There are basically two types of genjutsu in this world: the Uchiha kind, and… well, the kind not really worth mentioning.
Thanks to the anti-genjutsu measures he'd prepared long ago, Habara defeated the Jonin Shinku Yuhi without much effort. With genjutsu rendered ineffective, his opponent's capabilities were severely limited.
After concluding the battle in a very normal fashion, Habara temporarily had nothing else to do. Uninterested in watching the other fights, he prepared to leave. However, just before departing, he noticed one of the participants in the next round.
The man's specific identity was unknown, but Habara recognized who he was: the highest controller of Konoha's entire ANBU, or at least one of them. Unofficially, you'd call him the "ANBU Commander."
His ANBU codename was "Hyosube." Theoretically, aside from the Hokage, all ANBU operatives were under his command.
Habara paused, surprised that such a figure would participate in this sort of exhibition match. His own ANBU status hadn't been revoked; paying extra attention to his top boss was definitely the right move.
Hyosube's opponent appeared to be a Jonin highly skilled in taijutsu, launching fierce attacks. Yet, the ANBU commander not only matched him blow for blow in close combat but could even weave ninjutsu attacks into the high-frequency exchanges of offense and defense. His entire fighting style projected simplicity, solidity, and fluidity. Although he wasn't using any flashy techniques, his composed manner of engagement already showcased the air of a true master.
As Habara watched, his gaze suddenly sharpened. He crossed his left arm in front of him, propping up his right elbow, and rested his chin on his hand, adopting a thoughtful expression.
"So that's how it is…"
He seemed to have a suspicion; after all, it wasn't hard for him to guess. In that short time, his opponent had already used ninjutsu of three different chakra natures.
Then Habara couldn't help but complain internally. He felt that, when he had time, he should conduct a special investigation. The topic would be titled…
Those Konoha Ninja Who Should Have Died in the Nine-Tails Incident But Didn't.
For some reason, Habara felt an involuntary sense of self-satisfaction, as if he'd unknowingly done a great deed.
Having solved a small puzzle, Habara lost interest in the outcome of the fight and left with a strange sense of fulfillment.
By the latter half of the event, none of Habara, Kakashi, or Shibi Aburame had been eliminated. This demonstrated the relatively high quality of the Jonin within the Akakammuri organization.
At this point, it was arguably a matter of who got eliminated first causing embarrassment. After all, saying "You're the weakest among us" felt entirely different from being told that.
Under normal circumstances, Habara was known for his defense, and Shibi Aburame's techniques were exceptionally suited for non-lethal competitions. So, looking at it objectively, Kakashi was the most likely to crash and burn first.
Young people, prone to wiping out. Kakashi used to wipe out quite often in the past.
However, "normal circumstances" weren't guaranteed to occur 100% of the time. There were always exceptions, like this time.
In the next round of battles, someone's luck in the draw wasn't so great. And thus, the incredible matchup of Habara versus Kakashi Hatake emerged.
Habara hadn't anticipated this situation. However, for everyone except the two combatants, this was certainly a welcome development. Kakashi's reputation spoke for itself, and Habara was a representative of the new generation of powerful ninja. A clash between them was naturally worth watching… The spectators' desire for drama hasn't changed much throughout history, regardless of location.
Well, it was a fair draw with equal chances; Habara could only accept his fate. After completing the standard procedures, he and Kakashi entered the forested battleground from opposite sides.
Just like in his previous fights, Habara had no intention of utilizing the complex forest terrain. He went straight to the center of the battlefield and quietly waited for his opponent.
A few minutes later, Kakashi appeared opposite him.
"Kakashi-senpai, how should we proceed with this fight? How about we spar moderately, then end it amicably for everyone?"
Habara's attitude was relaxed as he proposed his suggestion. After several rounds, he felt it was an acceptable time to bow out. Setting aside emotional judgments about who was weaker, losing to one of his own wasn't really unacceptable.
He wouldn't mind throwing the match slightly, handing the victory over. Consider this: he could push the credit for assassinating the Kazekage entirely onto Kakashi; what did a minor win or loss here matter? Habara never liked being high-profile anyway, and ninja without deep Konoha roots weren't suited for the spotlight.
