"Anything else?"
Having thought everything through, Minato sat down. He seemed to have completely relaxed and was calmly accepting everything that Uchiha Kei had said.
Uchiha Kei smiled, clearly pleased. Minato's actions had already signified that he had accepted his proposal.
Although Minato had not given a final answer, Uchiha Kei wasn't going to let such a fish slip away. He would allow the situation to unfold as planned.
"To avoid causing too much turmoil in the village, we won't be eliminating too many people," Uchiha Kei continued. He was now weighing how much to reveal, and after some thought, he decided to throw all his cards on the table at once!
Throwing all the chips at once was risky, as it would reveal one's bottom line, potentially making it harder to gain more opportunities in the future. However, it also had its advantages, as it made one appear more open and trustworthy.
Uchiha Kei had learned such negotiation techniques back in university in his past life. He never imagined he would actually use them now.
"We will remove those key figures, those as stubborn as rocks," Uchiha Kei said flatly, as if talking about something trivial. "The rest will be given a choice: integrate into the Leaf Village family, or be left as outsiders, losing everything, even their lives."
Although Uchiha Kei wanted to vomit at the words "integrate into the Leaf Village family," he knew what to say in front of Minato. This guy was a staunch supporter of Konoha but not of the Third Hokage, so the Uchiha clan had to make its stance clear during his tenure.
Nobody liked a family that was outside the fold and refused to cooperate. Even if Minato was willing to help the Uchiha, if the Uchiha clan didn't respect him, how could anything work?
"Good idea, minimizing bloodshed is definitely the right choice. What comes next?" Minato nodded thoughtfully. Although he followed Jiraiya's philosophy, he wasn't a pure idealist. He understood that large reforms sometimes required bloodshed.
"Next, the clan leader will reorganize the Konoha Guard. We'll remove certain individuals and strictly regulate behavior during missions," Uchiha Kei shrugged. "You know, they're out of control right now. As for the positions left vacant, we plan to recruit from other smaller families, even commoner ninjas."
Minato nodded, clearly impressed. Uchiha Kei and Uchiha Fugaku had not only made a big decision but also put a lot of thought into it.
The Konoha Guard was a problem in the village, disliked by many commoners and ordinary ninjas. Especially the Uchiha clan's rough-handed enforcement and arrogant attitude only made things worse.
If the Konoha Guard were reformed, perhaps the Uchiha clan's image could be greatly improved.
"Finally, we have internal clan cleaning," Uchiha Kei continued, not paying attention to Minato's thoughts. "The Uchiha clan has been too distant from Konoha. People like me, who were born 'on the edges,' are fine, but others..."
These were the final plans that Uchiha Kei and Uchiha Fugaku had discussed, and now there was nothing left to reveal.
These strategies would essentially tie the Uchiha clan to Konoha's chariot. Uchiha Kei could imagine how many of the so-called clan elders would rebel once these actions were put into practice.
He could already hear the insults: "Traitor of the Uchiha," "Destroying the last pride of the Uchiha"—all would be directed at him and Fugaku.
But did Uchiha Kei care?
Clearly, he didn't!
Not to mention that Fugaku would shield him, but what happened to the Uchiha clan really didn't concern him. He just didn't want to become a victim in a power struggle between paranoid, delusional people.
No matter how the Uchiha clan changed, Uchiha Kei would always remain Uchiha Kei. The real culprit wasn't him—it was Fugaku.
And who knows, maybe decades later, the Uchiha descendants would even thank him and Fugaku.
But honestly, that had nothing to do with Uchiha Kei. Whether he was praised or scorned in the future, it was all meaningless to him.
What he cared about was the success of his plan. What he wanted was to survive!
He watched Minato in silence, and Minato also stared back at him, clearly deep in thought.
"Your plan is perfect." Suddenly, Minato spoke. "And, it seems like you could avoid conflict with Konoha without me, couldn't you?"
"But who would want a sword hanging over their head?" Uchiha Kei laughed nonchalantly. "Also, our changes are actually meant to help you gain support after you rise to power. Consider it a contribution to your success."
Minato froze for a moment, then immediately interrupted, "Don't speak ill of the Third Hokage."
Although Minato knew that Uchiha Kei might be right, he didn't want to think about the worst-case scenario. "And can you guarantee I will definitely rise to power? What if I fail? What will you do then?"
"Don't worry. What you need is our support, and what we need is cooperation with you."
Uchiha Kei sighed inwardly. Not just Fugaku, but the Third Hokage's only choice was Minato.
However, Uchiha Kei wouldn't say that. He tilted his head and replied, "We've made some preparations for self-preservation. We plan to contact, support, and fund various small and medium-sized ninja families, even commoners, to form a coalition."
"If you succeed, this will be a huge help to you, and it will support your campaign."
"If you fail, this is probably the only safeguard we can rely on for self-preservation."
After saying this, Uchiha Kei stopped talking. He had said everything he needed to say. Now, he just had to wait for Minato's response.
Though Uchiha Kei was certain Minato had basically agreed, he still kept up the act of being expectant and a little anxious, waiting for Minato to speak.
Luckily, Minato seemed to have made a decision. His gaze was unusually firm, and Uchiha Kei was quite satisfied with that look.
"It seems I don't have much of a choice," Minato stood up. "There are still many details. Should I discuss this with Fugaku?"
"Yes," Uchiha Kei also stood up. "The clan leader is looking forward to your arrival."
"Then, may our cooperation be fruitful, Kei-kun."
"May it be fruitful, Minato-kun."
Chapter 122: I Support You (New Book: Please Bookmark and Recommend)
Looking at the back of Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Kei couldn't help but smile. The fish had completely entered the fish trap! Minato was the fish, and the plan set by Uchiha Kei was the trap!
Uchiha Kei had fully utilized Minato's ideals and desires to his advantage, carefully setting up a trap based on his knowledge of the future. He had skillfully led Minato into it.
The key point was that Uchiha Kei hadn't lied to him; everything he had said was true! Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Kei would indeed follow through with their promises, stabilizing the Uchiha clan and integrating them into Konoha. They would also support Minato from other angles, such as targeting his competitors.
Although Minato disapproved of such methods, it wasn't something he was personally involved in. Strictly speaking, it had nothing to do with him. Everyone would just associate these moves with Orochimaru or some shadowy figure no one knew existed.
Once the Third Hokage's grand council meeting declared, "Orochimaru's ambitions and evil nature make him unfit to be Hokage," Uchiha Kei's promise to Minato would be fully realized. Minato would believe that it was Uchiha Clan's behind-the-scenes efforts that made the difference. Once Minato became Hokage, all he would need to do was meet with Uchiha Fugaku, who would announce the Uchiha Clan's reforms in a few months, and everything would be good.
