Suddenly, a second wave of arrows rained down upon them, the numbers were more than ten in total, each one whistling through the air with alarming speed. They were noticeably faster and more precise than the first, indicating that the enemy had grown more serious. The group tensed, instincts and reflexes kicking in as chaos unfolded in the blink of an eye.
Two of the deadly arrows were aimed directly at Enso. Without hesitation, he drew his Wakizashi and deflected them with swift, calculated movements, the sharp metallic clang echoing through the air. Sparks burst from the impact as he held his ground.
Around him, the others responded in their own ways—Tokuma used his Gentle Fist to knock an arrow off-course, his chakra-enhanced strike creating a ripple of force in the air.
Itachi, on the other hand, remained motionless, allowing the arrow to pierce his body, only for it to detonate on impact, revealing it was a Clone Great Explosion technique. The real Itachi was already beside the Fire Daimyo, calm and composed, as if he had been there all along, silently carrying out his duty.
Kakashi and Hayama, stationed at the rear, dodged the arrows with ease—every step sharp and instinctive, revealing the calm confidence of seasoned Shinobi.
Enso shouted a warning—just in time. Inari ducked, the arrow grazing past his ear barely escaping a certain death. Unfortunately, the four men carrying the Daimyo's sedan were not so lucky—each struck down instantly, causing the heavy carriage to collapse. The Daimyo tumbled to the ground.
Without missing a beat, Itachi stepped in and helped the Daimyo to his feet. Grateful, the Daimyo looked at Itachi, then cast his gaze forward toward Enso, who now stood firmly at the front—ready to confront the next threat.
The trajectory of the arrow made it easy to pinpoint the direction it had come from. It wasn't just any arrow either—it bore a strange familiarity. The moment he'd seen it, it stirred a memory from the past: the golden arrow used in the Chunin Exams, the one he had seen in an anime long ago. But the timeline didn't add up, as the character Kidomaru should still have been a baby during this period.
Without wasting a moment, Enso informed Kakashi and Hayama of the enemy's position. Then, channelling more chakra into his legs, he broke into a rapid sprint, forcing the other two Jonin to increase their pace just to keep up with him. Behind them, Itachi and Tokuma remained on high alert, standing guard alongside the two Guardian Ninjas, protecting the Daimyo.
Enso's Void Step, especially when executed at full speed, wasn't just fast—it was deadly. With enough momentum, he could crush an enemy on impact. That sheer force made him a living projectile. But this time, Enso wasn't charging blindly. As he reached the enemy's position, he came to an abrupt stop, his instincts screaming caution. Raising a hand, he signalled Kakashi and Hayama to get in position.
The forest ahead of them was covered in a twisted, gleaming network of deep crimson spiderwebs. They clung to the surrounding trees and glistened under the sunlight like threads of blood. Enso stepped carefully, assessing the situation with a calm but sharp gaze.
"Come out," he said clearly, voice calm and firm. "There's no point in hiding now."
Kakashi calmly pulled up his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan. Hayama unsheathed his sword, gleaming in the light, as he remained on high alert.
Then came a slow, deliberate applause.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Very impressive," said a voice. "You found me so quickly."
From behind a cluster of web-strung trees, a figure emerged with slow, confident steps. His skin was an unnatural shade of red, as if scorched by prolonged exposure to the sun. Tall and lean, he radiated a quiet, sinister calm.
In his hands, he held a pair of curved golden blades that shimmered faintly in the light. His clothes were white, draping loosely over his frame—but most notably, he wore no headband. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? Why are you targeting the Fire Daimyo? What's your purpose?"
The man let out a sharp bark of laughter, clutching his stomach as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "What a stupid question," he said with a grin. "Of course, I'm here to kill him. Isn't that clear enough?" He spread his arms wide, as if proudly presenting himself. "People call me Golden-Spider Tsubamaru. I'm a ninja for hire. Now, does that answer your questions?"
Kakashi didn't respond to the provocation as he drew his kunai, silently preparing for an attack. Enso remained calm as he warned the team about the sticky nature of the spiderwebs, his senses sharpened to their peak.
