Sword of Ninja Love

At the border of the Land of Fire.

"Thirty kilometers straight ahead, a Sunagakure squad is approaching fast. At least one ninja has chakra at Jonin level, and around six have chakra at Chunin level.

"It looks like our intelligence was accurate. Sunagakure's suicide squads really will pass through these locations."

Beneath a tree.

Minato Namikaze pressed his fingers to the ground, closed his eyes, and spoke in a low voice.

The Uzumaki Chakra Sensory Technique was a powerful sensory ninjutsu developed from the Mind's Eye of the Kagura that others could learn.

Its effects were almost equivalent to the Byakugan.

"Then are we going in?"

Behind Minato Namikaze, excitement shone in Obito Uchiha's eyes.

This was his second combat mission, and his first... had naturally been the traditional first-blood mission.

"Idiot. Didn't you hear that there's a Jonin among them? With your current strength, beating a Jonin head-on is a pipe dream."

Beside Obito Uchiha, Kakashi rolled his eyes and mocked him under his breath.

He just didn't understand. Obito Uchiha and Uchiha Gen were both Uchiha, so why was the gap between them so huge?

Even now, this dead last hadn't awakened his Sharingan.

"Kakashi! Who are you looking down on?"

Hearing the usual disparagement beside him, Obito Uchiha instantly flared up. He found that Kakashi could always provoke his anger with ease.

Sure enough, he and Kakashi simply couldn't get along!

"Kakashi, Obito probably meant that we should deal with the six Chunin. Sensei will handle the Jonin, right?"

Seeing the two about to start arguing again, Rin Nohara immediately spoke up from the side. As she spoke, she couldn't help turning toward Minato Namikaze, who was watching Kakashi and Obito with a smile.

"Yeah, leave that Jonin to me."

Minato Namikaze gave a sunny smile and spoke softly.

A short while later, in the bushes a hundred meters from the Sunagakure squad.

"In thirty seconds, I'll teleport that Jonin away. The remaining six Chunin are yours. Remember to stay safe. Don't worry, I'll be watching over you."

Looking at his three students, Minato Namikaze curled his lips into a smile and vanished right before them.

At the same time, within the slowly advancing Sunagakure squad, the four characters for [Sword of Ninja Love] suddenly appeared on the chest of the Jonin leading them.

Immediately afterward, the Sunagakure Jonin vanished before the six Sunagakure Chunin.

"????"

"!!!!"

"Captain Kanosuke?"

Faced with their captain's sudden disappearance, the six remaining Chunin couldn't help panicking.

Elsewhere.

"It's started! Get ready to move!"

Kakashi drew the short blade from his back and shot forward with a flash step.

His voice carried back.

"Rin, dead last, keep up."

"Damn you, Kakashi! Use my name!"

"Understood!"

As he raced forward, Kakashi Hatake swiftly formed hand seals with one hand and gathered chakra. Lightning crackled explosively in an instant. Behind him, Obito Uchiha was also forming hand seals.

As for Rin Nohara, she simply stopped in her tracks and raised a hand. An invisible monster immediately stepped out from behind her.

"Lightning Release: Purple Electricity!"

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Flames surged like a tidal wave, scorching the air.

Purple lightning spread across the air, following close behind.

"Damn it! It really is an enemy attack!!! Defend, quick!"

"Wind Release: Reverse Wind Wall!" ×2

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!" ×2

"Wind Release: Gale Wave!" ×2

The six Sunagakure ninja formed hand seals simultaneously, unleashing a series of defensive ninjutsu alongside counterattacking ninjutsu.

The sea of fire closed in.

Lightning streaked across the air.

The dense forest on the Land of Fire's border was instantly lit by the techniques' brilliant light.

Bzzzt!

Purple lightning pierced the thick rock walls, and a dense web of glowing electrical cracks instantly spread over the entire earthen wall.

A thunderous explosion rang through the woods!

The two Earth Flow Walls burst apart and collapsed, scattering rubble and searing sparks everywhere.

Before the remaining Gale Waves could reach their targets, the sea of fire swallowed them completely.

At the same time, the two ninjutsu struck the final wind walls. The wind walls dispersed, and an invisible shadow instantly closed in.

In an instant, the six Sunagakure ninja's coordinated defense was forcibly torn apart.

"Hahahaha! Tremble before the mighty Fire Release of the great Obito!"

Seeing such power from his Fire Release, Obito Uchiha couldn't help planting his hands on his hips and laughing.

"Idiot."

Beside Obito Uchiha, Kakashi drew his blade and darted forward with a flash step.

Lightning coiled around the blade, making it look even sharper.

"Hatake Style: Three Moons' Fang."

Closing right into his opponent's face with a flash step, he precisely flicked the kunai from the foremost Sunagakure Chunin's hand with his lightning-wreathed short blade. He slashed again, only for a pitch-black puppet head to block the blow.

"Don't get cocky! I won't let you hurt my comrades! Puppet Art: Black Ant Bite-Off!"

Another Sunagakure ninja behind Kakashi's target raised and swept his hand. Several chakra threads connected to his fingertips, while at their other ends was a giant puppet resembling a black ant.

And what had blocked Kakashi's slash was precisely this Black Ant puppet's head.

"Die!"

Vmm!

The ground trembled slightly.

The massive Black Ant puppet pushed off the ground with its limbs, its heavy body lunging forward with tremendous force.

The head that had blocked the blade was merely its preliminary defense. Now the entire puppet thundered forward, its ant mandibles, covered in sharp barbs, opening wide. Densely packed biting teeth gleamed coldly as they snapped viciously toward Kakashi's waist!

The puppet's body was forged from refined iron, and that bite had more than enough force to instantly crush human bones. This was... an assault puppet built specifically for close combat.

At the same time, the disarmed Sunagakure ninja at the front took the opportunity to retreat, while the other four immediately pressed forward in unison. Chakra gathered as they began forming hand seals, preparing to coordinate with the puppet to surround and attack him.

In an instant, the situation reversed.

Kakashi was caught in a dangerous position, pinned down by the puppet in front while several ninjutsu users closed in from his flanks.

"Kakashi!"

Seeing this from behind, Obito's eyes instantly reddened with anxiety. He no longer cared about arguing over being called an "idiot." His right hand swiftly formed seals as chakra churned violently in his chest.

Scorching Fire Release chakra gathered in his throat, flames already poised to erupt.

"Heh."

Faced with the encirclement, Kakashi merely gave a cold chuckle and turned the wrist holding his short blade. In an instant, brilliant blue lightning erupted with an ear-splitting crackle!

Lightning Release: Chidori Stream!!

Incomparably violent Lightning Release chakra instantly erupted in a circular wave. Dense arcs of electricity covered Kakashi's entire body, forming a dazzling ring of lightning.

The Black Ant puppet lunging at him took the brunt of it. The violent lightning instantly pierced its hard shell, destroying every one of its intricate mechanical gears and chakra-conducting circuits.

Crack!

Its barbed ant mandibles seized shut. Electricity flashed wildly across its body, and its functions were completely disabled.

The four Sunagakure Chunin pressing in right behind it were caught off guard. The moment they entered its attack range, the surging, spreading electricity of Chidori Stream swept over them.