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The air smelled of dust and sweat. The remaining teams had gathered on the upper sides of the arena, the Jōnin evaluating the final part of the chunin exam were calmly waiting for the names of the first pair of genin to fight.
At six, Kakashi was not tall enough to see over the railing, so he had just let his forehead fall on one of the slim metal poles that made it up, the space between each metal pole was wide enough for him to see through it. The coolness of the material doing wonders for Kakashi’s heated skin.
He was not tired. The first part of the exam had been a written test, far too easy in Kakashi’s opinion, then he had to wait for his classmates to be done so they could gather and train with Minato Sensei one last time before the second and third part of the Chunin exam, which gave him one full hour to sit on the roof of the academy and go through different strategies to get over the second part of the exam.
The next day they had gotten inside the Forest of Death thirty minutes after all the other teams. Obito, as usual, had been late doing whatever it was that he did, something that frankly Kakashi did not care about. Fortunately, Kakashi had already analyzed their opponents for the team battle and they still had a few minutes before it was their turn. Now they were to continue with the final part of the exam.
So no, he was not tired, but he was thoughtful and a little anxious and the fact that a heat wave had hit the village, a reminder that summer was just around the corner, was not helping. He knew his biggest weakness was how little chakra he still had, all the other genin were at least 12, Gai was younger too, but still three years older than Kakashi, and when Kakashi had confronted Gai and his teammates, it was obvious that his chakra reserves were there, besides, the other ninja preferred to use his physical skills.
Since there had been too many teams to start with, and even after the other two evaluations still more than half of them remained, the evaluating jonins had decided a preliminary round was to take place (that and the fact that the Hokage wanted to make sure the Chunin were ready to fight nonstop, they were at war, after all), which meant that he would have to fight twice. If he was not careful and modulated his chakra flow, Kakashi knew he would be chakra exhausted by the second encounter.
He watched as the first pair started to fight, next to him, Obito wouldn’t stop talking about how he could defeat every opponent in the room if he really wanted to, far too excited for it to be his turn. Rin just looked at him with a friendly smile. Opposite to Obito, who would talk out loud in an obnoxious way, Rin dealt with her nervousness by excessively pulling at her sleeves.
In the arena, Sarutobi Asuma was fighting a long haired genin with earth affinity. Kakashi knew Asuma’s father, the Hokage, was most likely watching from the one-sided window in front of the arena.
Kakashi turned to his left, catching a glimpse of Gai and his teammates, all of them next to Chōza-sensei. Genma, as usual, was bitting on the senbon he held between his lips, while Ebisu looked down at the fight with a worried expression. Kakashi could swear he saw stars in Gai’s eyes, most likely excited for it to be his turn and prove himself and his abilities to anyone who had ever doubted him.
Back in the arena, Asuma had defeated his opponent with a wind hurricane jutsu.
When it was Obito’s turn, Gai walked to the arena with a focused expression as Minato-sensei wished his teammate good luck. Obito went for the stairs with a grin. When the encounter was over, Obito still couldn’t get up without swaying after being hit in the face by Gai. Maybe Kakashi should have warned Obito, after all, Gai’s Taijutsu was way better than the Uchiha had most likely judged it for, but it had actually been Obito’s fault for misjudging Gai not once, but twice in the same. Sure, he had blamed the candy he was eating on the team battles but now, he really had no excuse. At least back in the forest, Obito had been lucky Rin and Kakashi had been there to attack and save his butt.
After two more encounters, it was finally Kakashi’s turn. Minato-Sensei wished him good luck just as Gai did, with a raised thumb and a bright smile. Kakashi simply nodded.
He didn’t know his opponent, he recalled seeing him around Kurenai at some point in his short time at the academy, walking next to her, as a jealous Asuma kept subtly telling him to leave them alone, while he tried not to let her see the flower he was hiding behind his back, clearly a gift for Kurenai.
The older boy laughed as soon as Kakashi stood in front of him. “This must be a joke! I can’t fight a baby”, he said as his hands went to grab something from one of the pouches that rested on each side of his hips.
