---
From above, Menma clasped his hands together, his chakra surging.
"Wind Release: Gale Blade!"
With a rapid sequence of hand seals, Menma gathered swirling winds from all directions. The air roared as the jutsu took form.
Since leaving Konoha to follow Orochimaru, Menma had let go of any restraint in his pursuit of power. Forbidden jutsu and secret arts were Orochimaru's to control, but almost any elemental technique below A-rank, along with advanced genjutsu and taijutsu, were freely accessible. When Menma asked, the Sannin had handed over numerous scrolls with a mere wave of his hand.
With his natural aptitude and the efficiency of shadow clones for training, Menma's mastery over ninjutsu had developed at an astonishing pace.
Now, techniques flowed effortlessly. As he unleashed his jutsu, the remaining Root operatives evaded his attacks with swift precision, yet continued their relentless assault. Retreat was never an option for Root—they either completed the mission or died trying.
"Damn it," Kakashi muttered.
Just a glance told Kakashi he had no choice. His body moved on instinct, closing the gap to confront Menma. As a shinobi of Konoha, he couldn't stand by and watch Menma slaughter these Root operatives.
Menma, unfazed, remained stoic as Kakashi approached.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Three clones sprang into existence, immediately moving to surround the remaining Root shinobi, while Menma himself turned to face Kakashi head-on.
"Hyaaaah!"
Menma descended, his fists crackling with chakra. Kakashi's Sharingan spun, anticipating the assault, but Menma's speed was blinding.
"Kakashi, that Sharingan isn't enough anymore," Menma taunted.
With a fierce push, Menma forced Kakashi back.
"Boom!"
The impact sent Kakashi skidding across the surface of the water, struggling to maintain his footing. In just a half-month, Menma had grown stronger than he'd been at the Chūnin Exams. The crimson aura of Nine-Tails chakra surrounding him was oppressive, its sheer force overwhelming.
Kakashi's Sharingan flickered as he tried to paralyze Menma with his gaze, but Menma saw through it.
"That eye won't save you," Menma sneered. "You're just like this village—weak."
Another surge of chakra followed, and Kakashi barely blocked Menma's next strike. The powerful blow reverberated through his arm, sending him stumbling back.
Kakashi gritted his teeth. The chakra-enhanced attacks left him barely able to hold his ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Root members hopelessly outmatched by Menma's clones. Even Danzo had underestimated Menma and Sasuke's strength; the elite team he'd sent—Jōnin-level defectors and a specialized Chūnin squad—had been overwhelmed.
Kakashi's heart sank further as he looked over to Naruto and Shikamaru's side of the battlefield. Both were nearing their limits. Naruto, without access to Kurama's chakra, was struggling against Sasuke, who had activated his fully-evolved three-tomoe Sharingan, reading Naruto's every move. After only a few minutes, Naruto was visibly weakening.
The situation was dire. Kakashi felt the weight of responsibility heavy on him. Menma and Sasuke—two former comrades—were now walking a dark path, seemingly intent on destruction.
But Kakashi couldn't dwell on it; Menma was on the move again.
"Whoosh!"
Shuriken whistled through the air, slicing toward him.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Kakashi quickly formed the seals, sending a powerful jet of water to intercept the shuriken.
"Crash!"
The projectiles were deflected, but Menma wasn't finished.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Kakashi executed the seals with blinding speed, summoning a massive water dragon from the lake's surface. The dragon roared, charging toward Menma with unparalleled ferocity.
Menma met the attack head-on.
With the crimson chakra of the Nine-Tails swirling around him, two massive chakra tails extended from his body.
"Bang!"
The chakra tails slammed into the water dragon, shattering it mid-flight. The dragon dissolved into rain, pouring down across the battlefield.
Kakashi's expression turned grim. Menma's strength was beyond anything he'd anticipated. Even with the Nine-Tails chakra, it was Menma's skill and mastery over jutsu that made him this formidable. His power wasn't just borrowed from the bijuu—it was his own.
"Boom!"
Menma closed the distance in an instant, slashing with a kunai aimed at Kakashi's chest.
Kakashi's eyes widened, barely managing to block with his own kunai. The force sent a shockwave through his arm. Sadness and regret flickered in Kakashi's eyes as he looked at the boy he'd once sworn to protect.
---
This battle shouldn't have come to this.
Yet, now, there was no turning back.
Emotions churned in Kakashi's heart. As Minato's former student and most loyal subordinate, he still regarded his late teacher with reverence. Kakashi's respect and gratitude for Minato ran deep.