"Actually, even without Uchiha's help, you would still be the Fourth Hokage." Uchiha Kei thought to himself. "But I need you to believe that it was because of your cooperation with the Uchiha Clan that you reached this position!"
Having the advantage of future knowledge and setting traps for the present was a feeling Uchiha Kei greatly enjoyed. What pleased him even more was that he had successfully strengthened the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the future Fourth Hokage.
Minato had already arrived at Konoha's camp and had spent the entire journey deep in thought. He was a smart man and, through his conversation with Uchiha Kei, he had managed to figure out many things.
It seemed that Orochimaru, who was almost a sure thing for Hokage, had been severely affected by public opinion and had been secretly dealt with by the Uchiha Clan, though he hadn't been completely eliminated. His mentor, Jiraiya, had no intention of becoming Hokage. As for Tsunade, she had already left Konoha, and her name wasn't even mentioned among the candidates.
Minato was the perfect candidate—he had enough strength, honor, and was a former teammate of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Most importantly, he was a disciple of Jiraiya, which made him politically flawless.
The only drawback was his youth and lack of political experience, which Minato found hard to accept.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Minato thought to himself, but the fact that Uchiha Kei had brought it up left him uncertain about what to do.
Uchiha Kei had demonstrated his unique understanding and wisdom, and his strength was far beyond ordinary, which made Minato feel that this young man could either become a great ninja or an extremely dangerous one.
Sighing, Minato made his way to Jiraiya's room. Fortunately, Jiraiya was in his room, not running around as usual, which saved Minato some time.
"Minato, you're back," Jiraiya said, laughing heartily when he saw his disciple. "It seems like you've made a lot of progress. How's Hōbu doing? Did they run into trouble?"
"Master Jiraiya, Hōbu was sent to the medical department, he's been injured," Minato replied with a forced smile. "As for the trouble they encountered, it's more like an opportunity for us. The team was led by Ōdo, so…"
"Wait, what are you talking about? Opportunity? Trouble?" Jiraiya said, confused. He patted Minato's shoulder and asked, "What's going on? Are you feeling unwell? Or did you see a little girl bathing in the mountains and feel guilty?"
Minato couldn't help but sweat at Jiraiya's suddenly perverted expression. He quickly shook his head and said, "No, Master! It's like this, Hōbu was ambushed by Ōdo's faction, but there's been some other developments."
As Minato spoke, his expression darkened. He had already learned what information Uchiha Kei had given him before leaving. Although the intel gave him the confidence and leverage to handle the upcoming negotiations, it was also the first gift from Uchiha Kei.
However, thinking about the way Iwa ninjas handled things left Minato feeling uncomfortable. Although he knew it was probably the best approach, he couldn't help but wonder if he would be able to make the same tough decisions when he was sitting in the Hokage's seat.
"Is that so…" Jiraiya fell silent after hearing Minato's story. He sighed after a long while and patted Minato's shoulder. "You've worked hard, Minato. And so has that Uchiha Kei. His intelligence is crucial."
"Master, although reason tells me the Iwa ninja's actions weren't wrong," Minato suddenly spoke up, "my emotions tell me that this approach doesn't feel quite right…"
"It doesn't feel right, does it?" Jiraiya said, looking at his beloved disciple. After a pause, he shook his head. "This is war. The endless war makes things that are unreasonable seem perfectly justified. Hatred and the interests of nations have become insurmountable barriers, and the constant wars and demands for resources deepen that hatred."
"Is there no way to change all of this?" Minato asked, his voice sounding almost childlike.
It was indeed a naive question, because between nations, and between villages, everything relied on the interests at stake.
Jiraiya sighed but was surprised when he spoke up, "Of course there is."
Minato looked up in confusion, and Jiraiya's expression became very serious. "When people can truly communicate with each other, most of the hatred can be eliminated."
"Through communication?" Minato asked, stunned. He had nothing more to say.
"Yes, communication," Jiraiya nodded. "But to communicate with others, you need to have the right position. Like the Hokage."
"The Hokage…" Minato was stunned for a moment. He had just agreed to cooperate with the Uchiha Clan, and here Jiraiya was suggesting the very idea he had just committed to.
Becoming Hokage would allow communication between people. Only from that position could one truly make a difference. That was Minato's ideal. It was also why the Uchiha Clan placed their bets on him—they valued his ideals, his attitude toward the Uchiha Clan.
Suddenly, Minato felt at peace. Looking at his master, he gave his trademark bright smile.
He looked at Jiraiya and said, "Master Jiraiya, I want to try for the position of Hokage."
"Good," Jiraiya smiled and nodded. "I support you!"
"I mean, I want to be the Fourth Hokage."
"No problem. I support you. I'll always support you!"
Chapter 123: Cunning Thoughts
With Jiraiya's support, Minato Namikaze felt much more at ease.
However, when he thought about the commitment he made to cooperate with Uchiha Kei, the weight of pressure seemed to increase again.
But with pressure came motivation, and Minato now knew exactly what he had to do.
The first step was to properly analyze the intelligence obtained by Uchiha Kei from Ohnogi, and to ensure the success of the upcoming talks.
This time, Minato planned to be more aggressive. With the support of this intelligence, he wanted to do even better and gain more political capital.
As for how Minato planned to proceed, that didn't concern Uchiha Kei, since Kei was still deep in the Land of Grass, searching for traces of the Hidden Mist ninja.
Fujiku Hōhei was truly unlucky, fitting the description of "starting a mission only to fail before it even began."
But he was still somewhat fortunate, as he didn't die.
His departure also meant that Uchiha Kei's small team had lost a member. However, his absence seemed to have made the remaining team members more in sync with each other.
Back when they were behind the enemy lines of the Rock ninja, it was just the five of them together, and Kei was the leader.
"Didn't expect to be back to square one," Kakashi looked at his teammates with a smile, "The leader is you again, and we're the same old team."
"Isn't that a good thing? At least we're all familiar with each other," Uchiha Kei shrugged nonchalantly, "Plus, compared to before, we've gained two swordmasters, and their strength is far better than before."
Indeed, now they were not injured, hadn't lost chakra, and had even been able to kill several Rock ninja during their confrontations.
This made everyone feel pretty good. Although they still had to continue searching for the Hidden Mist ninja in the deep forests of the Land of Grass, it was better to remain optimistic than to walk around with long faces.
But the search was still not easy, especially in such dense forests where it was easy to miss things.
