MTLNOVEL Chapter 462: An Exciting Exhibition Match
"Old geezer, this place is big enough for us to fight."
"All I did was feed you some chili peppers! I told you it was just capsaicin—harmless!"
"But hey, Kakashi's mask actually suits you."
Since there was no escape, he'd face it head-on. Kazuyama wasn't the type to let himself be pushed around.
He looked at Sakumo Hatake and Master Chen, both already prepped for battle. His eyelid twitched, but he shifted into combat readiness.
Then he glanced helplessly at Pakura.
Before he could say a word, Sakumo cut in first.
"Pakura-sensei, give it your all. So many students and teachers are watching. This is just a sparring match."
"If you hold back, it loses all meaning. I know you understand."
Kazuyama's mouth, just about to open, snapped shut. He'd walked right into Sakumo's trap.
Pakura gave a small nod, then shot her husband a look that clearly said, "Good luck, you're on your own."
"Is everyone ready?"
"Kazuyama-sensei?"
Kazuyama nodded without expression, then drew the Kusanagi sword from his waist and took a defensive stance.
"In that case—let's begin!"
Sakumo had been waiting for this moment. Revenge time!
In the blink of an eye, both he and Master Chen charged toward Kazuyama at once.
One a swordmaster, the other a taijutsu specialist—speed was essential for both.
Kazuyama took a deep breath, his Kusanagi sword gleaming faintly with a chill.
Sakumo's short blade, White Fang, paired with his family's sword technique, embodied one thing: speed.
Each strike was like a lightning flash. His rapid attacks more than compensated for the short reach of his weapon.
Master Chen used his unorthodox taijutsu footwork to circle around to the side, looking for an opening. Every strike he threw carried overwhelming force—hard to believe this old man in his sixties could still hit like that.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
A powerful kick came flying in, forcing Kazuyama to block. The sheer strength sent him sliding backward across the crystal platform.
"Damn, old geezer, you're going all in?"
Chen pulled his leg back with a grin.
"Kazuyama, how could I pass up such a golden opportunity?"
"Bring it on!"
Just then, a cluster of small fireballs rained in.
Sure, large-scale or high-damage jutsu were banned—but that rule didn't really apply to Pakura.
Her strongest traits were her chakra control and flexible use of ninjutsu.
Her Fire Release: Blazing Fire Technique was all about precision and versatility.
Seeing the incoming barrage, Kazuyama dashed left, narrowly evading Sakumo's next strike. At the same time, he swung his Kusanagi to block Master Chen's punch.
"Kazuyama-sensei, don't just keep dodging."
"This might be a friendly match, but don't hold back—we can handle it."
Sakumo Hatake's words didn't match his actions at all. His swordplay suddenly shifted, and in a flash, he lunged at Kazuyama like a storm breaking loose.
"Hatake Kenjutsu, First Form—Slash!"
Hatake Kenjutsu was made to counter flashy techniques. The move seemed plain, but it was so fast that all anyone could see was a flash of white light.
The name Konoha's White Fang carried a deadly reputation.
Kazuyama didn't dare let his guard down. He swung his Kusanagi blade with force, using the sword's exceptional quality to block the strike.
Master Chen seized the moment, leaping high into the air. Both of his chakra-coated legs came crashing down like cannonballs.
"Strike! Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Each kick whipped up a shockwave, his chakra-fueled strikes bursting with power.
In an instant, Kazuyama was surrounded—flames, short blade, kicks—he seemed hard-pressed to keep up. But the three attackers didn't see it that way.
Despite their relentless assault, Kazuyama's breathing hadn't faltered—proof that he was in far better shape than they had expected.
"Holy crap, is this the strength of Konoha's Ghost? That's the principal, Master Chen, and Pakura-sensei ganging up on him!"
"It's insane—and it doesn't even look like Kazuyama-sensei is using his full strength."
"No kidding. If he went all-out and summoned those four giant snakes, we'd all be crushed flat!"
In under a minute, the battle on the platform had left every student and teacher watching in stunned silence.
This level of combat was breathtaking.
"Gotta say, kid—your growth is terrifying."
"Are you really able to block all my attacks?"
Master Chen's spinning kick had failed again, prompting a rare word of praise.
After all, his Taijutsu mastery was the best in Konoha, forged through countless battles.
For Kazuyama to defend so effortlessly, it could only mean one of two things: either he was ridiculously talented, or his combat experience was off the charts.
In Master Chen's view, Kazuyama had both.
That was the only way he could have earned the title of Konoha's Ghost.
A smirk tugged at Kazuyama's lips.
"Old geezer, I've got plenty more tricks where that came from."
"But thanks for the compliment. The real fight's just getting started."
With that, he clasped his hands and leapt high into the air, dodging Pakura's flames and Sakumo's next blade strike in one move.
"Hey! Don't run off—show us what you've got!"
Sakumo flicked White Fang, already familiar with Kazuyama's tendency to escape rather than confront.
After all, this kid always ranked survival above the fight.
"Who said I was running?"
"Let me show you what I can really do."
"Crystal Release: Crystal Armor!"
His Crystal Release morphed into a full-body suit of armor, encasing him completely—even his face was hidden behind a crystalline mask.
Not a single weak point remained exposed.
"And who said I was just dodging without making any preparations?"
Hearing that, Sakumo's brow furrowed. He'd been watching Kazuyama's every move during the fight, but hadn't seen him leave a single Flying Thunder God marker.
Wait... could it be?
"Damn it!"
"Pakura—look out!"
Just as Sakumo's warning rang out, Kazuyama vanished mid-air.
He reappeared instantly—right behind Pakura.
Her expression shifted in an instant. Several fireballs burst into existence around her, and she dashed forward to widen the gap, sending a barrage of flames crashing behind her toward Kazuyama.