Kakashi got into a fighting stance, ignoring the taunts of the older boy. Behind him, the evaluating Jōnin told them to start. Kakashi analyzed the boy, he was definitively taller than him, but he had kept his distance from Kakashi, meaning that his strength most likely relied on long-range attack.
“Well, I must warn you, I won’t be kind just because you are so small” The boy said and then smirked. “After all, you are just the son of a weak traitor, aren’t you? Your father is the reason we are at war in the first place”
The arena seemed to shut in complete silence after the statement, Kakashi narrowed his eyes but still kept quiet and calm. He knew taunting your opponent was as much a strategy as throwing a kunai, and honestly, he had heard worst.
Kakashi took a Kunai from his own pouch and got down to business, it was obvious that a long-range attacker like that one wouldn’t start the fight, so Kakashi would just have to push him to do it so he could analyze the other genin’s strengths and weaknesses.
Kakashi had been right, his opponent’s strength was long- attack, and one full of bombs that was! The other boy’s expertise laid on paper bombs and wind affinity. So far, Kakashi had managed to dodge his attacks by abusing his mud-wall Jutsu and moving quickly around the arena and out of the way of the bombs, but he knew that was not enough and if he continued, he would run out of chakra and strength. He needed to find an opening, a way to get close to his opponent.
He could hear Gai and Rin’s cheers, around him, smoke and dust had lifted in a cloud. Still, he couldn’t get close, the older boy would dissipate the cloud using a wind jutsu to avoid losing track of where Kakashi was standing, and once he found him he would manipulate the paper's landing spot with his wind affinity. Kakashi couldn’t run or leap at him and that’s when it hit him.
His father’s long silver white hair tickled his nose, but he didn’t make a sound. Kakashi silently looked at the enemy in front of them, he half hid inside the pouch where Sakumo carried him on his back, the other shinobi wielded a Katana, not so different in size and length from those his father sometimes used. Sakumo moved swiftly, Kakashi closed his eyes to protect them against the wind and dust, suddenly just as the other man was about to strike, he cried out, the katana completely missing Sakumo as the earth swallowed him whole with the exception of his head.
His father finished the other shinobi off by slicing his throat in a swift movement.
“This is a technique from the silent hunters of Iwa” He told Kakashi, who had completely gotten out of the pouch and was now landing on the floor. He had already learned three other earth jutsus from his father, so that one shouldn’t be different. Sakumo slowly repeated the hand seals he had used and explained to Kakashi how to release it into the ground. “This jutsu allows you to go underground and then catch your enemy when they least expect it”
Kakashi nodded, already memorizing the hand seals and looking up at his father expectantly. “I want to try it!” He had told him, Sakumo had chuckled.
“Alright, what about you go and try it on me” He walked further from him. “Try grabbing my foot as my clone did, you don’t have to pull me underneath, don’t waste your strength, remember that if you don’t go deep enough the earth above will crack, alerting your opponent of what you are trying to do. You will have to sense my chakra to know where I am standing as well as conceal yours so that I don’t know that you are approaching”
Kakashi nodded and got to work, and before releasing it into the ground he heard his father say, “Don’t worry if you can’t do it, don’t be scared, I will come and get you” It had made Kakashi smile.
As usual, he got it right on the first try.
The cloud of smoke had disappeared again, and his opponent had gotten a sight of him, Kakashi tried again, dancing around the other genin to try and get as close as he could, he tried throwing a kunai but the other boy quickly dodged it. Finally, one of the bombs reached Kakashi, sticking to his sleeve.
For a moment all the arena was covered in smoke and dust, the explosion ringing in the ears of the students and sensei gathered there. When Kakashi’s opponent cleared the clouds of dust using wind, there was no sight of Kakashi. The boy looked around, confused, so did their audience, surely, they expected guts sprayed around arena, instead there was nothing…Until there was something coming from underneath.
