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The Demon Brothers were only the beginning.
Though technically chunin-level ninjas, they were merely average—barely a challenge for someone like Mizuki. However, they were far from being formidable opponents.
Yet, the real threat wasn't them.
No, the real danger was still to come—Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist. A former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and an ex-elite jonin of Kirigakure, Zabuza was a shinobi who could rival Kakashi at this point in time—before Kakashi had fully awakened the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
The very thought of Zabuza was enough to set Team 7 on edge.
Especially Sakura.
Her nerves had been frayed throughout the journey.
If the Demon Brothers were enough to shake her, the thought of facing someone like Zabuza—far stronger than them—left her utterly terrified.
Her anxiety was written all over her face, and Kakashi couldn't help but notice.
A shinobi with that mindset, Kakashi thought, will break in battle.
But Kakashi didn't comfort her. That wasn't his way. He believed psychological hurdles had to be overcome by the individual. If Sakura couldn't face this challenge, she wouldn't make it as a ninja.
While Kakashi took his role as a leader seriously, he didn't believe in hand-holding. In Team 7, Haruno Sakura's performance wasn't particularly impressive. If she showed potential worth nurturing, Kakashi would guide her. If not, he would let her fall behind.
In that slightly tense atmosphere, Team 7 continued their mission, escorting Tazuna toward the southeasternmost region of the Land of Fire.
By dusk, the sky had darkened, and the air had grown colder.
Naruto shivered slightly, but then a sudden, ominous feeling gripped Menma's chest.
In the next instant, his heightened senses detected a massive chakra signature approaching rapidly.
BOOM!
A deafening sound tore through the air.
Whoosh!
A deadly flash of light hurtled toward the group from above.
"Get down!" Kakashi yelled, his instincts kicking in the moment he sensed the incoming chakra.
In a flash, Kakashi drew a kunai and leaped forward.
Clang!
His kunai met the oncoming blade with a shower of sparks as Kakashi parried the attack. The sheer force of the strike caused Kakashi's expression to harden as he was pushed back.
Thud!
The massive blade embedded itself deeply into a nearby tree, revealing itself as a cleaver sword.
A moment later, a figure appeared, standing atop the blade, radiating an aura so oppressive that it seemed to suffocate the very air around them.
Menma's eyes narrowed in recognition.
Momochi Zabuza!
The name echoed in his mind, sending a chill down his spine.
"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake," Zabuza sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "No wonder those Demon Brothers failed. Looks like I'll need a bigger paycheck after this. Now, hand over the old man."
Zabuza's eyes glinted with malice as he stared down Kakashi, his bloodlust palpable.
Even Menma, who had been bracing himself for this encounter, felt the intensity. Sasuke and Naruto were equally tense, their focus locked on the formidable foe before them. Zabuza's presence left no doubt—this was a real threat, far beyond anything they had faced before.
Sasuke's thoughts, however, were focused on something else.
The Sharingan? he wondered, his eyes narrowing as he recalled Zabuza's words. Does Kakashi-sensei really have the Sharingan?
His gaze flicked to Kakashi, a mix of doubt and curiosity swirling in his mind.
Meanwhile, Sakura was frozen in fear. Zabuza's overwhelming aura had shaken her to her core. She trembled visibly, her face pale with terror.
Kakashi stepped forward, hands casually in his pockets. Though his posture seemed relaxed, every muscle was primed for action. He positioned himself between Zabuza and his team.
"Zabuza, it's an honor to meet you," Kakashi said, a calm smile on his face. "But could you wait until I finish my mission before starting a fight?"
Despite his easygoing words, Kakashi knew this would be no simple battle. Zabuza wasn't an opponent to be taken lightly. While Kakashi could hold his own in a one-on-one fight, he had his students and Tazuna to protect, complicating things.
Zabuza's grin widened, cold and menacing. "I guess there's no point in talking, then."
His eyes gleamed with murderous intent, and the temperature seemed to drop as his chakra flared.
Boom!
A wave of killing intent washed over them, suffocating and heavy.
Menma, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura felt its crushing weight.
Sakura, already terrified, looked ready to collapse. Her fear threatened to consume her, leaving her paralyzed.
No... I'm going to die...
Her thoughts spiraled into despair.
Naruto wasn't much better. His hands trembled, struggling to hold his kunai steady as the oppressive aura bore down on him.
Only Menma and Sasuke managed to keep their composure, but even they couldn't ignore the gravity of the situation.
But his expression remained cold and focused.
This was no ordinary opponent.
Both Menma and Sasuke understood the gravity of their situation—they were facing a shinobi whose power far exceeded anything they had ever encountered. This was someone who could kill them with ease.
Menma was relatively calm, still confident in the backup power of the Nine-Tails within him, even though he had yet to fully harness its strength. The chakra of the Three-Tails alone could allow him to overpower most ninjas.
