"So, Enso, what is your condition for helping me?" Kakashi asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Enso smiled slightly at the question. "I want to see your Raikiri in action."
Kakashi shook his head, a soft sigh escaping him. "Impossible. That technique wasn't meant to be used on friends or comrades."
At that, Enso broke into laughter. It wasn't forced or mocking—just genuine amusement. Both Guy and Kakashi glanced at each other, puzzled. They couldn't quite figure out what was so funny.
"I wouldn't have suggested it if it were just the two of us," Enso said as his laughter faded. "That's why I intended to have Guy-senpai referee the match. If things go south, he's more than capable of stepping in. I need inspiration to refine my Lightning Release." His gaze shifted between Kakashi and Guy, calm yet resolute.
What he didn't mention was the other reason—Enso was arguably the worst possible opponent for Kakashi. His Shield of Wind Count alone made most Lightning Style techniques nearly useless against him.
"Why go through all this trouble?" Kakashi asked lightly. "I can just show you Raikiri, and we can call it a day."
Enso shook his head. "What I want is vengeance against that masked man. And the only way to grow quickly—on a solid foundation—is by clashing with strong opponents like you. I wouldn't mind getting a closer look at your Raikiri after we fight, either."
Eventually, Kakashi nodded in agreement, and Guy stepped up to act as the referee. As the conversation settled, Enso couldn't help but think of what lay ahead. After that important conversation with Kushina and Minato about his goals and ambitions, he had arrived at one clear conclusion: he needed to grow so strong that no one—not even the village—could stop him.
Still, the question haunted him: What if Konoha decided to abandon him for the sake of peace?
Minato hadn't explicitly stated the village's stance on Enso's plan to rebuild the Uzumaki Clan. That uncertainty weighed heavily on his mind. What if Konoha opposed him? What if they tried to stop him when the time came?
The path of a Shinobi was nothing like the martial way he had followed in his previous life. There were no clear lines of honour, no fixed code he could rely on. In a world shaped by shifting loyalties and political agendas, he had to be ready for anything.
As for helping Kakashi with his Sharingan? Enso wasn't concerned. He didn't fear that Kakashi would become a threat in the future. If he truly believed Kakashi could one day stand in his way, he would've never offered to help in the first place.
His true goal was to challenge himself. Enso planned to hone his edge by testing it against Kakashi and Might Guy—two of the strongest Shinobi Konoha had to offer. In his eyes, they were the finest whetstones available.
Before heading to the Third Training Ground, the trio stopped to unwind at a nearby dango shop—one of Enso's favourite spots in the village. He was a regular. The shopkeeper, aware of Enso's massive appetite, would always pack an extra twenty dango for him without needing to ask, handing them over as Enso paid the bill.
With their stomachs full and the lingering sweetness of dango, the trio made their way to the training grounds. The light mood stuck around for a bit—laughter and casual conversation, the kind of ease that came with good food and good company.
But as soon as they stepped onto the field, everything shifted.
Enso and Kakashi now stood facing each other.
Kakashi reached up and pulled back his headband, revealing the infamous red eye of the Sharingan. Across from him, Enso calmly summoned one of the swords Hayama had lent him. The air between them hummed with tension, not hostility, but the quiet anticipation of two skilled warriors preparing to clash.
Enso planned to rely on ninjutsu for this match. Dual-wielding, while effective, would only hinder him against a Sharingan user. He had learned that the hard way in a past spar with Shisui Uchiha. Against an opponent like Kakashi, who wielded the Sharingan with such precision, every movement had to be swift and precise.
Guy raised one hand. "Are both of you ready?"
Enso and Kakashi nodded in unison, each forming the seal of confrontation.
"Alright then," Guy said, lowering his hand. "Begin!"
Kakashi immediately retreated, creating distance between himself and Enso. He had seen firsthand what Enso was capable of with a sword, and he wasn't about to underestimate him.
Enso allowed himself a slight smile, his expression calm yet focused. With a swift motion, he formed a hand sign using just one hand and declared, "Water Style: Wild Water Wave." He moulded the chakra in his stomach, gathering the energy before releasing it in a powerful torrent. The rush of water surged forward, rapidly closing the gap between them.
Might Guy, observing from nearby, watched with a mix of admiration and surprise. He was impressed not only by the sheer volume of water Enso had produced but also by the fact that he had done so one-handed. Enso's chakra control was nothing short of exceptional.
Kakashi responded instantly, forming a rapid hand sign of his own. "Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
A thick wall of mud burst from the ground, rising to intercept the oncoming wave. The two forces collided, water crashing against earth, but Kakashi's defence held strong.
Enso, however, wasn't finished. Riding the momentum of the surging water, he glided effortlessly across its surface, swiftly closing in on Kakashi.
