Chapter 217: Cutting off the Lightning of the Past
The awakening of the Sharingan filled Obito with newfound Chakra, but with Might Guy already engaged in close combat against Berkeley, Obito refrained from using Fire Release. Instead, he focused his Breathing Technique, drew a Kunai, and charged forward.
Berkeley initially intended to eliminate the strongest opponent—Might Guy—but he still kept an eye on Obito, wary of a sneak attack. His strength was far beyond Guy's, allowing him to suppress the boy even while remaining cautious.
"Sharingan? So, you're not from Sunagakure after all—you're Konoha Ninja," Berkeley remarked in surprise after sending Guy flying backward with a kick.
Then, with a sigh of disappointment, he added, "What a pity… if only it were a Byakugan."
Kumogakure had little interest in the Sharingan. It was formidable only in the hands of the Uchiha Clan. The Byakugan, however, was another matter entirely. Its strategic value far surpassed its direct combat use.
Perception Ninja were invaluable in any Village, for perception itself was the foundation of many advanced techniques. The Byakugan didn't merely perceive—it pierced through walls and illusions alike, offering vision that could see through everything.
If he could return with even one Byakugan, Berkeley thought, he would be set for life. That would bring greater recognition than killing any Jonin.
"If you think you can, then come and try," Obito provoked coldly.
"As you wish."
Lightning erupted from Berkeley's legs as he lunged forward with blinding speed.
Before awakening his Sharingan, Obito couldn't follow Berkeley's movements. The Lightning Flash had made him seem like a streak of light. But now—with his two-tomoe Sharingan spinning—Obito could see everything clearly, even the dust scattered around Berkeley's body as he charged.
So this is the power of the Sharingan, Obito thought in awe. No wonder Shisui defeated Kakashi so easily once he used his eyes. With this power, I could definitely beat Kakashi now.
Yet he didn't allow arrogance to cloud his focus. After all, he had already defeated Hyuga Homura, who possessed the Byakugan, even without the Sharingan's aid. Seeing an attack was one thing; blocking or countering it was another.
"Kakashi, today I'll show you what a real Breathing Technique looks like!"
The image of Kakashi stepping in front of Berkeley's sword for him flashed in his mind, reigniting the fire in his heart. He wanted to repay that act—to avenge Kakashi by defeating their enemy with flames of conviction.
"Flame Breathing, Total Concentration Breathing!"
Obito's two-tomoe Sharingan glowed fiercely as he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air and channeling it into his Chakra pathways. His body strengthened; his Nature Transformation accelerated.
Swish!
Berkeley appeared in front of him, his lightning-coated blade slashing toward Obito's chest.
But to Berkeley's shock, Obito dodged effortlessly, sidestepping the strike and countering with a Kunai aimed at his ribs.
Clang!
Berkeley twisted and deflected the attack.
Clang! Clang!!
Their weapons clashed again and again, echoing through the battlefield. Though Obito's Kunai technique wasn't remarkable, the dynamic vision of the Sharingan allowed him to anticipate Berkeley's every move, keeping up blow for blow.
"As expected of the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan," Berkeley muttered under his breath. "To improve this much in an instant… impressive."
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
Seeing his chance, Guy charged forward with a powerful kick.
Now, Berkeley found himself in a predicament. Individually, either opponent was manageable. But together? Their coordination was suffocating.
Guy's strength, speed, and agility pressed him from the front, while Obito's Sharingan tracked every feint and movement, disrupting his rhythm.
To make matters worse, his Chakra reserves were running low. Berkeley had powerful techniques, but his stamina could not sustain prolonged combat at this pace.
He wanted to focus on Guy first, but Obito's keen perception constantly exposed his attacks. Attempting to strike Obito was even worse—Guy's counters came fast and hard.
Damn it, Berkeley thought grimly. These two together are worse than facing two of either one.
Kakashi, observing from the sidelines, could only stare in amazement. The two boys fighting before him didn't seem like mere Intern Ninja anymore—they had reached the level of Jonin who could lead their own teams.
I've been completely surpassed, Kakashi thought, his eyes dimming. They're the real geniuses.
He had graduated early, praised as a prodigy of Konoha—but now, watching Obito and Guy, he realized the truth. He and Obito had once been helpless before Berkeley. Now, the same two—one with burning youth and the other with blazing eyes—were pushing a veteran Jonin to his limits.
"Shocking Thunder Sword!"
Sensing the tide turning against him, Berkeley poured all his remaining Chakra into his lightning sword. Crackling arcs of energy surrounded him as he launched a desperate assault.
A cornered Jonin was terrifying. Even as fatigue set in, his raw power flared violently. Both Obito and Guy suffered minor cuts and bruises, but they pressed on, undeterred.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!"
Obito formed a single seal and hurled four flaming shuriken. They cut through the air, their heat distorting the surroundings.
Berkeley barely managed to evade using Lightning Flash.
"Right now!"
Guy, who had been waiting for this opening, surged forward like a bullet.
"Noon Leopard!"
All the power from his Breathing Technique and the opened Second Gate flooded into his legs. He poured every last ounce of strength into a final, devastating kick.
Total Concentration Breathing was already explosive—but combined with the Second Gate, it reached an overwhelming peak. Guy's limit was near, yet his spirit burned brighter than ever.