The older boy didn’t even have time to scream for help before he was wrapped around threads of chakra, his body being dragged under the dirt until only his head stood out. Kakashi appeared, the real one this time, he pushed the older boy’s head back by grabbing his hair while he firmly held a kunai to his neck with his right hand. The arena was completely silent.
“Don’t bother trying to reach for your pouch” Kakashi told him in a bored voice. “Your arms are wrapped, I knew I wouldn’t be able to attack you directly.”
The boy looked up, meeting Kakashi’s eyes, still trying to move but failing.
“Now, this could go two ways, either I slice you throat, or I crush you with a simple earth release jutsu” The older boy whimpered at his words and Kakashi let go of his hair, pulling the kunai away and placing it back in his back pouch
Behind them, the evaluating Jonin seemed to get out of his own shock and he announced: “The winner of this encounter is Hatake Kakashi”.
After hearing those words, he let go of his opponent, another evaluating Jōnin already using earth release to get the now crying older boy out.
He heard Gai cheer for him and felt satisfaction at seeing Obito open mouthed staring at him next to Minato who was smiling proudly.
When he got up the stairs, he felt tired, Minato offered him water which Kakashi drank, his Sensei was kind enough to block the sight of his face as he took his mask off to drink from the bottle, hiding him from the curious glances of the other teams. Obito rolled his eyes as Rin beamed at Kakashi, she quickly put antiseptic on the small cuts the debris of the bombs had caused. Obito looked at Rin like a love-struck puppy and now it was kakashi’s turn to roll his eyes. He didn’t understand Obito.
The final round was held that same day after the preliminary rounds had ended. By the next encounters Kakashi was feeling less tired, although he knew he wouldn’t be able to regain his energy at a 100%. He saw Genma, Asuma, Kurenai, Anko and Shizune defeat their opponets. Ebisu and Rin had been defeated on the second round, he did not know most of the participants since he had not attended the academy for that long before he had graduated after a couple of months, and he would usually only hang around his team or Gai, whenever he proposed one of his challenges.
Suddenly there were already 9 graduates, with only Kakashi and Gai missing.
Hatake Kakashi vs. Maito Gai
Kakashi looked up at the screen before locking eyes with the other boy. He encountered Aburame-sensei on his way to the arena, he gave him a nod, which Kakashi returned.
“You can start when you are ready” The evaluating Jōnin announced and stood aside.
Gai lifted both hands, interwining his fingers as he bowed slightly, Kakashi felt a warm feeling spread through him but it didn't feel like shame, it gave him calmness instead.
“I feel honored to fight you, rival!” Gai said and after a moment Kakashi nodded, imitating Gai’s salute. The both of them had learned it from Sakumo when he first saw them spar as a challenge Gai had proposed, with the promise of eggplant miso soup as a reward for the winner. He had told them it was something Samurai did whenever they spared, it meant that they were not going to hold back, not because they felt hate or had the need to kill, but because they were conscious of each other’s strength and respected their opponent’s abilities.
While Shinobi and Samurai were far from similar, after all, Samurai were considered lower soldiers by ninja, they were usually body guards to important people and could be seen around farms a lot, protecting the produce from thieves. Samurai only referred to Shinobi as murderers and monsters (also Samurai only existed in the land of Iron). Still, there was nothing like that salute in the Shinobi world, so Sakumo had adopted something similar.
Both Kakashi and Gai took a fighting stance and then, the fight started.
“He will be a good rival for you. You never know, he practices so much that he might even become a better fighter than you” Kakashi had just looked at his father in disbelief but his father had smiled at him as he ruffled his hair. “Endurance is something few shinobi have, Kakashi, the strength to keep fighting, no matter how many times they fall. Now, that is something that that boy knows better than anyone and not even the most powerful shinobi can defeat that”
His father had been right about that, if anything, Gai had taken the word Endure and had made it his personal rule. There was no one in that arena he respected more in terms of admiration for the art of training and improving oneself than Maito Gai, as annoying as he could be sometimes. Still, it was with that annoying kindness that he had helped Kakashi up when he couldn’t move after spending two days crying on the floor of the living room at the Hatake Household, it was him who had dragged him out and into his own tiny apartment where Dai had fed him without asking questions. Yes, Maito Gai knew of endurance better than anyone and not only when it came to the battlefield.
