"Rrragh!"
A rugged-looking man hurled a flurry of ice spikes toward Nara Kazuki — but the next instant, his gaze lost focus.
A hand, crackling with lightning chakra, pierced through his chest.
"Fuyuguma!"
The female shinobi shrieked in horror, lunging toward her fallen comrade — only for Kazuki to intercept her path.
Her face twisted with anguish. Kazuki's face twisted too — not in sympathy, but because…
Damn it. That's one percent chakra I'll never get back.
Still, he knew better than to whine now. There was no time to worry about resource optimization when enemies were still breathing.
"Why won't you just die, brother?!"
Dotō Kazahana howled as he surged toward the dazed Sōsetsu Kazahana, unleashing an Ice Release: Twin-Headed Ice Dragon from his palm.
Kakashi intercepted the attack with a swift sidestep, his expression darkening.
This guy — he's not just a schemer, he's a shinobi too?
And not just any shinobi — he had a Kekkei Genkai: Hyōton — Ice Release.
The battlefield shifted quickly.
"Brother… why? Why would you do this?"
Sōsetsu finally caught up to reality, staring at Dotō in disbelief.
Kazuki sighed deeply.
Are you seriously just figuring this out now? Man's trying to murder you. You really sat on the throne with friendship and vibes alone, huh?
"Because—"
Dotō began his cliché villain monologue.
But the sharp screech of Kakashi's Chidori cut him off before he could even finish.
"See that?"
Kazuki commented while launching a Great Fireball Jutsu at the remaining kunoichi.
"Villains talk too much. Not that silence's ever saved one either."
The woman tried to counter, but the sudden echo of her dead comrade's scream stunned her for just a moment — more than enough for Kazuki's Shadow Possession Jutsu to snap into place again.
Without hesitation, Kazuki struck. His body moved in a controlled dance as the enemy's joints cracked in forced mimicry, her limbs twisting grotesquely. Finally, she collapsed — broken — twitching under the aftershock of his Thunder-Flame Great Fireball Jutsu.
A creeping chill swept through the field. Even the other shinobi paused, shivering slightly, glancing at Kazuki with strange unease.
"Stingy bastards…"
Kazuki grumbled, dashing toward Might Guy, who was still locked in combat.
Rōga Nadare — one of Dotō's elite — was clearly the strongest among the enemy. Judging by his chakra and reactions, Kazuki guessed he was at least jōnin level. Guy had already opened four gates, but Nadare was still putting up a solid fight.
Kakashi, meanwhile, was evenly matched with Dotō. He didn't need backup.
"This brat…"
Nadare was visibly annoyed.
He had been observing the trio on the cargo ship — and aside from Kakashi, he hadn't considered the others a threat. But things had unraveled fast.
The green goofball — who couldn't stop vomiting earlier — turned out to be a taijutsu monster. And Kazuki? Somehow, he had already eliminated two of Nadare's comrades in short order.
"You're attacking your own client! You'll be reported for this!"
Dotō bellowed, realizing his plan was collapsing.
He was kicking himself for hiring Leaf shinobi in the first place.
Kakashi, still exchanging blows with Dotō, nearly burst out laughing.
Client? What client?
Once you attempt fratricide, you kinda forfeit the whole "client" status.
Kazuki shook his head.
"He's really out of cards."
Honestly, Kazuki thought, Dotō's actual combat strength wasn't bad. One jōnin, two chūnin-level subordinates, and himself with a Kekkei Genkai — that was more than enough to ambush a defenseless daimyō.
If they had sent weaker ninja, or even a slightly underpowered squad... Sōsetsu would probably be dead. Maybe only Koyuki would've made it out.
Too bad for you, Kazuki thought. You tried to steal a kingdom — and ended up on my loot table.
Most of Dotō's lackeys had fled. Sōsetsu clutched his daughter tight, watching the chaos unfold, eyes dark with complicated emotion.
Kazuki had no time to worry about his royal drama.
He reached the edge of Nadare's skirmish zone, shadow stretching outward while his hands wove seals rapidly.
"Fire Style…"
Nadare recognized the seals. He braced for an attack.
Two flaming dragons burst from Kazuki's mouth — one aimed at Nadare, the other straight into the sky.
A misfire?
Nadare blinked, suspicious… but also tempted to make a break for it. This wasn't worth it. His team was already dead weight. Dotō was losing badly. No way he was dying for this failed coup.
But before Nadare could act, a strange wave of nausea hit him.
He gagged. Sneezed. His throat began to burn.
"What… what the hell?"
Instinctively, Nadare raised an Ice Wall to block the incoming fire, then formed seals of his own. From the mountainside, a thunderous rumble rolled as avalanches of snow barreled downward — taking shape as wolves of ice and chakra, lunging at both him and Guy.
"Persistent bastard," Kazuki muttered.
Then he opened his mouth and uttered a harsh, ancient-sounding word.
The battlefield froze.
A flicker of genjutsu — enough to dull reflexes. Nadare's eyes glazed over.
He twitched once.
Then a black shadow snaked around his body and latched on.
Shadow Possession Jutsu: Captured.