156 Naruto Mobile Game

After a brief rest, Shikamaru followed Kakashi back onto the field, and they each took their seats.

This match represented who would enter the final fifth round to compete for the only slot in the losers' bracket.

While they were still adjusting their state, betting options appeared on the big screen.

Overall, surprisingly, Shikamaru's odds were higher.

Maybe because Kakashi had fought his way up from the third round, while Shikamaru had originally been a fourth-round contestant?

"You know both of them, Sasuke. Based on what you know, who has the greater chance of winning?"

"Father, let me think."

Sasuke and Naruto's seats were next to each other, but on his left side sat a man with a calm, steady face.

Uchiha Fugaku — his real father.

After the spectator stands were expanded, Fugaku also had the chance to watch the matches, so Sasuke naturally sat with him.

Faced with his father casually quizzing him, Sasuke did not relax, but instead started thinking very seriously.

Kakashi was the teacher of Team Seven, while Shikamaru was a classmate who had attended the same classroom as him for several years.

In terms of performance, Sasuke felt Shikamaru was stronger.

After all, Ninja Mobile Game was not battle to the death in the true sense. If it were real ninja combat, then Shikamaru would definitely stand no chance.

But based on the last Organization Dominion Tournament where Shikamaru led the team to a championship, as well as last season's rank, and the ranking in the qualifiers—

From all these practical results, feeling that Shikamaru was more outstanding was only natural.

However, Sasuke looked up at the big screen showing the betting rates, one higher and one lower, and suddenly felt there might be fluctuations in this match.

"Shikamaru has better intelligence, Kakashi has richer real-combat experience. In terms of analytical ability, the two might be about equal." Sasuke said this.

But he didn't expect Fugaku's brows to furrow.

"Sasuke, you should call him Kakashi-sensei!"

"... Understood." Sasuke's face was helpless.

Wasn't Father the one who cared most about individual capability? Why was he nitpicking over polite forms of address now?

Sasuke didn't know — as someone who had already died once, if there was anything Fugaku still truly cared about, it was this second son.

After the Uchiha incident was exposed, the term "Uchiha" had become somewhat delicate within Konoha.

But Sasuke's roots were straight and true; in terms of lineage, he belonged to the legitimate Hokage line.

So Fugaku corrected his way of addressing him.

If he didn't acknowledge Kakashi as teacher, wouldn't that mean denying this master-disciple relationship? Would Sasuke not be able to remain in Konoha in the future?

Thinking of this, Fugaku no longer cared about the match, and hurriedly pulled Sasuke aside to impart life lessons.

Sasuke had never had this treatment before — until now, only Itachi had ever been taught like this by his father.

So he could only listen, painfully yet joyfully.

The pain was because he didn't want to listen, was unwilling to listen, yet had to; the joy was because… this was Father!

No one noticed this father-son interaction; everyone's attention was focused on the big screen.

"Beautiful sudden turn and basic attack! But not good! Shikamaru has already predicted Kakashi would do this!"

"In terms of basic-attack speed and range, Shikamaru has the advantage!"

"Okay, after several rounds of mind games, Kakashi's HP is at a disadvantage, but he hasn't given up — he's still looking for an opening."

"Movement, movement, movement, still movement! Incredible! How bold! He's almost walking right into his face!"

"Will Shikamaru feel the pressure? Will he be affected? He won't! He's not afraid at all!"

"Up and down, up and down… They're repeating this process. That's probing with basic attacks. At the moment their characters overlap, someone will start first, and someone will lose initiative!"

"No! At the last second, they both pulled back and dodged! Their thinking is amazingly consistent!"

"What?! Kakashi activated his ultimate!"

"With this HP… no, he can't kill! Bad — what about the end-lag after the ultimate?"

"My god! He used a Cutting Technique!"

"Shikamaru couldn't tank it! Cutting Technique is a multi-hit attack, and he still got pierced by the latter half of it!"

"Is it going to turn around? Shikamaru also used his ultimate — this is a real all-out gamble!"

