"So don't underestimate me. Just like those bastards in Akatsuki, I'll kill them one by one someday. My goal is to become the perfect ninja—undying and indestructible, with the strongest body in history."
Kakashi did not step forward to check on Sakura and Sai's injuries. He warily kept his guard up against Hiruko. "How are you two?"
"Blegh!"
Sakura spat out a mouthful of blood. "I avoided anything vital. Good thing you warned us, Kakashi-sensei."
Sai clutched his chest, where blood had stained his clothes red, but he drew his short blade. His injury was lighter than it looked. His reactions were better than Sakura's, and he had been farther from Hiruko, so he was hurt a little less severely.
However, the two of them had temporarily lost their ability to fight.
Yamato clutched his arm. The wound was deep, and he had stitched it up with thin wooden strips.
If it had been Hashirama Senju, the wound should have healed in that brief moment, right?
After all, Yamato had not fully inherited the abilities of the Hashirama Cells. Deep Forest Emergence was already the limit of his Wood Release, and his recovery ability was far inferior to Hashirama Senju's.
Still, Yamato remained capable of fighting, especially within the forest he had created.
He gave Kakashi a gesture indicating that it was nothing serious, then leaned his back against a tree trunk and gradually merged with the tree.
"He disappeared?" Hiruko tilted his head.
His sensory ability was quite good. Yamato's presence had vanished—or rather, it had merged with the forest.
Perhaps the entire forest was within Yamato's perception, and attacks could come from anywhere.
"Wood Release, Sharingan... it really does require talent or bloodline." Hiruko chuckled. "Kakashi, you noticed it too, didn't you? Ninjutsu that the Sharingan cannot see