The Iwa-nin in front of Kai Uchiha shattered into a cloud of smoke—it was a Shadow Clone!
The Shadow Clone Jutsu (Kage Bunshin no Jutsu) was originally created by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage of Konoha. However, this technique had long since spread across the ninja world, becoming a staple among skilled shinobi from all villages.
It was likely that some unfortunate Konoha ninja had been captured and interrogated, revealing the technique to the enemy. Regardless, in the present era, any competent shinobi—regardless of allegiance—could be expected to use this jutsu.
Just as Kai Uchiha used a Substitution Jutsu (Kawarimi no Jutsu), his replacement log was cleaved in half, revealing two split branches. A cold bead of sweat trickled down his forehead—these Iwa-nin were relentless.
Though his reflexes had been fast enough to avoid a fatal blow, he hadn't escaped unscathed. A sharp pain flared from his left shoulder, and blood trickled down his arm. But there was no time to dwell on such a minor wound. The sheer intensity of the enemy's assault left him no room to weave hand seals.
Kai couldn't help but compare his situation to the Naruto manga. In the story, even Genin-level "rookies" (Shinobi no Konoha no Shōnen-tachi) managed to take down formidable enemies. Yet here he was, a Chūnin-level fighter even without activating his Sharingan, struggling against nameless Iwa-nin. If he let his guard down for even a second, another enemy could close in and end his life.
The disparity in fate was staggering.
Worse yet, Kai couldn't afford to reveal his Sharingan. Without a Mangekyō Sharingan, exposing his dojutsu would only invite unwanted attention from Konoha's higher-ups. Unless he awakened the Mangekyō, he had no means of protecting himself if the village turned its gaze toward him.
A quick glance toward Nohara Rin's position brought a measure of relief. Although Aya Hyūga and Kenta Imai weren't the most reliable allies, they were at least following his instructions. Their presence diverted some of the Iwa-nin's focus away from him.
"At least they're somewhat useful," Kai muttered under his breath before returning his attention to his own battle.
The sheer number of Iwa-nin made this fight far more grueling than expected. Individually, these shinobi weren't exceptional, but fending off so many attacks at once was overwhelming—especially without his Sharingan. Kai relied on pure instinct and experience to counterattack, all while knowing that Namikaze Minato should be arriving soon.
On the other side of the battlefield, Hatake Kakashi was regaining his stamina. With Kai drawing most of the enemy's attention, Kakashi had managed to catch his breath. Though it wouldn't restore his chakra, it was enough to steady his movements.
Moments later, Kakashi reentered the fight. His presence gave Kai a brief respite—fighting this many Iwa-nin alone was draining.
"Move faster—you're in bad shape," Kai muttered, his back against Kakashi's. "Stay alert. Our reinforcements are only a few kilometers away. Can we break through?"
Kakashi responded in a low voice, "You're from that unit? Why are you here?"
"I'll explain later," Kai replied, scanning the battlefield. "To the right—Aya Hyūga is in that direction. We regroup with them, then push forward."
"Understood."
Now wasn't the time for conversation. The moment Kakashi acknowledged the plan, Kai lunged at another Iwa-nin.
Kakashi, however, was slowing down. His body was riddled with wounds, and while he fought bravely, fatigue was setting in. Still, he managed to aid Kai by landing a sneak attack on an Iwa-nin, allowing Kai to swiftly finish him off.
Unfortunately, the Iwa-nin were just as determined. Their will to fight—whether due to their loyalty to Iwagakure or their own survival instincts—was unwavering.
Kai quickly noticed a change in their formation. The Iwa-nin had silently coordinated a strategy and were now fighting with renewed intensity.
This was bad.
Kakashi, already exhausted, was now visibly struggling. His limbs were heavy, his vision was blurring, and the blood loss was draining his strength. He was near his limit.
"Damn it, these guys are persistent," Kai cursed under his breath.
Then, in an instant, he saw an Iwa-nin creeping up on Kakashi.
Without hesitation, Kai dodged an incoming attack and retrieved several smoke bombs from his pouch, hurling them toward Kakashi's position.
As the smoke erupted, Kai activated the Body Flicker Technique (Shunshin no Jutsu) and darted into the cloud, his Sharingan snapping open.
In that moment, the battlefield slowed. The Iwa-nin's movements became sluggish and predictable in his eyes.
Sidestepping a lethal strike, Kai shoved Kakashi aside—both of them narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.
Seizing the moment, Kai grabbed the attacking Iwa-nin's arm and immediately deactivated his Sharingan.
Kakashi, caught off guard, stumbled but quickly recovered. Though his right eye was obscured by the smoke, his Sharingan saw everything clearly—Kai had used the Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu) in an unconventional way.
Kai had shifted into the very Iwa-nin he had just grabbed.
Then, without hesitation, he kicked the real Iwa-nin backward—straight into the path of his unsuspecting comrades.
The moment of confusion was all it took.
The unfortunate Iwa-nin, not expecting an attack from his own allies, was impaled through the chest by their kunai. His mouth opened as if to say something—but he was dead before a word escaped.
Kai didn't stop there. Without wasting a second, he drew two kunai and, before the remaining Iwa-nin could react, drove them into their hearts.
They collapsed, caught completely off guard.
If he had time, Kai would have smirked at their shocked expressions. But before he could relish his victory—
A flash of yellow appeared in front of him.
A kunai, faster than anything he had encountered so far, sliced through the air—straight for his throat.
"Shit! I overplayed my hand!"