Is a technique like Raikiri fast? It is incredibly fast, which is exactly why it has its drawbacks. For a Kakashi who does not yet possess the Sharingan, such a high-speed piercing attack is indeed difficult to wield effectively.
Hagoromo, currently using Chidori Nagashi, appeared slower than Kakashi in terms of absolute speed as he trailed behind. However, this didn't mean Hagoromo couldn't accelerate; rather, considering flexibility in combat and tactical assessment, he wouldn't easily push his speed to the absolute limit. He was accustomed to shifting rhythms between fast and slow, disrupting the opponent's momentum while delivering a fatal blow.
Of course, since this was a temporary team-up, claiming they shared some deep "tactical understanding" would be nonsense. They weren't soulmates who had known each other forever; there was no "two hearts beating as one" here.
In terms of rank, Jūzō Biwa was a Jonin—an Elite Jonin, and a well-known one at that, being one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Hagoromo and Kakashi were both merely Chunin.
But would they fear Jūzō Biwa?
Of course not. Because... they had the numbers!
Kakashi and Jūzō Biwa charged at each other head-on and clashed! Almost simultaneously, both launched their attacks.
Kakashi was faster! His movements were sharper! But at the same time, the trajectory of his strike was too linear. His low-slung frame nearly crashed into Jūzō's chest as his lightning-clad palm lunged for the heart.
At that moment, however, Jūzō shifted his stance. With a single sidestep to the left, he evaded Kakashi's strike. The Executioner's Blade was too heavy and long to swing into a cleave in time, but he still counterattacked. Grasping the hilt with both hands, he slammed the butt-end of the sword toward Kakashi's throat.
As the saying goes, "a heavy sword needs no edge." That cylindrical pommel was not to be underestimated; if it connected, it would likely punch a hole right through a neck.
Yet Kakashi managed to react. He brought his forearms together, blocking Jūzō's strike! He was prepared; he had two steel bracers strapped to his arms. Due to a conversation with a certain someone two years ago, Kakashi had clearly modified his moves, limiting absolute speed to leave room for flexibility!
Still, hit by such immense force, Kakashi lost his balance and went tumbling away, unable to stop his momentum. A ninja like Jūzō Biwa wouldn't let such an opportunity slip. He twisted his body toward Kakashi, swinging the Executioner's Blade in a wide arc.
A horizontal waist-level slash!
If this connected—whether it was a horizontal cut or a vertical rip—Kakashi would surely be split in two. This was the problem with the Seven Swordsmen; a weapon of that size required massive physical movement to swing, making it quite showy. Inherently, it wasn't really a "ninja" tool. The weapons of the Seven Swordsmen required specialized training; ordinary people couldn't handle them.
But don't forget, this was a two-on-one team battle. Team Konoha had two people, while Jūzō Biwa was alone.
Just as Jūzō turned his head toward Kakashi, Hagoromo accelerated, surging forward like a blood-streaked gale. Moving even faster than Kakashi, he arrived at Jūzō's side in an instant. The Executioner's Blade never completed its slash.
A pair of palms flashing with lightning pressed against the spine of the giant blade. The intense Lightning Style made the surface of the metal glow white. At that moment, Jūzō's hands on the hilt went numb, followed a split second later by total body paralysis!
Jūzō gripped the blade with both hands, trying desperately to pull it back! Hagoromo, naturally, would not let him have his way. He pressed down on the blade with all his might, then exerted force through his shoulders, twisted his waist, and spun. His left leg, like a lightning-clad iron whip, lashed out toward the enemy's head!
Did it land?
The physical reaction speed of a ninja like Jūzō was extreme. Even while partially paralyzed, he managed to forcefully contort his torso and dodge the strike. Jūzō tried to pull the blade back again to retreat, but Hagoromo kept the pressure on, alternating his left hand forward and using his arm as an axis to keep his body spinning.
So, after the left foot came the right.
The Executioner's Blade became the center of a tug-of-war, while Hagoromo's legs delivered kick after kick! Even with god-like reflexes, Jūzō couldn't dodge every one of Hagoromo's strikes while caught within the range of Chidori Nagashi. He was hit repeatedly.
To describe the sport of killing from a professional athletic perspective: Hagoromo's form was graceful and his movements practiced. The process looked like this: contestant Kakashi went for a straight sprint but failed, forced into a three-and-a-half-turn tumble. Then, contestant Hagoromo took the stage, using the Executioner's Blade as a pommel horse to perform a Thomas Flare.
When Hagoromo closed in, Jūzō could have escaped if he had the resolve. He only needed to let go of the blade to flee the range of Chidori Nagashi. But he stubbornly refused. The Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen valued their blades above all else; the sword was a symbol of their identity, and they would not let go easily.
Hagoromo had banked on the fact that the opponent wouldn't drop their weapon in the first encounter. Since the enemy wouldn't let go, Hagoromo certainly wouldn't—after all, he wasn't the one getting electrocuted.
Suddenly, the lightning on Hagoromo's body seemed to flicker out. Before Jūzō could feel relieved, the lightning flared up with a roar! The intensity was on a completely different level.
The iron gourd on Hagoromo's back—the large and small sections stacked like two black spiders—instantly deployed sixteen "spider legs"! It was like a black lily blooming in an instant! Or rather, a man-eating flower opening its bloody maw.
Like sixteen arrows, the lightning-charged iron sand hummed with vibration and pierced through Jūzō's body from multiple angles in an instant!
At this moment, Kakashi—whose Raikiri had not yet dissipated—swung back around to deliver the finishing blow. With the target pinned firmly in place, it was impossible for Kakashi's jutsu to miss. He folded back rapidly, and the lightning-clad palm grew larger in Hagoromo's eyes!
Kakashi pierced straight through Jūzō Biwa's chest.
Like a red paint bucket punctured in a dozen places, blood spilled ceaselessly into the seawater.
From the moment of the encounter to the end of the battle, less than two minutes had passed. Including Hagoromo's meaningless banter, the actual combat time was less than thirty seconds.
And just like that, a member of the famous Seven Ninja Swordsmen perished.
Again: it was a two-on-one. No matter how great your reputation, you don't get an extra life on the battlefield. Such is the nature of ninja combat; a single lapse in judgment leads to death. In a different setting, perhaps they could have fought for an hour, but now, the battle was over.
The "Did it even start? It's already over" collection just got a new entry.