Kakashi observed his shoulder, where Soifon had struck him with her sharp needle-like weapon, causing a slight stinging sensation. He then shifted his gaze towards Soifon, who stood opposite of him.
Soifon carefully observed Kakashi as he stood there, examining his injured shoulder. "If my Suzumbachi were to strike you in the same spot, it would result in certain death in two hits. A single mark will only serve to slow you down, and only I possess the ability to release it," she explained.
"In that case, I cannot afford to let myself be struck in the same spot, can I?" Kakashi responded, while executing a series of hand signs. Soifon closely watched his movements, preparing herself to evade.
Meanwhile, as the captain was focused on observing Kakashi's hand signs, she failed to notice a figure materializing behind her, until a forceful kick landed on her side.
Soifon's eyes widened as she was propelled across the field by the kick. Too absorbed in the opponent in front of her, she failed to realize that it was merely a clone. Reacting swiftly, she utilized her flash step to avoid crashing into a tree, and promptly retaliated with a series of punches. Kakashi, too, had unleashed his own attacks.
Soifon and Kakashi have been engaged in battle for several hours, with both of them sustaining cuts and bruises. Kakashi's body was covered in Soifon's homonka. Currently, Soifon is hiding in a tree, catching her breath. From her hiding spot, she observed Kakashi walking past her.
She was surprised when he pulled up his headband to reveal his other eye, which was red with three black dots. Soifon remembered that he referred to it as the Sharingan, a kekkei genkai typically possessed by the Uchiha Clan.
Soifon closely observed Kakashi for approximately ten minutes, while blood trickled down her side from a powerful blow dealt by Kakashi.
She glanced towards the onlookers and noticed the amusement in Tsunade's eyes, which made her smirk.
Just as Soifon was about to attack Kakashi, she experienced a sharp pain shooting through her eyes. She whispered in confusion, 'What the hell?' as she instinctively covered her eyes and felt her vision starting to flicker.
Down below, alongside Jushiro and Tsunade, they observed the fight with keen interest, commented Tsunade. Glancing at Jushiro, she added, "She is undeniably strong." Jushiro nodded and responded, "Indeed, she has received excellent guidance over the years, not to mention that she holds the position of a captain for valid reasons."
Expressing her agreement, the Hokage concurred, "That is true." She then turned her attention back to the ongoing combat and shifted her gaze towards the tree where Soifon was positioned. However, Soifon appeared to be experiencing distress, as she clutched her eyes in apparent pain.
Tsunade, directing her inquiry to the thirteenth squad captain, questioned, "Jushiro, has Soifon ever encountered the Sharingan?" Jushiro replied, "No, not to my knowledge. If she had, we would have been aware of it."
The blonde woman nodded and remarked, "Let us hope that if she does happen to acquire it, she won't lose control." Tsunade then turned her attention to Kakashi, who approached the tree, saying, "Captain Soifon, reveal yourself."
Aware that she couldn't linger in her current location for much longer, as her eyes continued to flash and burn, Soifon felt compelled to take action.
After regaining her composure, Soifon propelled herself off the tree and swiftly dashed towards Kakashi's figure, a confident smirk adorning her face as she anticipated catching him off guard.
Executing a powerful strike at his back, the captain observed with surprise as the man's body disintegrated into thin air. "A clone?!" Soifon murmured in astonishment.
"You will need to employ more skill if you wish to successfully sneak up on me, captain," Kakashi remarked calmly from behind, causing the petite woman to swiftly turn around just in time to witness a blue flickering light emanating from his hand.
"Chidori," Kakashi whispered the name of his formidable technique. Soifon's eyes widened as she gazed at it and instinctively leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding a grazing strike from the ninja's charged attack, which lightly grazed her pants.
Quickly employing flash step, Soifon maneuvered herself directly behind Kakashi, exhaling deeply as she gracefully touched back down on the ground, her footsteps barely making a sound.
"Damn it!" Soifon growled in frustration as a piercing pain surged through her eyes, their appearance seemingly altering.
Kakashi stood before Soifon's presence as he witnessed her wince in pain, not due to her visible wounds, but because she held her head. He heard her emit a sharp cry. 'Jushiro, is this a normal occurrence?' Tsunade inquired, her gaze fixed upon Soifon with narrowed eyes.
