Cloud Village Jonin

After traveling for a while, everyone could clearly sense ninjas rapidly closing in behind them.

As Amada moved quickly, he said in a low voice:

"This won't work. They're clearly faster than us. They'll catch up soon."

Obito cried out anxiously:

"What do we do?"

Kakashi spoke calmly:

"Someone needs to stay behind and hold them off. The rest of us should continue the mission and make sure the intelligence gets back to Konoha safely."

Hearing this, Asuma immediately said with determination:

"I won't abandon my comrades! If someone has to stay behind, let me do it!"

Obito refused to be outdone and shouted, summoning his courage:

"Of course I should be the one to do something like that—Uchiha Obito!"

Everyone knew what staying behind meant.

Even Kurenai and Rin were about to say something.

Amada cut them off helplessly:

"Judging by their speed and chakra, they're clearly Jonin. You can't hold them off. Only Kakashi and I are capable of keeping them occupied."

As he finished speaking, he turned and glanced at Kakashi.

Kakashi's gaze remained calm. He gave a slight nod to show his agreement.

But the others still insisted that they would never abandon their comrades.

Looking at them, Amada knew that arguing any longer would only waste time.

He turned to Kakashi:

"Kakashi, you're the only Chunin among us. You decide."

Amada knew this wasn't the time to hesitate.

He was confident he could hold his own against a Jonin, and Kakashi should be able to do the same.

But they had to be free of anyone else slowing them down if they were going to fight with all their strength.

Kakashi didn't hesitate:

"Amada and I will stay behind. That's settled."

Kurenai and Rin wanted to say more, but swallowed their words.

They knew that staying behind would only make them a burden.

Asuma gritted his teeth and said in a low voice:

"You'd better survive! I still want to settle things between us!"

Amada smiled and nodded.

Obito could only say:

"Once we get the intelligence back, we'll come straight back to rescue you! Just hold on!"

The group took one last look at Amada and Kakashi, then turned and raced toward Konoha.

Amada and Kakashi stood where they were, waiting until the others were out of sight.

Amada took a katana from his sealing scroll.

He tightened his grip on the hilt and turned to Kakashi:

"We're up against a Jonin. Are you ready?"

Kakashi held his short sword, his gaze sharp:

"That's what I should be asking you."

Amada chuckled and said nothing more.

They both turned their eyes toward the front. Three figures were rapidly approaching: the three Cloud Village ninjas.

The Cloud Village Jonin at their head saw Amada and Kakashi and sneered:

"Oh? You left two brats behind to hold us off. How courageous. But do you really think the two of you can stop me?"

He turned and instructed the two Chunins behind him:

"Keep going after the others. I'll stay and take care of these two brats."

"Yes, Lord Yalan!"

The two Chunins answered respectfully, then flashed away to continue pursuing Asuma and the others.

Amada and Kakashi made no move to stop them.

They knew the Jonin in front of them was the real threat.

As for the two Chunins, Asuma, Obito, Kurenai, and Rin should be able to handle them.

Amada and Kakashi fixed their gazes on Yalan, their muscles tensing.

But in the very next instant, Yalan vanished from where he stood.

Amada's pupils contracted. Instinctively, he raised his katana to block.

"Clang—!"

The metallic crash rang out. Amada felt an enormous force travel through his blade,

numbing his hand and sending him flying backward. He slammed hard into a tree.

He barely managed to steady himself. The hand gripping his sword trembled as he thought in shock:

What speed! What strength... Is this what a Jonin is like?

At the same time, Kakashi didn't hesitate. His short sword flashed with a sharp glint as he slashed straight at Yalan's face.

But Yalan reacted even faster. He kicked Kakashi and sent him stumbling several steps back.

Yalan stood where he was, blue lightning coiling around his body.

His voice was full of menace:

"I never let my guard down against anyone. From the start, I give every fight my all."

Kakashi didn't answer. He silently formed a hand seal,

and lightning instantly wrapped around his short sword, crackling with electricity.

He flashed forward again and engaged Yalan in close combat.

Both of them moved incredibly fast. Sword flashes and lightning intertwined, filling the air with the shrill clanging of metal and the hum of electricity.

Kakashi's attacks were fierce, every strike aimed at Yalan's vitals.

But Yalan was clearly stronger. Not only was he faster, his strength far surpassed Kakashi's.

Amada silently activated his Sharingan. Now wasn't the time to hold back. He flashed into the fray.

He was faster than before, and his attacks were even more fierce.

Seeing this, Kakashi immediately moved in sync with Amada, the lightning on his short sword shining brighter.

Working together, the two finally managed to hold Yalan at bay.

Yalan's gaze inadvertently passed over Amada's Sharingan.

In that instant, Amada seized his chance and unleashed his Dojutsu to its full extent—"Frenzy!"

A powerful sense of despair surged through Yalan like a tide.

Countless images appeared in his mind:

His entire life as a ninja seemed to have amounted to nothing more than being a tool of the village, killing and carrying out missions day after day, all without meaning.

A deep despair welled up inside him, as if only death could set him free.

"What's the point of living like this...?"

Yalan's movements became sluggish and weak, and the fighting spirit in his eyes gradually faded.

Seeing this, Amada seized the fleeting opportunity.

He swiftly took up a drawing stance and shouted:

"One Sword Style: Draw!"

His blade flashed toward Yalan like lightning.

Just as the blade was about to reach him, Yalan suddenly snapped out of it.

"Ah!!!"

He cried out and broke free of Amada's Dojutsu, desperately dodging to the side.

"Shhk—!"

Though Yalan reacted quickly, Amada's blade still carved a deep wound across his abdomen.

Blood instantly soaked his clothes.

But before Yalan could recover, he felt a powerful sense of danger from behind.

Kakashi's short sword crackled with lightning and was already right behind him.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Stab!"

Kakashi thrust his short sword straight toward Yalan's back.

Yalan's pupils contracted. He tried to dodge, but it was too late.

He could only curl up and roll awkwardly across the ground, barely evading Kakashi's fatal strike.

Although he reacted quickly, the short sword still sliced off one of his ears.

Blood ran down his cheek, staining half his face red.

He quickly put some distance between them and steadied himself. Clutching his ear, he stared at them in shock and fury:

"The Sharingan? Are you from the Uchiha Clan? I let my guard down..."

Yalan was breathing hard, privately regretting his mistake.

But now he didn't even dare look at Amada's eyes, afraid he would fall for the same trick again.

The despair he'd felt when caught in the genjutsu had been awful. He never wanted to experience it again.

Looking at Yalan's battered state, Amada felt a little regretful.

That opportunity had been incredibly rare. He'd come within a hair's breadth of finishing off this formidable opponent.

He tightened his grip on his katana and said quietly to Kakashi:

"He's more alert now. He'll be harder to deal with from here on."

Kakashi glanced at Amada's Sharingan:

"Can you use that genjutsu again?"

Amada nodded, but kept his eyes fixed on Yalan as he replied quietly:

"I can, but he's on guard now. I can't find an opening."

Lightning danced along the short sword in Kakashi's hand:

"I'll create one. Next time, we have to kill him with a single strike."