A body flicker brought Uchiha Kai behind the unsuspecting Iwa-nin in an instant. Seizing the perfect moment while the enemy had no time to react, Kai's ninja blade pierced cleanly through the man's heart from behind.
But Kai didn't stop there. As the Iwa-nin slumped forward, Kai withdrew his blade, reengaged the distance, and targeted the remaining enemies in the squad.
Thirty seconds later, in the depths of the forest, the remaining three Iwa-nin were also cut down—each one falling to Kai's precise, merciless assault.
Their chakra levels were just as Namikaze Minato had said: average at best. None of them possessed a kekkei genkai or any notable special abilities, and their battlefield performance reflected that.
Kai exhaled slowly, wiping the blood from his blade. This was already the fourth such Iwa-nin patrol he'd eliminated. Against his Sharingan and mastery of the Body Flicker Technique, these rock shinobi didn't stand a chance.
As for Minato and Kenta Imai, Kai had no idea how their battles were progressing. They had split up earlier in the mission, and he hadn't seen either since. Still, Kai had a general idea of their intended routes, so he wasn't worried about getting lost.
"But why are there so many Iwa-nin this deep in the rear lines?" Kai muttered to himself, not sparing a glance for the corpses left behind. Instead, he moved forward silently, scanning for the next target.
Most of these Iwa-nin were Chūnin at best. Some barely seemed above Genin-level. Their quality made Kai suspicious—until the bigger picture clicked into place.
The Land of Earth had recently lost the Third Tsuchikage's strongest ally, the Third Raikage, who died holding off ten thousand enemies alone. In retaliation, Kumogakure had launched a vicious counterattack.
Now, the Iwa forces were being hounded by Kumo like wild dogs. It was likely that Iwagakure had shifted from offensive operations to a defensive stance.
To protect the homeland, the truly elite forces had likely been pulled back. Kai suspected that Iwagakure had underestimated Konoha's resolve. Though they had deployed thousands of troops into the field, what they left behind in the Land of Grass was little more than underprepared reserves.
Combine that with his own prior assault on Iwa supply lines, and it wasn't hard to imagine that many of the more capable garrison forces had already been drawn elsewhere.
If this was the standard of enemy they'd be facing from here on out, then maybe—just maybe—it wouldn't be the death trap everyone feared.
Following Minato really had been the right call. Even if Kai had nearly died at the hands of Loess earlier in the mission, at least he wasn't the one being used as cannon fodder.
And if this mission brought him into Minato Namikaze's good graces, that could mean protection, prestige… and perhaps a future beyond the battlefield.
Still, Kai remained cautious.
"They won't leave the most critical zone around the Kannabi Bridge in the hands of shinobi this weak."
He kept moving, silent and alert. A burst of Earth Release erupted in the distance—large-scale jutsu rising dozens of meters into the air. It seemed Minato had engaged with tougher enemies. But those techniques didn't last long. Within moments, they collapsed—likely nullified by Minato's speed or a well-placed Rasengan.
That wasn't Kai's concern, though.
His targets weren't the elites.
They were the mid-tier squads—the ones large enough to be a threat but not skilled enough to counter his speed and precision.
Using the thick underbrush of the Land of Grass to his advantage, Kai located a new group of Iwa-nin—eight this time. Judging by their formation, two separate squads had joined forces after sensing danger.
Even better. He wouldn't have to hunt them down one by one.
Kai gauged his remaining chakra. It was running low, but still usable. He'd have to rely on taijutsu from here on out—less chakra-intensive, and he could still enhance it with the Sharingan's predictive power.
Moving like a shadow through the foliage, Kai crept to within 20 meters. The Iwa-nin were bunched together, unsure of whether to proceed or hold position.
"Are they setting traps… or just inexperienced?" Kai wondered. Either way, they were prey.
He inhaled deeply.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Searing flames burst from his mouth, scattering like burning embers in a wide arc. The fireballs streaked through the trees, targeting the startled Iwa-nin.
Though the technique could be guided with chakra, Kai didn't bother—he needed to conserve energy. Instead, he used the flames as cover, launching himself forward the moment the jutsu ended.
His crimson Sharingan locked onto the panicked enemy silhouettes as he emerged from the trees like a phantom.
The Iwa-nin scattered, caught off guard despite their numbers. Their formations broke instantly.
Kai read their movements—disjointed, uncoordinated, full of openings.
They had numbers. He had precision.
His blade flashed.
One Iwa-nin fell before he could react, a clean strike to the neck.
"Enemy attack!" one of the others shouted, just barely dodging the Phoenix Fire's tail end.
But there was no backup coming for him—only Kai's sword.
With the aid of the Sharingan and Body Flicker, Kai appeared behind him in an instant. The Iwa-nin sensed the pressure, twisted to dodge—only to find Kai's blade carving a deadly arc straight into his chest.
Kai yanked the blade free and pivoted just in time to evade a retaliatory strike. He didn't pause. Another body flicker. Another fatal strike.
After eliminating the two strongest foes among them, Kai reverted to close-quarters combat, letting his instincts and vision guide him.
The remaining six weren't worth wasting chakra on. With his Sharingan and honed taijutsu, Uchiha Kai would handle them personally.