Chapter 304: Swinging the Sword for Protection
"The strongest one on their side is that shark faced guy. He's powerful and uses Water Release, which counters your Fire Release, so I'll handle him. As for the other two, probe them first. If it looks bad, let Rin help. Don't get reckless," Kakashi said quickly, laying out a battle plan for Obito.
Even though Shiosui and the others were badly hurt, this fight mattered just as much. If they lost here, everyone would die together.
"I understand." Obito nodded, shifting his gaze to Zabuza and Kurosawa.
From their brief taijutsu exchange earlier, Obito had already judged Kurosawa's close combat as weaker than his own. Zabuza, on the other hand, was clearly a skilled swordsman.
Still, Zabuza had been stung by Kakashi's words. Instead of facing Obito, he ignored him completely and charged straight at Kakashi, blade raised.
Kakashi's expression did not change. A plan was only a rough frame. Real combat needed improvisation. In this situation, he and Obito would have to coordinate on the fly and force the battle back in their favor.
Clang!
Kakashi drew the White Fang short blade in one smooth motion and met Zabuza's strike head on.
One wore a black mask, the other had the lower half of his face wrapped in bandages. Both attacked like true shinobi, aiming for vital points with every swing. Their movements were crisp and lethal, giving the clash a brutal, almost classic ninja elegance.
For several exchanges, neither gained ground. Each time one attacked, the other deflected and countered without wasting a breath.
Just as Zabuza decided Kakashi's power was roughly on his level, Kakashi finished probing and raised his Thunder Breathing output. Speed and strength surged at once, and Zabuza was forced into heavy pressure.
Kakashi's burst opened a cut across Zabuza's arm. Blood ran down in a thin line.
But Kakashi was not satisfied.
He was fighting smoothly, while Obito was getting squeezed hard. Kisame and Kurosawa were both pressing him at once.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Obito formed seals fast, chakra roaring up his throat. He expelled a massive fireball.
With no clear intel on their opponents, Great Fireball was the best first move. Low cost, high power, and it forced reactions.
"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
Kisame leapt lightly, hands snapping through seals. A flood of chakra poured into his mouth, and an enormous wave erupted toward Obito.
The towering fireball did not stand a chance. It vanished under the surge, snuffed out instantly by brute volume.
The water crashed down so widely that even Rin and the injured team were splashed. Thankfully, it was more flood than force. Their clothes were soaked, but the technique itself carried little killing power.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
As the water spread across the ground, Kurosawa chained seals, timing his attack perfectly. Using Kisame's flood as a base, he formed an enormous Water Dragon Bullet. The dragon roared forward, thick and long, charging straight at Obito.
Obito spotted the Earth Flow Wall Kakashi had raised earlier and ducked behind it.
He could have evaporated the dragon with Fire Dragon Flame Bullet boosted by Flame Breathing, but that would drain far too much chakra. This was smarter.
Water beats fire, but earth beats water.
Rumble!
The Water Dragon slammed into the wall, cracking it with spiderweb fractures, but failing to shatter through.
Bang!
Kisame used Water Instant Body and flashed in front of the wall. With sheer strength, he smashed the already cracked barrier apart. At the same moment, Kurosawa threw ninja tools to limit Obito's movement.
Even prepared, Obito struggled under the combined assault.
"This shark faced guy is insanely strong. Maybe only Might Guy beats him in raw power," Obito realized, teeth clenched.
Flame Breathing had always boosted his strength beyond normal shinobi, so he had not fully believed the earlier warning. Now he understood. Kisame's power was not just high, it was abnormal.
Obito's Fire Release was countered by their Water Release. He could not overpower them in taijutsu either. And unlike most exam fights, both Kisame and Kurosawa were aiming to kill.
Under that pressure, Obito could not keep holding back. Chakra surged into his eyes.
Two tomoe spun into being.
His Sharingan activated.
It was the same reason he had beaten Kakashi before. Without it, he might not even be able to keep up.
The world sharpened in Obito's vision. Movements became clearer, paths became readable, and Kisame and Kurosawa seemed to slow in his perception.
The pressure eased instantly. Kisame's strikes were terrifying, but useless if they could not land.
Even so, Obito could only hold his ground. Ganged up on, with his element countered, he could defend and evade, but not break through for a clean counterattack.
"He activated the Sharingan already." Watching from the monitor, Hiruzen looked surprised. If he remembered right, Obito was only nine. Awakening the Sharingan at that age was rare talent.