Even though they had the Byakugan and Sharingan between them, Uchiha Kei couldn't keep his Sharingan active all the time. Though he could handle the chakra drain, he didn't want to waste it unnecessarily.
Similarly, Hinata Ayame didn't want to keep her Byakugan on all the time, as it also drained a lot of chakra, and no matter how powerful her sensory abilities were, there would always be gaps.
After all, people only had so much energy, and their focus was always on what they needed to focus on, rather than scanning everything at once. The energy drain would be too much.
"So, shall we split up?" Uchiha Kei finally suggested after they had searched together for two days.
"This is the Rock ninja's territory. If we split up, we might run into trouble," Hinata Ayame glanced at him warily.
"Also, we might be unlucky and encounter Mist ninja, and end up becoming their prey," she added.
"First of all, we're in the Land of Grass, not the Land of Earth or the Land of Water," Uchiha Kei shook his head, "And secondly, we've been searching together for a long time, relying solely on the Byakugan. We've missed a lot of details. The efficiency and quality are just too low. If we keep going like this, who knows when we'll find something."
His tone was very firm, which made Ayame momentarily think that he might have some ulterior motives.
But she had to admit that their current search efficiency and quality were indeed too low.
So, she fell silent, tired of this cursed Land of Grass. She could tell that the others felt the same way.
They could already feel that the war was nearing its end, but the closer it got, the more dangerous and troublesome the missions for the ninja became.
Uchiha Kei hated this place as well. In fact, he disliked all the small countries surrounding the Fire Country, since he had fought in nearly all of them.
But compared to them, it was the people of these small countries who were truly suffering.
The great countries were always separated by these smaller nations, and wars between great countries rarely reached their borders.
In this situation, these small countries became the best buffer zones and the real battlegrounds for war.
The five great countries and their ninja villages were not the reasonable, kind entities they appeared to be to their own citizens.
They would never be this kind to outsiders. Most of the small countries became battlefields for the five major powers, and the destruction they caused was unimaginable.
Displacement, ruined homes, and orphaned children were everyday occurrences. And these orphaned children were valuable resources for the five countries, as they could potentially grow up to be skilled ninja.
"I agree with the captain," Kakashi spoke up first. "Our efficiency is too low. We should split up. We'll each carry a signal flare."
"I'll go with the captain's plan," Lin nodded after glancing at Kakashi.
"I concur," Kenji Imai smiled, appearing unchanged from a few months ago.
Hinata Ayame glanced at them, particularly at Imai Kenji, and she couldn't help but smirk.
However, she didn't say anything or hint at Imai's potential ulterior motives.
Shrugging indifferently, she also agreed with Uchiha Kei's proposal. She figured if she was cautious, it would be fine. Plus, finishing the mission as quickly as possible would let her leave this dreadful place sooner.
"Well, since everyone agrees," Uchiha Kei scanned the group, "Kakashi and Lin will work together. Lin is a medical ninja, so Kakashi, take care of her. You two will cover the west. Kenji, you go east. Ayame, head north, and I'll take the south."
"Yes."
After giving the orders, Uchiha Kei walked in the direction he planned to investigate.
The others exchanged glances before heading off in their respective directions. They all carried signal flares, so as long as they weren't too far apart, they would be able to see each other's signals.
But they all knew that unless absolutely necessary, they shouldn't use them.
Because not only would they be able to see the signals, but so could the enemy, whether they were the Rock or the Mist ninja.
Uchiha Kei silently moved through the forest, checking for traces as he walked.
He hadn't activated his Sharingan, as he felt it was unnecessary.
The Mist ninja had come here for Kakashi and Lin, or rather, to get Kakashi to unlock his Sharingan.
What Uchiha Kei needed to do was wait. He intentionally chose a spot not far from Kakashi and positioned Ayame farther away so she wouldn't interfere too much.
As for Ayame, Uchiha Kei had considered taking action against her, but after thinking through everything, he decided to hold back.
Even if he did have plans to act, it would have to be at the right time, in the right place, and under the right circumstances.
Chapter 125: Tactics
"What exactly do you want?"
As Uchiha Ikki and the others were searching for the Mist Ninjas, a loud shout echoed from within a white tent at the junction of the borders where Konoha and Iwa were in a standoff.
Nameless to the outside, Minato sat calmly in his seat, gazing at the Iwa Ninja before him, who wore a furious expression. He suddenly found this person quite amusing. His performance was really quite extraordinary.
Over the past few days, Minato had witnessed this person's act countless times. Each time, he displayed an expression of furious outrage, or awkwardly asked for instructions from the Tsuchikage, or wore a face full of "you've won" as they continued their negotiations.
This guy had truly mastered the art of expressing different emotions during negotiations.
If it weren't for Konoha's negotiators having already learned the Iwa Ninja's bottom line through Uchiha Ikki, they might have been forced to make some adjustments themselves.
Although they couldn't fully trust him, they also couldn't disregard him completely. Konoha couldn't fully gauge the situation and thus couldn't make a conclusive judgment. Instead, they used his expressions, his demeanor, and other signals to understand what Iwa's bottom line was. But now, the situation had changed.
"We've made our demands crystal clear," Minato said calmly, staring at the Iwa Ninja across from him.
The Iwa Ninja's name was Ikeda Takeshi.
He wasn't from a prominent ninja family, but he was smart enough to handle this negotiation by himself.
"Hah," Ikeda Takeshi let out a bitter laugh, "Such a massive compensation fee. Do you think we are fools? I'm telling you right now, we can't afford it. Don't forget, we are still fighting against the Cloud Ninjas. How can we possibly come up with that kind of money?"
"Well, that's not really our concern," Minato replied, still calm and unfazed by Ikeda Takeshi's outburst.
Ikeda Takeshi frowned. He couldn't quite figure out Minato's attitude.
Minato had a huge presence among the Iwa Ninja—his golden figure on the battlefield was like a specter, and his method of eliminating fifty Iwa Ninjas in an instant was unforgettable. Yet, Ikeda Takeshi couldn't understand why this newcomer was taking charge of the negotiations.
Previously, it had been Nara Shikaku handling the talks, but now, Nara Shikaku was sitting on the side, adopting an almost spectator-like stance.
"Is this what Nara-sensei thinks as well?" Ikeda Takeshi suddenly turned to Nara Shikaku, asking, "Why has an outsider taken charge of the negotiations? Has the Hokage lost confidence in you, or has the pressure from Minato, as a disciple of Jiraiya, been too much for you?"
"You don't need to test my stance. Your tactics of provocation aren't very effective," Nara Shikaku sighed helplessly. "I'll make it clear to you. The decision for Minato to lead this negotiation came from me because I believe he is the best person to handle it."
