Chapter 49 : Are you qualified to be my prey?

When Kakashi observed Uchiha Natsu's shadow clone looking over, he immediately went on high alert. Unsure of the masked man's identity, he was certain that this individual wasn't a Konoha ninja. Konoha's ninja wouldn't dress like this, and Kakashi had never heard of ninja from Konoha or any other villages that matched this description.

The presence of this powerful wood release user potentially being from an enemy country weighed heavily on Kakashi's mind, placing Konoha at a disadvantage. If formidable individuals like Stone or Cloud had not intervened, it posed a concerning situation for Konoha.

"Captain, what should we do?" one of the Anbu members asked in a hushed tone.

After contemplating for a moment and surveying the destruction around them, Kakashi made a decision. "This person has just gone through a big battle, and he must be exhausted. If you're certain he's an enemy, try to delay him. There's a significant commotion here; the third generation must have discovered it, and I believe he'll come soon."

Kakashi saw an opportunity. If this masked ninja was indeed an enemy, taking advantage of the individual's weakened state now could prevent a greater threat on the battlefield. The other Anbu members nodded, acknowledging the plan. The Anbu class, aside from Kakashi, comprised highly skilled ninja, making it feasible to restrain their opponent.

After a series of acrobatic movements, Kakashi positioned himself 20 meters in front of Uchiha Natsu's avatar. As he stood still, he questioned, "Who are you, and why are you near Konoha?" The other three Anbu members advanced, surrounding them from different directions.

Uchiha Natsu's wooden clone glanced around before locking eyes with Kakashi. "I am Akira Senju, a wandering hunter. Silver-haired guy, are you qualified to be my prey?" The voice emanating from Uchiha Natsu's avatar was hoarse and low, resembling that of a middle-aged or elderly person.

Uchiha Natsu had planned to let the wooden clone engage Kakashi, using this confrontation to refine his control over his wood release. The wooden dragon technique and the technique of the great forest were potent, but he still struggled to control them to his liking.

In the previous attempt to use the Great Forest Technique against Sasori and Kisame Hoshigaki, he encountered unexpected issues. The chakra in his wooden Clone's body went out of control as if the quantity had a predetermined surge.

Even with precise chakra control, this loss of control over wood escape ninjutsu presented a risk in battle. Uchiha Natsu aimed to let the wooden clone replace him, seeking a strong confrontation to hone the wood escape ninjutsu until he could wield it with absolute mastery. Given Kakashi's solo approach, Uchiha Natsu intended to test his skills against him first.

When Kakashi heard the name Senju, he felt a flicker of recognition. However, considering the historical disbandment of the Senju Clan and the absence of the surname, Kakashi found him suspicious. Uchiha Natsu's wooden clone, unfazed, formed seals and casually stated, "It doesn't matter which clan you are from; I am only interested in whether you are qualified to be my prey."

"Wood escape, the technique of the great forest!" Several wooden vines shot out from Uchiha Natsu's clone, heading straight for Kakashi. This time, the wooden clone exerted extra effort to control the chakra, successfully reducing the amount used.

Remaining vigilant, Kakashi responded swiftly, forming seals. "fire escape great fireball!" A massive fireball erupted from Kakashi's mouth, colliding with the wooden vine. Though the vine was scorched black, it continued its advance. In a desperate move, Kakashi employed the substitution technique.

The vine passed through Kakashi's wooden clone, and Kakashi reappeared next to a large tree, his eyes focused with vigilance. Simultaneously, attacks from the other three members of the Anbu team approached. More than a dozen kunai and shurikens targeted Uchiha Natsu's clone.

"Ka Ka Ka!" Uchiha Natsu's wooden clone seamlessly melded into the trunk, and the thrown kunai and shuriken embedded themselves into the tree. The three Anbu members, initially shocked, scanned their surroundings cautiously.

Uchiha Natsu's wooden avatar descended to the ground and, after forming seals, uttered a low voice. "wood release, wooden clone!" Three wooden clones emerged from Uchiha Natsu's clone, utilizing earth escape ninjutsu to swiftly position themselves behind the Anbu members. Suddenly, they burst through the ground.

"Wood escape, the technique of the great forest!" Vines surged from the hands of each wooden avatar, piercing the Anbu members in front of them.

"Pfft!" Two Anbu members were directly impaled by Uchiha Natsu's wooden clones, while the remaining Anbu and Kakashi skillfully evaded the attack.

"Using four spells at the same time consumes more chakra," remarked one of Uchiha Natsu's wooden avatars, observing the blood streaming down the vines. Despite his strong desire for their corpses, Uchiha Natsu chose not to kill them.

Recognizing the value of every Konoha ninja as a precious asset, he concluded that if he sought corpses, he should approach Stone and Cloud Ninjas instead of killing Konoha's ninja.

"Dog, sheep!" Kakashi exclaimed, his breathing becoming rapid. The chakra within him agitated, and the Sharingan in his left eye emitted bursts of red light. Witnessing the harm inflicted on his companions, Kakashi's anger surged uncontrollably.

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