Kakashi-Five elements

"So fast!"

The cat-masked Anbu was taken aback, instinctively raising his arms to shield his head from Kakashi's high-speed flying kick!

In an instant, the two figures had already exchanged dozens of blows, rapidly executing various Konoha-style taijutsu techniques, and even weaving in the Three Body Technique for deception and misdirection.

To an average villager, it would appear as nothing more than a blur—two afterimages constantly clashing mid-air, the sounds of fists against flesh and bone echoing fiercely.

Thankfully, all the spectators present were elites—seasoned shinobi capable of clearly following their rapid movements.

Bang!

The cat-masked Anbu blocked another heavy strike from Kakashi, but the sheer force made his entire arm go numb.

Damn it! Why does this brat keep getting stronger the longer we fight?!

He cursed inwardly, realizing that in pure taijutsu, he was already being overwhelmed.

Making a swift decision, he absorbed the momentum of Kakashi's kick, used it to perform several agile backflips, and widened the gap between them.

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

With the hand seal of the Tiger, the cat-faced Anbu rapidly concentrated and compressed a massive amount of chakra. A high-temperature flame burst forth, twisting into a massive fire dragon that roared toward Kakashi.

The dragon's blazing body surged through the air, aiming to incinerate the silver-haired prodigy in its path. The Anbu smirked—he was confident. If Kakashi got caught in the dragon's flaming fangs, even he wouldn't walk away unscathed.

"Nice Fire Style," Kakashi commented calmly as he swiftly dodged the attack with practiced ease. His Thunder Instant Body Technique allowed him to vanish and reappear rapidly, dodging the fire dragon's swipes with fluid precision.

The flaming beast twisted and coiled in the air, trying to ensnare Kakashi, but it could never quite catch up. From a distance, it looked more like Kakashi was toying with it than dodging it.

"Judging by his reaction time and movement," Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured from the spectator's platform, stroking his beard thoughtfully, "he's already among the top Jōnin."

He turned to Minato with a smile. "It seems you've trained him well."

Minato chuckled humbly. "You flatter me, Lord Third. I only guided him in the right direction. The real credit belongs to Kakashi—he's trained harder than anyone I've ever seen."

Minato's tone carried sincerity. As his team leader, he had witnessed Kakashi's relentless work ethic firsthand. In terms of dedication and drive, the boy was no less intense than Minato himself had been at that age.

Boom!

Back in the arena, the cat-masked Anbu grew increasingly frustrated. If this went on, he wouldn't even land a hit. With a cold glint in his eye, he abruptly detonated the fire dragon mid-air!

A massive explosion followed, sending a shockwave across the field. Smoke and dust filled the air, briefly blinding both combatants and spectators.

Now!

Seeing an opening, Kakashi seized the moment. Cloaked in the swirling dust, he vanished underground using Earth Release and approached stealthily.

The Anbu blinked, catching only a faint blur before Kakashi's arms wrapped around him.

Something's wrong!

Before he could react, a soft murmur came from below.

"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"

Suddenly, the Anbu's feet sank into the ground, and his entire body was dragged beneath, leaving only his head above the surface.

"You lose," Kakashi said coldly, standing above his trapped opponent like a silent executioner.

The crowd fell into hushed disbelief.

"No way! That kid actually beat Elephant?"

"Was that it? Is it really over?" muttered some shocked Anbu operatives.

"Don't be ridiculous," scoffed another. "Elephant hasn't even used his full strength yet."

Just as the murmurs began to grow, the trapped Anbu—the one called Elephant—spoke calmly.

"Not bad, kid. You're skilled."

His tone was composed, completely unfazed despite being buried in the ground. But—

Wait… something's wrong…

Kakashi's expression shifted as he sensed an anomaly. The moment he tried to inspect further—

Bang!

The buried Elephant puffed into smoke—it was a Shadow Clone!

Damn! He tricked me!

Before Kakashi could respond, a booming voice echoed from behind.

"Lightning Style: Four Pillar Bind!"

Four stone pillars erupted from the earth, surrounding Kakashi in an instant. The next moment, intense lightning surged through the pillars, forming a web of high-voltage arcs that crashed inward.

Sizzle!

Kakashi was struck head-on by the powerful lightning. Sparks crackled, and white smoke began pouring from his mouth. His limbs twitched violently as his body convulsed from the voltage—his form was scorched outside and seared within.

Is it over?

Elephant watched from a short distance, confident. Although he had held back enough not to kill, the trap was still powerful. At the very least, it should incapacitate Kakashi for weeks.

But just as he prepared to lower the barrier and check on him—

Kakashi vanished.

He dissolved into flickering lightning and disappeared into the air like a mirage.

Suddenly, a terrifying chill shot up Elephant's spine.

Sizzle!

"Chidori!"

A deafening screech of chirping birds filled the air. Kakashi reappeared behind Elephant, his right hand crackling with high-density lightning chakra. The energy converged into a deadly spear pointed directly at Elephant's exposed back.

Elephant froze.

His instincts screamed at him.

If I move—I die.

Sweat trickled down his forehead. He didn't know how Kakashi had gotten behind him so fast—but he did know that if that Chidori struck him, the outcome would be catastrophic.

"Minato," Hiruzen gasped, eyes wide with disbelief, "your student has already mastered Flying Thunder God to such a level?"

Standing beside him, Minato's face broke into a proud smile. "He's more talented than even I was."

The Third Hokage looked back at the scene, a lump forming in his throat. Kakashi had placed a Flying Thunder God seal on Elephant earlier, likely during their close-range clash—just as Tobirama had once done in the past.

That same silver hair… that same flickering teleportation…

Memories flooded Hiruzen's mind—of his old master, the Second Hokage, and his sacrifice to protect his team. The sight of Kakashi brought those memories to life. The boy truly was his legacy reborn.

On the other side of the field, the Anbu began to murmur once again.

"There's no way this is real…"

"I must be under a genjutsu. Quick, someone snap me out of it!"

Bang!

"OW! What was that for?!"

"I'm snapping you out of it. You're welcome."

The stunned disbelief gradually turned to reluctant admiration. The prodigy had done the impossible.

"I lost."

Elephant raised his hands in surrender. "You're strong. I didn't lose unfairly."

Kakashi stood still, Chidori still crackling ominously. He didn't let his guard down yet.

"You're quite cautious…"

With a bitter smile, Elephant raised his voice. "Referee, I concede!"

Only when the referee raised his hand and declared the match over did Kakashi allow the lightning in his palm to dissipate.

In just this single match, half of his chakra was gone.

"You have real potential," Elephant said, walking over and offering the seal of reconciliation. "I hope you'll consider joining Anbu in the future. You'd make an excellent comrade."

Kakashi smiled politely. "Thank you, Senior."

He didn't respond directly. Joining the Anbu under Minato's leadership was something he could consider—but if it were the Hokage's Anbu, especially under Hiruzen or Danzo… that was a different story.

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the elders stepped forward.

"Well done, Kakashi," Hiruzen said, a rare warmth in his voice. "You've passed the test. You will soon receive your official appointment letter as a Konoha Jōnin."

"Congratulations."

Danzo appeared beside them. "Kakashi, if you're interested, the doors of Root will also be open to you. Take your time and think it over."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.

He prided himself on being magnanimous, and he valued strength—but that didn't mean he would tolerate being rejected again.

Kakashi… don't disappoint me. You'd better choose wisely. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit later…