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In the Real World.
Uchiha Itachi had ensnared Kakashi with Tsukuyomi, though he himself felt the strain pressing against his eyes.
Yet this, too, was part of his plan. By activating Tsukuyomi, he would have a justified reason to withdraw from combat afterward, sparing himself the necessity of killing Kakashi.
Of course, if Kakashi failed to endure the illusion, or if Jūzō Biwa managed to eliminate Kakashi's young student and then rush to the scene—
Then whatever came next would no longer concern him.
As a spy planted in the Hidden Leaf, he had already done more than enough. For the sake of his younger brother, he had to remain within the Akatsuki.
Even if, to this day, he had yet to pass along any significant intelligence to the Leaf.
"Kakashi possesses the Sharingan, and I have weakened the power of Tsukuyomi. He should be able to withstand it."
Itachi murmured quietly to himself. Yet just then, a sudden rumble burst through the silence, drawing his gaze instinctively to the side.
And the moment he looked, even he froze in place.
"That is…"
Not far off, a violent, deafening roar echoed out. Fierce currents of lightning flickered wildly within the dense mist, weaving through it like something out of a dream.
Through the veils of mist, he was startled to see Kitagawa Gen's figure flickering rapidly, launching a relentless barrage of strikes against Jūzō Biwa. Forced into a purely defensive stance, Jūzō's face contorted with growing frustration.
The confrontation between them was like the clash of two entirely different forms of taijutsu.
One was swift and elusive, moving with unpredictable rhythm. The other was relentless and crushing, each strike driven by sheer force.
As their battle escalated, the surging shockwaves, the ring of clashing weapons, and the cracking of shattered earth gathered into a symphony of destruction.
In the face of such overwhelming power, everything they encountered, whether towering trees or solid stone, was obliterated in an instant.
And yet, Itachi knew this was not Jūzō Biwa's usual style of combat.
"What is going on?"
His eyes widened slightly, but in the next breath, the truth became clear.
"Jūzō Biwa walked into a trap."
Gazing at the flashes of violet lightning cutting through the mist, and the increasingly sluggish movements of Jūzō, Itachi immediately grasped what had happened.
Evidently, Jūzō had employed a Water Release technique, only for the boy to turn it against him.
"But that technique… what exactly is it?"
His gaze narrowed at the flickering violet lightning in Kitagawa Gen's hand.
At first glance, it bore a resemblance to the Raikiri. And having once served under Kakashi, Itachi had an intimate understanding of that technique.
But this was not Raikiri. No, it was something else entirely.
"It's even more fluid and adaptable than the Raikiri, and it doesn't rely on high-speed movement to unleash its devastating power."
With his Sharingan observing intently, Itachi had already begun to unravel the true nature of the technique.
Yet the more he understood, the greater his disbelief grew.
This jutsu had pushed the transformation and refinement of lightning chakra, which is normally a single elemental nature, to its absolute limits.
To achieve such precision with one elemental chakra, and to maintain this degree of control over it, was nothing short of astonishing.
Even though he could see that the boy was still far from mastering it, reaching this level already defied belief.
"It's said that only the Third Raikage ever developed something like this."
Itachi's thoughts wandered for a moment. But in that very instant, Jūzō Biwa suddenly burst from the mist.
And the direction he charged in—was straight toward Itachi.
Trailing behind him, violet lightning surged like arcs of electricity, chasing after him with frightening speed.
And at that same instant, as Itachi wavered for a heartbeat, Kakashi, too, suddenly regained consciousness.
BOOOOOM—!!!
A piercing thunderclap exploded through the air, the sound tearing open the sky until it darkened ominously overhead.
Upon that scorched and chaotic battlefield, two opposing groups descended in silence, facing each other across the torn landscape.
All around them, the earth was gouged and broken, and great trees lay toppled, leaning at unnatural angles. Only the flickering violet lightning continued to shine, crackling in defiance of the devastation.
Electric arcs still danced across Kitagawa Gen's body. His clothing was torn to shreds, and several blade wounds marked his frame.
