Konoha's guys are troublesome… but at least I finally shook them off. The sky's wide open now—I can fly wherever I want!
Aoyama had barely enjoyed his freedom for a few minutes when the sound of barking erupted behind him. He whipped his head around to see eight ferocious ninja hounds of varying size charging at him, their growls echoing through the forest. And right behind them—Hatake Kakashi was closing in fast.
Aoyama's face twisted into a bitter smile.
"Do you have to chase me this hard? We were classmates once, you know. Can't you at least give me a way out?"
The eight hounds split to both sides, surrounding him in a tightening circle.
Kakashi drew a kunai and pulled up his forehead protector, revealing the scarlet Sharingan with its three tomoe spinning coldly. His voice was firm, his gaze unwavering.
"Aoyama, you shouldn't have chosen to defect. Come back to the village with me now. I'll speak to the Third Hokage on your behalf—maybe he can reduce your punishment."
Aoyama spread his arms and smirked.
"You're joking, right? I've already decided to defect, and you still expect me to go back with you? Kakashi, there's a difference between being idealistic and being downright naïve."
The hounds bared their fangs, waiting for Kakashi's signal to pounce. The moment he gave the order, they'd overwhelm Aoyama and allow Kakashi to strike decisively.
But that mocking smile on Aoyama's face—it made Kakashi's chest tighten. For a fleeting instant, he saw once again the fierce warrior who had once dominated the battlefield. Forcing down the memory that surged within him, Kakashi fixed his eyes on his former classmate and asked in a low voice:
"I'll confirm this one last time. Aoyama, shinobi of Konoha—you truly intend to betray the village? Answer me. Because if you do… I won't hold back anymore."
"Oh? You won't hold back?" Aoyama's grin faded, replaced by a razor-sharp seriousness. "What makes you think you've been holding back this whole time? The truth is—I was the one who never fought you seriously."
His body tensed, his stance shifting into battle readiness.
Kakashi angled his kunai in front of him. Knowing Aoyama's fighting style inside out, he understood that his old comrade's resolve was real. With a sharp inhale, Kakashi made his decision. He surged forward with a cry:
"Now!"
The hounds leapt as one, claws tearing through the air. Their reflexes were five or six times sharper than a human's, their speed and strength overwhelming. These weren't ordinary dogs—they were trained summons, weapons in their own right.
But Aoyama ignored them completely. His eyes locked only on Kakashi's charging figure. In the blink of an eye, his body vanished.
The hounds' jaws snapped on empty air. Their momentum carried them into each other, tumbling in a heap of yelps and snarls. Kakashi, too, lost his target.
Aoyama had used the Body Flicker Technique at a speed that defied the eye.
From the shadows, Aoyama chuckled, the sound pricking Kakashi's instincts. He dodged back just in time to avoid a thrown kunai.
"Tell me, Kakashi… who's the one holding back now? Fighting you here is troublesome. If I drag this out, ANBU might arrive. But if I don't deal with you, there's no way I'll escape. So…" His tone hardened. "…looks like I'll have to get serious."
"Woof! Kakashi!" barked the smallest of the hounds—a pug named Pakkun, the only one who could speak. "Aoyama's main jutsu are taijutsu and summoning. Leave his beasts to us—we can keep them occupied. But beating him will depend on your strength. His taijutsu's no joke."
Kakashi gave a grim nod.
"I know. The reputation he carved on the battlefield wasn't the same as mine, earned through the Sharingan. To face Aoyama when he's serious… I'll have to risk everything. I'll leave his summons to you."
"Don't worry," Pakkun assured him. "We've got ties with Godzilla and Kong—his usual partners. Even if we can't beat them, we can at least stall them."
As their exchange ended, Aoyama raised his hand. A mysterious book appeared before him, pages fluttering open. The first illustration was of "Godzilla," but Aoyama flipped past it, smirking as he turned to the third page.
"Don't think I can only summon Godzilla and Kong. You're about to see something else—something new."
"What!?"
Kakashi's eyes widened, disbelief written across his face. He hastily formed hand seals, preparing his next move.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
He exhaled a massive ball of compressed flames, the heat scorching the falling leaves before the fireball even struck.
But Aoyama slammed his hand to the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu! Come forth—Behemoth!"
The earth split open. With a thunderous roar, a gigantic woolly mammoth burst forth, towering like a living mountain. The fireball struck its hide—and vanished, not even singing a strand of its thick fur.
"What?!"
Kakashi leapt back instinctively, cold sweat dripping down his face as he stared up at the colossal beast. Its sheer size dwarfed even the largest summons he had ever seen. It was as if an ancient god had descended onto the battlefield.
The hounds regrouped behind him, equally shaken. Pakkun trembled, his voice cracking:
"K-Kakashi… can you handle this? If not, we'd better retreat—stay here and we're dead!"
Aoyama stood atop Behemoth's massive head, looking down like a sovereign gazing upon his subjects. His eyes were devoid of emotion, cold and merciless.
"Now tell me, Kakashi—who's the one deciding whether to hold back? So… will you die here? Or will you crawl back to Konoha alive? For old times' sake, I might let you live."
"Aoyama! Come back with me! Killing the mission target was an accident—it wasn't unforgivable! The Third Hokage will understand if you explain!"
But Aoyama only shook his head.
Sorry, Kakashi. I've made my decision. I've chosen the path of a rogue ninja. There's no going back.