Chapter 242: Supporting the Top Battlefield
After Mugetsu rescued the wounded Konoha Ninja, his disciples also began to move, aiding injured comrades and striking down nearby Iwagakure enemies.
Though none of them possessed Mugetsu's overwhelming power, the trio acted together, never straying too far from their teacher.
At first, the battlefield's chaos disoriented them. Even Kakashi, the most composed among the three, had never experienced a full-scale war—an ocean of thousands of Ninja locked in combat.
But they had faced death before. Their instincts soon steadied, and their strength began to show.
An Iwagakure Ninja, seeing their small stature and youthful faces, smirked. He drew a Kunai and lunged toward them.
Might Guy immediately inhaled deeply, entering Rock Breathing state.
"Eight Gates, Gate of Opening—open!"
Using both Breathing Technique and the Eight Gates simultaneously, his body surged with explosive power.
Swish!
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Guy vanished from sight, then reappeared in front of the enemy, spinning midair before landing a ferocious kick that sent the Iwagakure Ninja flying.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!"
Obito, channeling Flame Breathing to strengthen his Fire Release, hurled three blazing Kunai at the airborne enemy.
Boom!
The moment they struck, the Kunai erupted, engulfing the target in crimson flames. The combination of high heat, concussive force, and piercing impact reduced the Iwagakure Ninja to a smoldering corpse that fell lifelessly to the ground.
"We can just fight like before, right?" Obito grinned, his earlier hesitation fading with their first victory.
"You shouldn't have used Ninjutsu," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "Shuriken and Kunai would've been enough."
He had been ready to throw his own weapons, but seeing Obito use Fire Release, he stopped—there was no need to waste Chakra on an already doomed opponent.
"Why? If I can kill them in one strike, isn't that better?" Obito asked, genuinely confused.
"That works in a spar or small fight," Kakashi replied calmly. "But look around—this is a battlefield. You need to conserve Chakra."
Though he had never fought in a war, Kakashi's instincts were sharp. Efficiency was key: kill with the least effort, conserve energy for when it mattered most.
Even without Ninjutsu, both he and Obito could have fatally wounded that enemy using Ninja tools alone. On the battlefield, a serious injury often meant certain death.
"Guy, you too," Kakashi added, glancing over. "Don't burn too much stamina."
Total Concentration Breathing and the Eight Gates were powerful—but both consumed tremendous energy.
Obito looked at the endless waves of Iwagakure Ninja and reluctantly nodded. Kakashi's logic made sense. Overusing Chakra here would only hasten exhaustion—and death.
Might Guy also nodded in agreement. Unless he faced a powerful opponent, he resolved to limit his Breathing and avoid opening higher gates.
Kakashi had one more thought he didn't voice aloud: If you're strong enough, using more energy to kill a high-value target is worth it—but we're not there yet.
He drew the White Fang Short Sword from his back. Killing with steel was far more efficient than with Chakra. He had already forbidden himself from using his high-cost Ninjutsu—Purple Lightning and Fake Darkness. They were devastating, but he could only use them twice before collapsing.
Obito, too, switched to conserving Chakra. He pulled out a standard Kunai, leaving his birthday Kunai—Mugetsu's gift—safely tucked away. He didn't want it damaged in battle.
Even without relying on Ninjutsu, their Taijutsu was excellent. Together, the three fought in perfect coordination, steadily defeating every Iwagakure Chunin that crossed their path.
Still, Mugetsu's pace was unmatched. He incinerated an Iwagakure Jonin with a single Great Dragon Fire Technique, then dispatched several more enemies with nothing but a Kunai, each kill clean and precise.
"Teacher Mugetsu is amazing," Obito muttered, awe in his tone. "But why isn't he using that huge Fire Release from earlier? Is he afraid of hitting allies?"
"Teacher Mugetsu must have his reasons," Kakashi said sharply. "Focus on ourselves. We're being targeted."
His gaze flicked toward the left. Several Iwagakure Ninja were quietly circling in their direction.
Moments later, five of them broke from formation and charged. One was intercepted mid-run by a Konoha Ninja, but the remaining four pressed forward.
"They're just kids, but strong ones," the leading Iwagakure Ninja shouted. "They must be Konoha's prodigies—kill them first!"
Mugetsu, watching from afar, noticed the danger. His Byakugan flared subtly behind the black lenses. He quickly assessed the attackers—one Jonin with around five thousand Chakra and three Chunin averaging three thousand. None of them posed serious threat. Confident in his students, he returned to cutting down other enemies.
