Who is it?!
Taiseki's heart skipped a beat.
He had swept the area with his senses just moments ago. There were no Konoha signatures.
Unless... someone had evaded his detection.
'A Sensor Type?'
Taiseki's invisible gaze flickered between the new arrivals: Kiyohara, Kurenai, and Genma.
His eyes lingered on Kiyohara. The black-haired boy stood at the point of the formation, his posture relaxed but guarded.
"Kiyohara..."
Kakashi turned, seeing his reinforcement. A wave of relief washed over him.
As expected, Kiyohara was infinitely more reliable than Obito.
"So that's it? Two Chunin and a Genin?" Taiseki scoffed, his voice echoing from everywhere and nowhere.
He formed a single hand seal.
Ram.
His chakra flared, coating his body. The dust that Kiyohara had blown onto him vanished, assimilated into the camouflage.
Ninja Art: Camouflage Concealment.
"It's useless," Kakashi warned, gripping his White Light Chakra Sabre. "Kiyohara, your Great Breakthrough can't keep him revealed forever. His chakra reserves are higher than yours. He can outlast you."
"Hmph. The White Fang's son," Taiseki sneered. "Since the father is dead, killing the whelp will have to suffice for revenge."
But before dealing with Kakashi, Taiseki shifted his focus.
'The black-haired one is the threat.'
Through observation, he noted that Kurenai and Genma were positioned half a step behind Kiyohara. That meant Kiyohara was the shot-caller.
And if he was the one who detected the ambush, he was the Sensor.
'Kill the eyes first.'
Whoosh.
A faint disturbance in the air currents.
Taiseki moved.
"He's erased his scent completely," Kakashi whispered, straining his ears. "We can only rely on sound and air displacement."
Suddenly, Kakashi's eye widened.
"Behind you, Kiyohara!"
CLANG!
Metal shrieked against metal.
Kiyohara didn't even turn around. He raised his Kunai over his shoulder, blocking the invisible strike perfectly.
"Oh?"
Taiseki raised an eyebrow, retreating into the shadows.
'Sensor types are usually support. I didn't expect him to have the reflexes to block that.'
"You guys go save Rin," Kiyohara said, his eyes scanning the empty air. "Don't worry about me."
Taiseki was tricky. Invisibility was a nightmare to deal with in a chaotic team fight. It was better to isolate him.
"Kiyohara..." Kurenai started, worry etched on her face.
"Go," Kiyohara ordered. "Trust me."
Kurenai hesitated, then nodded. She signaled Genma, and the two moved deeper into the cave. Kakashi and Obito followed suit.
The logic was sound: Reduce the enemy numbers. If they could overwhelm the other Jonin (Kakkō), they could return to help Kiyohara.
"Hoh? Sacrificing yourself to let your comrades pass?" Taiseki's voice dripped with amusement. "I respect the will, boy."
'Though it's foolish,' Taiseki thought. 'Kakkō is an elite Jonin. He excels in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. Sending a few wet-behind-the-ears brats to fight him is just sending lambs to the slaughter.'
He suppressed a laugh. Laughing would give away his position.
"Lightning Release: Earth Flash!"
Kiyohara slammed his hands onto the cave floor.
Crack-BOOM!
Pale blue lightning surged across the ground, illuminating the dark cavern.
Taiseki reacted instantly, leaping upward and clinging to the stalactites on the ceiling like a bat.
'This brat isn't simple.'
Taiseki frowned.
Kiyohara wore Genin clothes, but his casting speed and jutsu potency were easily Chunin-level.
'He dodged it,' Kiyohara noted. 'Invisibility is annoying. But if he relies on his eyes too much... he'll die because of them.'
Kiyohara reached into his pouch. He grabbed a handful of white powder.
"Secret Technique...!"
Kiyohara shouted the words like an anime protagonist announcing a finisher. He clasped his hands together dramatically.
Taiseki's eyes narrowed.
'A new jutsu?'
He leaned forward from the ceiling, straining his eyes.
He needed to read the hand seals. Predicting a jutsu was high-level combat 101.
Kiyohara's hands came together. The palm covered the fist.
Tiger? No... Monkey?
Taiseki widened his eyes, focusing intently.
'Is it Water Release? Or maybe Fire?'
"Lime Powder Scattering Technique!"
Kiyohara didn't weave a seal. He threw the handful of quicklime into the air.
Then he inhaled.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
WHOOSH!
The gale caught the powder, turning it into a blinding white cloud that blasted straight toward the ceiling.
"AHHH!"
Taiseki screamed.
He had widened his eyes to read the seals. Now, those eyes were filled with caustic lime. A burning, searing pain blinded him instantly.
He fell from the ceiling, landing clumsily.
"You damn brat!"
Taiseki roared, his vision a blur of white agony. He opened his mouth to shout an Earth Release command.
Fwump.
Kiyohara threw a second handful of lime. It went straight into the screaming man's open mouth.
"Gack! Cough! Cough!"
Taiseki choked, his throat burning as the lime reacted with the moisture in his esophagus. He clawed at his face, tears streaming from his blinded eyes.
"Do you have no honor?!" Taiseki wheezed, his voice hoarse. "Where is your Ninja Spirit?!"
"I'm sorry," Kiyohara smiled coldly, drawing a Kunai. "I'm a traditional Ninja."
'Honor?' Kiyohara scoffed. 'You're an invisible assassin who kidnaps little girls. And you want to lecture me on honor?'
"Alright," Kiyohara walked forward slowly, the sound of his footsteps terrifyingly calm to the blinded man.
"Now I am invisible too."
"Let's have a fair duel."
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