My Techniques are a bit off

"It's a win! The summoned stand: Horus—capable of creating ice for attacks!"

Feeling the physical drain caused by excessive chakra refinement, Link didn't even have time to celebrate. Without hesitation, he commanded Horus to attack.

"Crack~"

Six enormous ice spikes materialized out of thin air, three on each side of him.

"Whoosh!" X6

The ice spikes were hurled one after another.

[What is this?!]

Kakashi's previously casual demeanor turned serious. Sensing an abnormal chakra surge, he instantly focused his attention. The moment the ice spikes appeared, he gathered chakra to his feet.

"Boom!"

The first spike slammed into the ground, creating a massive crater.

Although Kakashi used Body Flicker to leave his position, he couldn't completely evade the remaining spikes—because they tracked their target!

With massive spikes coming at him from all directions, Kakashi quickly formed hand seals:

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Four earthen walls rose, enclosing Kakashi and blocking the ice spikes.

"Boom!"

The spikes struck the walls simultaneously, shattering on impact. Blue-white frost spread rapidly across the cracked and pitted surface of the walls.

[This kid?!] X2

The two teammates hiding in the forest were stunned.

How could such a jutsu belong to a genin? And Ice Release no less—could Kakashi actually lose?

"Crack~"

The ground split open again. Kakashi repeated his tactic, using Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu to grab Link, who was visibly weakened from his dwindling stamina.

Checkmate.

Half-buried in the earth, Link finally reacted but showed no panic. Using the last remnants of his energy, he commanded Horus to unleash a freezing breath.

The icy mist encased both Kakashi and Link, freezing them in place.

"Jingle~"

In the final moment before losing consciousness, Link grasped the two bells hanging from Kakashi's waist.

The soft chime echoed as Horus dissipated, its form vanishing due to Link's complete exhaustion. The surrounding land remained frozen, the rapid ice preserving the vibrant green grass beneath. Under the sunlight, the crystalline ice sparkled brilliantly, creating a serene, picturesque scene.

Link's unconscious body leaned forward, half-buried in the ground. His arms were outstretched, thin layers of frost covering him. The bells he had grabbed lay on the frozen soil beside him.

[This child...]

"Crack, crack..."

The sound of ice breaking echoed as Kakashi lowered his headband, covering his crimson Sharingan. Walking forward, he carefully pulled Link out of the frozen soil.

This boy had managed to defeat his Shadow Clone in direct combat and even forced him to take the fight seriously. Based on his proficiency in ninjutsu alone, he might already be qualified for the rank of special jonin.

At the ninja academy, students were judged on their ability to master basic ninjutsu. A genin advancing to chunin needed intelligence and strategic thinking.

But to become a special jonin or jonin, the requirement was simple: overwhelming strength.

Even the smartest ninja could only advance to chunin if they lacked raw power. Conversely, those with immense strength could rise to special jonin or jonin regardless of their intellect.

Now, an eight-year-old genin had displayed such a powerful jutsu—and, more importantly...

"Ice Release."

Carrying the unconscious, frost-covered Link, Kakashi sprinted toward the hospital. His mind raced.

In his memory, only a clan from Kirigakure possessed Ice Release as a Kekkei Genkai.

How could a child with a clear Konoha lineage wield Ice Release?

Unless...

The more Kakashi thought about it, the more complicated it seemed. But one conclusion was unavoidable:

This child wouldn't be allowed to graduate this year.

…

A Strange Ceiling

Link opened his eyes, his mind hazy. His last memory surfaced—

He failed, yet succeeded.

He had never expected to defeat an elite jonin, especially without forcing Kakashi to use the Sharingan (unbeknownst to him, Kakashi had used it in the end).

Though he successfully grabbed the bells, he had lost the fight.

Reflecting on the battle, Link identified several mistakes:

1. Overestimating his taijutsu abilities. He had wasted chakra and stamina trying to compete with Kakashi in close combat, losing the initiative in the process.

If Kakashi hadn't been curious about his abilities, Link would have been swiftly overwhelmed after failing to land a decisive strike in the first exchange.

2. Relying on predictable techniques. The combination of Transformation Jutsu and Clone Jutsu was too easy to see through. While effective against weaker opponents, stronger ones quickly adapted, exposing his lack of stamina and physical limitations.

3. Mismanaging his Substitution Jutsu. He used excessive chakra when summoning Horus, leaving himself too drained to sustain additional attacks.

His Substitution Jutsu consumed minimal energy for basic close-combat stands, but activating their special abilities required significant stamina. Poor chakra allocation led to his collapse.

4. Allowing pride to cloud his judgment. Knowing Kakashi's identity, Link had been overly eager to prove himself—not just to Konoha's higher-ups, but to himself.

His desperate desire to show he wasn't a "useless transmigrator" or a "minor character" had driven him to act irrationally, particularly during the taijutsu exchange.

"Weakness isn't an obstacle to survival; arrogance is."

This quote from his previous life resonated deeply. Somewhere along the way, he had developed a dangerous sense of pride.

If he didn't correct this flaw, it could lead to catastrophic mistakes in the future. Recognizing his shortcomings was the most important step.

Admit when you're wrong. Stand tall when you take a hit.