Kakashi took a moment to examine his surroundings. The street echoed with screams, cries of anguish rising from the burning building where the air was scorching hot.
Many onlookers crowded the streets as they left their jobs, several running into the building to help.
Kakashi quickly came to one conclusion
They couldn't fight these two, not here. He turned to Naruto and Hinata, both of who were in combat stances facing Dokugan.
"We have to retreat," He gestured to Dokugan "I'll hold him off, and meet up with you two later."
Naruto relented "But Kakashi sensei…"
"There's no time, Naruto, you and Hinata leave now!"
"As if I'll make it that easy" The next thing the three of them saw was Dokugan, who had flashed toward them, his fist pulled back, as water compressed around it in a tight bubble.
Water Release: Hydraulic Fist
Kakashi tackled the other two off the building as Dokugan's attack went off. The water around his hand exploded with extreme force, creating a shockwave that reached the other side of the street and taking a chunk out of a building.
Shocked gasps came from the crowd below.
As they fell, Ensho attacked them in their descent
Fire Release: Flame Cannon
A giant burst of flame launched toward them. Naruto turned around, going through signs using.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough
Wind met flame, as Naruto's jutsu clashed with Ensho's, causing the flames to peter out.
As soon as they touched down, Kakashi re-insisted, "Go now, I'll keep Dokugan off you as long as possible. The other one is up to you."
Before Hinata or Naruto could respond, Kakashi had already jumped away, going to face Dokugan on the rooftops.
Trusting his teacher, Naruto put a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Come on, let's see if we can lead this guy away from the people"
Hinata nodded, as they began to jump across lampposts as Ensho followed in pursuit.
As they got three blocks away, a spear of flame passed above them, going way off target.
Both of them looked up puzzled, but Hinata's Bykugan noticed the trajectory of the attack; in front of them was a large factory, filled with unaware workers leaving its doors for today.
The spear punched through the factory's roof, blowing the front wall into shrapnel. The initial blast hurled people like rag dolls; half a second later, the secondary detonations erupted as barrels of oil or chemical inside ignited, as gouts of fire geysered through the window.
More spears landed down, hitting adjacent buildings; the entire street went into chaos, as cries of despair and agony, and panicked people looked for their loved ones.
Naruto and Hinata stood shell shocked, Naruto grinded his teeth, as he put his hand together into a sign
Shadow Clone Jutsu
He immediately began directing them
"Put out the fires, and save anyone you can,"
The Narutos nodded, their faces determined as they went off to extinguish the destruction.
He then turned to Hinata "Hinata can you look to see if anyone's trapped"
His words broke her trance." Y.. yes I'll look" her voice was riddled with anxiety.
"I think it's a bit too early for you two to worry about other people."
They turned as the sound of Ensho's boots squishing against concrete hit their ears
Ensho stepped toward them with a mocking casualness, as he looked around, admiring his handiwork. He let out an impressed whistle.
"I guess I got lucky with that factory's combustibles. Flames wouldn't be half as pretty otherwise," Ensho observed
Naruto screamed. "How could you do this? Aren't these your people, your city?"
Ensho shrugged
"It's just a few buildings. They'll go back up, eventually"
"What about the people?"
Ensho threw his head back and laughed
"Oh wait, you guys actually care? Didn't peg you for bleeding hearts." Ensho spread his arms. "Wait, don't tell me, you have aspirations to be the heroic ninja who saves everyone?"
Naruto clenched his jaw, his pulse hammering in his temples.
"We're trained killers, no more, no less, and since that's the case, you might as well take pride and love in your work. "
Ensho took a deep sniff and leaned backwards. "Take it all in, that smell." his nostrils flared. "That's the scent of purity"
Naruto glanced left "Hinata…?"
She stood motionless, head bowed. When she lifted it, her eyes burned, not with tears, but a fury Naruto had never seen in her.
"We have to stop this wretch. Now. Before he hurts anyone else." Her stance snapped into place.
Ensho grinned. "Good fight back. Give me more excuses to light stuff up."
Kakashi jumped off a building, avoiding another hydraulic fist.
He landed in the small parkette below. Dokugan landed on the other side of it and went through hand signs.
Water Release: Gunshot
Dokugan shot out a high-speed blob of water, the first one clipping Kakashi's shoulder, drawing blood. As he fired the second one, Kakashi put his palms to the ground and used.
Earth Release: Earth Wall
A wall of earth emerged, blocking the rest of Dokugan's attack.
Just as he backed up from the wall to make distance, his Sharigan caught the large amount of chakra buildup from the other side
Water Release: Abyssal Vortex
Dokugan rushed through the wall, his arm becoming a piercing drill of water. Kakashi maneuvered around the drill. Going under it to get into Dokugan's guard, attempting to strike his chest with a kunai, the attack was almost successful before Dokugan's other technique activated
Water Release: Torrent Guard
A rush of water engulfed Dokugan's chest, as the kunai was stopped by a powerful current of water.
Kakashi tried to move away, but Dokugan took advantage of his proximity.
