Chapter 26: Fatal Ambush
"Hmm? He's switching targets?"
Uchiha Kei sharply noticed that Kitsuchi no longer seemed interested in him. While this gave him a brief moment of relief, it also prompted him to start planning a way out.
By this point, their objective had basically been exposed. If the Iwa-nin lacked confidence, they could have easily fallen back to defend the Kannabi Bridge. But from the way his shadow clones had reacted, Kei had already deduced one thing—these Iwa-nin wanted them all dead, right here and now.
Which led Kei to wonder: Could Iwagakure be short on troops?
After all, Kumogakure wasn't exactly easy to deal with—especially with the Fourth Raikage now in charge. Given that the Third Raikage had died, the Fourth likely harbored deep resentment and wouldn't just let that go.
Besides, Kumo had already withdrawn from the war with Konoha. With the "Leaf problem" out of the way, they were probably gearing up to clash directly with Iwagakure. If that were the case, Iwa would need to move troops to defend their borders, especially along the coastline and near the Land of Waterfalls. That would leave their rear vulnerable.
So, was that why these Iwa-nin were so desperate to stop them here? Because if even one of them slipped through to cause havoc at the rear, they might be impossible to track down?
Kei clenched his fists slightly.
"Even if things didn't happen this way in the original timeline, they sure as hell are happening to me now. So forget canon—this is my reality."
He glanced at Kakashi, who was clearly exhausted and battered. His chakra was nearly depleted, but with the Sharingan, he should still survive—as long as he wasn't swarmed.
So Kei made a decision: deal with the other two Iwa-nin first, and then gang up on Kitsuchi. If they could take him down after that, the tides might just turn.
Now that Kitsuchi was wary of Kei, a sneak attack was no longer viable. So...
Kei dashed toward Kitsuchi again, but his true attention was now elsewhere—on the Iwa-nin currently pummeling Hyūga Ayaka.
This wasn't about chivalry. If Kei was going to feel soft-hearted, he'd rather waste those feelings on Rin—at least she was more innocent than Ayaka.
His choice was tactical. Ayaka was proving to be a surprisingly tough opponent, even under heavy assault. Her defense, bolstered by the Hyūga clan's skills, had reduced her to a living fortress. The Iwa-nin attacking her was completely focused, locked into the fight—and that kind of focus made him the perfect target.
The other Iwa-nin, fighting Imai Kenta, seemed to be on the lookout for an opening too, likely thinking along similar lines.
Kei gritted his teeth and threw a subtle hand signal toward Kakashi. Whether Kakashi saw it or not didn't matter. He quickly formed hand seals, chakra swirling into a deep-blue arc before erupting into flames.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball roared toward Kitsuchi, momentarily stealing everyone's attention. Seizing the distraction, Kei created a shadow clone to continue the frontal assault while he himself slipped into hiding.
He knew this cover wouldn't last long—there wasn't enough space, and the clone wouldn't last. Still, all he needed was one opening.
His eyes locked onto the Iwa-nin assaulting Ayaka. As the man finally broke through her defenses and drove a terrifying punch toward her chest, Kei felt even his own breath hitch.
Ayaka paled in horror. She could already imagine the outcome if that punch landed. Gritting her teeth, she pooled what little chakra she had left to reinforce her chest in a desperate final defense.
But it wasn't enough.
Even though Iwa-nin weren't known for their brutal hand-to-hand style like Kumo-nin, their physical strength was monstrous. That punch tore through Ayaka's defense like paper. Her abdomen felt like it had been torn apart, and worse—her arms shattered trying to block the blow.
"Damn it!"
Ayaka cursed internally. That single blow had completely taken her out of the fight. As she lay there, trembling and barely conscious, despair washed over her.
She had so many dreams yet to realize. Why did it have to end here?
Why didn't Uchiha Kei summon Minato? Was it only when he was dying that it counted as "urgent"?
Ironically, she was right. That's exactly how Kei saw it.
But right then, Kei made his move.
As his clone was impaled by Kitsuchi's stone spear, Kei burst from the ground like a bullet. His Body Flicker technique was so fast that even he struggled to breathe, but he didn't care. Chakra surged through the kunai in his hand.
Before the Iwa-nin could react, Kei drove the kunai deep into his left back ribs, twisting it viciously.
The Iwa-nin never saw it coming. He had assumed Kitsuchi could handle "a couple kids" just fine. He was so focused on Ayaka that he didn't even sense Kei's approach.
Blood sprayed as Kei pulled the kunai out. The man's eyes widened for a moment—then closed for good.
"Shadow clone? Original?! You damn brat!"
Kitsuchi bellowed with fury.
Kei's sneak attack had landed like a slap across Kitsuchi's face.
"Genboku"—the Iwa-nin who just died—was not just a subordinate, but an old comrade. They shared history and camaraderie.
And now, Kei had murdered him.
The last shred of mercy in Kitsuchi's heart disappeared in an instant.
He no longer cared about capturing anyone alive for interrogation.
He only wanted revenge.
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