Chapter 29: Desperate Situation
"Akai!"
As time seemed to resume its normal flow, another roar burst from Kitsuchi's throat. But with that shout, the crimson gash across his neck grew even more pronounced.
It was only then that he realized what he had truly encountered.
Clutching his neck, he carefully assessed the damage. When his eyes turned to Uchiha Kei again, there was a level of wariness that hadn't been there before.
Just moments ago, in a mere instant, Uchiha Kei had exploded with a speed that defied belief. It was even faster than the first time he had taken down Haruki and that ambush on Genboku.
No matter how hard Kitsuchi tried, he simply couldn't understand it—how could this brat suddenly move like that? More baffling was why he had waited until his teammates were nearly dead before unleashing that power.
If he had used it earlier, his comrades might not have been left in such miserable states.
But confusion aside, one thing was clear: this kid needed to die.
Had Kitsuchi not been so cautious—constantly on guard for tricks and setting up layers of defense—he might have already ended up as another notch on Kei's kill list.
"You're impressive, Uchiha brat," Kitsuchi said, removing his hand from his wounded neck. "Your speed is astonishing. Not even Namikaze Minato could have done better. But it's unfortunate you ran into me… and now, you're out of options, aren't you? If you'd just used that power sooner…"
Kei didn't respond. He didn't care for Kitsuchi's gloating.
If Kakashi hadn't been pushed to the brink of death… if Ayaka Hyūga hadn't been gravely injured… if Kitsuchi had just looked him in the eyes from the start… if Imai Kenta weren't too tied up to help—he wouldn't have used his Mangekyō Sharingan so soon.
It was a last resort.
Yes, the power was great. But in this stage of the war, it was practically nonrenewable. And more importantly, Kei didn't want anyone knowing he had it.
He knew far too well the chaos a pair of Mangekyō could cause.
Just look at Uchiha Fugaku, the current clan head—he likely awakened it too, yet never dared to use it openly. His fate was grim, but still better than the reckless ones.
Shisui had one of his eyes stolen. Itachi lived under the crushing weight of guilt and suspicion. Obito was a walking tragedy. And Madara? Turned into a tool and played like a puppet.
Even Sasuke, who looked better off than the rest—if not for his ties to Naruto, Kakashi, and the village—would've been executed ten times over for his actions.
But Kei? Kei had no such bonds. And with the fragile state of the Uchiha's relationship with Konoha, he couldn't afford to risk exposure.
Taking a deep breath, Kei staggered to his feet. His chakra was nearly depleted, but Kitsuchi clearly wasn't done with him.
"Die, Uchiha brat!"
Sure enough, Kitsuchi didn't waste time. With a roar, he charged—chakra surging wildly around him. Dust exploded from beneath his feet as he lunged, fist aimed straight for Kei's face.
Kei watched the attack coming. He could see the trajectory clearly—but tragically, his body simply couldn't move fast enough to dodge.
The Mangekyō's drain was too much. After fighting for so long, he was spent.
Damn it… where the hell is Minato?
For the first time, Kei began to wonder if he'd been duped by that bright-eyed, friendly Jonin who always seemed so sincere.
There was no time to dwell. Kei tried to shift aside, just enough to dodge the blow—but then, someone yanked him backward by the collar.
A force—strong, but not overwhelming—dragged his weakened body away just in time.
"Boom!"
The impact was deafening. Debris scattered all around as the earth cracked from the blow. Kei's ears rang from the explosion, and before he knew it, he was on the ground—then being pulled, dragged across the dirt for nearly ten meters.
His neck and back ached from the sudden movement.
Turning his head with effort, Kei was stunned to see—
"You…?"
"Shut up. How long until Captain Minato arrives? And can you move?" Imai Kenta didn't even look at him, eyes locked on the smoldering front.
"No idea about him… as for me, I need some time."
"I can hold him for one minute. If you're not back in fighting shape by then—I'm gone."
"Then you might as well leave now."
Kei was surprised, but it all made sense now.
Kenta was just like him—hesitating at the edge, debating whether to take that final, desperate step.
But a single minute? What could Kei even accomplish in that time? Even if he downed an Akimichi clan chakra pill, it'd be impossible to recover full battle strength in sixty seconds.
Kenta ignored his sarcasm. Hands trembling slightly, he gripped his short blade tightly, eyes fixed on the thick smoke ahead.
"He's coming!"
The moment Kenta spoke, Kitsuchi burst through the dust cloud—charging straight at them, forming seals mid-dash. As he completed the hand signs, the ground beneath them began to quake violently.
The tremors grew worse. Kenta struggled to stay upright. Kei, who had just barely gotten to his feet, was thrown back down again.
He landed hard, sitting in the dirt—just in time to see Kitsuchi executing a precise sidestep around Kenta.
In a flash, Kitsuchi drew a kunai with his left hand, aiming for Kenta's chest.
And with his right—charged with terrifying chakra—he swung straight at Kei's face.
For a moment, Kei truly despaired.
In a frantic bid to survive, he ignored the pain and forced his Mangekyō open again.
But his chakra reserves were too low. Regret crashed over him—maybe he should've used this power sooner, wiped out these Iwa shinobi first, and worried about the consequences later.
As Kitsuchi closed in, Kei gripped his own kunai.
This scene—it was just like his first battle.
Helpless. Weak. Overwhelmed.
He raised his hand in panic, fear blazing in his eyes—
And then, just as he felt the wind from that deadly punch brush his cheek—
Kitsuchi vanished.