What made Kaede Kitahara especially shameless was the fact that, at this point, his reputation in the ninja world was already well known. Yet no one knew he possessed the Sharingan.
After all, the annihilation of the Uchiha Clan was common knowledge throughout the ninja world. Most people no longer guarded against the Sharingan at all.
That gave Kaede Kitahara a massive advantage. Otherwise, subtly influencing someone at Tokubetsu Jonin level would not have been so easy.
It all came down to one word. Surprise.
That was why intelligence mattered so much to ninja. At the end of the day, ninja were still just ordinary people. Get hit by any ninjutsu, and it could be fatal.
Struck by Kaede Kitahara's genjutsu, Haku could not move at all. Kaede Kitahara immediately flicked a shuriken. It struck Haku square in the face, killing him on the spot.
The decisiveness of the kill left both Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto staring in shock. Naruto especially was stunned. He rarely showed such ruthlessness himself, which was exactly why people spoke of a "Killing Intent Naruto" as something exceptional.
Kaede Kitahara noticed their stunned expressions and sighed inwardly. He had seen Haku and Zabuza's story before. He knew what kind of bond they shared. If it were possible, he would have liked to spare someone like Haku.
But mercy was the privilege of the strong. Only those powerful enough could afford even a little kindness.
Kaede Kitahara had always been clear about his own position. In his eyes, he was still just a disposable ninja. To survive in this dangerous world and protect the people he cared about, he could not allow hidden threats to remain.
In the next instant, Kaede Kitahara vanished with a Body Flicker Technique. Following the fluctuations of chakra he sensed, he headed straight for the battlefield where Momochi Zabuza and Hatake Kakashi were fighting.
Standing on a tree branch, Kaede Kitahara watched the battle and just happened to see Hatake Kakashi gripping a short blade as he cleaved straight through Zabuza's Water Release.
Fast. Ruthless.
It was completely different from the fighting style Kaede Kitahara associated with Hatake Kakashi. From what he remembered, once Kakashi obtained the Sharingan, he had largely walked the path of the Copy Ninja. He rarely used the Hatake Clan's inherited blade techniques anymore.
"This butterfly effect is getting more and more ridiculous," Kaede Kitahara muttered.
"Zabuza, these little tricks of yours won't work on me," Hatake Kakashi said. "Why don't you use something serious and let me see the true strength of the Demon of the Hidden Mist?"
Zabuza felt increasingly shaken. Kakashi's blade work was sharp, fast, and lethal, clearly following the path of an assassin-type ninja.
Several times, he had nearly died under Kakashi's blade.
This was nothing like the rumors recorded in notebooks and reports.
So much for intelligence. It really could get people killed.
"Ninja Art, Hiding in Mist Technique!"
Zabuza pointed one hand toward the sky while forming seals with the other. Instantly, thick mist spread across the battlefield.
But before long, Hatake Kakashi forcibly dispersed the mist with his own chakra. The chakra consumption was enormous, but the effect was immediate.
And that was all the time Zabuza needed.
"Hatake Kakashi, die!" Zabuza roared lowly as he rapidly formed hand seals. "Water Release, Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Release, Great Waterfall Technique!"
But before Zabuza could finish speaking, Hatake Kakashi had already completed the same technique first.
When Zabuza used the dense mist to block Kakashi's vision, Kakashi had used that same brief moment to obscure Zabuza's sight.
In an instant, a massive torrent of water surged forth with overwhelming force, slamming into Zabuza and blasting him away. The terrifying flood hurled him into the air.
At that moment, Hatake Kakashi shot forward like a bolt of lightning. The short blade in his hand flashed silver as it sliced cleanly across Momochi Zabuza's neck.
The entire sequence flowed seamlessly.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
Hatake Kakashi panted heavily as he landed on a tree branch, waiting for the rushing water to subside.
That series of exchanges had nearly drained his chakra dry. The final Great Waterfall Technique in particular was devastatingly expensive. As a large-scale attack, it consumed an absurd amount of chakra.
Kaede Kitahara witnessed everything clearly. He had to admit that the fight between Hatake Kakashi and Momochi Zabuza had been smooth and beautiful to watch.
But the problem was…
Was this reasonable?
How exactly had Hatake Kakashi copied Zabuza's Great Waterfall Technique in the middle of dense fog, and even completed it first?
In the original story, Kakashi had observed the entire process. He had even used the hidden genjutsu effects of the Sharingan to subtly influence Zabuza's mind, allowing him to act first.
But what about this time?
The Sharingan did not have the Byakugan's vision.