The Jonin reached Guy first, his fist glowing with earthy Chakra.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist!"
Yellow stone encased his arm, hardening it like iron.
But Guy was already moving. His feet blurred as he flashed several meters away, dodging the strike effortlessly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Obito and Kakashi seized the moment, hurling Shuriken in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang!
The Jonin swung his rock-coated arm, deflecting every projectile.
The three Chunin behind him spat out volleys of sharp stones that streaked toward the trio.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kakashi's hands moved swiftly, raising a thick wall of earth shaped like a row of snarling dog heads that absorbed the impact.
Though he had insisted on conserving Chakra, now was clearly not the time for restraint.
"What kind of coward bullies children?" shouted a nearby Konoha Ninja, rushing in to assist.
But he overestimated himself. The Iwagakure Jonin met him head-on and drove a Rock Fist into his chest, sending him flying and coughing blood.
The Chunin immediately followed up, spitting more projectiles to finish him off.
"Eight Gates, Second Gate—Gate of Healing, open!"
Seeing the injured ally, Might Guy released the second gate, his body bursting with raw energy. He sped forward, catching the wounded Konoha Ninja just in time.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Obito's hands blurred through seals. A torrent of small fireballs erupted from his mouth, each one curving precisely around Guy's moving figure before colliding with and vaporizing the flying stones.
Guy landed behind the Earth Flow Wall, gently setting down the injured Konoha Chunin.
"I'm sorry," the man said weakly. "I didn't expect them to be so strong."
"You've done your best, senior," Guy said with a thumbs-up and a bright grin. "Leave the rest to us!"
"Doesn't matter if it's a rock fist or an iron fist," Obito added confidently, flames still flickering around him. "I'll melt it down all the same."
Kakashi glanced at his teammates. A brief nod was all it took.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Obito leapt into the open, exhaling a massive sphere of flame that roared toward the enemy.
"Rock Breathing—Total Concentration!"
Immediately after, Might Guy concentrated his breathing to the extreme, pushing his body to its physical limit. Using Obito's Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique as cover, he charged forward with blinding speed.
At the same time, Kakashi created a Shadow Clone that burst from behind the Earth Flow Wall to draw attention, while his true body used Earth Release to silently approach the Iwagakure Jonin from underground.
While Obito and the others were busy rescuing wounded allies, three Iwagakure Chunin joined the Jonin, combining their Earth Release to block the incoming Great Fireball. However, this left them completely exposed to Might Guy's surprise attack.
"Extreme Leaf Hurricane!"
Might Guy appeared beside them, channeling every ounce of power into his legs before unleashing a devastating kick.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three Iwagakure Ninja were sent flying, coughing blood as they crashed into the dirt. Only the Jonin managed to block the strike—but even his Rock Fist cracked slightly under the impact.
"How is that possible?! Such speed!"
"What insane strength! Is he actually a short, middle-aged man disguised as a child?"
The heavily injured Chunin stared in disbelief. Might Guy couldn't be more than ten years old, yet his body was built like tempered steel. Even if he had been training since before birth, it shouldn't have been possible to reach such a level.
"Pure Taijutsu with this kind of power… he must be killed!" the Iwagakure Jonin thought grimly.
He understood that if this boy survived the war, he would one day become a Taijutsu master feared throughout the Ninja World. Determined to crush that future now, the Jonin gathered his full strength and launched a fierce assault toward Guy.
But Obito and Kakashi were not about to stand idly by.
"Flame Breathing—Total Concentration Breathing!"
Obito's breathing intensified, his Chakra surging violently as he reached his peak power. He hurled two flaming Shuriken, each one trailing a burning tail. If the Jonin wanted to reach Guy, he would have to take both hits head-on.
Obito hesitated to throw more, worried they might harm Guy—but to his surprise, the Jonin didn't even try to dodge.
"As long as I kill this boy, any injury is worth it," the Jonin thought coldly.
Guy had just unleashed a powerful attack and couldn't move away in time. With no other option, he gathered his Chakra, clenched his uninjured fist, and met the incoming Rock Fist head-on.
Boom!
The ground trembled violently, the shockwave kicking up a cloud of yellow-gray dust.
Blood dripped from Guy's right fist, but the Jonin's massive Rock Fist was now covered in spiderweb cracks.
At that same moment, Obito's flaming Shuriken struck the Jonin squarely in the abdomen.
