In an instant, aside from Kaede, the leader of the Den Village, who managed to evade, all the other Den ninjas were caught in Kakashi's lightning web. The electric currents paralysed their feet, and they cried out in pain, their bodies numbed by the electricity.
"Ah..."
"What... what is this?"
"My body... I can't move..."
The Den ninjas were incredulous. Despite being from the Den Village, renowned for their lightning techniques, Kakashi's lightning jutsu had paralysed them.
This jutsu was a modified form of Kakashi's Chidori, designed to paralyse rather than destroy. Though less powerful in raw damage, it had a significant paralysing effect, making it an A-rank jutsu with a learning curve as challenging as Chidori.
"Heh, thanks to the rain, this jutsu's effectiveness is amplified. Except for Kaede, none of them could escape in time," Kakashi thought, pleased with the results.
Whoosh!
Without wasting time on the paralysed ninjas, Kakashi retreated swiftly.
"Hmph!" Kaede grunted in anger, immediately pursuing Kakashi. Once again, Kaede found himself in a familiar situation, chasing Kakashi while his comrades were immobilised.
As Kakashi defended against Kaede's attacks, he continued to retreat. The other Den ninjas quickly recovered from their paralysis and soon followed, cornering Kakashi on a rocky hill.
"This time, let's see how you escape!" Kaede sneered, his eyes cold as he watched the panting Kakashi.
Boom! With Kaede's words, a thunderclap echoed in the stormy sky, seemingly sealing Kakashi's fate.
"Don't let him get away. I'll handle him myself," Kaede ordered his subordinates. He didn't want to risk losing more ninjas to Kakashi's deadly skills.
"Hmph, even if I die, I'll drag you all to hell with me!" Kakashi's voice was defiant, his Sharingan gleaming with cold determination.
Kaede's initial smug expression wavered slightly. Kakashi's words, laced with deadly intent, unsettled him. Though confident, Kaede was wary of Kakashi's remaining tricks.
"Bring it on if you dare!" Kaede retorted, regaining his composure and attacking again.
Whoosh!
Kaede's speed was unmatched. His blade cut through the falling rain, creating afterimages that only materialised briefly when he attacked Kakashi.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The battle continued fiercely, with Kakashi skillfully parrying Kaede's swift strikes despite his growing fatigue and wounds. The Den ninjas surrounding them watched in awe and anger, knowing Kakashi had taken many of their comrades' lives, including one of their few elite Jonin, Rin.
"Leader! Kill him! Avenge our comrades and Rin!" they shouted, their voices filled with desperation and hope.
Kaede's attacks grew more ferocious, fueled by his subordinates' cries for vengeance. As the storm intensified, lightning and thunder illuminated the battlefield.
While fighting, Kakashi kept a close eye on the sky's changing conditions, calculating the exact moment the storm would give him an opportunity.
"'Wolf,' you brought this upon yourself. I can't save you now," thought the hidden Leaf ANBU, who had been tailing Kakashi. Despite his disdain for Kakashi due to Danzo's favouritism, he felt a pang of regret seeing a fellow Leaf ninja in such dire straits. However, knowing his skills were best suited for stealth and assassination, he refrained from joining the battle, fearing it would only lead to his demise.
"Ah... what's that?"
Chapter 76: The Thunderclap's Wrath
On the rocky hill, after half an hour of relentless fighting, Kakashi's body was riddled with new wounds. The prolonged battle had reopened old injuries, and if not for the rain washing away the blood, he would have been a bloodied mess.
Kakashi was in grave danger, and his reactions and speed significantly slowed. Yet Kaede was also tiring; his chakra and stamina were depleted from the extended conflict. Even his 'Tempest Body' bloodline limit had worn off, leaving him to rely solely on his natural speed.
"Kill him! Leader, kill him!" The Den ninjas chanted, their spirits lifted as they sensed Kakashi nearing his limit.
Clang!
After dodging another of Kaede's strikes, Kakashi's Sharingan glinted red.
"Genjutsu: Narakumi no Jutsu!"
It was Kakashi's first use of genjutsu in their battle, catching Kaede off guard.
"Damn it!" Kaede realised too late he had been caught in a genjutsu. Enraged, he quickly broke free. "Genjutsu: Release!"
In the brief moment it took Kaede to break the genjutsu. Kakashi was already forming seals for another jutsu, and lightning was flickering in his hand.
"Lightning Release: Electro Web Destruction!"
"You won't get away with that again!" Kaede roared, charging at Kakashi before he could complete the Jutsu.
Whoosh!
Fearing a repeat of the paralysing web, the other Den ninjas leapt back. Kaede's blade struck Kakashi's shoulder, disrupting his jutsu and sending him flying, blood spraying from the deep wound.
Kzzz! Kzzz!
Kakashi's Chidori sparked futilely in his right hand as he was knocked away.
"Ha! You're done for!" The Den ninjas cheered, seeing Kakashi's severe injury.
"Curse you... even if I die, I'll take you all with me!" Kakashi's voice was filled with pain and fury. With his left hand, he drew shuriken and threw them at the surrounding ninjas and Kaede.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The shuriken flew, but they lacked speed due to Kakashi's weakened state. The Den ninjas easily deflected them, thinking Kakashi's final act was desperate and futile.
"Idiot..."
"You think those weak shuriken can take us down?"
"Hmph!"
The ninjas' disdain was evident as they prepared to counter Kakashi's attack. Even Kaede showed a slight sneer as he casually deflected a shuriken.
Crackle!
Suddenly, the shuriken crackled with electricity. The Den ninjas' eyes widened in shock, realising too late that Kakashi had infused them with lightning chakra.
"Ha! Die, all of you! Lightning Release: Heavenly Pull!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With Kakashi's shout, the sky erupted with thunder and lightning, striking down upon the Den ninjas. Kaede's instincts screamed danger, and he tried to leap away, cursing Kakashi in his mind.
"Damn you, Leaf ANBU!" Kaede knew Kakashi had manipulated the storm to call down lightning, a dangerous and deadly gambit.