Chapter 45: The Tragic Thick Barrier Between Us

Words : 1260 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

The training began quickly, and the Forest of Death was filled with the sounds of intense combat. After a while... In the forest, several Kyohiko and Gai figures darted around, making it hard to distinguish the real ones. These were Naraku Clone Illusions. Kurenai had mastered it. Kakashi dispelled the illusions while observing the real bodies, then swiftly swung his blade toward one of them. As the two clashed... With a clanging sound, Kakashi immediately turned to assist the rear. However. Genma and Ebisu, along with Kyohiko, who had teleported in, quickly swung their blades. After a few Body Flicker Techniques, Genma and Ebisu were "dead." The outcome was decided. Kyohiko’s speed had increased again, and the level of control he had over it was terrifying. With Genma and Ebisu’s abilities, they couldn’t withstand Kyohiko’s assaults and ambushes. Every time, they lost in the same way! Such rapid improvement! Kakashi gripped his blade, then released it. "Let’s take a break first." "Alright." Kyohiko nodded. The two teams separated, sitting in different spots. "Whew! Too strong!" After just a few exchanges, Genma was drenched in sweat, his kunai hand trembling with a split and bleeding tiger’s mouth. He had thought Kyohiko was strong. But. He hadn’t expected the gap to be this wide. Ebisu said bitterly, "There’s no way to win!" Kakashi glanced at them. "Did you two actually think you could win before?" Even he hadn’t considered winning. "Well... of course, we thought the gap might not be too big." Genma’s face flushed. Before the fight, he had held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that with Kakashi, their overall strength might surpass the other team, and with Kakashi’s tactics, they might have a chance to win. However. The result was harsh reality. They were completely outmatched. Genma recalled the scene of Kyohiko dodging and weaving earlier, his heart pounding. He had completely avoided the kunai and shuriken—not a single one had hit him. But that was Genma’s limit. Even if he used explosive tags, the result might not have been better. "Then, with some luck, maybe we could beat the three of them?" Kakashi’s gaze turned cold. Genma and Ebisu didn’t dare meet Kakashi’s eyes. They had indeed thought that way. Before, in their team, they had always looked down on Gai, failing to recognize his strengths and power. However. Many things feel completely different when viewed from another angle. Now, comparing themselves, they clearly realized— Gai might not be refined, but he was much stronger than them! Kakashi stood up and walked over to Kyohiko. "Kyohiko, you’re too strong. This kind of training isn’t effective anymore." Kakashi’s mood was complicated as he said this. Kyohiko had improved again! Although he had recently started using similar training methods and had made some progress, it was nowhere near Kyohiko’s rate of improvement. Such astonishing talent and effort! Kakashi sighed inwardly. "..." Kyohiko rubbed his temples. He had noticed it too. With his Grandmaster-level Body Flicker Techniques, he could dodge most ninja tools and launch ambushes. Against opponents like Genma and Ebisu, they couldn’t even serve as distractions. Genma and Ebisu followed behind in silence. "You two..." Kyohiko wanted to offer some words of comfort, but their performance had been too poor. They were just too weak... Their abilities were in line with their age, and Genma was even relatively outstanding, but compared to Kakashi and Gai, they were far behind. Especially Ebisu. If he had supported Genma, they wouldn’t have lost so quickly every time. Kyohiko hesitated. In the end, he decided to be straightforward. "You need to work harder to get stronger. Your current strength is too weak." "Yes, we’re sorry!" Genma and Ebisu immediately apologized. Kyohiko shook his head. "You don’t need to apologize to me. This was just to help. But the situation is unstable, and war will inevitably come again. The stronger we are, the more secure our future will be." "We’ll double our efforts!" "Starting tomorrow, let’s train together and grow stronger as a team." Kyohiko suggested. "Really?" Genma and Ebisu were stunned, both surprised and delighted. "Of course." ... Thus. The next day, a new sight appeared in Konoha. "Run 500 laps! Anyone who can’t do it has to do 100 punches! Awooo!" A green figure sprinted ahead like mad. "Huh?" Genma and Ebisu were dumbfounded. They had agreed to train together, but this was just training with Might Gai? This wasn’t what they had in mind! "Are you two quitting?" Kyohiko glanced at them, as well as Kakashi and Kurenai. Their faces turned green. But. Quitting now would make them seem cowardly and lacking courage. Ahead— "Awooo! My youthful passion is completely burning! My eternal rival, let’s duel!" Kurenai covered her face. Training with Gai was really a test of mental fortitude. But. "Let’s run!" Seeing Kyohiko take off, Kakashi gritted his teeth and followed. It had always been Gai challenging him. Running alongside him like this was a first! Kurenai had no choice but to follow. As she ran, she kept her head down, not daring to look up, but she soon realized that the embarrassment was only temporary. Once you got used to it, it wasn’t so bad, as long as... You didn’t run into anyone you knew! As class was about to end, she ran past the ninja academy, panting heavily behind Kyohiko. When her gaze met a few familiar eyes from the schoolyard, she immediately ducked her head. There were people she knew! In the academy, Asuma, who was in the middle of a sparring session, froze when he saw the figures running past the fence. Running alongside Kyohiko and the others... Was that Kurenai? No!!! It couldn’t be! He must be seeing things! Asuma rubbed his eyes, but after a few tries, he was sure he wasn’t mistaken. It really was Kurenai! Her aura was completely different now. "Asuma, what are you looking at? Oh, Kurenai? I heard she’s studying under Lady Tsunade now. Ah, so envious! Maybe she’ll become a kunoichi like Lady Tsunade in the future!" A classmate sighed with envy. Asuma was stunned. Studying under Lady Tsunade? Kurenai? Looking outside, Asuma faintly felt— Between him and Kurenai, it seemed like there was only the academy’s fence, but in reality, there was already a tragic, thick barrier separating them. ... The embarrassment of training often fades with continuous practice. One day, two days... By the twentieth day, everyone had completely adapted. Of course. Gai’s loud and enthusiastic habits were something even Kyohiko couldn’t fully emulate. He wanted to get stronger, not become eccentric. That evening. Everyone lay on the grass, completely exhausted, except for Kurenai, who still looked somewhat presentable. Kyohiko sat up. "Now, do you still think this kind of training is ridiculous?" "As long as it makes us stronger, it’s not ridiculous." Kakashi said expressionlessly. Genma and Ebisu hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Given their weaker physical foundations, the progress he, Ebisu, and Kurenai had made was visible. This training really worked! "Then, even if Gai and I aren’t here, you can’t slack off. Daily training is the only way to see results, understand?" Kyohiko warned seriously, "Not only that, but you should also encourage others to join. Shouldn’t good things be shared? Even if you don’t share, if everyone’s embarrassed, will you still feel embarrassed?" "We should make this a tradition in Konoha, holding an extreme training competition once a year!" Kyohiko shared his vision. Aside from Gai, who was fired up, everyone else fell silent. That scenario... Was just too terrifying!

Chapter 45: The Tragic Thick Barrier Between Us

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