Chapter 557: A Sharp Sword, Sharp Eyes
"Water Release: Water Shock Wave!"
Ao held Nuibari in one hand while forming hand seals with the other, casting a Water Release technique one-handed.
In the original story, Ao had never displayed any Water Release abilities during the Shippuden era.
It wasn't until Boruto, right before his death, that Ao used Water Shock Wave to wash Boruto away.
It could only be said that it wasn't because he couldn't use Water Release—it was simply that he wasn't particularly skilled with it, nor had he ever needed to use it.
Now, facing a Fire Release attack without any Water Release specialists beside him, he naturally had to do it himself.
The Fire Release and Water Release collided, instantly turning into steam and indirectly creating a Hidden Mist Jutsu.
Of course, this mist wasn't nearly as dense as the real Hidden Mist Jutsu.
Back when Tobirama fought Izuna, Water Release and Fire Release had also created a cloud of mist. Even then, Izuna's Sharingan had still been able to see the incoming kunai.
That proved the visibility was still fairly decent.
But now...Things were different.
Because Obito was using Kakashi's identity.
He didn't have Sharingan.
As the mist engulfed the battlefield, Obito immediately became tense.
He suddenly remembered a crucial fact—His opponent possessed the Byakugan.
Neither mist nor anything else could block Ao's vision!
'This is bad!'
Obito instantly turned around and sprinted toward the edge of the mist.
Unlike the Hidden Mist Jutsu, ordinary mist gradually became thinner toward the outside. As long as he reached the edge, the visibility would improve, making it much safer!
"You can't escape, Hatake Kakashi!"
Ao's voice suddenly echoed beside Obito's ear, sending a chill down his spine.
The next second, Ao roared, "There's an opening!"
Obito only felt a sharp pain shoot through his right leg.
Still in mid-run, he lost his footing and crashed to the ground.
Fortunately, he had already rolled out of the mist.
Looking at the bleeding wound on his leg, Obito knew it had been inflicted by Ao's Nuibari.
Just as Obito expected Ao to remain hidden inside the mist and wait for another opportunity to attack, he instead watched Ao calmly walk straight out.
Ao had already removed his eye patch.
Veins bulged around his Byakugan.
His other eye was slightly closed, as though reminiscing about the past.
"Do you know why they call me the Miss Four Yang?"
"Because during the period right after Madara saved me, I still couldn't completely control the half of my body that had been rebuilt..."
"While carrying out an assassination mission, someone accidentally tore it off..."
"They saw... what made me different."
"One of the survivors who escaped gave me that nickname."
"I suffered because of it."
"I have to return to normal."
"I have to..."
While Ao was talking to himself, Obito tore off part of his clothes, wrapped his wound as a bandage, and prepared to flee again.
"You think you can escape? My Byakugan is a trophy I seized. I don't know the Gentle Fist to go with it, but in my opinion, the Hyuga Clan using the Byakugan for Gentle Fist is nothing short of a complete waste."
Ao gently stroked Nuibari.
At this moment, he looked exactly like a swordsman.
"Huh?"
The three gossip girls all exclaimed at the same time.
The three exchanged glances before explaining under everyone's puzzled gazes.
While gathering gossip in Amegakure, they had once interviewed Hyuga Hanabi.
Setting Hanabi's gossip aside, she had mentioned that Shiromo once told her the Byakugan was wasted on the Gentle Fist and was much better suited for long-range sniping.
Could it be...
"Does Ao have some kind of long-range sniping ninjutsu or ninja tool?"
Everyone immediately became excited and continued watching.
Unfortunately...
Their anticipation was for nothing.
If this had been the Ao from the original Boruto, it would've been outrageous.
His entire body was equipped with Scientific Ninja Tools.
His Ninja Prosthetic Arm could launch missiles, produce a beam sword, and even fire like a Gatling gun.
Sadly, that Ao had guns but no Byakugan.
This Ao had a Byakugan but no guns.
What Ao meant by something "more suitable for the Byakugan than the Gentle Fist" was Kirigakure's Hidden Mist Jutsu and the Seven Ninja Swords.
This time, Ao personally cast the true Hidden Mist Jutsu.
The dense fog was incomparable to the thin mist from before.
Then Ao launched his attack.
Under the Byakugan's gaze, not only was Obito's figure completely visible through the mist, but there was an additional effect.
In Ao's eyes, countless "openings" continuously appeared across Obito's body.
Ao used Nuibari to strike every single one of those openings.
An opening, by definition, couldn't be defended.
Before long, Obito's body was covered in stab wounds, blood flowing everywhere.
But Madara's goal wasn't for Ao to kill Obito.
He wanted something else.
So Ao lowered Nuibari, ending one sword duel...to begin another kind of sword duel.
Grabbing Obito, whose hands and feet had been pierced and could no longer resist, Ao dragged him into the thick mist.
"Stop! What are you trying to do?! What are you doing?! Kakashi, save me—!"
Obito's miserable screams echoed from within the dense fog.
Ao, who was in the middle of the operation, looked puzzled.
'Isn't he Kakashi himself? Why is he calling for Kakashi to save him?'
'Has he been scared stupid?'
It had to be said…
Ao wasn't just fated with Kakashi.
He was also strangely fated with Obito.
Obito's first death came from Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction.(Earth Style: Rock Breaker)
His second death came at the hands of the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki.
Ao happened to be the exact opposite.
His first death came from the Ten-Tails.
His second came from the Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique.
Both of them also lost half their bodies before their first deaths.
---
Meanwhile...
Kakashi, who was with Uchiha Shisui's squad, received secret intelligence.
It reported that Obito had secretly followed them and had now been captured by Kirigakure shinobi.
Kakashi was currently a member of Shisui's Uchiha squad.
Every member carried an indispensable responsibility.
If even one person was missing, the front line could collapse.
But he had to save Obito!
When Kakashi had been at the lowest point in his life, Obito had given him warmth.
He had given him love.
—As for how that low point came about... it's best not to ask.
That night, Kakashi secretly slipped out of the camp.
Outside the encampment, he unexpectedly found a small hidden tent concealed behind the main force.
Sneaking inside, he was stunned to discover...
Rin was there.
To prevent Kirigakure from making a desperate move by deploying the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki, Konoha had also brought Nohara Rin—the former Three-Tails' Jinchūriki who had once demonstrated her combat ability in Konoha—to the battlefield as a precaution.
Kakashi was instantly overjoyed.
Alone, he definitely wasn't strong enough to rescue Obito.
But with Rin, who had become the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, it was a different story.
After carefully checking that no one was approaching, Kakashi slipped inside, startling Rin.
"Obito? Why are you here?"
"Rin, hurry! Come with me to save Kakashi! He's been captured by Kirigakure's shinobi!"
Kakashi anxiously grabbed Rin's hand and tried to pull her outside.
At this point, Obito's concern for Kakashi had already surpassed the psychological trauma caused by the old lady.
"No... I can't go!"
Although Rin understood, she still shook off Kakashi's hand and refused.
"Why?! Kakashi is our comrade!"
Kakashi looked at Rin in complete disbelief.
He clenched his fists.
Knowing Shisui would never approve of a rescue mission, he had secretly come here alone.
(End of this chapter)