Chapter 30: The Yellow Flash

"Huh? This is..."

Kai stared dumbfounded at the scene before him. If not for the stinging wind from the punch still brushing his face and the small cut on Kenta's chest, he would have thought he was under a genjutsu!

Kai was momentarily stunned, but he quickly realized what had likely happened—Minato must have arrived! Only Minato's speed was fast enough to be nearly invisible, and only he could instantaneously relocate someone through space.

Sure enough, a thunderous sound erupted from the forest about a few dozen meters away. The dust, rising several meters high, indicated that Kitsuchi's punch, which was meant for him, had landed there instead. The thought of that punch landing on him made Kai shiver; he would have been reduced to a pulp.

Finally, Kai breathed a sigh of relief. The feeling of being on the brink of death had been mentally exhausting. His Sharingan deactivated, as he could no longer maintain it.

"If I'd known he would be this late, I should have summoned him immediately. A miscalculation," Kai muttered, feeling safer now as he lay on the ground.

"Sorry, I'm late," came a voice from behind him, instantly putting Kai at ease. The voice belonged to Minato, though he sounded serious. "I encountered some issues that delayed me. I didn't expect Kitsuchi to be here."

"At least you came. Kakashi is on the brink of death, and Aya is in bad shape too," Kai said, forcing himself to sit up and take out a soldier pill. He usually avoided these, but now he had no choice.

As he chewed the dry pill, trying to recover his chakra, he knew that even a small amount would help him move normally again. He didn't expect to fight anymore, not with Minato around. He could stay on the sidelines.

Minato quickly checked on Kakashi's condition. When he returned, his expression was grim.

"Can you move?" Minato asked seriously. "We need to leave quickly and find a place to recuperate."

"I think so," Kai replied, shakily standing up. This was a matter of willpower now.

"Good. I'll carry Kakashi. Kei, you take your teammate," Minato ordered. "Kenta, right? Please protect Rin. You might be the only one capable of it. We need to move fast; enemy reinforcements are close."

Kai's vision darkened momentarily at the thought of carrying Aya. Given his severe exhaustion, it seemed like a joke. However, Minato's mention of enemy reinforcements silenced any objections. Rin, as the only medical ninja, needed protection, and Kakashi was critically injured. It made sense for Minato to handle those responsibilities.

Seeing Minato's genuine smile as he carried the unconscious but less severely injured Nohara Rin, Kai sighed and hoisted Aya onto his back. He decided not to bring up Kenta's "one-minute" remark. Though Kenta had acted mostly out of self-interest, he had saved Kai in a critical moment, so Kei felt a debt of gratitude.

"Don't expect me to thank you," Aya said coldly. "You're just trying to save yourself."

"Yes, I am. But I still killed three Iwa-nin while you could only lie on my back," Kai retorted with a mocking smile. "Your Hyūga clan is great at scouting and battlefield cleanup, but fighting seems to be beyond you."

"You..." Aya's cold eyes showed a flicker of emotion. "Maybe. Truly an Uchiha, killing three Iwa-nin, and fighting the Tsuchikage's son for so long. You'll probably rise swiftly in rank when we return."

"Maybe," Kai shrugged. "That's why I'm your captain. You seem like you'll survive, so be my subordinate for life, Aya."

Feeling more relaxed now, Kai chatted to vent his emotions. Aya fell silent, her pale face showing a hint of anger. Kai felt a sense of satisfaction, though he didn't notice her strange smile.

The battle was over, but Kai remained vigilant, aware that more Iwa-nin were on their trail. Perhaps the soldier pill was starting to work, as his chakra was slowly recovering. While not enough for fighting, it allowed him to carry Aya faster.

Meanwhile, Kitsuchi sat up from the ground, looking at the kunai embedded in his left shoulder. He took a deep breath. If not for his quick reaction, that kunai might have struck his heart.

"Yellow Flash, Minato, huh?" Kitsuchi's voice was weak. He didn't dare pull out the kunai, fearing more blood loss. But he committed the names of Minato and the unknown Uchiha brat to memory.

(End of Chapter)