During their clash, although Jūzō had been stunned repeatedly by the lightning, he had still managed to launch counterattacks, relying on sheer strength and battle-hardened instinct. Nevertheless, Kitagawa Gen bore no life-threatening injuries.
But Jūzō looked far worse for wear now. His condition was far more pitiful than Gen's.
His forehead protector had been blasted away. His hair now bristled like a hedgehog, standing on end from the electric shocks.
The once-formal Akatsuki robe he wore had been reduced to a tattered mess, barely clinging to him in ragged strips.
His body was crisscrossed with obvious wounds, many resembling slashes but edged with scorched, blackened burns.
As for Kakashi and Itachi—
Both looked drained, their spirits worn thin. But Kakashi, in particular, seemed barely able to stand.
"Are you all right, Kakashi-sensei?"
Kitagawa Gen steadied his breath and asked in a low voice.
"I can still hold on."
Kakashi shook his head. A profound exhaustion dragged at his limbs and mind.
As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at Kitagawa Gen, drawn to the faint arcs of purple lightning still crackling across the boy's body.
"That Lightning Release technique… was it the one that shattered Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyō illusion and pulled me out?"
He hadn't forgotten the eerie, distorted vision he had seen within that genjutsu. Every trace pointed back to Gen as the source of the disruption.
And then there was Jūzō's Biwa current state — beaten, scorched, battered — further proof that this boy's Lightning Release was anything but ordinary.
"This kid... he really pulled it off?"
A flicker of disbelief crossed Kakashi's eyes. While he didn't know the precise details of the battle that had taken place on Jūzō's end, he was well aware of Gen's ambitions regarding that technique. And he understood better than anyone how difficult such an accomplishment truly was.
But even so...
Even if Gen had succeeded, there was still one formidable threat looming on the field — Uchiha Itachi.
That formless, inescapable genjutsu cast by the Mangekyō Sharingan was something that chilled Kakashi to the bone.
"I have to stall them... buy Gen enough time to escape this place."
Resolving himself, Kakashi drew a slow breath, then stepped forward. He came to stand protectively in front of Kitagawa Gen, shielding him with his own body.
Before he could say anything, though, a harsh cough came from across the field. Jūzō's voice followed, rough and low.
"Not bad, brat. That was quite the technique. I'll admit, you're impressive. But now tell me — what's your next move?"
"My next move?"
Gen gave a slight shrug and extended one hand. After gauging his remaining chakra, he decisively let the lightning intensify, letting it crackle and flare with renewed vigor.
"I think you're the one missing the point here. All we need to do is stall you. As long as we can hold out until the ANBU reinforcements arrive, we win. And don't forget — right now it's two against two."
"Anbu..."
At the mention of them, a flicker of unease crept into Jūzō's heart.
Even in peak condition, facing a full ANBU squad was never an easy task. Let alone now, when he was clearly worn down.
His eyes drifted, almost involuntarily, toward Uchiha Itachi. Though Itachi usually followed his lead, Jūzō understood the strength of this so-called newcomer.
"We're leaving."
But Itachi had already closed his eyes ever so slightly.
"Just now, I used the power of the Mangekyō. But that violet lightning disrupted it, making it impossible for me to kill Kakashi. Now, in a two-on-two situation, it's unlikely we can end this quickly. If..."
"If we're held here and Konoha's ANBU arrives, then we will be in trouble."
Jūzō immediately grasped the heart of the matter. He let out a long, reluctant sigh, his eyes lingering on Kitagawa Gen with a complex expression.
This hadn't been a mission that had to be completed at any cost. Even so, the fact that it had been so thoroughly derailed by a single boy — that was something he had never seen coming.
Both he and Itachi had been thrown off by this one child.
A boy of such rare talent was indeed a rarity in this world.
"Kid, I hope the next time we meet, your luck still holds out."
With a low snort, Jūzō turned and, together with Itachi, swiftly withdrew into the mist. It was clear they had no intention of dragging this battle out any further.
As their silhouettes disappeared into the haze, Kitagawa Gen finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. At the same time, he couldn't help but murmur under his breath.
"Next time? You'd better survive the Fourth Mizukage first before thinking about next time."
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[Chapter End's]
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