After Asura Path Pain blocked the Chidori, and before Kakashi could press the attack further, Tendo Pain activated Shinra Tensei once again.
A moment later, the light faded, and the already shattered buildings were ravaged once more.
"Ugh…"
A few drops of blood splattered onto the broken stone slabs. And as the view shifted upward, it revealed a thoroughly disheveled Kakashi.
By now, Tendo had already walked to a small elevated platform not far away, calmly looking down at Kakashi.
"Your inability to move... doesn't seem faked. And I know that you're not a Shadow Clone. I shall make certain of your death... Its over."
"But just to be safe... I will not approach you." Tendo used his gravitational power to pull a metal nail from a wooden plank on the ground, held it lightly between his fingers, and slowly aimed at Kakashi.
"Humph, know pain." With a flick of his finger, the nail shot toward Kakashi. And in slow motion, Kakashi's head slowly drooped.
[It has be said, Kakashi's acting here was superb.]
[Of course, at this very moment, somewhere in the Kamui dimension, a certain mask-wearing guy probably got pricked by that nail. And he might also receive a rocket later on.]
The people of the Shinobi World watching immediately understood: Kakashi hadn't actually died. Instead, he had used his Mangekyō ability to transfer Tendo Pain's attack.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Akatsuki Hideout]
Deidara, hearing the teasing, burst out laughing: "Tobi, looks like you'll be quite busy in the future. Your good buddy Kakashi really cares about you—sending you little gifts from time to time. Nails, rockets… your Kamui dimension is basically turning into a junkyard."
Hidan, resting his scythe on his shoulder, joined in the teasing: "Tsk tsk tsk, Tobi, that guy is really making the most of your eye. Someone's tossing stuff into your house, and you can't even refuse."
Behind his mask, Obito's face was turning a visible shade of green.
'What the hell's wrong with Kakashi?'
'Whenever someone throws things at you, you just toss it into the Kamui dimension?!'
Meanwhile, on the screen, the scene shifted to another location.
In the Hokage office, Tsunade had already summoned Katsuyu, splitting it into countless small slugs to spread across Konoha to heal the wounded shinobis and villagers.
Then the scene returned to Tendo Pain and Kakashi's battlefield—
Believing Kakashi was dead, Tendo Pain glanced once at the fallen Asura Path Pain, then pushed off and vanished from the spot.
And at this moment, Chōji, who had fallen not far away, regained consciousness.
"Dad… Kakashi-sensei…" Grief-stricken at the sight of his father and Kakashi lying dead, tears streamed continuously down his cheeks.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Team 10's Location]
Chōji, who had been snacking while watching the screen, froze on the spot, the chips falling straight from his hand.
"Dad…" His eyes reddened, tears gushing out immediately.
Shikamaru and Ino rushed to comfort him in a fluster.
Asuma also walked over, reached out, and gently ruffled Chōji's hair, his voice soft: "Chōji, don't cry. That's just a possible future—it hasn't happened yet. Aren't I also still alive and well right now?"
On the screen—
Chōji's face was streaked with tears.
"Dad… to protect me…"
But just then, Kakashi's voice suddenly came from nearby: "Save your tears for later... Chōji."
Hearing the voice, Chōji looked up sharply. Not far away, Kakashi was still lying there in the same position, looking as if he had been 'shot dead'.
"If... you are still able to move... report to Lady Tsunade about Pain's abilities. We need to come up with a counter strategy right away!"
However, as the two were talking, the fallen Asura Path Pain slowly began to stir.
"Persistent fellows, aren't you?" With a contortion of its body, a missile emerged from within its form, but this time, its target was no longer Kakashi—it was aimed directly at Chōji.
Clearly, its goal was to prevent intelligence about Tendo Pain from leaking out.
"Run! Chōji!!" Kakashi shouted.
With that, Chōji steeled his resolve, no longer lingering by his father's body. He turned and ran toward the Hokage office.
Just then, Asura Path Pain's missile was also launched toward Chōji's back. Sensing something behind him, Chōji jumped into a large pit, evading the missile attack, then continued running forward.
But this missile from Asura Path Pain was actually a homing missile. It made a sharp "Z"-turn and kept chasing after him. Moreover, Chōji was already badly injured, his strength severely diminished, and just as the missile was about to strike him—
"To entrust this piece of information to those who still live. This is the best method I have right now to save the Hidden Leaf!"
With that, the sickle-shaped pattern in Kakashi's left Mangekyo eye began to spin. The missile was caught in a spatial distortion and vanished.
Chōji seized the chance to quickly escape the battlefield, desperately racing towards the Hokage Building.
"Well... it seems this is as far as I go… Obito… Rin…" On the screen, Kakashi slowly closed his eyes.
Even in his final moments, his mind was filled with his two childhood friends. He seemed forever frozen at the moment Obito and Rin had died.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage office, Tsunade—having sensed Kakashi's death through Katsuyu—immediately looked sorrowful.
---
[Konoha, Year 48. Hokage Office]
Kushina looked at the scene of Kakashi closing his eyes on the screen, felt tears welling up. "Kakashi…"
That child, he had already lost his father, lost his friends. She and Minato hadn't been able to be there for him either. And now, he was about to lose his own life.
Minato, on the other hand, was much calmer. It was clear that Kakashi would still be alive in the future. After all, he would even become the Sixth Hokage.
So what really happened here?
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Akatsuki Hideout]
Obito stared at the screen, a guess forming in his mind.
'The Rinne Tensei?'
Konoha probably didn't have any "real" resurrection techniques. So at that time, the only one who could possibly resurrect someone was Nagato with his Rinne Tensei.
But would Nagato really revive Kakashi?
Impossible. Nagato wasn't that kind-hearted.
*****
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