Chapter 175: The First Rehearsal is Over

As Kakashi's shadow clone was consumed by the explosive barrage, Sakura shouted in alarm, "Kakashi-sensei!"

"I'm fine, Sakura," came Kakashi's calm reply as his real body emerged from the ground a short distance away.

Looking toward the explosions, he explained, "The one you saw earlier was just my shadow clone.

"However, this shows how dangerous the opponent is. Kirito warned us—Nagato might use our expectations against us. This kind of strategy is exactly what we should anticipate.

"Since the real target isn't the transparent summon, based on the trajectory of the attacks, it seems the enemy is in the sky!"

Sakura and Kakashi instinctively looked up. Sure enough, a large bird with an unusual shape flapped its wings above them, with the Deva Path of Pain standing on its forehead. Its cold Rinnegan eyes bore down on them.

"If Nagato's body is airborne, Shino, it's your move!" Kakashi ordered.

"Understood."

Stretching out his arms, Shino released a swarm of parasites, sending them toward the Deva Path and its summon in all directions.

Swish!

As they approached, a storm of repulsion swept through the air, scattering the insects. Some of the fragile parasites were shattered entirely, falling lifeless to the ground.

"No good… The parasites can't breach the protective barrier around Nagato's summon," Shino said, frustration evident in his voice.

Sakura clenched her fists. "Then how are we supposed to attack him?!"

The Deva Path calmly formed a hand seal.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A colossal crab appeared, psychically released from the bird's belly. It plummeted toward the battlefield, slamming into the ground with a deafening crash.

Boom!

The impact created a massive crater, forcing Kakashi and the others to scatter.

"Rrrrrooooar!"

The crab's arrival also destroyed the wooden cage that had held the Hellhound captive. Now free, the Cerberus split into multiple vicious beasts, each equally relentless, and began to surround Kakashi and his team.

"Great, now they're multiplying!" Yamato grumbled as he narrowly avoided the crushing claws of the Hell Crab.

Meanwhile, from above, Kirito—still in his guise as the Deva Path—rained down small but powerful golden lightning spears. The team dodged frantically as explosions erupted all around them.

Dodging a lightning spear, Kakashi muttered, "No holding back, huh? Now I see what Kirito meant…"

Forming hand seals, his left eye shifted into the shuriken-shaped Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Kamui!"

A swirling vortex of space-time energy tore through the sky, distorting and shredding the bird summon beneath the Deva Path. With its support gone, the Deva Path began to plummet.

Kakashi shifted his focus, aligning the vortex with the falling figure. But before he could complete the attack, one of the Cerberus beasts lunged into his line of sight, forcing him to abandon the move.

"Tch, how troublesome!" Kakashi muttered, dodging the beast's claws by a hair's breadth. "Was this what Jiraiya and Kirito had to deal with back then?"

Seeing Kakashi's attempt to bring down the Deva Path, Yamato acted swiftly.

"Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison!"

A massive wooden structure erupted from the ground, capturing the falling Deva Path midair and locking it inside a sturdy cage.

"Phew," Yamato exhaled heavily. "Sakura, now's your chance!"

"Got it!" Sakura responded, already charging forward. Channeling her chakra into her fist, she prepared a devastating strike.

"Take this!"

Boom!

Her punch landed, but instead of hitting flesh, it smashed into a giant panda-shaped summon that had appeared in front of the Deva Path at the last second.

"Damn it!" Sakura hissed in frustration as her fist embedded itself into the panda's tough exterior.

The panda absorbed the impact and stood firm. Sakura quickly pulled her fist free, using the panda as a springboard to launch herself backward just as another wave of explosions engulfed its position.

As the smoke cleared, the Deva Path reappeared, unharmed. This time, multiple mechanical arms resembling chainsaws extended from its back. A golden energy cannon began charging at the tip of one of its arms.

"This guy just doesn't go down…" Kakashi muttered, dodging yet another attack.

The intense rehearsal continued throughout the afternoon. The Third Training Ground echoed with explosions and roars, the sounds loud enough to reach the outskirts of the village.

By the end of the session, the squad was exhausted. Their clothes were torn, their bodies covered in cuts and bruises, and their breathing was ragged. They collapsed onto the grass, leaving Kirito—who had returned to his normal form—to tend to their injuries.

"As expected of the Akatsuki's leader," Kakashi remarked, his tone tinged with awe. "If we hadn't had prior intel, we wouldn't have stood a chance in a real battle."

Sakura, sitting nearby, let out a disappointed sigh. "Even with the information, we still failed…"

Kakashi smiled reassuringly. "Don't be discouraged. Today's drill was meant to help us experience the enemy's power firsthand. Now we know the gap between theory and reality. That's progress."

He turned to Yamato, who was slumped against a tree, his eyes sunken from chakra depletion. "Yamato, are you holding up?"

"I'll… be fine," Yamato replied weakly. "I just need to rest…"

Seeing Yamato in such a state, Kakashi felt a pang of guilt. Yamato's Wood Release had been instrumental in holding off the summons, but relying on it so heavily had drained him to the brink of collapse.

"We'll need to relocate tomorrow," Kakashi added. "The noise is drawing too much attention. This was supposed to be a covert drill…"

After resting under Kirito's care, the team eventually recovered enough to stand. However, their mental exhaustion was evident, and none of them seemed eager to continue the training.

Kakashi clapped his hands to get their attention. "Alright, let's wrap up for today. Take the evening to reflect on what you learned. Tomorrow, we'll meet at eight a.m. at the new training ground. Kirito and I will report our progress to Lady Tsunade."

The squad nodded in agreement, and with that, they dispersed.

(End of this chapter)

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