Chapter 9: Chapter Nine: Kakashi vs Qimu Chao

The setting sun sank in the west, and the evening's fading light dyed the jungle's branches and leaves red.

Although Kakashi's figure had already vanished, Qimu Chao did not need Electric Current Propulsion or chakra to detect him.

Perhaps Kakashi thought his control over the battle was already quite good, but in Qimu Chao's eyes there were still exploitable gaps.

Looking ahead, Qimu Chao smiled and said slowly, "Kakashi, remember one thing—especially in an encounter, you must constantly pay attention to the overall environment."

After speaking, he pointed with his tachi sheath to the left front, where birds took flight and a few wild small beasts ran out.

He knew Kakashi could see him, because the spot where Kakashi was hidden lay in the direction he indicated; just now Kakashi, to leave his sight at maximum speed, had startled those animals, and leaves that fell to the ground from his movement were also visible.

These traces pointed out Kakashi's approximate hidden position.

While Qimu Chao was speaking, several Throwing Knives and Kunai turned into afterimages, attacking from the four directions—up, down, left, right—and the hidden Kakashi moved while hurling Ninja Tools at him.

Qimu Chao did not draw his blade; he simply raised his left hand, swung the tachi in his hand, and used the sheath to knock each incoming Ninja Tool to the ground.

Kakashi's intent was obvious: he split Shadow Clone Jutsu to use thrown Ninja Tools to disrupt his actions and sight, while he himself re‑hid in an even more secret spot, seeking a chance for a killing blow.

Just as Qimu Chao had thought, after noticing his thrown Ninja Tools were blocked one by one by his brother, Kakashi launched a second wave, with clusters of small fireballs coming at him from behind.

Fire Release: Phoenix Fire Technique!

In a real ninja duel, few people mutter the technique's name while releasing it; uttering the name reveals its attribute to the opponent, making it easier to counter with a restraining ninjutsu.

Facing this non‑physical ninjutsu, he gradually felt the scorching heat of each fireball; Qimu Chao finally drew his tachi, and the more than ten incoming fireballs were all sliced in half amid dazzling blade light, then extinguished.

After the slicing, he sheathed the blade.

The silvery fragments of hair also fluttered in the wind generated by the blade's cut of the fireballs.

After the fireballs, what followed was—

Five strands of faint‑blue substance, like steel needles, thrust toward Qimu Chao; the five strands emitted from his fingertips sliced through trunks, pierced branches and leaves along the way, razor‑sharp and unstoppable.

If at that moment Qimu Chao were still tangled with the Phoenix Fairy Fire, a momentary lapse could have led to him being struck and wounded.

As the Five-Colored Thread, an Unmarked Ninja Art, its release is that swift and its power that strong!

However, as the creator of this technique, Qimu Chao was all too aware of its flaws.

Its speed, power, and concealment rank among the highest of the ninjutsu they currently master, yet with vigilance this straight‑line attack can be easily blocked.

In almost an instant he slashed five times, and Qimu Chao cut all Five-Colored Thread attacks.

"Kakashi… your plan has run into trouble,"

With a smile on his face, Qimu Chao took long strides toward the direction from which the Five-Colored Thread had been fired.

In the jungle, a rustling could be heard, uncertain whether it was human footsteps or the scurrying of insects and beasts fleeing.

Kakashi's plan was still decent: from the start he concealed his figure so Qimu Chao could not locate him, then he attacked from the shadows, creating openings while waiting for the chance to act.

When facing an opponent stronger than himself, such a plan could indeed yield great results.

However, the plan had two slip‑ups; the first occurred when he just left, as the residual traces revealed his position to Qimu Chao.

He quickly remedied that slip, so it caused no serious problem.

The second slip was fatal.

It was his miscalculation of Qimu Chao's strength.

From the moment Kakashi hid his form, to prevent his brother from detecting his position, he never even glanced at him, relying solely on experience and sound to gauge Qimu Chao's location; both were in a state of not seeing each other.

The reason Kakashi was so cautious lay in the Magnetic Field Strongman's Magnetic Field Sense being overly sensitive.

Magnetic Field Rotation ability is divided into three levels; the first, called Hundred Beast Power, generates electromagnetic force through rapid cellular friction, granting the user various animal senses—eagle's sight, leopard's speed, bat's ultrasonic detection, gecko's adhesion…

Those animal senses already far exceed human capability; bestowing them upon a human makes the human's senses far sharper.

The second level is the Electric Current Propulsion tier; Qimu Chao currently resides at this level, where cellular friction releases electric current, strengthening the body and making the senses even sharper than the first tier!

Magnetic Field Sense is a passive physiological trait of Qimu Chao; even a glance from a hundred meters away can be detected, so if Kakashi does not want his position sensed, he cannot look at him directly!

Unable to see the scene with his eyes, Kakashi could only roughly infer it through other senses, which is why after Qimu Chao cut the Phoenix Fairy Fire, he still employed the Five-Colored Thread attack.

According to Kakashi's original estimate, Qimu Chao would be restrained by the Phoenix Fairy Fire, allowing Kakashi to strike with the Five-Colored Thread so he could not attend to both ends.

Kakashi misjudged his strength; even more than ten Phoenix Fairy Fireballs could not restrain him, and if there were dozens or hundreds, Kakashi's plan would surely succeed.

On the other hand, hearing his brother's words, Kakashi recognized his mistake but did not concede; instead he continued the seal formation—

Earth Release: Earth Long Spear!

Various earth pillars and spikes erupted from the ground, assaulting Qimu Chao's position; upon seeing this, Qimu Chao couldn't help to mutter inwardly:

No wonder my younger brother, after becoming Hokage, is called the Sixth Tsuchikage by netizens; this Earth Release ninjutsu is truly executed with style.

But…

"So naive, Kakashi!"

Without even drawing his long sword, Qimu Chao flicked his right index finger forward; the advancing earth spikes were easily sliced by the Five-Colored Thread, and Qimu Chao deduced Kakashi's location from the general direction of the spikes.

Had he not been so lax—if he had actively used Magnetic Field Sense from the start, any thermal or vibrational detection would have rendered Kakashi's camouflage invisible.

Magnetic Field ability, in terms of the chakra system, is a Dimensional Reduction Strike.