On the other side of the bridge—
Kakashi Hatake faced the simultaneous assault of Zabuza Momochi and Kurotsuchi Raiga.
"Lightning Release: Funeral Lightning—Banquet of Lightning!"
Raiga swung Kiba, and countless bolts of lightning crashed down from the sky, blanketing the entire area.
At the same time, Zabuza attacked.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The raging water dragon merged with the lightning, forming a terrifying lightning–water composite attack.
BOOM—!
The explosion was deafening.
"Did we hit him?" Raiga narrowed his eyes.
"No—Substitution Jutsu!" Zabuza shouted.
Sure enough, what had been struck was nothing more than a shattered log.
Kakashi's figure appeared above them.
"Your coordination isn't bad," Kakashi said calmly. "But—"
His hands flew through hand seals at blinding speed, almost impossible to follow.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Three Water Release techniques were unleashed in an instant!
"What?!" Zabuza's eyes widened.
"Three B-rank jutsu back-to-back?! That amount of chakra—!"
A massive surge of water crashed down like a tsunami.
"Damn it!" Raiga roared.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Wall!"
A lightning barrier formed, but it only lasted a few seconds before being shattered.
"Zabuza! Combine our attacks!"
"Got it! Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Together, they barely managed to block the oncoming torrent.
But Kakashi had already closed the distance.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
The ground erupted as a massive earthen dragon surged forward from the side.
"Damn it!" Raiga slashed with Kiba, shattering the earth dragon—
—but Kakashi was already gone.
"Where did he—?!"
"Right here."
Kakashi's voice came from behind him.
Raiga spun around, but it was already too late.
"Lightning Release: Chidori!"
A piercing shriek of lightning rang out as blue-white chakra speared straight toward Raiga's heart.
At the critical moment—
Zabuza swung the Executioner's Blade, forcing Kakashi to withdraw.
"Raiga, be careful!" Zabuza shouted.
"This guy's incredibly fast!"
"I know…" Raiga was drenched in cold sweat.
If Zabuza hadn't intervened, he would already be dead.
"So this is the true strength of Copy Ninja Kakashi…"
The two exchanged a glance and reached the same conclusion.
In a one-on-one fight, neither of them could defeat him.
They had to go all out—together.
"Raiga," Zabuza said grimly, "use that move."
"Alright!"
They retreated simultaneously, opening distance, then formed hand seals together.
"Combined Ninjutsu: Lightning–Water Tornado!"
Kiba erupted with violent lightning.
Zabuza's Water Release formed a massive spiraling torrent.
Lightning and water fused into a gigantic lightning tornado that swept across the bridge!
"Oh?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
"A combined technique… impressive."
He felt the vast chakra surging through his body.
"Then I suppose I should get serious too."
His hands moved.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Five Kakashis appeared at once.
"Shadow Clones?!"
"No—he's going to—!" Raiga's face changed drastically.
All five Kakashis formed seals simultaneously.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Five enormous water dragons rose together, roaring as they slammed into the lightning tornado.
BOOOOM!!!
The collision unleashed terrifying shockwaves.
The entire bridge trembled violently.
Workers screamed and fled in panic.
"Mr. Tazuna! Get back!"
When the dust settled—
Kakashi stood unmoved, completely unharmed.
Zabuza and Raiga, however, were both gasping for breath.
"This monster…" Raiga muttered in disbelief.
"How is his chakra so absurdly high…?"
"Damn it…" Zabuza growled.
"Seven days ago, he wasn't this strong."
Kakashi flexed his wrist.
"Warm-up's over."
"Now—let's finish this."
His Sharingan spun slowly.
An overwhelming wave of chakra erupted from his body.
Zabuza and Raiga's expressions changed instantly.
This chakra…
It was more than twice what it had been before!
"Was he… holding back?" Raiga whispered.
The pressure alone made it hard to breathe.
"This chakra…" Zabuza's forehead streamed with sweat.
"Don't get cocky!" Raiga roared.
He whirled Kiba, lightning flaring wildly.
"Lightning Release: Funeral Lightning—Banquet of Lightning!"
Bolts of lightning rained down so densely that there was almost no room to dodge.
At the same time—
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Zabuza launched another assault.
Lightning and water collided, their power multiplying as the battlefield was engulfed in crackling light.
"Still using combined jutsu?" Kakashi said coolly.
"Your teamwork is decent."
His hands blurred again.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A towering wall of earth rose up, blocking the lightning–water onslaught.
BOOM!
Dust exploded outward.
"Did it hit?" Raiga squinted.
"No—Substitution!" Zabuza yelled.
Behind the shattered earth wall lay only splintered wood.
"He's above us!"
Kakashi was already airborne.
"You work well together," he said calmly.
"But—"
His hands flashed again.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A massive water dragon surged up from the sea.
"Hah! I know that jutsu too!" Zabuza sneered—
—then froze.
Because it wasn't just one.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Four colossal water dragons rose simultaneously, encircling them from all directions.
"What?!" Zabuza shouted.
"Four B-rank jutsu in a row?! That chakra—!"
"Impossible!" Raiga yelled.
Even a Jonin would be drained after something like that.
Yet Kakashi's breathing remained steady.
"We can't block this!" Zabuza gritted his teeth.
"Raiga—again!"
"Got it!"
They formed seals one last time.
"Combined Ninjutsu: Lightning–Water Tornado!"
But this time, the power was clearly weaker.
Their chakra was nearly exhausted.
BOOM!
Kakashi's four-element assault crushed their attack outright.
The resulting shockwave blasted both men off their feet.
Thud! Thud!
They crashed to the ground, bodies battered and broken.
"Cough—!"
Zabuza spat blood, unable to stand.
Raiga was worse—his chest had taken the full force of the Earth Dragon Bullet, ribs shattered.
Kakashi walked toward them calmly.
"It's over."
"Damn it…" Raiga snarled, reaching for Kiba.
"Even if I die, I—"
He never finished.
Kakashi vanished.
"What?!"
In the next instant, Kakashi appeared behind him.
"Too slow."
Blinding lightning condensed in his hand.
"Lightning Release: Chidori!"
ZZZZT—!
The scream of lightning tore through the air.
The blue-white light was even brighter than the lightning on Kiba itself.
"N-no… impossible…"
Raiga stared in disbelief.
"Your Lightning Release… how can it be stronger than mine…?"
He looked down.
A bloody hole pierced straight through his chest.
The penetration power of Chidori far exceeded anything he had imagined.
"Because," Kakashi said calmly,
"my chakra control is far superior to yours."
Lightning Release wasn't just about chakra quantity—
It was about precision.
Thud.
Raiga collapsed.
The light faded from his eyes.
"Kurotsuchi Raiga… is dead…"
Kiba slipped from his grasp and clattered onto the ground.
Kakashi picked up the twin blades, feeling the residual lightning still coursing through them.
"Not a bad weapon."
He put them away and turned to Zabuza.
Zabuza struggled to his feet, gripping the Executioner's Blade.
"Come on, Kakashi," he sneered weakly.
"I've long been prepared for death."
Kakashi looked at him calmly.
"I told you—if we met again in seven days, I would kill you."
"I know," Zabuza replied.
"The world of shinobi is built on slaughter."
Kakashi raised his hand.
Lightning gathered once more.
"Then—"
"Are you ready?"