In his mind, he quickly drew a comparison to Kidomaru—the spider-wielding ninja he'd once seen on TV. But this man… this Tsubamaru… was different. His presence felt heavier and composed. His techniques, though reminiscent, were more advanced and not quite the same.
Before any more words could be exchanged, Hayama shot forward with a sudden burst of speed, calling out to Kakashi and Enso to cover him. As Hayama clashed blades with Tsubamaru, Kakashi and Enso threw chakra-infused kunai at the webs below, cutting them apart before Hayama's feet could be caught on the red sticky web.
The clash was intense. Hayama managed to land several strikes, his sword flashing with precision, but to their dismay, none of it did any real damage.
"Tch…" Hayama clicked his tongue and backed away, regrouping with the others. Enso responded quickly by throwing an Explosive Nail Kunai at Tsubamaru. The blast sent smoke and debris flying—but when the dust settled, their enemy remained untouched.
Still, it managed to distract him briefly. Kakashi vanished into the surrounding forest, silently placing explosive tags on the webs that lined the battlefield. If they couldn't harm Tsubamaru directly, they'd have to change the terrain.
Tsubamaru revealed his entire body clad in golden armour. A metallic shimmer slid across his skin like a second layer of flesh. It was then that Enso realised the full extent of the danger. No wonder the man was so confident. That armour made him virtually impervious to any attack.
Without delay, Enso and Hayama begin to move in perfect unison, striking from opposite sides. They unleashed their attacks with precision, but Tsubamaru didn't even flinch. He absorbed each strike with a casual, almost dismissive ease, parrying their blades effortlessly. Every blow seemed to fall harmlessly against his golden armour, and his calm demeanour remained unshaken.
"Impressive, isn't it?" he taunted. Then came the counterattack.
Tsubamaru's foot crashed into Enso's chest like a sledgehammer. The impact knocked the air from his lungs and sent him flying backwards. He hit the ground hard, tumbling through the dirt before coming to a stop, gasping.
If he hadn't reinforced himself with chakra at the last moment and used Wind Release: Shield of Wind Count, that kick might have killed him outright. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stand back on his feet, his eyes narrowing. This wasn't going to be easy.
"This isn't what I expected," he muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "That armour… It's not just tough. It's nearly unbreakable."
Kakashi leapt into the fray, his Sharingan flashing as he launched his Chidori at Tsubamaru. The crackling surge of electricity slammed into the golden armour with a burst of light. But once again, it did no damage. The attack fizzled out against the surface, leaving Tsubamaru unfazed.
Enso's brow furrowed as he quickly activated his 'Mind Eyes of Kagura. As he focused, his mind's eye swept over Tsubamaru, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. The chakra was flowing through the golden armour, seamlessly, as though it were an extension of Tsubamaru's own body. This defied everything Enso knew about his opponent's abilities.
The golden armour was supposed to isolate the chakra, preventing it from flowing through it. Yet here, Tsubamaru had done the impossible—he had bypassed that limitation completely.
Not only that, Tsubamaru's chakra reserves were massive—far larger than any ordinary ninja's, and certainly larger than Enso had anticipated. Enso quickly assessed the situation, and a chilling realisation hit him: If this kept up, Tsubamaru might just be the last one standing.
But an even more terrifying thought struck him—what if Obito was attacking the Daimyo right now, while they were all distracted by Tsubamaru?
So, this man was here to stall for time.
Enso quickly healed his wounds, channelling chakra to patch up his injuries. His mind raced as he analysed his options, weighing the Jutsu he had at his disposal. His gaze briefly flickered toward his sword.
'Tsubamae Gaeshi' could potentially kill Tsubamaru, but against such solid armour, it could potentially destroy his last pair of weapons, his only trump card against Obito. Enso wasn't ready to take that risk yet. There had to be another way.
Then, a moment of clarity struck. Sealing jutsu. Enso's eyes brightened as the solution came to him. If he used the 'Vajra Chain,' he could neutralise Tsubamaru's Golden Armour and effectively trap him. After all, this unique Uzumaki Jutsu can absorb the Chakra of their target.
