Naruto: Pride - chapter 7 (Patreon)

When we finally arrived at the training ground, Kakashi wasn’t there, and considering the first time it took him hours to get where he was supposed to be, I could already see a pattern in his erratic behavior.

“Kakashi-sensei is not here,” Mori sighed, “Do you guys think the rest already started?” He inquired in a worried tone.

Taking a deep breath, I zoned out Mori, as I extended my shadows to see where Kakashi was, making sure to avoid being seeing, finding my supposed teacher on a tree reading a book.

So, his erratic pattern was on purpose, great, now I have to wait until he, “It’s of bad manners to spy on your probably sensei, kid,” Kakashi yawned, startling me, how had he seen my shadows, they are only visible if the attack, otherwise they look like normal shadows, and more importantly, I didn’t put any chakra in them, so how?! “The tree has more shadows than it should, if you are wondering how I noticed,”

“You are more clever than you look, Kakashi,” I chuckled, many voices echoing through my shadows, “So now what, we wait for you… do I keep finding you, I am honestly at a lost, after all, I don’t know how to play this game,”

“Well, that’s creepy,” Kakashi muttered, scratching the back of his head, “I will be there when I get there, see ya,” without letting me replied, he flickered out of the tree, leaving me in a rather annoyed state, if he thought he could hide from home, he had another thing coming.

“Oh, Kakashi,” I chuckled, “You picked the wrong game to play with us…”

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[Kakashi Hatake POV]

The young Nara prodigy, according to his file, he was the best of the best, but also the worst of the worst, his inability to bond with anyone made so he looked at others as if they were below him, his practical skills and chakra control are above the charts, and his intellect… well, he’s a Nara you can go wrong there. But unlike his family, he deemed teamwork as a waste of time, a waste of his time.

His files were wrong, the kid was more than what his information said, the coldness in his eyes… If it wasn’t because I knew his parents I would say the kid was from the root, how can a kid that has yet to kill have such eyes is beyond me, and to add a cherry of the cake, he was stronger than what his files estimated. High Genin performance, I estimated he was at the very least chunin on average, considering his Taijutsu was mediocre at best.

But just when I think I have him figured out, he finds me, using a technique I haven’t seen any Nara ever use, and of course, he added a creepy factor by speaking through the shadows.

“Kakashi, why are you here?” Shikaku inquired as I entered his office, “Is there something wrong with Hokori? You failed him… I had a feeling that would happen,”

“Not yet, I’m about too…” I chuckled, “Actually, I came here to ask you a few things about him,”

Before Shikaku could answered the room was rapidly filled with Shadows, “So you came to talk with my father, how stereotypical of a you,”

“Well… are you aware of that?” I asked, pointing to the shadows moving across the room.

“No,” Shikaku sighed, “Hokori, how are you doing this?” so he didn’t know, fuck.

“The way I have always done, by commanding the shadows to obey, granted I wanted to keep this little power of mine a secret for much longer, maybe until the chunin exams to show off, but I… underestimated my dear sensei,” at this the shadows twisted, as eyes opened, red eyes staring at me… wait what?

“Well, this is certainly not a clan Jutsu,” Shikaku sighed, “But it looks like it… sorry Kakashi, you are on your own,”

“Oh well, I suppose I will go test the kids,” I sighed, this kid was as annoying as guy when he wanted something.

“And you Hokori, we will have a talk later about… whatever this is,” Shikaku added.

“Am I in trouble?” The shadows in the room inquired, “I am simply excelling, is that punishable now?”

“No, but your mother doesn't like not knowing… and you hid this from her, and your intentions to take the exam, all I will do is help you out so she doesn’t kill you,” Shikaku chuckled, “But good luck with the test,”

—————————————————————————————

[Pride POV]

Well, I suppose they were going to find out sooner or later, my shadows are my main form of attack, and keeping them in the… shadows, was going to be impossible as I explored this world, “Kakashi-sensei, I was waiting for you,” I greeted amiably, as Kakashi glared at me.

“I don’t like you,” Kakashi mumbled, “Anyways… let’s start the test, all you three have to do is get a bell from me,” he pointed to his waist, signaling two bells hanging from it, “If you get one of these bells, you past the test, is everything clear?”

“There are only two bells, does that mean one of us will fail the test?” Mori asked, gulping.

“Yep,” Kakashi nodded, “Oh, I almost forgot, come at me with the intention to kill, otherwise you won’t get the bells,”

I grinned at that, “Are you sure about that…”

“Yes,” Kakashi nodded.

“Well, it's obvious the kid won’t pass, even the sensei is seeing it, the two bells? A way to get rid of you,” Yuki chuckled, “Very well, I will play sensei, and I will help you get rid of the brat,”

“I’m sorry Hokori…. but I can’t fail now, I just started my journey,” Mori said.

“Be my guests, I will see how you two fail,” I shrugged, walking up a tree to take a seat, getting surprised stares from Mori and Yuki.

“How… forget about it,” Yuki muttered under her breath.

“Start,” Kakashi sighed, and both Mori and Yuki jumped at him.