Both Konoha shinobi charged.
They kicked off the ground in near-perfect sync, no wasted motion, no sign of recklessness. Their formation wasn't random, it was tactical.
The one wearing the wolf mask came at Kaoru head-on. Chakra flared around his limbs - not wildly, but focused. Controlled.
'He's concentrating chakra into his arms and legs… is he from the Hyuga? Or some new variation of close-quarters style?' Thanks to his training with Leviathans and his improved chakra control, Kaoru could now distinguish water-bound chakra particles more clearly than before. He couldn't compare to a Byakugan or Sharingan user, but it still gave him an edge.
'A direct fight isn't smart. I don't know what these two can do yet.' If his goal had been to kill them, it would've been simpler. And after taking out the first two with ease, the thought had actually crossed his mind. Eliminate all four, erase the threat. But he'd dismissed it just as quickly.
Those two he defeated were the weakest - one a combat medic, the other using taijutsu and water release, which Kaoru countered hard.
These last two, though... they were different. Stronger. He could feel it. His clones had barely lasted seconds against them, and the white haired ANBU didn't even need ninjutsu to win. That was enough of a warning.
So, despite both being very strong, Kaoru was more wary of the white-haired ANBU.
He shifted his stance and formed a shadow clone, keeping his eyes locked on the white-haired man. As he retreated several steps, he was careful not to let him slip out of his Suijingan's field of view.
'They're trying to flank me… I can't let that happen.' The danger wasn't just physical. This was the first time Kaoru had truly tested his abilities against opponents of this level. And with it came a dangerous thrill. The risk of losing focus, of getting pulled into the joy of combat, was real.
The clone intercepted the wolf-masked shinobi, parrying a flurry of shuriken with a kunai before countering with the same blade. That was its role, to bait out a technique. The moment the enemy molded chakra, Kaoru's eyes would catch the flow. He could analyze it, calculate the amount and gauge their reserves.
'I'm almost certain they are suppressing their chakra just like me,' Kaoru thought. His gaze flicked briefly to the white-haired ANBU. There was something about him. Not just his skill or timing, it was the resemblance.
'He looks too much like… him. I need to be careful.'
Kaoru's thoughts hadn't even finished forming when the white-haired ANBU vanished from sight.
'Behind!'
Kaoru turned just in time to see a leg arcing toward his left flank. But his Suijingan flared, glowing as his chakra surged.
A dark blue water tentacle erupted from the ground, intercepting the kick mid-motion. It coiled around the man's leg like a serpent and locked down.
The ANBU didn't panic. He didn't yell or try to wrench himself free. Instead, he pulled a kunai from his pouch and hurled it at Kaoru, not the tentacle.
Kaoru sidestepped easily. The kunai missed.
A second later, the tentacle whipped downward, slamming the masked shinobi face-first into the ground with a solid thud.
Kaoru blinked.
'That's it? He was this weak?'
But even as the thought formed, smoke exploded around the man's body.
'Fuck…'
Kaoru looked down as he felt a shift beneath his feet. The subtle displacement of soil. He moved instinctively, muscles tensing to kick off the ground, but it was already too late. A hand burst from the earth and latched onto his leg.
'Hiding Like a Mole Technique?' Kaoru realized, recognizing the chakra signature and sudden emergence of his opponent. The white-haired ANBU erupted from the ground, his fist already in motion, aiming directly for Kaoru's jaw.
But Kaoru didn't flinch.
The punch connected, landing square against the edge of his chin.
Only - there was no crack. No recoil. No pain.
Instead, the white-haired shinobi's fist struck a dense, hard surface. A layer of dark blue water coated Kaoru's face, absorbing the impact and holding firm. Then, from that one spot on the face it spread instantly, encasing his entire body like a second skin.
A faintest smirk appeared on Kaoru's face, satisfied by his reaction speed. But the smirk didn't last long as his brows drew closer and the glow of his eyes intensified.
"Lingering Death,"
Dozens of dark blue needles began to materialize mid-air, hovering just a few steps away from Konoha nin. At the same time, a water tentacle shot up, coiling tightly around the ANBU's waist to pin him in place.
But before the full attack could manifest, the man moved.
His hands blurred into a quick set of seals, and suddenly, his right palm flared, radiating a sharp glow of silver and cyan.
Lightning cracked to life.
'Raikiri…'
Kaoru's eyes widened.
'It's really him… Kakashi Hatake.'
The lightning surged around Kakashi's hand, crawling over his forearm, arcing across the surface of the tentacle restraining him. The sound was deafening at this range - a chaotic, shrill buzz that made the air feel thinner. Sparks leapt from one surface to another, hungrily searching for a conduit.
Kakashi didn't hesitate.
His arm thrust forward, aiming to drive the Raikiri into Kaoru's chest before the needles closed in.
But the second he released Kaoru's leg, the boy was no longer restrained and could escape anytime he wished.
Kaoru kicked back, leaping away just as the lightning covered hand passed him, close enough to sting but missing its mark. He was already mid air, planning his next attack.
The moment the gap widened, the water needles launched.
But Kakashi wasn't just strong, he was fast too. Reacting in an instant, he redirected his hand and sliced through the water tentacle still holding him down. And as the dark blue tentacle dissolved, he bolted from the spot just before the needles struck, leaving a crater in his place as they tore into the earth.
Kakashi's eyes widened in shock as he saw the result of Kaoru's attack, likely realizing that despite their size and thickness, the blue needles were very heavy and they not only pierced the target but also destroyed the area of impact.
Kaoru's eyes were still fixed on Kakashi, who was already performing hand signs, analyzing and planning his next moves. But then he flinched as his focus faltered when a wave of foreign memories crashed into him - his shadow clone had just been destroyed.
And it wasn't just that.
