Kumade's lungs were on fire as he sprinted through the misty streets of Kiri. The creepy sounds of pursuit echoed behind him - weird, guttural noises that made his skin crawl.
He'd trained for every scenario imaginable, but nothing could've prepared him for this living nightmare.
As he turned a corner, the mist suddenly thickened, swirling around him like a living thing.
Kumade skidded to a halt, his instincts screaming danger. And then, out of the fog, a massive figure emerged.
Wrapped in bandages, with a sword as long as the man himself strapped to his back, he seemed to materialize from the mist itself.
His eyes, the only part of his face visible.
"Going somewhere, Konoha spy?" his gravelly voice cut through the silence.
Kumade's heart raced. He knew this shinobi from the Bingo Book - Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist.
This was very
Very bad.
"Look," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "We don't have to fight."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "You're right. We don't."
Then, he drew his massive blade. "This won't be a fight. It'll be an execution."
The blade whistled through the air, and Kumade barely got his kunai up in time. The impact sent shockwaves through his arms, nearly ripping the weapon from his grip.
He leaped back, putting distance between them.
His hands flashed through seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Three identical copies of himself appeared, surrounding Zabuza.
The Mist ninja sneered. "Konoha parlor tricks." His own hands blurred. "Water Clone Jutsu!"
Four Zabuzas now stood in the street. They attacked in perfect sync, massive swords slicing through the air.
Kumade and his clones scattered. One shadow clone wasn't fast enough, vanishing in a puff of smoke as a blade bisected it.
He used the momentary distraction to fling a barrage of shuriken, forcing the Zabuzas to defend.
He didn't wait to see the result, diving through an open window into an abandoned shop.
His eyes darted around the room, scanning the room for potential weapons. Broken furniture, shattered glass, dust-covered merchandise...
Just then, a water clone burst through the wall, sending splinters flying everywhere.
Kumade rolled out of the way, grabbing a heavy candlestick as he moved, and threw it at the clone's face.
It connected with a satisfying crack, the clone collapsing into a puddle.
But there was no time to celebrate. The real Zabuza crashed through the ceiling, bringing a rain of debris down with him.
Kumade dove for cover, feeling the whoosh of air as the massive sword passed inches from his head.
Zabuza growled as he kicked a fallen shelf out of his way.
Kumade saw his chance and dropped to the ground, scooping up a handful of dirt and flinging it at the Mist ninja's face.
Zabuza snarled, momentarily blinded.
Kumade seized the opening, darting past him and snatching up a loose board from the scaffolding.
He spun, swinging the makeshift weapon at Zabuza's head. The Mist ninja ducked, but Kumade had anticipated this.
He dropped the board and, in the same motion, threw a barrage of shuriken.
Zabuza deflected most with his massive sword, but one found its mark, burying itself in his shoulder.
He grunted in pain, but his rage only intensified.
"Enough games!" he shouted, his hands blurring through seals. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A dragon made of water rose behind him, its eyes fixed on Kumade like a predator sizing up its prey.
The air shook with the dragon's deafening roar as it lunged forward. Kumade dove to the side, feeling the rush of water as it passed inches from his face.
He rolled to his feet, only to find Zabuza already upon him.
The massive sword flashed through the air, and Kumade twisted out of the way - but not quite fast enough.
The blade sank deep into his side, sending a wave of agony through him that left him gasping for air.
Stumbling backward, he clutched at his side, blood soaking his vest. He pressed his hand to the wound, trying to stem the flow.
His mind raced, searching for a way out. He couldn't match Zabuza in raw power or kenjutsu skill.
His only hope was to outwit him.
His hands darted to his scroll, unfurling it in an instant. A puff of smoke appeared, and a barrel of oil materialized.
He swiftly spread it across the floor, his hands moving rapidly through the necessary seals.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he shouted, and a massive fireball erupted from his mouth, igniting the oil and engulfing the store in flames.
The wall of fire separated him from Zabuza, and he used the smoke as cover to create another shadow clone, sending it fleeing out the back door while he circled around.
As the flames crackled and popped, he heard Zabuza's curse, followed by the hiss of water as he extinguished the fire.
Kumade burst from the smoke, kunai at the ready, aiming for Zabuza's exposed back. But the Mist ninja was prepared, spinning around with his sword.
He felt a searing pain across his chest as the blade sliced open a deep gash from shoulder to hip.
Momentarily off balance, he stumbled back. Zabuza sensed his weakness and pressed his advantage.
Kumade parried desperately, each impact sending jolts of agony through his wounded torso.
In a split second, his foot slipped on his own blood. Zabuza didn't miss a beat, unleashing a vicious kick.
Kumade raised his right arm to block, but the force of the blow was too much. He felt his forearm snap beneath the impact, the bones cracking audibly.
The kick sent him flying, crashing through another wooden storefront. He landed hard among broken shelves and scattered merchandise, struggling to his feet as he spat blood.
His right arm hung limp and useless, the wrist visibly deformed and already swelling from the fracture.
Outside, Kumade could hear the Mist ninja's heavy footsteps echoing through the mist-shrouded street, getting closer and closer.
He knew he had to change the dynamics of this fight, and fast.
'Focus, damn it. You're a Konoha jonin. Act like one,' he thought, trying to steady his shaking hands.
As Zabuza's massive silhouette appeared in the shattered storefront, Kumade was ready.
His left hand flew to his scroll. With a quick flick and a puff of smoke, a metal rod materialized in his grasp.
His left hand went through one-handed seals. It was a technique he'd been working on, but it wasn't yet perfected.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Spear!" he shouted, his voice hoarse from exhaustion.