As he approached, Enso took the opportunity to test a newly developed technique—Wind Style: Vacuum Flash. Channelling wind-nature chakra through his sword using Chakra Flow, he unleashed a slicing wave of air. The force was so powerful it cut cleanly through Kakashi's Mud Wall, splitting it in two like paper.
Kakashi barely managed to react, rolling out of harm's way just in time to avoid the devastating wind strike. The narrow escape left him little room to recover, and Enso seized the opening, closing the distance and preparing for a direct confrontation.
This gave Enso the opening he needed. He pressed forward, closing in on Kakashi, who was forced to draw two kunai in an attempt to defend himself. The moment Enso's sword and Kakashi's kunai met, the force of the strike pushed Kakashi back, his hand going numb from the impact.
Enso, however, wasn't finished. He pressed forward with relentless speed, closing in again for another strike. Kakashi, despite the numbing sensation in his hand, was no slouch. Having copied over a thousand jutsu and combat styles with his Sharingan, he quickly adapted to the situation. Shifting his grip on the kunai, he expertly deflected Enso's sword, guiding it away from his body and leaving a deep mark in the ground as Enso's blade struck the earth.
Using that very momentum, Enso flowed into a spinning back kick, his body twisting with mechanical precision. Kakashi's eyes widened—he barely had time to react. He brought his arm up just in time to absorb the impact, but the power behind the kick sent him flying.
He hit the ground hard and rolled several times before managing to stop himself. His forearm throbbed, nearly numb from the blow. For the first time in the fight, Kakashi felt the pressure of being on the back foot. Enso was dictating the pace, and if it kept up like this, things could spiral quickly.
As Kakashi lay there, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of urgency. Enso was controlling the pace of the fight, and that was something Kakashi knew he couldn't afford to let happen. The description in the Bingo Book flashed in his mind: 'Extremely Dangerous in Close Combat.' Kakashi had always known Enso was formidable, but experiencing it firsthand made him realise just how dangerous his opponent truly was.
Kakashi rose to his feet, controlling his breath and steadying his stance. He couldn't afford to stay on the defensive any longer. If he wanted to turn the tide, he had to reclaim the momentum. Channelling his chakra, he surged lightning through both kunai. The blades crackled to life, glowing faintly with the fierce hum of Lightning Release. His Sharingan sharpened, locking onto Enso's every move with renewed clarity.
It was time to take the initiative.
But Enso remained unfazed. A confident smile tugged at his lips as he moved to close the distance.
With a sudden burst of speed that caught Kakashi off guard, Enso activated Void Step—a technique that let him move with blinding swiftness using nothing but pure physical power.
He had spent countless hours perfecting it, certain he could now rival—or even surpass—the speed of someone like Shisui Uchiha, all without relying on chakra enhancement. Speed, unlike strength, had a natural ceiling. Breaking past it required more than effort—it demanded mastery.
In the blink of an eye, Enso was right in front of Kakashi.
Without hesitation, Enso unleashed Wind Style: Breakthrough. A powerful blast of air erupted from the strike, slamming into Kakashi and launching him backwards. He crashed and tumbled across the ground.
But as Kakashi came to a halt, the figure Enso had just struck dissolved into white smoke. It was a Shadow Clone Jutsu—Kakashi had used it to mislead him.
Enso's eyes narrowed, sharp with realisation. The real Kakashi wasn't where he had seemed. Instead, Kakashi appeared beneath him in a blur, driving a kunai upward toward Enso's midsection.
Enso reacted instantly. With a swift motion, he blocked the strike with his sword, twisting his grip to deliver a reverse slash that effortlessly knocked the kunai aside.
It quickly became clear: after using the Mud Wall to block the Water Wave, Kakashi had seized the opportunity to create a Shadow Clone. The clone had served as a decoy, giving Kakashi the perfect opening to reposition and strike from an unexpected angle.
Enso sensed the danger the moment his Wind Release dissipated, and just as quickly, he detected Kakashi beneath the ground. As his attack was intercepted, Kakashi launched into a spinning backflip, seamlessly transitioning into a high kick—Konoha Whirlwind.
The move mirrored Enso's earlier tactic, forcing him into a defensive position. However, thanks to the core technique of his 'Void Step'—Ashigaru—Enso was able to absorb the force of the kick without taking damage. Kakashi's reputation as the 'Copy Ninja' was well-deserved.
With the distance between them now established, Enso activated his Dark Lightning, unleashing a torrent of crackling energy toward Kakashi from above. Kakashi, anticipating the attack, initiated Chidori with both hands, preparing in case he couldn't dodge it.
But Enso had already predicted this. He intentionally allowed Kakashi to move in, wanting to face the Chidori head-on with his own Dark Lightning. The two jutsu collided, each one dispelling the other in a brilliant clash of forces. But Kakashi wasn't done. As the electricity faded, he transformed into lightning itself, zipping toward Enso.