She observed the female captain tightly clutching her face, as if engaged in a battle against an unseen force. Renji and Rukia, their eyes widened, also observed the captain of the Second Division. 'Is this typical behavior for Soifon?' Naruto asked, his concern evident. He recalled how she had skillfully evaded Kakashi's Chidori attack, leading him to believe that she had not been harmed.
Jushiro, wearing an expression of concern, observed Soifon intently. 'No, it is not normal, but she displayed similar behavior when we departed from the small dumpling shop,' he uttered quietly, ensuring his words remained unheard by the others.
'Do you suppose it could be her Sharingan manifesting?' Jushiro queried Tsunade, who examined the situation closely. 'It is a possibility, yet there could be other factors at play as well,' she replied with a slight frown. The realization that it was necessary to intervene dawned upon her.
Observing from a distance, Soifon noticed Kakashi standing motionless in front of her. She observed his expression transition from worry to shock, leaving her perplexed as to why he was looking at her in such a manner.
Before she could inquire about his unusual behavior, a sharp and unbearable pain surged through her eyes, causing her to involuntarily emit a sharp scream. Bewildered and in agony, Soifon immediately shut her eyes in an attempt to alleviate the torment. Feeling the impact of the pain, she found herself collapsing to the ground, her hand clutching the dirt beneath her.
Reacting swiftly, Kakashi approached her side and reached out to touch her shoulder, seeking an explanation for her distress. However, Soifon, in the midst of pain, pushed his hand away and growled, "Do not touch me!" It was not meant to sound harsh, but rather a reflexive response to her agony.
After taking a deep breath and feeling the pain subside, Soifon cautiously reopened her eyes, only to find Kakashi stepping back with wide eyes, evidently surprised and alarmed. Confused by his reaction, she questioned, "What is the matter?" wondering why Kakashi was retreating with such an expression.
'Your eyes,' was all Kakashi could manage to say as he observed Soifon's eyes starting to turn red, along with the appearance of three black dots and spinning wheels within them.
Soifon regarded Kakashi with a bewildered expression, questioning, 'What about my eyes?' Unaware of Jushiro and Tsunade approaching her, they arrived just in time to witness Soifon's eyes and her subsequent loss of consciousness due to the intense pain.
As Soifon's body hit the ground and her breathing became labored, she struggled with the throbbing pain in her head. What did Kakashi mean by her eyes?
Tsunade and Jushiro glanced down at Soifon with a worrisome gaze. The fifth Hokage then turned her attention to Kakashi, inquiring, 'What happened, Kakashi?' She hoped that her suspicions were correct.
"I don't know. I was observing Soifon, and then her eyes... they transformed into the Sharingan,' Kakashi replied, his tone filled with surprise. He glanced at the unconscious captain and added, 'I believe we have a serious problem on our hands.' Jushiro understood that they now needed to explain everything to Soifon and the others.
Renji, Rukia, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai approached them with concerned expressions, followed closely by Shizune. "What has occurred?" inquired Rukia as they all reached Jushiro, Kakashi, and Tsunade.
Jushiro and Tsunade exchanged glances. "We must inform them, as well as Soifon when she awakens," Jushiro asserted, receiving a nod of agreement from the Hokage. "Let us transport Soifon to the hospital so that she may rest," suggested Tsunade.
Kakashi affirmed as he delicately lifted the petite captain into his arms, being careful not to cause any harm. He was taken aback by her lightness. "Very well, let us proceed," he said, leading the way to the hospital, with the others trailing behind.
"Jushiro, I believe it is necessary for you to contact the Soul Society and inform them of the situation. It would be remiss to leave your head captain uninformed," Tsunade suggested, and the white-haired captain nodded in agreement. "I am aware, and I will attend to that task," Jushiro declared as he walked alongside her.
As the group departed for the hospital, they were oblivious to the presence of a feeble elderly gentleman, who would typically rely on a cane for assistance. This individual possessed unkempt black hair, a bandage covering his right eye, and an x-shaped scar adorning his chin. Concealed within the shadows, he observantly monitored their movements, his eye narrowing with intrigue.
"How intriguing," he pondered, a smirk forming on his countenance. "This situation has just become quite captivating." Ever since he spotted Soifon, Jushiro, and the other pair exiting the Hokage tower alongside Kakashi and his students, he had been diligently observing the course of events.
Furthermore, his interest in the braided female protagonist had only intensified after witnessing their encounter from his concealed vantage point. "Who might you be, young one?" he inquired softly, addressing himself.