Nara Shikaku's attitude was calm and firm, without any sign of reluctance, which threw Ikeda Takeshi off balance.
The negotiations between Iwa and Konoha had dragged on for days, and the only thing that couldn't be resolved was the compensation clause.
Ikeda Takeshi knew that Konoha's demands were reasonable—not excessive, in fact, Iwa had somewhat benefitted from it. However, this clause seemed to suggest that Konoha was showing weakness, without the attitude one would expect from a victorious nation.
This made Ikeda Takeshi think there was still a lot of room to manipulate the situation.
Konoha had been weakened by the Third Great Ninja War and was already struggling to keep up.
Before their battle with Iwa, they had fought two fronts, one against the Cloud Ninja and one against the Sand Ninja!
Ikeda Takeshi was somewhat resentful of the Third Tsuchikage's orders to ambush the Raikage. This had caused the Cloud Ninjas to withdraw in a rush, easing the pressure on Konoha, which then allowed them to focus on dealing with the Sand Ninja and, eventually, defeat Iwa.
But Ikeda Takeshi also knew that if the Raikage's death had disheartened the Cloud Ninja, the Earth Country might benefit more from the situation.
However, the Cloud Ninja regrouped too quickly, and their decision was too decisive. This had caught Iwa off guard and had ultimately helped Konoha indirectly.
Konoha's battle with the Sand Ninja had been brutal, but without the Cloud Ninja's pressure, they could shift all their remaining forces to deal with Iwa, which led to their eventual victory.
These facts left Ikeda Takeshi feeling helpless. But while feeling helpless, he also judged that Konoha was already on its last legs.
He believed that as long as he held out, victory would be his.
Konoha's proposal met the Tsuchikage's demands but didn't align with Ikeda Takeshi's own ideas. As an Iwa Ninja, it was his duty to fight for more for the Earth Country!
This was the purpose of his role as a negotiator—to prevent Konoha from demanding too much and to strive for more benefits for Iwa.
"It seems you're not planning to continue the negotiation," Ikeda Takeshi stood up, a cold, calculating expression on his face, no longer showing the fury from before. "Let's take an hour to cool down. After that, we can continue the talks."
"Fine, but let me give you some news," Minato also stood up. "Konoha's ninja forces have assembled, and in five minutes, we'll enter your camp. The battle will last for thirty minutes."
"You!" Ikeda Takeshi's face immediately changed. "Are you saying you don't want to negotiate anymore? Do you think we're afraid of you Konoha?"
As Ikeda Takeshi finished speaking, all the Iwa Ninjas in the tent stood up, though they looked uneasy.
Minato had already made a name for himself in their Iwa battle manuals, especially with the note that said, "If you encounter this person, abandon the mission!"
There wasn't a single Iwa Ninja who wasn't afraid of him. After all, Minato had become synonymous with death for them.
"Ikeda-san, we've already shown enough sincerity," Minato continued calmly, his gaze steady. "We've given you enough time to think over the past few days, but you've pushed us too far."
"You Konoha are too greedy!" Ikeda Takeshi gritted his teeth. "If we really go to war, it's not certain who will win. Do you think Konoha is willing to throw away this rare opportunity for peace?"
Ikeda Takeshi's words seemed to come from the heart, and he appeared to truly long for peace. But Minato sighed deeply.
He raised his head, a playful look in his eyes as he glanced at Ikeda Takeshi. "I wonder how the Third Tsuchikage's son, Jonin Kurotsuchi, is doing?"
"Kurotsuchi?" Ikeda Takeshi froze for a moment, and his face immediately turned pale.
After Kurotsuchi returned to the Iwa camp with his severed arm, he collapsed into unconsciousness. No one knew exactly what had happened to him, and even now, Kurotsuchi still hadn't woken up.
He had lost too much blood and his injuries were too severe!
"Yes, Jonin Kurotsuchi," Minato said, his voice calm and deliberate. "Some of your more hardline Iwa Ninjas attempted to ambush our Konoha Ninjas, and of course, we didn't let that slide.
Through some methods, we managed to gather some interesting information—such as the Third Tsuchikage's orders, and the fact that these hardline Iwa Ninjas…"
"Utter nonsense!" Ikeda Takeshi roared, interrupting Minato. But he quickly noticed the change in the eyes of the Iwa Ninjas who were with him, protecting him.
And then, Ikeda Takeshi felt the cold sweat dripping down his back.
Chapter 126: Mist Ninja Camp (New Book: Please Bookmark and Recommend~)
"It looks like this is the place."
Uchiha Qi and his team quietly hid on a mountain peak, looking at a small camp below. They were almost certain that they hadn't made a mistake in locating it.
Hinata Aya immediately turned to Imai Kenta after finding the clue. Imai Kenta was nearby, and also, she wouldn't go to meet Uchiha Qi alone.
Upon hearing the news, Imai Kenta didn't think much of it and smiled as he followed Hinata Aya to find Uchiha Qi. He then shared what Hinata Aya had discovered.
Uchiha Qi hadn't expected Hinata Aya to find it, but since she did, he saw no harm in going over to take a look.
However, just as Uchiha Qi was about to find Kakashi, Hinata Aya rejected the idea.
According to her, "This camp has quite a few people. They should be more cautious." She also subtly implied, "This is the credit of our team, so if anyone should go, it should be us."
Uchiha Qi couldn't help but think with a hint of malice that maybe Hinata Aya was worried that if Kakashi and he had a good relationship, she might get into trouble if Uchiha Qi did something to her and Kakashi intervened.
"Don't you investigate everything thoroughly? Who's as scheming as you?" Uchiha Qi coldly sneered inside, completely ignoring what kind of person he was.
After all, he had just tricked Minato, the future Hokage, into thinking that he had risen to the position with the help of the Uchiha clan, when in fact, Uchiha Qi had opposed the idea from the start!
Uchiha Qi firmly opposed Hinata Aya's suggestion, and it seemed Imai Kenta didn't quite agree with her either.
In the end, Uchiha Qi used his authority as the team leader to send them to find Kakashi and Nohara Rin.
Given the uncertain number of Mist ninjas, they weren't willing to take any risks.
"Can you tell how many people there are?" Uchiha Qi observed the situation below, then turned to Hinata Aya. "And what's their chakra level?"
"Twelve in total." Hinata Aya whispered, "As for their chakra level, I can tell that it's quite impressive. They seem to at least be Jōnin in rank."
Rank doesn't always equal strength. Uchiha Qi, Imai Kenta, and Hinata Aya had all dealt with Jōnin-level ninjas when they themselves were still Chūnin.
