Eight-Blade Style: Blind Slash!

The speed was absurd. Obito nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Idiot!"

Kakashi cursed under his breath. His short blade flashed from its sheath and slashed toward the shadow, moving so fast it left only a blur.

Aragaki Yasushi's expression darkened as he immediately recognized the attacker.

Hikari of Iwagakure.

Though he couldn't remember the original story very clearly, Hikari's explosive-looking hair, sticking out like a steel wool scrubber, was hard to forget.

Aragaki Yasushi remembered that in the original story, Hikari had even snapped the Ninja Blade Kakashi's father had left behind. He was no pushover.

What made Aragaki Yasushi's scalp prickle even more was his vague memory that Hikari had a sneaky bastard for a companion, someone who could use the Camouflage Concealment Technique and hide himself completely, specializing in ambushes.

At the thought, Aragaki Yasushi instantly went on guard, silently cursing his luck.

If that sneaky bastard ambushed them, they'd be in serious trouble.

Invisible enemies were incredibly hard to fight.

While Aragaki Yasushi was on alert, Kakashi had already engaged Hikari.

"Clang!"

A sharp ring rang out as the short blade in Kakashi's hand collided with the blade strapped to Hikari's arm.

The next second, the short blade shattered. Shards cut Kakashi's cheek and scattered across the ground, glinting coldly.

Kakashi's Ninja Blade had barely warmed up before it was honorably retired.

Asuma and Obito watched, frantic with worry. They clutched their weapons and wanted to rush in and help, but a battle between elite jonin wasn't something half-trained kids like them could interfere with.

They'd only get themselves killed, or worse, become a burden to Kakashi. All they could do was stand by anxiously.

Only Yuhi Kurenai remained calm. She quietly closed her eyes, swiftly formed Hand Seals, and subtly cast a genjutsu, trying to disrupt Hikari's movements.

Her genjutsu might not be enough to control a jonin completely, but it could at least throw off the enemy's rhythm. It was better than nothing.

Seeing this, Aragaki Yasushi suddenly had an idea, and his mind raced.

If he were Hikari's invisible teammate, hiding nearby and waiting for the right moment, he'd take out Yuhi Kurenai, who was casting a genjutsu, first.

With that thought, Aragaki Yasushi didn't hesitate for a moment. Both his arms instantly transformed into sharp paper blades. He pushed off the ground and suddenly charged toward Yuhi Kurenai.

"Thud!"

A muffled impact rang out as a hazy figure suddenly flew through the air and crashed heavily to the ground.

Aragaki Yasushi had actually guessed right!

He couldn't see the invisible enemy, but his attack had somehow struck its target dead on.

Sure, he'd gotten it right through sheer luck, but luck was part of strength, too.

A streak of bright red blood appeared out of thin air and dripped onto the ground. It was quickly concealed by the Camouflage Concealment Technique and vanished, leaving only a small bloodstain on the ground.

At that moment, Taiseki, still invisible, glared furiously at Aragaki Yasushi, seething with anger.

Lucky brat!

Taiseki was about ready to explode. He'd been trying to sneak up on them, only to get hit by a Chunin who'd guessed his position by sheer luck. He'd taken a blow and nearly given himself away.

He'd completely disgraced himself. The dignity of a jonin had been shattered to pieces.

Taiseki quickly patched up the wound on his body,

but it continued to ooze blood.

His Camouflage Concealment Technique could perfectly hide his clothes and body, so it could naturally conceal the blood on him, too. But the blood dripping onto the ground still left traces, and he could be discovered if he wasn't careful.

Taiseki gritted his teeth and silently made up his mind.

He couldn't waste any more time. He'd finish this quickly: first take out that annoying brat, then kill the brat casting genjutsu.

Having made up his mind, Taiseki quietly shifted his steps and approached Aragaki Yasushi from the left, ready to ambush him.

But Aragaki Yasushi had been prepared for this and had already finished forming Hand Seals.

In an instant, layers of white scraps of paper appeared out of nowhere, drifting through the air like snowflakes. They swirled thickly, obscuring the area around them.

That's right. This was the Paper Clone Technique Aragaki Yasushi hadn't fully developed yet.

He still couldn't gather the scraps of paper together to form a useful Paper Clone.

But the scattered scraps around him were perfect for something else.

They'd stick firmly to Taiseki's body, precisely marking his position.

Taiseki's Camouflage Concealment Technique could hide his form, but it couldn't make his body intangible. As long as something stuck to him, it would be easy to find him.

Aragaki Yasushi sneered.

Invisibility was a dirty trick, but it wasn't dirty enough. Countering it was far too easy.

Taiseki saw what was happening and realized something was wrong.

He'd never imagined that the Camouflage Concealment Technique he was so proud of would be foiled by a pile of paper scraps.

Aragaki Yasushi gave him no time to react. His form shifted in an instant. Amid a flutter of paper, he folded himself into an eight-armed Paper Person, all eight arms transforming into sharp paper blades. They gleamed coldly as they hacked wildly at Taiseki.

Eight-Blade Style: Blind Slash!

There might be people in the Ninja World who could skillfully wield multiple blades. Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, for example, could deftly handle seven blades. But that was a rare talent.

To control eight blades as easily as Aragaki Yasushi did, you'd need to actually grow eight arms. Otherwise, it was pure fantasy.

Of course, Aragaki Yasushi hadn't learned any proper swordsmanship. His so-called Eight-Blade Style was just a bunch of wild slashes, without any form or technique. He relied entirely on sheer force.

But the thing was, he had a lot of arms. Eight paper blades rained down on Taiseki, overwhelming him with sheer numbers and sealing off every angle he could dodge toward.

Taiseki saw the eight blades rushing at him and went pale. He could only stumble backward, with no chance to counterattack.

Whoosh!

Blood gushed out as Taiseki's right arm was severed by the paper blades. It flew high into the air and landed on the ground, twitching faintly.

Taiseki fought with everything he had and barely managed to retreat to safety, paying the terrible price of losing an arm.

Before Taiseki could breathe a sigh of relief—or even mourn his arm—a dazzling green light suddenly shot toward him at incredible speed, leaving him no time to react.

Zero-frame startup!

How was he supposed to defend against that?

Taiseki's pupils contracted. Despair filled his heart.

How had this kid done it?!

He hadn't even formed Hand Seals. He'd just fired it off! That was no way for a ninja to act!

In an instant, Taiseki's body was reduced to ash by the green beam from the Energy Scroll. Not even a speck remained. He died completely, without even having time to leave any last words.

Meanwhile, Hikari, who had been dominating Kakashi in the battle, sensed Taiseki's death and was stunned.

He couldn't believe his companion had been taken out so quickly.

After all, even he would have struggled to deal with Taiseki's Camouflage Concealment Technique.

In the instant Hikari froze, Kakashi seized the rare opportunity. He swiftly formed Hand Seals, and a dazzling bolt of lightning appeared in his palm. A sharp, piercing chirping rang out, like thousands of birds crying out at once—shrill and terrifying.

It was the jutsu he hadn't yet perfected: Chidori.

While Hikari was distracted, Kakashi charged straight at him without a second thought, focused on one thing alone: killing his opponent.

In a flash of lightning, Chidori pierced straight through Hikari's chest, and blood instantly stained Kakashi's arm red.