111 Choosing the Lesser of Two Evils

At the edge of the battlefield, on the far side of the jungle.

The four-man Konoha squad moved stealthily, cautiously approaching Tsunade’s location.

Within the squad, Hinata Hizashi fully activated his Byakugan, narrowing his vision to a radius of about ten meters around him. He guided the team to avoid any factors that might reveal their presence.

Kakashi, meanwhile, held his breath and focused intently, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Tsunade’s shifting position.

His entire body tensed as a single unit, as if containing a brewing thunderstorm ready to explode at any moment.

In truth, they had arrived at the battlefield almost simultaneously with the Cloud Hidden side, only slightly slower. If not for Hinata detecting the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki’s attack, Kakashi would have used his breathing technique to swiftly help Tsunade evade.

For now, they were still relying on that plan. But if they acted immediately, the bounty hunters and the Cloud Hidden side would surely unite against them.

Given the enemy’s current displayed strength, that would be tantamount to courting death.

Kakashi knew his strengths and weaknesses well: his burst speed was incredible but unsustainable, and he could only move in a straight line. While he wouldn’t crash into trees, precise directional control was beyond him.

Ensuring Tsunade’s safety, Konoha hoped to delay their rescue operation to buy some time for Lord Orochimaru behind them.

Of course, if both sides could fight to a mutually destructive stalemate, that would be even better.

But reality rarely aligned with hopes. Neither the aged Kakuzu nor the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki nor Sasori hiding within the Akatsuchi were particularly powerful attackers, but their defense, endurance, and survival skills far surpassed others of their caliber. As the battle progressed, they only grew more resolute.

Kakashi and his team couldn’t just hide in the shadows, waiting to be the last ones standing. That was pure fantasy.

Furthermore, as a Cloud Hidden Jonin fell to a human puppet’s hands, Tsunade’s situation grew increasingly perilous.

The surrounding human puppets’ attacks occasionally struck Tsunade. If not for her immunity to poison and exceptional regenerative abilities, she would have surely been incapacitated by Sasori’s strikes.

“We have to act now.”

Kakashi exchanged glances with the other three in his squad. Remembering the box Orochimaru had entrusted to him, a flicker of hope rose within.

They could not fend off the enemy alone, but if Tsunade could unleash her full power, even if she couldn’t defeat them, she could at least retreat safely.

With their plan set, Kakashi remained in place while Hinata Hizashi and the others circled around to the opposite edge of the battlefield.

At this moment, Kakashi, Tsunade, and several Konoha ninja stood roughly in a straight line.

They waited for this very instant. Kakashi silently intoned the name of his technique: “Lightning Blade!”

He inhaled deeply, crouched slightly, and stomped his feet hard on the ground. Then, like a bolt of azure lightning, he surged forward.

A thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield as Tsunade, once at its center, vanished without a trace.

The Cloud Hidden forces were shocked and enraged. “Who goes there?”

Unbeknownst to them, Sasori, concealed within the Akatsuchi, was even more furious. He had arranged everything meticulously and was mere moments from severing Tsunade’s head. Now that the prize had slipped away, his fury was boundless.

The entire battlefield froze briefly, all eyes turning toward the direction where the lightning had disappeared. Several human puppets raised their hands, mechanisms whirred, and thousands of kunai were launched.

“Eight Trigrams Palm: Reversal of Heaven!”

A cerulean shield rose in the jungle, deflecting the countless kunai, which ricocheted outward in all directions.

Along with the kunai, vines and bushes were flung aside, instantly exposing the four-man squad to everyone’s gaze.

“Konoha ninja?”

The Cloud Hidden recognized the familiar forehead protectors, their anger flaring. Abandoning their assault on the human puppets, they charged toward the Konoha ninja.

Elsewhere, Kakuzu and Sasori ceased fighting, positioning themselves on opposite flanks.

Both were veteran warriors who would not engage recklessly and risk falling prey to opportunists.

The center of the battlefield began to shift.

Both the Cloud Hidden and the bounty hunters closed in on the Konoha squad, determined to keep Tsunade trapped.

Kakashi and his team did not seize the chance to flee. Hinata Hizashi and the others formed a defensive formation to buy time, while Kakashi took out the box from his pocket and handed it to Tsunade.

“This is from Lord Orochimaru. Please put these on your eyes as soon as possible.”

Kakashi spoke rapidly. Tsunade caught only the gist but, upon opening the box and seeing the pair of emerald green lenses, immediately understood their purpose.

“Even that scoundrel Orochimaru has his moments,” Tsunade mused bitterly, but her hands moved decisively, pressing the lenses onto her corneas.

After overcoming the initial discomfort, the world before her eyes transformed.

Everything was tinted a pale green — the brown tree trunks, even Kakashi’s silver hair.

Tsunade turned to face the fiercely approaching Cloud Hidden ninja, a mix of fear and hope stirring within her.

But disappointment came swiftly.

Though the lenses could deceive her vision, they could not fool her nose or ears. Her once acute senses now acted like agents of nightmare, stirring the fears within.

Without Tsunade needing to say a word, Kakashi read the answer in her expression and felt a heavy sinking in his heart.

Their earlier estimates had been overly optimistic. Orochimaru’s glasses were not as powerful as imagined, and Tsunade’s nightmare was deeper than expected.

Two of the legendary “Sannin” had faltered simultaneously, instantly elevating the mission’s danger to a near-suicidal level.

What to do now?

Kakashi’s thoughts shifted sharply. A sudden flash of inspiration struck his mind. While Hinata Hizashi and the other two Jonin held off the enemy’s furious assault, he spoke his plan.

—They would resist the enemy, while he would break through the encirclement with Tsunade.

With his speed, he could quickly put distance between them and the pursuers. By then, free from the phobia’s influence, Tsunade could escape on her own.

The plan was unexpectedly simple. The difficulty lay only in holding off the enemy briefly and Kakashi’s burst of speed. Everyone present wondered why they hadn’t thought of this before.

But Tsunade objected firmly. “No. I don’t agree.”

Such an effective plan had eluded them not due to ignorance.

It was because it required exchanging lives for hers.

How could Tsunade accept sacrificing them for her own survival?

If she were truly so heartless, she would have abandoned Shizune earlier and fled alone.

Kakuzu and Sasori would never have caught her.

She had come this far because she still hoped for a solution that spared everyone.

Faced with Tsunade’s refusal, Kakashi said nothing. He silently drew a kunai and cut his arm.

The sudden sight caught Tsunade off guard. Kakashi was clearly prepared to use the enemy’s methods against them. Anger and shock surged within her. She wanted to resist, but the scent of blood overwhelmed her, weakening her body.

Kakashi stepped forward and lifted Tsunade onto his shoulder. He glanced once at Hinata Hizashi and the others before averting his gaze, his eyes cold and resolute.

The enemy was closing in rapidly. He could not afford to linger. Every second wasted was a life lost.

There is never a perfect solution in this world, only choosing the lesser of two evils.

This was not the first time Kakashi had to make such a choice.