The water from the Abyssal Vortex technique coalesced around his hand, more compact than before, as he swung".
Water Release: Tidal impact
Kakashi twisted mid-air to avoid a direct hit. But the concussive force from the technique hammered into him. The impact sent him rocketing backwards, as his back cratered into a building, with enough force to spiderweb the wall.
Blood sprayed into his mask as he slumped forward.
Kakashi regained himself, as his sandals found purchase on the wall, sticking himself to it. His hands moved in a blur.
Lighting Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang
A wolf made of lightning erupted from Kakashi's palm, as it bounded toward Dokugan with unnatural speed.
Dokugan moved back slightly, stomping his foot on the and forming a single hand sign
Water Release: Gunshot
A blast of pressurized water intercepted the lightning beast mid-leap, but as it impacted, the wolf dissolved into crackling smoke.
Dokugan's eyes widened as three new Kakashi materialized from the dispersing lighting, all three making contact with him.
Lightning Release: Lightning Clone Feint
The three clones detonated simultaneously. As electricity coursed through Dokugan's massive frame, making his muscles spasm violently.
As the lightning dissipated, tendrils of smoke rose from his shoulders as he rolled his neck with an audible crack.
"Not bad, Hatake, not bad at all."
Not stalling, his assault Kakashi appeared, bursting from a nearby window, using
Water Release: Starch Syrup Trap
Kakashi spat out a sticky substance on the ground trapping Dokugan's feet
Dokugan chuckled and used
Water Release: Tsunami Step
A high pressure jet of water propelled him out of the substance and toward Kakashi, but Kakashi had prepared another jutsu.
Earth Release: Rock Fist
Intercepting Dokugan's path, he landed a blow across his fade, causing his opponents to flip backwards and skid across the ground on his back
Kakashi then placed his hand on the wet ground and used
Earth Style: Mud wolves
Creating four muddy wolves as they rushed forward. Dokugan dispelled one with a hydraulic fist, but the other three made contact, coating Dokugan in mud in slowing his movement. Kakashi then used
Lighting Release: Lighting Chain
As Kakashi created a whip of lighting as he maneuvered it around Dokugan, wrapping him up and sending brutal shocks through his system.
Dokugan's Torrent guard activated the technique, absorbing most of the electricity as he flexed and broke out of it.
Both fighters briefly locked eyes, Dokugan not realizing his mistake until it was too late, as Kakashi's Sharigan spun.
Genjutsu: Mirage Crow Technique
Suddenly dozens of Kakashi appeared, in front of him, all in a sprint.
Dokugan countered with
Water Style: Gunshot needles
As he altered the original technique, turning it into a wide spray of needles, as he attempted to mow down the small army, he saw his attacks had no effect. Genjutsu, the realization, screamed in Dokugan's head as he flushed his chakra system. As the clones appeared Dokugan didn't spot the real Kakashi above him until it was too late, his hand already on the final sign of his technique.
Fire Style: Blazing Column Technique
A circular tower of flames engulfed Dokugan; Kakashi stood on the side of a building breathing heavily, his Sharigan fading in and out. He was running dangerously low on chakra. He only hoped that this last attack would keep him down.
Moments later, the flames turned into steam,
Through the dissipating smoke, Kakashi's faltering Sharigan caught something odd. As, every water molecule in the air was violently drawn toward Dokugan's outstretched palm.
The very moisture from Kakashi's sweat, the lingering dampness in the rubble, even the loose water in the basins of nearby sinks in adjacent buildings streaked through the air like reverse rain, coalescing into a single, trembling sphere no larger than a plum.
Dokugan's breathing came ragged, but his grip on the technique was absolute. The orb pulsed with a sickly blue light, chakra so densely packed that the surrounding air vibrated with its power. "You're worthy of your reputation, Copy Ninja," he admitted, flexing his fingers.
The sphere responded, its surface rippling with contained devastation. "I haven't used technique against a single opponent in years."
Kakashi's mind raced as he ran through his expansive catalogue of jutsu for counters; but found none, he came to one conclusion
Run
Back near the inferno, fighting had begun.
Naruto summoned a dozen shadow clones and made a dash toward Ensho.
Hinata ducked into an alley, getting out of sight, using her Bykugan to track Ensho's movements.
Ensho sped through hand signs.
Fire Release: Blazing Shuriken
The flaming projectiles carved through the clones, exploding upon hitting the walls and the ground, scattering napalm like flames across the battlefield.
Despite the attack being effective, the real Naruto and seven of his clones emerged, about to unleash a flurry of attacks. Ensho then put his hands into a single seal.
Fire Release: Inferno Step
To reposition, kicking off an inferno of flame as he avoiding, Naruto's wind taijutsu, performing the technique two more times, he maneuvered atop a building, but Hinata was there waiting for him.
She landed two precise strikes to his left arm's tenketsu and his lower back. His chakra pathways sealing shut beneath his skin.
Ensho snarled, detonating another Inferno Step to escape, his left arm now compromised slightly.
