"Ah! Right! I almost forgot about the important matter! Kisame Hoshigaki, make a bet with me! One day, you'll receive a mission to escort a group of secret technique ninjas to the front-line positions. If you suddenly encounter a Konoha ninja ambush along the way, what will you do?!"
Mingye vanished into the forest, yet his voice suddenly rang out. Kisame Hoshigaki did not answer, but Mingye's mocking laughter soon echoed again.
"Ha ha ha... Love! Budding love has appeared in your eyes just like that, yet you have no way to protect it. What will you do?! Ha ha ha..."
A thunderous roar tore through the sky. The previously clear weather darkened at that moment. At the center of the killing intent, Suikazan Fuguki drew Samehada and swung it at Kakashi. Kakashi formed Raikiri in one hand without the slightest fear. Unaware of Samehada's abilities, he collided with it head-on.
"Ah...!"
Samehada could perfectly absorb even the highly penetrative Raikiri. Its spiked scales nearly sheared off Kakashi's arm. He screamed and convulsed continuously on the ground, while Suikazan Fuguki did not pause for even a moment. He seized Rin and turned to retreat.
The Kirigakure ninja following him wanted to help Suikazan Fuguki clean up the aftermath. Just as Kakashi was about to be killed by them, white hair shot through the grass like venomous snakes, wrapping around Kakashi before relentlessly piercing toward the Kirigakure ninja.
"Not good! It's—"
They could not even finish speaking. Their speed in turning around was utterly incomparable to the speed at which the white hair sprang up to attack. Five or six Kirigakure ninja were instantly strangled to death. Jiraiya appeared beside Kakashi and, after freeing him from his hair, asked sternly, "Which direction did Rin go?!"
Without caring how severe Kakashi's injuries