A Ninja's Path (Kakashi X Reader)

Chapter Five

"Three, two, one, go!" Naruto yelled.

You ran toward Kakashi, a stripe of black against the green forest.

You threw a punch, the silver-haired man pulling his face away at the last second.

You delivered a roundhouse kick, Kakashi ducking underneath your leg and ending up behind you.

You raised a brow in amusement. So he was serious about being a good fighter.

You whirled around to throw another punch only to find the space behind you empty. You looked over at the others, hoping to catch where in the trees their eyes lingered. It was the only logical explanation of why he suddenly disappeared.

But the three students only stared at you with wide eyes, no clue to where Kakashi had gone.

You swore to yourself, perhaps you should have allowed jutsu, but then he would have had another advantage.

You tried to relax, centering your balance and listening for any sound.

For a split second you thought you heard a whistle, but you ignored it as a trick of the trees. Until something sharp sliced your arm open and pierced the ground in front of you.

You looked down at your arm- it was cut. A kunai lay embedded in the ground, drops of dark liquid on it.

Luckily the cut was shallow, but this was when you decided to get real serious.

You walked over to the knife and pulled it out of the ground, twirling it around while you peered into the foliage.

"Come out Kakashi! This isn't a game of hide and seek."

Only silence met your request.

You sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll just have to find you."

You stood very still, exuding a calmness into the air. Then out of nowhere, you threw the kunai into the trees with all your might, hearing a grunt as it hit something with a thud.

Sakura gasped, but you knew not to worry. It was a grunt of surprise, the kunai had hit a tree. Kakashi had not been expecting you to find him.

You heard leaves rustle before a silver-haired man landed on the ground. He had a nick in his arm, matching your own.

Sakura gasped again, this time out of surprise at your skill. You had known exactly where Kakashi was positioned, even though you weren't even facing him.

"So now you decide to come out?" You teased.

Kakashi didn't seemed fazed by your verbal comments, more concerned with the fact that you cut him.

"The Land of Shadows raises good ninjas." He stated.

Your face darkened as the gloomy atmosphere returned. "There's a price to pay for good skills."

Kakashi seemed troubled by your comment, but pushed it away. He pulled another kunai out of a sheath on his leg, staring you down with his only visible eye.

You saw how his expression turned serious, like he was finally going to put effort into his fighting. You felt satisfied knowing he no longer underestimated you.

You pulled a dagger out of the sheath at your hip, one that had remained hidden underneath your cloak until then.

You both looked each other in the eye, even though Kakashi couldn't see yours. It felt like he saw straight through the shadows, as if he found you through them.

This somehow gave you a surge of confidence, a smile slipping onto your face.

A moment of silence passed, then both of you darted forward, meeting in a clash of blades.