"Alright, from here on out… it's our battle."
Kiyosuke exhaled a hot breath, gripping the Kusanagi Sword tightly.
"Sealing Squad! Until we've finished fighting, don't come near this area—no matter what happens!"
The Sealing Squad played a crucial role in this war. Their task was to seal every single reanimated shinobi. Without them, this battle would never end. Compared to the White Zetsu, the Edo Tensei shinobi were far more troublesome.
"Yes, sir!"
The Sealing Squad understood the situation and quickly retreated to a safe distance.
"Smart decision."
Sakumo Hatake nodded approvingly, raising the long blade in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, droplets of water scattered through the air as he charged toward Kiyosuke with nimble precision.
His speed was astonishing. But even more terrifying was his refined and unpredictable swordsmanship. Kiyosuke had to focus completely, every nerve alert—one careless move, and Sakumo's blade would cut him down in an instant.
Kakashi's old man really wasn't someone to underestimate.
Guy's shout came from behind as his attack slammed forward.
Sakumo didn't dodge. Instead, he swung his blade toward Guy, taking full advantage of his reanimated body's immunity to pain—meeting Guy head-on.
"Guy!"
Kakashi darted forward, knocking his father aside before crouching low to avoid Guy's strike.
Sakumo twisted midair, landing on a tree branch that he used as a springboard. His body shot forward like lightning, plunging into the ranks of the Allied Shinobi Forces. In the blink of an eye, several ninja fell like wheat before a scythe.
Unable to stand by any longer, Kiyosuke dashed into the fray.
Clang!
Their blades collided in a shower of sparks.
Kiyosuke said, "With your strength, it's really a shame you chose to take your own life. Not long after your death, the Third Great Ninja War broke out. If you'd been alive back then, that war might've ended much sooner."
"...I'm sorry. My actions caused Konoha so much trouble," Sakumo said, guilt heavy in his voice.
"That's not what I meant. I just think it's a pity—you died too early. If you'd lived longer, Kakashi might've learned even more from you."
Sakumo had died too soon, leaving Kakashi with little to inherit. Even the Hatake sword style wasn't passed down completely. After Sakumo's blade shattered, Kakashi had never used a sword again—he preferred the lightning edge of Chidori or Raikiri.
If he weren't such a genius, the Hatake clan would've fallen into obscurity by now.
"You're right," Sakumo admitted with a small nod. He knew he had failed as a father—irresponsible, even if Kakashi had long since forgiven him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their blades struck again and again. Sakumo could feel the growing weight behind Kiyosuke's blows. The young man showed no signs of exhaustion—if anything, his strength was still climbing.
"Konoha will be just fine," Sakumo said, smiling faintly between strikes. "With a ninja like you protecting it, there's nothing to fear."
Judging from Kiyosuke's performance, Sakumo could tell he was still holding back. Even fighting a reanimated shinobi, he wasn't going all out.
"Don't hold back. Use your strongest technique on me! I'm just a corpse brought back by Edo Tensei!" Sakumo urged, wanting Kiyosuke to end this quickly.
Kiyosuke's lips twitched. If he used that technique, this entire forest would vanish—White Zetsu, Allied Shinobi, everyone gone in an instant. Only he and a few Edo Tensei would remain.
"No need to rush," he said with a faint smile. "No need to rush."
Suddenly, Sakumo froze. His shadow had stretched across the ground—linked with another's.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu—success!"
The Nara clan ninja exhaled in relief, his oddly shaped hair swaying.
Kakashi stepped forward.
"Sorry, Dad."
The sound of crackling electricity filled the air.
Sakumo's expression shifted. "No—Kakashi, get away!"
His body moved against his will, his blade slicing across his son's chest. Despair flashed in his eyes—until he realized the truth.
The Kakashi before him dissolved into lightning.
A lightning clone.
"Nicely done!"
"Raikiri!"
Kakashi's real form appeared behind him, driving his lightning-charged hand straight through Sakumo's chest. The reanimated body began to crumble.
Sakumo smiled faintly. "Kakashi... I'm sorry. I was such an irresponsible father."
Kakashi slowly withdrew his hand.
"No, Dad. To me... you're the greatest father there is."
The Sealing Squad's cloth wrapped around Sakumo's body, sealing him away.
"Having a son like you... I couldn't ask for more," Sakumo murmured with a final smile.
"And having a father like you... is something I'll always be proud of."
Kakashi lowered his head, swallowing the ache in his chest as he personally sent his father off once again.
It wasn't easy. Not at all.
When the sealing was complete, Kiyosuke patted Kakashi's shoulder.
"We need to plan ahead," he said quietly. "If the bodies of Konoha's strong are being dug up, that's bad news. I'll have to take countermeasures."
"What are you planning to do?" Kakashi asked.
"Use Edo Tensei... to fight Edo Tensei," Kiyosuke said with a faint grin. "But now's not the time to talk about it. Tonight, we'll make our move."
"...Alright."
"Hey! A little help here!"
Guy shouted as he punched a White Zetsu into the ground, calling out to the two of them.
"Got it!"
"On our way!"
They dove back into the battlefield.
As night fell, both the White Zetsu and the reanimated shinobi retreated, leaving the Allied Shinobi Forces to clean up and rest.
Of course, "rest" wasn't as simple as it sounded.
Kiyosuke knew that White Zetsu had the ability to mimic others by absorbing their chakra—perfectly replicating both appearance and chakra signature. It was impossible to guard against completely. In war, casualties were inevitable, and there was no way to ensure no one got copied.
Still, there was no immediate solution.
He sat quietly, sensing the entire camp. Every rustle of wind or faint shift of chakra drew his attention.
The tent flap lifted.
Kakashi stepped inside, visibly worn out.
"I'm exhausted. Everyone's settling down to rest," he said, stretching his shoulders.
"Good. Then let's get started."
Two captured White Zetsu were brought in—survivors Kiyosuke had specifically ordered to keep alive.
He unrolled a sealing scroll and retrieved two test tubes.
One contained a piece of flesh, floating in a mysterious liquid.
The other held a striking lock of red hair.
Kakashi's eyes widened. "What are those…?"
"The remains of Uzumaki Mito-sama and Kushina," Kiyosuke replied calmly.
Kushina's hair was easy enough to find—plenty remained from her home.
As for Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage and Tsunade's grandmother... after her death, Danzō had secretly taken her remains to study the secrets of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. Her body had been quietly disposed of afterward.
These tissue samples were something Kiyosuke had discovered in one of Danzō's hidden laboratories.
Kakashi's expression froze in disbelief.
"What?" he breathed.
If Tsunade-sama ever found out Kiyosuke was planning to use Edo Tensei to bring her grandmother back…
She might just kill him herself.
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