Kakashi stopped in front of Uzumaki Raiden and pulled out a scroll from his vest. Seeing this, Uzumaki Raiden couldn't help but feel curious, silently speculating.
"A scroll? A sealing technique? If that's the case, it would be too predictable." While Uzumaki Raiden was still guessing, Kakashi's next move provided him with an immediate answer.
Kakashi swiftly unfurled the scroll and performed a series of hand seals. As a puff of white mist rose and dissipated, a white-edged short blade appeared on the scroll, catching Uzumaki Raiden's attention.
"A short blade? A weapon? A ninja tool made of special metal?" Uzumaki Raiden stroked his chin with interest, eager to see Kakashi's next move. Instead of attacking, he patiently observed.
Kakashi grasped the blade with his right hand and, while holding it, performed two more hand seals. Lightning chakra quickly enveloped the blade, forming a faint electric glow that flickered under the sunlight. Despite the brightness, Uzumaki Raiden could clearly see the layer of lightning coating the weapon.
"Is it just a basic chakra transformation? If that's all there is..." Just as Uzumaki Raiden was pondering, he noticed an astonishing change in Kakashi.
"This is...?" A hint of surprise appeared in Raiden's eyes as he focused intently on Kakashi.
Kakashi held the dagger in a forward grip, and the chakra that once coated the blade began to spread across his entire body. Within moments, a thin layer of light blue chakra covered Kakashi's form. The veins on his face bulged slightly, and his white hair stood on end.
"Lightning Armor?!" Uzumaki Raiden exclaimed, unsure, as he quickly probed Kakashi's chakra to analyze his state.
At that moment, Kakashi's muscles were visibly tensed, and lightning chakra surged through his entire body. The effects of the chakra stimulation and physical enhancement were unmistakable.
"Master Raiden, be careful!" Kakashi warned, his voice steady. Holding the dagger before his eyes, he lowered his stance, preparing to strike. As soon as his words fell, his figure vanished from sight.
His speed had increased several times compared to when he previously used Chidori.
"The speed boost is impressive!" Uzumaki Raiden remarked, quickly crouching just as Kakashi's short blade sliced through the air above his head, leaving behind a faint trail of lightning.
"Take this!" Failing to land a strike, Kakashi pivoted and launched a swift kick toward Uzumaki Raiden's face. However, Raiden blocked it effortlessly with his palm. Despite the powerful impact, Uzumaki Raiden stood firm while Kakashi was forced to retreat, leaving long skid marks in the snow.
"Good strength," Uzumaki Raiden praised with a smile.
Although Kakashi's Lightning Armor was still in its infancy, Raiden saw potential in him—something beyond what Kakashi originally had. It was evident that Kakashi was pushing his limits.
The Lightning Armor technique was a closely guarded secret of the Cloud Village. Uzumaki Raiden had spent years developing it with his natural affinity for lightning chakra, but Kakashi had ventured down the same path without any guidance, albeit with room for improvement.
"Spiritual Thoughts Flow: Random Slash!"
Raiden had initially thought the Lightning Armor was Kakashi's trump card, but Kakashi quickly dropped into a low stance, his blade held across his chest as he exhaled a cold mist.
In the next instant, the area in front of Uzumaki Raiden was engulfed in dazzling sword strikes. Kakashi vanished within the chaotic flurry of slashes.
"Kakashi is incredible!"
"Even my Sharingan can't keep up with his movements!"
Uchiha Obito, observing from the shadows, clenched his fists in awe. The gap between him and Kakashi became painfully clear. His Sharingan couldn't even track Kakashi's movements, let alone counter such an attack.
Obito realized that if he were the one facing Kakashi, he wouldn't stand a chance.
The chaotic sword strikes sent snowflakes flying around Uzumaki Raiden, forming a whirlwind of slashes. Finally, a streak of blade light aimed straight for Raiden's neck.
"Interesting!" Uzumaki Raiden's expression turned serious for the first time. Lightning armor surged across his body, deflecting the incoming attack.
The flurry of snowflakes surrounding him sparkled under the sunlight, creating the illusion of dazzling fireworks encasing Uzumaki Raiden.
No one knew how many slashes Kakashi had executed, but after several tense seconds, he reappeared, panting heavily and dropping to one knee. His right hand trembled, and blood slowly dripped from the torn skin at the base of his thumb.
"Damn it! The gap is too wide!"
Kakashi gritted his teeth as he looked down at his injured hand.
His combined sword and Lightning Armor technique was his ace, a technique that had helped him defeat many formidable opponents. Though still raw, it held immense potential.
Yet, it was painfully clear that none of his strikes had the intended effect on Uzumaki Raiden.
As the chaotic sword aura subsided and the snowflakes settled, Uchiha Obito seized the moment and dashed out from the woods.
As the snow fell, Uzumaki Raiden's eyes met a pair of scarlet Sharingan.
"Sharingan!"
Obito's Sharingan spun rapidly as he attempted to trap Raiden in an illusion. However, in the next second, Raiden delivered a sharp flick to Obito's forehead, disrupting the genjutsu.
"Ow!"
Obito fell to the ground, clutching his head in pain as Raiden's voice rang in his ears.
"What are you doing? You startled me."
It was harsh, but the truth was, Obito's Sharingan barely fazed Raiden.
As the last of the snowflakes melted away, Uzumaki Raiden stood unharmed, his body protected by a layer of purple chakra. Kakashi's blade strikes hadn't left so much as a scratch.
"Obito, you failed. I hit you in the head."
"If this were a real battle, you'd be dead."
"As for Kakashi, you've exhausted your chakra and lost your fighting ability."
"And Rin, as a medical ninja—"
Before he could finish, Rin's voice rang from above.
"A medical ninja can fight too!"
Rin descended from the sky, aiming a powerful punch at Raiden's head. He casually extended a finger to block it, but the instant their fists met, he realized he had underestimated her strength.
"BOOM!!!"
Cracks spread across the ground beneath him, and his feet sank into the earth. Though Rin seemed delicate, the force of her punch was overwhelming.
"Ahhhhhh!"
"BOOM!!"
Rin roared with determination, increasing the force behind her punch. Uzumaki Raiden had to use 10% of his strength to counter it, as the ground beneath him cracked even further.
(End of this chapter)