Chapter 29: The Demon of the Mist
The journey to the Land of Waves was deceptively peaceful, but the moment they stepped off the ferry, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew heavy with a damp, oppressive chill. They had only walked a short distance down the forest path when a low, whistling sound cut through the silence.
A massive, grotesquely shaped sword spun through the air over their heads, embedding itself deep into the trunk of a towering tree with a resonant THWUMP. A figure stood balanced perfectly on the sword's hilt—a tall, menacing man with short, spiky black hair, a Kirigakure forehead protector worn defiantly sideways, and the lower half of his face swathed in bandages.
Kamikawa Hiraoka's eyes narrowed. Momochi Zabuza. Right on schedule.
Zabuza's gaze first landed on Kakashi, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Then it swept over the three genin, lingering for a moment on Hiraoka. The boy wasn't cowering like the other two; he stood with an unnerving calm, his expression one of analytical observation rather than fear. This one might be a problem, Zabuza noted.
"The Demon of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi said, his voice losing its usual laziness and becoming sharp as a blade. "I didn't expect to find you here."
"A pleasure, Copy Ninja Kakashi," Zabuza rasped, his voice like grinding stones. "I wonder if it's my lucky day... or yours." He pointed a thick finger at the trembling Tazuna. "My business is with the bridge builder. Hand him over, and you can walk away. Interfere, and I'll paint this forest with your blood."
"Protect Tazuna!" Kakashi ordered, his hand rising to his forehead protector. He lifted it, revealing the famous Sharingan that swirled with a cold, crimson light.
Uchiha Sasuke stared, shocked. He has a Sharingan?
Hiraoka was less surprised by the eye and more focused on the periphery. Where is he? Where's Haku? He pushed his chakra senses to their limit, scanning the surrounding trees and mist.
"You've made your choice," Zabuza growled. A wave of killing intent so dense it felt solid washed over them. Naruto and Sasuke froze, their bodies locking up in primal terror. Even Hiraoka felt a cold sweat break out on his brow, his muscles tensing against the overwhelming pressure.
"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
A thick, white fog erupted from the river, swallowing the path and reducing visibility to mere feet. The world became a ghostly, silent tableau.
In the heart of the mist, Zabuza materialized like a phantom directly in front of Tazuna. But Hiraoka was already moving. A kunai flashed in his hand, thrusting toward the assassin's temple. The blade passed straight through Zabuza's head, which dissolved into water.
A Water Clone! Hiraoka thought, his eyes darting to a puddle on the ground. He's good.
From within the mist, Zabuza was genuinely impressed. That brat sensed me. He's fast.
Before he could reposition, Kakashi was on him, their kunai clashing. Zabuza knew he had to deal with the jounin first. He disengaged, leaping back onto the river's surface. Their hands became blurs of motion, weaving identical seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" they roared in unison.
Two colossal serpents of water erupted from the river, roaring as they collided mid-air in an explosion of spray and force. Below them, Kakashi and Zabuza continued their deadly dance, Kakashi's Sharingan perfectly predicting and mirroring every one of Zabuza's moves.
From his position guarding Tazuna, Hiraoka watched the display of high-level ninjutsu with keen interest. So this is the famous copycat in action. Impressive.
His gaze then shifted, scanning the treeline. There. A figure with a porcelain mask stood on a high branch, watching the battle with intense focus. Haku.
As if feeling the weight of his stare, Haku's head turned. Their eyes met across the distance. For a moment, they simply looked at one another. Then, Haku's hand twitched, three senbon needles appearing between his fingers. He was preparing to intervene.
Hiraoka gave a slow, almost imperceptible shake of his head.
Haku paused, his body tensing in confusion. The senbon didn't fly.
The battle below reached its climax. Exploiting an opening Kakashi's Sharingan provided, the jounin landed a decisive blow. Zabuza was defeated, kneeling and vulnerable on the water's surface. As Kakashi moved for the final strike, three senbon did finally flash through the air, embedding themselves with clinical precision in Zabuza's neck.
The massive ninja slumped forward, motionless.
A moment later, Haku stood over the body, bowing respectfully to Kakashi. "I am a hunter-nin from Kirigakure. Thank you for your assistance in subduing this traitor. My duty is to ensure his body and secrets do not fall into enemy hands."
Kakashi watched, his Sharingan analyzing the scene, a seed of doubt planted in his mind. Something felt off.
Hiraoka, however, knew the truth. It was a ruse. As Kakashi's suspicion warred with protocol, a new choice presented itself to Hiraoka.
"Ding! Host, please choose."
"Option 1: Publicly expose Haku's disguise."
"Reward: Wind Nature Affinity."
"Option 2: Do not expose Haku."
"Reward: Water Nature Affinity."
"Option 3: Do not expose Haku and attempt to recruit him and Zabuza."
"Reward: Wind & Water Nature Affinity."
Exposing them now would only lead to a messy, unnecessary fight. But the potential of gaining two powerful, rogue shinobi as assets... and completing his set of basic chakra natures? The third option was the only strategic choice.
Option three.
A new duality bloomed within his chakra system—the sharp, cutting quality of wind and the fluid, adaptive nature of water. He now held all five basic nature transformations.
He wouldn't expose them. Not yet. The game was far from over, and Momochi Zabuza and Haku were pieces he had every intention of claiming for his own board.
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And again i wonder what if zabuza had lived? Would the leaf gain a strong jonin?
Boost the story up with Stones dear readers.