'Swift blade flashes, fierce attacks.'
'This swordsmanship... why does it look so familiar?'
'It's so familiar, as if I've seen it somewhere before.'
Before Kakashi could think further, a massive fireball came flying towards him.
Kakashi quickly used Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall to block it, the intense flames dispersing the dust.
The two sides were now separated only by a crumbling earth wall.
Kakato and Tobito both wore serious expressions. They had just arrived in this dimension's Ninja World and already encountered such a formidable opponent.
Although neither had gone all out, the brief exchanges made it clear... their opponent was a seasoned Ninja powerhouse.
Kakato and Tobito stared at the earth wall before them, knowing their opponent was just on the other side.
Just as Kakato was about to slash through it, Tobito suddenly grinned.
He pulled out a kunai from his Ninja Pouch, tied it to his freshly removed Konoha flak jackets, and swiftly threw it around the side of the earth wall.
The series of movements was fluid, serving both as a probe and a feint, while also distracting the enemy to set up for a follow-up attack.
This made Kakato, who had been planning a brute force approach, glance at Tobito with newfound respect.
Though Tobito was usually unserious, his combat intelligence was remarkably high.
Kakato estimated that if he weren't familiar with Tobito's fighting style, he'd likely fall for this trick.
The moment the kunai was thrown, Tobito's figure vanished.
Unlike a typical Body Flicker Technique, Tobito's disappearance and reappearance happened in an instant. It's a type of Ninjutsu known as Space-Time Ninjutsu.
Tobito teleported to the other side of the earth wall, kunai in hand, ready to strike.
Meanwhile, Kakashi, hiding behind the earth wall, was thinking rapidly.
'In the entire Ninja World, only one person could wield such masterful swordsmanship... and that person existed only in history.'
The answer was obvious: his father, Sakumo Hatake.
'But... how could that be?'
Moreover, he didn't know if it was an illusion, but Kakashi felt that compared to his father's swordsmanship in his memories, this person seemed even more skilled!
And then there was the other person's Fire Release Ninjutsu.
Since the Uchiha Massacre, such powerful Fire Release Ninjutsu had become a rarity.
Fire Release, being one of the most basic Ninjutsu, was almost commonplace.
But for the Uchiha to regard it as one of their greatest weapons alongside the Sharingan spoke volumes about its power.
Of course, the Uchiha were also masters of ninja tool manipulation...
Facing two powerful enemies, Kakashi was drenched in cold sweat, his mind racing for a solution.
Until a kunai flew past his left side.
The kunai seemed to be followed by something, likely an arm, as instinct would suggest.
However... Kakashi's three-tomoe Sharingan slowed the kunai's speed in his vision.
And then…
Kakashi suddenly recalled a possibility, or rather, a situation he had encountered in battle before…
When he fought against Uchiha Obito.
Suddenly, Kakashi's mind cleared, and he thought of a way to turn the tables.
He created a Lightning Clone on the spot, while his real body used Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu to hide underground.
The Lightning Clone acted as if it had been lured by the kunai, looking to the left.
Meanwhile, Tobito, who had teleported to the right, smirked, pressing his kunai against the Lightning Clone's neck.
But when he saw the clone's appearance, his mind went blank for a moment.
'Wait... why is Kakato here?'
Before Tobito could turn to confirm his teammate, the Lightning Clone exploded, sending electric currents coursing through Tobito's body.
The momentary paralysis prevented Tobito from activating Kamui.
Kakashi's real body emerged from underground, dragging Tobito down with him.
Tobito's face bore no scars, making him look at least seventy percent similar to the Obito in Kakashi's memories.
However, the next moment, a blade flashed from behind Kakashi.
The strike was swift and decisive, leaving no room for hesitation.
Buried in the ground with only his head exposed, Tobito suddenly felt a surge of emotion…
'My good brother had arrived just in time!'
But that emotion didn't last long, because he saw the White Fang's blade pass completely through the enemy...
As if... they had activated Kamui.
That was Tobito's thought.
Tobito couldn't hide the shock on his face as he looked up at the enemy who had dragged him underground.
The man wore a Konoha flak jacket, a black mask, and had a head of messy white hair… a striking resemblance to his good brother, Kakato.
Except... for the eyes.
Tobito couldn't help but notice the terrifying scar over the man's left eye.
If someone were to take a slash like that in battle, the eye would likely be destroyed.
However, what shocked Tobito even more than the scar was... the man's eye.
A Mangekyo Sharingan in the shape of a sickle, slowly rotating, his figure half-real and half-illusory.
Tobito was speechless because he knew this eye all too well.
'Wasn't that... my Mangekyo's pattern?'
While Tobito was stunned, Kakato didn't hesitate. A flurry of blade flashes followed.
Kakashi used Kamui's Space-Time Teleportation to create distance. When he finally got a clear look at both opponents, his pupils constricted sharply.
'The master swordsman was... me?'
'But come to think of it, it's no wonder the opponent's attack seemed so familiar… It turned out to be the swordsmanship of their Hatake Clan.'
Even the weapon was the White Fang's short sword.
Neither of them dwelled on who the other was, immediately resuming their attacks.
Kakato pressed in with close-quarters combat, while Kakashi, now a true Ninjutsu master with an optimized Sharingan and no Chakra limitations, seamlessly chained together one dazzling technique after another.
In the past, Kakashi had to carefully manage his Chakra, figuring out how to use the least amount for the most effective techniques. But now, his Chakra Reserves weren't on par with a monster like Naruto, but they were more than enough.
As a result... Earth-Style Wall, Great Fireball, Raikiri, Water Dragon Bullet… countless elemental techniques flew out one after another, only to be either deflected or dodged by Kakato's White Fang's short sword.
From his spot in the dirt, Tobito watched the battle in utter confusion.
He really wanted to find someone to vent to...
'You might not believe me, but I just saw a 'Kakato' with Mangekyo Sharingan spamming dozens of Ninjutsu while fighting another Kakato with a sword.'