Paper Bullet Chariot

Hikari's eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could even struggle, he was sent straight to the Pure Land to join his good friend Taiseki.

The two had been as close as brothers in life. At least they could keep each other company in death, a small consolation in their misfortune.

After taking down Hikari, Kakashi staggered back a few steps. He braced himself against a tree trunk and gasped for breath, his face frighteningly pale.

Chidori looked impressive, but using it was incredibly dangerous.

It was so fast that the user couldn't even see how their opponent reacted. It was like charging into a fight for your life with your eyes closed.

And Kakashi didn't have the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode, so he couldn't combine offense and defense.

The Fourth Raikage could charge in recklessly without worrying about his own safety, but Kakashi couldn't.

In actual combat, Chidori was practically a jutsu that gambled with your life. One small mistake, and your opponent could exploit the opening and take you out first.

Even if they didn't, you might still die alongside them.

If Hikari hadn't been caught off guard just then, giving Kakashi an opening, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Even if Chidori had ultimately killed Hikari, he could still have taken Kakashi down with him before he died.

But Kakashi had kept Hikari occupied for so long precisely because he was waiting for an opportunity like that—one that would let him kill with a single strike.

The moment the fight ended, Nohara Rin hurried over to Kakashi and carefully checked him for injuries.

"Kakashi, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Meanwhile, Aragaki Yasushi had started searching the bodies.

After all, looting corpses was one of the few ways to earn extra money on the battlefield.

But the Energy Scroll had been so powerful that not even a scrap of Taiseki remained.

Fortunately, Hikari's body was still there. Aragaki Yasushi crouched down and rummaged through it, but didn't find much.

As expected, no ninja fighting in a war carried large sums of money or jutsu scrolls around with them.

After searching for a while, Aragaki Yasushi found only a few Kunai, Explosive Tags, military ration pills, and other odds and ends.

The only things worth anything were the two short swords strapped to Hikari's arms.

Aragaki Yasushi hefted one of them. It had a good feel to it, and he could tell it was a fine weapon made with Chakra Metal.

They were expensive, something ordinary ninja couldn't afford, but to Aragaki Yasushi, they were nothing special.

They weren't even unusual ninja tools. Compared to famous Ninja Blades like Samehada, they fell far short.

Besides, how much power these weapons could unleash depended entirely on their wielder's skill.

It was like White Fang, the short sword left behind by Kakashi's father, Hatake Sakumo. It, too, was made with Chakra Metal.

In Hatake Sakumo's hands, it had been a Famous Sword that struck fear into the hearts of his enemies.

But in Kakashi's hands, it was nothing special. Hikari had even broken it with ease.

In the end, Kakashi's swordsmanship simply couldn't compare to his father's.

Aragaki Yasushi casually disposed of Hikari's body, picked up one of the short swords, and tossed it to Kakashi. "Here."

Kakashi didn't have the Sharingan yet. He wasn't the Copy Ninja who would later make waves across the Ninja World; for now, his main way of fighting was the swordsmanship his father had taught him.

Without a weapon, Kakashi would be at a disadvantage.

Kakashi caught the sword and weighed it in his hand. He didn't say much, only nodding to Aragaki Yasushi.

The kid had always been aloof. Getting him to say thank you was harder than getting Obito to stop talking back.

Aragaki Yasushi dusted off his hands and grew serious. "Everyone, stay alert. We haven't even reached Kannabi Bridge, and we've already run into two Iwagakure elite jonin. Just imagine how many ninja Iwagakure has stationed at the bridge."

"This mission won't be as simple as we thought."

At that, both Asuma, going through his rebellious phase, and Obito, who usually couldn't keep quiet, fell silent. Neither of them even grumbled.

The battlefield was cruel. It wouldn't go any easier on you just because you were the Hokage's son or a member of the Uchiha clan.

Carelessness could get you killed.

The group continued toward Kannabi Bridge.

Unlike their earlier bickering, the team was now frighteningly quiet, the tension so heavy it felt like you could wring it out.

The two elite Iwa Ninja they had just encountered had been a wake-up call for Obito and the others.

Obito, especially, trudged along with his head down, no longer acting tough. His heart was pounding as he wondered whether there might be several elite jonin waiting at Kannabi Bridge.

If they really ran into that many, even with Kakashi and Aragaki Yasushi, they'd have a hard time holding them off.

Even if they won, some of them would probably die.

After making their way forward in constant anxiety, Aragaki Yasushi and the others quietly reached the area around Kannabi Bridge. They hid in a concealed thicket and peered out to scout.

Sure enough, a squad of Iwa Ninja guarded the bridge. There were seven of them.

Fortunately, Aragaki Yasushi took a close look.

Only the squad leader was an elite jonin. The rest were Chunin and Genin.

They were even weaker overall than Hikari and Taiseki had been.

Aragaki Yasushi turned to Kakashi. Kakashi slowly drew his short sword and pointed at the elite jonin.

He didn't say a word, but Aragaki Yasushi understood.

They were classmates, after all. They had a certain amount of unspoken rapport.

Kakashi's meaning was clear: I'll keep the elite jonin busy. You handle the rest.

Aragaki Yasushi gave a slight nod, then signaled Yuhi Kurenai, Obito, and the others to get ready before charging out first.

In midair, his body folded and twisted rapidly. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a giant paper hedgehog, covered in sharp paper spikes. Then he curled into a ball and rolled toward the Iwa Ninja camp.

Paper Bullet Chariot!

Aragaki Yasushi had casually given his move a knockoff name.

Who cared if it sounded good? At least it was much better than Minato's naming.

In an instant, two Genin who hadn't reacted in time were crushed beneath the paper hedgehog Aragaki Yasushi had become.

Their bodies were first pierced by countless paper spikes, then crushed into meat patties by the tremendous force. They didn't even have time for last words.

Seeing this, the squad leader, the Iwa Ninja elite jonin Sumashi, went pale. He immediately started forming Hand Seals, intending to use a jutsu to stop the paper hedgehog Aragaki Yasushi had become.

But as soon as he raised his hands, a shadow appeared right in front of him.

Kakashi gripped his short sword and slashed at Sumashi's neck, moving so fast that he left him no time to react.

Sumashi nearly jumped out of his skin. He hurriedly dodged to the side, barely avoiding the deadly strike.

Kakashi pressed his advantage, swinging his short sword again and again. Amid the glint of blades, he kept Sumashi pinned down, driving him toward the distant woods and away from the battlefield around Kannabi Bridge.

The two exchanged blows and instantly became locked in combat.

As Aragaki Yasushi and Kakashi each engaged their opponents, Yuhi Kurenai and the others sprang into action, each with a clear role to play.