I Used to Be Able to Run, Until I Took an Arrow to the Knee

Up in the attic, Kakashi's gaze was heavy with gravity.

"Mist Ninja jonin, be careful!"

"Abandon the Mist Ninja, let them take the people and leave."

"The fear is..."

Kakashi stopped mid-sentence.

The enemy might not be here to rescue anyone; they might be here to kill their employer, or they might have other designs on them.

He had sensed it just a moment ago: his teacher seemed to have slipped out quietly, and on their own, they lacked the strength to contend with an enemy jonin.

"If it truly comes to that, we fight to the death to stop them, and let Kurenai take the people and run."

Kyohiko gritted his teeth.

Within the mist, Biwa Juzo sneered.

"You little brats, how much is this mission worth that you'd throw your lives away for it? Drop your weapons, and I might consider sparing you. Otherwise... I'll slaughter the lot of you!"

Trying to capture them?

Kakashi's heart sank.

This was the worst-case scenario.

By now, the mist had grown incredibly thick; it was impossible to see anything more than three or four paces away.

"Stay close to me."

Kyohiko whispered.

He could rely on the dissipation of chakra to barely perceive his surroundings, preventing him from being like a headless fly.

Kakashi nodded silently, White Fang held in his hand as he hid behind him.

The next moment, Kyohiko vanished with a Body Flicker.

Where they had been standing--

BOOM!

Kubikiribōchō sheared off a massive section of the wooden floorboards.

Kyohiko and Kakashi had both used Body Flicker to disappear, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived beside Kisame Hoshigaki, choosing not to flee, but instead closing in on Hozuki Mangetsu, who stood at Kisame's side.

ZZZT!

Lightning Style: Earth Flash!

Kakashi's coordination was impeccable.

Earlier, when the mist wasn't as dense, Kyohiko had attacked for the first time and the opponent had simply turned into water, but the second time, when he combined his Lightning Style with Kyohiko's Water Style, the opponent had chosen to dodge.

The opponent was likely afraid of Lightning Style!

Hozuki Mangetsu dodged immediately, but at that very instant, the accumulated water on the ground suddenly surged upward, transforming into a rotating vortex.

It was a specialized Water Wall; under the caster's control, the water wall spun and contracted.

The difference was--

This time, the goal of the Water Wall was not defense, so there was no need to control its intensity; it only needed to scan and envelop Hozuki Mangetsu with the waterfall.

Kakashi increased his chakra output, and lightning immediately spread through the surroundings, the very air thick with the numbing sensation of electricity due to the mist and water droplets.

The surging water engulfed Hozuki Mangetsu.

He had already used a Water Clone, but as the water spun, it permeated the area like raindrops.

The powerful current flowed along them and onto his body.

With the lightning coursing through him, Hozuki Mangetsu's mind went blank.

POOF!

With a sound, Hozuki Mangetsu, who had tried to Body Flicker away a step, fell from the air, landing in a heap against Kisame, who was halfway through untying the ropes.

He never expected that...

After only two or three exchanges with Kyohiko, the boy had already seen through his weakness and used his ninjutsu with such precision and flexibility that he was caught off guard by a Lightning Style technique.

At this moment, he was unable to move.

The water wall collapsed, and Kakashi struck with his blade, but his body was still able to turn to water, avoiding being slain by the edge.

Hydrification Technique feared no blade.

Hozuki Mangetsu recovered.

The next moment, a massive blade ruthlessly cleaved through the space where his head had been, swinging directly toward Kakashi.

Within the mist, Biwa Juzo's face was twisted in a savage grin.

However.

Below, Kyohiko crouched low, kunai in hand, and lunged forward in a single stride, the blade piercing through Hozuki Mangetsu's body, aiming directly for his heart.

So fast!

Biwa Juzo's pupils constricted as he swiftly raised his leg to kick the kunai away.

His speed was immense.

In Biwa Juzo's estimation, there was no way his opponent could dodge this kick.

Smack!

Kyohiko's right hand was struck solidly, and the kunai was indeed sent flying.

However.