This just meant that the rank was an acknowledgment, but a ninja's true strength wasn't judged by their rank or just their chakra. Before they had concrete intelligence, chakra levels and rank did give some indication, at least enough to be cautious.
"Twelve people, likely Jōnin level." Uchiha Qi frowned. "It seems like this is a bit troublesome. Summon Minato, Captain. Although I think he might not be able to come, at least let him know we might run into trouble."
"Got it." Kakashi nodded, then took out a kunai. But at that moment, Hinata Aya's expression changed!
"Damn it! They have Byakugan! We've been exposed!" Hinata Aya suddenly shouted, then immediately leaped into the air.
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Qi immediately followed suit, while Kakashi and the others were a bit stunned, not understanding why the Mist ninjas would have Byakugan.
However, as wartime ninjas, their sensitivity to orders was still exceptionally high.
Seeing Uchiha Qi jump, they quickly began to evade.
As expected, just as they leapt, a massive water dragon came crashing towards their previous position. A torrent of water surged toward them.
Uchiha Qi wasn't surprised that the Mist ninjas had Byakugan; what surprised him was that one of the Mist ninjas with Byakugan was here.
Uchiha Qi recognized this person. This was the so-called "battle-hardened expert who advocated for the ancient rules and possessed Byakugan," someone known for having "loyalty in their Byakugan, a hermit who crushes conspiracies."
This person was none other than Ao, the future leader of the Mist Anbu, who would serve as the captain of the sensory team during the Fourth Great Ninja War!
"How did he end up here?" Uchiha Qi thought to himself. As he landed, a thick mist began to spread around him.
The Mist Hidden Technique, one of the Mist ninjas' favorite jutsu.
Uchiha Qi looked around. Due to the scattered positions from their previous ambush, with the mist expanding, he couldn't locate the enemy's position anymore.
This made Uchiha Qi sigh in frustration. He knew that he would probably have to fight now.
Although Uchiha Qi wasn't too concerned about the Mist Hidden Technique, the strongest version of this technique could even obscure the view of the Rinnegan.
However, the chakra that the Mist ninjas infused into their mist wasn't significant, so Uchiha Qi could still see through the thin chakra and vaguely detect the position of the others. Of course, he could only vaguely see the chakra of others.
What puzzled Uchiha Qi was whether this was part of Uchiha Madara's plan. Did Madara send Ao from the Mist Anbu because he was worried that the Water Shadow's genjutsu would be exposed?
The Water Shadow had probably been the most unfortunate of all the Kage. First, Uchiha Madara controlled him, then later the Fourth Mizukage was controlled by Uchiha Obito.
Most unfortunate of all, the fourth Mizukage's harsh policies led to dissatisfaction among the higher-ups in the Mist, and Ao discovered that the Mizukage, Terumi Mei, had been controlled by genjutsu.
After being freed from the genjutsu, Ao wasn't long for this world as he was later killed by Uchiha Itachi.
This led to the Mist Village entering a shadowless state. The Mist Village was always under the control of the elder "元师" (Old Master), who held the same power as the Mizukage.
As the elder grew old and unable to act, the Mist Village faced an awkward power vacuum, and no new Mizukage was chosen until the Fifth Great Ninja War.
Uchiha Qi silently recalled this history that didn't belong to the Land of Fire, and at that moment, his muscles tensed up. His eyes turned into a shade of crimson.
He scanned his surroundings quietly, and suddenly a smile curled at the corner of Uchiha Qi's lips. At that moment, a long sword pierced directly into his back!
Bang!
With a crisp sound, the sword's focus struck Uchiha Qi, turning him into a block of wood. The real Uchiha Qi appeared behind the mist ninja.
His ninja sword unsheathed, blue chakra enveloping the blade. Uchiha Qi didn't pay attention to the masked Mist ninja in front of him. He thrust his sword directly into a puddle of water on the ground!
In an instant, the water turned crimson, and the Mist ninja before him scattered into a puddle of water.
Chapter 127: Lava Release
"Be careful, it's the Sharingan!"
As Uchiha Kei killed a Mist Ninja with a single slash, the other ninjas in the group immediately realized something was off. One of them shouted a warning to the others fighting alongside him.
The Mist Ninjas, true to their nature, seemed completely unfazed by the death of their comrade. Their cold indifference was chilling.
The Bloody Mist policy had long been in effect—just look at the man known as "No Brows," who was born the same year as Kakashi and Uchiha Kei. When he graduated, he killed everyone in his class, which shows that even during Uchiha Madara's control over the Mizukage, the Bloody Mist policy had already begun.
When Uchiha Obito took Madara's place, he naturally inherited this "political legacy" and, under his control, turned the entire Hidden Mist Village into a hell for its people.
Uchiha Kei didn't care about the Mist Ninja he killed. To him, the lives of his enemies were inconsequential.
His crimson eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings, and he quickly assessed the situation.
There were twelve of them in total, divided into three teams to take on Uchiha Kei and his group.
Kakashi, who had been protecting Nohara Rin, had remained by her side, making them effectively one team.
But could they really handle Uchiha Kei and his group?
The Byakugan could see through the so-called Mist Concealment Jutsu. These Mist Ninjas' techniques were of average strength, and Kakashi could easily see through them.
The only one without a dojutsu was Imai Kenta, but he had sensory abilities, making the Mist Concealment Jutsu practically useless—if anything, it hindered the enemy!
"Tell me, why did the Mist Ninjas travel all the way to the Land of Grass?" Uchiha Kei said calmly, his gaze fixed on two Mist Ninjas hidden in the mist.
One was tall, a normal male, and the other was short—though Uchiha Kei quickly noticed that the shorter one appeared to be a woman.
It wasn't unusual for women to join the Anbu. Sometimes, female ninjas could execute certain missions even better than their male counterparts.
It also wasn't surprising for a young person to join the Anbu, as there were always talented individuals. But a young woman entering the Anbu was interesting—it suggested that she was far from ordinary.
The two Mist Ninjas didn't respond to Uchiha Kei's question. The tall one and the short one, both on alert, watched him closely.
Uchiha Kei found this exchange a little boring, but he didn't let his guard down—being a ninja meant the likelihood of being betrayed was always high. Many famous and powerful ninjas had perished because of kunai—just like the Suna ninja, Yekura.
Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Kei decided to make his move. Using a Body Flicker Technique, he appeared next to the male Mist Ninja, and his bright blue ninja blade came slashing through the air.
The male Mist Ninja, highly focused and quick to react, managed to dodge as soon as Uchiha Kei made his move. The female Mist Ninja didn't stay idle either.
