Chapter 44: The Final Battle (Part 3)
Imai Kenta's journey had been relatively smooth so far. Thanks to the distraction caused by Uchiha Kei and Namikaze Minato, his path forward was mostly unimpeded.
Other than running into several pre-set traps along the way, he hadn't encountered much resistance. Though disabling those traps cost him valuable time, it was still far better than being blown up unexpectedly.
As the ground trembled around him, Imai Kenta could tell that Uchiha Kei and Namikaze Minato were already locked in combat with the enemy. For now, he could only rely on himself.
"Not that Uchiha Kei would've helped me even if he wasn't fighting," Kenta thought silently.
The usual harmless smile he wore on his face was now completely gone. That smile had always been a mask—something he'd trained himself to maintain constantly. But now, he couldn't bring himself to fake it.
He had always known this mission was dangerous, but he had no way of avoiding it. Deep down, he suspected Minato had already marked him with the Flying Thunder God technique, leaving him no escape.
Despite this, Kenta still preferred Minato—his terrifying strength aside, Minato was someone you could trust.
His squad leader and teammate, Uchiha Kei, was another matter entirely. That man's cold demeanor made even Imai Kenta uneasy. Though Kei hadn't done anything overtly alarming, Kenta could sense a darkness simmering beneath his calm surface—something obsessive, even more terrifying than his own secrets.
Kei's intelligence also made him an unsettling ally. Every plan, every action, carried a specific intent. Whether it looked like he was doing good or acting in the team's interest, it all served one purpose—himself.
Cold, cunning, and calculating—such a person was impossible to trust. And now that he had awakened the Sharingan, his strength was only growing.
"Uchiha Kei… a dangerous man," Kenta mused. "And Hyuga Ayaka… she's not simple either. Scheming, ambitious—why did I end up with them as teammates?"
But complaints were useless now. The ground trembled more violently—he had to move faster.
He didn't particularly care whether Konoha won or lost this battle. What he did care about was surviving and returning safely. If this mission succeeded, they could head home. If not, he might never be able to set foot in the village again.
He carried too many burdens—heavy ones, some he couldn't talk about, and some he didn't even want to acknowledge.
Pushing forward, he finally reached Kannabi Bridge. After thoroughly inspecting the area, he deactivated a few traps and then jumped down.
But Kenta didn't let his guard down. Minato had warned them—two enemies had been detected, but who knew how many more were hiding?
Even as the tremors above grew quieter, Kenta remained tense.
"No one here?" he muttered, frowning as he scanned his surroundings instead of immediately setting the explosive tags.
After a minute of cautious observation, he finally relaxed a little. There didn't seem to be any enemies.
He reached into his pouch and pulled out the explosive tags. Every ninja carried some, though Kenta didn't have many left. Even the ones Kei gave him were few in number.
He needed to plan carefully—where to place them to ensure the bridge's collapse.
After calculating and deciding on the best locations, he began placing the tags one by one.
But just then—a sharp whoosh cut through the air behind him.
No warning. Kenta's eyes widened as he fell to the ground.
"Tch. A brat's still a brat," came a mocking voice behind him. The speaker sounded full of disdain. "Has Konoha run out of people? Why send someone like you?"
A figure stepped into view—a man in his late twenties or early thirties, clad in a red Iwagakure battle uniform. Clearly, he was a user of the Hidden Stone's camouflage technique.
But this defensive ninja wasn't stupid. He immediately noticed something was off. Especially when he heard another sharp sound behind him.
Clang!
The Iwa-nin reacted swiftly, spinning around and parrying with his kunai—just in time to block a strike from Kenta's blade. Using his superior strength, he shoved Kenta back.
Kenta landed nimbly, holding his sword with both hands, eyes cold and unwavering. On the ground beside the Iwa-nin, the body he thought he had killed crumbled into mud—a earth-style clone.
"Not bad," the Iwa-nin sneered. "How did you find me?"
"I've run into your kind before," Kenta replied calmly. "I spotted you the moment I came down here. Too bad the sneak attack didn't work… guess I'll have to do this the hard way."
Which of them was the predator and which the prey? It wasn't clear. Both viewed the other as the target.
They fell silent.
Words could rattle weaker opponents, but not a ninja with a mind like stone. Neither Kenta nor Kei were the kind of people who snapped under pressure.
"Die."
The silence shattered as the Iwa-nin launched forward with killing intent. In his mind, there was no way he'd lose to a fourteen-year-old kid.
With a burst of speed, he slashed at Kenta with deadly force.
Kenta scoffed and chakra lit his blade in a bright blue hue.
His speed matched his foe's. At the moment of impact, Kenta ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike—only a few strands of hair were sliced off, floating in the air.
His counterattack came immediately, forcing the Iwa-nin to leap back.
They disengaged momentarily, both gauging the other.
Kenta's right hand tingled slightly. This guy's strength was no joke. He couldn't afford to hold back anymore.
"Looks like... it's time to get serious."