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Chapter 12: You'd Better Worry About Surviving the Fourth Mizukage First
Reality.
After trapping Kakashi in the Tsukuyomi, Uchiha Itachi's eyes stung with pain from the strain. But this was all part of his plan—by using Tsukuyomi, he gave himself a justified reason to withdraw from the fight. This way, he could avoid killing Kakashi and still maintain his cover.
Of course, if Kakashi couldn't hold out—or if Jūzō managed to kill Kakashi's student and rushed over to join him—then what happened next would no longer be his concern...
As a double agent for Konoha, Itachi had already done enough for now. For the sake of his little brother, he had to continue playing his part in the Akatsuki—even if, up until now, he hadn't been able to deliver much intel back to the village.
"Kakashi has the Sharingan, and I held back a lot in the Tsukuyomi... he should be able to endure it," Itachi murmured to himself.
But suddenly—boom!—a deafening explosion rang out, snapping his head toward the noise. What he saw froze him in place.
"That's..."
In the distance, lightning arced wildly through the mist with dazzling flashes, accompanied by fierce thunderclaps. And within that storm of electric light, Kitagawa Gen's figure flickered at high speed as he relentlessly attacked Jūzō. The swordsman was being forced to defend himself, his expression contorted with frustration.
The way they fought was like a clash of two entirely different taijutsu styles—one fluid and unpredictable, the other powerful and aggressive. Their battle rocked the forest, sending shockwaves and debris flying. Trees were shattered, boulders destroyed—anything in their path was obliterated.
But something felt off to Itachi.
"This... isn't Jūzō's fighting style," he muttered, eyes narrowing.
Then it clicked.
"Jūzō fell into a trap."
He could see it clearly now—how Jūzō's own Water Release had backfired, creating the perfect battlefield for Gen's jutsu. In the mist, those crackling purple lightning arcs weren't just dangerous—they were surgical, hunting Jūzō like guided predators.
"But... what technique is that?"
Itachi frowned, focusing his Sharingan on the electric energy dancing in Gen's hands. At first glance, it resembled Chidori—but as someone who had fought alongside Kakashi, he knew better. This wasn't Chidori.
"It's even more adaptable... doesn't rely on high-speed thrusts... yet it's just as powerful—if not more."
The more he observed, the more shocked he became. The technique took Lightning Release—a chakra nature typically limited to simple piercing attacks—and pushed it to terrifying new heights.
"This kid... he's reshaped and refined a single chakra nature to its absolute limit," Itachi realized. "Not even Kakashi's Chidori compares in terms of versatility. Only the Third Raikage had a similar technique..."
Suddenly, Jūzō burst from the mist, electricity snapping at his heels—and he was headed straight for Itachi.
And at that exact moment, Kakashi woke up.
BOOM!
A deafening thunderclap split the sky, darkening the already overcast heavens.
On the devastated battlefield, the two groups stared each other down.
Around them, the forest was in ruins. The earth was cracked and cratered. Trees lay in broken heaps. Only Gen's purple lightning still danced in the air, vivid and blinding.
He stood with ragged breaths, purple electricity crackling over his wounded body. His clothes were in tatters, several fresh cuts marking his skin. But he was still standing.
Jūzō wasn't so lucky. Though his brute strength let him mount a counterattack or two, the toll was clear. His headband was gone, his hair spiked out like a hedgehog, and his cloak—once pristine—hung from his shoulders in shreds. His body bore deep, charred cuts, some clearly inflicted by lightning-infused blades.
As for Kakashi and Itachi—they were both clearly exhausted. But Kakashi looked especially worn down, pale and breathing heavily.
"You alright, Kakashi-sensei?" Gen asked quietly, steadying his breathing.
"I can still stand..." Kakashi muttered with a shake of his head. He was barely holding on.
But as he glanced at Gen again—at that strange purple lightning still crackling around him—he felt a chill. That technique...
"Was it this lightning release that broke me out of Itachi's Mangekyō?" Kakashi wondered. He hadn't forgotten that surreal moment in the illusion world—when an arc of purple lightning shattered the fabric of the Tsukuyomi and pulled him out.
And then there was Jūzō—utterly wrecked. The proof was undeniable. This kid's jutsu was on another level.
"He actually pulled it off...?"
Kakashi's expression grew more serious. He'd always known about Gen's ideas for new techniques. He also knew just how insanely difficult they were. And yet... here they were.
But even if Gen succeeded...
There's still Itachi.
Kakashi's gaze turned toward the calm, unreadable shinobi across from him. That Mangekyō power—silent, deadly, inescapable—it terrified him more than anything else.
"I have to buy time... Gen needs to escape."
Stepping forward, Kakashi positioned himself between Gen and the Akatsuki. But before he could speak, Jūzō gave a hacking cough and finally broke the silence.
"Not bad... brat. That jutsu of yours—impressive. But what now?"
"What now?" Gen tilted his head, purple lightning flashing around his fingertips. "You're missing the point. Our job was never to beat you—just stall you until the ANBU arrive. And in case you forgot, it's still two versus two."
"ANBU..." Jūzō's face twitched.
Even in his prime, going up against a squad of Konoha's elite would be tricky. In his current condition? A death sentence. His eyes slid over to Itachi.
But before he could say anything, Itachi spoke.
"We're done here."
His eyes closed briefly. "I used the Mangekyō. The purple lightning disrupted the Tsukuyomi. I failed to kill Kakashi. And now, in our state, a quick victory isn't possible. If we get pinned down... and ANBU shows up..."
"We're screwed," Jūzō finished with a sigh. He got it now.
They were on borrowed time.
He gave Gen one last look—this little punk who'd wrecked their entire mission. Neither he nor Itachi had expected a child to cause so much damage.
"You're a lucky one, brat. Next time, we won't be so forgiving."
Jūzō gave a cold snort, then turned to leave.
Itachi followed silently, fading into the mist with him.
As they vanished, Gen finally let out a long breath of relief.
But under his breath, he muttered—
"Next time? You'd better worry about surviving the Fourth Mizukage first..."