Chapter 18. Konoha’s White Fang, Sakumo Hatake

Chapter 18 - 18. Konoha’s White Fang, Sakumo Hatake"Take a break." Sakumo Hatake sheathed his sword and stepped back, speaking calmly. Kakashi Hatake plopped onto the ground, utterly exhausted and panting heavily without any concern for his image. Each sparring session felt like hell for him. Though he was a genius among geniuses, he was up against the legendary Konoha's White Fang, feared throughout the shinobi world. "Is that your classmate?" Sakumo glanced toward Hanekawa, who was jogging nearby, and asked. "Yeah," Kakashi exhaled deeply and replied, "His name is Hanekawa. He's decent with genjutsu." "Only genjutsu?" Sakumo asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you notice something?" Kakashi, slightly taken aback, asked in return. He knew his father had a sharp eye and was rarely wrong in his assessments. "His stamina isn't bad," Sakumo said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "And he carries the same confidence as you." "He beat Asuma recently. It's normal to be confident after that," Kakashi said, unsurprised. "I see," Sakumo chuckled. "Perhaps he might become a strong rival for you." "He won't," Kakashi retorted. After all, he wasn't Sarutobi Asuma. How could he fall for a genjutsu so easily? Sakumo said nothing more. Geniuses often carried a certain arrogance, and his son was undeniably unmatched among his peers. Time passed, and eventually, Hanekawa came to a stop, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he calculated the time. With the 'Strong Physique' skill under his belt, he had managed to persist for an extra half hour compared to before. Unbeknownst to him, Kakashi and Sakumo had left at some point. Hanekawa didn't linger either and headed back home. --- Time ticked away, and the week drew to a close. In these seven days, Hanekawa focused on just two things: running laps at the Fourth Training Ground and practicing weapon throwing in the small grove outside his home. --- On Sunday morning, Hanekawa woke up early and jogged to the Fourth Training Ground. Suppressing the anticipation in his heart, he adjusted his breathing and began running laps. About ten minutes later, the familiar pair of white-haired father and son appeared—Sakumo and Kakashi Hatake. By now, both were accustomed to Hanekawa's presence, and they trained alongside him in mutual understanding, without interference. "Hm?" Sakumo let out a soft hum of surprise. He noticed that Hanekawa suddenly picked up speed—roughly 10% faster than before. Was it a sprint? No, that wasn't it. Sakumo's eyes narrowed. This was a breakthrough. He determined this based on Hanekawa's breathing. Even with the increased speed, his rhythm remained just as steady as before. "Kakashi," Sakumo said with mild amazement, "it seems I was right. He truly might become a strong rival for you." Hanekawa's speed was now on par with an average genin. But what was remarkable wasn't his current level—it was the sheer speed of his progress. "The finals are coming up soon. I'll defeat Hanekawa and apply for early graduation," Kakashi declared, not noticing Hanekawa's improvement. Sakumo's repeated remarks, however, had sparked his competitive spirit. "I look forward to it," Sakumo said with great interest. "I'll make sure to watch the match." "You won't be disappointed," Kakashi said confidently, drawing a short blade. He had no doubt about his victory. --- The father and son began their sparring, their intense battle unfolding once more. Sёarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An hour later, Hanekawa exhaled deeply. [E-Rank Talent Unlocked: Fleet-Footed (Acquired)] [Condition Met: Achieve speed equivalent to the upper limit of a standard genin.] [Effect: Enhances foot speed by an additional 10%.] He had just tested the effects of his newly acquired skill. The so-called "foot strength" not only improved his power but also enhanced his speed. Though it was only a 10% boost, for him, it still marked a significant increase in his overall strength. Feeling a spark of excitement, Hanekawa opened the system interface. Currently, he was working on progressing three skills: E-Rank Skill: "Scholar" – Requires him to achieve the top score in the theoretical exam at the end of term. E-Rank Skill: "Seven Ninja Tools" – He had already mastered four: shuriken, kunai, senbon, and the demon wind shuriken. D-Rank Skill: "Medical Ninja" – Unlike the first two, this one was still at the beginner level. Hanekawa felt a headache just looking at the pile of medical books. He finally understood why medical ninjas were so rare—it was incredibly difficult to master. Although the obstacles were numerous, he hadn't given up. After all, the allure of Tsunade was too strong to resist. Having completed enough physical training for the day, Hanekawa closed the system interface and headed home. --- He extended his hand and pushed open the door, only to see Kurenai Yūhi standing there. Click. A cabinet shifted slightly. Genjutsu: Release! Hanekawa disrupted his chakra flow, dispelling the illusion. "How did you do that?" Kurenai asked, her tone filled with frustration. "Ambushes won't work on me," Hanekawa replied, patting her head. "How did you figure it out?" she asked, unfazed by the head pat, her confusion evident. "The world you constructed in your genjutsu lacked detail," Hanekawa explained casually. Genjutsu users were somewhat like game designers in his previous life—the more detailed their illusions, the less likely they were to raise suspicion. Of course, the Uchiha clan was an exception. If their ocular power was strong enough, even knowing you were caught in a genjutsu wouldn't help you escape—like Uchiha Itachi's Tsukuyomi. "I'm going to take a shower," Hanekawa said, removing his shoes. "I'll teach you genjutsu later." "Okay," Kurenai replied absentmindedly, still pondering what had lacked detail in her genjutsu. --- The hot water cascaded down, and Hanekawa let out a comfortable sigh. A shower after exercise was one of life's simple pleasures. --- "You smell nice, Hanekawa," Kurenai said absentmindedly, sniffing the air. Hanekawa, freshly out of the shower, froze for a moment. "Hairdryer," Hanekawa said, sitting on the couch. "Why don't you get it yourself?" Kurenai retorted, hands on her hips. At this rate, she wasn't just far from being the big boss she aspired to be—she was practically turning into a little maid. How could Kurenai Yūhi, future amazing kunoichi, allow herself to be ordered around like this?! "This is the price for teaching you genjutsu," Hanekawa said with a smile. By now, the two had grown close enough that this kind of banter was routine. "...Fine!" Kurenai reluctantly grabbed the hairdryer and shoved it into Hanekawa's hand. "Don't think I'm going to dry your hair for you!" she said, stepping back with a huff, her head held high in defiance. "I wasn't expecting you to," Hanekawa replied with a chuckle, turning on the hairdryer. "You're too much!" Kurenai glared at him, her ruby-red eyes sparkling with frustration. Hanekawa leisurely dried his hair and then put the hairdryer down. He casually took out a lollipop and held it out to her. "Here, for you." Kurenai instinctively fixated on the lollipop but, remembering his earlier antics, snorted lightly and said, "I don't want it!" "Are you sure?" Hanekawa asked, unwrapping the lollipop and raising it toward his mouth. "Hey!" Kurenai shouted in panic, reaching out. The next second, she felt a sweet taste in her mouth—the lollipop was already there. "Let's go," Hanekawa said, standing up. "I'll teach you genjutsu now." Kurenai's lips curled into a small smile as she followed him, her steps light and cheerful. _______ Patreon.com/rashta Be a member so you can read: - 450 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother - 75 adv ch of Tsunade's Disciple Is A Spy - 240 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin - 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete)