Clang!
The sound he expected—the sharp sting of a weapon piercing flesh—never came. Instead, there was a crisp metallic clash.
And the boy in front of them? His panic slowly melted into a wild, ecstatic grin.
"What are you so smug about, kid!"
One of the ninja cursed. Mawari Yasu's smile clearly poked a hornet's nest. Without hesitation, the ninja swung a kick toward Mawari Yasu's side.
But Mawari Yasu only grinned and grabbed the ninja's ankle with his left hand.
The ninja's heart sank.
Although that kick hadn't been delivered with full force, it was definitely not something a child could catch with one hand. Moreover, the unexpected strike meant that any ordinary ninja would have been stunned.
The ninja became serious, realizing that this kid was no ordinary child. Anyone who could pull off moves like this was definitely not simple!
His top priority now was to create some distance.
But just as he was prepared to retreat, a dangerous aura rushed into him.
A flash of white light—and suddenly, the ninja felt a freezing chill at his neck, followed by a spurt of hot blood.
"What the—so fast?!"
The ninja clutched his throat, eyes wide, staring at Mawari Yasu. Then he collapsed, barely struggling, dead before he hit the ground.
He never even understood how Mawari Yasu's blade was so fast.
For a moment, all surrounding combat paused, eyes turning to the boy.
No one expected the seemingly harmless looking kid to kill a ninja with just one strike.
Sure, the ninja had been slightly careless—but in combat, choosing the perfect strike in the shortest time, hitting a precise weak spot? That was textbook-level deadly.
Anyone capable of such an attack couldn't be considered a child.
Kakashi's dead-fish eyes flickered strangely. His face calm, but inside, his heart was in turmoil.
Hatake Kakashi knew Mawari Yasu's strike all too well. It was the kenjutsu passed down through generations of the Hatake clan.
But what moved Kakashi wasn't just his kenjutsu.
Even if many people learn the same kenjutsu, everyone's habits differ. Two students taught by the same master rarely execute identical strikes.
And the angle, the method… Mawari Yasu's strike was exactly like Kakashi's.
"This kid's got skills… maybe lending him White Fang isn't a bad idea," Kakashi muttered to himself.
Suddenly, he realized two ninjas were missing from the group circling him, and he shouted anxiously:
"Kid, watch out!"
Those two ninjas previously positioned around Kakashi had already moved behind Mawari Yasu, attacking from left-rear and right-rear simultaneously.
So fast. And Mawari Yasu? Still standing there like an idiot, oblivious to the attack.
Kakashi's deadpan eyes went wide instantly. Ignoring the other ninjas circling him, he dashed toward Mawari Yasu.
Just as the two kunai were about to strike Mawari Yasu, he dropped forward, spinning in mid-air.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Pfft! Pfft!
Blood splattered everywhere.
Kakashi froze, staring at the two injured ninjas, their wary glances fixed on Mawari Yasu. Shock filled him.
Normally, Kakashi would have used a substitution jutsu to create some distance first, then counterattack.
But Mawari Yasu made no attempt to dodge, launching a direct attack. Although he didn't kill them, his reaction speed alone showed he was no stranger to this. He had faced life-or-death battles before.
Most importantly—he was still using Kakashi's kenjutsu!
"This kid… he really held them back!" Kakashi thought, stunned.
Mawari Yasu, his eyes unbothered by the others, looked at the kunai in his hand and frowned.
Sure, it could temporarily replace a tantō for the Hatake technique—but it was noticeably shorter than a real tantō.
Had he used a tantō instead, those two ninjas might already be dead.
By now, having just missed the opportunity. He's not sure he can survive, let alone kill them.
[Ding! Kakashi Hatake's affection has reached the sign-in target. Sign in now?]
Mawari Yasu froze—then grinned like crazy.
A second sign-in already? That was fast!
Kakashi Hatake wasn't just any ninja—he was a treasure trove of valuable resources.
"Sign in!"
[Ding! Sign-in successful! You've obtained White Fang! Affection +5!]
Mawari Yasu frowned slightly. White Fang wasn't exactly his top priority. External weapons, no matter how strong, couldn't compare to personal power.
However, possessing it definitely boosted his combat potential.
Hatake kenjutsu required a short blade to unleash its full power—and White Fang was perfect.
Sakumo Hatake had earned the White Fang of Konoha title with it—enough said.
Mawari Yasu didn't rush into battle. He tried signing in again.
Maybe he could get the Sharingan this time, and boost his power even further.
"Sign in!"
[Ding! Affection not high enough. Sign-in failed!]
[Each ninja can be signed in at 50 affection; every 10 points after allows another sign-in for a random item.]
[Kakashi Hatake: 67 points!]
[60 points: unlock White Fang!]
[70 points: summon ninja dogs!]
[80 points: unlock Chidori!]
[90 points: unlock Sharingan!]
[100 points: unlock Kamui! And enjoy 'Icha-Icha Paradise' with Kakashi, activating repeatable weekly sign-ins.]
Mawari Yasu realized—sign-in revolves around affection, and some jutsu can only be obtained after reaching a certain number of affection points.
The Sharingan? Needed 90 affection.
But the 100-point bonus… made his goosebumps crawl.
Two grown men, alone…reading "Icha-Icha Paradise"? Seriously? The system was definitely a little weird.
"Hey kid, catch!"
Kakashi's sharp call snapped him back.
Then a white short blade flew toward him.
White Fang.
Had this been before the first sign-in, he might've been ecstatic. But now that he already had one—what use was another?
He doesn't know dual-wielding.
But at least it proved: sign-in doesn't replace items, it duplicates them.
So Mawari Yasu tossed the extra White Fang back, drawing his own from his waist.
"I have one."