"Oh? So it's just a brat? Interesting... I didn't think Konoha had fallen this low," sneered Spike Avalanche, his Snow Shinobi attire fluttering slightly in the cold breeze. His tone was dripping with contempt as he stared down Kakashi.
"Tch, I've been underestimated," Kakashi thought, but he kept his silence. He wasn't Naruto—words wouldn't change anything here.
Besides, in the ninja world, those who talk too much often die first.
Seeing Kakashi remain silent, Spike Avalanche continued, "Brat, hand over that girl. Since you're from Konoha, I'll let you go. Otherwise, you'll die here."
Despite his arrogance, Spike Avalanche knew that even a weakened Konoha could still produce dangerous shinobi. He had no desire to draw unnecessary trouble.
"A shinobi's duty is to complete the mission!"
The words left Kakashi's lips instinctively. He didn't know why they came to him, but they felt natural.
But in his heart, he silently added another line: Without abandoning my comrades.
As he spoke, Kakashi's broken blade flashed in the moonlight, slicing toward Spike Avalanche.
A veteran of many battles, Spike Avalanche remained unfazed. He dodged with a single step, his movement fluid and effortless.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. That evasion alone told him that Avalanche's taijutsu skills surpassed his own.
Not good.
"Since you're so eager to die, I won't hold back."
Avalanche formed a rapid set of hand seals.
"Ice Release: White Whale!"
A massive, translucent whale of ice surged from the ground, tearing through the earth and rushing at Kakashi from below. The sheer size of it was staggering.
Though surprised, Kakashi's body reacted instinctively. He leaped into the air, sheathing his broken blade mid-motion, and formed seals at high speed.
"Chidori!"
Sparks of blue lightning crackled in his palm, illuminating the dark battlefield with a menacing glow. The raw energy twisted and snarled as Kakashi descended, gravity adding force to his charge.
The Chidori's arc carved through the night sky, colliding directly with the icy beast.
A thunderous explosion rocked the area. Ice shattered into countless shards, scattering across the battlefield. The resulting shockwave forced Avalanche to shield his eyes.
As the mist of frozen debris settled, Avalanche's expression darkened. He now understood why a mere "brat" had been entrusted with this mission.
"Not bad, kid. But that technique... with your undeveloped body, you can probably use it twice at most, right? What's your plan? Throw yourself at me until you collapse?"
Kakashi was breathing harder now. That Chidori had drained a significant portion of his chakra, and with his previous use of the Shadow Clone technique, he could only manage one more at best.
Fighting head-on is pointless. I just need to stall him long enough.
His clone should have already escaped with Hiyori. If so, Avalanche wouldn't be able to pursue them. Now, he just had to make a clean exit.
Kakashi prepared to withdraw. His chakra reserves were low, and against an opponent like Avalanche—who had both experience and superior chakra capacity—a prolonged fight would only lead to his defeat.
But if he simply turned his back, Avalanche would give chase. Kakashi needed to create a diversion.
Ninja Rule No. 9: If you encounter an opponent you cannot defeat, retreat strategically. Do not engage in pointless battles.
Kakashi smirked. "You can test me if you want. See how many times I can use this technique."
"Tch, still stubborn?" Avalanche sighed. "Fine, let's finish this."
Kakashi hurled two kunai. Avalanche dodged easily, but Kakashi had already formed his next set of seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive orb of flames roared toward Avalanche, illuminating the night.
"Pathetic! Using fire jutsu in the snow?"
Avalanche countered instantly. "Ice Release: Wolf Fang Avalanche Technique!"
A pack of wolves, crafted from ice and snow, emerged and lunged forward. The fireball was snuffed out almost immediately, but Kakashi wasn't finished.
As Avalanche's jutsu advanced, Kakashi's forehead protector slid upward, revealing his crimson Sharingan.
His hands moved in a blur.
"Ice Release: Wolf Fang Avalanche Technique!"
The same jutsu. The same words. But from a different source.
Avalanche's eyes widened. "That eye… Sharingan!"
Another set of ice wolves appeared—Kakashi's own, mimicked flawlessly by his copy-wheel eye. Though slightly weaker than the original, they were reinforced by the remnants of his fireball technique, balancing the battlefield.
A fierce storm erupted between the two jutsu, whipping snow into a blinding blizzard.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Kakashi disappeared into the storm.
Avalanche hesitated. He wasn't foolish enough to charge into a snowstorm against a Sharingan user.
When the blizzard finally settled, Kakashi was gone.
"Tch. You think you can just run?"
Avalanche focused chakra into his feet and shot forward. Kakashi's silhouette flickered in the distance, just within reach. The chase was on.
For five minutes, they raced through the frozen landscape.
Something felt wrong.
Avalanche narrowed his eyes. In an instant, he increased his speed and flung a kunai straight at Kakashi's head.
With a puff of smoke, the "Kakashi" he had been chasing vanished.
A shadow clone.
Avalanche came to a dead stop, fists clenched. "Damn it!"