The battlefield was chaos.
Rin guarded the rear, flanked by the blinded Hyūga jonin.
Genma spat amplified senbon like a machine gun, but his ammo was running low. Kurenai was exhausted after suppressing one enemy with Genjutsu.
But the centerpiece was the duel between Kiyohara and Ao.
Mei Terumī watched from the sidelines, her emerald eyes wide.
"How?" she whispered. "He's just a Chunin... how can he match Ao in swordsmanship?"
The net trap. The deflection. The ambidextrous casting.
This wasn't just skill; it was genius.
"I can't let that white-haired brat find Ranmaru," Ao thought, glancing at Kakashi's retreating back.
If the Red Eye was neutralized, the Byakugan would come back online. Then he would face three Jonin-level threats.
Crunch.
Ao swallowed a black pill.
Forbidden Soldier Pill.
His skin flushed crimson. Veins bulged on his forehead. Chakra erupted from his tenketsu like steam.
"Get lost!"
He kicked Hyūga Nobuhiko.
Without the Byakugan to read the muscle tension, Nobuhiko reacted too late.
BANG!
The Hyūga Jonin flew back, ribs cracking.
"Water Release: Raging Waves!"
Ao spat a tidal wave at Hyūga Ginka. She dodged, but the water soaked her uniform, leaving her shivering and exposed.
Pfft!
A sword pierced Ao's waist.
Kiyohara didn't miss the opening.
"Too slow," the Young Kiyohara spirit mocked, twisting the blade.
Ao grunted, clutching his side.
He looked at the battlefield. Mei was injured. Ranmaru was in danger. The mission was FUBAR.
'If not for this kid... we would have won.'
"Mei! Take Ranmaru and retreat!" Ao roared. "I will hold them off!"
Mei bit her lip, tasting blood.
She looked at Kiyohara one last time—the handsome man who ruined everything.
"Let's go!"
She vanished into the mist.
Ao turned and ran deep into the forest.
Kiyohara followed.
"He's luring me away," Kiyohara noted.
"Good," the Spirit replied. "Away from prying eyes."
They reached a stream valley. The noise of the waterfall drowned out the battle.
Ao stopped. He turned, a savage grin on his face.
"Kid. You're strong. But this is the water. This is my home turf."
The mist thickened around him, responding to his chakra.
Kiyohara stood panting, his sword lowered.
He looked at the confident Jonin.
"No," Kiyohara corrected calmly. "You're wrong."
He raised his head.
"This is my home turf."
"Possession: Full Sync."
Kiyohara relaxed his mind.
The Spirit of the Young Kiyohara took complete control.
The posture shifted. The exhaustion vanished from his eyes, replaced by the cold tranquility of a master.
"Such arrogance!"
Ao condensed his chakra into his right hand. A high-speed rotating drill of water formed.
"Water Release: Water Fang Blade!"
It hummed like a chainsaw.
He charged.
"It's your turn," Kiyohara whispered to the Spirit.
"Although you are not in your prime," the Spirit said through Kiyohara's mouth, "Killing you is enough comfort."
Ao faltered.
'Not in my prime? What does he mean?'
The Spirit raised the Chakra Conduction Tachi.
Blue energy flooded the blade. The "hamon" pattern glowed.
'If I had this sword back then... I wouldn't have lost.'
Ao thrust the Water Fang.
It passed right through Kiyohara's chest.
Ao's eye widened.
'An afterimage?'
No.
Genjutsu.
Kiyohara hadn't moved. Or rather, he had moved in a way that tricked the brain into seeing a phantom.
The sword waved like a willow branch in the wind. One blade became two. Two became ten.
Konoha-Style Sword Technique: Willow.
Ao swung wildly at the illusions.
Slash.
He felt nothing.
Then, his vision tilted.
The world spun sideways.
He realized, with horror, that he was falling.
A thin red line appeared on his neck.
Thud.
Ao's body hit the water.
He died without ever knowing which blade was real.
.....
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