"Kakashi Senpai!" Enso shouted urgently, his voice steady with resolve. "Head back to the Daimyo, now! This guy is stalling for time."
The urgency in Enso's voice was impossible to ignore. Kakashi and Hayama quickly realised the gravity of the situation. If Enso's suspicions were correct, the danger they faced had just escalated exponentially. Kakashi's face hardened with determination as he glanced between Enso, Hayama, and the ever-grinning Tsubamaru.
Without hesitation, Kakashi dashed away swiftly, heading back toward the Daimyo's direction.
Tsubamaru didn't even attempt to stop Kakashi. He was fully aware of the strength of the Masked Man, the one who would be attacking the Fire Daimyo. And yet, he seemed completely unconcerned. Numbers didn't matter when facing someone who could phase through solid objects.
Kakashi's form blurred as he activated a Lightning Chakra flow technique, accelerating his movements and rushing toward the Fire Daimyo. Meanwhile, Enso unleashed his 'Vajra Chain.' The chains coiled around Tsubamaru's body, tightening against his golden armour and constricting with immense pressure.
Holding him in place, Enso called out, "Hayama-sensei, quickly! Use that jutsu! While I'm holding him down, he's not invincible anymore!" Enso's chain couldn't break through the golden armour, but as it tightened, his chain steadily siphoned away the power that had previously made Tsubamaru invulnerable.
Without any hesitation, Hayama activated the cursed seal, allowing its power to flood through his body and amplify his jutsu. "Curse of Killing: White Wave!" he shouted, and with a series of swift movements, he slashed his sword ten times in rapid succession. Each strike was blinding, leaving a trail of white light in its wake.
The attacks landed with precision. Tsubamaru's golden armour, which had been impervious to every other strike, began to crack and shatter. The golden plates splintered, breaking apart under the overwhelming force of the cursed techniques. It happened too quickly for Tsubamaru to react, as Enso turned the tide in an instant. Hayama's attack was brutal—Tsubamaru's head was sent flying, and his body was reduced to pieces, torn apart by the sheer power of the strike.
Enso begin to work immediately, as he quickly devours Tsubamaru's soul.
In the process, Enso took a moment to peer into Tsubamaru's memories. That's when he uncovered the secret behind the man's invincibility—the golden armour Jutsu was crafted from blood.
This unique composition allowed Tsubamaru to channel chakra seamlessly through it, making the armour an extension of his body. It was a technique far more advanced than Kidomaru's, who relied on hardened sweat.
As long as Tsubamaru maintained a steady flow of chakra, the armour would remain impervious to all attacks. Only an S-Rank technique could shatter this impenetrable defence through sheer force.
Tsubamaru wasn't just any ordinary ninja. He had crossed paths with Obito before, and he had proven that even the most powerful attacks couldn't breach his defences. Impressed by his resilience, Obito had invited him to join the Akatsuki. This assault on the Daimyo was his test—a final trial to prove his worth and secure his place within the organisation.
Too bad for Tsubamaru, as he now lay dead, brought down by the combined effort of Enso and Hayama.
Once the soul was absorbed, Enso sealed Tsubamaru's head into a scroll. A man of his calibre could not remain unknown in the Bingo Book. Hayama, seeing that Tsubamaru was no longer a threat, released his jutsu, his power significantly diminished. Enso carefully carried Hayama and rushed toward the Fire Daimyo's location.
...
At the Fire Daimyo Location.
A masked man stood at the centre of the chaos, his blade flashing in the dim light. Blood splattered through the air as he ruthlessly slashed his sword across Yuki's throat. He collapsed wordlessly, the life draining from his eyes in an instant.
Tenma, the only one among them who had managed to break free from the Genjutsu, launched a desperate attack. Fueled by panic and fury, he charged forward without a second thought. But the strike proved meaningless. His weapon passed through the masked man's figure as if he were a phantom. The masked man's blade moved like a whisper, and Tenma's head was severed from his shoulders in one clean motion.