As soon as Uchiha Kei initiated his attack, she quickly formed hand seals and, in an instant, completed the jutsu.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
A water dragon shot out from her mouth, heading straight for Uchiha Kei.
Uchiha Kei didn't pay it much mind as he swung his sword through the air, instantly identifying the water dragon's weaknesses and structure. With a powerful thrust, he sliced the water dragon in half!
At that moment, the male Mist Ninja suddenly sprang off the ground with a light leap, heading straight toward Uchiha Kei. In midair, he deftly unsheathed his sword and, with a gentle push, sent his scabbard falling gracefully to the ground, where it stabbed into the earth.
His movements were light and graceful, but his speed was astonishing.
With a swift motion, his right hand twirled his blade, carving a perfect arc through the air, aiming straight at Uchiha Kei's throat.
His movements seemed unorthodox, and even Uchiha Kei, who was still a novice, could tell that this man's technique was filled with unnecessary actions that most beginner swordsmen would never use.
However, what stunned Uchiha Kei was the fluid beauty of the swordsmanship, which created a unique pressure on him.
"A swordsman?" Uchiha Kei raised his own sword slowly. "Or one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
But no matter who this person was, he was still an enemy to Uchiha Kei!
The three tomoe in Uchiha Kei's Sharingan spun, and the next moment, the two blades collided in midair with a light "clang."
Uchiha Kei's sword remained steady in front of him, and just twenty centimeters from his throat, he blocked the strike!
Such speed and finesse with a blade—Uchiha Kei thought to himself.
The tomoe in his Sharingan paused, and in an instant, Uchiha Kei locked eyes with the male Mist Ninja. Though he admired the man's swordsmanship, he wished he would die right now!
But the male Mist Ninja seemed to have experience fighting Uchiha Kei. After his failed strike, he immediately closed his eyes and kicked out at Uchiha Kei.
Uchiha Kei wasn't about to fall for that. He dodged the kick with a simple sidestep and unleashed a deadly electric arc from his left hand!
"Now's my chance, move!"
Just as Uchiha Kei was about to strike, the female Mist Ninja suddenly shouted.
In the same instant, the male Mist Ninja leaped into the air, and Uchiha Kei felt a strange chakra emerge.
"Lava Style: Lava Monster Technique!"
Orange, magma-like substance erupted from the Mist Ninja, quickly spreading toward Uchiha Kei.
The intense heat and corrosive liquid startled Uchiha Kei, but he wasn't one to be caught off guard. Just a second before the 'magma' touched him, he used his Body Flicker Technique.
Landing safely on a tree, he watched as the ground where the 'magma' had been spread turned to ruins. He turned his gaze to the masked woman, narrowing his eyes.
What a coincidence. This woman wasn't supposed to be here to block Kakashi, right?
In the original story, all the ninjas who came to stop Kakashi had been killed by Obito, leaving no survivors. This was why Uchiha Kei had been so surprised when he encountered Ao.
But surprise or not, enemies were enemies. Uchiha Kei never let the original story dictate his actions—especially when these people were his enemies!
Suddenly, Uchiha Kei felt the wind picking up, and with it, the sound of a long sword cutting through the air.
Chapter 128: A Familiar Technique
As the long blade whistled through the air, its distorted sound filled the surroundings. The wind seemed to grow chaotic, with various winds swirling around.
There was the warm spring breeze, the cool summer night wind, the crisp autumn morning breeze, the cold winter wind, the howling gusts, and the swirling winds...
It felt as though all the winds in the world had gathered at this one spot.
However, despite the many winds, there was no tangible presence of wind. The strange sensation almost made Uchiha Kei feel like he was going to throw up from frustration.
At this point, Uchiha Kei was certain that the male mist ninja was no ordinary opponent. His swordsmanship was truly awe-inspiring.
He was sure this wasn't some genjutsu; with his Sharingan activated, Uchiha Kei wouldn't be easily fooled. The only explanation for this sensation was that the man had reached such a high level with his sword technique that he had incorporated chakra into it, creating a unique blend that gave off an almost artistic aura.
Uchiha Kei tilted his head. Even in the world of ninjas, there existed the concept of a "samurai." When the techniques of a samurai and a ninja combined, the result was a fearsome force.
Take for example the people from the Land of Iron, like the legendary Mifune, or the semi-divine Hanzō of the Salamander, who had bestowed the title of "Three Ninjas" upon Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. These were individuals whose swordsmanship had reached an extreme level.
Although Uchiha Kei found the concept of Hanzō being semi-divine a bit laughable, he also understood that his strength was still insufficient to deal with such figures. The true gods of the ninja world, like Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, were untouchable to him at the moment.
Shaking his head, Uchiha Kei reminded himself that his priority was to defeat the man in front of him first.
"Wind Cutter!" The male mist ninja's sword continued its assault, and Uchiha Kei, with no intention to dodge, raised his own blade, channeling more chakra into it.
In the next moment, Uchiha Kei swung his sword, meeting the male ninja's blade with a powerful strike.
His Sharingan kept track of the movements, though he could not cast genjutsu, he could still make his own moves. The ninja's blade was infused with both wind and water chakra, which wasn't a bloodline limit but rather an advanced technique of chakra fusion.
Uchiha Kei was intrigued by this, and his Sharingan recorded every moment. If the man survived this encounter, Kei would likely interrogate him afterward.
Of course, Uchiha Kei wasn't one to fall behind. His own blade surged with terrifying lightning chakra, and in the same moment, he threw a kunai toward the woman, who appeared to be a masked version of Terumi Mei.
"Trying to distract me?" the male mist ninja noticed Uchiha Kei's action, and his attacks became even more vicious. His blade, now enhanced with wind and water chakra, aimed straight for Uchiha Kei's vital spots.
But Uchiha Kei handled the situation with ease. While every strike appeared perilous, he never truly found himself in danger.
The male ninja's swordsmanship was decent, but even with the techniques he had copied from Kakashi and Imai Kenta, Uchiha Kei wasn't simply relying on his sword skills alone.
With the Sharingan, Uchiha Kei was playing the battlefield to his advantage. At the same time, he kept an eye on the possible ambush from the woman, suspected to be Terumi Mei.
While he effortlessly danced around the attacks, it became evident that the male mist ninja and the woman had realized something important: Uchiha Kei was studying their swordsmanship.
But they had no way to stop him. The young Uchiha in front of them had the speed to match theirs, and his combat experience was beyond his years. This reminded them of someone—Uchiha Shu!
Uchiha Shu's reputation was not lesser than that of Uchiha Yu, and he had even fought with the "Seven Ninja Swordsmen" and walked away unscathed. The male mist ninja, though he had never faced Uchiha Shu, felt the current struggle with Uchiha Kei was just as difficult as fighting the legendary Uchiha Shu.
