Kakashi's shoulder was injured, and just as Uchiha Tekkahi and the other two were about to provide support, they were intercepted.
Bang!
A long blade crackling with lightning blocked Tekkahi. The Cloud ninja then activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode, enveloping his whole body in electricity.
He then retreated, as another Cloud ninja with his head lowered rapidly approached Tekkahi, engaging him in close-quarters taijutsu combat.
Bang, bang, bang...
Tekkahi's Sharingan spun slowly in his eye sockets, tracking every move the enemy made with dynamic vision.
But from behind, the electrified Cloud ninja constantly gave Tekkahi an intense sense of danger, like a thorn in his back.
'A battlefield tactic specifically designed against Uchiha? As expected of jōnin… In a 2-vs-1 setup like this, they still held a great advantage thanks to their ninjutsu.'
'Konoha simply didn't have enough people on the scene. Most of the outpost squad had Bn killed, and the four survivors were no longer combat-effective.'
'Otherwise...'
Boom!!!
A massive surge of chakra nearby interrupted Tekkahi's thoughts.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"
Kakashi completed the hand seals, and the earth beneath Killer B's feet instantly turned into a bog, swallowing one of his feet in the blink of an eye.
B paused and withdrew his eight short swords. "Using Earth Release to restrict my movements, worthy of the genius of Konoha."
"It's not over yet!"
With that, Kakashi's hand sparked with lightning, "Chidori!"
Like a flash of lightning, he lunged toward B with Chidori aimed to strike.
"Roar!!!"
With a furious roar, a sinister surge of chakra burst out, its shockwave scouring the ground.
Black-red chakra enveloped B's body, the intense energy even hardening the bog into solid earth once again.
White skeletal structures appeared along with eight chakra tails, which slammed down and knocked Chidori off course.
Boom!!!
Chidori pierced and scorched the ground.
The eight chakra tails and skeletal body parts pinned Kakashi down. B's black-red bull head loomed over him.
"It's over."
Those three simple words were followed by chakra in the air rapidly condensing into a sphere, "Tailed Beast Bomb!"
The orb formed just inches away from Kakashi. His expression turned grim. At this range, being hit by that would leave not even ashes behind.
'So this… is the power of the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki?'
"Kakashi!"
Uchiha Tekkahi shouted, trying to help, but was blocked by Samui's short blade. Nearby Cloud ninja waited for a chance to deliver a killing blow. Tekkahi was completely pinned down.
The situation for Uchiha Moeka and the other was even worse.
Kakashi stared at the fully formed Tailed Beast Bomb. As it was about to fire, his left eye's three-tomoe Sharingan transformed.
'Mangekyō Sharingan: Kamui!!'
A long-range, space-warping Kamui instantly activated, sending the Tailed Beast Bomb into the Kamui dimension.
"Hisss!"
Blood dripped from his eye, but Kakashi didn't dare to deactivate the Mangekyō.
His hand was still pinned by the Eight-Tails' tail; if B launched another Tailed Beast Bomb now...
Suddenly, Kakashi's eye locked onto B's bull head again.
'Kamui!!'
The space around B twisted again. In B's mind, Gyūki shouted: "B, get out of there!!"
Immediately, B released Kakashi's hand and retreated swiftly, using his chakra tails to defend.
Splat!
One black-red chakra tail was sliced off and dropped to the ground. Kakashi clutched his left eye, barely staying on his feet.
His chakra... was nearly depleted.
Whoosh!
With the battle momentarily paused, both sides' elite forces rushed to their respective comrades.
Uchiha Tekkahi supported Kakashi. "Not of the Uchiha clan yet awakened such an eye... I have to say, your talent is enviable. But the cost is too high."
Uchiha Moeka's Sharingan spun, staying alert to any sudden attack from the Cloud.
Kakashi whispered, "He used his tail to block the second Kamui. That dense chakra must've injured him, but I can't manage a third Kamui."
"Is that so?"
Tekkahi scratched his head and looked across at the Cloud ninja. "Didn't think I'd die here on day one. Still, having a genius like you go with me ain't a bad deal."
Moeka shook his head. "The Uchiha don't just die in vain! Tekkahi, did you forget the jutsu Itachi passed down to the clan leader, then to us?"
'That jutsu?'
Tekkahi suddenly remembered.
It was the Uchiha clan's forbidden technique, Izanagi!
A jutsu only those with three-tomoe Sharingan could use.
It transforms all misfortune into illusion, preserving only favorable reality.
A technique to be used only when absolute defeat is not an option.
Meanwhile, B, who had exited his partial transformation, stood up slowly.
Samui asked solemnly, "What was that just now?"
B didn't rap. He'd Bn startled by that power, too. "A special Sharingan, like Uchiha Yun's, one that surpasses the three-tomoe. That ability is dangerous!"
Samui nodded, then asked, "Per the Raikage's orders, if any power poses a threat to you, I'm to command you directly."
B paused. "What do you want to do?"
Samui asked, "Can you still use a Tailed Beast Bomb?"
'Another of brother's plans, huh?'
B understood. He nodded. "This was just the chakra cloak with eight tails. I can still use the Bomb, but I'll need to go full form. In that state, the Tailed Beast Bomb might injure our own."
"Still, let's keep fighting. Looks like Kakashi can't use that eye power a third time."
Samui shook her head. "No! We can't be sure Kakashi isn't bluffing. Raikage-sama's orders stand: you must follow commands!"
"Brothers' orders… understood!"
B agreed, waved his hand, and all the Cloud ninja covered him as they swiftly retreated.
This scene left the Konoha group stunned.
'They're... retreating?'
But before they could celebrate.
Boom!!
An overwhelming chakra swept through the forest.
In the distance, a massive bull-headed octopus appeared, and in its gaping maw, a chakra orb began forming rapidly.
"Shit!! Another Tailed Beast Bomb!!"