With Kakashi's lightning chakra enhancement, his Lightning Release not only consumed less chakra but also became significantly more powerful. Even more crucially, Kakashi's Lightning Release contained a force not derived from ordinary chakra. According to Sakura's estimation, this was likely the power of natural lightning itself—or something akin to Sage Chakra, a form of natural energy.
[Ice Release: Multi-Ice Crystals]!
Huge ice walls condensed around the three, firmly enclosing them within. From within the bushes, a sudden Lightning Release struck against the ice walls. The walls kept getting damaged by the electricity but were quickly repaired with chakra. When the lightning finally dissipated, though battered and broken, the ice walls still remained standing.
Chapter One Hundred and Two – Kakashi's Pride
"Phew, Kakashi-sensei's Lightning Release really is getting stronger!"
Sakura let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the ice wall had held up. Just barely though—the repair rate had nearly failed to keep up with the damage from the lightning attack.
"Naruto, Sasuke, scatter and attack separately!"
The moment the ice walls collapsed, the three immediately shifted positions, forming a back-to-back triangle. Naruto held a kunai in his left hand while keeping his right ready for a Rasengan at any moment. Sasuke gripped his tanto with his right hand, his twin tomoe spinning slowly within his Sharingan eyes. Sakura rested one hand on Starlit Night's hilt, her other hand forming a hand seal with just her index and middle fingers raised at chest level.
"Down below!"
Naruto suddenly shouted at that moment. Sasuke reacted instantly, stabbing his tanto into the ground as lightning-infused chakra burst forth, tendrils of electricity spreading across the earth beneath their feet.
[Earth Release: Inner Decapitation Technique]!
A pair of arms shot up from the ground, dragging Naruto downward until only his head remained above the surface.
"Poof!"
Instantly, the Naruto pulled underground transformed into smoke and vanished—this Naruto who had been dragged under by Kakashi was merely a Shadow Clone.
"Now I see," Kakashi mused silently. "As soon as the ice mirrors shattered, Naruto created a Shadow Clone. Then, using the smoke from the shattered ice to obscure my vision, he left the clone behind while hiding himself away."
Kakashi let out a soft chuckle. Minato's kid definitely has a knack for Shadow Clones. If it weren't for his Sharingan, even Kakashi might've fallen for that trick—someone with eagle eyes would've missed it.
"Now then," Kakashi thought quietly, watching from his hidden perch atop a tree. Meanwhile, another Kakashi burst from the bushes, kunai in hand, barreling toward Sasuke and Sakura.
"Trying to fight us with pure taijutsu? And—" Sakura watched the approaching Kakashi, eyes gleaming sharply. "Is that a Lightning Release-enhanced Shadow Clone? Intending to get close enough for an explosive strike, using the lightning attribute to paralyze us before launching your real attack? Without the burden of the Sharingan draining chakra constantly, Kakashi-sensei's fighting style has truly changed!"
In the original story, Kakashi had always been limited by his Sharingan's constant chakra consumption. He rarely used Shadow Clones and usually only created one or two during a battle for auxiliary attacks. As for Lightning Release Shadow Clones, he'd practically never used those due to excessive chakra costs.
But Kakashi's Sharingan had now fully fused with him, functioning exactly like a normal Uchiha's eye. Without the former limitations of the Sharingan, Kakashi's fighting style had also undergone significant changes. During combat, he no longer pursued swift one-hit kills as before. Instead, he displayed the prowess of the "Jutsu Master," unleashing wave after wave of techniques that became a real headache for his opponents.
[Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!]
Thinking this to himself, Sakura wasted no time and immediately began forming a single-hand hand seal. This technique recorded in the Scroll of Seals was something she had just mastered, but it proved extremely practical—often catching enemies completely off guard. She was still a bit rusty, so her hand seals came out slowly.
Thanks to the Second Hokage's modifications, the Water Dragon Bullet Technique now required only four hand seals, something for which Sakura inwardly felt deeply grateful toward the Second Hokage. If she were forced to perform dozens of seals like during Kakashi and Zabuza's battle, she would rather give up the Water Dragon Bullet Technique entirely.
"Single-hand hand seals—and even using Water Release in a place without water while appearing hardly strained at all! Sakura really is full of surprises!"
Kakashi thought to himself with admiration. After working together for so long, he truly regarded Sakura and the others as junior comrades-in-arms; otherwise, he wouldn't have ignored Sakura's playful teasing about the White Fang sword techniques. Now witnessing Sakura's battlefield prowess, Kakashi genuinely felt happy from the bottom of his heart.
The water dragon roared forward toward Kakashi—but he effortlessly dodged aside. Thanks to his Lightning Release chakra, which could stimulate cells to enhance speed, combined with his innate lightning-based special abilities, avoiding such a straightforward Water Dragon attack posed no difficulty whatsoever.
Yet just as Kakashi steadied himself, the ground in front of him suddenly split open. From beneath, Naruto burst up, with the swirling Rasengan already formed in his palm, directly thrusting the pale-blue sphere toward Kakashi's face.
"A surprise underground assault? Even my Sharingan nearly missed it!"
Kakashi thought to himself with admiration as lightning crackled around his body and he blurred out of sight. Naruto's Rasengan slammed into the ground, leaving behind a large crater.
[Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!]
Almost the moment Kakashi reappeared, Sasuke's attack arrived—a blazing fireball rushing straight toward him. With no time for hesitation, Kakashi's hands moved like shadows through several quick seals before slamming onto the ground.
[Earth Style: Mud Wall!]
A massive earthen wall rose up, engraved with four enormous dog heads, blocking the path of the fireball. The fiery impact failed to break through this sturdy defense.
"Tsuchikage Kakashi"—or should I say "Dog Shadow Kakashi?" Sakura muttered in exasperation with a dark line running down her forehead. "Honestly, I don't understand why you insist on carving those huge dog heads into your Mud Walls when your chakra reserves aren't exactly generous to begin with."
"Well, it's kinda just a personal thing..." Kakashi scratched his head uncomfortably. "Still, could you stop giving me those silly nicknames? What's 'Earth Shadow Kakashi' even supposed to mean? And what's with 'Dog Shadow' anyway?"
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