Chapter 132 – Momochi Zabuza
"Oh my, oh my… isn't this the missing-nin from Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza?" Kakashi said calmly, his single visible eye fixed on the man standing on a tree branch.
A missing-nin, huh? But this time... I'm ready, Naruto thought, tightening his fists as he stared at the imposing figure above.
"Stay back, all of you," Kakashi said in a quiet but firm tone.
Even though he was facing one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, there wasn't the slightest hint of fear in his voice.
"Why, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, confused.
"This man... he's on an entirely different level from anyone we've fought before," Kakashi said seriously.
"Don't worry. The Sharingan's power isn't something trivial," Sasuke muttered, confidence burning in his eyes.
"Hmph. So this is the famous Copy Ninja... the man who's said to have copied over a thousand jutsu. Sharingan Copy Ninja—Hatake Kakashi," Zabuza said with a cold grin.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique."
Thick mist rolled in, blanketing the area until visibility dropped to nothing. Zabuza's figure vanished completely. The next moment—he was already behind Naruto and Sasuke.
"Sharingan..." Kakashi whispered, the scar over his left eye glowing faintly as the Sharingan flared to life.
In an instant, he appeared in front of Zabuza, kunai poised to strike—but the body he hit turned into water.
"A water clone?" Kakashi muttered.
"Sensei! Behind you!" Naruto shouted.
"You're dead!" Zabuza swung his massive sword down, aiming to cleave Kakashi in half—
But the Kakashi he struck dissolved into water as well.
"When... did he create a clone?" Zabuza's eyes widened.
From behind him, Kakashi emerged from the surface of a nearby river, launching a counterattack—but that, too, was another clone.
Zabuza appeared behind the real Kakashi this time and brought down his sword in a heavy swing. Kakashi ducked, but the sheer impact gouged the earth, and Zabuza's kick sent him flying backward.
"Kakashi-sensei got blown away!" Sakura cried out.
"His Taijutsu isn't to be underestimated either…" Sasuke muttered, frowning.
Kakashi resurfaced from the water, preparing to stand—but something felt off.
"This water... it's not natural," he whispered.
"Of course it's not. Water Prison Technique."
Zabuza appeared right beside him, his hand forming seals before enclosing Kakashi in a sphere of water.
"Tch... damn it."
"You've fallen into my trap. This technique locks you in place. The moment I move, it collapses—so you won't be going anywhere," Zabuza said with eerie calm.
Meanwhile, his water clone turned its attention to Sasuke and knocked him down with a single strike.
Yet, even while trapped, Kakashi's face remained completely composed.
"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"
Naruto's voice echoed as more than twenty clones surged forward, charging straight at Zabuza's clone.
"Charge!"
Zabuza smirked. In a blur of motion, he destroyed every clone with a few well-placed swings of his sword.
But that chaos was only a setup. Naruto transformed into a giant shuriken and was hurled by Sasuke directly at Zabuza.
"What—?!"
The feint worked. Zabuza dodged the projectile, momentarily losing focus—and that was all Kakashi needed to break free from the prison.
"Nice work, Naruto, Sasuke. I'm impressed. Sakura… you've got some catching up to do," Kakashi said with a faint grin.
"Kakashi... even if you're free, what difference does it make?" Zabuza growled.
Both men began weaving hand signs in perfect synchronization.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Zabuza's eyes widened. "You copied it already?!"
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" Kakashi mirrored him again, every movement identical.
"He's memorizing those complex hand signs... instantly?" Sasuke muttered, stunned.
Even Zabuza was beginning to look uneasy.
And then, Kakashi calmly reached up and lowered his forehead protector back over his Sharingan.
"What are you doing?" Zabuza asked, confused.
"Enough playing around. It's time to end this," Kakashi said, stretching his neck casually.
"Don't get cocky, Kakashi!" Zabuza roared.
"There's no need to get angry... it's your own fault for being weak," Kakashi replied coldly.
If Sakumo were here, he'd probably sigh and mutter, 'Just like his brother… far too arrogant.'
Sasuke frowned—why wasn't Kakashi using his Sharingan anymore?
"Arrogant fool!" Zabuza charged forward, swinging his massive blade.
"You still don't understand the difference between us. Remember this name—Hatake."
Kakashi's aura sharpened instantly, like a drawn blade cutting through the air.
"Armament Haki: Finger Gun."
He raised one finger and stopped Zabuza's massive sword in its tracks. The blade shattered cleanly in two.
Naruto and the others froze, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Tempest Kick: Lotus."
Kakashi spun, his kick unleashing a slicing gust that ripped through the air. Zabuza didn't even have time to weave a single hand sign before the attack struck him full-on.
The swordsman crashed to the ground, blood pouring from his body, his expression twisted in shock and pain.
"S-so strong... is this... the power of a Jōnin?" Sakura whispered.
"Idiot, Zabuza's a Jōnin too…" Sasuke muttered, still awestruck.
No... this isn't just a difference in rank. Kakashi's power... it's on another level. Maybe even higher than Uchiha Itachi's... Sasuke thought, clenching his fists.
"It's over. Any last words?" Kakashi asked, approaching calmly.
But before Zabuza could speak, a rain of senbon needles flew through the mist and pierced his neck.
"Greetings. I'm a hunter-nin from Kirigakure. Thank you for assisting us in capturing this rogue ninja," said a masked figure, stepping forward.
"No need to thank me," Kakashi replied with a faint smile.
"May I take the body?" the masked ninja asked politely.
"Go ahead," Kakashi said without hesitation.
The figure approached—but stopped when Kakashi's voice suddenly hardened.
"No. You're not taking him anywhere."
The masked ninja froze.
"You're his accomplice, aren't you? You've been nearby this whole time," Kakashi said, his tone sharp.
Without warning, the masked figure attacked, ice spreading from his hands.
"Kekkei Genkai... Ice Release," Kakashi muttered, dodging with ease.
"Why are you all standing around? I'll leave this one to you. I'm out of chakra," Kakashi said, before collapsing to the ground.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei! Multi Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto shouted, charging in.
"Foolish."
"Water Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
All of Naruto's clones burst apart, and even his real body was sent flying backward.
Sasuke lunged with a kunai, but the masked ninja parried it effortlessly, forming one-handed seals.
"Ice Release: Thousand Flying Ice Needles!"
Dozens of icy projectiles shot out from all directions, stabbing into Sasuke's arms and legs.
"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!" he countered, exhaling a massive sphere of flame.
"Ice Release: Ice Wall."
The flames were smothered by a thick wall of frost. Then the enemy whispered again—
"Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals."
A ring of ice mirrors materialized around them, encircling the battlefield. The masked ninja stepped into one of the mirrors, his reflection multiplying endlessly.
Sasuke and Sakura froze, overwhelmed. Even Kakashi, lying on the ground, opened his eye slightly to watch.
"Those... mirrors? What's he planning to do?" Sasuke muttered.
"Now then," Haku's voice echoed from every direction. "Let's begin. I'll show you my true speed."
From within the mirrors, a storm of senbon rained down. Sasuke raised his arms, but the needles sliced through his guard, cutting him again and again.
This isn't good… at this rate, they're both done for. With their current power, they don't stand a chance...
Kakashi exhaled slowly, his mind sharpening as his chakra began to stir once more.
Looks like it's time I stepped in.
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