Inside the dimly lit cave, Kakashi was fully focused as he examined Lin's heart with utmost care.
As the inspection progressed, Kakashi's expression darkened visibly.
What he had discovered was not an ordinary seal—it was something entirely different. The seal binding Lin's heart was of an unknown and terrifying nature.
Pitch-black runes twisted around her heart, forming an ominous binding that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
When Kakashi's chakra came into contact with it, he felt as though he were staring into an endless abyss. A cold chill ran down his spine.
This wasn't just any jutsu.
If his intuition was correct, the seal was crafted using a delicate and deadly combination of Yin and Yang chakra—something only a wielder of the Six Paths power could fully manipulate or break.
His face contorted in fury.
What a cruel, ruthless trap!
Only two people in the world came to mind—Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
That meant everything—Lin's condition, the implanted seal, Obito's descent into darkness—it was all part of their scheme to manipulate events from the shadows.
"Madara… you damn monster."
He clenched his fists, suppressing his rising anger.
"Fox… are you okay?"
Lin's voice brought him back. She noticed the change in his expression and, pushing aside her usual shyness, looked at him with worry.
"Huh? Oh… I'm fine," Kakashi said, quickly forcing a small smile.
"But Ahri," he added solemnly, using her code name with familiarity, "the seal on your heart can't be removed with conventional methods. It has to be broken… by force. That means you'll need to be mentally prepared."
Lin nodded without hesitation.
"I trust you," she said quietly, her eyes steady.
Kakashi took a deep breath. "To break the seal, I'll have to pierce your heart using Chidori. At the same moment, you must activate your Ninja Art: Mitotic Regeneration to heal the damage instantly."
"This is extremely dangerous. One second of hesitation could cost you your life."
Understanding the risk, Lin's expression turned resolute.
"I'm ready. Let's do it."
To ensure everything went smoothly, Kakashi summoned Katsuyu, the healing slug of legend.
"Lady Katsuyu, please assist us!" Kakashi said sincerely, pressing his hands together to perform the summoning technique.
A moment later, Katsuyu appeared in the cave, her calm and warm voice resonating through the air.
"Don't worry, Master Kakashi. I will do everything in my power to protect Lin."
Since Lin had also signed a summoning contract with Katsuyu, the bond between them allowed the slug to respond with complete understanding and empathy.
"Thank you," Kakashi said gratefully. Then, turning to Lin, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Ahri, for our chakra synchronization, you'll need to take off your shirt. Any obstruction could cause interference in my aim."
"Eh?!"
Lin was stunned.
"D-do I have to?" she stammered, her face turning crimson.
"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't vital," Kakashi said seriously. "This is a life-or-death operation, and precision is everything."
After a moment's hesitation, Lin nodded.
"Alright… I believe you," she said, her voice soft but firm. Pushing aside her embarrassment, she reached for the hem of her shirt.
"Wait!"
Kakashi suddenly raised a hand, stopping her in surprise.
Without another word, he walked to the entrance of the cave and quickly formed hand seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
With a rumble, a tall wall of solid earth rose from the ground, sealing off the entrance to the cave. Dog-head carvings decorated the wall—Kakashi's personal touch.
Just outside the cave, Shisui, who had been guarding the entrance, heard the commotion and turned around.
When he saw the new earth wall, he gave an approving nod.
"As expected of Kakashi-senpai. He thinks of everything," Shisui said to himself with admiration.
What he didn't realize was that the wall had been raised to block him from seeing anything inside—not out of mistrust, but to prevent any awkward interruptions during such a critical operation.
Back inside the cave, Kakashi clapped his hands, satisfied.
"Alright. Now we can begin."
"Hmph," Lin pouted, rolling her eyes at him. But then, determined, she turned away and began to remove her shirt.
Her flawless white skin shimmered under the flickering torchlight, and Kakashi suddenly felt the cave grow warmer.
He quickly shook his head, clearing away distracting thoughts.
This was not the time.
Lin's life was on the line.
"Ahri, are you ready?"
"I am," she replied firmly.
"Good. Chidori!"
A surge of electricity erupted in Kakashi's right hand, crackling and chirping like a thousand birds. The glowing light filled the cave with dazzling brilliance.
But Kakashi didn't strike immediately.
Instead, he began to compress the Lightning Style chakra around his hand, condensing it into a focused, refined form.
The wild arcs of electricity were pulled tight, shrinking close to his arm until they were nearly silent.
Remarkably, even the famous sound of "a thousand birds" began to fade.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
If he could refine this even further, maybe he could evolve Chidori into a silent assassination technique.
But now wasn't the time to experiment.
"Ahri, this is going to hurt. Hang in there."
"I'm ready!"
Lin's hands clenched into fists, sweat beading on her forehead. Her heart was pounding, but she didn't waver.
Everything depended on this moment.
"Now!"
With a sharp cry, Kakashi drove the Chidori forward—straight into Lin's heart.
"Ninja Art: Mitotic Regeneration!" Lin shouted, activating the seal on her forehead in perfect sync.
A glowing violet pattern bloomed across her skin, and regenerative energy flooded her body.
Despite the intense pain, her injury began to heal instantly.
"Lady Katsuyu, now!" Kakashi called out, already pouring healing chakra from his hands.
"Understood!" Katsuyu replied, sliding behind Lin to assist.
Together, Kakashi, Lin's jutsu, and Katsuyu's medical power worked in perfect harmony.
In under a minute, the gaping wound in Lin's chest was completely restored.
Her breathing stabilized.
She was safe.
Kakashi let out a long sigh of relief.
"You should change into a clean set of clothes. These are soaked in blood," he said gently, turning his back to give her privacy.
"Mmm…"
Lin's face was bright red. Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
"Okay…"
She opened a sealing scroll, retrieved a fresh outfit, and began to dress.
A few minutes later, she called out, "You should change too. Your clothes are ruined with bloodstains."
"I will," Kakashi replied. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "But no peeking, okay?"
"Wha—! I won't peek!"
Flustered, Lin quickly covered her eyes with her hands… but didn't turn around.
Kakashi chuckled softly.
Through her fingers, he could see one eye sneakily glancing through the gap.
He didn't say a word.
Just changing his outer robe wasn't a big deal—and if it helped lighten the mood, it was worth it.
Let her peek a little.
After all, she had just risked her life.
patreon (Obito_uchiha)