Gai was fast and strong, each hit full of power and speed, it was hard for Kakashi to block every blow. Gai did not stay in one spot, making it imposible for Kakashi to pin him down, besides his blows were direct and to the point. Kakashi would definitively have to improve his Taijutsu.
Another blow sent Kakashi jumping away, his feet attaching themselves to the wall with chakra as he analyzed the correct way to knock Gai out before he could actually hit him. He was losing chakra fast, Kakashi had most of his last blows and blocks have a little bit of chakra in the form of electricity in them, for it to be enough to protect himself from Gai’s strength and to be able to hurt Gai with enough force to cause damage. He had copied that technique from the Hyuuga Clan, from watching and understanding the way Hyuuga sensei would train with them, back at the academy (She had also been kind enough to show him some moves at some point, but Kakashi would take that information to the grave) still, he didn't have the byakugan. He was getting tired by the minute and Gai knew this.
Kakashi couldn’t keep using mud walls to protect himself so, it was time to take advantage of his lighting affinity, although it wouldn’t be much of a surprise, after all, Gai knew Kakashi had both earth and lighting afinity.
Kakashi momentarily wondered if he could master all affinities in the future, but he was distracted by Gai’s fist connecting with his ribcage. The jonin mediating the fight had stepped closer to them, surely expecting Kakashi to drop sooner or later. Kakashi coughed roughly but got up. He was glad he had been taught to wrap most of his body in bandages, "Great for not letting un sharpened katanas slice you, perfect for your ribs to be harder to break" That was what his father used to say.
Kakashi ran towards Gai, who was already waiting for him in a battle stance, he didn’t see Kakashi unwrap the bandages he kept around his arms and in swift motions he trapped Gai’s hands and his right feet, letting electricity flow freely from them. Gai fell down, on one knee, the effort of trying to stand up while also trying to take the bandages away was clear on his face.
“I can’t give up, I won’t give up” But the battle was clearly over…And then Gai rose up, brow sweaty and legs trembling, and Kakashi’s eyes widened as with a scream Gai opened the gates, not one but two, releasing himself from Kakashi’s grip and nearly hitting him as he ran towards him and attacked like an avalanche, leaving a crater on the ground.
Kakashi couldn’t even land correctly on his feet as he jumped away from the blast, still he kept his balance and looked up.
"I know you won't" Kakashi said, talking for the first time during the encounter, he coughed a bit as dust and saliva mixed up in his throat. "That is what makes you the most dangerous opponent taking this exam" Kakashi didn't find a reason to waste time with words, if he praised, it was because he believed every word he said. False praise was a nonsensical thing for Kakashi and judging by Gai's wide eyes he also knew this. Kakashi had seen Gai rise through adversity, he had seen him thank everyone who laughed at his face with a wide smile and thumbs up, taking their cruel jokes as encouragement until they had seen just what he could do.
Once again, they got into a battle stance. Gai was still looking at him with a decided look in his eyes, Dai’s scarf wrapped around his neck. Kakashi locked eyes with him too, his eyes calculating.
After avoiding more punches from Gai and taking two of them, Kakashi was definitively sure his ribs and shoulder blades were badly bruised. The Tantō on his back reminded him of a lighting Jutsu he could use, one he had come up with a couple months ago, although he had not perfected it yet, considering it not useful for face to face battles. Well, he had to try.
Kakashi made the hand seals and released it, a dozen lighting needles flew at Gai’s direction, but he dodged them, hitting Kakashi straight on his solar plexus. Kakashi was in pain and exhausted enough to not even try to dodge Gai’s next blow, he was sure at least two of his ribs were broken.