Itachi and Kakashi stood firm near the Fire Daimyo, tense and unmoving. Both knew better than to act recklessly against an opponent like this—one who could phase through solid objects and vanish into thin air.
Only the two of them were not affected by the Genjutsu used by the masked man. It was in that moment, watching his Jōnin sensei and teammate fall, that Itachi's eyes began to transform. His once-black irises turned crimson, two black Tomoe swirling around each pupil, marking the awakening of his Sharingan.
Meanwhile, Tokuma and Inari remained trapped under the effects of the Genjutsu, their minds clouded, their bodies paralysed.
Obito's footsteps echoed ominously as he approached Inari, raising his sword with chilling deliberation. There was no emotion in his movements—just cold, efficient execution. He brought the blade high, aiming to take off Inari's head in a single strike.
But just before the blade came down, a chakra-infused Nail Shuriken sliced through the air and struck his weapon. The explosion that followed was so forceful it tore the sword from Obito's grasp, launching it high into the air and sending it hurtling into the distant horizon.
The force of the blast compelled Obito to activate his Kamui instantly. Had he hesitated even for a moment, his mask might have shattered, exposing the truth behind his identity.
Inari, jolted back to consciousness by the sharp sting of the metal fragment, he managed to break free from the Genjutsu. A deep cut appeared on his face, but at least his life was saved.
Tokuma also managed to free himself from the illusion. Unlike Inari, he broke the Genjutsu through sheer willpower and perfect control of his chakra.
Had Enso not launched that Shuriken in time, Inari would have been the next to fall, followed swiftly by Tokuma. The situation had been mere seconds away from a complete massacre.
Enso gently laid Hayama on the ground and slowly rose to his feet. With a calm breath, he unsheathed his dual blades, their cold steel gleaming beneath the sky.
Hayama didn't rush in recklessly. Despite his weakened state from using the Curse of Killing, his mind remained sharp. The earlier attack from Enso's kunai had revealed something vital—this masked man possessed the ability to phase through solid objects.
Obito, speaking in that deep, controlled tone that echoed Madara's presence, tilted his head slightly. His gaze settled on Enso with interest. "Looks like I'll need to take you out first."
Enso stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the masked man. "Try me, and you won't leave in one piece," he growled, voice laced with quiet fury.
From the side, Itachi's voice rang out urgently. "Don't look into his eyes!"
But it was already too late.
Enso was already staring into them, not with fear—but with rage. A killing intent surged from him, so intense it spread like a wave, suffocating the air around them. The ground seemed to tremble beneath it.
This was the man who had killed his mother. Enso didn't want to wait. He didn't want justice. He wanted vengeance.
As for Genjutsu and the Sharingan? He doubted even the infamous Tsukuyomi would work on him now. He was no longer a novice in the shinobi world—his knowledge had grown immensely through the Tulenage teachings of Minato and Kushina, not to mention the countless souls he had absorbed.
Genjutsu is essentially a shock to the soul, but with the strength of his soul, he is virtually impervious to such an attack.
Obito activated his space-time jutsu. A swirling distortion appeared in front of Enso, the masked man preparing to strike, believing his opponent had already fallen into Genjutsu.
But he was wrong. Enso's grip tightened around his blade as he whispered just one phrase—
"Tsubamae Gaeshi."
In that moment, time seemed to stop. Six radiant arcs of light descended upon the masked man like divine judgment. Even in his phasing state, Obito wasn't fast enough. One of the blades caught his arm and severed it.
Obito's arm dropped to the ground as he staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief.
The sheer force of it shattered his Wakizashi, the blade exploding into shards the moment Tsubamae Gaeshi concluded.
Obito vanished instantly, retreating into his separate dimension through Kamui. He didn't say a word.
Moments later, hidden far away in the Kamui Dimension, Obito stared at his shoulder, now missing an arm. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his back soaked with cold sweat. "That kid… kept his word."
If he hadn't maintained his intangibility for that extra moment, he would have been dead.