Kakashi's wound, which had not yet fully healed, tore open. He instinctively clutched his side, scenes of Rin Nohara bandaging him flashing through his mind.
"Alright," Kakashi nodded hurriedly, then gave chase to the person who had abducted Rin.
"Don't think you're going anywhere!"
Two sharp blades emerged from the white bandages wrapped around Kakkō's wrists, glinting under the dappled sunlight of the bamboo forest.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Inabi Uchiha quickly formed hand signs and exhaled a sphere of flames to intercept Kakkō, who was attempting to block Kakashi.
"Don't just stand there!" Inabi shouted.
The younger Tekka Uchiha snapped out of it and followed with his own hand signs. He threw a handful of shuriken and then exhaled flames, enchanting the metal with fire.
Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!
The combined fire techniques forced Kakkō to slam his palms against the ground, raising an earth wall to shield himself.
*Boom!*
"These two Uchiha are nothing to worry about." After a brief exchange, Kakkō realized the two Uchiha clearly lacked sufficient strength. Their combined efforts couldn't even break his earth wall; defeating them was only a matter of time.
"The only one to watch out for is the other one." Kakkō shifted his gaze toward Kiyoshi. That Uchiha had refined a massive amount of chakra during the battle, and the aura faintly radiating from him made Kakkō's heart tremble.
Such an enormous chakra capacity! Even for him—an elite Jonin of the Hidden Stone skilled in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu—this was unprecedented. He couldn't understand why an Uchiha would possess so much chakra. Was he a mixed-blood child of the Senju or Uzumaki clans?
"That stranger who joined us should be able to stop him, though." Kakkō caught a glimpse of a crimson light flashing in the eyes of the mysterious Hidden Stone ninja. Information surged in his mind: this was a reinforcement sent by superiors to protect Kannabi Bridge.
Kakkō turned back to Tekka and Inabi. "Earth Style: Moving Earth Core!" His blades rattled with the movement of his hand signs.
*Rumble!*
Under the guidance of his chakra, thick square earth walls rose up, interconnecting with one another.
"What is he trying to do?" Tekka asked warily.
"It looks like he wants to trap us," Inabi replied. "Is Kiyoshi going to be alright?"
Tekka watched Kakkō charge and hurriedly moved to counter. Within a few exchanges, he was already showing signs of being unable to hold his ground. Inabi rushed to support him, turning the fight into a two-on-one struggle.
"Kiyoshi is much stronger than us. Focus on the enemy!" Inabi shouted.
On the other side.
"Earth Style: Moving Earth Core..." Kiyoshi leaped up, standing atop the rising wall. The mysterious ninja dressed as a Stone ninja stood opposite him. In the next instant, Kiyoshi vanished.
Only pale blue silhouettes flickering with electric arcs remained in the air.
Lightning Style: Lightning Flicker!
After mastering the [Lightning Style Chakra Mode], Kiyoshi could utilize such techniques. By pouring Lightning Style chakra into his lower limbs, he could achieve this level of speed. In a flash, the opponent raised a hand.
*Boom!*
A shockwave erupted from the point of impact.
"Good strength." Madara's Wood Clone smiled, looking at the stone fragments flaking off his hand. The Uchiha clan actually had such a descendant. If Kiyoshi's mind were simpler and more pure, Madara might have chosen him to execute the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Unfortunately, the stronger a person's mental resilience, the worse their "aptitude" for his purposes. A three-tomoed Sharingan was likely the limit for someone like Kiyoshi.
"Earth Style: Earth Pillar Spears."
The soil around Madara churned, and in an instant, over a dozen thick earthen spikes thrust out from the ground.
Kiyoshi utilized the high mobility of his [Lightning Style Chakra Mode] to flash backward, weaving through the bamboo.
'This isn't Madara's original body,' he thought. That first exchange had been a test. If it were the real Madara, Kiyoshi would have turned and fled immediately. But since this was clearly a clone, he could afford a trial. He wanted to see exactly what level he had reached.
"Lightning Style: Black Senbon." Kiyoshi raised his fingertips, and black electric arcs coiled around them before firing off in a rapid volley.
*Zip!*
The black arcs, creating visible ripples in the air, streaked toward Madara.
"Interesting. Is that the formula of the Second and Third Raikage?" Madara knew Kiyoshi carried the blood of the Yotsuki clan. He couldn't help but admire the boy as an exceptionally gifted Lightning Style ninja. Both the [Lightning Style Chakra Mode] developed by the Second and the Black Lightning developed by the Third were present in Kiyoshi.
"But... kid, you're too slow." Madara tilted his head, letting the black arcs whistle past. He had fought countless times against Tobirama Senju, the fastest man in the shinobi world. He had deep experience against speed-based ninjutsu; even without the Sharingan, his battle instincts allowed him to dodge.
"Is that so?" The corners of Kiyoshi's mouth curled upward.
Madara felt an inexplicable sense of wrongness. He frowned, mentally replaying the last few seconds. Black arcs... black... there were formulas on them! He instinctively tried to use the [Body Flicker Technique] to leap away, but his reaction was a fraction too slow.
Kiyoshi's figure vanished again, reappearing directly behind Madara—at the exact position the black senbon had passed!
*Boom!*
A ninja blade wreathed in lightning and fire slashed down onto Madara's exposed right arm.
*Squelch.*
The arm fell, but it was neither wood nor flesh. It was a pile of yellow mud. Kiyoshi looked down to see Madara's entire body turning into mud and slumping to the ground.
"An Earth Style [Substitution Technique]?" Kiyoshi sensed something and looked toward the bamboo thirty meters away. Madara's figure emerged there.
"Kid, I almost got cut because I was careless." Madara brushed the dust off his clothes. This Wood Clone couldn't utilize his true strength; both physical durability and chakra capacity were limited. Underestimating the boy had nearly cost him.
"You've even learned the Second's [Flying Thunder God] and developed your own variations." Madara's tone was appreciative. It had been far too long since he had enjoyed a fight. Restricted by this wooden body, he could finally experience a long-lost thrill of combat. "As a substitute for Hashirama, you are qualified."
Madara formed a one-handed sign, and an earthen dragon erupted from the soil.
Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!
After the mud took the shape of a dragon, it began spitting out thick, viscous yellow slime. Kiyoshi gripped his hilt and engaged Madara in a continuous dance of steel and jutsu.
To maintain his disguise as a Stone ninja, Madara used only Earth Style rather than his signature Fire Style. This favored Kiyoshi. Fighting such a powerhouse was bound to yield great insights.
...
"Kakashi!" Obito screamed in panic.
"Agh... my eye!" Kakashi collapsed, clutching his left eye. The eyelid and the eyeball itself had been slashed deep by a blade. It was clear his left eye was ruined.
"That guy is hard to deal with. I can't see him at all." Kakashi bore the pain, looking at the area where Taiseki had merged into the darkness. Taiseki used [Ninjutsu: Hiding in Camouflage]. When Kakashi had arrived, he saw Obito wildly swinging his kunai in the dark, blood spraying periodically.
Rin was slumped against a wall, her condition unknown. In his desperation, Kakashi had drawn his short blade to support Obito, taking a hit for him. The price was his eye.
"Kakashi..." Obito felt a surge of guilt. Perhaps the others were right; he could never compare to Kiyoshi. But he refused to believe he would stay inferior forever!
The world in Obito's eyes turned crimson as he awakened the Sharingan again. He had once opened it under the pressure of Kiyoshi's aura at the Naka Shrine, but he had been unable to replicate that feeling afterward. Now, he finally grasped its power. The black tomoe spun, and a second one emerged.
Two-tomoed Sharingan!
Obito watched Taiseki charge. He used a kunai to parry Taiseki's katana, and while the ninja was stunned, Obito's other hand whipped out a shuriken. The spinning blade sliced across Taiseki's neck, sending hot blood spraying across the ground.
"Huff... huff..." Obito panted.
"Obito, your eyes are like Kiyoshi's now." Kakashi stood up, hand trembling on the hilt of his short blade.
"This is the [Sharingan]. I can see the movement of chakra and the traces of invisible enemies!" Obito was ecstatic. He finally had power equal to that guy! Kiyoshi only had one more tomoe in his left eye; with more practice, Obito was sure he could reach three tomoe and surpass him.
"What's wrong with Rin?" After the enemy was dealt with, Kakashi asked about Rin.
"Her chakra flow is chaotic, different from ours. She's likely under genjutsu. It looks like they were one step away from interrogating her for intel," Obito said with lingering fear.
"Release the genjutsu." Kakashi's eye was still bleeding, but the situation had stabilized.
"I... I don't know how." Obito scratched his head. He wasn't familiar with the Sharingan's abilities yet; he couldn't even cast a genjutsu, let alone release one.
"...You really are far behind Kiyoshi, Obito," Kakashi said, exasperated.
"Hey! Why bring up that annoying guy again?" Obito barked back.
Kakashi ignored him and moved to Rin's side, performing [Genjutsu: Release]. Even ninjas who didn't specialize in genjutsu learned basic release methods for survival.
"Kakashi, Obito!" Rin opened her eyes. Seeing them both alive, she felt a wave of relief. Then she saw Kakashi's eye and immediately began treating him with bandages from her medical kit.
As they talked, a white figure emerged from the corner of the cave. "Oh dear, it seems I need to finish the wrap-up."
White Zetsu began forming hand signs. Earth Style: Rock Lodging Destruction!
*Rumble.*
The cavern walls began to collapse, dropping massive boulders.
"Run for the exit!" Kakashi shouted.
