supporting me with any amount. Every bit of help makes a huge difference and motivates me a lot!
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