This assessment, however, was based on Hatake Kakashi's unawareness that Sasuke had already awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Otherwise, Kakashi's evaluation of Sasuke would have been even higher!
"So you're saying I've already reached the level of an average Jonin?"
Sasuke nodded, indicating he understood, but his mind was racing.
'If that's the case, then if I activate my Sharingan, I might even be able to contend with an Elite Jonin.'
"More or less," Kakashi replied with a slight nod, continuing, "While your raw strength has reached this level, your practical combat experience remains severely lacking. From now on, even against opponents who appear far weaker than you, never underestimate them. Otherwise, you could easily be caught off guard and suffer an unexpected defeat."
"I understand," Sasuke affirmed. "A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit. I'll be more cautious from now on."
The "practical combat experience" Kakashi referred to wasn't about sparring matches like the one they had just engaged in, but rather the experience of fighting for survival in life-or-death situations.
Throughout the ninja world, aside from a select few individuals, most ninjas—regardless of their overall power—lacked such real-world combat experience.
In a life-or-death battle, there's no need for flashy, elaborate ninjutsu.
A simple kunai, lightly drawn across the neck, is all it takes to kill.
Sasuke had plenty of experience in sparring and training matches, but what he lacked was experience in actual life-or-death combat!
"Speaking of which," Kakashi said, a smile curving his lips and his eyes crinkling into crescent shapes, "you'll be graduating from the Ninja Academy in just another month."
"I wonder which Jonin you'll get assigned to. With your current strength, that poor guy is in for a rough time!"
Sasuke smiled faintly. "I actually hope my Guidance Jonin remains Teacher Kakashi. After all, I still have much to learn from you."
"Sasuke, you're a prodigy. There's not much more I can teach you," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "However, there is one self-created ninjutsu I haven't taught you yet. This technique is essentially the core of my fighting style—almost every aspect of my combat revolves around it. Whether or not I remain your Guidance Jonin after a month doesn't matter. Let me teach you this ninjutsu while we still have time."
"Thank you, Teacher Kakashi!" Sasuke said sincerely, despite his initial ulterior motives for approaching Kakashi.
He would never forget Kakashi's meticulous guidance over the past year.
Perhaps Sasuke wouldn't follow the path Kakashi hoped he would take in the future.
Though their paths might diverge, the bond between them would endure.
Sasuke sighed inwardly before asking, "Teacher Kakashi, the ninjutsu you mentioned—is it the one that severed my Lightning Release earlier?"
"Correct. That technique is called Lightning Blade!" Kakashi nodded. "However, what I'm going to teach you now isn't Lightning Blade, but Chidori!"
[ (Whether Chidori and Lightning Blade are the same technique is a matter of debate. Kakashi and Might Guy have both stated that Chidori is Lightning Blade, but official guidebooks index them in separate sections and specifically designate Lightning Blade as an S-rank technique. For the purposes of this book, we'll treat them as being related, similar to the Rasengan and Great Ball Rasengan.) ]
"It's named Chidori because it sounds like the simultaneous chirping of a thousand birds!"
"Lightning Blade is an evolved version of Chidori. I once used this technique to sever a bolt of lightning from the sky, hence the name Lightning Blade!"
Seeing Sasuke nod in understanding, Kakashi continued, "Chidori combines Chakra Nature Transformation and Shape Transformation, concentrating Lightning Release Chakra into a high-intensity electrical current in the palm. This technique boasts exceptional piercing power and lethality, while also generating a powerful Chakra-fueled physical activation, stimulating the user's legs and arms to enhance both their thrusting speed and the lightning's penetrating force!"
"Watch closely and memorize my hand seals!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Kakashi swiftly performed the Ox-Rabbit-Monkey hand seals.
Lightning Release Chakra immediately gathered in his palm, forming a high-intensity electrical current that crackled with the sound of a thousand birds chirping in unison.
"Have you memorized the hand seals?"
Seeing Sasuke nod, Kakashi dispersed the Chidori's lightning.
"Now, I'll explain the training method and key points for mastering Chidori."
Kakashi meticulously explained each step, and Sasuke listened intently.
Whenever he encountered something unclear, he would ask questions, and Kakashi patiently answered them one by one.
Half an hour passed this way before Kakashi finally stopped.
"These are the training methods and key points for mastering Chidori."
"Do you understand everything?"
Sasuke nodded slightly. "Understood!"
"Sasuke, you truly are the most talented genius I've ever trained," Kakashi praised, his tone shifting. "However, understanding the theory is one thing; mastering Chidori is another."
Seeing Sasuke's silence, Kakashi chuckled, a glint of smugness in his eyes. "Chidori's training is notoriously difficult. Even for a prodigy like you, my calculations suggest it would take at least half a WHAT—!?"
Before he could finish, Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief.
Sasuke had already formed the hand seals and was channeling high-intensity lightning into his right hand, producing a sound like a thousand birds chirping.
[ ... ]
Kakashi fell silent.
[ ... ]
Sasuke remained silent as well.
The two stared at each other, locked in an awkward silence.
Finally, Sasuke spoke up. "It doesn't seem as difficult as you made it out to be, Teacher Kakashi."
In truth, Sasuke himself was astonished by how quickly he had mastered this ninjutsu.
Though he had prepared for this for over four years longer than his original self, and his innate talent far surpassed that of his original counterpart...
A year ago, he had even mastered several Lightning Release ninjutsu under Kakashi's tutelage as prerequisites.
But...
This was still too fast.
"Ahem, ahem," Kakashi coughed lightly, a twitch at the corner of his eye, to ease the awkwardness.
"Sasuke, your talent has exceeded my expectations. Mastering the Chidori in such a short time is truly remarkable. However, there's one crucial point I must emphasize."
"The Chidori's weakness lies in its need for a rapid, charging thrust at the opponent. Due to the extreme speed, you risk losing sight of the enemy and being vulnerable to counterattacks. Therefore, it requires the Sharingan to reach its full potential!"
"Since you haven't awakened your Sharingan yet, I strongly advise you to refrain from using this ninjutsu for now!"
After Sasuke nodded, Kakashi's expression turned serious. "Before we realize it, you'll soon become a ninja, Sasuke. I deeply regret what happened to you. I hope you won't let hatred consume you, neglecting the important comrades by your side."
"Of course, I'm not asking you to forget the past. Rather, remember it well, but also cherish the present and live in the moment."
As Kakashi spoke, his gaze lingered on Sasuke's still calm expression. He sighed inwardly, his expression softening into a wistful nostalgia. "I once had a friend who was just like you. He—"
"Teacher Kakashi, is that friend you're talking about... yourself?" Sasuke interrupted Kakashi's sudden act of inventing a friend out of thin air.
Kakashi: "..."
___
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