During the escape, a rock struck Kakashi's shoulder from his blind spot, slowing his pace. A massive boulder fell from above, unnoticed by him. Obito lunged and pushed Kakashi out of the way.
*Boom!*
The collapsing cave buried everything. Kakashi and Rin made it out, but Obito's right side was crushed beneath the stone.
"Obito!" Kakashi tried to move the rock, but it was impossible.
"If... if only I had listened to you or Kiyoshi sooner, this wouldn't have happened," Kakashi said, striking the ground in self-loathing.
"Kakashi... my gift to you for becoming a Jonin is... my Sharingan," Obito spat out blood. "I'm dying, but I can become your eye and continue to see the future. Protect Rin for me..."
...
"Lightning Style: Wind-Thunder Net!" Kiyoshi released a dense web of tree-like lightning, combined with a gale that enveloped the area. The black [Flying Thunder God Formula] marks traveled along the electric net. Kiyoshi's figure flickered through the mesh, shifting constantly.
Madara's eyes tracked the movement, a hint of crimson appearing in his gaze, though it was obscured by the wooden disguise.
'Sacrificing long-term stability for ultimate speed,' Madara noted.
Standard formulas were placed on kunai, allowing a ninja to teleport to a fixed point. Kiyoshi was marking an unstable "matter" like electricity. Since lightning produced by chakra is a nature transformation rather than pure natural energy, it could be interacted with.
"An interesting line of thought." Cracks deepened on the skin of the Wood Clone. The pace of the battle accelerated.
Suddenly, Madara looked off into the distance.
"I hope you live long enough to satisfy me." He looked at Kiyoshi with appreciation. If the boy survived until Madara's true resurrection, he could enjoy a real battle. With Kiyoshi's talent, he wouldn't stop growing.
With those words, Madara merged into the ground and vanished. Kiyoshi exhaled, deactivating his chakra mode. If the fight had continued, he would have won; the clone's chakra was finite, whereas his own could steadily recover.
"Looks like things with Obito are finished," Kiyoshi muttered. He looked back to see Inabi and Tekka still struggling. He swallowed a food pill to recover chakra and fired a black arc of lightning.
*Zip.*
Kakkō felt a sudden chill behind his neck. He hadn't sensed anyone approaching—not even a ripple of chakra. The black arc passed him by without touching him.
*Thrust.*
Kiyoshi's blade pierced Kakkō's chest from behind.
"Kiyoshi!" Tekka shouted in relief. "Did you finish the other one?"
"He escaped," Kiyoshi replied, shaking his head. This battle with Madara had helped him organize his skills. Many of his techniques still had room for optimization, particularly the longevity of his lightning to maintain coordinates longer.
...
By the time Kiyoshi, Tekka, and Inabi arrived at the cave, it was over. Obito was gone, buried under the rubble. The events followed the original path: Stone ninjas arrived to surround the survivors, only for Minato to arrive via his formula and wipe them out. Kannabi Bridge was destroyed.
As night fell, Kakashi woke up, his new Sharingan granting him an overwhelming level of perception.
"Where am I?"
"You're awake, Kakashi." Kiyoshi, leaning against a tree and reading a scroll, put his things away.
"What happened?"
"Minato-sama used the [Flying Thunder God] to save you and Rin, and wiped out the Stone ninjas in the area."
Kakashi's eyes were dim. He realized there was only one way Minato could have arrived so precisely from miles away. Kiyoshi patted his shoulder. He understood why Kakashi would eventually fall into darkness in the ANBU; when a person acts in extremes, one must look at the reason behind the behavior.
Minato approached the group. All eight members—or what remained of the two teams—were gathered. Rin was preparing new bandages for Kakashi, Tekka, and Inabi. Inabi and Tekka sat by the river, eating rice balls carefully to avoid reopening their arm wounds. Mikoto was cooking over a fire; the area was finally safe.
"So... the enemies were all..."
"I took care of them," Minato said, spinning his custom kunai. "Tomorrow morning, we withdraw. Village ninjas will arrive to take over."
"Minato-jonin, I want to stay in the Land of Grass for a while to avenge Obito," Kiyoshi said suddenly.
Venging Obito was a cover. Obito was currently in an underground cave having artificial limbs grafted onto him by White Zetsu. Kiyoshi's true goal was Karin's mother. He had gathered intelligence through his time with Ringo Ameyuri: red-haired ninjas had been seen in the Land of Grass.
It was undoubtedly the Uzumaki clan. If he acted early, he might save her before the Grass Village realized the extent of her abilities—the [Mind's Eye of the Kagura] and [Heal Bite]. Not every Uzumaki inherited these; Naruto, for instance, had only the vitality.
"Stay in the Land of Grass?" Mikoto paused, crumbling dried rations into the pot. "Kiyoshi, only this area is safe right now. Going elsewhere means risking attacks from the Hidden Grass."