Everyone's attention shifted to the unexpected newcomer.
Logan was the most surprised, "Mai?"
Ding!
The moment she spotted Logan, Mai's face lit up with relief, but the grim situation quickly snapped her back to focus. Without hesitation, she hurled three shuriken to interrupt Zetsu's attack.
She moved swiftly, leaping over debris with surprising agility, her body bursting with speed as she charged forward.
White Zetsu, unfazed, smirked and raised his kunai to meet her.
Ding!
Their blades clashed, but to his shock, the impact sent a numbing tremor up his arm, forcing him back.
"Hattori-nii, are you okay?"
Mai panted heavily, gripping her kunai as she stood protectively in front of Logan.
Her eyes darted across the battlefield and saw three incapacitated figures and the black-and-white Akatsuki's members exuding malice.
She had never seen Logan so weak before. In her memories, he had always been untouchable, unshakable.
But now…
"I'm fine."
Logan tried to push himself up again, but his body refused to obey. That last desperate lunge had drained the final dregs of his strength.
"You…"
Logan's voice trailed off as he took in Mai's condition. Her clothes were torn, stained with dirt and blood. Bandages, some fresh, some old, wrapped haphazardly around her limbs, some already seeping red.
"You're this badly injured?"
"On the way here… It's nothing. Don't worry about it now." Mai bit her lip, her gaze hardening, "We don't have time."
"..."
Her resilience silenced him. For a brief moment, he had dared to hope that reinforcements had arrived.
But seeing her ragged breathing, the fresh wounds, the exhaustion mirroring his own, his heart sank again.
"Tch. So a Konoha's Ninja made it through."
Black Zetsu's voice dripped with displeasure as he glanced toward the ruins' outskirts, "At least it's just one."
"Damn, this girl hits way harder than she looks!" White Zetsu whined, shaking out his stinging wrist, "So? Do we keep killing them?"
"Obviously."
The cold finality in Black Zetsu's tone made Mai tighten her grip on her kunai.
She had rushed in without time to assess the situation. Her mission targets, Sasuke and Itachi, were here, but the immediate threat was clear.
She had fought through explosions, rubble, and unimaginable odds to get here. None of that mattered now.
Logan was behind her.
Her body ached, her Chakra was nearly gone, and sweat dripped down her face. She didn't know if she could hold out, but this was already better than being powerless in the rain that day.
White Zetsu grinned, cracking his knuckles.
Mai braced herself.
Then, a strange ripple pulsed through the air.
The perceptive fighters sensed it first, Mai and Black Zetsu's expressions shifted in unison, one wary, the other pleased.
"Space-Time distortion?"
Logan sensed it a beat later. His body stiffened as the air beside Black Zetsu twisted unnaturally, wind whipping around them.
A familiar masked figure emerged from the void.
'You've got to be kidding me…'
Logan's lips thinned, 'Just what we needed… another enemy.'
"That masked man who ran away earlier…" Mai's blood ran cold. His unpredictable abilities still eluded her understanding.
The only silver lining was that he is also badly injured.
"Oh, you made it."
Black Zetsu eyed Obito's condition, specifically the massive wound in his abdomen, "You're in rough shape."
Obito ignored him, his gaze sweeping over the battlefield before settling on the three helpless figures.
His expression darkened as he stared at Logan.
"Let's just deal with this."
His plan to intercept the Konoha's team had failed. That golden flash of power, Logan's Sage Mode, had nearly killed him.
If not for Hashirama's cells, he wouldn't have even had the strength to use Kamui.
How had Logan returned from the dead? And stronger than ever?
Too many questions.
But Obito wasn't one to dwell.
Black Zetsu smirked, "Perfect timing."
Obito's gaze lingered on the three incapacitated figures, helpless as fish on a chopping block. A grim satisfaction flickered in his chest.
"I came as soon as I could. I didn't trust leaving Hattori unchecked in the Uchiha Hideout."
Then, noticing something, he frowned at Black Zetsu, "If you're here, then…"
"Yeah. The Amegakure's operation is over."
"And Pain?"
"He's heading to Konoha next."
Their cryptic exchange ended as Black Zetsu waved a hand, "Enough talk. Let's finish this."
"One last obstacle." Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed at Mai, "Eliminate her."
Obito nodded, "Her?"
Despite both sides being battered and exhausted, Obito's group held the overwhelming advantage.
"Do it, White Zetsu."
"With pleasure~"
White Zetsu flashed Mai a mocking grin, "Sorry, kid. If you hadn't gotten in the way, you could've died slower."
Whoosh!
Obito and White Zetsu lunged forward, blades aimed at Logan and Itachi.
Mai's instincts screamed at her to dodge, but she stood her ground.
Ding!
The first strike sent her stumbling back.
"Hah!"
White Zetsu's kunai grazed her arm, slicing her sleeve.
'They're not fast…'
Mai analyzed quickly, 'The white one was mediocre. The masked one was weakened.'
Under normal circumstances, she could win.
But her Chakra was nearly gone.
"Ugh!"
A kick sent her flying.
Logan could only watch helplessly as Mai fought desperately, outmatched but refusing to yield.
Each clash, each near-miss, each time she staggered back only to charge again… it was agonizing.
Beside him, Itachi and Sasuke were equally powerless, their heads barely able to turn as they witnessed the battle that would decide their fates.
"That girl you know… she won't last much longer." Itachi murmured.
"Yeah."
Logan's voice was tight. Mai's bandages were soaked with fresh blood.
"Tch. Pathetic."
Sasuke scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Oi."
Logan mustered the strength to weakly kick Sasuke's leg, "You want to try, tough guy?"
The half-hearted nudge did nothing, but Sasuke fell silent.
"..."
The three of them lay there like beached fish, utterly useless.
Bang!
Mai was sent flying again, her kunai knocked from her grip.
She had fought to the limit.
Now, only one option remained.
A technique her master had forbidden her from using unless absolutely necessary.
Even through the explosions, the pain, the relentless struggle to get here… she had saved it.
For this moment.
The breeze brushed aside her sweat-damp bangs, revealing a crystalline mark on her forehead.
"Strength of a Hundred Seal … Release!"
The seal shattered.
Black patterns erupted from the diamond-shaped mark, spreading like ink across her skin, weaving down her face and limbs.
Logan's eyes widened.
"Mai, you know the Strength of a Hundred Seal?!"
Mai blinked, then nodded.
"Why didn't you use it sooner?!"
"I just learned it. The stored Chakra isn't much, and…"
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her dirt-streaked face twisting with frustration as she glared at Logan.
The Strength of a Hundred Seal could transfer Chakra to others.
Logan's mind raced, already forming a plan, completely missing Mai's expression.
"No time to explain! Give me your Chakra!"
Even with Chakra, Mai might not defeat Obito and White Zetsu.
But he could.
Mai didn't hesitate. She trusted him completely.
Her hand clamped onto Logan's shoulder.
"What's happening?!"
White Zetsu's voice rose in alarm.
"Stop her! That's the Strength of a Hundred Seal… it grants massive Chakra!" Black Zetsu shrieked.
"Too late."
Logan smirked as the warm surge of Chakra flooded his veins.
Mai was right, the Chakra was meager.
But enough for one technique.
Biting his thumb, Logan formed the hand seals.
Boar - Dog - Bird - Monkey - Ram.
His palm then slammed against the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"