Kaede Kitahara could not make sense of it. Soon enough, he came up with an explanation. Perhaps the moment Kakashi dispersed the mist with chakra, he had already begun copying the technique. Combined with the Sharingan's mental suggestion, Zabuza's execution ended up a step slower.
This time, however, Kaede Kitahara was completely wrong.
Hatake Kakashi had not learned the Great Waterfall Technique on the spot from Zabuza.
He had learned it from the diary.
The diary's miraculous properties allowed its viewer to experience scenes as if they were truly there. In Kaede Kitahara's previous diary footage, the full sequence of hand seals for the Great Waterfall Technique had been shown clearly. Kakashi had tried copying it.
And to his own surprise, he had succeeded.
Even Kaede Kitahara had never imagined this new use for the diary.
"Kakashi-senpai, that blade work was incredible," Kaede Kitahara said as he stepped out, landing beside Hatake Kakashi. "That's the legendary White Fang's Hatake kenjutsu, right?"
Seeing Kaede Kitahara, Hatake Kakashi finally relaxed a little. "Yes. It's our Hatake Clan's blade technique. But why are you here? How did things go on the other side?"
The Hatake Clan had not originally been ninja. They came from a warrior caste. When a certain ancestor saw the rise of ninja as the dominant force, he decisively joined their ranks. The foundation of Hatake kenjutsu had originally been swordsmanship passed down among warriors. Over generations, it was refined and adapted into the Hatake kenjutsu of today.
In the hands of his father, Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konoha, this blade technique reached its peak. Relying on it, Sakumo became one of the strongest figures of his era. Even the Legendary Sannin had to give him wide berth, and he was once regarded as a figure comparable to the Hokage.
Hatake Kakashi had only recently taken up this blade technique again. The Sharingan was powerful and offered an incredibly high ceiling, but Hatake kenjutsu was the true foundation of who he was. If he ever had a chance to reach Kage Level, it would only be through the blade technique his father left behind.
"The fighting over there is finished," Kaede Kitahara replied. "The Kirigakure missing-nin who followed Zabuza is dead. I didn't kill Rokusho Aoi yet, but I've bound him. We can hand him over to the village when we get back."
Hatake Kakashi nodded, approving of Kaede Kitahara's decision.
Then he said wearily, "I'm almost out of chakra. I can't hold on much longer. I'll leave the rest to you. Team Kakashi is under your command now."
After saying that, Hatake Kakashi collapsed, just like in the original story. Fortunately, Kaede Kitahara caught him in time.
Kaede Kitahara shook his head. Thankfully, he had inherited the Uchiha bloodline itself, not just the Sharingan. Otherwise, he might not be in much better shape than Kakashi right now.
With Kakashi's talent and physical condition, his chakra reserves were far greater than those of an ordinary elite Jonin. Yet under the constant drain of the Sharingan, they were forced down to a normal elite Jonin level. That alone showed just how absurdly expensive it was to keep the Sharingan active.
And that was for an ordinary Sharingan.
Hatake Kakashi carried a Mangekyo Sharingan. Even members of the Uchiha Clan struggled with that kind of eye. For an outsider like him, the burden was far worse.
Before long, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke arrived as well. They saw Hatake Kakashi being supported by Kaede Kitahara.
"Kakashi-sensei, what happened?" Naruto asked anxiously.
"He's just out of chakra. Don't worry," Kaede Kitahara said quickly. "This fight drained Kakashi-senpai far too much. Once we find a place to rest for a few days, he'll be fine."
Ninja combat revolved entirely around chakra. In battle, ninja pushed themselves to squeeze out every last drop. Chakra came from the fusion of physical and mental energy. Overusing it led to exactly what was happening to Kakashi now.
Complete exhaustion of both body and mind.
Not everyone was Uzumaki Naruto, treating massive chakra expenditure as nothing, without even tapping into his true potential.
"That's good," Uchiha Sasuke said, finally relaxing. Then he looked at Kaede Kitahara.
In Sasuke's eyes, Kaede Kitahara was already a legitimate member of the Uchiha Clan.
The stronger Kaede Kitahara proved himself to be, the happier Sasuke felt. He had even begun factoring Kaede Kitahara into his future revenge against Uchiha Itachi.
Even though Kaede Kitahara had not grown up in the Uchiha Clan, who would ever reject the name of Uchiha?
If Kaede Kitahara ever chose to claim that name and identity, then naturally, he would stand alongside Sasuke against Uchiha Itachi.
And at that point, Sasuke's chances would be far greater.
Facing Itachi alone no longer felt like enough.