Shadow One didn't expect Kakashi to still have strength to attack while dodging.
Rather than saying Kakashi reacted quickly, it was more accurate to say Kakashi was waiting for him, waiting for him to expose a flaw so Kakashi could counter-expose his flaw.
The split-second flaws that happen when two kill each other are always mutual.
So he wasn't mentally prepared for the slash Kakashi brought down.
Even if he had been prepared, the speed of that slash, augmented by Lightning Release, was simply too fast.
What's more, as if guided by fate, that slash seemed to carry some powerful spiritual will, locking onto him tightly.
He felt his whole body unable to move at that moment.
He could only watch with wide eyes as the blade drew nearer and nearer.
With no other option, he grit his teeth and forcibly triggered his space-time ninjutsu before it had fully cooled.
Instantly, his entire form scattered and dissolved into shadows, vanishing without a trace.
Kakashi's slash cut through the air.
Seeing the figure disappear like that, Kakashi was not surprised, he'd seen this kind of thing too many times.
If it had been Minato-sensei or Uchiha Obito, this slash would have been just as likely to miss.
So Kakashi remained calm, planted where he stood, fully braced and ready for Shadow One to appear beside him and strike at any moment.
However, this time Kakashi was wrong.
Shadow One did not appear beside him; he teleported to a position far away.
And Shadow One's body looked terrible.
Everywhere were dense wounds; above his left wrist, the whole palm area had vanished.
A geyser of blood sprayed from Shadow One's wrist. He hurriedly pulled out another hand, took a pill from his pouch and swallowed it, which finally staunched the bleeding.
Kakashi watched the scene and felt a ridiculous sort of sensation rise in his chest.
He rolled his dead fish eyes upward and didn't attack immediately; instead he taunted.
"I thought every space-time user was formidable. Didn't expect your trick to be so useless."
"Not only do you need to be in the dark shadows to use it, but after using it once you enter a downtime window."
"The downside of forcing it is that during the teleport the body suffers severe spatial tearing. In some cases parts of the body can vanish. Am I right?"
Shadow One's face turned very ugly.
From the earlier exchange it was clear Kakashi was a very troublesome foe.
Not only were his speed and reactions rapid, but he also had a Lightning-style technique that elevated both form-change and nature-change to a very high level.
If that were all, Shadow One wouldn't have lost out to Kakashi.
If the two had fought straight-up, he wouldn't have been at a disadvantage.
But he had used space-time ninjutsu.
Kakashi knew space-time ninjutsu too well. He'd studied counters to such moves as if rehearsing them countless times.
Between shinobi of similar strength, fights are often information wars; the side behind on intel can be wiped out by the side ahead of it.
That was his situation now: one mistake, and everything collapses.
Thinking this, Shadow One gave a bitter laugh, "After only one clash, you've analyzed my shadow teleportation secret technique twenty ways to counter."
"Everyone who's seen this move says it's strange and unpredictable. You're the only one who thinks it's useless."
"All I can say… you really are Minato-sensei's disciple. Could the legendary Flying Thunder God Technique really have no similar limits at all?"
Kakashi's brow twitched slightly.
There was a rule in the ninja world: the stronger the jutsu, the harsher its activation conditions.
Yet the Flying Thunder God Technique, aside from being harder to learn, truly seemed to carry no side effects.
Previously Kakashi hadn't found that odd, compared to Obito's entire suite of shadow abilities, even the Flying Thunder God felt ordinary.
But it depends on who you compare it to.
Next to Shadow One's technique, the Flying Thunder God… seemed downright monstrous.
Kakashi shot Shadow One a somewhat sympathetic look, "If you're not careful, flying too fast can make you unable to react in time and wind up dead. Fly Thunder God might truly have no limits, at least I haven't seen any on Minato-sensei."
Shadow One looked as if he'd taken a huge blow and for a moment his spirit sagged.
He murmured, "I understand. I already possibly overestimated the Yellow Flash's power, but… he's definitely stronger than I imagined."
"After all, if my jutsu had no side effects, I could easily stand toe-to-toe with the Mizukage and even defeat him."
"If that's the case, the legendary Black Fang who supposedly also learned the Flying Thunder God and could briefly contend with Uchiha Madara, maybe there was more to it than just throwing shuriken."
Kakashi again rolled his dead fish eyes. The result of the fight between Obito and Madara remained unclear.
But Obito was one of those who later started a war against the world and still walked away victorious, said to be on par with the Six Paths, and Madara might not be his match.
Still, that was not something to tell the other side, Kakashi didn't want to crush Shadow One's spirit further.
He just stuck his hands in his pockets and made a small sound. Then, "So, are you going to surrender?"
Shadow One's eyes showed no change.
"You want to kill me, then kill. Ninjas die sooner or later, don't they?"
Kakashi felt the stubbornness in Shadow One's heart and sighed.
Ninjas born and raised in the Hidden Mist seemed to be a bit tougher than Konoha ninjas.
For example, if Akado had been in this situation, she could never have been this calm.
Of course, people can change.
Kakashi raised his hand; the Chidori began to cry again.
He planned to finish Shadow One with this move.
He said, "If you die under my strike, it won't be a dishonor to you. Before you die, give me your name, you'll be the first major enemy I've ever slain one-on-one."
Shadow One looked at the lightning in Kakashi's hand and felt there was nothing about his identity worth hiding. He said quietly, "Captain of the Hidden Mist ANBU, and… Commander of the Shadow Guard, Shadow One."
"Kakashi, I once met White Fang. Right now you're not as good as him, but the gap isn't large."
"As expected, like father like son. Dying by your hand wouldn't be a humiliation."
Kakashi was taken aback; he hadn't expected Shadow One to be the Hidden Mist ANBU commander.
This mission of his was not in vain.
He also gave his name, unusually boastful this time.
"I am… the ANBU Captain from Konoha, Hatake Kakashi."
"Fare well."
After saying that, Kakashi charged at Shadow One.