"Dodged, but Kakashi closed in again and even brushed a shield along the way!"

"It's end-lag — can it be punished? It's punished!"

Whoosh, whoosh!

On the big screen, the original 0:0 score instantly flipped to 1:0.

Kakashi took the first round.

The second round began immediately. Maybe because he lost the previous one, this round Shikamaru used [Uchiha Shisui] and showed all sorts of astonishing operations.

Especially his control of skill distance was simply unbelievable — his execution was pushed straight to the limit.

In the blink of an eye, Kakashi's first two ninjas were gone, and in the third slot was [Hatake Kakashi · Mangekyō Sharingan].

At the start, cast an Earth Flow Wall to block Shikamaru's Shisui. After the wall disappeared, Shisui used a Fire Blade, but Hatake Kakashi dodged everything by weaving up and down.

Shisui pressed a Fūma Shuriken to chase Hatake Kakashi. After they reached the corner, Hatake Kakashi suddenly cast Kamui at the wall.

Hit! Kamui pulled Shisui over!

"Is this corner compensation?" In the commentary booth, Deva Path's gaze shifted slightly, and he spoke.

"Good game understanding and very decisive — directly using Kamui to seize initiative. From here on, it enters Kakashi's rhythm." Kuroda nodded in praise.

And indeed, it went just as he said.

Shisui used a Substitution and tested with another Fire Blade. Kakashi instantly substituted, then charged up a Water Dragon Bullet, releasing it point-blank for a hit.

Kakashi first did a full basic-attack combo, then didn't continue basic attacks, but decisively used Kamui for damage.

"Will he use the ultimate? He didn't!"

"Shisui's substitution is back up, Kakashi did three basic attacks to pull away, but was chased down and hit by Shisui's Fire Blade!"

"Two slashes — didn't dare overcommit. Shisui used Phoenix Flower Crimson Claw, but didn't dare to rush in either!"

"Kakashi got up. Shisui has a Secret Scroll Fūma Shuriken here — can he execute? Kakashi is walking over. Both used their Secret Scrolls at the same time!"

"It's a cyclone! After using cyclone, Kakashi immediately disengaged, Shisui was sucked in place!"

"Kamui for damage! Will he follow with Earth Flow Wall to finish Shisui? He didn't! Didn't do that — Shisui has only a sliver of HP left, yet Kakashi is still baiting substitution!"

Kakashi successfully took down Shikamaru's first ninja, but he didn't dare relax — the second ninja was already arriving.

Shikamaru's second slot was Konan.

Konan moved for a few seconds at the start and used Paper Wheel to try her luck, but didn't hit anything. Kakashi's Lightning Cutter rushed straight in.

Konan tried to pop a Secret Scroll, but it didn't help — she was still carried up by Kakashi's Lightning Cutter.

Kakashi cast Kamui downward in the next hit trying to connect… missed! Konan directly used a shield!

Konan got up, used the lift platform, then continued basic attacks, but Kakashi didn't wait for Konan's aerial basic to finish — he substituted, chased, and sucked her in with a cyclone! Earth Flow Wall swept her up, then basic attacks carried her to the mid-field corner.

This wave from Kakashi was four-bean tempo — on the next wave, Konan's substitution would fail no matter what; she wouldn't get away.

But just as Konan's substitution was almost ready, Kakashi used Kamui to lock her in place. Konan substituted down, and Kakashi didn't use his ultimate — instead, he walked away!

Konan basic-attacked into first skill takeoff, didn't continue attacking, and instead baited substitution — Kakashi didn't substitute.

Kakashi stood up and used Lightning Cutter, but passed right through from beneath the still-airborne Konan!

Konan continued Paper Wheel but Kakashi dodged with movement! Konan landed and locked him with basic attacks!

Kakashi instantly substituted, then another cyclone pull!

After two hits, Kakashi used Kamui into Lightning Cutter, dragging Konan into the corner. Konan substituted, and Kakashi directly used his ultimate and finished her!

[With an opponent who has copied over a thousand kinds of ninjutsu, you have no chance of victory!]