What, why doesn't Kakashi need to worry about that? Please. The son of the White Fang, the student of the Yellow Flash—was he even comparable to a nobody like Habara? Kakashi was true Konoha stock, dyed-in-the-wool Hatake.
Considering Kakashi's personality, Habara thought there was no reason for him to disagree with the suggestion. Yet, the reality was the exact opposite.
"No. Since we've come this far, even something pointless should be made as meaningful as possible… I want to see just how far my own strength can take me, Habara. You're a worthy opponent to challenge."
Kakashi, conversely, adopted a very serious stance.
Although his phrasing leaned towards "we're already here, might as well not waste the opportunity," it felt more like an excuse he was giving himself. The challenging spirit he radiated was definitely genuine.
His proposal rejected, Habara blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "Kakashi-senpai, are you really this fired up? Don't tell me you've been infected by a certain bowl-cut, thick-eyebrowed cheerful companion."
The comment immediately brought a specific image to Kakashi's mind, but he quickly shook his head, firmly denying the possibility of any such assimilation.
"It has nothing to do with being fired up or not. I just want to confirm my own strength," he stated.
It was normal for Kakashi to have such thoughts. Due to the changes in his life trajectory, he hadn't experienced the utterly bleak ANBU period, nor had he completely given up since his precious people hadn't all died. Willing to strive and improve, he naturally cared about his power level.
Habara said, "Kakashi-senpai, placing yourself as the challenger? Are you sure viewing me as the superior one in terms of strength isn't a misjudgment?"
This "modesty" always made Kakashi feel like he was being teased, but Kakashi didn't get angry. He understood Habara's personality relatively well by now.
"A ninja cannot deceive themselves, otherwise, it leads to self-destruction," Kakashi said, acknowledging that Habara—a Kekkei Genkai user and Orochimaru's "modified organism"—was stronger than him. There was no point denying it.
Since Kakashi had put it that way, Habara didn't mind stretching his muscles seriously. "While I can't guarantee I'll meet your expectations, I can certainly raise the intensity of this fight."
Given that Kakashi had mastered some new techniques, Habara also wanted to see his proficiency.
"In that case, there's no need for further words."
Kakashi had initially worried Habara would just mess around, but unexpectedly, the man could be reliable sometimes.
With that settled, Kakashi didn't need to bother with pleasantries either. He immediately began his battle preparations. A duel based on strength like this was definitely different from a real battlefield environment; at the very least, Habara wouldn't interfere with Kakashi's setup.
Kakashi pulled out a large number of ninja tools from the pouch on his back. He pinched shuriken between his fingers, held numerous kunai in his palm, and then casually tossed them around. The tools either embedded themselves in the ground or stuck into tree trunks.
After scattering a handful with his left, he scattered another with his right, essentially covering the surrounding area.
Undoubtedly, these were for using the Flying Thunder God Technique. Moreover, Kakashi wasn't using specially made tools to apply the Hiraishin markers but had instead carved them onto ordinary ninja tools. Although Kakashi's deployment looked very smooth, Habara didn't believe he could be proficient with such an advanced space-time ninjutsu just yet.
"Even if you could skillfully perform spatial jumps, how many times can your chakra sustain it?" Habara commented.
The Flying Thunder God Technique was powerful but not omnipotent. Habara always believed that what was suitable was best.
Kakashi didn't speak, responding to Habara's doubt with action. In high-level combat, Kakashi's chakra reserves were indeed not abundant, but that problem had now been significantly alleviated—Kakashi had "savings."
He popped chakra crystals into his mouth, one after another.
Seeing this, Habara shut up. He'd only remembered the high blue-cost of some of Kakashi's skills and momentarily forgotten the man could grab the blue buff.
"Better safe than sorry. At critical moments, maximum speed will definitely be useful."
Kakashi took a deep breath. With a flick of his finger, a chakra blade materialized in his hand, and he swiftly charged towards Habara.
Habara raised his guard, his mind instantly tensing. He held the advantage in this fight, but that didn't mean he could underestimate Kakashi. Kakashi now possessed two types of space-time ninjutsu, which fully demonstrated his threat level.
