Kifune watched Kurisumi Yamato barreling towards him, a primal yell escaping the Mist Ninja's lips. Great, just great, he thought, his earlier bravado fading slightly. Cardio was not on the mission brief.
"Water Style! Water Wave!" The shout echoed through the trees, followed by the unmistakable rush of a large volume of water. Kifune's eyes widened. He wasn't fast enough to outrun that.
"Earth Style! Earth Wall!" he yelled, slamming his palms onto the forest floor. A solid wall of earth erupted just in time, meeting the wave with a resounding crash. Water sprayed everywhere, drenching the foliage.
Kifune didn't linger to admire his handiwork. He knew a simple earth wall wouldn't hold for long against a determined ninja. He scrambled backward, putting more distance between himself and the water source.
Swish! A blade sliced through the earth wall as if it were butter. Kurisumi Yamato burst through the opening, his face contorted in a furious snarl.
Kifune sighed dramatically. "Look, buddy, I'm just here to collect some bodies. Can't we talk this out? How about you go after that silver-haired kid over there? His name's Kakashi. He's the son of some legendary ninja. Big prize, I promise!" He gestured vaguely in Kakashi's direction, hoping to redirect the Mist Ninja's aggression.
For a fleeting moment, Kurisumi Yamato paused, a flicker of consideration in his eyes. Kifune seized the opportunity.
"Fire Style! Flame Bullet!" he shouted, expelling a ball of fire from his mouth. It wasn't the most refined technique, but it was certainly attention-grabbing.
To Kifune's surprise, Kurisumi Yamato didn't even try to dodge. The Mist Ninja charged straight through the flames, his dark uniform momentarily alight, his blade still aimed at Kifune.
Swish! Kifune felt the wind of the blade as it passed through him.
Poof! Kurisumi Yamato's eyes widened in disbelief as the Kifune in front of him dissolved into two wooden logs. A classic Substitution Jutsu.
Kifune stepped out from behind a nearby tree, wiping a bead of sweat from his temple. "Man, I just wanted to collect some bodies. Why's everyone gotta be so dramatic?"
He cautiously poked the collapsed Kurisumi with his toe. Satisfied that the Mist Ninja was out of commission, he pulled out another sealing scroll. "One green corpse, coming right up," he muttered, efficiently sealing the body away.
After a quick scan of the area, the lingering water from the Water Wave had conveniently washed away most traces of their brief skirmish, Kifune made his way back towards the sounds of the ongoing battle between Kakashi and Michigusa Shinno.
The two ninjas were locked in a fierce exchange, their movements a blur of speed and steel. Each strike was met with a counter, neither gaining a clear advantage.
Kifune leaned against a tree, observing the fight with a detached air. "This is better than cable," he murmured, almost enjoying the spectacle. However, he knew he couldn't remain a spectator indefinitely. Eventually, he would need to intervene, before the situation escalated further or Kakashi's youthful stamina gave out.
The ninja drama, as he'd internally dubbed it, continued to unfold, with Kifune positioned precariously in the middle. All he'd wanted was a quiet mission to collect the fallen. It seemed that in the world of ninjas, even the simplest tasks came with a healthy dose of chaos.