Electricity crackled to life around the rod, forming a jagged spearhead. Immediately, he felt immense pain shoot up his arm. The imperfect jutsu was tearing at his nerves, the electricity arcing wildly and burning his skin.
Gritting his teeth against the agony, he threw the spear with all his strength, aiming for Zabuza.
Please hit. Please, please hit.
Time seemed to slow. For a heartbeat, Kumade thought he'd succeeded.
But Zabuza moved with inhuman speed, snatching the spear mid-flight. Electricity surged around him, scorching his skin, but the Mist ninja didn't flinch.
"Impressive," he said, his voice tight with what might have been pain—or excitement. "But not good enough."
Before Kumade could react, Zabuza hurled the spear back. It struck with terrifying accuracy, piercing through Kumade's left shoulder and slamming him against the wall. The impact knocked the wind out of him.
He screamed as lightning coursed through his body. The pain was beyond anything he'd ever felt. The smell of his own burning flesh filled his nostrils.
He knew he had to move. Staying pinned was a death sentence. With trembling legs, Kumade planted his feet against the wall and took a deep, ragged breath.
This is gonna hurt like hell.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed off hard, throwing his body forward. The spear tore free from his shoulder with a sickening sound.
Kumade hit the floor hard, gasping and coughing. Blood soaked his vest, spreading in an ever-widening stain.
As he struggled to stand up again, he stumbled back, crashing into a shelf. Glass vials shattered around him, their contents spilling across the floor.
Through the haze of pain, his analytical mind kicked in. He recognized the acrid smell of corrosive chemicals.
Wait. I can use this.
A desperate plan formed in his mind.
As the Mist shinobi advanced, Kumade scooped up a handful of the chemicals with his right hand, wincing in pain.
He flung them at Zabuza's face, aiming for his eyes.
The Mist ninja growled as the caustic liquid splashed across his face. He clawed at his eyes, stumbling backward.
Kumade didn't hesitate, charging forward and tackling Zabuza with all his remaining strength.
They crashed through the shop's front window, a shower of glass raining down around them.
They hit the street hard, Kumade on top. He drove his knee into his enemy's solar plexus, trying to keep him down.
But Zabuza was too strong.
The Mist ninja threw him off with a violent heave. Kumade hit the ground hard, feeling a rib crack beneath the impact.
He tried to rise, but his body wouldn't respond fast enough.
Zabuza was on him in an instant, his massive hands wrapping around his throat.
His vision began to blur as he struggled for air. With his right arm, he clawed at Zabuza's face, trying to gouge his eyes.
Zabuza snarled and slammed Kumade against the wall. He crashed hard, his head slamming against the stone.
Through the haze of pain, he saw Zabuza charging, sword raised high.
Kumade tried to dodge, but his battered body was too slow. The blade sliced through his right arm just below the shoulder, severing it from his body.
The limb fell away, a crimson spray painting the walls.
He screamed, collapsing to the ground. But his enemy wasn't finished. His blade came down again, this time in a horizontal slash.
Kumade rolled to the side, feeling the whoosh of air as the massive blade embedded itself in the ground where he'd been a second before.
He struggled to his feet, blood pouring from his shoulder. The loss of his arm threw off his balance, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated.
He knew he was in trouble.
But he was a Konoha Jonin, and he wouldn't go down without a fight.
Kumade stood on shaky legs, his remaining hand fumbling for his shuriken.
He knew it was a futile effort, but he refused to just lie down and die.
With a grunt of pain and frustration, he threw the shuriken, watching helplessly as they fell short, not even reaching Zabuza's feet.
Each throw was weaker than the last, the projectiles falling short of their target, but still...
He persisted.
Zabuza laughed as he began to walk slowly towards Kumade, his sword resting casually on his shoulder.
"Is this what passes for a Jonin in Konoha these days?" he mocked. "A one-armed cripple who can't even throw a shuriken straight?"
Kumade didn't respond, his focus fixed on the next shuriken, the next throw.
Even as his arm trembled with exhaustion and pain, even as his vision blurred and his breaths came in ragged gasps, he kept going.
Zabuza shook his head, stopping just inches from Kumade.
"I've got to hand it to you," he said, his tone almost conversational. "You've got spirit. Stupid, pointless spirit, but spirit nonetheless."
"I've always wondered about this Will of Fire you Leaf ninjas are so proud of," he mused. "What good is it now?"
Kumade's hand closed around another shuriken, but as he tried to throw, his arm finally gave out.
The shuriken slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground at his feet.
He stared at it, feeling a sense of defeat wash over him.
"And there it is," Zabuza said, a note of triumph in his voice. "The famous Will of Fire, snuffed out like a candle in the wind."
He raised his sword. "Any last words, Leaf ninja?"
Kumade looked up, meeting Zabuza's gaze. For a moment, he saw beyond the pain and fear.
He saw his village, his friends, and everything he'd fought for.
He saw the people he'd sworn to protect, the people who believed in him.
"The Will of Fire will never die," he said weakly. "Even if I fall, others will take my place. That's the strength of Konoha, the strength of our bond."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "Pretty words," he snarled. "Let's see if they're true."
As Zabuza's sword came down, Kumade ducked under the first swing, but Zabuza quickly reversed his grip and brought the blade back in a horizontal slash.
Kumade saw it coming but was not fast enough to dodge completely.
He twisted his head to the side, but the sword's edge caught him, slicing off his left ear and gouging deep into his cheek and eye socket.
Blood and clear fluid poured down his face as his left eye burst.
"Impressive," Zabuza said, genuine surprise coloring his tone. "Perhaps there's more to you Konoha ninjas than I thought."