Chapter 377: The Clash
Kakashi gazed intensely at the towering, steampunk like structures of Amegakure. He didn't relax, even as the barrier around the village was set, knowing that this time, their targets represented some of the most dangerous individuals in the shinobi world.
Standing atop Amegakure, Nagato, with his Rain Tiger at Will Technique, had already detected Konoha's forces from the moment they set foot in the Land of Rain. He watched as Kakashi's barrier went up, indifferent, as if everything was proceeding precisely as he expected.
"Commence the mission," Kakashi ordered, charging forward toward the village.
In battles between top shinobi, hundreds of ordinary ninja would have no effect, and Kakashi intended to minimize casualties by forming an elite assault team instead. But after just one hundred meters, Kakashi's sharp gaze picked up a subtle distortion in the air ahead a hand holding a sharp black rod lunged straight toward his chest.
Success.
With his Kamui, Obito had mastered the art of silent assassination, and he was confident his attack would connect.
But then poof!
"A shadow clone?! When did he switch?" Obito muttered, briefly stunned as his target dissipated into a puff of smoke then felt a sudden, sharp pain in his side.
As one of the rarest and most powerful techniques in the shinobi world, Obito's space time jutsu made him feel nearly invincible in battle. However, Kakashi had somehow infiltrated his Kamui dimension and dealt a heavy blow to his waist, forcing him to recoil. Alert now, Obito retreated, scanning his surroundings.
"Kakashi?"
Obito's mind raced, trying to comprehend how Kakashi had entered his exclusive space. Since awakening his Mangekyō Sharingan, Obito had always believed himself untouchable in his personal dimension. But Kakashi's presence here threw him off balance, evoking a fear he hadn't felt in years a fear both of his secret being exposed and of his old sense of inferiority to Kakashi.
He attempted to regain his composure, recalling the image of Rin, a reminder of his purpose. "Hatake Kakashi, how did you enter my dimension?"
Kakashi didn't respond, instead eyeing the blood stained short blade in his hand. Years ago, he'd abandoned his swordsmanship after breaking the famous blade his father, Sakumo, had used, and his past trauma made him stop wielding a sword. But after everything, Kakashi had reclaimed his roots, ready to fight as the shinobi he'd once been.
Glaring at Obito, who was concealed beneath the black robes of the Akatsuki, Kakashi spoke coldly. "So, your blood is still red, after all...Obito."
"?!"
The revelation struck Obito like lightning. My identity has been exposed? How could Kakashi know? Panic surged through him as he contemplated the implications did Kakashi also know what he had done that night?
For an instant, Obito was paralyzed, and that moment's hesitation decided the fight. Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique to appear directly behind Obito. Kakashi disliked relying on the divine powers Ye Wen had granted, as they felt like a shortcut, and he took pride in being one of Konoha's most skilled ninjas. With his original talents now honed to new heights, Kakashi launched his attack.
"Sealing Technique: Four Limb Weight Seal!"
Kakashi barely touched Obito, yet Obito immediately felt his limbs grow unbearably heavy, buckling to his knees and collapsing to the ground.
Though the Four Limb Weight Seal was a highly advanced sealing technique, Kakashi's past training with the sealing arts had left him with a natural talent for it. He wasn't about to take any chances against Obito's bizarre abilities, so he swiftly layered additional seals.
"Sealing Technique: Four Symbols Seal! Sealing Technique: Five Elements Seal!"
Obito gritted his teeth in rage, fighting desperately against the mounting pressure. However, despite the agony, he was able to draw upon the yin chakra generated in his mind to activate the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Kam !"
A fresh wave of pain tore through him, halting his jutsu. Attempting to escape using his Kamui to return to the outside world, Obito froze mid technique.
"I see. So the Mangekyō Sharingan doesn't rely on chakra from the torso another hidden detail my god hadn't uncovered," Kakashi mused, coldly analytical as he pried the Mangekyō Sharingan from Obito's eye socket. For the first time, Kakashi took in the ruined half of Obito's face, disfigured by rocks. My god didn't lie. You're alive, Obito.
"AAAARGH! Kakashi, you bastard!"
Even hardened as he was, Obito couldn't help but scream in agony as Kakashi extracted his eye. But despite his former friendship, Kakashi showed no mercy; the man before him had orchestrated his teacher's death, orphaned Naruto, and caused countless deaths on the Nine Tails rampage.
Still, Kakashi's expression abruptly changed as he realized Obito was vanishing, his body becoming increasingly insubstantial. Even the Mangekyō Sharingan he'd taken disappeared from his grasp.
"It's...Izanagi." Kakashi quickly assessed the situation and darted away from his previous position.
But no counterattack came.
"So he escaped," Kakashi muttered, unfazed. Izanagi was a technique of legend, allowing the user to nullify even death itself, though at the cost of one Sharingan eye.
Obito, barely managing to reappear in the shinobi world, was in rough shape. His left eye had faded to a dull gray, a sign of its sacrifice for Izanagi. Worse, upon reappearing, he found himself ambushed by Konoha's elite shinobi, who'd been following closely behind Kakashi's trail.
(End of Chapter)
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