Terumi Mei released the Water Formation Wall, but against opponents of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's level, it could no longer pose any real threat.
Among the seven, four of them raised their blades and hacked down hard.
They were: Kisame Hoshigaki with Samehada, Juzo Biwa with the Executioner's Blade, Jinpachi Munashi with Shibuki, and Kuriarare Kushimaru with Nuibari.
Water shouldn't be something you can cut through with a sword.
Yet that thick column of water shattered instantly before those four famed blades.
The seven broke through the defense and continued to charge toward the two.
However, even that brief moment of sword-swinging was enough for Kakashi to complete his activation.
Carrying Terumi Mei on his back, Kakashi shot out like an arrow leaving the string.
In no time, he'd already widened the distance between them and the seven.
The man wielding the Thunder Blade, Kiba, Kurosuki Raiga, looked surprised, "At such a young age, to be able to use Lightning Release to this extent… as expected of Konoha's genius."
"Konoha really is a place that breeds monsters one after another. And here we are, Kirigakure, claiming we're the ones practicing the elite policy."
"Heh! You don't really think you can get away that easily, do you?", Lightning flickered around Kurosuki Raiga's body as well.
As another lightning-style shinobi, he had mastered a technique similar to the Lightning Chakra Mode of the Hidden Cloud Village, using electricity to stimulate his cells, gaining incredible speed.
The next moment, his speed skyrocketed as he pursued Kakashi and Terumi Mei.
The rest of the swordsmen also used their own techniques, following close behind.
Although none of them were as fast as Raiga or Kakashi, the gap wasn't too wide.
Up ahead, the fleeing Kakashi's heart sank slightly.
Under the boost of the Fourth Gate, his speed surpassed anyone else's, but that was only temporary.
His stamina wouldn't last long.
And carrying someone on his back only worsened his chakra consumption.
Sure enough, before long, Kakashi's speed began to drop, and he could no longer pull away from the pursuers.
Seeing this, Terumi Mei, still clinging to his back, became anxious, "Kakashi, forget it. They're clearly determined to chase us down to the end. Put me down and run on your own!"
Kakashi showed no sign of letting her go. He just kept running and said, "Terumi Mei, do you believe there exists another ninja world somewhere out there?"
Terumi Mei looked utterly confused, 'At a time like this, how can Kakashi ask something so strange?'
She shook her head, "I don't believe it."
Kakashi went on, as if talking to himself, "Someone once told me that in another ninja world, there's another me, and that me once abandoned a comrade, letting her fall into enemy hands."
"That kind of thing, in this world, I will never allow it to happen again!"
Terumi Mei couldn't help but click her tongue, "Kakashi, just to avoid leaving me behind, you've made up such a ridiculous story about another world and another version of yourself? Do you really care that much about me?"
"And that 'her' you mentioned, don't tell me it's Nohara Rin?"
Kakashi snorted, "So what if it is? Get rid of those unnecessary thoughts. Rin and I are merely comrades who share life and death."
Terumi Mei suddenly lowered her voice softly against Kakashi's back, "Kakashi, maybe you don't realize it, but you bring her up far too often in front of me."
"Maybe… you do like her a bit. It's just that… you don't really understand those feelings yet."
"And maybe, in front of her, you feel a little inferior. I don't know where that inferiority comes from, but I just hope you can move past it, and think of me a little more instead. After all, by your own words, I'm also your comrade now."
Kakashi's whole body trembled slightly, and he said quietly,
"I misspoke. You're not my comrade yet."
At that moment, as his chakra continued to drop, Kakashi's speed fell again.
The distance between them and Kurosuki Raiga was shrinking rapidly.
Sweat began to form on Kakashi's forehead. And worse still, opening the Fourth Gate of the Eight Gates had already placed a severe strain on his body.
The pain spreading through him was growing stronger and stronger.
Terumi Mei could clearly feel the changes in Kakashi's body. She suddenly said, "Since we're not comrades yet, then put me down. Don't you still have an unfinished mission? Don't you want to take the intel you worked so hard to gather back to Konoha?"
But Kakashi didn't even bother arguing with her anymore. His breathing grew heavier, "Can you… stop talking for a bit?"
Terumi Mei refused to relent, "Kakashi, do you still remember the two promises you made me?"
Kakashi said, "We'll talk about that later. If we can get out of this alive, I'll do whatever you want."
Terumi Mei said, "No. I'm using one of them right now. Kakashi, you have to put me down immediately, or you'll break your promise, and I'll look down on you!"
Kakashi took a deep breath, "No. Then just think of me as a promise-breaking bastard!"
Terumi Mei couldn't help but raise her fist and lightly hit his chest, "You really are a bastard! Put me down!"
But Kakashi let her struggle without responding, focusing only on running forward.
His speed, however, kept slowing down.
Inside, Terumi Mei grew more and more anxious. Tears welled up, spilling from her eyes in large drops, falling onto Kakashi's back.
"Kakashi, why are you so stupid… Don't you realize that if they catch up, neither of us will survive? And with all the chakra you've burned while fleeing, you might not even have the strength left to fight back!"
Kakashi was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "You think I've been thinking about Rin… but actually, just now, I've been thinking about you."
"I don't even know why. But… if some things really can't be avoided, then fine, let's die together."
Terumi Mei fell silent. She turned her head slightly, looking at the rapidly approaching figure of Kurosuki Raiga behind them.
Then she suddenly said, "Then let's stop. Carrying me, you won't get far anyway. If that's the case, we might as well save our last bit of strength and fight them head-on."
This time, Kakashi listened. He stopped, gently set Terumi Mei down.
In the next instant, Raiga's figure appeared before the two of them.
Moments later, the other six figures also arrived one after another.
Some stood on the trees, some leaned against trunks, each posing differently, all with mocking eyes fixed on Kakashi and Terumi Mei.
Raiga sneered, "Weren't you fast just a moment ago? What, stopped running already?"
Kakashi didn't answer. He only looked at the scene before him and murmured, "Do you know… what you all look like to me right now?"