In fact, it was even tougher. After all, Uchiha Kei was the one who wanted to kill Uchiha Shu!
The elegant "dance" of Uchiha Kei didn't last long. By now, he had more or less figured out the man's swordplay. While he couldn't replicate the fusion of wind and water chakra, his "Gale Cutter" was enough to match.
Ducking under a deadly strike from the male mist ninja and narrowly avoiding an ambush from the woman, Uchiha Kei focused and formed a "Chidori" in his left hand.
The magnificent sound of Chidori crackling through the mist rang out, its pressure adding an ominous atmosphere to the scene, especially in the hazy, vision-blocking mist.
"Thanks for the help, I'm done playing now."
Uchiha Kei used a Body Flicker Technique to suddenly appear behind the woman, his left hand stabbing toward her left chest.
Although his Chidori wasn't yet perfected to the point where it could reach its peak power without charging, the close distance meant that the electric energy would still cause significant damage if it pierced her.
The woman, suspected to be Terumi Mei, reacted swiftly, and in Uchiha Kei's eyes, she turned into a water clone just before the Chidori hit.
But Uchiha Kei didn't stop. He saw the real woman's position and quickly directed his Chidori toward her.
The lightning surged, and Uchiha Kei's left hand thrust the Chidori deep into the water clone. It pierced through and continued toward the woman.
Just as he was about to strike, Uchiha Kei's expression changed subtly. The water in the clone seemed off—something was wrong.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"
Just as Uchiha Kei's Chidori was about to pierce the woman, the water clone expanded at an alarming rate, forming a sphere around him.
Uchiha Kei was quickly trapped in the water prison. His Chidori faded, and his body was tightly confined by the water.
"Game over!"
The woman, now visible and standing in front of Uchiha Kei, continued to form hand seals. The male mist ninja also approached, his sword drawn and steps slow and deliberate.
But suddenly, a strange smile crept across Uchiha Kei's face.
Chapter 129: The Treacherous One (Special Chapter for Liu Ying Shui)
"It seems we have some trouble," Imai Kenta sighed helplessly, looking at the increasingly dense fog.
He realized that every time he was with Uchiha Ki or the woman Hinata Aya, they would inevitably run into endless trouble.
The last time it was a death trap, and after escaping, it was a bridge explosion. This time, they were directly surrounded by a group of Kiri ANBU ninjas.
However, Imai Kenta didn't think too much about it; he had no choice but to endure.
He could only hope that Uchiha Ki would focus on his "Assistant Head of Security" job in the future, rather than dragging him along on missions filled with "unspeakable secrets."
Quietly pulling out his ninja blade, Imai Kenta swallowed nervously, his body tensed up.
Suddenly, the wind howled around him, and Imai Kenta immediately turned around, swinging his blade in the direction of the sound.
Unfortunately, the blade cut through the air but didn't strike anyone. This made Imai Kenta even more nervous, his nerves seemingly stretched to the breaking point.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
At that moment, the sound of shuriken flying through the air came from all directions. Imai Kenta, not knowing where the shuriken were coming from, swung his blade wildly, stumbling and looking completely out of control. The sound of metal clashing filled the air.
Imai Kenta was lucky, blocking most of the shuriken, but unlucky in that he couldn't see where they came from, leaving some scratches on his body.
Gasping for breath, he looked like he had just survived a near-death experience, but the fear in his eyes was hard to ignore.
Imai Kenta swallowed again, his eyes constantly scanning his surroundings. Any slight movement of the wind or rustling of leaves would make him spin around instinctively.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and it seemed as though he was nearing his limit. The unseen enemies, the thick fog, and the eerie atmosphere were all closing in on him, pushing him to the edge.
"Such a poor guy," a voice suddenly echoed in Imai Kenta's ear. "Well, let me help you get some relief."
"Who is it!" Imai Kenta screamed hysterically, and as he did, he swung his ninja blade behind him. Unfortunately, once again, it only slashed at empty air.
"The quality of Leaf Village ninjas really is like this? How laughable," the voice came again from behind him, filled with mockery and contempt. "Don't worry, your pain will only last for a moment, it'll be over quickly."
"Vroom!"
Imai Kenta's blade sliced through the air with a terrible sound, and in that instant, he was cleaved in two by a single strike!
"Such a poor little brat," a Kiri ninja appeared behind Imai Kenta's lifeless body. "It seems the Leaf Village has nobody left, sending out such a kid. What's more interesting is that they've found us. Our target isn't you."
"Stop wasting time, Fujii," another Kiri ninja hidden in the fog suddenly spoke. "We have a more important task. Cut off his head and take it back to investigate their intentions. We can't afford to expose ourselves."
"Yes, yes," Fujii replied with a smile, crouching down to examine Imai Kenta's body. But as soon as he looked, his hair stood on end!
Imai Kenta's body looked eerily realistic—clean cuts, a defiant gaze, blood and intestines splattered all over the ground—but it was all infused with chakra!
Disguise? Transformation Jutsu? Decoy?
At that moment, Fujii realized something was wrong. But before he could sound the alarm, a terrifying blade aura silently slashed toward his throat.
Fujii instinctively covered his throat, but a figure dragged his body away while he still had some consciousness left.
"What's wrong, Fujii?" the other Kiri ninja asked, his voice cold. "Hurry up, we need to go support the others."
"No problem, I just want to enjoy watching him die," Fujii murmured, his consciousness fading.
But he was shocked to find that the voice from below, coming from the unknown little ghost hiding beneath him, was exactly like his own voice and tone!
"Huh?" the speaking Kiri ninja froze for a moment, then his face changed. "Be careful, this kid is suspicious!"
Unfortunately, as soon as his words left his mouth, Imai Kenta exploded forward at an incredible speed, reaching the ninja's front in a flash!
In the blink of an eye, his blade cut through an eerie arc. The Kiri ninja had reacted, but his vigilance wasn't enough, and his preconceived notions led to a fatal mistake!
Imai Kenta was devious and cunning, highly skilled at exploiting human weaknesses. His speed was so fast that even Uchiha Ki had to admire him.
"Ugh!"
There was no heart-wrenching scream, no splatter of blood. The Kiri ninja could only let out a few hoarse sounds before collapsing to the ground.
Imai Kenta didn't even glance at the fallen ninja. A sincere smile appeared on his face.
He now looked incredibly kind, his previous anxiety completely gone, his ambush techniques incredibly sophisticated and highly successful!
