Chapter 246: The Threshold
Kakashi was about to charge ahead, but Mizuki stopped him.
"I'll handle this. In this situation, I'm more effective."
Since he had activated Sage Mode, Mizuki didn't want to waste its limited duration. While he wasn't on Kakashi's level in terms of pure taijutsu, the physical boost from natural energy gave him a raw power advantage—brute force could trump finesse in this case. And if he made a mistake, Kakashi could still step in and clean up.
"You sure? When it comes to kill efficiency, I'm still better. Once I get in close, I can scatter their formation easily."
The current enemy tactics—relying on modified tech weapons—were something traditional ninja scoffed at. Although the technology tree in this era had some skewed developments, modern firepower like cannons and explosive charges had become surprisingly advanced. Even in conflicts between ninja villages, chakra-powered munitions were often deployed—like the mini-chakra rockets that had ambushed Mizuki and Kakashi earlier. These were either specially engineered weapons or had been infused with elemental chakra. Lacking talent, many weaker shinobi resorted to these tools, and even someone as powerful as Pain's Asura Path favored these means.
But these tactics had limits. When stripped of their firepower advantage, such opponents became painfully weak. Worse yet, they were expensive—much costlier than traditional explosive tags. Typically, such weapons were reserved for emergencies or elite sabotage missions. Used en masse, though, they became a dangerous wildcard.
Unfortunately for the enemy, Mizuki wasn't the kind of opponent to be easily shaken by such tactics.
He didn't respond to Kakashi directly. Instead, he activated his chakra—an azure shield of chakra energy flared to life, covering most of his front.
"A chakra shield?" Kakashi's eyes lit up. "Is that the one Sakura used during the Chunin Exams? If you use it, how durable is it?"
"Strong enough to cover your charge."
Even the Iron Sand techniques of the Third Kazekage puppet could be blocked by this shield. Against crude explosives and shockwaves, Mizuki was in his element.
"Perfect." Kakashi nodded. "No point gambling my life on some nameless grunts. Let's do it right."
"Stick behind me. The moment you see an opening, strike. I'll draw their fire."
"Got it."
With their plan in place, Mizuki charged in. Their coordination, honed through many battles, flowed seamlessly. Mizuki tanked most of the incoming attacks with his chakra shield, while Kakashi kept pace, eyes scanning for targets.
As they closed the distance, the enemy began to panic and scatter.
"There's the first one!"
Like a flash of lightning, Kakashi leapt past Mizuki and closed in on a hulking brute with mechanical cannon arms. The man barely had time to blink before Kakashi's kunai pierced his heart.
"Nice hit. Keep going, Kakashi!"
Seizing the opportunity, Kakashi accelerated again. Another panicked attacker—his shoulders weighed down by rocket-like launchers—was run through the throat. Without slowing down, Kakashi stabbed a third enemy directly through the eye socket, killing him instantly.
"My turn."
Just as Kakashi's momentum left him exposed, Mizuki leapt forward. The force from the explosions sent rippling shockwaves toward him, but his chakra shield absorbed the brunt of it. He stumbled back slightly, but remained standing. Then, with a flick of his left hand, a bowl-shaped hand of natural energy materialized, engulfing Kakashi and shielding him from two stray projectiles.
The rain of explosions filled the air with smoke and steam, completely blinding the battlefield. Visibility dropped to zero.
The remaining enemies paused, waiting for the smoke to clear—when Kakashi's figure shot out from the mist like a thunderbolt. One burly foe who reacted half a second too slow had his throat slashed open.
Mizuki wasn't idle either. Another enemy, mid-air and preparing to attack, suddenly felt his neck twist violently. A crunch, a spasm—and his lifeless body dropped like a sack of rocks.
Even Kakashi, for all his endurance, was starting to feel the toll of this sustained engagement. He dropped back beside Mizuki, breathing hard.
"Well done, Kakashi."
The response time and precision Kakashi had shown were flawless. In the span of seconds, half the remaining enemies were gone.
"We should've asked that ANBU captain from Kirigakure to handle this. I'm getting hand cramps from killing so many," Kakashi joked.
Mizuki chuckled. "We did well. Their formation is collapsing now."
This was the weakness of relying on external weapons. Once their numbers thinned, the suppressive fire lost density. Gaps formed. And for skilled shinobi, gaps meant openings.
Even after decades of progress, traditional firearms never gained popularity in the ninja world. They simply didn't work. Ninja were too fast, too elusive. A single exploding kunai was still more effective than any bullet.
Mizuki quickly assessed the battlefield. Fewer than ten enemies remained. The tide had turned.
"Their strategy wasn't bad. But they mistimed their waves. That gave us the chance to deal with them in batches."
Kakashi agreed. "Maybe their leader's absent. Or whoever came up with the plan didn't stick around. Smart tactics with sloppy execution—it doesn't add up."
"If that's the case, then Jiraiya might be facing trouble. Looks like a lot of their elite forces have been redeployed. Think Orochimaru discovered something?"
While the two paused to regroup, a thunderous explosion erupted at the barrier nearby. The force rocked the entire structure.
"They're still not giving up." Mizuki glanced back. "But the barrier's holding. No serious damage yet."
"Good." Kakashi's voice was tense. "Leave this side to me. Go back and manage the defense. And if possible—catch one alive."
To be continued…
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