Plain white robes, a rope sash, and the bloom of youth: Misumi Tsurugi vs. Kankuro (second update)

"You've grown while I was away, Kakashi."

In the shadow of the enormous building, soft footsteps slowly approached.

Soon, a cute girl appeared, with long hair falling over her shoulders, dressed in plain white robes with a rope sash around her waist.

She looked composed and wore a smile, appearing at first glance to be a girl in the bloom of youth.

But up close, her pale yellow, sinister slit pupils became apparent. Those venomous, snakelike eyes alone overturned that first impression, turning her cute appearance into something eerily terrifying.

Kakashi spun around. When he saw Orochimaru, who had taken the form of a long-haired girl, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Still, he assumed a fighting stance to protect his student.

"Orochimaru."

Seeing how tense Kakashi was, Snake Aunt covered his mouth and chuckled, shaking his head. "I didn't come here for you, Kakashi."

As he spoke, Snake Aunt's eyes had already found the Evil Sealing Method on the shoulder of Sasuke, who lay unconscious on the ground.

At the sight of this Sealing Jutsu, Snake Aunt smiled faintly, as though something amusing had occurred to him.

"I came for him."

"Are you really looking for a Reincarnation Vessel?" Kakashi darted in front of Sasuke, shielding him, his right arm hanging low with his hand curled into a claw.

"Even if you were once one of the Sannin, even if I can't defeat you, I'll take you down with me!"

Crackle...

As he finished speaking, lightning flashed around Kakashi's lowered, claw-shaped hand, spreading into the surroundings.

Snake Aunt merely fixed his pale yellow slit pupils on Kakashi. An invisible wave of pressure erupted, enveloping him.

In that instant, Kakashi felt as though he wasn't facing a girl in the bloom of youth, but the crushing weight of