Uchiha Kai reacted the instant Haru appeared—his instincts honed by countless battles. If the roles had been reversed, the old Uchiha Kai would never have attempted something so reckless.
But Kai had changed.
Though he still disliked taking unnecessary risks, he understood something crucial: unless he laid a trap, this Iwa-nin—known only as "Hunter"—would never reveal himself.
Not all Iwa shinobi are simple brawlers with immense strength and mastery over Earth Release techniques. Some specialize in silent assassination, using earth to vanish and strike with lethal precision.
Kai hadn't forgotten what it meant to be a shinobi—a tool forged in war and trained in patience. That was the shinobi way, and Uchiha Kai lived by it.
Hunter was exactly that kind of enemy—fast, silent, and deadly. His bloodline limit only made him more dangerous. He was like a venomous snake waiting for the perfect strike.
The moment Hunter moved, Kai's Shadow Clone Technique activated, and his Sharingan was already tracking every shift in the terrain.
He looked calm, but it was all calculated. Only a fool would lower their guard in a fight like this.
Hunter, experienced as he was, struck Kai's clone with a punch and instantly knew it was a fake. Without hesitation, he launched himself off a tree trunk, using the recoil to retreat just as a barrage of kunai rained down toward his last known position.
Kai wouldn't let him hide again. If they wasted any more time, he and his team could end up dead.
Even with reinforcements on the front lines, no one knew how long they could hold out. The team had already taken too long cutting through enemy lines to reach this point.
If a single assassin like Hunter delayed them further—or worse, if Kenta Imai was ambushed—neither Uchiha Kai nor even Namikaze Minato might make it out alive.
And if the frontlines fell, there was still Loess—the Rock shinobi commander—waiting to crush them from behind.
Hunter clearly intended to delay them. But Uchiha Kai had already slipped behind him.
Thanks to the Akimichi clan's stimulant pills, Kai's chakra reserves surged, and he channeled chakra into his blade without hesitation. A pale blue glow enveloped the steel as he struck, his Sharingan fixed on the enemy.
Kai had no intention of letting this snake slip away again.
"Got you."
Hunter dodged the blade, not daring to meet it head-on. He clearly wasn't here to win—only to stall.
But what he didn't expect was Kai's follow-up. After slicing through a substitution, Kai twisted his wrist and redirected the blade mid-swing, slashing again from an unexpected angle.
Sensing the danger, Haru leapt back and flung several kunai at Kai—not to kill, but to buy time.
Kai deflected the kunai with a swift series of strikes, then charged after him, but it was too late—Hunter had already landed and regained his stance.
Kai paused, his Sharingan locked onto his target.
"Not bad," Hunter said with a chuckle. "I heard you fought Loess and survived. I'm impressed."
Kai gave a faint smirk. "It was close. But that's why I say—you're easier to deal with than him. He's a warrior. You're just a rat hiding in the shadows."
"Hmph. Weak taunts." Hunter scoffed, stepping out into the open. "I've always wondered how powerful the famed Sharingan really is. Show me. Show me how you fought Loess."
Kai didn't waste the opportunity. Chakra surged through his body, building behind his calm expression.
Both men fell silent, tension thick in the air.
Then—Kai struck. His blade gleamed in the sunlight, propelled by a sudden burst of chakra that cracked the earth beneath his feet.
Hunter was fast. He dodged the thrust, then countered with an elbow strike.
Kai sidestepped, letting the blow pass before pivoting and swinging his blade backward. Hunter dodged again, his body twisting like a shadow.
But then—a flash of light.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
He'd seen that strange glow before. He remembered it—a technique from the manga. He couldn't recall where, but he knew its danger. An explosive power, likely Kekkei Genkai.
"Explosion Release...?"
"Explosion Release: Mine Fist!" Haru shouted.
Kai's eyes widened. That bloodline—similar to Deidara's—combined earth and lightning chakra to create devastating explosions.
Still, Kai didn't flinch. He wasn't about to waste this opportunity. His Sharingan saw it all: the twitch of a muscle, the buildup of chakra, the moment the technique was launched.
Unless his opponent was on a completely different level—like Loess—Kai could exploit any opening.
Hunter wasn't that strong. Dangerous, yes, but not invincible.
Kai made his move.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"