Morning came wrapped in fog.
A dense, damp mist clung to the sea and crept inland, swallowing the horizon and muffling sound. The Land of Waves greeted visitors not with sunlight, but with silence—broken only by the slow lap of water against wooden piers and the distant cry of seabirds.
After more than a day of hard travel, Team 7 finally crossed the boundary into Wave Country.
The small boat slid quietly to shore. With the help of the mist and a discreet local contact arranged by Tazuna, the group avoided patrols and prying eyes. No ambushes. No pursuit. No sudden killing intent pressing down from the trees.
For the first time since leaving Konoha, the road ahead seemed… calm.
Too calm.
The moment his feet touched solid ground, Kakashi Hatake exhaled slowly through his nose.
He adjusted his pace, drifting almost imperceptibly until he positioned himself between Naruto and Tazuna, his posture relaxed, his visible eye half-lidded.
But his chakra was taut as a drawn wire.
They're fast, Kakashi thought. Faster than expected.
His gaze flicked briefly toward Sasuke and Sakura, watching for any sign of awareness.
Let's see if they notice this time…
Naruto, oblivious as ever, was peering around at the mist-covered docks with poorly concealed excitement. Everything felt new—the smell of saltwater, the unfamiliar architecture, the sheer sense of being outside the village.
Kakashi didn't even look at him.
With the other presence inside Naruto, worrying about his situational awareness felt… redundant.
Not far ahead, concealed within the bushes lining the road, Zabuza Momochi narrowed his eyes.
The mist parted just enough for him to clearly observe the approaching group.
White hair. Mask. Lazy posture.
Kakashi of the Sharingan, Zabuza confirmed.
A slow, predatory smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"So that's him," he muttered. "No wonder those two idiots failed."
As a survivor of the Bloody Mist era—one who had carved his name out through slaughter—Zabuza felt no fear. Only anticipation.
After months of being hunted by Mist hunter-nin, of running and hiding like prey, he was starving for a real fight. A name. A kill that would echo.
If he took down Kakashi Hatake here, no one—not Gatō, not the underworld, not even the Hidden Mist—would dare question his value again.
Behind him, a slender figure stepped forward soundlessly.
Haku, masked and silent, felt the spike in killing intent roll off Zabuza like heat from a blade.
"Zabuza-sama," Haku asked quietly, "do we strike now?"
Zabuza lifted a hand.
"No."
His eyes never left Kakashi.
"He's noticed us already. He's pretending otherwise—using this chance to temper his brats."
A low chuckle escaped him.
"Arrogant. But it won't save him."
Zabuza straightened, fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"I'll greet them first," he said. "After that, follow our usual pattern."
Haku nodded once.
He understood.
The sound came without warning.
A violent whirr cut through the fog, sharp enough to make the air itself recoil.
"Kneel!" Kakashi barked.
His hands slammed Naruto and Tazuna downward as he dropped with them.
Sasuke and Sakura reacted instantly, ducking low.
A massive blade spun overhead, close enough that the wind of its passage tugged at hair and clothing before—
Clang!
The sword buried itself deep into the trunk of a tree ahead, vibrating ominously.
A figure appeared atop the hilt as if summoned from the mist itself.
Bare-chested. Wrapped in bandages. Killing intent rolling outward like a tide.
"It's him," Kakashi said, voice tight.
"Zabuza Momochi."
"The Demon of the Hidden Mist."
Zabuza grinned.
"I didn't expect to be remembered. I suppose I'll return the courtesy."
His gaze slid past Kakashi, settling on Tazuna.
"Hand over the old man," he said casually. "I'll let the rest of you walk."
"Not happening!" Naruto shouted, leaping forward before anyone could stop him.
"You ambush us, and then you want us to hand over Uncle Tazuna?! What kind of scumbag are you?!"
Even as he yelled, Naruto's thoughts screamed inward.
Lock! Why didn't you warn me?!
That sword almost took my head off!
A low, amused chuckle echoed inside his mind.
"Oh?" Lock drawled. "I thought after yesterday, you'd try being brave for at least a day."
Naruto clenched his teeth.
"If Kakashi-sensei hadn't reacted—!"
"And if I'd warned you," Lock cut in coolly, "you'd be leaning on me again."
A pause.
"Why don't you just give me the body?" Lock continued lazily. "I'll step out and kill him for you."
Naruto's face flushed with anger.
"I already said I was sorry! And I'm still right—torturing and killing people like that is wrong!"
"If you won't help, fine! We can handle him ourselves!"
Lock laughed softly.
"That's optimistic. He's no weaker than Kakashi."
His voice sharpened.
"Without me, you are nothing. You can't protect anyone."
The words struck deeper than Naruto wanted to admit.
"Or," Lock continued, merciless, "are you waiting for someone to get hurt so you can pretend you had no choice? So you can 'accidentally' lose control and let me out?"
Naruto's thoughts exploded.
"That's not true!"
"Isn't it?" Lock asked quietly. "Sounds convenient."
Naruto shook with fury.
"I'm your opposite! I have the same potential as you! I'm not inferior!"
"I'll prove it. I'll protect them. Without you!"
Inside, something twisted.
[Main Personality Trust/Dependency Value: 52%]
Lock snorted.
"Big words, brat."
Zabuza had lost patience.
In the blink of an eye, both he and the Kubikiribōchō vanished.
When they reappeared, the massive blade was already descending toward Tazuna.
"So fast—!" Sakura gasped.
None of the genin could react.
But Kakashi could.
Steel rang against steel as Kakashi crossed two kunai, halting the blade less than a hand's breadth from Tazuna's face.
Zabuza's eyes gleamed.
"You're worth killing," he said approvingly.
Kakashi shoved him back and pulled his headband aside.
The Sharingan spun to life.
"Formation!" Kakashi ordered. "Protect the client. This is mine."
Naruto hesitated—then obeyed.
The three genin snapped into a defensive Manji formation around Tazuna, backs aligned, weapons ready.
Zabuza laughed.
"Then let's dance."
Water churned beneath his feet as he formed seals.
A Water Clone peeled off and sprinted toward the genin.
Kakashi didn't move to stop it.
The real battle erupted elsewhere.
Two shadows blurred into motion, clashing again and again, kunai and blade screaming as mist swallowed them whole.
And as Naruto watched, heart pounding, one thought burned in his chest—
I'll show you, Lock.
I don't need you.
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