In the other two spaces, Kaze Uchiha and the others were triumphant, while the Anbu and the Fugaku faction on the opposite side were filled with worry.
Kaito faced five opponents of the same caliber, yet he didn't falter in the slightest! Each time he synchronized his attack with God's Presence, his enemies grew wary. His movements were precise, his teleportations seamless—an elusive shadow on the battlefield. The sheer unpredictability of his assaults forced them into a constant state of vigilance.
However, in reality, Kaito was facing more difficulty than they perceived. Despite the apparent grace and skillfulness of his attacks, he struggled to inflict effective damage on the five Kage-level opponents. They moved in perfect synergy, their battle-hardened instincts allowing them to cover one another seamlessly.
Whenever Kaito employed God's Presence to close in on a target, the others responded instantly, launching counterattacks to disrupt his rhythm. Their coordination was impeccable, a testament to their years of experience and discipline.
To conserve time and energy, they refrained from using large-scale ninjutsu frequently. Even smaller jutsu, when wielded by Kage-level warriors, became devastating threats. Kaito had no choice but to rely on his agility, weaving through attacks rather than engaging directly.
His enemies knew this—Hiruzen and his team had deliberately adopted a strategy to exhaust him, betting on the fact that God's Presence was not without its limits.
"Pitiful fools, thinking they can outlast me in this futile struggle!" Kaito sneered abruptly, his crimson eyes glinting with cold amusement. "I'll reveal the gap between us!"
With those words, Kaito raised his right hand high, forming a colossal Spiral Shuriken. The energy surrounding it crackled ominously, distorting the air with its sheer intensity. Without hesitation, he hurled it straight toward Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.
"Move aside!" Obito, recognizing the devastating force of the attack, barked in warning. He leaped backward instantly, his form flickering as he distanced himself from the incoming devastation.
The others reacted swiftly, maintaining formation to prevent Kaito from exploiting the chaos with God's Presence. They had no intention of taking the attack head-on; after all, such a powerful jutsu required significant preparation time, making it a calculated risk rather than reckless aggression.
However, just as they prepared to evade, Fugaku's expression suddenly changed. Without warning, he halted mid-step and instead surged forward—straight toward the incoming Spiral Shuriken. His movements were resolute, his eyes fixed on a single point beyond the swirling mass of destruction.
"Itachi, be careful...!" he called out, his voice urgent.
Before he could finish his warning, before Hiruzen and the others could process what was happening, a blur of motion unfolded before their eyes—
Itachi, who had been dozens of meters away, suddenly materialized directly in front of the Spiral Shuriken!
"What?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others were momentarily stunned, their tactical minds struggling to comprehend the inexplicable shift. Itachi, just as shocked, barely registered the attack barreling toward him. The raw energy of the Spiral Shuriken was immense, its spiraling edges warping the space around it.
At that critical moment, Fugaku reached him, moving with a speed that defied belief. Without hesitation, he placed himself in front of his son, his stance firm, his gaze unwavering.
"Father..." Itachi's voice trembled as realization dawned upon him.
The battle had just taken an unexpected turn.