"Enemy attack! It's Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Shiranui Genma cried out in shock, the senbon in his mouth nearly falling.
"What?! Where did they come from?!"
Hyūga Ginka's face turned pale in an instant. Just moments ago, her Byakugan had confirmed—nothing was there.
This sudden assault landed like a slap in the face, shattering the confidence she'd always held in the Byakugan.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Kakashi reacted instantly. Even as the roaring dragons surged in, his hands flashed through signs and slammed onto the earth.
Boom!
A thick earth wall surged from the ground—barely in time.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The water dragons collided with thunderous force, spraying mist and shattering stone. The wall cracked but held.
"Even now, he still adds these things..."
Kiyohara noted the dog-shaped carvings that had somehow appeared on Kakashi's earth wall.
Only a dog lover like Kakashi would take time mid-battle to decorate his ninjutsu.
"Everyone, be alert! There's likely a barrier technique or bloodline at play—possibly Crimson Eye! It can block or even suppress Byakugan perception!"
Kiyohara raised his voice.
In canon, there were many possible reasons why a Byakugan might be taken—betrayal, ambushes, overconfidence…
But right now, Ginka had used her Byakugan and seen nothing. That meant his worst-case guess was very likely true.
There were only a few ways in the ninja world to truly interfere with the Byakugan. In canon, it was either:
-Special lunar seals,
-Or the Crimson Eye.
"Crimson Eye?"
Kakashi's brow furrowed. It was the first time he'd heard of it.
"I've never heard of it either."
Rin looked uncertain. She only knew of Sharingan, Byakugan—and maybe Blood Dragon Eye, but that was something she'd seen in old historical scrolls, not modern use.
From afar, Ao peered through a Water Mirror.
Seeing Kiyohara mention the Crimson Eye made his visible eye narrow.
"That kid… He knows about Crimson Eye?"
It was supposed to be classified, even within the Land of Water. How could a Konoha chūnin know that?
Could it be that Konoha had already gained intel on their secret weapons?
"What a sinful man… That face... I almost don't want to kill him."
Terumi Mei's emerald eyes lingered on Kiyohara's reflection in the water. The moment she saw him, her expression shifted—from cold to intrigued.
She was a sucker for good looks—and Kiyohara's face was easily the most beautiful she'd ever seen.
Ao rolled his eye and barked out orders.
"No pity for the enemy. Move in as planned—split them up and prioritize the medic and Hyūga targets!"
Boom!
The battle instantly grew sharper, more structured.
"How dare they look down on the mighty Hyūga!"
Hyūga Nobuhiko snarled.
His Byakugan saw nothing. And now, one after another, enemies emerged from the mist.
It felt like he was being mocked.
"Eight Trigrams Pal—!"
But before he could finish his stance, the mist grew even denser. Visibility dropped to zero. Even his enhanced perception faltered.
His eyes swirled with white static, confused input making his head spin.
"Without your eyes, what are you, Hyūga trash?!"
A voice laughed in the fog.
Out of nowhere, a scar-faced Mist jōnin named Chitai lunged at Nobuhiko with a brutal kunai thrust.
Nobuhiko blocked, but without his usual vision, he was quickly forced on the defensive, overwhelmed by Chitai's relentless attacks.
At the same time, Mist shinobi burst from the fog in waves—their target clear:
Rin.
Medics are always the first priority in team fights. You take them out, and the rest fall shortly after.
Only medics like Tsunade could balance healing and combat. For most others, it was one or the other.
"Protect Rin!"
Kakashi's chakra surged, lightning arcing from his hand as he intercepted two Mist chūnin with flashing strikes.
Genma and Kurenai took their own opponents.
But three Mist shinobi slipped past—right at Rin.
"Rin, fall back!"
Kiyohara moved.
Sching!
He drew his newly forged blade, its arc gleaming coldly even in the mist.
With a swift sidestep, he appeared in front of Rin.
"Ao… He's nearby. I can feel his chakra—right there."
Future Kiyohara's voice came sharp and low.
He was furious.
'That bastard killed me. I don't do forgiveness.'
He wanted Ao's head tonight.
"Not yet. One thing at a time."
Kiyohara kept him calm. Ao wasn't a pushover—he wouldn't risk a head-on fight casually.
Instead, he turned to face the first attacker.
The Mist shinobi's blade came down in a wild chop.
Kiyohara sidestepped, body fluid as water, and angled his own strike upward.
Slash!
The blade sliced clean through the enemy's wrist. A scream. The enemy dropped his weapon.
Before the second attacker's kunai could stab into his ribs, Kiyohara's body twisted—waist-first, like a coiled whip.
He bent, pivoted, stabbed upward.
Thunk.
The second Mist shinobi fell with a gurgle.
The third hesitated.
Mistake.
"Body Flicker!"
Whoosh—!
A blur of motion.
Kiyohara reappeared beside him, blade sweeping sideways.
Crack—
A sickening crunch, blood spraying in a line.
Three enemies. Dead. In seconds.
Rin blinked. He hadn't even hesitated.
"Kakashi! Once you finish your side, we move together to kill the mastermind. Someone's commanding this attack. That's why it's so coordinated."
Kiyohara spoke sharply.
Just like a certain famous cavalry charge—if they didn't cut off the head, the body would keep moving.
"Got it."
Kakashi hesitated, eyes narrowing.
Something about Kiyohara's swordplay… had changed.
It was tighter. Sharper. Refined.
Was he always this good?
Or was he finally showing his true strength?