It hit him square in the jaw, making him leap from the ground. Falling on his back, Kakashi stayed there. The Jonin at the arena was about to raise the flag to announce Gai had won when the sight of lighting stopped him.
Now, Kakashi knew Gai was exhausted, he had to be, after all he had made him open two gates already, and that was just leaving aside the fact that he had fought Obito and was most likely tired from the second test. So, Kakashi couldn’t blame him when he didn’t see him hit his back with lighting.
Tiring him out had been Kakashi’s strategy, when he realized Gai was physically stronger than him, his taijutsu nowhere near as good as Gai’s and his physical strength somewhere in the ground. Still, Kakashi knew the force of the Jutsu he was using was not as strong as it could be, in fact it was a fleeting one, and even if he succeeded in hitting Gai with it, it was pretty unlikely that the older boy would succumb to it, still it turned out to be a perfect distraction (He couldn’t wait to get older and have more chakra reserves in his body and didn't have to worry too much about saving chakra)...
Gai fell to the ground on his knees and then fully on his face, his breathing slowing down as he lost consciousness momentarily. Next to him, Kakashi’s knees threatened to bend as he got up, the chakra he had used on his clone had left him completely exhausted. Spots danced before his eyes but he didn't buckle. After a moment the Jōnin next to them declared Kakashi’s victory.
Kakashi breathed carefully, in control. He walked up the stairs to meet with his team and sensei, not before quickly nodding at Gai who was being helped up by Choza-sensei, the nature of the gesture one of respect, the boy still coming in and out of consciousness.
He almost fell face fist on the way up, Minato discreetly helped him sit down, a smile on his face. Rin was next to him in a hurry.
“Well, not bad, Bakashi” Obito announced, crossing his arms, jelously as clear as day on his features. “But just you wait, the Hokage has told Minato sensei we can do it again in six months, since we need more troops to fight” Obito beamed, "I’ll have my sharingan then and I’ll pass faster than you did!
Kakashi didn’t even had the energy to reply so he had to hear Obito’s voice all the way to Minato-sensei’s house, as Minato carried him on his back and for once, Kakashi didn't complain. Kushina-San was already waiting for them. Minato put on an apron and started preparing the food as Obito and Rin helped set up the table, rolling open the tatamis where they would sit around the kotatsu. He didn’t eat much, and he left as early as he could.
That night he went to visit his father. The graveyard was dark and empty, only the ever-alive fire at the top of the memorial stone and a couple of lights in the street, illuminating the graves. The secluded gravestone looked even darker than usual. Kakashi sat on his heels in front of it and showed the way-too-big green vest and signed paper to the stone where his father's name was barely visible.
“I am a chunin now” The wind moving his hair was the only answer.
Kakashi didn't feel like talking but he didn't want to leave either. He carefully fixed the slightly bended Itaoba and placed the small, round stones around it, cleaning the dust and mud on the stone with his bare hand. He had not been able to bring a flower so instead he placed his hand on the dirt, leaving a small imprint of it. "I'l come again tomorrow, dad"
He walked slowly back to the Hatake House but stopped midway, the memories of that night suddenly hitting him like a slap. It had been less than a year ago, not enough time to stop hoping that he would see that long silver white hair dancing with the wind as Sakumo tended to their garden, not enough time to even walk to the living room without falling to his knees, eyes wet and heart aching from the memory of blood, so much blood, too much for his small hands...
“RIVAL!”
The shout made Kakashi take his Tantō out from its sheath, moving to a fighting stance on instinct. Gai lifted his hands in surrender “It’s just me, rival, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you” He said and Kakashi just stared.
Gai looked well, there were bandages around his wrists and ankle, where Kakashi had electrocuted him, but other than that, he seemed to be perfectly fine. Was he going to attack Kakashi out of spite or revenge for losing to him?
“Have you had dinner, yet?”
The question surprised Kakashi and he looked at Gai up and down again, waiting for something, a surprise attack perhaps?
