Mei Terumī looked at the famous master-and-student duo and finally let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine... thank you."
Her beautiful eyes widened slightly as she looked toward Naruto.
"What kind of ability is that?"
Kakashi smiled faintly.
"Naruto developed a unique secret technique of his own."
"Wind Release Chakra Mode."
Mei Terumī's eyes widened in surprise.
"A self-created secret technique? Wind Release Chakra Mode?!"
Naruto stared at Yagura Karatachi and spoke in a serious tone.
"I don't know who this guy really is, but if he can control the Mizukage, I probably won't be able to defeat him without using Wind Release Chakra Mode."
"Let's settle this!"
---
However, Yagura Karatachi's attention remained fixed on Kakashi.
Only after hearing Naruto's challenge did he shift his gaze.
"Oh?"
"The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, huh?"
"Uzumaki Naruto. I've heard you've been causing quite a stir lately."
"But trying to create trouble in the Hidden Mist Village is a little too arrogant."
At that moment, Yagura still maintained the image of the Mizukage.
After all, the surrounding Mist ninja were loyal only to their Mizukage.
With a few simple words, he transformed the conflict into a confrontation between Naruto and the entire Hidden Mist Village, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the Mist shinobi.
Naruto remained confident, but he wasn't foolish.
Facing the Mizukage alone would already be difficult.
On top of that, nearly half of the Hidden Mist's combat forces were present.
Besides Yagura Karatachi, there were powerful shinobi such as Chōjūrō, ANBU Captain Ameyuri Ringo, and many others.
Meanwhile, Naruto's side consisted of only Kakashi, himself, Hinata, Mei Terumī, and a handful of supporting ninja.
The difference in numbers was obvious.
---
Kakashi stepped forward.
"Naruto."
"Leave the imposter to me."
"The rest is up to you."
Naruto frowned.
"Kakashi-sensei, are you sure?"
Kakashi chuckled softly.
"You've grown incredibly fast, Naruto."
"Your strength may already be comparable to mine."
"But I can't allow my student to surpass me so easily."
"Otherwise, I'd be a complete failure as a teacher."
As he spoke, Kakashi slowly lifted the forehead protector covering his left eye.
The legendary Sharingan of Kakashi of the Sharingan appeared once more.
Buzz!
The three tomoe spun rapidly.
A crimson glow flashed.
---
Yagura's expression changed slightly.
"Kakashi of the Sharingan..."
"Your reputation truly precedes you."
"But how much can those eyes actually see?"
Kakashi remained calm.
"I can't see everything."
"But I can see enough to recognize a fake."
Yagura laughed mockingly.
"Really?"
"From my perspective, you can't see anything at all."
His tone carried a strange hint of familiarity and ridicule.
Kakashi frowned slightly.
This was the first time he had ever met the Fourth Mizukage.
Yet somehow, the man's words felt personal.
As though there was a hidden grudge behind them.
Unfortunately, he had no time to think further.
---
Yagura suddenly moved.
"Coral Palm!"
It was one of Yagura's signature techniques.
Not only was it powerful, but anyone struck by it would have coral rapidly growing across their body, severely restricting movement.
Kakashi didn't dare underestimate it.
He immediately drew a kunai and engaged Yagura in close combat.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The two exchanged blows at astonishing speed.
Despite being controlled by another, Yagura remained the Fourth Mizukage.
His combat skills were exceptional.
More importantly, he was one of the only two perfect Jinchūriki in the current ninja world.
Even while borrowing the Three-Tails' power, his chakra reserves far surpassed those of ordinary shinobi.
Boom!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The battle intensified.
Eventually, Kakashi was forced onto the defensive.
A momentary mistake was all Yagura needed.
His palm struck Kakashi's shoulder.
Instantly, coral formations began spreading rapidly.
---
"What?!"
Kakashi's expression changed.
His shoulder suddenly became much heavier.
The coral was hardening around his joints, making movement increasingly difficult.