"It seems you really do have a mission, but it's not targeting Leaf Village," Imai Kenta smiled at the last Kiri ninja in front of him. "But this mission is highly confidential, you're not even willing to tell me, but I think there are two things worth considering."
"Hmph!" The final Kiri ninja stood on guard, his eyes wary as he looked at the smiling little boy. But the smile on Imai Kenta's face made him feel an eerie coldness.
"Maybe it's Iwa ninjas. Iwa is negotiating with Leaf Village, and you plan to sabotage the talks and let Iwa and Leaf continue fighting. That might benefit you."
Imai Kenta continued as if talking to himself. "Another possibility is that you're investigating something—some extremely secretive matter. Well, that's all just my guess. I think it would be better if you just tell me yourself?"
"Then you'll have to see if you have the ability to make me talk!" The last Kiri ninja gripped his blade tightly, eyes completely alert.
After a long silence, the Kiri ninja gritted his teeth and dashed off to one side. This action left Imai Kenta stunned for a moment, but then he smiled.
Looks like this Kiri ninja was scared of him. Looking at the two Kiri ninjas who had already died, Imai Kenta thought it would be easier to just follow him.
It would be much easier to deal with a single Kiri ninja than to help the others solve their problems. Besides, no one said he had to kill this last ninja, right?
Chapter 130: Perfect Swordsmanship
"Rin, be careful."
Kakashi lowered the mask in front of his face, revealing a crimson Sharingan with dual tomoe: "I'll protect you well."
"Kakashi..."
Rin whispered softly, then nodded firmly. At the same time, she pulled out a kunai and kept a vigilant eye on her surroundings.
The Mist Hidden Technique was making it hard for them to see clearly. Rin knew that at this point, she really couldn't help much—her only job was not to become a burden to Kakashi.
Kakashi, on the other hand, was growing increasingly anxious. He wasn't afraid of the Mist ninjas, truly not afraid. With Tobi's eyes, he could vaguely see through the mist.
So, he could clearly see the Mist ninjas' strategy. They were trying to separate them, attacking one by one, with most of them focusing on Rin.
"No, I have to make them target me."
Kakashi thought to himself, "I must take one of them down quickly. If they realize they can't capture Rin before I kill one of them, their focus will shift to me."
He looked over at Rin. While her fighting ability was average, she could still hold her own for a short while.
But the problem was that they were facing the Mist's Anbu—these were ninjas skilled in sneak attacks, and their methods were ruthless. Kakashi didn't think Rin could withstand them.
After thinking for a moment, Kakashi realized he couldn't remain passive. If he got entangled by two Mist ninjas, it would only take one of them to deal with Rin.
Determined, Kakashi leaned forward slightly and placed his right hand on his sword.
His swordsmanship was learned from his father. Though his father died young, Kakashi had mastered what he needed to.
Controlling his breath slowly, Kakashi closed one eye, leaving his Sharingan active to observe everything around him.
Suddenly, the Mist ninjas moved. Two charged at Kakashi, and one charged at Rin.
Kakashi remained still, unfazed.
The ninjas got closer—closer—until, at that very moment, Kakashi took a deep breath, and his Sharingan flared with a blinding brilliance, brighter than the full moon and the stars above.
In his eyes, everything lost its color and turned to black and white, a world where only those two shades existed!
Then, a sword beam soared into the air. It had no color, yet it seemed to encompass every color in the world.
In an instant, it tore through the black-and-white world, sharp and unyielding!
At that moment, Kakashi exhaled the breath he had just taken.
He didn't look at the Mist ninja who had been sliced; nor did he glance at the other ninja, who was swinging his sword at him.
Kakashi kicked off the ground, propelling himself backward, while throwing a kunai at the ninja he had struck.
His sword moved swiftly toward the other ninja charging at Rin.
Everything was so fluid, so quick and sharp!
The ninja attacking Rin reacted fast, immediately raising his sword to block Kakashi's blade. However, Kakashi's sharp sword still left a wound on him, and Kakashi kicked him hard, sending the ninja rolling away.
Kakashi landed smoothly. He didn't glance back at Rin but instead remained absorbed in his recent experience.
That was the perfect sword strike, with no wasted movements.
Perfect timing, perfect angle, perfect strength, perfect speed—nothing was flawed!
Once the strike was made, the world returned to its original colors. Kakashi silently watched the two Mist ninjas, his heart filled with emotion.
Indeed, Uchiha Keiji's ideas and proposals were right—this was the correct path for him!
Combining his father's swordsmanship with Uchiha Tobi's Sharingan, and incorporating ninjutsu into the mix—this was the best and most fitting choice for him!
Looking at his sword, it was gleaming with a brilliant blue chakra, just like Uchiha Keiji's. The sword was still pristine, untouched by blood.
The Mist ninja that Kakashi had struck suddenly collapsed to the ground, blood bursting from his chest, before he fell motionless.
"Tobi, thank you for your eyes, they let me see everything clearly." Kakashi thought to himself. "Keiji, thank you for your suggestion, it's led me to a new path."
With this thought, Kakashi felt more confident. He knew that while it might be difficult to enter that same state again, he now had the experience and believed he could do even better in the future.
But that was for later. Right now, his task was to quickly eliminate the remaining two Mist ninjas.
Taking a deep breath, Kakashi's Sharingan locked onto the two remaining Mist ninjas. The killing intent in his eyes nearly spilled over.
"Rin, get back a little. I'll handle them." Kakashi said calmly. "Stay hidden. It won't take long."
"Kakashi," Rin tightened her grip on her kunai, then nodded seriously. "I understand. I'll wait for you."
With that, Rin immediately turned and ran into the forest behind them.
The two Mist ninjas watched Rin leave but didn't dare to move. They knew that if they did, the white-haired ninja in front of them would kill them in an instant!
The two exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously, then rushed toward Kakashi.
Kakashi remained calm, his sword glowing even brighter with chakra as the two Mist ninjas charged at him from either side.
Rin ran quietly into the forest, her heart filled with frustration. She realized that from the beginning, she had always been in a position of being protected. First, there was Tobi, then their sensei, Minato-sensei, and now Kakashi. Rin felt useless.
But Rin had made up her mind. She would catch up to them and not be a burden. She couldn't hold Kakashi or Keiji back!
With this in mind, Rin slowed her pace. She was now at a safe distance.
Rin breathed a sigh of relief, but just as she did, she suddenly heard the sound of a kunai from behind. She immediately jumped up to dodge it, but her movements were a little too slow, and the kunai grazed her hair, cutting off a few strands.
Rin landed awkwardly but hadn't had time to react when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her neck. Her vision blurred, and everything started to go dim.
"Sorry, Kakashi."