The act goes to far
It had been a week since the incident in the market, and Kakashi had to admit—this little stunt was paying off.
Not only was it deeply amusing, but it also had the unexpected bonus of keeping everyone on their toes. People watched him more closely. They whispered in the streets, speculating. He could feel his students analyzing his every move, trying to decode the mystery of Sukea.
It was hilarious.
So, naturally, he had to do it again.
This time, he picked the perfect setting—Konoha’s training grounds, where plenty of shinobi trained daily. There’d be just enough witnesses to keep the rivalry alive, but not enough to make Hiruzen threaten to dock his pay.
With a smirk, Kakashi created a Shadow Clone.
The clone stretched, adjusting his henge into Sukea. “So, same as last time?”
Kakashi hummed, considering. “No. This time, we make it a little more personal.”
The clone raised a brow. “You realize people already think we have a tragic history, right?”
Kakashi shrugged. “Let’s give them something to work with.”
With a scoff, Sukea vanished into the trees.
A few minutes later, Kakashi made his entrance at Training Ground 3.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were already there, standing by the river, clearly waiting for him.
“Sensei, you’re late!” Naruto accused, pointing.
Kakashi waved a dismissive hand. “Ah, my bad. You see, I got lost on the—”
A kunai whizzed past his face.
The Genin froze.
Kakashi turned slowly, his visible eye narrowing.
There, standing on the opposite bank of the river, was Sukea.
The air crackled with tension.
“Hatake,” Sukea sneered.
“Sukea,” Kakashi said, voice dripping with disdain.
Sasuke tensed. Sakura’s breath hitched. Naruto vibrated.
“What the hell is he doing here?!” Naruto shouted.
Sukea smirked. “Oh, don’t mind me. Just thought I’d remind Kakashi exactly where he stands.”
Kakashi scoffed. “You mean above you?”
Sukea lunged.
The fight was flashy, filled with just enough speed and force to keep the audience hooked. They clashed in midair, exchanged a blur of kunai strikes, and sent ripples across the water’s surface.
Naruto was losing his mind.
Sasuke’s Sharingan activated.
Sakura gripped a kunai, eyes darting between them.
Finally, after a dramatic exchange of blows, they landed on opposite sides of the river.
Kakashi wiped imaginary dust from his shoulder. “As sloppy as ever.”
Sukea scowled. “And you’re still arrogant.”
He vanished in a poof of smoke.
Kakashi let out an exaggerated tch and sheathed his kunai.
The Genin stared at him.
“…Sensei,” Naruto breathed, eyes wide. “What the hell was that?!”
Kakashi sighed, turning away. “Nothing you need to worry about.”
“No, no, no!” Naruto ran in front of him, waving his arms. “You can’t just fight some random dude with a blood feud against you and act like that was normal!”
Sasuke stepped forward, eyes sharp. “Who is he?”
Kakashi simply walked away.
The team exploded into accusations and demands for answers.
Kakashi smirked beneath his mask.
Perfect.
With every staged fight, the rivalry gained more traction.
It had become bigger than just Konoha. Rumors spread beyond the village. Travelers whispered about the unstoppable enmity between Kakashi Hatake and the mysterious Sukea.
And, naturally, it was only a matter of time before someone made a very bad decision.
The third time Kakashi ‘encountered’ Sukea, it was supposed to be just another act.
But something went wrong.
They had chosen the training fields again—this time, during a break in missions. A few jōnin were there, including Genma, Raidō, and even Gai. Team 7 had just finished an assignment and happened to be passing by.
The perfect audience.
As expected, Kakashi and Sukea launched into another heated argument.
“You just can’t stand the fact that I’m better than you,” Sukea snapped, pacing furiously.
Kakashi snorted. “Please. You’re a cheap imitation of a real shinobi.”
The jōnin were watching with rapt attention. Genma muttered something to Raidō. Gai was practically tearing up from the raw flames of rivalry.
Then it happened.
Something about the way Kakashi tilted his head—maybe a bit too smugly—made Sukea really get into character. The clone leaned in and sneered, voice dropping low.
“Oh? Well, at least I didn’t drive my own father to—”
Silence.
The words cut through the air like a blade.
Kakashi froze.
The entire field went still.
Then, slowly, every single jōnin in the vicinity turned to stare at Sukea.
Gai’s entire body stiffened. Genma’s senbon snapped in half. Raidō’s eyes darkened.
Team 7 looked horrified.
Sukea’s smirk faded.
He had gone too far.
And Kakashi, for the first time in this whole ridiculous mess, looked genuinely shaken. He knew, deep down, that his father's death was his fault but he didn't think his clone would air out all of his emotional baggage in front of his friends.
Then—
Naruto lost it.
“YOU BASTARD!”
The boy lunged, only for Sasuke to grab the back of his jacket but even Sasuke’s face was deadly serious. Sakura looked like she wanted to murder Sukea herself.
And the jōnin?
The jōnin were pissed.
Genma cracked his knuckles. Gai rolled his shoulders. Raidō muttered something deeply unsettling about bastards and poisoned blades.
Kakashi barely had time to react before all of them vowed—on the spot—to kill Sukea in various, increasingly painful and ludicrous ways.
Kakashi’s clone knew he was about to die.
“Ah,” Sukea muttered. “Shit.”
Poof.
The clone dispersed.
Kakashi sighed, rubbing his temple.
This… was going to be a problem.