He never wanted to fight his sensei's son—especially not to the death. Guilt weighed heavily on him.
"Menma, stop this. It's not too late. The Third Hokage is gone, and people pass like flickers of a candle. Why can't you let go of this hatred?" Kakashi's voice held a hint of desperation. "Minato-Sensei would never want to see you fighting against the village. Tsunade-sama is Hokage now—come back with me. We can still make things right."
Even if the odds were slim, Kakashi couldn't stop himself from trying to reason with Menma.
Deep down, he didn't want to kill him.
But Menma showed no such hesitation.
Menma had made it clear a long time ago—he didn't resent Kakashi for not taking care of him. They weren't family, and Kakashi had no obligation to do so. But for that very reason, Kakashi was just another obstacle to him now. If Kakashi didn't stand in his way, Menma wouldn't care. But if he did, Menma would show no mercy.
"Go back? You're just as naive as that idiot Naruto, aren't you?" Menma's eyes gleamed with a dark fury. "You want me to return? Then take my corpse back with you—if you think you're strong enough, Kakashi!"
In that instant, a murderous intent flared in Menma's gaze.
Kakashi's Sharingan analyzed his every movement, but the feeling in his chest was heavy. The young man before him had no trace of the boy he might have once protected.
The Nine-Tails' chakra suddenly surged from Menma's body in a wave of red, turbulent energy, forming a cloak of pure malice around him.
A third tail appeared, twisting in the air as his power grew, sending shockwaves through the ground beneath them. This was strength beyond the level of most jonin.
"Not good!" Kakashi tensed, feeling the weight of Menma's chakra press down on him. Menma's killing intent was palpable.
Kakashi had no choice but to react.
But Menma was faster.
With blinding speed, Menma lunged.
SMACK!
BOOM!
In a single, brutal strike, Menma shattered Kakashi's guard.
His kunai flashed, slicing through the air.
Shing!
Kakashi barely dodged the fatal blow, but the kunai still bit into his side, tearing through his vest and cutting deep. Blood spattered, staining the ground.
Kakashi grimaced, pain flaring, but he couldn't afford even a moment's pause.
He countered immediately, thrusting his hand toward Menma.
But Menma sidestepped effortlessly, moving with fluid precision. He leaned in, planting a devastating kick into Kakashi's chest.
THUD!
The force of the blow sent Kakashi crashing back, slamming against the base of a massive stone statue.
Blood trickled from his mouth as pain rippled through his body. His breath came shallow and strained.
Menma wasn't stopping. There was no room for mercy in his eyes.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
While Kakashi reeled, Menma formed hand seals with deadly speed. In an instant, he exhaled a massive ball of fire that roared toward Kakashi.
The Fireball was enormous, far larger than a typical jutsu.
But Kakashi's composure never faltered.
SLAP!
He brought his hands together, molding his chakra swiftly.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Within seconds, a towering wave of water rose, crashing down with immense force and swallowing the flames in its path.
HISSSSS!
Steam billowed around them as the elements collided in a searing cloud.
But the wave didn't stop—it surged forward, roaring as it rushed toward Menma.
Menma's response was instant.
With another surge of chakra, the red cloak around him thickened, shielding him with the raw power of the Nine-Tails.
WHOOSH!
He lunged directly into the wall of water.
SMASH!
Breaking through the wave with sheer force, Menma pressed forward, his gaze fixed on Kakashi.
Kakashi's Sharingan spun as he watched Menma's approach, calculating.
Buzz!
A familiar blue sphere of chakra spun into existence in Menma's hand.
"Rasengan?" Kakashi's voice was barely a murmur, eyes narrowing as he recognized the iconic technique his own teacher, Minato, had created. Even incomplete, the Rasengan held devastating power.
There was no time to think.
"Chidori!"
Electricity crackled from Kakashi's hand, chakra focused to a fine edge. The sharp chirping sound of a thousand birds filled the air as he formed his signature technique.
Menma's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction, catching sight of the lightning in Kakashi's hand.
"Chidori, huh? Let's see how 'strong' your technique really is!"
With a sinister grin, Menma poured the Nine-Tails' chakra into his Rasengan, warping its form. The once-blue sphere turned dark, blood-red, rippling with ominous energy.
Buzz!
The Rasengan, now fused with the Nine-Tails' chakra, grew darker, its core a violent red hue.
The two shinobi locked eyes, sharing one last moment of intense focus.
They charged at each other—Rasengan against Chidori.
---