Chapter 14: Just in Time

s Uchiha Kei was lost in his thoughts and preparing for battle, Kakashi felt overwhelmingly exhausted. The use of the Sharingan combined with Chidori had nearly depleted his chakra.

Yet, at this moment, Kakashi had no time to rest, nor did he plan to. The intense guilt darkened his heart, amplifying his desire to die. However, he hadn't forgotten his promise—to protect Nohara Rin and for the 'deceased' Uchiha Obito, he decided to fight to the death.

Chakra gathered in his right hand, and the piercing sound of Chidori spread across the battlefield. His left hand gripped the kunai given by his teacher, Minato Namikaze, infusing it with a small amount of chakra.

As his chakra peaked, the Iwa-nin launched their attack. In a state of complete disregard for his life, Kakashi charged forward.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Kei and his team reached the edge of the battlefield.

"This is quite a scene," Uchiha Kei muttered, watching Kakashi fight with a suicidal mindset. Despite his injuries, luck seemed to favor Kakashi. He was hit but not fatally. Uchiha Kei also noticed that the Iwa-nin seemed intent on capturing Kakashi alive, likely to extract valuable information from the famed genius.

"What do we do now?" Hyuga Aya asked softly, seeing Kakashi kill an Iwa-nin before being surrounded again. "There are too many of them. If they weren't trying to capture Kakashi alive, he'd be dead by now. I doubt their patience will last."

"Should we cover Rin's retreat?" Imai Kenta suggested. "Her position is dangerous."

"You two protect Nohara Rin," Uchiha Kei decided after some thought. "I'll cover Kakashi."

"Are you sure Namikaze Jonin will arrive in time?" Hyuga Aya interjected, but seeing Uchiha Kei's determination, she knew it was a futile question.

Uchiha Kei didn't give them a chance to respond and immediately moved into action. Hyuga Aya and Imai Kenta could only follow, hoping Minato Namikaze would indeed arrive on time.

Kakashi pinned an Iwa-nin against a tree with his kunai, ignoring the attacks coming from behind, and thrust his Chidori at the enemy's chest. Suddenly, the enemy's face twisted in a grimace, and he pulled out a kunai, aiming for a mutual kill with Kakashi.

Kakashi remained calm, not caring about the enemy's actions. With Obito's Sharingan aiding his dynamic vision, he deftly avoided the kunai, plunging his Chidori into the enemy's chest, blood splattering everywhere—a clean kill.

But Kakashi was now surrounded, with the Iwa-nin closing in, clearly aiming to capture him. His chakra was nearly depleted.

"Is this the end?" Kakashi sighed internally. He was exhausted to the point of collapse. But thinking of Obito and Rin behind him, he forced himself to stay alert. His fight wasn't over because he wasn't dead yet.

Pulling his hand from the enemy's chest, Kakashi turned to see a figure suddenly appear behind the enemy. The figure moved swiftly, slicing an enemy's throat with a kunai before throwing it to pin another approaching Iwa-nin.

The figure then stood in front of Kakashi. Seeing the emblem on the figure's clothes, Kakashi felt a mix of relief and increased guilt.

"Are you okay?" Uchiha Kei asked, glancing back at Kakashi. "Where is Namikaze Jonin?"

"He went to support the front lines," Kakashi sighed. "You should leave. I'll hold them off. Take Rin to safety."

"What about your mission?" Uchiha Kei frowned. "My teammates are already helping Rin. Rest for a moment. We'll break through together. We can't stay here."

Without waiting for Kakashi's response, Uchiha Kei prepared to face the approaching Iwa-nin. He had no idea how long he could hold out, but risking it was worth it for the sake of safety in the enemy's rear.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Uchiha Kei didn't hesitate to use a Fire Style jutsu. Despite the large number of enemies, fighting was necessary. Winning was about strength; fighting was about attitude.

Although Uchiha Kei often had an attitude problem, he was serious now.

But as soon as he used the jutsu, he regretted it. The enemy hit by the Great Fireball Technique disappeared in a puff of smoke—a clone or shadow clone.

Uchiha Kei didn't have his Sharingan activated, but he had other ways to handle it. Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, he tried to use the Body Replacement Technique, but a kunai struck his back, and he turned into a pile of dust.

As a 'battlefield survival expert,' Uchiha Kei knew many jutsus, especially life-saving ones!

In the next moment, Uchiha Kei's real body appeared behind an enemy, stabbing a kunai into his back, mirroring his earlier actions.

However, something felt off as the kunai plunged into the enemy. Other Iwa-nin were closing in.

Facing this, Uchiha Kei immediately used the Body Replacement Technique again…

End of Chapter