Cloud Village Elite Ninja

After traveling for a while, everyone clearly felt ninjas rapidly approaching from behind.

Amada moved quickly, speaking in a deep voice:

"This won't do, the enemy's speed is clearly faster than ours, they'll catch up soon."

Obito shouted nervously:

"Then what do we do?"

Kakashi spoke calmly:

"Someone needs to stay behind to cover our retreat, while the others continue the mission. The intelligence must be safely delivered back to Konoha."

Asuma, upon hearing this, immediately said with determination:

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

Obito, unwilling to be outdone, mustered his courage and shouted:

"Of course, Uchiha Obito should be the one to do this!"

Everyone knew what staying behind meant.

Even Kurenai and Rin intended to say something.

Amada interrupted them helplessly:

"Judging by the enemy's speed and aura, they are clearly Jonin-level ninjas. You won't be able to stop them. Only Kakashi and I have the ability to hold them off."

After speaking, he turned to look at Kakashi.

Kakashi's gaze was calm, and he nodded slightly in agreement.

However, the others still insisted they would never abandon their comrades.

Amada looked at them, understanding that further argument would only waste time.

He turned to Kakashi:

"Kakashi, you are the only Chunin among us, you decide."

Amada knew this was not a time for hesitation.

He was confident that with his own strength, he could hold his own even against a Jonin, and Kakashi should be able to as well.

But the prerequisite was that they had no one else to hold them back, so they could go all out.

Kakashi did not hesitate:

"Amada and I will stay behind to cover the retreat. It's decided."

Kurenai and Rin wanted to say more, but the words caught in their throats.

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

Asuma gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice:

"You must survive! I still want to settle our score!"

Amada smiled and nodded.

Obito could only say:

"After we deliver the intelligence, we'll come back to save you immediately! You must hold on!"

The group took one last look at Amada and Kakashi, then turned and sped off in the direction of Konoha.

Amada and Kakashi stood in place until they confirmed the others were far away.

Amada took out a katana from a sealing scroll.

He gripped the hilt, turned to Kakashi, and asked:

"The enemy is a Jonin, are you ready?"

Kakashi held his short sword, his eyes sharp:

"That's a question I should be asking you."

Amada chuckled lightly and said no more.

Their gazes simultaneously turned forward, and they saw three figures rapidly approaching – the three Cloud Village ninjas.

The leading Cloud Village Jonin saw Amada and Kakashi and sneered:

"Oh? Leaving behind two brats to cover your retreat, how courageous. But do you really think you can stop me with just the two of you?"

After speaking, he turned to the two Chunin behind him and ordered:

"You two continue the pursuit, I'll stay here to deal with these two brats."

"Yes, Lord Yalan!"

The two Chunin responded respectfully, then their figures flashed, and they continued to pursue Asuma and the others.

Amada and Kakashi tacitly did not try to stop the two Chunin.

They knew in their hearts that the most troublesome enemy was the Jonin before them.

As for those two chunin, I believe Asuma, Obito, Kurenai, and Rin are more than capable of handling them.

Amada and Kakashi kept their eyes locked firmly on Yalan, their muscles coiled tight.

Yet, in the very next instant, Yalan's figure vanished from where he stood.

Amada's pupils constricted, and he instinctively raised his katana to parry.

"Clang—!"

With a deafening metallic clash, Amada felt a massive force surge from the blade.

The shock numbed his palm, sending him flying backward until he slammed heavily into a tree.

He barely managed to steady himself, his sword-hand trembling slightly, his heart struck with alarm:

Such incredible speed, such overwhelming strength... Is this what a jonin is capable of?

At the same time, Kakashi did not hesitate in the slightest; his short blade, gleaming with a sharp, cold light, slashed straight toward Yalan's face.

However, Yalan's reaction was even faster, and with a single kick, he sent Kakashi stumbling back several paces.

Yalan stood his ground, his body wreathed in blue lightning.

His voice was heavy with pressure:

"I never take anyone lightly. From the very beginning, I will go all out."

Kakashi did not respond, merely forming a silent seal.

The short blade in his hand was instantly enveloped in lightning, emitting a buzzing electrical hum.

With a flash of movement, he charged at Yalan once more, engaging him in close-quarters combat.

The two moved with blinding speed, blade-light and lightning intertwining as the air filled with the screech of clashing metal and the drone of electricity.

Kakashi's offensive was fierce, every strike aimed directly at Yalan's vitals.

Yet, Yalan's strength was clearly superior; his movements were not only faster, but his power far exceeded Kakashi's.

Amada silently activated his Sharingan—there was no room to hold back now—and with a flash, he dove into the fray.

His speed was greater than before, and his attacks were even more relentless.

Seeing this, Kakashi immediately coordinated with Amada's movements, the lightning on his short blade glowing ever brighter.

Under their combined efforts, they finally managed to force a stalemate against Yalan.

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

In that split second, Amada seized the opportunity and unleashed his ocular jutsu with all his might—Frenzy!

In an instant, a tidal wave of intense despondency surged into Yalan's heart.

Countless images flooded his mind:

His entire life as a ninja felt like nothing more than a tool for the village, a cycle of endless killing and missions devoid of any meaning.

A profound sense of despair welled up within him, as if death were the only path to liberation.

What is the point... of a life like this?

Yalan's movements involuntarily slowed and weakened, the fighting spirit in his eyes beginning to dissipate.

Seeing this, Amada immediately seized the fleeting opportunity.

He quickly assumed a draw-stance and let out a low shout:

"One-Sword Style: Draw-Slash!"

The blade struck toward Yalan like a bolt of lightning.

Just as the edge was about to make contact, Yalan snapped back to his senses.

"Ah!!!"

With a roar, he broke free from Amada's ocular jutsu and threw his body to the side in a desperate attempt to dodge.

"Shhh—!"

Though Yalan's reaction was lightning-fast, Amada's blade still carved a deep wound into his abdomen.

Blood instantly stained his clothes crimson.

However, before Yalan could recover, a sharp sense of crisis erupted from behind him.

Kakashi's short blade, flickering with lightning, was already inches away.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Spike!"

Kakashi thrust his blade directly toward Yalan's heart.

Yalan's pupils shrank; he tried to dodge, but it was already too late.

He could only curl his body and roll away, narrowly evading Kakashi's lethal strike.

Yet, despite his quick reaction, the blade still sliced off one of his ears.

Blood streamed down his cheek, dyeing half his face in red.

He quickly widened the distance and steadied himself not far away, clutching his ears with eyes full of shock and fury:

"Sharingan? Are you from the Uchiha clan? I was too careless..."

Yalan's breathing was somewhat ragged, and he felt a secret pang of regret in his heart.

But now, he didn't even dare to look into Amada's eyes again, terrified of falling victim to the trap once more.

The sense of despair he felt while under the genjutsu just now was truly awful; he never wanted to experience it a second time.

Amada watched Yalan's disheveled state, feeling a sense of pity in his heart.

The opportunity just now had been so rare; he had been only a hair's breadth away from completely finishing off this formidable foe.

He gripped his katana tightly and whispered to Kakashi:

"His vigilance has increased; he will be even harder to deal with from here on out."

Kakashi cast a glance at Amada's Sharingan:

"Can you use that genjutsu again?"

Amada nodded, though his gaze remained locked on Yalan as he replied in a low voice:

"I can, but he is guarding against it tightly now; I can't find an opening."

Lightning danced across the short blade in Kakashi's hand:

"I will create the opening. Next time, it must be a killing blow."