Killing the Demon Leech
Kakashi Hatake channeled lightning chakra into his hand, forming the newly developed technique — Chidori — and charged straight toward Muzhi's hiding place.
Earlier, Minato Namikaze had halted him. As an elite jonin and genius himself, Minato had already noticed the fundamental flaw in Kakashi's jutsu: the user's movement speed far exceeded their visual processing capabilities, creating a significant opening in actual combat.
Standing beside him, Minato turned to Chi Yu and asked in concern, "Chidori's concentrated thrust certainly increases destructive power and piercing ability… but Kakashi's speed is too great. His eyes can't keep up, and he can't track the enemy's counterattacks. Chi Yu, you've noticed this too, haven't you?"
Chi Yu watched Kakashi dash forward but responded with a slight smirk, sidestepping the question. "Then tell me — compared to Thunderclap and Flash, which one's faster: that or Chidori?"
Minato answered without hesitation, "Naturally, Thunderclap and Flash is faster."
Chi Yu's eyes narrowed with amusement. "Then why assume Kakashi can't handle Chidori's speed when he's trained himself to react to something faster? He's my student, Minato. His dynamic vision is already approaching the level of a basic Sharingan."
He paused, voice hardening. "This world is never fair. Geniuses get stronger, while the mediocre struggle. It's rare for the weak to rise, but common for the gifted to dominate. Don't lump Kakashi in with the average."
Minato was briefly silenced, his gaze returning to Kakashi as the young ninja closed in on his target.
Hidden in the underbrush, Muzhi, a rogue shinobi of no small skill, watched in disbelief. "He's actually charging straight in…"
Both he and his Shadow Clone hurled volleys of shuriken at Kakashi.
From a distance, Chi Yu flung his own shuriken in a precise counterattack, knocking every single one of Muzhi's projectiles out of the air, creating a clear path for Kakashi.
Kakashi had already memorized the layout and positioning of Muzhi and his clones using Minato's marked kunai.
"First one!"
With a surge of chakra, Kakashi drove Chidori into the nearest target's abdomen — but the figure vanished in a puff of smoke.
"A Shadow Clone… Then, the next!"
He pressed forward without slowing down.
Meanwhile, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and Takei Katsuhiko were also engaging enemy clones scattered through the woods.
Suddenly, a Muzhi clone burst from the earth near Obito and thrust a kunai toward him.
Minato appeared in a flash, kunai already in hand, and neutralized the threat — but this one, too, was a clone.
"Stay sharp!" Kakashi called. "They're still out there!"
By this point, Kakashi had already taken down eighteen clones.
"Now for the nineteenth!"
Muzhi roared, rushing forward with a drawn blade aimed at Kakashi's torso.
Minato tensed, preparing to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to save him, but Chi Yu gripped his shoulder and stopped him.
"Injuries are part of growth," Chi Yu said bluntly. "You're not his mother, Minato. If you rush in every time, how the hell will he ever learn? If that Flying Thunder God kunai you gave him is just for babysitting, then take it back and get out of the way."
Kakashi's Chidori dissipated. He reached for the short blade strapped to his back.
He exhaled.
"Iaigiri — Lightning Draw Slash."
The blade flashed five times in rapid succession. Muzhi's clone was sliced to pieces — another Shadow Clone. Nineteen.
Counting the clone that attacked Obito, that made twenty.
Only one remained: the real Muzhi.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes and shifted his posture slightly leftward.
"Chidori Senkō!"
He vanished in a blur of motion. Lightning tore across the battlefield as he slashed upward with his short blade, severing the tree where the final Muzhi had been hiding.
The blade just grazed him.
Muzhi fell to the ground, breath ragged, cold sweat pouring down his face.
He recognized the technique.
The Shura with the Blood Eyes — the elite with blinding movement and ruthless precision. He was rumored to use the Body Flicker Technique in combination with lightning chakra.
And the blond man accompanying them — Minato Namikaze — had to be the Yellow Flash of the Leaf.
Either one of them was a battlefield nightmare.
But both?
How the hell had he ended up in this situation?
Retreat. That was the only option.
But Kakashi didn't let up. He formed the familiar hand seals.
"Chidori!"
Electricity crackled. Muzhi turned and fled in desperation, but his eyes were locked on Chi Yu and Minato, failing to register Kakashi's movement until it was too late.
The jutsu pierced his chest cleanly.
Muzhi collapsed, blood pooling beneath him.
The fight was over.
Kakashi exhaled and slowly released the remaining chakra.
Chi Yu walked up beside him. "So? What did you learn?"
Kakashi wiped his forehead. "Chidori's not as rigid as Thunderclap and Flash in terms of movement — it has some flexibility. But I still can't make sharp turns. And I can't match the speed of my other techniques. It's powerful, but rough… still incomplete."
Chi Yu nodded. "Exactly. Lightning Breathing — or whatever flashy name you want to use — is polished. Chidori isn't. But that's a good thing. It means you've got room to grow. And because it's your own invention, you can evolve it. Shape it into something greater."
Kakashi nodded solemnly. "Yes, sensei."
Minato, Obito, and the others regrouped at their side.
Minato looked at the exhausted young shinobi. "He's pushed himself hard enough. Let's set up camp and rest."
But Kakashi shook his head. "No need. I'm fine."
Obito frowned. "You're always so reckless!"
Kakashi glared. "Spare me. Your knees were shaking and you nearly cried. Aren't you supposed to be an elite Uchiha?"
Obito turned red. "T-that was sand! It got in my eyes!"
Kakashi quipped, "Ever heard Rule #25 of the Ninja Code? 'A shinobi must never show his tears.' You broke it."
Before Obito could retort, Rin quickly stepped in, alarmed. "Stop it, both of you!"
Minato raised his voice. "That's enough."
Silence fell, and for a moment, all that could be heard was the rustle of leaves and the low hum of retreating chakra.
The battle was over. The lesson had been learned.
But the war — that was far from finished.
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