His vision snapped to the side where the wolf-masked shinobi was already charging. His movements were fast, too fast. He must have thought that since Kaoru was mid-air, he'd not have been able to dodge or block his attack.
But Kaoru didn't even flinch.
The wolf-masked ANBU quickly created a shadow clone mid-stride before leaping forward. The clone didn't follow. It circled from the opposite side, an obvious pincer movement meant to flank Kaoru.
But Kaoru was not bothered.
A blur of motion intercepted the wolf masked nin mid-air.
Misa.
She appeared beside him, her right arm striking like a spear. The ANBU twisted just in time, blocking the kunai with both of his arms. But that was only one hand.
Misa was a dual-style fighter, and he'd not noticed that.
Her left arm swept upward, kunai flashing, aimed directly at the center of his mask. The ANBU reacted fast, angling his own blade to intercept. He deflected her arm just in time, but not without cost.
The kunai's edge still bit deep, not into flesh, but into the white porcelain of his mask. It cracked and split cleanly down the middle.
Both landed a few feet apart after Misa landed a kick on his abdomen.
The broken halves of the mask hit the ground between them with a soft clack, revealing the face beneath. A cut ran across the shinobi's forehead, bleeding lightly. Nothing fatal.
"I was wondering when you'd make your move," the ANBU muttered, sneering. His face was calm, but his eyes sharpened as they locked onto hers.
Misa stared back, unreadable.
She'd only recently been promoted to jonin. Unlike prodigies like Maki, Mei, or Shin, who were already considered elite at her age, Misa had trailed behind. Not because of lack of talent, but because her path had been different.
It had taken her years to move past the trauma of her childhood. And when she finally did, she poured herself into mastering stealth, speed and disciplines that would help her achieve her goal - revenge. She was forging herself to be effective assassin, not a proper shinobi.
Her expression didn't change as her hands moved. It took her less than a blink to perform 3 hand signs.
"Water Release: Hiding in Mist Technique."
A low mist began to coil around the battlefield, thickening as her chakra flared.
The ANBU scoffed. "You think fog will help you? Use all the chakra you want. I'll still find you."
With his mask gone, he'd suddenly become more talkative, or perhaps he was trying to rattle her. He probably thought that someone of her age would be easy to anger.
The ANBU rushed forward. His path was direct, confident, kunai in hand.
But Misa was already gone.
His blade sliced through nothing but a fading afterimage. Still, he didn't panic. Instead, he closed his eyes, expanding his sensory field.
He wasn't as good as a sensor shinobi, but he was not bad either. He was confident. Cocky, even. That he could feel through the meast that alrge.
"There you are," he muttered, vanishing in a flash step. His kunai slashed through the mist, aimed at her side.
But the figure he struck dissolved instantly into vapor.
His eyes widened.
'That wasn't her?!'
Traces of tension crept into his face as he gritted his teeth, spinning on the spot.
"You don't seem confident anymore," came Misa's voice, soft, feminine, almost playful. But it didn't come from one place.
It came from everywhere, as if the mist itself spoke.
"Where are you? Show yourself!" the ANBU snapped, weaving hand signs. In a burst of chakra, he created four shadow clones that instantly spread out, forming a tight perimeter around him.
"You can't get close now," he muttered, somewhat regaining confidence. "Even if I can't find you, you won't be able to reach me either. That technique burns through chakra. You can't keep it up forever. And the moment I see you…"
His sentence broke off.
A puff of smoke drifted into the mist as one of his clones vanished.
His mouth tightened. He formed another immediately, but his gaze dropped for just a heartbeat.
The implication was clear - She could approach and leave anytime she wished.
And his clones hadn't even seen her move.
"There is one way for you to survive," her voice returned, this time laced with amusement. "For my lord to order me not to kill you."
Not far from the dense mist where Misa and the ANBU clashed, Kaoru stood over the fading remnants of a destroyed shadow clone. His attention shifted immediately, now locked fully on the white-haired man standing before him.
'There is no doubt. It's him… Kakashi.' Kaoru thought as his glowing cyan eyes noticed the spinning three tomoes under ANBU mask.
'So that part hasn't changed. He really did inherit Obito's Sharingan in this timeline too.'
A strange mix of emotion stirred in his chest.
He wasn't nervous. Not even cautious. If anything… he felt a thrill rising.
'I'm about to fight another major character from the original story.'
The realization didn't slow him down. If anything, it sharpened his focus.
Kaoru remembered enough to know Kakashi's general style - copy-nin, highly adaptable, with a wide array of jutsu. Fast, precise, deadly. But now, with the battlefield laid out clearly and his own growth granting him confidence, Kaoru didn't feel like the underdog.
He respected Kakashi. But feared him?
Not anymore.
Still… there was one lingering concern.
'Can he use Mangekyo? If Kamui lands, that's it. I'm gone.'
Kaoru's excitement cooled slightly, grounded by that thought. His heart was steady, his stance relaxed, but his mind raced through counters and contingencies.
This wasn't just a fight.
It was his first big test.
**
A/N -
I've been struggling to find inspiration lately. Probably because I've been writing non-stop for over half a year now.
It started to affect the quality of my writing. And the moment I saw that dip, it hit me hard. I hate putting out chapters I wouldn't enjoy reading myself. That's always been my baseline.
But here's the good news, I'm officially out of that slump.
This current arc has brought the passion back, and honestly… I forgot how important that feeling is to my process xD
I've even started doing research again, which leads me to today's question:
What's the actual difference between Chidori and Raikiri?
Some say Chidori is the general technique, while Raikiri is Kakashi's unique version named after the time he cut lightning. That they're technically the same move.
Others argue that Raikiri is faster, deadlier, and a full-blown evolution of Chidori.
So, what do you think?
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