Sasuke, however, was different.
His fists were clenched tightly, his lower lip bleeding from biting down too hard. Yet, the pain was barely registering. His resolve, much stronger than in the original timeline, burned fiercely within him.
"It doesn't matter. I'll protect you. You don't need to worry about a thing," Menma said, his voice steady.
At that moment, Kakashi, who stood at the front, turned his head slightly. His usual laid-back demeanor was gone, replaced by a serious expression. He looked back at Menma, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, offering them a reassuring smile.
His mask had been lowered, revealing the scarlet, three-tomoe Sharingan in his left eye.
A sudden surge of chakra radiated from him, almost neutralizing the intense pressure Zabuza had been emitting.
The tension in the air lifted slightly, and the members of Team 7 felt some relief.
Sakura, in particular, felt as though she had narrowly escaped death. For the first time, she fully realized just how dangerous their enemy was—and just how powerful their sensei truly was.
Sharingan! It really is the Sharingan! Sasuke thought, his shock evident as he stared at Kakashi's left eye.
"You four, use Formation B to protect Tazuna. Leave Zabuza to me," Kakashi instructed, his tone calm but firm.
"Yes!" Menma and the others responded in unison, quickly spreading out to form a protective barrier around Tazuna, who stood nervously behind them.
Zabuza chuckled darkly. "Let's see if the Sharingan lives up to its reputation."
He made a series of rapid hand seals.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu! (Hidden Mist Technique)"
Within moments, a thick, oppressive fog enveloped the area. The once-clear surroundings were shrouded in a dense white mist, making it impossible for Menma, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura to see anything clearly.
Zabuza's figure disappeared into the mist, his presence completely concealed.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed in concentration, his Sharingan scanning the mist. Though he wasn't a sensory-type ninja, the Sharingan would still give him a slight edge in detecting chakra.
Menma, however, could sense Zabuza's movements clearly. His enhanced senses, bolstered by the Nine-Tails, picked up the faint shifts in chakra.
He's at 12 o'clock. His target is the group behind us!
Zabuza was preparing to use his signature technique: Silent Killing. Combined with the Hidden Mist Technique, it allowed him to silently and efficiently eliminate targets before they even knew what hit them.
Menma's muscles tensed as he gripped his kunai tightly, anticipating the attack.
Swoosh!
A figure approached swiftly, completely silent.
"He's coming!" Menma shouted.
The Executioner's Blade gleamed menacingly as it swung down from the mist.
"Die, brats!" Zabuza growled, his eyes flashing with bloodlust.
The massive sword aimed directly for Menma, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, Zabuza intending to decapitate them all in one clean strike.
But he had underestimated them—and Kakashi.
As the blade descended, Kakashi moved with lightning speed.
Swish!
At the same time, Menma, having sensed the attack earlier, reacted. Though slower than Kakashi, he managed to block the sword with his kunai.
Clang!
The impact was tremendous.
Menma's legs buckled, his arms trembling under the sheer force of the strike. Blood oozed from his palms as the pressure caused the kunai to dig into his flesh.
So heavy! Menma thought, his expression tight with pain. The difference in power was clear.
Zabuza's eyes widened in mild surprise. The boy had blocked his attack—barely.
But before Zabuza could finish him off, a sharp sound cut through the air from the right.
Kakashi, seeing Menma's block, used the opening to strike.
Swish!
Kakashi's kunai aimed directly at Zabuza's vital spot.
Zabuza quickly abandoned his attack on Menma, swinging his Executioner's Blade to block Kakashi instead.
Clang!
The two blades collided, sending sparks flying.
The force of the clash reverberated through the air, jolting everyone back to their senses.
Naruto and Sasuke leaped into action, each aiming for Zabuza's blind spots—Naruto went for his abdomen, while Sasuke targeted his waist.
But Zabuza saw their movements easily.
"Hmph."
With a quick sidestep, Zabuza evaded their strikes, then slid back into the mist, his form once again vanishing.
But Kakashi wasn't about to let him get away.
With the Sharingan fully activated, Kakashi focused on Zabuza's chakra. While the Sharingan wasn't as precise as the Byakugan, it could still track chakra signatures.
At this close range, Zabuza wouldn't be able to escape Kakashi's gaze.
Kakashi's chakra flared as he launched forward again, intent on finishing the battle.
Boom!
The air rippled with the force of Kakashi's chakra as he clashed with Zabuza.
Clang!
Ding, ding, ding!
Blades met again and again, their movements so fast that Naruto, Sasuke, and Menma could barely follow them.
The sheer intensity of the battle left the genin in awe.
"This is the power of Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto muttered, his eyes wide with amazement.
The speed, the chakra, the precision—it was a level far beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
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