He reached out with his other hand and grabbed Biwa Juzo's leg.

"Watch out!"

Kisame Hoshigaki, still bound nearby, widened his eyes.

He understood all too well.

This black-haired brat looked ordinary, but in reality, he was the most insidious of them all; the kunai was never meant for an assassination, but merely to draw Biwa Juzo's attention.

The true killing blow was in the other hand!

That terrifying strength was enough to make Biwa Juzo, who had underestimated him, suffer a grave loss, especially at the very moment his kick landed.

Hearing the warning, Biwa Juzo felt the hairs on his body stand on end.

He immediately tried to retract his leg.

Too late!

Kyohiko's right hand had grabbed him, and although he broke free quickly, it was already enough.

His left hand accelerated by several degrees.

In an instant, the killing blow arrived!

The vital point in front of him was only...

The knee!

Kyohiko made the judgment in his mind immediately.

His fist smashed downward.

The gathered chakra erupted rapidly, transforming into a terrifying current of air along with his fist.

Crack!

Kyohiko's Strength of a Hundred was not quite on par with Tsunade's, but it was still a terrifying power beyond what Biwa Juzo could have imagined.

In an instant, Biwa Juzo's knee went soft.

With that single punch, his kneecap was nearly dislocated, the tendons and bones torn, and he nearly lost his footing, stumbling as if to fall to the ground; fortunately, he immediately used his great sword to steady his frame.

"Ah!!!"

A moment of underestimation had led to him capsizing in the gutter.

Cold sweat seeped from his forehead, his eyes bloodshot, filled with extreme rage.

At this moment, Biwa Juzo wished he could use the Kubikiribōchō to slaughter Kyohiko, but right now, he didn't have the luxury of considering murder; he had to prioritize his own survival.

Clang!

The Kubikiribōchō shifted diagonally, blocking Kakashi's White Fang Short Blade.

However.

Kyohiko was even more troublesome, especially with that terrifying strength of his.

Veins bulged on Biwa Juzo's forehead.

"Fuguki, are you still not going to make a move? Kill this brat for me!"

"You were the one who told me not to intervene, and now you're the one asking me to act."

From outside the mist, another voice drifted in.

"Go!"

Kyohiko caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye.

Hozuki Mangetsu was about to recover.

Kakashi plunged his blade into Hozuki Mangetsu's body once more.

It didn't cause much damage, but it was highly insulting, as this strike carried Lightning Style chakra, enough to plunge Hozuki Mangetsu back into a state of paralysis, rendering him unable to move.

Having just recovered slightly, he was immediately immobilized again, forced to watch helplessly as Kyohiko and Kakashi took Kisame Hoshigaki and fled.

As for Biwa Juzo, his current attack range was limited to half a step plus the reach of the Kubikiribōchō; anything further was truly beyond his reach.

"Biwa Juzo, how truly shameful!"

Suikazan Fuguki mocked him wantonly.

As a Jonin, someone who had reached their level, to be outmaneuvered by a Genin brat, suffering knee damage that prevented rapid movement.

It was a joke.

If Biwa Juzo had acted honestly and rescued the person with Hozuki Mangetsu, they would have already taken them away.

Biwa Juzo's face was grim.

He had expected to defeat them in one or two moves, but he hadn't anticipated that these two brats would be so slippery, not ordinary Genin at all.

He was indeed in a sorry state now; if he had another chance, he would definitely not underestimate this black-haired brat.

But the priority was to resolve the situation first.

He said coldly, "Jiraiya could return at any moment, we need to move quickly to capture them!"

"No need for you to remind me."

Suikazan Fuguki's movements were incredibly fast. Despite his burly, obese physique, he was quite agile, and with a few Body Flicker Techniques, he caught up to Kyohiko and Kakashi.

Then, his hair shot out, flying forward like senbon needles.

Kakashi's exposed face instantly turned pale.

The opponent wanted to capture them alive!

"What do we do?"

"..."

Kyohiko shielded him, raising Kisame Hoshigaki in his hands.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

Strands of hair pierced into their bodies.

Kisame's eyes showed despair.