It was too late for Enso to react. The lightning coursed through his body, overwhelming him as Kakashi erupted from the ground, poised to deliver the final blow. But to his shock, Enso dissolved into white smoke—a Shadow Clone.
Kakashi felt a sharp sense of danger creeping up on him. Forced into action, he used his strongest lightning technique, Raikiri, compressing his Chidori into a more concentrated, devastating form with both hands. A torrent of lightning surrounded him as he braced for the next move.
Just then, Enso emerged from the water, standing next to Might Guy with a grin. "Let's call it a draw. Your moves have reached S-Rank with that compression technique."
Kakashi, drenched in sweat, turned to see Enso casually munching on a dango, standing effortlessly beside Might Guy. Realising he'd underestimated his junior's abilities, he released the Raikiri and let out a sigh of relief.
It turns out that Enso had already used his 'Assimilation of All Things' technique, hiding beneath the water created by his Wild Water Wave from the very beginning.
Might Guy clapped excitedly, eager to test his skills against Enso next, but both Enso and Kakashi made a seal of reconciliation and agreed to call it a day. Enso promised they'd settle it another time.
"Haha, that was too refreshing!" Might Guy exclaimed, his enthusiasm contagious. "You really turned Kakashi's tricks right back on him!"
Kakashi, still catching his breath, draped an arm around Enso's shoulder with a grin. "What can I say? We're fellow disciples, after all." The three of them shared a hearty laugh, the air light with camaraderie.
But just as the laughter settled, Enso's gaze sharpened, and with a playful glint in his eyes, he turned to Kakashi. "Senpai, how about showing me your Raikiri one more time? The way you compress your Chidori—it's truly magnificent."
Kakashi, ever the man of his word, nodded and obliged Enso's request. His hand extended, drawing in chakra as the familiar energy of Chidori gathered in his palm. Lightning crackled violently, condensing into a dense, pulsating sphere of raw power. The air grew sharp with its presence—tangible and dangerous—as if the technique could pierce through anything with a single thrust.
The energy was so overwhelming that it spread in a charged circle around Kakashi's body, distorting the air with an almost tangible friction. It was clear now—no wonder his speed surged every time he invoked the Chidori or Raikiri. The lightning itself seemed to propel him forward, as though it had fused with his very being, amplifying his movements, making each strike faster and more lethal. The air crackled with the anticipation of what was to come, as if nature itself held its breath in response to the sheer force of his attacks.
Enso had always been curious how a simple Chidori could evolve into something entirely new—powerful enough to reach the heights of an S-Rank jutsu. The answer, he discovered, lay in moulding and compressing Lightning Release to its absolute limit. Kakashi's understanding of Nature Transformation was truly unmatched.
The applause from Might Guy and Enso filled the air, both impressed by Kakashi's performance. The crackling energy of the Raikiri still lingered, humming faintly in the atmosphere as Kakashi calmly dispelled the technique.
Once the tension had eased, Enso turned to Kakashi, his usual grin replaced by a more serious expression.
"Senpai, I believe it's time for me to fulfil my part of the promise. Please hand over your headband," he said, his voice steady, laced with quiet determination. Kakashi, curious about Enso's intentions, complied without hesitation. How was he planning to solve a problem even Kushina couldn't?
Enso's confidence came from a unique Uzumaki trait—something Kushina didn't possess: the Mind's Eye of Kagura. This ability allowed him to suppress his chakra signature, rendering his movements nearly undetectable. Using his blood as a catalyst, Enso crafted a powerful suppressing seal—a technique passed down from Jiraiya to Minato, then to Kushina, and finally to him.
Unlike Karin, who awakened the ability and taught herself through instinct and trial, Enso had the advantage of a complete scroll detailing the Mind's Eye of Kagura. Their capabilities couldn't even be compared anymore—they were leagues apart in mastery and depth.
He carefully infused the seal with his blood. The technique would temporarily deactivate Kakashi's Sharingan the moment the forehead protector covered his eye. As an added precaution, Enso had embedded his signature move—Explosive Touch—beneath the layers of sealing. It was a silent contingency, should Kakashi ever stand in his way. As much as he hated to admit it, Kamui was a truly troublesome ability.
No matter how powerful Enso became, he never let arrogance cloud his judgment. Real strength wasn't just raw power—it was foresight, preparation, and accounting for every possible outcome.
Kakashi, both curious and eager, slid the headband back over his eye. The effect was immediate—the constant drain from the Sharingan vanished, as if a weight he'd carried for years had finally lifted. For the first time in ages, his chakra flowed unhindered, no longer strained by the need for constant suppression. He could feel his reserves slowly rebuilding, gradually returning to their full strength.
Enso watched with quiet satisfaction, noting every subtle shift in Kakashi's demeanour. "You should start sparring with the Sharingan more often," he advised. "Now that the seal handles the suppression, it'll give your body time to adapt to the eye, ultimately turning it into a true asset in combat."
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