"Roar!"
The rapidly advancing Might Guy truly looked like a ferocious leopard bursting forth with unstoppable power. When he reached the perfect range, he lunged fiercely—his leg becoming the beast's fangs, tearing apart anything in its path.
Facing the perfectly synchronized assault from both sides, Berkeley had no time to dodge. He could only pour his remaining Chakra into reinforcing his body, praying it would be enough to withstand the impact.
Bang!!
A thunderous explosion echoed through the forest as Guy's kick connected. The ground beneath Berkeley shattered, spiderweb cracks spreading outward.
Rumble!!
Berkeley's body shot backward like a cannonball, crashing through more than ten massive trees before finally slamming into the earth and skidding to a halt.
Guy fell to one knee, his strength nearly spent. He braced himself with trembling hands, hot sweat dripping onto the cracked ground below.
"Guy, are you alright?" Obito quickly rushed over, helping him lean against a nearby tree.
Guy suppressed the throbbing pain coursing through his body and gave a bright, toothy grin. "A beast that's made its kill is, of course, fine," he said, giving a weak thumbs-up. "Just… keep an eye on the enemy."
He knew finishing off the opponent was the priority now. At this point, he could no longer fight.
Obito nodded, staying alert while supporting Guy. His Sharingan kept flicking toward Berkeley's motionless form in the distance.
"Damn it... am I really going to lose to a bunch of brats?" Berkeley's voice was a low growl, his body trembling with rage and disbelief.
He had served as a ninja for twenty-four years—becoming one at nine, joining the Hidden Cloud, and earning the title of Jonin at twenty-three. He had completed countless A-rank and even several S-rank missions.
He had always known that one day he might die in battle—such was the way of a ninja. But never, not once, had he imagined his end would come at the hands of three children barely ten years old. Together, their ages didn't even match his own.
Berkeley gritted his teeth and tried to rise. The first attempt failed miserably. The second brought him halfway up before he fell again. Only on the third try did he manage to stand—barely.
Obito silently pulled several shuriken from his pouch, ready to end it.
But before he could throw them, another figure moved. Kakashi slowly pushed himself upright, gripping his White Fang Short Sword tightly. His once-uncertain eyes now burned with resolve.
Uphold your Ninja Way. Solidify your beliefs...
Mugetsu's voice echoed in his mind.
Kakashi still didn't fully understand what kind of ninja truly deserved praise. Was it one who prioritized the mission, or one who valued comrades above all?
But at this moment, he understood one thing with absolute clarity—for him, comrades came first.
If completing a mission meant sacrificing his teammates, then he would rather abandon the mission altogether. Let the world criticize him—he no longer cared.
Even when he was injured and could barely stand, Obito and Guy had never abandoned him. Even when he told them to leave him behind, they refused.
They never gave up on him. And now, he refused to give up on them.
Watching Guy nearly collapse after delivering his final kick, Kakashi felt a sharp sting behind his eyes. His chest ached—not from pain, but from shame.
While they fought with everything they had… I did nothing. I was just a burden.
Kakashi Hatake, what have you been doing these past two years?
Once, he had been the prodigy of Konoha—graduating at five, becoming a Chunin at six. Yet now, he could only watch others fight in his place.
He had let himself fall too far. Too long lost in guilt and regret.
Thinking of Guy's unwavering faith in him, Kakashi felt a surge of determination.
Am I really going to stay like this forever?
The answer came not from his mind, but from his body. His breathing grew steady and powerful. The numbness in his leg began to fade. Slowly, he stood tall once more, gripping the White Fang Short Sword with renewed strength.
He no longer wanted to be the Kakashi who drifted aimlessly through each day—drowning in his past. He wanted to become the Kakashi who cherished his comrades and lived up to the name of genius.
He closed his eyes briefly. In his mind, fragments of Mugetsu's lessons on Lightning Breathing connected seamlessly with memories of his father's swordsmanship. Together, they became one.
"Lightning Breathing: Thunderclap Flash!"
Kakashi's breathing quickened, focused, precise. A torrent of power surged through him like never before. Chakra erupted from his hands and feet, arcs of electricity dancing across his body.
He channeled nearly all his strength into his uninjured leg—then vanished in a streak of lightning.
"I want to—"
Berkeley barely managed to lift his head before he saw it: a blinding flash of blue lightning racing toward him.
He tried to raise his sword, but his chest was crushed, his Chakra depleted. There was no time.
The flash passed through him.
Silence followed.
Kakashi appeared behind Berkeley, his White Fang Short Sword gleaming faintly under the sunlight.
Thud.
Berkeley's body split cleanly in two, collapsing onto the ground as blood soaked the dirt.
Kakashi exhaled deeply. He had not only cut down an enemy—he had severed the shadow of his past that had haunted him for years.
"Kakashi, did you just use Lightning Breathing?" Obito asked, eyes widening in disbelief at Kakashi's sudden burst of speed.
Guy, though barely conscious, grinned proudly. "Haha! As expected of my eternal rival! I look forward to our next fight!"
Kakashi sheathed his blade, his calm composure returning. "Then you'd better be careful," he said lightly. "A genius like me improves fast."
The genius of Konoha—Kakashi—had returned.
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