Unyielding Determination

"Too... too despicable..."

"To think he would use his already limited chakra like this..."

Uchiha Ren was utterly shocked. As Kakashi's shadow clones dispersed and saw what happened to Uchiha Tenpū, he finally understood Kakashi's strategy.

Using shadow clones meant distributing his chakra equally between the original and the clones. Dispelling the clones would only return half of their chakra to the original. In known combat strategies, no one willingly dispelled their clones, as it was considered a waste of chakra.

Ren couldn't believe that Kakashi would do this. By creating two shadow clones and dispelling them to regain only a third of his chakra, Kakashi seriously injured or even killed the already wounded Uchiha Tenpū.

Realizing this, Ren was left in awe. Typically, Kakashi would have had no chance of further injuring Tenpū, but he achieved it by intentionally wasting a third of his chakra.

"Onikui: Lightning Slash!"

Holding his sword, Kakashi, after recovering half the chakra from his two clones, launched the second form of Hatake's Three Blades Lightning Slash—Onikui: Lightning Slash.

"Ah... No..."

Seeing Kakashi abruptly change from a defensive stance to an aggressive attack, Uchiha Tenpū cried out in terror. The suddenness and the angle of the attack left him unable to defend.

Boom!

In his panic, Tenpū leaped back to evade.

"Haha, you shouldn't have dodged. Die!" Kakashi laughed, shifting his blade towards Tenpū's chest.

The move Onikui: Lightning Slash was meant to intimidate the enemy into retreating. Once they did, it exposed a fatal weakness, which Kakashi exploited.

Slash!

Kakashi's blade glinted as it sliced through Tenpū's chest.

Splat!

Hot blood sprayed from Tenpū's chest, staining Kakashi's silver hair red. His cold eyes added to the chilling aura around him.

"Ah..." Tenpū screamed as his body flew back, crashing to the ground and kicking up dust.

"Damn it..."

Lying on the ground, blood pouring from his chest and mouth, Tenpū's eyes were filled with hatred and unwillingness. Had he not been injured by Kakashi's Chidori earlier, he wouldn't have been so severely wounded.

"Tenpū!"

"Tenpū!"

Seeing their comrade fall, Uchiha Ren and Uchiha Yōju rushed to his side, anger evident in their eyes.

Tenpū's injuries were severe—three ribs shattered, and his heart was slashed. Blood gushed uncontrollably. One glance told them he was beyond saving.

"Ah... Kakashi, I'll kill you!" Ren's eyes burned with rage as he growled at Kakashi. He was now genuinely furious, wanting nothing more than to end Kakashi's life personally.

"Yōju, we'll take him down together. Don't give him any chance!" Ren ordered.

"Understood!" Yōju's eyes were equally filled with murderous intent.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Ren and Yōju charged at Kakashi in unison, their anger propelling them forward. Despite their combined strength, Kakashi had managed to kill one of their own, which was a humiliating disgrace.

Boom! Boom!

Facing the furious attacks, Kakashi had no choice but to dodge continuously, unable to find an opening to counterattack.

"Die!"

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

As Kakashi was driven into a corner, Ren and Yōju unleashed powerful fire jutsus without hesitation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Kakashi had no chance to escape. In an instant, he was engulfed by the intense flames.