Deep within the cave.
"Rin! We're here to save you! Are you okay?"
Obito joyfully untied the ropes binding Rin and asked eagerly.
Nohara Rin felt dizzy.
She had just been interrogated by enemies using Fire Release and Genjutsu, relying solely on immense perseverance to hold on. Now that the Genjutsu was broken, she momentarily struggled to distinguish reality from illusion.
She remembered that their six-person team had been surrounded by three Iwagakure Jonin, and she had been captured and brought to this cave to interrogate about the mission's purpose. When she regained consciousness, these two people stood before her.
"Obito? Kakashi?"
She murmured softly.
Kakashi nodded, slowly exhaling a breath. Seeing Rin's condition, she seemed fine.
Obito quickly helped Rin stand up: "We need to leave quickly, and we still have to find Shinji! He alone drew away that Explosion Release ninja!"
"Shinji?" Nohara Rin's voice suddenly rose, instinctively looking around, but only saw Kōkō lying on the ground far away.
Kakashi was also startled.
He clearly remembered that Shinji had come with Obito.
That's why he always felt something was off—Shinji had drawn away an enemy alone to save someone.
After separating from the group, he originally intended to go alone to Kannabi Bridge to complete the mission, but Obito and Shinji's words lingered in his heart.
Obito said that his father, the White Fang of the Leaf, was the true hero of Konohagakure. For the first time, someone so firmly acknowledged his father.
Shinji told him not to do things he would regret.
Thus, Kakashi suddenly realized, fearing he would regret it in the future, so he rushed to rescue Rin, finally saving Obito from Ōishi's sneak attack at the critical moment.
Obito also awakened the Sharingan, and together they defeated Ōishi and Kōkō.
A burning pain came from his left eye, Kakashi involuntarily raised his hand to touch it: "You mean Shinji is now fighting a Jonin alone?"
Obito lowered his head, his tone full of guilt: "It's all because I'm not strong enough. Shinji drew away that Explosion Release ninja to save Rin."
Nohara Rin's heart tightened sharply, blurting out: "Then, let's hurry and join Shinji!"
She believed Shinji would be fine; during this mission, his strength had already impressed everyone. But even if he was strong, facing a Jonin alone could still be dangerous anytime.
"So that's it? That's why I haven't seen Shou!"
Kōkō, who had been lying on the ground, barely breathing, suddenly propped himself up and slowly stood.
Kakashi instantly became alert, his body flickering to block Obito and Rin, coldly saying: "You're still not dead."
Kōkō's lips curled into a sinister sneer: "In the end, you're just a bunch of brats!"
Even though he had been defeated by the two earlier, these brats forgot to finish him off.
This was his chance to survive, and their death sentence.
"Earth Release: Rock Lodging Collapse!"
The low shout fell, and a thunderous roar instantly exploded!
The entire cave shook violently, the ceiling cracked continuously, large and small rocks fell like a sudden onslaught, dust instantly filling the space.
Kōkō curled a cruel, sinister smile, his feet shifting, retreating half a step before leaping out of the cave entrance, leaving only a cold taunt: "You'll all be buried here!"
"Not good! Obito, Rin, we need to leave quickly!"
Kakashi shouted sharply, Obito and Rin didn't hesitate, the three rushed toward the cave entrance together.
A rock the size of a millstone quietly detached from the ceiling above Kakashi, precisely blocking his blind spot.
His left eye had already been damaged in the previous fight, unable to detect it in time.
"Bang!"
The rock heavily struck Kakashi's shoulder, he groaned, stumbled, and fell heavily to the ground.
"Kakashi!"
Rin cried out in shock.
Obito didn't hesitate at all, almost instinctively, his body burst forward, instantly reaching Kakashi's side.
Without time to speak, he bent down, grabbed Kakashi's arm, and with all his strength, threw him toward Rin's direction: "Take Kakashi away!"
Obito was about to turn and follow, but a chilling numbness suddenly came from the back of his head—the scent of death.
He sharply looked up, his pupils instantly filled with shadow.
A rock several people tall plummeted down, Obito felt his mind go blank.
"Damn!"
...
Shinji's steps didn't stop, rushing toward the previous cave at Body Flicker-like speed. Suddenly, the ground trembled violently.
His steps abruptly halted, hearing faint roaring sounds from afar.
"Am I too late?" Shinji murmured softly, his tone hiding imperceptible anxiety, "I wonder if Obito saved Rin, and Kakashi, he should have come!"
He gritted his teeth, his foot forcefully stomped the ground, his speed increased again, racing toward the cave's direction, where the sound had just come from.
Shinji finally emerged from the forest, reaching the cave entrance.
At this moment, Kōkō sat on a large rock before the entrance, looking slightly disheveled, holding a water bottle, replenishing fluids.
Seeing Shinji suddenly appear, he was also startled.
"Huh? You're that Body Flicker ninja. Since you're here, where's Shou?"
Kōkō's tone carried some caution and confusion. He absolutely didn't believe Shou could lose to this person before him; Shou was an elite of their Stone Ninja Demolition Corps.
"I killed him."
Shinji's tone was icy, his gaze sweeping over the collapsed cave behind Kōkō, his heart sinking sharply.
A sense of ominous foreboding surged. He stared intently at Kōkō, asking word by word:
"My companions?"
Shinji suddenly activated the Sharingan. The crimson eyes were eerie, his gaze exuding intimidating force, cold aura pressing toward Kōkō.
Kōkō's heart chilled, his hairs standing on end, involuntarily avoiding Shinji's gaze, but he still refused to believe Shinji's words.
"Don't joke, Shou couldn't possibly be defeated by you!"
"As for your companions," Kōkō's lips twisted into a cruel, sinister smile, "those three brats probably have already returned to the Pure Land, meeting your Konohagakure ancestors!"
He swung his arm, the short blade at his wrist instantly popped out, about to attack Shinji.
"First kill you, then find Shou!"
Shinji's eyes narrowed slightly, thinking inwardly: "Three? So Kakashi also came."
His gaze turned to the collapsed cave. Under the Sharingan's insight, a familiar and powerful Chakra suddenly erupted from beneath the collapsed rocks.
Shinji's aura instantly converged, slightly relieved, then mocked Kōkō:
"Your opponent now isn't me."
Before Kōkō could react, a violent explosion came from behind him, mixed with the piercing sound of electricity tearing through air.
The collapsed debris exploded open a gap, Kakashi's figure leaped out.
His eyes were red, tears swirling wildly in his eyes, the bandage originally wrapped around his left eye had been torn off, revealing a crimson Sharingan in his left eye, filled with anger and grief.
As soon as he stabilized, he immediately spotted Kōkō.
Kakashi roared, leaped down from mid-air, drew the short blade from his back with a reverse grip, and fiercely chopped down.
Kōkō was greatly alarmed, quickly crossed his hands, forcefully meeting Kakashi's short blade.
Clang!
The weapons collided, a crisp sound echoing in the air. The next moment, Kakashi's short blade shattered with the sound.