Kakashi's jaw damn near hit the ground.
The power of that Thunderclap and Flash… it wasn't even in the same league as his own. And watching Qianyu execute it, Kakashi sensed none of the stuttering, awkward transitions he struggled with. It was fluid. Perfect.
A horrible doubt crept in. Was the Thunder Breathing I've been practicing… fake?
Qianyu reappeared before him. "So? Not bad, right?"
Kakashi pressed his lips into a thin line.Not bad? It was insane.
"Thunderclap and Flash's flaw is obvious," Qianyu continued, as if reading his mind. "I built on it. Developed a version that uses the terrain for multiple redirections. Faster. I call it Thunderclap and Flash: God Speed."
"God Speed?" Kakashi echoed, his mind reeling.
"It's not fully polished yet. But even this half-finished version? Several times faster than the base form."
"Several times…?" Kakashi blurted out. "How could your eyes even track that?"
Qianyu's eyes shifted crimson. "Mine can. I have the Sharingan."
Kakashi's brow furrowed. An Uchiha. He had one Uchiha he could almost call a friend—Obito—but the clan as a whole left a sour taste. Obito was different. Loud, always late from helping others, relentlessly kind. A self-proclaimed rival who lost every spar but never stopped trying. The clan's "dead-last." The rest of them looked down on him.
Qianyu noticed his frown. "Having the Sharingan doesn't make me one of them," he clarified. "You've heard my name. No 'Uchiha' prefix."
He locked eyes with Kakashi. "Become my student, and I'll do more than teach you Thunder Breathing. I'll build your training regimen. Yes, extreme speed challenges your vision. But dynamic visual acuity can be trained. Sharpened. And beyond Wind Release, I'm proficient in other natures. You'll learn."
He tilted his head. "So. What's your choice?"
Kakashi was silent for a long moment. "…Why me?"
It was the question burning in his gut. Why him, out of everyone?
"Because you have talent," Qianyu stated flatly. "I don't have the time or patience for mediocrity. If circumstances didn't force me to take a student, I wouldn't. Your call. Refuse, and you can walk back to the Academy. They'll assign you another jonin-sensei."
Kakashi thought. Weighed it. The sheer power he'd just witnessed… the promise of more.
He met Qianyu's gaze. "Sensei. I want to be your student."
A faint, approving smile touched Qianyu's lips. "Good. Then I'll fulfill my duty as your teacher. First, return to the Academy. Inform them. Have your name removed from the assignment pool. Then, pack. Meet me at the main gate tomorrow morning. We leave for the Land of Grass."
"The Land of Grass?" Kakashi's heart leapt.
"Yes. I returned to Konoha primarily for the deployment orders. Your father, Lord Sakumo, is stationed there as commander, correct?"
Kakashi couldn't hide his elation. He'd thought seeing his father again would be difficult. Now, by some twist of fate, he was heading right back.
"I'll go now!" he said, energy buzzing through him.
He bowed briefly and took off at a run.
Back at the Academy, the main jonin assignments were long over. The remaining genin were being distributed among chunin teams. Except for one group.
Minato Namikaze, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara were still there, one member short, waiting on his decision.
"Kakashi!" Obito shouted, rushing over the moment he appeared. "Well? Are you with that guy, or with us?"
"I've accepted Qianyu-sensei as my teacher. Sorry," Kakashi replied. His apology was directed at Minato, not Obito.
Minato just smiled warmly. "It's perfectly alright. Qianyu is incredibly strong. This is a great opportunity for you."
"Whaaat?" Obito groaned, kicking at the ground. "Come on, Kakashi! Whatever! Fine! You'd probably just hold us back anyway!"
Rin's expression fell, a clear hint of disappointment.
Kakashi ignored Obito's grumbling. "I'm leaving for the Land of Grass with Sensei tomorrow. See you." He turned and left without another word.
After he was gone, the vice-principal approached Minato. "It seems that's settled then, Minato. I'll select another genin to complete your team."
"Thank you," Minato said with a nod.
The replacement was a competent civilian-born genin, one of the better ones left. The team was finally formed.
Qianyu returned home to an empty house. Kushina was on a two-day mission outside the village. Their paths wouldn't cross before his departure tomorrow.
He took out paper and a pen, wrote a brief note, and left it on the table.
The next morning, after a quick routine, Qianyu shouldered his pack and headed for the main gate.
Kakashi was already there, waiting. Qianyu had only said "morning," so the boy had arrived before dawn, just to be sure.
"Sensei!" Kakashi jogged over.
"All set?""Ready!"
"Then we move."
They passed through the gates, the road to the Land of Grass stretching out before them. It didn't take long for Kakashi's anticipation to bubble over. The real Thunder Breathing. He needed to know.
"The key to unlocking Thunder Breathing's full potential," Qianyu began as they walked, "lies in the breath itself."
Kakashi stared, utterly bewildered. He'd considered a hundred possibilities—chakra control nuances, precise movement mechanics—but this? Breathing? Aside from basic taijutsu rhythm, he'd never heard of a technique relying on something so… fundamental.
Breathing makes it stronger?For real?
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