The man who appeared before them had short, black hair and a forehead protector worn slanted to the left. Bandages covered his lower face and neck, but his eyes were exposed, and they swept over Team 7 with an unmistakable killing intent.
"Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi said, his voice even despite the tension coiling in his body. "The Demon of the Mist, a missing-nin from Kirigakure."
He had expected a jonin, but this was something else entirely. This could get tricky.
"Zabuza, a prodigy from Kirigakure," Naruto cut in, interrupting whatever posturing was about to happen. "Second owner of the Kubikiribocho, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Killed his entire graduating class at age nine, which earned him the 'Demon' title. He's a specialist in Water Release and silent assassination. Tried to kill the Mizukage, failed, and went rogue."
Naruto's voice cut through the air, interrupting the two before they could even exchange boasts, his words a blunt summary of Zabuza's profile.
Zabuza's glare fixed on Naruto, the oppressive weight of his bloodlust intensifying. "You're a talkative one brat. You know a lot about me for a genin." He asked while smirking, "Am I in your history books now?"
"I saw his profile in Grandpa Danzo's files," Naruto said, completely unbothered by the murderous aura washing over him. "He keeps records on every powerful ninja out there."
To have any effect on Naruto, Zabuza's killing intent would have needed to be a hundred times stronger. The only one visibly affected was Sakura, who trembled under the pressure. Naruto noted her reaction with a familiar sense of frustration. 'One weak link is all it takes for everything to fall apart,' he thought. 'And the Third Hokage still insisted on playing politics.'
He clapped a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Sasuke, your mission is to single-handedly take down this former member of Seven Swordman of the Mist by yourself. He's at least as strong as Kakashi, so he should be a decent warm-up."
"Him?" Zabuza sneered, though he gave a slight nod, acknowledging that Sasuke hadn't flinched from his killing intent. He turned his attention back to Kakashi. "Are you really sending this brat to his death?"
"I have faith in my student," Kakashi said, his visible eye curving into a relaxed crescent. He was likely the calmest jonin leader in any ambush, considering three of his four team members were atleast as strong as he was.
Zabuza was silent for a moment, processing the absurdity. "Hmph. If you want him to die that badly, I won't disappoint you."
In the next instant, he was on the surface of the water, one hand held high.
"Water Release: Hiding in Mist Jutsu!"
A thick, white fog billowed out, swallowing the forest and everything in it. This was the Silent Killing Technique, Zabuza's signature jutsu, the very skill that had made him the most feared assassin in Kirigakure.
"Eight points," his disembodied voice echoed from all directions, carried on the chakra-infused mist that now served as his eyes. 'The advantage is mine.'
"The throat, spine, lungs, heart," the voice taunted again. "Which one should I aim for first? Hehehe..."
It was classic psychological warfare. Obscure their vision, apply pressure with threats, and then, when their nerves were shot, go for the one-hit kill. Zabuza had refined his method into a deadly system, and in the shinobi world, any ninja with a structured fighting style was a formidable opponent, as they would've perfected their system over hundreds of corpses.
Unfortunately for him, he was facing an infinitely stronger Team 7.
To Naruto, Zabuza's presence in the mist was as obvious as a bonfire in the dead of night. Unless he could suppress his ki to nothing, he couldn't hide. Karin, with her Mind's Eye of the Kagura, could pinpoint his location just as easily, tracking his every move, right down to the moment he picked his nose. Even Kakashi and Sasuke could follow his chakra flow with their Sharingan.
The only two who were truly blind were Sakura and the bridge builder, Tazuna.
Zabuza's form materialized beside Tazuna, his massive Kubikiribocho raised to end the mission with a single stroke. If the target was dead, the fight was over. It was a sound strategy.
But before the blade could fall, Sasuke was there, a blur of motion intercepting the massive sword with a single kunai. With a sharp ring of steel, he deflected the blow, spun, and launched a kick at Zabuza's head.
*Splash.*
The figure dissolved into water, a Water Clone.
"Not bad, kid." Zabuza's voice echoed from behind Sasuke, the Kubikiribocho in his hand already slashing towards him with blinding speed.
*Swish!* Sasuke was cut in half by the blade.
*Shimmer* Sasuke's body gradually became insubstantial, finally disappearing.
'Clone Jutsu? When did he form the hand signs?'
It wasn't the standard Clone Jutsu, one of the three basic techniques, but rather the Afterimage Technique. The Afterimage Technique, didn't even require ki, merely blinding speed was enough. This made it undoubtedly more practical than the hand-sign-dependent Clone Jutsu.
"Hmph." A cold grunt came from behind him. A kunai plunged deep into Zabuza's back.
*Splash!*
Another water clone dissolved.
"Impressive," Zabuza's voice echoed, once again from behind Sasuke. "To take down my clone so quickly. I acknowledge your skill. But your battle experience is still far too lacking."
The real Zabuza brought his sword down, aiming to cleave Sasuke in two. But again, the blade passed through a flickering form that faded into nothing. Another afterimage.
'Behind me!' Zabuza reacted instantly, planting his foot and swinging the Kubikiribocho in a vicious 180-degree arc. The sword connected, bisecting Sasuke's form once more.
'Got him this time,' Zabuza thought with grim satisfaction. 'Too bad... what?!'
Sasuke's body dissolved again. It was still an afterimage.
Zabuza had used three Water Clones in total, while Sasuke had created Afterimage thrice.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
This time, the voice came from behind Zabuza, and a moment later, a massive sphere of flame erupted, engulfing him completely. For the first time, Sasuke had used ninjutsu.
But as the flames raged, another voice cut through the roar.
"Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"
A sphere of swirling water instantly materialized around Sasuke, trapping him. Zabuza stepped out from behind a tree, his hand held inside the aquatic prison. The one caught in the fireball had been yet another water clone. It had been a battle of feints and flanks, and the veteran had won.
Nearby, Naruto watched the scene unfold with a placid expression. He turned to Karin and mouthed silently, a small smile on his lips. 'Let him show off a bit longer.'
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