Masato Yamanaka led the troops to intercept the advancing Iwa-nin, while Kai Uchiha led Aya Hyūga and Kenta Imai in a breakout maneuver to rescue Kakashi Hatake. The battle was soon underway.
However, Kai Uchiha quickly noticed that both Aya and Kenta seemed to have reservations about his decision. They didn't voice their concerns immediately, but their hesitation was apparent.
It was clear—they still didn't fully trust Kai Uchiha. After all, they weren't the same kind of people.
Yet, they couldn't afford to ignore his judgment. From the beginning, they had suspected the true nature of this mission. The insight of someone like Kai Uchiha could mean the difference between survival and annihilation.
Before long, they caught up with the battle. Under Masato Yamanaka's command, the Konoha ninja launched their assault.
Despite being caught off guard while marching, the Iwa-nin had not completely let down their guard. Though they lost a few in the initial ambush, their counterattacks were swift and precise. In the blink of an eye, the battlefield was engulfed in chaos as Konoha clashed with Iwa.
Kai Uchiha wasted no time. He bypassed the front lines, dashing toward Kakashi and his group at full speed.
"Why did you accept this mission?" Aya Hyūga asked directly once they had distanced themselves from the main force. "The situation on Kakashi's side doesn't look good at all."
Kai didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "How many Iwa-nin are over there now?"
Aya responded without hesitation, "More than ten—maybe even twenty—headed in his direction. Also, Uchiha Obito is trapped under the rubble. He's alive, but barely. Only Kakashi and Rin Nohara remain. As for Namikaze Minato, his whereabouts are still unknown."
"Good. Let's pick up the pace." Kai nodded and accelerated.
Aya and Kenta exchanged glances, startled by his decisiveness. Was he seriously going to charge in?
Did he even hear how many enemies were there?
To be honest, they were all in the same precarious situation. No matter how much friction existed between them, they understood one undeniable truth—if one of them died, the others would be implicated. They had no choice but to work together.
"Shouldn't we be more careful?" Aya frowned. "If one of us goes down, the others won't last long either!"
"I think we should be cautious, Captain," Kenta added hesitantly.
Kai scoffed. "Idiots."
He smirked and continued, "Do you remember what the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki and his brother said about Namikaze Minato on the Kumo battlefield? And what's the jutsu he's most famous for?"
Aya's expression shifted. "Are you saying… he went to reinforce the main battlefield? The Flying Thunder God Technique… but could he cover such a distance?"
Kai wasn't sure how to answer, but he knew one thing—Minato's range with the Hiraishin far exceeded what most people imagined.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Hokage Guard Platoon had used a rudimentary version of Hiraishin to teleport multiple shinobi. And Minato himself had once transported the massive Nine-Tails from Konoha's center to outside the village.
Distance wouldn't be an issue. If everything went as expected, Minato would return soon.
"You're gambling," Aya muttered, eyes narrowing. "You don't even know how the front lines are holding up."
"Of course I'm gambling. But I'm also betting on how much Minato values his students," Kai replied calmly. "Don't forget—Obito's surname is Uchiha, and Kakashi's is Hatake."
Aya's eyes narrowed. "Konoha's White Fang is gone, and Obito never awakened the Sharingan. Just like you—" She suddenly froze. Her expression shifted to shock. "How…? This…!"
With her Byakugan active, she had clearly seen the chakra in Kakashi's left eye—it wasn't his own.
"Uchiha Obito awakened his Sharingan?"
Impossible. But then, why was it in Kakashi's eye?
She also noticed a peculiar kunai strapped to Kakashi's body—one marked with Minato's Flying Thunder God seal.
"I think I get it now," Aya said slowly. "Kakashi carries Minato-sensei's mark. The moment he channels chakra, he'll attract Minato's attention. But… how did you know Obito would awaken the Sharingan?"
Kai sneered. "My surname is Uchiha. Awakening the Sharingan requires emotional trauma. Even the Hokage knows that. Why wouldn't I?"
"Then hurry up. If Minato returns, there's no safer place than beside him."
Aya and Kenta quickened their pace, but Aya still shot Kai a questioning look.
"Since you understand how Sharingan is awakened… why don't you have one?"
"Exactly," Kenta added. "If you had a Sharingan, we'd have a much better chance—"
"Shut up," Kai cut them off coldly.
He had no intention of explaining. He couldn't tell them that he already had the Sharingan—but didn't dare to use it.
No matter how intelligent they were, they didn't know the deeper secrets of the Uchiha or the fate awaiting them.
If Kai told them that in a few years, the Uchiha Clan would be completely wiped out—leaving only Sasuke—they would probably think he had lost his mind.
They pressed forward in silence, with Aya relaying updates on the situation ahead. The closer they got, the more they could hear a sharp, high-pitched screech.
Kai didn't need Aya's Byakugan to confirm it.
It was Chidori.
Iwa-nin had found Kakashi.
Kai signaled to Aya and Kenta, and they immediately drew their weapons.
If they were going to rescue their comrades, they had to do it right—minimizing their own risk while striking the enemy hard. That was Kai Uchiha's way.
At worst, they could hold off the enemy until Minato arrived.
Retreating with Kakashi and Rin? That would be much riskier and wasn't even an option in Kai's mind. He had just joked about that with Masato Yamanaka.
"Let's end this quickly," Kai thought. "But if Madara kidnaps me someday… should I pull out his oxygen tube?"