The fog thickened as Team 7 and Tazuna followed the winding path into the Land of Waves. Trees loomed like shadows, and the air hung damp and heavy. Even Naruto — so often loud and energetic — walked in silence, eyes flicking across the terrain.
His system pinged softly in his mind.
> Environmental Modifier Detected: Dense Mist
→ Perception -20%
→ Hearing +10%
Skill Tip: High Dexterity improves spatial awareness in low-visibility areas.
Naruto squinted through the trees. "I don't like this," he whispered to himself.
Kakashi halted suddenly, raising a hand.
They all stopped.
Sasuke leaned in. "What is it?"
Kakashi said nothing.
The mist swirled unnaturally.
A massive blade whirled through the air — spinning end over end — and embedded itself into a tree, inches from Tazuna's face.
Everyone jumped.
A voice followed. Deep. Calm. Cold.
"Step away from the bridge builder."
A man stood atop the blade. Wrapped in bandages, face obscured, with a massive cleaver taller than Naruto strapped to his back.
Kakashi's single visible eye narrowed.
"Zabuza Momochi. Missing-nin of the Hidden Mist."
Naruto froze. He knew that name.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist.
> Threat Analysis:
→ Name: Zabuza Momochi
→ Rank: A-Rank Missing-nin
→ Known Affiliation: Former Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist
→ Estimated Combat Power: HIGH
→ Objective: Assassinate Tazuna
WARNING: Mission threat level has escalated to B-Rank.
→ Team survival probability without Jonin: 15%
> System Response: Emergency Support Mode Active
→ Passive XP gain halted. Direct performance-based XP enabled.
→ Clone durability increased by 20% during combat vs superior-ranked enemies.
→ Chakra regeneration accelerated under life-threatening pressure.
Naruto gritted his teeth.
He had to fight smart — or they were dead.
---
Kakashi stepped forward, pulling up his forehead protector.
His left eye glinted red.
Sasuke whispered, "That's… the Sharingan."
Naruto stared.
He'd heard of it — a legendary eye technique passed through the Uchiha clan. How did Kakashi have one?
The mist thickened again.
Then—
Zabuza vanished.
Naruto blinked.
Gone.
> Perception Check: Failed
Hostile Presence: Unseen
The world turned silent.
Naruto's pulse roared in his ears.
Then — Kakashi moved. A blur of motion.
CLASH!
The massive blade swung toward them, but Kakashi caught it with a kunai, sparks flying.
Naruto stumbled back.
"Clones — now!"
> Shadow Clone Jutsu – Lv. 5 Activated
→ Chakra Cost: 10
→ Clones Summoned: 4
→ Combat Mode: Defensive Evasion
The clones surrounded Tazuna and Sakura, creating a protective ring.
Zabuza snarled. "Sending children to protect civilians. Konoha's grown soft."
Naruto growled. "We're not just kids anymore."
Sasuke stood beside him, kunai ready.
Kakashi stepped forward.
"You three — protect Tazuna and stay alive. I'll handle him."
Without waiting, he and Zabuza disappeared into the fog.
---
Minutes passed like hours.
The sound of water clashing with steel echoed all around.
Sasuke paced. "We're sitting ducks out here."
Sakura stayed close to Tazuna, trembling.
Naruto formed another clone silently and whispered, "Go. Scout the perimeter."
> New Sub-skill Learned: Clone Relay
→ Clone can send brief chakra pulses of intel without dispelling
→ Range: 30 meters
→ Cooldown: 3 minutes
He felt the pulse almost immediately.
Enemy chakra signature nearby.
Not Zabuza. Smaller. Faster. Watching.
Naruto's blood chilled.
"We're not alone."
The fog shifted.
Then, the scream came.
Kakashi's voice—cut off.
Naruto turned.
And saw it.
Kakashi — trapped. Suspended in a sphere of water.
Zabuza stood beside it, hand on the surface, holding the jutsu steady.
"Only one of you has to die before the rest scatter," he said.
Naruto's system flared.
> Emergency Sub-Quest: Free Kakashi
Reward: +800 XP, Skill Unlock – Water Adaptation
Failure Consequence: Permanent Team Debuff (-10% morale in future combat)
Naruto didn't hesitate.
"Sasuke! With me!"
They charged.
The clones followed, forming a distraction — while Naruto darted left and Sasuke flanked from the right.
Zabuza growled and released a water clone from the prison.
The clone blocked Sasuke and deflected two of Naruto's clones effortlessly — but Naruto kept going.
He skidded to a stop near the sphere.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
The Jonin looked up, barely conscious.
"Distract him… use the… wind…"
Naruto's eyes flashed.
> Active Skill: Wind Style – Gale Cutter (Lv. 2)
→ Chakra Cost: 18
→ Cooldown: 6 seconds
He launched the blade of wind—not at Zabuza—but at the water sphere.
BOOM.
The jutsu cracked at the edges. Not fully destroyed—but weakened.
Zabuza snarled, releasing the jutsu momentarily to defend.
That was all Kakashi needed.
POOF.
The real Kakashi appeared behind him.
"Too slow."
His hands blurred.
"Water Style — Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A colossal torrent of water formed into the head of a dragon and slammed into Zabuza, sending him flying into the trees.
Zabuza skidded to a stop, panting.
"You copied my jutsu…"
Kakashi's Sharingan glowed.
"Everything you do, I can do better."
---
After minutes of intense combat, Zabuza finally fell, unconscious — pinned by Kakashi's dogs, bloodied but alive.
Then a figure appeared from the fog — masked, small, delicate.
"Let me dispose of him," the voice said. "I'm a tracker-nin from the Mist."
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
> Insight Check: Partial Success
Suspicion Triggered: High chance of false identity. Chakra presence… wrong.
Kakashi hesitated — but nodded.
The masked ninja took Zabuza's body and disappeared into the mist.
As silence returned, Kakashi staggered.
And collapsed.
---
They made camp again that night, deeper into the Land of Waves, at a hidden outpost near Tazuna's village.
Kakashi lay under blankets, pale.
"That jutsu… took too much out of me," he rasped.
"You need rest," Sakura said.
Naruto stared at the fire.
"Kakashi-sensei," he asked, "was that tracker-nin really from the Mist?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No. That was a lie. Zabuza's alive. That was a comrade, helping him escape."
Sasuke's fist tightened. "We could've stopped him."
"No," Kakashi said. "You weren't ready. You would've died."
Naruto said nothing.
But in his mind…
> Quest Complete: First Major Boss Battle – Survive Zabuza Momochi
+1,200 XP
Level Up: Lv. 8
Perk Unlocked: Tactical Evolution I
→ Clone coordination now grants minor bonuses to real-body reflexes
→ +5% combo effectiveness when fighting alongside allies
> Trait Unlocked: Leadership (Dormant)
→ Activated by taking command in 3+ missions
→ Progress: 2/3
He looked down at his hands.
This wasn't just about getting stronger anymore.
This was war.