The dark, rainy night dragged on, filled with roaring thunder and flashing lightning.
Outside the cave, the mountains and forests were ravaged by the relentless storm. Lightning illuminated the sky, momentarily revealing the swaying trees before darkness swallowed them again.
When the long night finally passed, the first rays of dawn stretched over the horizon. A round sun slowly rose from where the earth met the sky in the east, casting its warm light upon the world.
The once-majestic forest now lay in shambles, the ground churned into thick mud. The storm had left the land limp and battered. But with the morning sun came a gentle warmth, softly caressing the damaged earth, breathing life back into the weary land.
"Ahri, Shun, let's move out," Kakashi said.
After a night's rest, he had recovered most of his energy. He stepped out of the cave, breathing deeply the crisp, rain-scented mountain air. Before leaving, he carefully placed a Flying Thunder God mark within the cave—a safe retreat, should they need it.
If not for the war and the relentless pursuit by Mist Shinobi, Kakashi might have stayed here for a few days with Lin. It would have been a peaceful life—quiet, secluded, away from the noise of the world. Of course, that would require sending Shisui back to the village first. After all, this spacious cave was ideal for just two people.
Soon, the trio—Kakashi, Lin, and Shisui—began moving again, leaping from tree to tree through the thick forest toward the border sea between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire.
They moved swiftly and silently, only pausing occasionally to consume ration pills and restore their chakra. Conversation was scarce.
"Hide—quick!" Kakashi suddenly signaled, raising his hand sharply.
Instantly, Lin and Shisui split off, disappearing into the undergrowth using camouflage techniques passed down from the Hidden Leaf.
In the cloudy sky above, several small, swift birds flew past—Kirigakure's scouting swifts.
These birds, commonly used by Mist Shinobi to hunt down enemies, were small and agile. Their black feathers repelled rain, and their sharp eyes scanned the forest below with deadly precision.
Fortunately, the forest's vastness and the rustling of leaves in the morning breeze made it difficult to locate hidden targets. After circling a few times without finding anything, the birds flew off toward their next assigned area.
"All clear."
Five minutes later, Kakashi emerged from his hiding spot and signaled for Lin and Shisui to regroup.
He frowned.
The swifts' patrol frequency was increasing. When he first spotted them yesterday, they appeared once every hour. Now, they passed by every twenty minutes.
This could only mean one thing: Kirigakure had tripled the number of pursuers. Worse, the search pattern had expanded—from the rear to every direction.
They were being surrounded.
But something didn't add up.
Logically, after taking a direct hit from the Day Tiger, Yagura—the Mizukage—should be severely injured, perhaps even unconscious. Kirigakure, leaderless and divided into factions, should be too busy with internal power struggles to organize a coordinated pursuit.
So how were they able to dispatch so many units in such a short time?
Unless... someone else had taken charge.
A possibility flashed through Kakashi's mind: Elder Genshi.
In the original timeline, Genshi was known as the Resourceful General—a powerful figure in Kirigakure, equal in influence to the Mizukage. He later supported Terumi Mei in becoming the Fifth Mizukage.
If Genshi had taken command, uniting the powerful bloodline clans under one banner wasn't impossible.
"Shun, do you know if any bloodline clans are fighting on the frontlines?" Kakashi asked Shisui, his tone cautious.
"Yes," Shisui replied. "The advance units include members of the Mystic Family—the Kizuna Clan."
So, the Hozuki Clan had already moved to the frontlines.
Kakashi exhaled in relief. That clan could liquefy their bodies, making them dangerous in watery terrain. The most famous member of their clan was the Second Mizukage—the one with the mustache.
If they had stayed behind, encountering them here would've been far more difficult.
Still, Kakashi pondered. Besides the Hozuki Clan, which other bloodline clans might they encounter?
"Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"
Suddenly, a barrage of projectiles screamed through the air.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Kakashi reacted instantly, forming hand seals and slamming his palms into the ground. Four thick earth walls erupted around him, Lin, and Shisui.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dozens of bone bullets tore through the first three walls and embedded themselves into the fourth. Though some penetrated deeply, the final wall held strong, stopping the onslaught.
When the dust cleared, Kakashi stepped forward cautiously. The shattered bones scattered around him confirmed his suspicion.
"Such powerful penetration..."
He narrowed his eyes, scanning the treeline.
The attack used finger bones as weapons—a unique and terrifying ability.
"Could it be... the Kaguya Clan?"
As the earth wall crumbled, over two hundred figures emerged from the misty forest.
They all had sickly pale skin, white hair, and a crazed light in their eyes.
"Finally found you!" the leading man shouted, his face twisted with excitement. "Lord Genshi said—kill everyone except the girl!"
"For the glory of the Kaguya Clan!"
"OH!"
"OH!"
"OH!"
Their cries echoed through the forest as sharp bone blades sprouted from their palms, each man arming himself with his own skeleton.
"Damn it... it's really them."
Kakashi turned to Lin and Shisui. "Be careful! These maniacs only live for battle. They won't stop until we're all dead. Their bones can be used for both offense and defense—they're not to be underestimated!"
The Kaguya Clan—insane, brutal, and fearless.
Kakashi would rather face a dozen cautious enemies than a single Kaguya warrior. These lunatics didn't think about retreat. They didn't fear death. And they never surrendered.
No wonder they had once openly rebelled against Kirigakure and were nearly wiped out.
Of course, none of these men had the perfect bloodline like Kimimaro—a once-in-a-century prodigy. Still, they were dangerous.
If the fight dragged on, it might give time for more pursuers to arrive—and that would spell real trouble.
"All tribesmen—form up!"
Another shout rang out.
"Ice Release Secret Technique: Magic Mirror Ice Crystal Formation!"
Immediately, the moisture in the air began to condense. In the blink of an eye, dozens of perfectly reflective ice mirrors rose around them, encasing both Kakashi's team and the Kaguya warriors in a giant dome.
Then, figures began to merge into the mirrors, flickering between them like phantoms.
Their reflections multiplied within the ice—illusions of deadly warriors staring back from every direction.
"Byakuya Katsuhisa," the Kaguya leader growled, irritated. "Don't interfere with our battlefield!"
"I'm sorry, Chief Taketori Suzumiya," the Ice Release user responded coolly. "But I'm under Elder Genshi's orders. The one who killed Lord Mizukage must die—no matter what."
Unlike the Kaguya, Byakuya Katsuhisa's clan wasn't part of Kirigakure proper. They came from affiliated villages—less powerful but still proud.
Though he held no love for the savage Kaguya, Byakuya was still a bloodline clan patriarch. His pride wouldn't allow him to let a valuable target escape.
That said, he wasn't about to dirty his hands just yet.
Let the Kaguya wear down the enemy first.
The Magic Mirror Ice Crystal Array was only a safeguard—to prevent the prey from fleeing midway.
After all, anyone capable of fatally wounding the Mizukage was not someone to be taken lightly.
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