Gai only smiled and before Kakashi could even put his Tantō back, he grabbed his hand and lead him away from the graveyard, into the apartments that were usually reserved for Jonin and then further into the Chunin section.
Gai’s house was in one of the old small chunin apartment complexes that were still standing even after the newer, far better, apartments were built. When he opened the door, he was met by the smell of food, definitively curry, and something else that made Kakashi’s mouth water and his stomach rumble.
“I told dad to make eggplant miso soup for you, to celebrate!” Gai told him excitedly as he took off his sandals, Kakashi did the same, finally putting his Tantō away and following Gai to the small kitchen. On a corner was a small shrine with the picture of a woman with slick black hair, the shrine reminded Kakashi of the one he used to have at home, where the picture of his own mother laid along with her samurai swords, which Kakashi had moved to a trunk in the basement, along with the rolled-up tatami where his father had died and every picture in the house. He felt something strange in his chest and suddenly tears threatened to come out.
“Welcome, Kakashi. Please sit down” Dai’s voice had snapped him out of his thought and he obediently complied. “Congratulations” He told Kakashi and the smile was genuine, he served the food and after thanking for the meal they started eating. It took Kakashi a moment to even blink, he felt…warm. It was so strange, so strange he wanted to run away, that sensation, that sense of calmness of warmth...there definitively was something wrong, it was not normal, he -- he wanted to disappear, it was too much, it all was...
Gai started talking about something, Kakashi didn’t even listen to the first part, couldn’t even comprehend it, and then, after a couple of deep breaths, he realized he was not talking about anything related to the Chunin Exam or Kakashi, he was talking about some movie he had seen with his team and about how despite being related to the Aburame Clan, Ebisu was terrified of insects, specially spiders. Kakashi couldn't blame Ebisu, he had seen Aburame sensei’s insects devour complete bodies on the missions he had gone with him and Minato-Sensei before being assigned to Team Minato along Obito and Rin. The thought of a scared Ebisu made Kakashi chuckle and next to him Gai smiled wider.
Kakashi relaxed, he took a sip of the soup, it was delicious. Neither Gai nor Dai looked when he put his mask down completely, they continued talking and Kakashi felt his muscles relax, he ate two full plates and he even stayed for two hours afterwards, looking at an old photo album while Gai told him every story behind each picture and Dai cleaned the kitchen, Kakashi was surprised to learn that, originally, Dai's family came from a different country, and that both him and Gai spoke the language of that place. Gai then taught him a few words, including "Dog", "Turtle", "Rival" and "Challenge".
When he left, he thanked Dai and Gai for the food, waving back awkardly when Gai did, quietly making his way back home. When he got to the house, there was no one to answer him when he said, “I’m home” But he still didn’t feel the cold chill his bones like it usually did.
Pakkun appeared later at night, sitting comfortably on Bull’s head, the bigger dog licking Kakashi's face as the pug congratulated him cheerfully and Bull dropped two tangerines covered in slobber on his lap. Kakashi chuckled and scratched Bull behind the ears, the big dog had just become a part of the small pack that consisted of Pakkun and Kakashi, still Kakashi was sure that with time the pack would only get bigger.
A couple hours later, Kakashi fell asleep curled up next to them.
The next day he was awoken by Gai banging on his window requesting a rematch, Kakashi could see his wide smile through the glass of the kitchen where he slept, the colors of the genin’s clothes doing nothing to conceal Gai's presence.
“Come on, Rival!” He yelled, regardless of Bull’s barks and Pakkun’s pleads for Gai to shut up.
“I challenge you to fight me!” He kept yelling cheerfully.
Kakashi rolled around trying to ignore him, but after ten minutes he groaned and got up, letting him inside the house. After all, he couldn’t get rid of his so-called Eternal Rival, even if he tried (Which he really hadn’t done, nor did he wanted to). Kakashi smiled underneath his mask, maybe he could convince Gai to get Dai to give him the eggplant miso soup recipe, the eggplants in the garden were almost ready, after all. Yes, that would be nice.
Everything was fine.