Hanabi Hyuga disappeared from before Rei Kaguya.
If not for the skill proficiency he had gained from Hanabi Hyuga through First Strike still being displayed on the system panel, Rei Kaguya might really have thought that what he had just restrained was nothing but a false clone.
[Gentle Fist LV2: Secret taijutsu of Konoha's Hyuga clan. Requires the Byakugan to display its best effects.]
[Would you like to replace it with proficiency in another skill?]
Yes.
According to Rei Kaguya's experience using First Strike over the past few years, Gentle Fist at LV2 was roughly the level of a Hyuga clan member who had just become a genin.
It was fine for peeking at the surface of Hyuga-style taijutsu.
But if he truly wanted to add it to his current combat system, it would need to be at least LV6 or above.
It would also need to be paired with a pair of high-purity Byakugan from the Hyuga main family to be worth using.
"Tch. No good drop… But that's normal. Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave is mainly a ninjutsu used to create a favorable battle environment. In terms of pure attack power, it is indeed a little lacking. Add to that the fact that I was not aiming to instantly kill Hanabi Hyuga, and it is normal that insufficient damage failed to produce good loot."
Feeling the proficiency of Dance of the Willow and Dance of the Camellia in Kaguya-style taijutsu improve slightly, Rei Kaguya briefly cleaned up the traces left behind by his battle with Hanabi Hyuga.
Then he turned and chased after the main Kirigakure force, which had already opened some distance from him.
Rei Kaguya did not take Hanabi Hyuga's suggestion too seriously.
Because he knew very well that long before Obito Uchiha turned dark, Kirigakure had already been controlled by Madara Uchiha for many years.
At most, the level of control was not as severe as during Obito Uchiha's time.
Even if Rei deliberately went easy and allowed Obito Uchiha to arrive at the last second and rescue Rin Nohara, she, who had been crudely turned into the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, would not have many days left to live.
Once Rin Nohara died, Obito Uchiha would inevitably hate Kirigakure, which had turned her into the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and ultimately caused her death.
At that time, Madara Uchiha, who secretly controlled Kirigakure, would only need to use a small trick and could still drag Obito Uchiha into darkness.
Since Obito Uchiha, this so-called successor, had already been calculated to death by Madara Uchiha, there was naturally no need for Rei, who still needed time to develop, to forcefully change the direction of this piece of history.
Besides, he did not like Obito as a person either.
That said…
With the lineup of this operation, after he had been delayed by the sudden appearance of Hanabi Hyuga, could Matsuda Takuya and Ringo Mirai actually withstand a full-power Kakashi Hatake?
If he caught up with the main force only to discover that Kakashi Hatake had single-handedly killed them all…
Would he lose the people who were supposed to help him shoulder the huge blame for the mission's failure?
Thinking of this, Rei Kaguya could not help shivering.
His steps immediately became much faster.
…
"Chidori!"
"Uwaaahhh—!"
The shrill, chirping lightning flashed across the ground and once again pierced through the body of a Kirigakure Anbu, mercilessly taking his life.
Seeing this scene, Matsuda Takuya solemnly handed the heavily injured and unconscious Ringo Mirai to an Anbu beside him.
Then he gripped the short blade in his hand and stepped forward, facing Kakashi Hatake, who had just killed three Anbu.
When he heard at the outpost that Kakashi Hatake had been forced back by Rei Kaguya, Matsuda Takuya had even thought with contempt that Konoha's genius shinobi was nothing much.
But when he and his companion Ringo Mirai, who held a similar view, truly faced Kakashi, he finally realized just how terrifying this white-haired brat with cold, vicious eyes really was.
Ringo Mirai, who had underestimated his opponent, had only lasted three exchanges before Kakashi Hatake, going all out, removed one of his arms.
The result of his incompetent fury and refusal to retreat was that Kakashi Hatake seized another opportunity.
One Chidori directly killed the five Anbu attacking together with him and opened a hole straight through Ringo Mirai's right chest.
If Matsuda Takuya had not arrived in time to force Kakashi back, Ringo Mirai, whose entire body smelled like roasted meat, would already be a corpse.
"Give… Rin back to me!"
Although Kakashi Hatake was panting heavily like a broken bellows, not a single person on Kirigakure's side dared rashly step forward and attack him.
They merely maintained the encirclement, preventing Kakashi from escaping the battlefield without fighting.
Anyone with clear eyes could see that Kakashi Hatake, who had only recently been seriously injured by Rei Kaguya, was already in poor condition.
His stamina and chakra were no longer enough to support him in continuing to fight so many people.
As long as they delayed for a little while, they did not even need anyone to face him directly.
They only had to maintain the threat of encirclement, and his exhausted body would completely drag him down on its own.
Kirigakure shinobi were indeed cold and bloodthirsty.
But that did not mean they were fools or lunatics who would rush forward to kill no matter what kind of situation they faced.
In a situation where waiting a little meant guaranteed victory, what need was there to pile up lives?
Kakashi Hatake also understood this logic.
But he had no more cards left to play.
That female shinobi from the Hyuga clan was indeed not weak.
But relying on her to defeat Rei Kaguya and then come to support him was clearly a fool's dream.
Although she had promised to help him delay for as long as possible, Kakashi had already prepared himself mentally for the possibility of Rei Kaguya returning to the battlefield at any moment.
And as he watched the combat time he had reserved grow shorter second by second, while his chakra was about to hit bottom, whether he chose to abandon Rin Nohara and find a way to break through or risk everything to save her, he had to make a decision as soon as possible.
"I will become your eye and help you see the future clearly…"
"Rin… I'll leave her to you…"
Scenes from the past appeared before his eyes once again.
But this time, Kakashi no longer hesitated in the slightest.
Kakashi squeezed dry the last bit of chakra in his body and formed the hand seals.
Ox. Rabbit. Monkey.
The chirping lightning gathered in his hand again.
It stimulated his exhausted body, allowing him to force out his final strength and save the companion he had sworn to protect.
"Stop him! Stop him!"
Matsuda Takuya shouted.
At the same time, his body intentionally or unintentionally moved closer to the direction where Rin Nohara was.
He could tell that at this moment, only Rin Nohara remained in Kakashi Hatake's eyes.
If he stood near Rin Nohara, he could grab her at any time and use her as a human shield.
Since that white-haired brat cared so much about this companion of his, he would surely hesitate because of her life, right?
As long as his movements showed even the tiniest flaw, Matsuda Takuya could seize the chance and cut off his head!
"Rin, don't be afraid… I'm coming to save you now."
Looking at Rin Nohara, who was biting her lip and staring at him, Kakashi Hatake forced out a faint smile.
Then he slowly lowered his center of gravity, closed his left eye, entrusted his perception of the outside world to the Sharingan of his close friend, and entrusted control of his body to the ninjutsu he had developed.
Then, like true lightning, he charged out.
At that moment, on both sides of the battlefield, two young figures who had arrived with different thoughts noticed the lightning on the ground that seemed as if it wanted to illuminate the deep night sky.