Seeing his advantage, Yagura pressed the attack relentlessly.
Forced into a corner, Kakashi revealed one of his trump cards.
"Chidori!"
Crackling lightning erupted.
The sound resembled a thousand birds chirping at once.
Buzz!
Electricity surged through the battlefield.
Yagura immediately retreated.
He knew the power of Chidori.
But to everyone's surprise, Kakashi turned the attack on himself.
Thrust!
The Chidori pierced directly into his own shoulder.
Boom!
The lightning shattered the coral growths instantly.
The restriction disappeared.
Kakashi regained his freedom.
---
"Kakashi-sensei, are you okay?!"
Naruto shouted while battling the Hidden Mist ninja nearby.
Kakashi exhaled heavily.
"I'm fine."
"The fight is only beginning."
"But as expected of the Fourth Mizukage."
"He's troublesome."
His gaze sharpened.
"It looks like I'll have to use that technique."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Kakashi-sensei, what are you planning to do?"
Kakashi took a deep breath.
Then he closed his eyes.
For a brief moment, everything became silent.
Suddenly—
He opened them.
---
His left eye transformed.
The three tomoe spun rapidly before merging into a strange black pinwheel pattern.
A Mangekyō Sharingan.
Naruto, Hinata, Mei Terumī, and everyone else stared in shock.
"T-That is..."
Even Yagura's expression changed.
"A Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
"I never expected an outsider like you to awaken such an eye."
"And I certainly didn't expect you to master its power."
"Hmph."
"Kakashi of the Sharingan."
"Your reputation is well deserved."
---
Mangekyō Sharingan.
Kakashi had finally revealed his greatest trump card.
The power he had only recently begun to control after years of relentless training.
In truth, the Mangekyō had awakened long ago—
On the day Rin Nohara died.
But awakening it and mastering it were two completely different things.
For someone who wasn't an Uchiha, controlling this eye was extraordinarily difficult.
Now, however, its power was finally unleashed.
A terrifying pressure filled the battlefield.
Even standing nearby felt suffocating.
---
Naruto's face lit up with excitement.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"You really had this kind of power all along?!"
"Is this the same eye technique that Uchiha Itachi uses?!"
Hinata activated her Byakugan.
Her face paled.
"The chakra..."
"It's unbelievable."
"I can see an unimaginable amount of power gathering in Kakashi-sensei's left eye."
She hesitated.
Because she could also see something else.
The tremendous strain and danger that came with it.
---
Kakashi understood that better than anyone.
He was already breathing heavily.
Using the Mangekyō consumed enormous amounts of chakra and mental energy.
Still, he stared directly at Yagura.
"Mizukage."
"Let's settle this in a single move."
Yagura sneered.
"You don't actually think awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan guarantees victory, do you?"
"How naive."
Kakashi ignored the taunt completely.
The power of his Mangekyō Sharingan erupted.
"Kamui!"
---
At that instant, everyone watching was stunned.
The space around Yagura suddenly twisted.
No—
It wasn't Yagura's body that was distorting.
It was the space itself.
The world around him warped unnaturally.
Everything bent inward.
Everything folded.
Everything collapsed toward a single point.
---
Mei Terumī gasped.
"Space is bending?!"
"What kind of terrifying dōjutsu is this?!"
Naruto stared in awe.
"Amazing..."
Absolutely amazing.
Yagura's body began twisting alongside the surrounding space.
However, Kakashi had no intention of killing him.
After all, he was still the Fourth Mizukage.
Kakashi only targeted one arm.
---
The distortion intensified.
The warped space resembled a miniature black hole.
Everything nearby was dragged toward it.
Everything was pulled, twisted, and swallowed.
Nothing could resist.
Nothing could escape.
---
Kakashi's breathing grew heavier.
The strain was immense.
But his confidence never wavered.
His Mangekyō locked onto its target.
"You cannot escape this technique."
Even if maintaining Kamui consumed enormous chakra and mental energy, Kakashi had absolute faith in its power.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)