Of course, dealing with Kakashi still wasn't difficult. For example, if Kakashi used the Flying Thunder God Technique to jump, and Habara twisted the target kunai into scrap metal right then, the instantaneous destruction of the Hiraishin marker could very well cause Kakashi to perform a live rendition of 'now you see me, now you're dead'... Obviously, Habara wasn't crazy; he wouldn't do something like that.
Just as Habara was contemplating Kakashi's proficiency with space-time ninjutsu, his opponent reached him.
Kakashi attacked fiercely. His right hand holding the short blade flipped at the wrist, bringing the blade down with unstoppable momentum in a sudden slash. The movement was nimble yet ferocious, its treachery and danger visible to the naked eye.
Habara stepped back with his left leg, dodging Kakashi's sharp blade by a hair's breadth. But Kakashi's attack immediately followed up. Midway through the downward slash, his left hand slammed onto the pommel of the blade, instantly changing the slashing attack into a thrust!
Almost instinctively, Habara turned his body sideways, smoothly evading the attack. In that instant, his understanding of taijutsu deepened slightly… Don't overthink or judge too much with the brain; trust instantaneous nerve reflexes more.
Kakashi's short sword stopped beside Habara. Gripping the sword with both hands, he stepped forward, alternating legs, then used the explosive power built up in his muscles to instantly slash upwards, striking diagonally from below towards Habara's right shoulder. For an ordinary ninja, such a continuous attack would be almost impossible to avoid, the result basically predetermined: the enemy's entire right arm would be severed.
Regardless of whether Habara could dodge such a combo, thankfully, he didn't need to. His defensive ability wasn't just for show. With the sound of metal striking metal, Kakashi's short sword bit into the area under Habara's armpit but could advance no further.
Habara felt a surge of annoyance. Not because of anything else, but launching continuous taijutsu attacks against him, a self-proclaimed novice in that area—wasn't this just bullying an honest man?
Relying on his thick skin, Habara absorbed Kakashi's attack and advanced instead of retreating. He took a step forward, instantly shot out both hands to grab Kakashi's right arm, then pressed down with his right shoulder while applying twisting force with his interlocked hands.
Experiencing the brutal joint lock on his arm, Kakashi reflexively released his grip due to the intense pain. The short blade he held immediately fell towards the ground.
Habara lifted his foot and stomped on the hilt. The chakra blade, sharp enough to cut iron like mud, was driven entirely into the earth. Planting his foot firmly, he then forcefully raised his knee, striking towards Kakashi's abdomen.
Kakashi took the hit. Simultaneously, his left palm struck Habara's chest. Using the force of the impact and the pushback, he wrenched his right arm free from Habara's grip and flew backwards diagonally into the air.
Just as Habara was about to press the advantage, a distinct sizzling sound reached his ears. Following the sound, he looked down and saw an explosive tag stuck to his chest. Not only that, but a corner of the tag was attached to a thin, transparent thread, which led to a long string of more explosive tags, extending from his chest all the way around to his back.
These explosive tags were already primed to detonate, linked together to explode simultaneously—utterly unscrupulous.
In that instant, Habara knew it was impossible to deal with all the tags. Fortunately, in his fully protected state, such an attack wasn't lethal to him. The next moment, intense Lightning Release erupted from his body. Several tags were pierced by the excessive high-energy pulse, turning into duds that could only produce smoke.
But most of the tags had already detonated, the booming sounds practically overlapping.
The tremendous force threw Habara off balance, the shockwave sending him flying towards Kakashi's position. Both were now airborne, and Kakashi, having been in the air first, had already completed his hand seals.
A large ball of orange, high-temperature fire smashed down towards Habara.
Habara ignored it. More Iron Sand flowed out from behind him, forming a cloud that shaped itself like a giant hand. With a single swipe, it slapped the massive fireball into scattered pieces.
Habara's body passed through the residual flames and heat waves, his eyes locked onto Kakashi in mid-air. He then thrust his left arm forward, and a mass of silvery metal shot straight towards Kakashi.
Could Kakashi successfully use the Flying Thunder God? Habara didn't know, so he wanted to confirm it…
Secret Technique: Mercury Lamp!
In an instant, silver light flared.
If Kakashi couldn't dodge this, he might indeed have to perform the 'big change dead person' act after all.