"No, I can't keep going like this. This is his home ground, and he takes far less damage than I do. If this continues, I'll be slowly worn down to death."
Kakashi panted lightly, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu.
This place was almost indistinguishable from reality. Kakashi had no doubt that death here would be permanent. Even the spray of blood and the sharp, metallic smell felt completely real.
"Is this all you've got? Do you only know how to run?"
Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu sneered, watching Kakashi weave through his attacks.
Sword light flowed continuously from his blade, scattering like drifting petals. Kakashi moved through them with extreme precision, narrowly avoiding each strike.
Sōjitsu suddenly leaped forward and slashed downward. In an instant, the blade's radiance expanded dozens of times.
Kakashi twisted his body midair and flipped aside. The movement was crude and lacked elegance, but it was the most efficient way to evade the attack.
...
Outside, the allied shinobi had no awareness of Kakashi's situation. To them, both Kakashi and Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu stood motionless, as if frozen.
They immediately realized Kakashi had been caught in a genjutsu-like technique.
"Attack!"
"Kill the one opposite him. Kakashi-senpai will be freed!"
The suggestion spread quickly, and the surrounding shinobi rushed forward without hesitation.
But the nearby Ōtsutsuki clan members immediately intercepted them.
Both sides clashed, deliberately shifting the battlefield away from Kakashi and Sōjitsu. Ninjutsu erupted across the area, lighting up the battlefield.
The allied shinobi no longer wielded ordinary chakra. Their chakra was infused with natural energy, making it far more difficult for the Ōtsutsuki to absorb.
This frustrated the Ōtsutsuki greatly.
Across the universe, their greatest advantage had always been their ability to absorb chakra through the Rinnegan. In most battles, chakra alone could determine victory.
But here, that advantage was weakened.
Faced with relentless waves of Ninjutsu, they could only defend or evade.
"Don't let them get close to Lord Sōjitsu!"
"Protect Kakashi-senpai!"
Both sides intensified their attacks, jutsu colliding in rapid succession.
...
Elsewhere in the God Tree domain, the battlefield was no less chaotic.
"Move! More White Zetsu are gathering, and several Ōtsutsuki are heading this way!"
The allied shinobi relied on coordinated tactics. When they encountered small groups of White Zetsu, they struck quickly and decisively. As reinforcements approached, they retreated without hesitation.
Then, when another opportunity appeared, they would reemerge from the shadows and strike again.
Their teamwork was seamless, and with the support of a secret technique that allowed them to combine their chakra, they fought with remarkable efficiency.
Even Ōtsutsuki at the Six Paths level struggled to pin them down.
...
Back in the mental world, Kakashi's condition worsened with every exchange.
His body was covered in wounds, while Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu bore only minor injuries.
Yet Kakashi did not stop moving.
"What's the point of struggling? If you have any pride, then die like a true warrior."
Sōjitsu's voice was calm, but Kakashi answered with action.
He vanished in a flicker of movement.
In an instant, he closed the distance, his blade clashing against Sōjitsu's.
Sparks burst from the collision.
At the same time, a thin stream of lightning, no thicker than a finger, surged along Kakashi's blade and traveled toward Sōjitsu.
The sudden jolt of lightning caused Sōjitsu's body to stiffen for a split second.
And in a battle between experts, a single moment was enough.
Kakashi adjusted his grip and shifted the angle of his blade.
A sharp arc cut through the air.
Blood sprayed outward.
Without lingering for even a second, Kakashi kicked off the ground and retreated, widening the distance once more.
He brought two fingers to his lips, and in an instant, dense mist spread across the battlefield.
The entire area was swallowed by thick fog.
"Is this all you can do with such petty tricks? Before these eyes of mine, everything you attempt is meaningless."
Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu's voice carried clear disdain. In his view, Kakashi was only delaying the inevitable.
As time dragged on, Kakashi's injuries would only worsen.
The gap between them was not overwhelming, but within this domain, Sōjitsu held the advantage.
A massive blaze suddenly ignited, flooding the area with scorching heat.
Boom!!!
The Fire Release tore through the mist, the explosion dispersing the water vapor and clearing the battlefield in an instant.
Kakashi had already formed his next set of hand seals.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
With only four seals, he completed the jutsu.
Compared to before, the difference was staggering.
A colossal water dragon, hundreds of meters long, surged into existence. Its form was dense and imposing, carrying an almost overwhelming presence as it roared toward Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu.
Just as it closed in, a searing glow ignited along Sōjitsu's blade.
With a single swing, the massive water dragon was cleaved apart.
It collapsed instantly, breaking into countless droplets that poured down like a torrential rain, as though the sky itself had split open.
Kakashi did not pause.
His right hand trembled slightly, and his figure blurred into afterimages.
In the next moment, he thrust forward at extreme speed.
Just before the strike landed, four Kakashis appeared simultaneously, each driving a blade toward Sōjitsu.
The four directions sealed his movement completely.
At the center, countless fine strands of sword energy erupted outward.
Ōtsutsuki Sōjitsu attempted to evade, but his movement was locked. He was forced to face the attack head-on.
A storm of sword light descended.
Their blades clashed violently.
Kakashi's attacks carried faint arcs of lightning, subtle yet precise.
To Sōjitsu, that level of lightning was insignificant.
But the true danger lay elsewhere.
A powerful sword intent surged through the strikes, invading his body and tearing at him from within.
Pfft!!!
A mouthful of blood burst from Sōjitsu's lips.
He forcibly expelled the invading energy and fixed his gaze on Kakashi, his expression turning cold.
"I've lost interest in playing with you."
In his eyes, Kakashi was worthy, but nothing more.
He leaped back, creating distance, then slowly raised his sword.
Holding it horizontally at first, he drew it back before positioning it vertically in front of his chest.
Low, incomprehensible words slipped from his lips.
At the same time, a terrifying power began to rise from within him.
Energy gathered along the blade, gradually coating it in a strange, otherworldly aura.
(End of Chapter)
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