They waited all night until dawn finally broke, and at last, they saw Kakashi.
Kakashi had been running the entire night, yet he showed no signs of exhaustion, leaving Obito and Kazuyama staring at him in disbelief.
"Kakashi, aren't you tired after running all night?"
"No, this is nothing. If I ever get really tired, I can just use my chakra to transform into an electric current and instantly feel refreshed."
My goodness, what kind of monstrous technique is this? The Thunder God King?
He actually discharges electricity… on himself?
Is he not afraid of shocking himself into oblivion?
Feeling the bewildered gazes of Kazuyama, Obito, and Rin, Kakashi remained completely unfazed.
"This is a method my father taught me. It keeps me awake while also stimulating my body for training."
"I didn't like it at first, but after trying it once, I got hooked."
Kazuyama was at a loss for words. This guy really was the Thunder God King. He even practiced the Thunder Stimulation method…
With a father like Sakumo Hatake, no wonder Kakashi could later grasp even a fraction of the Eight Inner Gates. If he could endure being electrocuted, he might as well specialize in Taijutsu in the future.
"Yes, Kakashi, you're impressive."
"Since you're not tired, let's get moving."
"But before that, let Obito and Rin brief you on the situation."
"I'm getting some more sleep. Wake me in an hour."
With that, Kazuyama lay down and went back to sleep. A big battle was coming, and he couldn't afford to be fatigued.
Meanwhile, Kakashi was pulled aside by Obito and Rin, who began recounting everything that had happened during the first half of the night.
The briefing lasted half an hour.
When Kakashi heard that one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had been eliminated, his eyes widened.
"Kazuyama-sensei is seriously amazing… he actually took down one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?"
"But I guess it makes sense. When such a massive summoned beast suddenly appears, even my father would struggle against it."
"After all, a giant snake with special abilities… no one could defend against that so easily."
"Lightning Blades, Kiba, is that right? I'd love to see if I can control that sword."
A ninja blade that could convert chakra into lightning on its own?
As someone eager to master Lightning Release, Kakashi was deeply intrigued. He had already started developing his own technique, though it was still in its early stages.
Now, with the existence of a blade that naturally harnessed lightning, Kakashi's curiosity burned even brighter.
"Hey, Kakashi, Kazuyama-sensei said that when we return from this mission, we might be able to get our hands on those dual blades."
"We'll each get one."
Kakashi's eyes sparkled—it was obvious he was tempted.
Just then, Kazuyama's lazy voice rang out.
"That depends on your performance."
"Now, get ready to move."
The laziness gradually faded from his tone as his expression turned solemn. He glanced back at the vast forest behind them.
"I'll scout ahead first. You three hold on to my special kunai and be ready to fight at any moment."
"I'll bring you directly into the battlefield when the time is right. You must stay fully focused and prepared."
"Do you hear me?"
Sensing his seriousness, the three immediately snapped into combat mode and nodded firmly.
Seeing this, Kazuyama gave a satisfied nod before vanishing into thin air using the Transparent Escape Technique.
"I said, Kazuyama, are you seriously planning to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to take them straight into battle?"
"Don't you think that's a bit too reckless?"
Chōmei suddenly spoke up, finding Kazuyama's approach questionable.
Unexpectedly, Kazuyama let out a chuckle, a hint of mischief in his voice.
"Who said I was actually going to drag them into the battlefield?"
"I only said that to drill into their heads that they must always be on guard in a battlefield. They need to adapt to that reality as soon as possible."
"Since they aren't sensor ninja, their training starts with staying vigilant."
Chōmei was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.
"You're one slippery guy. I bet your three students are on full alert right now."
"You too—coming up with this kind of method… I don't know if it's good or bad for them to be following you."
Just as Kazuyama had said, at that very moment, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin stood at the ready, gripping their kunai with tense expressions.
Obito glanced at the other two and suddenly asked,
"What do you think our posture will be when we enter the battlefield?"
"Will we land right above someone's head? Or appear directly behind them?"
"Kakashi, do you think two kunai are enough? What if you sneak up on someone and miss? Then what?"
Kakashi and Rin were briefly taken aback but quickly realized Obito had a point.
"So what do you suggest? We can't just hold a kunai and hope for the best," Kakashi joked—a rare moment of humor from him.
Obito suddenly grinned.
He reached into his pouch, pulled out a length of string, and threaded all his kunai onto it. Before long, he had assembled a long chain of kunai.
"Watch carefully, Kakashi!"
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Under their watchful eyes, Obito swung the string, sending the kunai bouncing wildly against each other. Kakashi and Rin could only stare, wide-eyed.
"See? It's all kunai. The moment we enter the battlefield..."
"I guarantee I'll turn the enemy into a pincushion!"
"Heh heh heh..."
Obito was lost in his own fantasy, grinning to himself.
Kakashi gave him a bemused look and shook his head.
"Obito, are you an idiot? With the way you're swinging that thing, forget about taking down an enemy—the moment Kazuyama-sensei lands, you'll probably stab him inste—"
"AHHHHHH!!!"
A sudden scream cut him off.
They turned to see four kunai embedded in Kazuyama's arm, blood spurting out.
The three of them were stunned, especially Obito, who immediately flung the entire kunai chain away in a panic.
That was a mistake.
As the string unwound, more kunai tangled around Kazuyama, stabbing into him even further.
This time, the scream was even louder.
The sound echoed through the forest, carrying far beyond their location.
Somewhere nearby, a Kirigakure ninja, who had been casually catching his breakfast, froze at the noise. He immediately turned and sprinted toward the source.
Back at the scene of the crime, Kazuyama writhed in pain.
"Obito! You bastard! What the hell are you doing?!"
"Arghhh, this hurts! I've never been this badly injured on a battlefield!"
"Rin, hurry up and treat me—I'm about to pass out!"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake