Negotiations Fail, the Fight Begins!

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"Clink, clink, clink~" Shunren used Kanshou and Bakuya to knock down the enemy's Steel Release Kunai.

"Oh?" Kurogane's gaze fell on the twin swords in Shunren's hands. "Is that the Yin Release power you possess?" he murmured.

"..." Shunren frowned deeply. He had keenly noticed Kurogane's slightly peculiar wording; it sounded as though his opponent had known about his ability all along. Yet during his previous battle with the Stone Ninja, the Explosion Corps had been wiped out, making it impossible for them to pass on information, unless...

Someone had been watching nearby!

Shunren's expression remained unchanged as he quietly extended his senses.

He found no unusual Chakra in the surrounding area.

As if noticing what Shunren was doing, Kurogane said in mild surprise, "Could it be... you already know something? That's impossible. If you're talking about stealing information, the Yamanaka Clan fellow should have been crippled by now."

"A Genjutsu trap... or rather, a Dōjutsu trap," Shunren said calmly. "In the entire Shinobi World, I can think of only one person capable of crushing the Yamanaka Clan in a contest of mental energy."

Kurogane's face was expressionless.

"And... turning a Jonin with the power of a Kekkei Genkai into a puppet on strings." Shunren stared intently at Kurogane. "Or would you rather I reveal your identity to everyone here?" he said coldly.

That was enough. Saying any more would only draw him into a greater whirlpool.

"What else do you know...?" Kurogane asked, his expression indifferent.

"Forget it." Shunren cut him off and continued, "I have a suggestion. How about we both stop fighting? You can carry on with your grand conspiracy, and I'll agree to keep my mouth shut about you."

"Rejected."

"Why?"

"Because you're already part of my plan."

"I see..." Shunren sighed. "Then there's nothing to be done," he said gravely.

Every word of the conversation between Shunren and Kurogane was understandable, but put together, it made no sense at all. "Shunren, what are you doing?" Kakashi asked gravely.

"Nothing. Negotiations just broke down, that's all." Shunren shook his head, showing no intention of explaining.

"When did you get the illusion that you could negotiate with me?" Kurogane said coldly.

"Uchiha..." The moment those words left his mouth, a sharp projectile shot toward him.

"Clang!"

Shunren raised a sword and knocked the Kunai his opponent had thrown aside.

"Heh heh~" Kurogane suddenly laughed. It was a strange laugh; his facial muscles didn't move, and only a dry chuckle came from his throat, as though something lurking inside that body were laughing.

"I'm even more interested in you now. Don't worry, kid, I've come to bring you a gift. If you really know who I am, you should understand what kind of gift it is."

Shunren's heart stirred. He pointed at his own eyes and said coldly, "If it's this, then it certainly is a great gift. But I'm afraid that's not all, is it? For example, the thing that comes with it..."

Shunren pointed at his heart. "A curse seal planted here, or something like that."

"I'm very curious about you," Kurogane said calmly. With a gesture of his hand, the Kunai he held stretched and lengthened, transforming into a sharp, dark brown spike. "Be good and make some room in your eye sockets, will you?"

"If you don't touch my heart, I'd be happy to accept."

"Gaining power comes at a price."

"I refuse."

"If you have what it takes to refuse me."

"Clang~"

Shunren gripped his twin swords tightly, his body tensing as he took a fighting stance.

"Though I don't know what you're talking about..." Kakashi also gripped the snow-white, translucent White Fang Blade in both hands. "In the end, it looks like we're back to fighting to the death."

Mind Transmission Technique!

Shunren sent his voice to Shizune.

"Shizune, retreat first..."

"No! Shunren, how could I run away on my own?"

"Shut up and hear me out! Find ways to set all kinds of traps along the way and cover us..."

"This plan is a bit..." Kakashi suddenly interjected, but Shunren kicked him out of the private conversation.

"All right, then be careful, both of you. I'll make preparations along the retreat route to cover you!"

Shizune was fooled into leaving.

"So your companion can escape?" Kurogane said coldly. "It seems I need to train you a little before you become a piece on the board..."

"She'd only get in the way," Shunren said calmly.

"Is that so?" Kurogane vanished from where he stood and appeared like a ghost in front of Kakashi. "How about I clean this one up too?"

"What a fast Body Flicker Technique!" Kakashi's pupils contracted, but as a Chunin, he was anything but sluggish. At the critical moment, he raised his blade with both hands to block the spike in his opponent's hand. The tremendous force drove him down onto one knee. "And it's as heavy as steel..."

"Oh? A rare talent from Konoha?" Kurogane said in mild surprise. At the same time, Hierro coated both his arms!

Shunren rushed over and slashed fiercely at Kurogane's shoulder.

"Pfft~"

The keen blade cut through the Hierro and struck Kurogane's arm, but its edge was spent, and it could only inflict a slight wound.

"A fine sword." Kurogane jerked his arm, thrusting his bent elbow upward and knocking the sword from Shunren's right hand.

Shunren reversed his grip on the sword in his left hand and thrust the blade at Kurogane's chest!

Kurogane raised a knee and knocked the sword from Shunren's left hand as well.

Having lost both weapons, Shunren retreated without hesitation.

"In the end, you're still just a kid. You have too little combat experience."

"Slash~" Meanwhile, taking advantage of his opponent's attention being fixed on Shunren, Kakashi jolted both hands and shook off the steel spike. The White Fang Blade flashed with a chilling gleam as it swept toward Kurogane's neck!

Kurogane didn't even glance at him, as though completely unaware of Kakashi's attack.

Shunren's pupils contracted. His Mind's Eye keenly detected Kurogane concentrating Chakra in his right leg.

Mind Transmission Technique!

On receiving Shunren's warning, Kakashi's expression changed. He immediately turned his blade from horizontal to vertical and drove it hard into the ground.

"Bang!"

Kurogane abruptly unleashed a spinning kick, slamming his foot into Kakashi's blade. The tremendous force sent Kakashi flying.

If Kakashi hadn't blocked with his blade at the critical moment, that steel kick would have been enough to smash his internal organs!