Chapter 26: Deadly Ambush
"Hmm? Changing targets?"
Kai keenly noticed that Kitsuchi seemed to be losing interest in him. This realization brought him a slight sense of relief, but it also prompted him to contemplate how to escape.
Their skirmish had essentially revealed their intentions, and if the Iwa-nin had any self-confidence, they could simply fall back to the Kannabi Bridge and defend it. However, from the reactions and judgments of his Shadow Clones, Kai concluded that these Iwa-nin intended to leave none of them alive.
Given this, Kai pondered if the Iwa-nin were experiencing a shortage of manpower. After all, the Kumo-nin were not as easy to deal with as Konoha. Especially since the Third Raikage was the father of the Fourth Raikage, such a grudge would certainly elicit a significant response from the Fourth Raikage.
Moreover, with Kumo-nin having withdrawn from Konoha, they could now freely 'interact' with the Iwa-nin without the threat of Konoha. Hence, it's likely that the Iwa-nin were feeling the pressure on their forces, needing to deploy heavy defenses along the coast and near Takigakure to prevent a direct assault on their homeland by the Kumo-nin.
With this in mind, Kai wondered if the backlines of the Iwa-nin were understaffed, hence their reluctance to let them penetrate deeper and cause havoc. If they were to reach that area, it would be hard for the Iwa-nin to track them down.
"Although I'm not sure if Kakashi and the others faced such bad luck in the original story, I know I've encountered it. So, there's no need to worry about following the original plot. I'll just do what I must," thought Kai. Glancing at the disheveled Kakashi, he turned his focus to the other two Iwa-nin.
Kakashi, though exhausted and low on chakra, had the Sharingan aiding him. As long as he wasn't overwhelmed, he wouldn't easily die. Therefore, Kai decided to deal with the other two first before ganging up on Kitsuchi.
If this plan succeeded, Kitsuchi alone wouldn't pose much of a threat and could possibly be taken down as well.
"Now that Kitsuchi is wary of me, an ambush is out of the question."
With this realization, Kai launched another attack at Kitsuchi but kept his focus on the other two Iwa-nin. His eyes locked onto the one who was furiously attacking Aya.
It wasn't out of any particular sympathy for Aya; if he were to show sympathy, it would be towards Nohara Rin, who was far more innocent. Kai's choice was based on the concentration of the opponent. The Hyūga clan's ability to scout and gather intelligence was formidable, but their defensive capabilities were just as impressive.
Aya was like a turtle shell, frustrating the Iwa-nin to the point where he had to focus entirely on her, making him the perfect target for an ambush. Meanwhile, the other Iwa-nin engaged with Kenta seemed to have similar ideas to Kai.
Kai bit his lip, made a hand gesture towards Kakashi, and without waiting to see if he noticed, formed a seal. Chakra surged, creating a blue arc around him, and the next moment, a large fireball was launched towards Kitsuchi.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
After executing the jutsu, Kai took the opportunity to create a Shadow Clone, directing it to continue attacking Kitsuchi while he himself went into hiding.
However, Kai knew the space was too constrained for prolonged concealment, and his Shadow Clone wouldn't last long. Fixating on the Iwa-nin attacking Aya, he found an opening!
As the Iwa-nin broke through Aya's defense and swung another punch at her chest with terrifying force, Aya, seeing her doom, gathered her remaining chakra in front of her. Despite her efforts, the punch was too powerful to block.
The Iwa-nin's punch, backed by immense strength, struck Aya's abdomen like a blade, shattering the bones in her arms.
"Damn it!" she cursed inwardly, realizing she was out of the fight. Seeing the relentless Iwa-nin, despair filled her heart. She resented Kai for not summoning Minato Namikaze sooner. Didn't he consider this a critical situation unless his life was directly threatened?
In truth, Kai did think that way. Aya's guess was spot on.
At that moment, Kai abandoned his hiding. As his Shadow Clone was pierced by Kitsuchi's earth spear, he emerged swiftly. His Shunshin no Jutsu was so fast it left him breathless, but he ignored the discomfort.
Channeling chakra into his kunai, Kai gave the Iwa-nin no chance to react, stabbing him in the chest and twisting the blade. The Iwa-nin, caught off guard, had focused entirely on fighting Aya, confident his captain could handle the other two.
He never anticipated that Kai would sneak up and deliver a fatal blow. The kunai twisted in his chest, closing his eyes forever.
"Shadow Clone? Aragi! Damn you!" Kitsuchi's fury erupted, realizing Kai's ambush had been successful. He raised his head, eyes blazing with anger.
Aragi had been a long-time subordinate and friend, their bond deep. Kai's actions ignited Kitsuchi's wrath. His original plan to capture for interrogation was abandoned; now, he was intent on killing.
(End of Chapter)