Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Rising Tides
The calm sea stretched endlessly around Kakashi and Tomaru as the two faced off, their figures reflected in the mirrored surface. The stillness of the battlefield shattered with a sudden burst of movement.
Tomaru darted forward, closing the gap between them. His fists aimed for Kakashi's center, each strike precise and forceful. Kakashi moved seamlessly, his experience evident as he parried the blows with his forearms, each block deliberate and efficient.
Tomaru's movements flowed seamlessly as he followed with a low kick, which Kakashi countered by raising his leg to block. The clash sent a small ripple through the water before Tomaru spun into a high backfist. Kakashi leaned just out of range, then retaliated with a swift punch aimed at Tomaru's shoulder.
Tomaru twisted, letting the attack brush past him, and brought his knee up for a strike. Kakashi caught it with one hand, spun Tomaru slightly off-balance, and pushed him back to reset the distance.
Tomaru darted back, seamlessly drawing a kunai and sending it flying toward Kakashi with precise aim. Kakashi deflected the blade with his own kunai, the metal sparking as their weapons clashed.
Tomaru took advantage of the moment, rushing back into close range and attacking with a mix of quick punches and kicks. His strikes came fast, testing Kakashi's defenses. Kakashi parried each move with calm efficiency, sidestepping the heavier attacks and countering when openings appeared.
With a sudden pivot, Kakashi swept his leg low to trip Tomaru, but Tomaru leaped over it with practiced ease, flipping mid-air and hurling a pair of shuriken mid-movement. The projectiles curved through the air toward Kakashi.
Kakashi dodged the first shuriken and snatched the second one with an open hand, tossing it aside just as Tomaru landed with a decisive kick aimed at his chest. Kakashi blocked the strike with both arms, the force sliding him slightly across the surface of the water.
Tomaru stood firm, his hands weaving seals as the water beside him rippled and surged upward. A perfect copy of himself emerged—his Water Clone, poised and ready for battle. Without missing a beat, both Tomaru and the clone darted toward Kakashi, moving with seamless coordination.
The clone charged straight in, unleashing a flurry of rapid kicks and punches, each aimed to disrupt Kakashi's balance and vision. Kakashi effortlessly parried the strikes, his sharp eyes quickly discerning the predictable movements of the clone. He drove his fist into the clone's chest, dispersing it into a spray of water.
But this was exactly what Tomaru had anticipated. Using the clone as cover, the real Tomaru was already positioning himself to strike from Kakashi's blind spot. From behind the mist of the clone, Tomaru emerged low and fast, driving a powerful sweeping kick at Kakashi's legs.
Kakashi backflipped to dodge, but Tomaru didn't let up. Mid-air, he formed another Water Clone and hurled it upward. The new clone intercepted Kakashi just as he landed, forcing him to counter with a precise kunai slash that dissolved the clone.
Once again, Tomaru capitalized on Kakashi's momentary distraction. From the remnants of the dissipating water, Tomaru thrust both hands forward.
Tomaru's assault intensified as a concentrated jet of water surged from his fingertips, slicing through the air with blistering precision. The trajectory was calculated, aimed directly at Kakashi's center mass. Caught mid-motion while handling the deceptive water clone, Kakashi twisted sharply, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. The high-pressure stream skimmed his shoulder, shredding fabric and leaving a sharp sting.
Without hesitation, Tomaru unleashed a second blast from his opposite hand, slightly off-center this time. Kakashi's swift reflexes enabled him to pivot away once again, but the maneuver forced him to break his stance and retreat to a safer distance on the churning water.
As the ripples settled momentarily, both combatants assessed each other in silence. Tomaru's measured breaths betrayed his intense focus, his unblinking gaze locked onto Kakashi. In contrast, Kakashi's seemingly relaxed posture masked the razor-sharp analysis occurring behind his calm demeanor.
Tomaru moved first, his strategy relentless. With chakra-imbued precision, he surged through the battlefield, directing water clones into synchronized action. Two clones charged from opposite sides, one flinging a kunai as a feint while the other closed in for a punch.
Kakashi parried the kunai effortlessly, his body flowing into a counterkick that dispersed the clone into an explosive spray of water. However, this was precisely what Tomaru anticipated. Exploiting the cascading droplets as cover, Tomaru dashed in behind the dissolved clone.
"Water Gun Technique!"
A high-pressure bullet of water burst forth, slicing through the mist and hurtling toward Kakashi. Reacting instantly, Kakashi twisted mid-air, the projectile grazing his flak jacket and tearing the fabric. He landed with a splash, skidding back on the water's surface to regain balance.
Tomaru advanced swiftly, showing no signs of letting up. Another water clone flanked Kakashi, coordinating with Tomaru himself to unleash a pincer attack. The clone aimed a sweeping kick at Kakashi's lower body while Tomaru remained overhead, poised for a decisive strike.
Kakashi leaped to evade the kick, spinning mid-air to deflect the clone's feigned strike with a kunai. As the collision scattered droplets into the air, Kakashi's narrowed eyes scanned for the next move.
From the remnants of the clash, another burst of chakra activity signaled Tomaru's readiness. His hand seals blurred with speed.
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"
The water around Kakashi erupted as sharp, spiraling tendrils shot toward him from below. The coordination was flawless—Kakashi found himself managing a feint from a distant clone, projectiles fired in the aftermath, and an underground assault converging simultaneously.
Driven to a critical moment, Kakashi sidestepped while countering the incoming clones, his movements a graceful blur against the onslaught. But the layered strategy pushed him toward a tactical disadvantage. With no room to evade cleanly, his hand reached instinctively for his forehead protector.
The moment his Sharingan was unveiled, a scarlet glow pierced through the chaos, analyzing every facet of Tomaru's offense with unparalleled clarity. With his enhanced perception, Kakashi dissected the rapid sequences, unraveling Tomaru's intricate patterns.
