Chapter 69: Kakashi's Mangekyō
Ever since Kitagawa Gen obtained his exclusive Byakugan, he hadn't yet had a chance to use it in real combat.
This was the perfect opportunity.
Kakashi had been pulled away by Uchiha Obito, and Guy was occupied with Hidan — both of them were far from him now.
Just to be safe, Gen cloaked his body in Purple Lightning, obscuring the changes in his eyes.
"It's a shame I haven't fully developed Lightning Release: Chakra Mode yet…
But at least I can bluff it with the Eight Gates."
Activating the Eight Gates wasn't just to test his limits—
It was also to boost his speed.
Even if Guy was sharp despite his brashness, he didn't have any intel on Hidan.
So Gen had to stay cautious.
Buzz—
With a sharp tearing sound, the White Fang short blade slashed toward Kakuzu.
"Lightning Chakra Mode? This brat can do that too?"
Gen was faking it to some extent—
But in Kakuzu's eyes, it looked completely real.
That speed. That force.
How could it be fake?
Kakuzu, a seasoned warrior, immediately leapt backward—
The blade, crackling with purple lightning, grazed right past his forehead.
Boom—!
Though it didn't hit him, the slash cleaved through the trees behind him.
Chunks of broken wood crashed to the ground in a deafening cascade.
"This kid's way tougher than I thought..."
Glancing at the ruined forest, Kakuzu's mouth twitched slightly.
This wasn't some ordinary brat—
It was time to fight seriously.
But Gen was already on him again in a flash, thrusting his short blade toward Kakuzu's throat.
In response, Wind Release chakra erupted from Kakuzu's body, making him move with surprising agility.
"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
He ducked under the stab and immediately shifted his chakra again.
One of his fists suddenly detached, launching at Gen with black tendrils trailing behind it.
His other hand tore open his cloak, revealing his grotesque, stitch-covered body.
"Heh!"
With a low growl, three masked monsters made entirely of black tendrils burst from within his body.
"Earth Grudge Fear, huh?"
Gen blocked the detached fist with his blade.
At the same time, his Byakugan scanned the entire battlefield.
His Byakugan looked deceptively normal—
Unlike typical Hyūga users, the veins around his eyes didn't bulge when activated.
That subtlety helped him keep it hidden.
Through his enhanced vision, he clearly saw Kakuzu, the three masked entities, and everything around them in full detail.
"Guy's being cautious — not risking injury for injury.
Kakashi should be fine for now, he has intel.
But… why is this guy missing a heart?"
Just then, one of the masked creatures opened its mouth—
And in an instant, it launched a barrage of fireballs at Gen!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions thundered through the forest—
But Gen's body, wrapped in deep-purple lightning, remained unharmed.
His speed blurred like an illusion, dodging the dense barrage as if he could see every projectile before it was even launched.
"Just as I thought... My vision's clearer than ever."
While weaving between the flames, Gen's thoughts raced.
He had sensed this clarity when he first awakened his eye—
But now it was confirmed.
He had possibly been influenced by the tailed beast,
Or perhaps by Uchiha Obito…
"Could that have given my eye some Sharingan-like properties?"
He wasn't sure—
But one thing was clear:
It was to his advantage.
Plus, the Eight Gates' boost — that boiling blood effect — was definitely effective.
"Still, even though I've grown stronger… I haven't hit the level I'm aiming for."
In the next moment, his chakra flared even more wildly.
"Then let's use this chance—
To see just how far I can go."
"Yoo-hoo!"
On the other side of the battlefield, Hidan was getting faster—
Scythe in his right hand, dagger in his left, slashing wildly at Might Guy.
"What 'Proud Blue Beast of Konoha'? Don't flatter yourself, you look more like a kappa!"
"Are you gonna fight or not?! Stop dodging and just let me sacrifice you already!"
Hidan's mouth was as annoying as ever—
Even while attacking relentlessly, he couldn't stop running it.
