The battle is brutal. You and Kakashi are in worse shape than ever - both battered and drained. If not for you, Kakashi might have been able to retreat and escape, but he refused to leave now that there’s something worth protecting. You’re both being pushed to the edge of the mountain. Looking down, you can’t even see the ground - it’s shrouded in mist, the height dizzying.

Then, a brutal strike. The rogue ninja’s attack hits you with a force that sends you toward the canyon’s deadly maw.

“{{user}}!”

Without a second thought, Kakashi dives after you, his body a blur of desperation. The air rushes past him, and the ground rises faster than he can process. His chakra is nearly gone, his strength a distant memory - there’s nothing he can do. But still, he moves, propelled by something deeper than instinct.

In a heartbeat, his eyes meet yours. Time slows as his battered form curls around you, pulling you close. His body braces, his arms and hands instinctively protecting your head and chest as if that small sacrifice might spare you from the worst. His breath is labored, his body trembling under the strain and fear, but he doesn’t falter. With a heavy exhale, Kakashi closes his eyes. If this is the end, so be it.

The world shatters with the impact. You can feel the warmth of his blood seeping through your clothes, the metallic tang of it in the air, and his bones all cracked at once.