"He's adapting," Kakashi noted internally, the Sharingan's heightened perception picking apart each deliberate move.
Far from deterred, Tomaru smirked, his confidence unwavering. The chakra control that drove his relentless creativity only heightened his precision, and the game of tactical dominance had just begun.
The water churned violently underfoot as the stakes of the battle climbed ever higher. Both shinobi shifted gears, transitioning from calculated assessments to a dynamic exchange of increasingly powerful techniques.
Kakashi began forming a sequence of seals with practiced precision, his Sharingan fixating on Tomaru's every move.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
A towering serpentine dragon made of water erupted from the surface, surging toward Tomaru with an ominous roar. The colossal construct twisted and writhed, its sheer size and momentum creating waves that disrupted the battlefield.
Unfazed by the monumental attack, Tomaru crossed his hands, his chakra pooling intensely around him. With a burst of determination, he slammed his palms into the water beneath him.
"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
A layer of earth-natured chakra coursed over his body, turning his skin to an earthen hue that gleamed with durability. The moment the dragon's maw reached him, Tomaru braced himself, raising his forearm as a makeshift shield. The dragon smashed against his reinforced body with tremendous force, sending a massive spray into the air, yet Tomaru stood firm, the earthen coating dampening the impact.
The moment the dragon's momentum faltered, Tomaru countered. He weaved through seals with breathtaking speed, his movements a blur to even Kakashi's Sharingan.
"Water Release: Water Spirit Wave!"
A powerful spiral of compressed water erupted from Tomaru's palms, surging forward with crushing force. The concentrated torrent sliced through the remnants of Kakashi's Water Dragon, scattering its remnants into a misty explosion.
Kakashi leaped backward, landing nimbly several meters away as Tomaru's attack carved through the battlefield. His Sharingan tracked the technique's trajectory, analyzing its speed and reach. The mist obscured his vision for only a moment before the red hue of his Sharingan glimmered once more, locking onto Tomaru's form.
"His chakra control is on par with some of the best shinobi I've faced," Kakashi thought, beads of sweat forming on his brow. Despite his calm demeanor, Kakashi recognized Tomaru's immense reserves and his relentless ability to sustain high-level techniques without faltering.
Kakashi retaliated, forming swift hand seals. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
A sudden, immense gale swept across the water, blasting the mist away and attempting to throw Tomaru off balance. Tomaru, however, anchored himself to the water's surface with practiced chakra control, resisting the gale's force with impressive ease.
Instead of relying on sheer power to overwhelm Kakashi, Tomaru crafted a more nuanced approach. A quick flick of his hands summoned a water clone, which immediately darted to Kakashi's flank with unwavering determination. Kakashi tracked the clone with his Sharingan, his kunai raised, prepared for an imminent strike.
Just as Kakashi moved to strike the clone down, a faint ripple in the water beneath him betrayed Tomaru's position. From directly ahead, Tomaru fired Water Spirit Wave once more—a refined, pressurized spiral of water streaking toward Kakashi. The attack's swiftness left little room for error, and Kakashi had to abandon his offensive, leaping to avoid a direct hit.
The devastating force of the Water Spirit Wave tore through the water's surface, carving a deep furrow and sending mist and foam into the air. The battlefield became a maelstrom of clashing elements, each moment escalating in intensity.
The battlefield churned with energy as water lashed through the air, each clash more intense than the last. The onlookers stood frozen, their eyes glued to the spectacle.
Mai leaned forward slightly, her voice a cheerful beacon over the sound of battle. "Come on, Tomaru! Don't back down! You've got this!" Her enthusiasm carried no doubt, full of trust in her teammate's capabilities.
Mina, by contrast, was quieter, her dark eyes narrowing as she observed every movement. The sheer fluidity of Tomaru's ninjutsu and his ability to adapt to Kakashi's strategies drew her analytical mind into overdrive. "His chakra reserves are... huge," she murmured almost to herself. "To sustain multiple techniques like this and he hasn't even slowed down. Its …" Her voice wavered with a trace of astonishment before she snapped herself back to composure.
Her thoughts swirled with admiration but also curiosity. Despite being his teammate, there were facets of Tomaru's abilities that were still a mystery to her.
"How much chakra does he have?" she mused aloud, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Despite her stoic demeanor, Sayuri allowed a slight shift in her expression, a faint trace of approval breaking through her composed exterior. Her stance remained firm, arms crossed as she quietly assessed the unfolding battle.
Nearby, Team 7 displayed a broader spectrum of reactions. Naruto's face contorted with unrestrained astonishment. "WHAT?! How is he even doing that?!" he exclaimed, clutching his head as if to process the inconceivable spectacle. He hopped in place, visibly jolted by the impact of Tomaru's Water Spirit Wave.
Beside him, Sakura clenched her fists, her eyes practically sparkling. "It's incredible… He's chaining high-level jutsu together effortlessly. Even Kakashi-sensei had to step it up with the Sharingan!" For a moment, her usual sharp-witted pragmatism gave way to pure admiration.
"Yeah, but… I thought he was just another guy in our class! How's he this good?" Naruto exclaimed, his voice tinged with incredulity.
Sasuke, however, stood a few paces behind his teammates, his expression hard to read. He recalled his own match against Tomaru weeks earlier, where he had been thoroughly defeated without the use of any ninjutsu.
A simmering storm brewed within him—a mixture of envy and an unrelenting desire for growth. It wasn't merely envy—it was a reminder of his own shortcomings, a stark contrast to the ambition burning within him. He needed strength, enough strength to destroy his brother, but watching Tomaru now only emphasized how far he still had to go. Yet, amidst this realization, one thing crystallized: he had to surpass even this, no matter the cost.