"Huh? This is…"
Uchiha Kai stared blankly at the scene before him. If not for the aching pain still throbbing across his face from the punch—and Kenta Imai lying nearby with a gaping wound in his chest—he would've thought they'd been caught in a genjutsu.
His thoughts were muddled, but he quickly caught on.
It has to be... Namikaze Minato!
Only Minato was fast enough to seemingly teleport someone away in the blink of an eye. Only Konoha's Yellow Flash could completely remove a person from harm's way through space-time ninjutsu.
Just as Kai made that connection, an explosion echoed through the forest, several dozen meters away. Debris shot into the air, the cloud of dust rising several meters high.
That must've been where Loess's punch landed—right where Kai had just been standing.
A cold shiver ran down his spine. If that blow had connected, he might have been flattened into paste.
Kai let out a shaky breath. The sensation of nearly being trapped in a no-win situation had been overwhelming. His Sharingan, drained and flickering, had already faded.
"I should've summoned him sooner," Kai muttered bitterly, still on the ground. "I hesitated. That was a mistake."
"Sorry I'm late."
A calm voice spoke behind him, and Kai exhaled deeply with relief. There was no mistaking it—this was Namikaze Minato. But there was tension in the Fourth Hokage's voice.
"I didn't expect Loess to show up here. I got delayed… and it seems you all paid the price for it."
"At least you're here now." Kai forced himself to sit up, fishing a ration pill from his pouch. "Kakashi's in critical condition, and Aya Hyūga isn't looking much better."
He chewed the dry, chalky pill despite how much he hated the taste. He needed his chakra to recover—if only a little.
He had no intention of fighting again right now. Not with Minato here. Kai would let the legend handle the rest. He was fine being an observer.
Minato quickly checked on Kakashi, and Kai didn't miss how grim the man's expression became.
"Can you still move?" Minato asked seriously. "We need to retreat and find somewhere safe to regroup."
"I think so," Kai replied, standing unsteadily. "Barely."
"Good. I'll carry Kakashi. Kai, you take your teammates." Minato issued the order clearly, already lifting Kakashi onto his back. "Imai Chūnin, please protect Rin. You may be the only one still able to do so. We need to move—reinforcements are likely on the way."
Kai's expression darkened. He wants me to carry Hyūga Aya… in my condition?
But Minato's final words shut down his protest. Rin was their only medic, and she needed protection. Kakashi couldn't fight in his state, and that left only Kei as a viable escort.
He sighed, slinging Aya Hyūga onto his back. Rin was still unconscious, cradled gently on Kenta's back despite his injuries. Kai noticed Rin's peaceful, almost innocent expression, as if unaware of the chaos around her.
He glanced at Imai, who had pushed himself to his limit. Kai chose not to mention the earlier "one-minute" comment Kenta had made. He'd done enough—he'd saved Kai at a crucial moment. That was all that mattered.
You repay favors, Kai thought, even if the guy doesn't care.
Looking over his shoulder at Aya, whose eyes were open but dim, Kai could only sigh. Her willpower was incredible. Even now, she hadn't passed out.
He slipped a ration pill between her lips.
"Don't expect gratitude," Aya muttered coldly. "You're only saving your own skin."
"Of course I am," Kai replied with a smirk. "But I still took out three Iwa-nin. Meanwhile, you're riding on my back."
He grinned mockingly. "But then again, your Hyūga clan is more about reconnaissance and cleanup. Not exactly front-line fighters."
Aya's eyes narrowed, her cold exterior briefly cracking with irritation. "Maybe you are a Uchiha after all... Killing three Iwa-nin alone, and holding your own against the son of the Third Tsuchikage? I bet the clan will throw a celebration when you get back."
"Maybe," Kai shrugged. "And when we do get back, I'll still be your team captain. Looks like you'll be answering to me for a long time, Aya-kun."
Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was the fact they'd all nearly died. But Kai found himself talking more than usual, letting some of the tension bleed out.
Aya didn't respond, though a strange smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
The battle might've been over, but Kai couldn't let his guard down. He knew more Iwa reinforcements weren't far behind.
The ration pill was starting to kick in. Kai's chakra was returning—slowly. It wasn't enough to fight, but at least he could carry Aya at a decent speed.
Meanwhile, not far away, Loess groaned and sat up, clutching his left shoulder. A kunai had embedded itself there—just a few inches from his heart.
If I hadn't moved in time…
He didn't dare pull it out. The bleeding would only worsen.
"Yellow Flash… Namikaze Minato," Loess muttered through clenched teeth. The name now seared into his memory, along with the image of that smug Uchiha boy.
I'll remember both of you.