"Go!" Zabuza roared, hefting the Decapitation Blade as he charged at Kisame trapped within the Makyō Hyōshō (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals). "Ōgata Sen-zan (Greatblade Thousand-Cleave)!"
Bang, bang, bang—Zabuza's cleaver hammered at Kisame without mercy.
"Momochi Zabuza…" Kisame flinched in surprise, blocking as he spoke. "How did a fugitive like you end up working with Konoha?" Dragging his own massive sword to meet the blow, he swung back at Zabuza—shff, shff, shff—sleek silver senbon lanced toward him. Kisame snapped his blade back to guard his body. Zabuza seized the opening and chopped down.
Thud—Kisame flew back and slammed into the ice, finally skidding to a stop.
"Nice work, Haku. Keep it up!" Zabuza shouted, fired up.
Shff, shff, shff—countless senbon peppered Kisame, while Zabuza's cleaver kept crashing in. Rip—slash— Kisame's huge frame, harried by the seamless two-pronged assault, had already taken several cuts, with needles sticking from his flesh.
Zabuza smirked inwardly—then his face went rigid. "My… chakra…" He hadn't noticed at first, but now half his chakra was gone. His eyes locked on the sword in Kisame's hands. "Samehada… you really got Samehada."
Kisame grinned, rows of needle teeth bared. "Zabuza, I don't get why you're mixing with Konoha's ninja. That silver-haired one's the Copy Ninja, yeah?"
"So what if he is?"
"Heh. Since we're both from the same village, I'll send you off nicely. Being stuck inside this ice was annoying anyway." His hands flashed. "Suiton: Bakusui Shōha (Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave)!"
Whooosh—torrents of water erupted behind Kisame. The surging flood smashed into the encircling mirrors, shattering them to spray. "No—" Zabuza braced his blade in the earth to block, but the force was immense. The onrush slammed into him—
"Aah!"
Meanwhile, Itachi finally stopped amid a thick stand of trees. "Kakashi. What did you want to say?"
Watching crows knit back into Itachi's body, Kakashi marveled silently. So many years, and he's even stronger… worthy genius of the Uchiha.
He focused. "Sandaime-sama told me your situation. Can you brief me on Akatsuki's internals?"
Itachi paused, then nodded. "It seems the Third trusts you greatly. I'll share what I know."
Kakashi nodded. Itachi's scarlet tomoe slowly reshaped into a shuriken-like pupil. Kakashi's vision blurred—and he stood in a dim mountain hollow, ghostly figures murmuring. He understood at once: Itachi's memory.
Itachi appeared beside him. "This is also Tsukuyomi's world. I'm using Tsukuyomi (Moon Reading) to replay memory. Of course, I could alter it at will."
"I see…" Kakashi had to respect Itachi's grasp—using this to mislead enemies or to pass intel in secret. Risky, but elegant.
"In Akatsuki we operate in pairs. Our meetings are generally held by the leader, Pain, who uses his ability to let us commune via meditation—even perform jutsu. I don't know the full extent of his power, but he bears the Rikudō Sennin no Me, the Rinnegan (Sage of Six Paths' Eye)."
Kakashi frowned. "As expected… Even in battle I learned little of the Rinnegan's exact abilities."
"You don't look surprised, Kakashi."
"Surprise wouldn't help." He wouldn't tell Itachi that he'd fought Pain to exhaustion before… everything rewound.
Itachi continued, detailing Akatsuki's structure and members. He also told Kakashi that a masked man calling himself Madara was the true head—knowledge known only to Itachi and Pain.
When Kakashi asked how he learned it, Itachi explained: when Konoha's elders gave the Uchiha purge order, he discovered the masked man planned revenge on the clan and Konoha. Learning he was Madara, Itachi agreed to use him to execute the cruel mission—on the condition he wouldn't attack Konoha. Then, from him, learned of Akatsuki's greater threat.
Kakashi nodded. Much he already knew, but some secrets even his second chance hadn't revealed—until now.
He lifted his forehead protector, revealing his left eye. "That's enough. Thanks… Itachi." He slipped free of the Tsukuyomi space.
Itachi blinked, unsurprised—years ago Kakashi had shattered an offensive Tsukuyomi. Exiting a memory replay was only natural.
Releasing the genjutsu, Itachi returned to the forest—and stilled. "Sasuke. Come out."
A shadow quivered and rose. "I know everything now, Itachi."
Itachi's face didn't change. "I'm sorry, Sasuke."
Kakashi read the air. They had too much to say—both of them. "You two talk. I'll set a barrier outside—and check on Kisame."
Itachi hesitated. "Thank you, Kakashi. But please don't take his life."
"Understood." Kakashi hadn't planned to kill Kisame—and doubted he could easily—but hearing Itachi ask it still surprised him.
"Doryū Kekkai (Earth Flow Barrier)…" Boom—faint yellow light-screens layered around the brothers. Sasuke wasn't strong enough to weather a slip in genjutsu; a buffer was wise—Itachi would have done the same.
"Aaah—!" Zabuza screamed as the flood smashed him, blood spraying as he tumbled. Haku didn't fare much better. "Sensatsu Suishō (Thousandfold Water Slaughter)!" With one-handed seals, Haku gathered water into spearing ice pillars. Thup-thup-thup—the spikes skewered "Kisame"… which collapsed into water.
"A water clone…" Zabuza panted.
Kisame flashed before him. "So you've got an Ice Release bloodline at your side—and one-handed seals… Impressive. But today you die."
He raised Samehada—only to feel a whisper of wind on his cheek. He tilted his head as a special chakra blade skimmed past, scoring his face. "Tch—"
Zabuza snorted at the new arrival. "You do love to watch, Asuma. Thought you'd spectate forever."
Asuma smiled. "Sorry—hard to find an opening with you, Zabuza-san."
Kisame's brow creased. "Fūton user… No wonder the edge wind alone cut me."
Asuma's gaze was cool. "Who said the attack ended there?"
A pulse of danger prickled Kisame's nape. Asuma's hands flashed. "Fūton: Tsuiran Arashi (Gale Severing Storm)!"
A whir—Kisame threw Samehada behind him to block. Thunk-thunk-thunk—the chakra knives Asuma had thrown drilled into Samehada, twisting to bore deeper… then halted, clattered to the ground.
Asuma stared. "It absorbed chakra that fast… even Tsuiran Arashi couldn't pierce."
"Heh…" Kisame chuckled—and paused. A kunai was already pressed to his neck.
Zabuza barked at the newcomer, relief and irritation mingled. "Kakashi—this great lord almost died."
Kisame's body puddled again; the real one stood a short distance away. "Copy Ninja… an honor."
"Monster of the Hidden Mist, Kisame," Kakashi said.
"Heh. At least someone in Konoha recognizes me—unlike that other one who needed an introduction. You might be worth cutting." Kisame brought Samehada crosswise.
A rush of wings—crows spilled from the trees as Itachi appeared. "Kisame. A large force of Konoha shinobi is incoming. The mission failed. We're leaving."
Kisame blinked, then grinned. "Next time, Kakashi."
Flicker—both he and Itachi vanished before their eyes.
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