Mid air he went through hand signs
Fire Release: Dragon's Maw
Ensho spat out a concentrated blat of fire shaped into draconic jaws. Hinata barely dove aside as the blast vaporized the rooftop behind her, the residual heat singing her hair.
Below, Naruto's renewed clones scrambled up the building as Ensho landed opposite them.
Fire Release: Sunburst Orb
Ensho produced a compressed fireball toward Naruto's clones, sucking the oxygen out of the air; the sphere exploded, launching Naruto backwards and dispelling his clones, and taking a chunk out of the street and nearby buildings.
Naruto landed on his feet; as he skidded against the hot concrete, Hinata appeared at his side.
"We need a plan," Hinata panted, her Byakugan tracking Ensho's chakra. "He'll burn the entire district down at this rate."
Naruto wiped soot from his face. "I know, we have to take him down as fast as possible, if we could only get you close.."
Naruto paused as realization struck him
"Wait, I got an idea"
Ensho saw a large poof of smoke, as fifty Naruto clones appeared and began charging him,
Ensho performed
Fire Release: Fire clones
As the nearby flames collected into six copies of himself. His clones rushed forward as he stepped back as he began preparing a technique.
Ensho's fire clones crashed and exploded, causing many of the clones to dispel, but dozens more replaced them in a minute.
"Damn, how much chakra does this kid have?"
Ensho had to interrupt his technique, as he began engaging in close quarters combat.
Fire Release: Scorching Palm
Firing a small blast of fire from his palm, dispersing multiple clones at once
A clone awkwardly stumbled into his guard; As he went to use another scorching palm, the clone in front spun gracefully into his guard and landed a single palm strike to his chest,
Ensho felt his breath leave his body, as his pulse quicken, and then stopped as his eyes rolled back into his head. He fell down onto the ground, dead.
Hinata dropped her henge of Naruto, panting, not taking her eyes off on Ensho's body.
"Good Job Hinata you got him!" Naruto excitedly ran over "Now we just gotta take him back for integration
"There's no use he's d… I killed him" Hinata said her voice cold
As Naruto opened his mouth, the ground quaked. A deafening roar echoed blocks away, shaking rubble from damaged buildings.
"Is that Kakashi sensei?" Hinata asked.
"That doesn't sound like a technique of his, we need to go."
Moments earlier
Kakashi took off in full sprint, leaping across the sides of buildings. As he leaped back onto the street, that's when the technique went off.
Water Release: Ocean's Wrath
The next, the air itself detonated. The sound around Kakashi was erased; as the shockwave flattened eight blocks in an eye blink. Buildings disintegrated like sandcastles, their rubble suspended momentarily in the apocalyptic pressure wave before crashing down.
The next few moments were filled with an uneasy stillness, as Kakashi opened his eyes again, fully prepared for his death.
He was relieved to see the world again, though now it was filled with dust and ash; he peered around the surrounding city as nothing more than a collection of rocks and rubble; he noticed broken bodies littered about the destruction.
His ears, still ringing, caught the muffled nose of Dokugan's heavy footsteps. Peering through the dust, he spotted the faint outline of Dokugan walking toward him.
He stood up shakily, his legs almost buckling underneath him; he got into a low stance and grabbed his wrist.
"It's now or never," he mumbled
Lightning crackled from his palm as he rushed forward.
Raikiri
Kakashi pierced through the cloud of debris, aiming his technique right through Dokugan's chest.
Unfortunately, Dokugan was waiting for him
Water Release: Tidal Impact
Mid technique Kakashi felt Dokugan's pressurized fist impact his side; the sickening crunch of bone echoed internally as he was sent flying into the remains of a nearby building.
Dokugan exhaled as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. "Nice try Hatake"
He examined the impact crater; Kakashi was slumped over, his hair drooping down. "Seems like the leaf's best is no match for me"
Dokugan walked forward, prepared to finish the job, before stopping as he sensed a sinister chakra turning.
His vision was filled with red chakra and a spiraling ball of pain.
Rasengan
A Nine tails cloaked Naruto slammed into Dokugan, the Rasengan barreling into him and sending him careening away.
Naruto almost mindlessly pursued, but he regain himself; as the cloak dissipated, he turned to Hinata who tenderly lifted the limp body of his teacher.
"Is he okay?"
Hinata examined him with her Bykugan,
"He's hurt badly; we have to get him to Shizune as fast as possible."
Naruto took a quick look at where Dokugan had flown, furrowing his brow in frustration.
"Yeah let's go"
Naruto ran over, getting under Kakashi's other shoulder, as they both moved in sync, as they carried him back to the safe house.
A minute later, rubble moved; As Dokugan lifted up a piece of building off himself, he groaned as he got up holding his side; his once pristine armour was gone, and his skin had spiral chakra burns.
"Jinchuriki huh, the leaf definitely went all out," He winced in pain as he got to his feet.
He examined the once sturdy Tetsu district as the wasteland of collapsed buildings expanded around him, and the dying flames of Ensho's aftermath.
He sighed
"It's going to be hard to explain this to Asato".