It made Hiruzen feel even more confident in his own judgment. Such a gifted Uchiha being guided by Minato, a true inheritor of the Will of Fire, was exactly what the village needed.
"Mugetsu, Minato, do you think Obito and Kakashi can beat this Mist squad?" Hiruzen asked, turning toward them.
As Hokage, he had not followed every detail of their growth. He knew they were strong, but not the full extent.
"If nothing unexpected happens, there shouldn't be a problem," Mugetsu replied after a short pause.
The situation was already clear. Obito and Kakashi alone were holding the three of them. The moment Rin joined the fight, Kisame's team would lose.
"I agree with Mugetsu," Minato said with a smile. "They can do it."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully and returned his focus to the screen.
At that moment, Rin could no longer keep healing. Kisame realized Obito was stalling and switched targets, striking toward the injured shinobi near her.
Bang!
Rin met Kisame's punch with the Strength of a Hundred Sealings.
The collision detonated like thunder. The violent shockwave flung their hair back and kicked up water and dust.
Kisame staggered three steps. Surprise flashed across his face.
He did not think he was the strongest man alive, but he had never expected a frail looking girl to hit harder than him.
"Some kind of ninjutsu?" Kisame muttered, refusing to believe that strength was natural.
Sensing Obito rushing in, Kisame used Water Instant Body to retreat quickly.
"Rin, are you alright?" Obito broke free of Kurosawa's pressure and sprinted back.
"I'm fine." Rin shook her head. "I'll take some heat off you, so you can focus on that shark faced guy."
Then she turned to the injured Leaf team. "Sorry. I have to fight now. I'll treat you properly later."
Shiosui had recovered enough to nod. "We're the ones who should be thanking you. Go. Focus on the battle."
With Rin entering, Obito felt the pressure lift. Kisame still could not be pushed back by him, but now Kisame could not overpower him either.
"Basic Breathing, Full Concentration!"
Rin adjusted her breathing rhythm to boost her physical strength and took Kurosawa head on in taijutsu.
She was behind him in experience and raw power. But Kurosawa had already fought two battles and burned plenty of energy. Rin was still at a disadvantage, but she was not getting overwhelmed.
She was also holding back. Rin did not want to spend her Strength of a Hundred Sealings again unless she had to. Her chakra reserves were limited, and that earlier punch into Kisame had already cost her. She still needed enough chakra left for medical ninjutsu.
She only needed to stall Kurosawa until Kakashi or Obito could support her.
"Why did he suddenly get so fast?" Zabuza's face darkened as more cuts opened across his body.
Once Kakashi raised Thunder Breathing output, Zabuza had been pushed into a clean disadvantage. No matter how hard he resisted, the injuries kept stacking.
"You don't understand this power," Kakashi said coldly. "It's the resolve I carry to protect my comrades."
Zabuza's condition worsened, and Kakashi pushed harder, driving Thunder Breathing toward its limit.
He had held back earlier to conserve stamina. With smoke rising and ninjutsu shaking the forest, other teams could appear at any moment. If it was Leaf shinobi, fine. If it was more Mist ninja, it would be disastrous.
Now, there was no room for restraint.
Yellow arcs of lightning began to flicker around Kakashi's legs.
Sizzle.
As he condensed more chakra, the arcs multiplied, crawling over his lower body, stimulating every muscle in his legs. White breath streamed from his mouth as he exhaled. Lightning also sparked along the wrist holding the White Fang short blade.
"Half Flash!"
Kakashi unleashed everything. He shot forward like a yellow bolt.
Zabuza's eyes widened. He had not expected Kakashi to accelerate even more. He tried to lift his sword to block, but the moment he moved, Kakashi was already behind him.
Splat.
A lightning fed slash flashed once. Zabuza's long sword split in two.
Blood bloomed across his chest.
Thud.
Zabuza collapsed into the mud, the ground saturated and churned by all the crashing water.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Zabuza asked, staring up at the sky. "You could have."
The wound was deep, but not fatal. Zabuza was sure that last strike had the power to end him.
"Because we're different." Kakashi's voice stayed calm. "My blade isn't for killing. It's for protecting. I could kill you, but there's no need."
Kakashi was not soft in battle. Against true enemies, he was always decisive. But Zabuza thought Leaf shinobi were naive children who had never faced cruelty.
Kakashi wanted him to understand something else.
It was not that they did not know how wicked the world could be.
It was that they still chose to be this way.
Rather than killing Zabuza, Kakashi preferred to cut at Zabuza's beliefs.
He did not waste another second.
Kakashi turned and sprinted toward Rin's fight, ready to support her.
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