Although he had mastered the Hardening Technique, his defense wasn't as refined as Kari's. The blazing Shuriken pierced through his armor of stone and seared his flesh. Blood spattered across Guy's face as the Jonin screamed in pain.
The heat of the flames burned his body, but he refused to fall. Gritting his teeth, he funneled every ounce of Chakra he had left to repair the Rock Fist, raising his arm for one last strike.
But Kakashi would not allow it. Emerging from underground, he lunged forward with a Kunai aimed at the Jonin's head.
Forced to divide his attention, the Jonin blocked Kakashi's strike, leaving his guard open.
Guy, refusing to retreat, switched arms and launched another fierce punch.
The Jonin managed to block, but before he could counter, a tremendous pulling force gripped his legs—Kakashi's Earth Release dragged him halfway into the ground.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!"
Obito hurled a flaming Kunai at the exposed head.
Boom!
The explosion echoed sharply, and when the smoke cleared, the Iwagakure Jonin's head was gone.
"What excellent teamwork!" gasped the wounded Konoha Ninja nearby, who had tried to help earlier but ended up nearly dying instead.
He watched in awe as the three boys flawlessly executed their coordinated assault: Guy taking the front line and breaking through defenses, Obito providing long-range Fire Release support, and Kakashi delivering the finishing strike from the shadows.
He couldn't help but feel humbled. As an adult Ninja, he had been easily overpowered, while these three children fought like seasoned veterans.
After the battle, Kakashi exhaled lightly, relief flickering across his face—until he spotted a familiar figure locked in combat nearby. It was his former teammate.
"Thunder Breathing—Total Concentration Breathing: Flash!"
In a single instant, Kakashi moved like lightning, his blade slicing through the air. Ryuken saw only a golden flash before the enemy in front of him split apart.
He opened his mouth to thank his savior but froze as Kakashi turned around.
"Kakashi?!" he blurted out, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Why wouldn't it be me?" Kakashi replied calmly, scanning the surroundings for more threats.
Ryuken hesitated, then let out a quiet breath. "...Thank you."
Kakashi gave a short nod before running to check on Guy.
"Haha! Just a scratch—it won't stop my flames of youth!" Guy declared cheerfully, already wrapping his bleeding hand.
Ryuken watched the trio interact, a faint smile forming on his face. "He's really changed… completely different from before."
He had noticed hints of that change in past encounters, but now it was undeniable.
"Be careful from here on. Focus on rescuing our comrades," Kakashi instructed.
Just as he finished speaking, the ground quaked violently, and a blinding explosion of light erupted in the distance.
"What kind of Ninjutsu is that?" Kakashi muttered, staring into the horizon. "How could something have that much destructive power?"
Taking advantage of the chaos, numerous Iwagakure Ninja rushed forward, attempting to rescue the dying Kari.
The Konoha forces countered with unrelenting Ninjutsu, cutting down many of the enemy. Amid the confusion, Kari's fate became uncertain.
Mugetsu followed the flow of battle, unleashing a moderate Fire Release before retreating to recover his Chakra.
His objective for this mission was already achieved. When he returned to Konoha, his reputation would shift—from a skilled teacher and Special Jonin to a formidable combat Jonin known for both strength and instruction.
Now, his focus turned to the top-tier battlefield. He wanted to see with his own eyes how Jiraiya fought against the Jinchuriki.
He was curious to learn just how much Chakra a Jinchuriki could unleash in battle—and to measure the true power of Jiraiya at full strength.
After resting briefly, Mugetsu drew a Kunai and cut down every Iwagakure Ninja he encountered.
An Iwagakure Jonin led eight Chunin in a desperate attempt to stop him, but all were incinerated by his Fire Release.
With Kari dead and their reinforcements slaughtered, Iwagakure's formation finally collapsed. The commander, realizing the futility of continuing, clenched his teeth and raised the signal flare.
"Retreat!"
Although the outcome of the higher-tier battle was still undecided, if they didn't withdraw soon, there would be no one left to retreat at all.
The Iwagakure Ninja began to fall back in groups, covering each other's escape.
Mugetsu nodded to himself. A retreat meant only one thing—he could now head to the main battlefield openly.
The Konoha forces pursued briefly but halted, wary of a potential counterattack.
"You three return to camp and rest," Mugetsu said to his disciples. "I'll go support Lord Jiraiya."
Leaving behind a Shadow Clone to protect them, Mugetsu joined several other Jonin and sped toward the blazing heart of the war.
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