"Trouble?"
Kai Uchiha frowned. If something could trouble Namikaze Minato at the entrance, then it wasn't just trouble—it was a serious problem.
Minato's strength was indisputable. His reputation as the "Yellow Flash" wasn't just for show. The level he operated on, both in power and perception, meant any threat he acknowledged had to be formidable.
Kai swallowed hard. Could Kitsuchi have returned to reinforce their position?
No—if it was just Kitsuchi, Minato wouldn't look this grim. The Fourth Hokage could handle someone like him with ease. Then... could it be the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki?
That didn't make sense either. The Third Tsuchikage was preoccupied with the ongoing threat from Kumogakure. He wouldn't abandon the front lines to intervene in the Land of Grass.
Then what kind of opponent could make even Minato Namikaze concerned?
Kai racked his brain but couldn't find an answer. All he could do was look to Minato, hoping he'd offer some clarity.
"I couldn't determine the exact number of enemies holding the bridge," Minato said in a grave tone. "But I saw two individuals. And neither is ordinary. One of them is named Kari… the other is Han."
Hearing those names, Kenta Imai remained calm—he didn't recognize them. But Kei's face paled.
He didn't remember anyone named Kari, but Han? That name he remembered all too well.
Han—the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails.
Although Han didn't get much screen time in the larger story, Kai remembered enough. This was the man who, according to the databooks, could match tailed beast-level power in close combat. If memory served, he once landed a blow on Naruto in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
Kai didn't even want to think about the amount of chakra or explosive force Han wielded. What was even more baffling was why Han was here. With Iwagakure stretched thin and Kumogakure pressing hard, deploying a Jinchūriki to the Land of Grass was a bold move.
Ōnoki's ambitions must be greater than Kai imagined.
As for Kari… the name was unfamiliar. That made it even worse. Unknown enemies were always the most dangerous.
If they were lucky, the enemy count would stay low. If not…
Kai and Kenta exchanged a glance. They both understood: this was the final phase. Unlike Aya Hyūga—who was resting after sustaining internal injuries—they were still in the field, and their chance to act had come.
It may not have felt like much of an opportunity… but they'd made it this far. They couldn't afford hesitation now.
"I'll take on Kari," Kai said after a pause. "Kenta, you go place the explosive tags under the bridge. I'll give you all of mine."
He glanced away. "It's a shame Aya isn't in any condition to fight…"
"I'll deal with Han," Minato interrupted. His tone was calm, but focused. He then turned to Kenta. "Kenta-kun, lay the tags carefully. If you run into resistance, stall them. I'll support you if things go south. Understood?"
"Understood," Kenta replied with a firm nod.
It wasn't a great plan. But it was better than sending Kenta to face a Jinchūriki or an unknown threat.
One was absolutely beyond his league. The other… had too many unknowns to risk.
And if, by some miracle, there was no one beneath the bridge, then Kenta would be the safest. But none of them were foolish enough to believe that was likely.
"Kai-kun, Kenta-kun," Minato said, reaching into his pouch. "Take these."
He handed each of them a small yellow pill.
"Chakra-recovery pills. Developed by the Akimichi clan. The effects are fast and the side effects minimal—though you'll feel drained afterward."
Kai nodded and swallowed his without hesitation. Kenta shook his head and refused—his chakra recovered unusually fast, something Kai still didn't quite understand.
Kai, though, was in no condition to refuse. Since his battle with Kitsuchi, he hadn't fully recovered—even after taking soldier pills. This was different. As soon as he took the Akimichi pill, he felt his chakra replenishing at an astonishing rate.
"Now, about Kari," Minato continued. "He's part of Iwa's demolition corps. From what I've gathered, he has a Kekkei Genkai. He's young, but strong. Don't underestimate him."
"A Kekkei Genkai user, huh?" Kai nodded slowly. "Seems like I picked the right fight. It takes a bloodline to counter a bloodline."
Kai remembered Iwagakure's demolition corps. Before he defected, Deidara had been part of that same unit. Deidara, the eccentric prodigy, and disciple of the Third Tsuchikage. The kid was weird—but undeniably powerful. He eventually killed the Fifth Kazekage, after all.
If Kari was part of that team, he had to be dangerous.
Could he also be an artist? Another one who used explosive clay, like Deidara? Kai scratched his chin. If that were true, he'd need to be careful.
I remember Itachi once defeated Deidara with a genjutsu. I wonder if I can try the same thing…
Kai was confident in his genjutsu. After all, he had once used it to trigger his own Sharingan awakening by forcing himself into a mental loop.
Still, it struck him how little he had used genjutsu in battle. At first, it was due to not having the Sharingan. But now? Now he could use it freely.
He smirked slightly. His first Sharingan opponent, Kitsuchi, hadn't even warranted genjutsu. There had been no need—just overwhelming force and strategy.
But that fight had nearly killed him. He'd been hanging on by a thread ever since. Now, with his chakra restored, he'd have to be more precise. Ninjutsu wasn't something he could throw around carelessly anymore.
He also saw his weaknesses more clearly than ever.
I've been given a powerful tool, Kai thought. But I haven't fully explored its potential. I've survived this long—but surviving isn't the same as mastering.
"This war is almost over," he muttered to himself. "But I still have so much more to learn."