Just as the Sky Screen finished its commentary, the scene suddenly shifted to a foggy location.
On the calm surface of the water, a man with bandages and a bare upper body appeared, the kubikiribōchō strapped to his back.
In his left hand, he held a four-bladed shuriken, which he slammed heavily against the wrist guard of the masked man opposite him. Both of their faces were splattered with water droplets.
Under the pressure of the blade, blood dripped from the masked man's fingers.
Once the image became clear, many in the Shinobi World immediately recognized them as Zabuza and Kakashi. On the shore nearby stood the bridge-builder Tazuna, along with Sasuke and Sakura, while Naruto floated on the water.
As Kakashi exerted force with his right hand, the shuriken pressing against his wrist was deflected, and the two immediately retreated in opposite directions to establish distance.
Then, both of their hands moved almost simultaneously, forming hand signs.
"Tora – Saru – Ushi – Ne – Inu – Tori – Ushi – Uma – Tori – Ne – Tatsu – Inu – Tora – Mi – Ushi – Hitsuji – Mi – Inu – Mi – Ne…"
"Mizunoto – Saru – Tori – Tatsu – Tori – Ushi – Uma – Mi – Tatsu – Mi – Ne – Saru – Ushi – I – Tatsu – Mi – Ne – Ushi – Saru – Tori – Mizunoto – Ne – I…"
On the screen, Zabuza's arms moved frantically, while the three-tomoe Sharingan in Kakashi's left eye dilated. He followed suit and wove the signs in sync, his speed actually matching Zabuza's.
As both men's faces contorted with effort, they clapped their hands together and shouted in unison: "…Tori!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
From the water between them, two water dragons with green eyes surged upward, coiling around each other, biting and twisting, sending massive waves into the air.
Beneath the two dragons, Zabuza and Kakashi continued to clash.
Just then, the camera panned to a tree behind them, revealing an unknown figure in a skirted outfit quietly observing the battle.
Ultimately, Kakashi—being the "Copy Ninja"—was a step ahead. He unleashed 'Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu' and defeated Zabuza.
Immediately afterward, Haku appeared, throwing three senbon to make it appear as though Zabuza had died, then disguising himself as an ANBU from Kirigakure, carried Zabuza away.
[44 hand signs. A full 44 hand signs! Zabuza is one of the representatives of the old-school, "proper" way of forming hand seals in the Shinobi World. Who knows whether Kakashi even kept up? Maybe if he hadn't been copying Zabuza, he could have used the Water Dragon Bullet in far fewer than 44 signs.]
[You have to remember, after Tobirama simplified it, the Water Dragon Bullet could be performed with just three hand signs! As an elite Jōnin of Konoha, Kakashi should at least know the simplified version of this Water Release Jutsu.]
[Of course, even though Zabuza's strength isn't that impressive, his "prestige level" is top-tier. Team 7 only ever teamed up to fight two enemies: one was Zabuza, and the other was Kaguya. That alone gives him bragging rights in the Pure Land for a lifetime.]
---
[Konoha, Year 20. Hokage Office]
Tobirama felt a slight smugness upon hearing the Sky Screen's praise.
These Kirigakure shinobis were just too rigid. By the time they finished forming their hand signs, they'd have already been cut down by his Flying Raijin Slash.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Land of Waves, Tazuna's house]
Kakashi's eyes narrowed, and many thoughts flashed through his mind at once.
The scene on the screen—wasn't that Tazuna and Team 7? So, Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist… was the real mastermind behind this mission?
However, perhaps because the previous broadcast had revealed Team 7's situation, even the Demon of the Mist had been scared off—and had held back from making a move all this time.
And that Kirigakure ANBU in the image—he was probably Zabuza's accomplice.
Otherwise, how could there be such a coincidence?
In that situation, the reason he had let them both leave, was most likely because he had little chakra left and couldn't fight again.
It seemed he absolutely couldn't let his guard down until the mission was complete.
Just then, Naruto raised a question. "Huh… isn't that old man Tazuna and us?"
"So why haven't we run into any of these enemies?"
Sakura looked displeased. "That old man is really something—lying about the mission just to save money. The Demon Brothers were bad enough, but now there are even more enemies behind them."
Sasuke was also unhappy, not because he was afraid of the enemies ahead, but simply because he didn't like being deceived.
At the same time, Sasuke was thinking: 'Could he copy the Water Dragon Bullet like Kakashi had?'
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Land of Waves, a hidden room.
Zabuza breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Good thing he'd been smart this time and hadn't rushed in headfirst.
What good was bragging in the Pure Land?
[Honestly, although Zabuza's nickname is "Demon," he's actually a pitiful man. To change the brutal reality of Kirigakure's "Bloody Mist" era, he—in a moment of madness—killed all the students in his graduation exam class. Of course, the effect was immediate: the next year, Kirigakure changed its graduation exam rules.]
[Later, in order to resist the tyranny of the puppet ruler Karatachi Yagura, he attempted to assassinate Yagura directly. After failing, he defected and became a rogue mercenary, obsessively taking jobs to earn money, all with the goal of returning to Kirigakure and overthrowing Yagura's rule.]
[What he didn't know, however, was that the Fourth Mizukage had long been controlled by Uchiha Obito, and the escalation of the Bloody Mist policy was also Obito's doing.]
[Of course, from another perspective, Kirigakure had it coming. After all, Nohara Rin was essentially killed because of them. Obito had every right to take his anger out on them.]
---
[Konoha, Year 60]
Kakashi, who had been calmly listening to the story, suddenly turned pale—he nearly lost his balance.
The image of Rin willingly throwing herself onto his Chidori surfaced before his eyes once more, and his left eye seemed to grow hot.
Just then, a small hand steadied him. When Kakashi snapped back to the present, he found Naruto standing beside him.
"Kakashi-sensei, are you okay?" Naruto's voice carried genuine concern. By now, he knew that Kakashi, Obito, and Rin had all been students of his father, Minato.
Kakashi was stunned for a moment, then a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He shook his head: "I'm fine. Thank you, Naruto."
Naruto let go, hands on his hips. "Kakashi-sensei, I swear I'll help you punch that Obito guy!"
But Sakura, who hadn't understood the context, walked over and asked quietly, "Kakashi-sensei, who is Rin…?"
"My comrade."
"She died in front of me… many years ago."
Sakura opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
Just then, Sasuke suddenly spoke up, "So, according to the screen, Obito took revenge on Kirigakure because of that?"
After a moment's hesitation, Kakashi slowly nodded. "That's probably it. Obito thought Rin was killed by Kirigakure, so he hates that village."
Naruto clenched his fists. "That still doesn't justify controlling the Mizukage—and causing so many deaths!"
Kakashi didn't answer.
He wanted to say that Obito hadn't always been like this—that he used to be passionate and peace-loving, and that he had only changed after Rin's death.
But he couldn't bring himself to say it. Because Obito had already done so many wrongs.
The only thing Kakashi could do now was find Obito—
And either kill him…
Or be killed by him.
*****
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