Completely Overpowered
The moment Kakashi revealed his Sharingan, the entire battlefield fell silent.
No one had expected him to take Xu Fan so seriously right from the start.
Especially Yazi—she was certain of Xu Fan's defeat. Without hesitation, she drew the standard Anbu-issued ninjatō from her back, ready to strike.
Tenzo and Kakashi exchanged glances. They were the ones who knew Xu Fan's strength best among those present. Even Danzo was not his match, so they would not make the mistake of underestimating him.
But…
Xu Fan had no interest in dealing with mere Anbu operatives.
As Yazi lunged at him, blade flashing, Xu Fan sidestepped effortlessly, dodging the attack before catching the blade with his bare hand.
"What?!" Yazi's eyes widened in shock. She was confident in both the angle and speed of her strike, believing it to be flawless.
Yet, not only did Xu Fan evade it with ease, but he also seized her weapon in one swift motion.
"Tenzo! Itachi!" Kakashi called out as he launched himself forward.
Tenzo attacked from the left while Itachi closed in from the right.
In their minds, this was their best chance to overwhelm Xu Fan.
But Xu Fan didn't even acknowledge their presence.
He tightened his grip on Yazi's throat with his left hand and, with his right, effortlessly disarmed her.
"You don't even know how to hold a sword properly," Xu Fan mused before casually hurling her towards the advancing Anbu.
However, the Anbu ninja was just as skilled. As Yazi's body was flung toward him like a broken kite, he bent low and dodged her effortlessly, leaping into the air with his blade poised.
"The Dance of the Three Suns and the Moon!" the Anbu declared.
Xu Fan smirked. "A technique that uses clones to attack from multiple angles while the real body waits for an opening to strike."
Only this time, the Anbu didn't create clones—he relied on Tenzo and his fellow operatives to execute the maneuver.
Tenzo clasped his hands together, activating his Wood Release: Tree Bind Flourishing Burial. Wooden tendrils shot out, aiming to restrain Xu Fan.
"Captain Kakashi!" Tenzo shouted.
"Got it!" Kakashi responded, forming hand seals at an incredible speed.
If Xu Fan activated Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, its sheer power could wipe them all out instantly.
So Kakashi planned to use the Earth Release: Head Hunter Jutsu to bury Xu Fan underground, leaving only his head exposed.
At the same time, Itachi moved like a shadow, preparing to cast a Genjutsu the moment an opportunity presented itself.
"Every technique has a weakness, even Wood Release," Itachi murmured. If his Genjutsu could expose a single flaw, the battle would be over.
But Xu Fan remained relaxed even against their coordinated attack.
He glanced up at the descending Anbu.
"Tell me, do you know who originally created the Dance of the Three Suns and the Moon?"
Boom!
The Anbu's strike landed squarely on Xu Fan's left shoulder.
Kakashi, Tenzo, and Itachi momentarily froze in disbelief.
They had expected Xu Fan to dodge. Or, at the very least, counter with Wood Release.
Yet, blood trickled down the Anbu's blade.
Surprised but unwilling to waste the opportunity, Kakashi and Tenzo executed their plan without hesitation.
"Wood Release: Silent Strangling Binding!" Tenzo's arms extended as thick branches coiled around Xu Fan, immobilizing him and sealing his ability to form hand seals.
Simultaneously, Kakashi grabbed Xu Fan's leg and activated Earth Release: Head Hunter Jutsu, pulling him underground until only his head remained exposed.
Itachi, now directly in front of Xu Fan, activated his Sharingan, casting a Genjutsu.
"That's it?" Yazi sneered as she got up, brushing off the dirt. Seeing Xu Fan restrained, she scoffed. "You were bluffing this whole time. Against Captain Kakashi's team, you didn't stand a chance."
The entire audience murmured in agreement.
Only Kakashi and Tenzo remained skeptical.
Was this really over?
Was Xu Fan truly this weak?
"Relying solely on massive Chakra reserves and Wood Release…" Tenzo thought, frowning. "Maybe he lacks real combat experience."
But regardless, the battle was over.
Xu Fan had lost.
"In that case, Captain Kakashi will remain in charge," Yazi declared as she stepped toward Xu Fan, her tone victorious.
Then—it happened.
Behind Kakashi, Itachi suddenly unsheathed his sword, gripping it tightly with both hands before slashing forward.
Slash!
Blood splattered through the air.
Kakashi's head flew, his eyes wide in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"Itachi! What are you doing?!" Tenzo yelled, horror-stricken.
The Anbu around them were frozen, unable to process why Itachi had just killed their captain.
But this was only the beginning.
After dispatching Kakashi, Itachi methodically turned to his comrades.
Realizing Itachi had lost all reason, Tenzo hastily formed hand seals, creating a defensive Wood Release: Nativity of a Sea of Trees to shield his allies.
However, a terrifying crimson glow filled the air as massive bones grew from Itachi's body, forming a skeletal warrior wielding a spectral blade.
Susanoo!
With a single strike, the spectral sword shattered Tenzo's wooden defenses, sending the Anbu flying.
"Your turn, Tenzo," Itachi uttered coldly before impaling him with a swift thrust.
"And you," he added, turning toward Yazi.
"N-no... no...!" Yazi trembled, tears welling in her eyes. "Why, Itachi?! We're comrades! Why?!"
"No reason. This is simply the consequence of your defiance against Xu Fan."
Before Yazi could react, the blade descended upon her.
In an instant, the Anbu training grounds were drenched in blood, corpses strewn everywhere, the sky itself seeming to turn red.
Only then did Xu Fan rise from the ground—unscathed, untouched by dirt or injury.
At the same time, back in reality, Xu Fan stood over the fallen figures of his adversaries, shaking his head.
From the very start, they had never launched a real attack.
It had all been an illusion.