Guy, on the other hand, wore a strange expression.
"This lunatic… doesn't seem normal at all."
He'd kicked Hidan square in the head earlier—
Yet the man got right back up like nothing happened.
Any normal person would've been out cold.
What's more, Hidan was fighting with a completely careless attitude, like nothing could hurt him.
Guy had landed several more clean hits since then, and yet…
The guy still looked full of energy.
"Incredible regeneration?"
Guy made a rough mental estimate.
His eyes narrowed, watching the scythe and dagger blur through the air.
"I get it now…"
"He could be using more efficient methods to attack me… but he insists on using weapons."
"That can only mean one thing…"
He ducked under the swinging scythe, sidestepped the dagger, and leapt back just in time to avoid the scythe being yanked back toward him.
But by now, he had reached a clear conclusion.
"His weapons must be poisoned. He's trying to cut me just once and let the poison do the rest."
With that realization, Guy knew exactly what he had to do.
Maybe he couldn't keep up with Hidan's regeneration—
But broken bones don't heal instantly, right?
And if his weapons are poisoned...
"Your methods are despicable, but I won't hold it against you."
Landing squarely on the ground, Guy raised his voice.
"Huh?"
Hidan looked at him, completely confused by the sudden declaration.
Then—
Guy's chakra surged with explosive force.
The Eight Gates: Open!
"Let's see you keep up with this speed!"
He flashed a confident thumbs-up.
His sparkling white teeth gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.
"Now witness the true, straightforward, and passionate Power of Youth!!"
"Wha—?"
"Konoha Whirlwind!!"
---
Meanwhile...
"What a pain..."
Kakashi stood a short distance away, panting slightly as he watched Obito.
Thanks to Kitagawa Gen's intel, Kakashi had a general grasp of Obito's abilities.
That alone let him keep up—barely.
But barely wasn't enough.
Because Obito's jutsu, when used carefully and without exposing any openings, was nearly impossible to counter.
"Some teacher I turned out to be..."
Kakashi couldn't help but feel a bit of self-mockery.
Gen had forced Obito into a corner on his first encounter—
And even beat him during their second.
Meanwhile, he, Obito's former comrade, was barely hanging on.
"You're using that Sharingan all wrong," Obito said coldly. "Do you finally understand the gap between us?"
He shook his head slightly, almost bored.
"But whatever. Let's end this."
The moment he spoke, Obito rushed forward—
The iron chain in his hand sweeping across in a wide arc.
Kakashi instinctively moved to evade, but the chain's wide reach made dodging difficult.
Whoosh—
He struck out with a Raikiri, but it sliced through only air.
Obito calmly raised his right hand.
"You're just in the way."
Without hesitation, he activated Kamui—
A swirling distortion of space forming all around them.
But just as it was about to pull him in—
BOOM!
Kakashi exploded into a flash of lightning!
Emerging from the ground behind Obito, he stabbed forward with Raikiri aimed straight at his back!
"That cheap trick again? Don't embarrass yourself."
Obito turned slowly, letting the blade pass harmlessly through his body.
"I told you… this is over!"
Kamui surged again.
Kakashi instantly felt numb, his senses distorted—
Like space and time were warping around him.
"This time, I win... Kakashi."
Obito looked into Kakashi's eyes, a strange flicker of emotion passing through him—
But it faded quickly.
Being pulled into Kamui created a spatial dissonance—
A confusion that almost no one could resist.
So far, only Minato Namikaze had managed to escape it.
"Now then…"
Obito prepared to finish absorbing Kakashi and move on to deal with the others.
Guy had kicked him.
Gen had tricked him.
All familiar faces.
"Hmm?"
Just as he turned to leave—
He suddenly froze.
Looking back, the vortex had vanished.
And Kakashi was still right there, staring him down.
"....."
"....."
For a moment, both men stood in silence.
Then Obito noticed something—
Kakashi's left Sharingan had changed.
It had become a form he knew all too well.
"You…?!"