"Suiton—Great Waterfall Technique!"
A sharp cry split the forest.
Zabuza's eyes widened in disbelief as a roaring torrent crashed down.
BOOM!
The water engulfed him, slamming his body hard.
As in the original story, Haku appeared and carried Zabuza away. Kakashi collapsed unconscious, left to Naruto and Sasuke to drag him to bridge builder Tazuna's home.
When both groups had withdrawn, three shadows emerged at the battleground.
"Zabuza-senpai really shamed himself, letting that Hatake Kakashi toy with him like this," Ringo Ameyuri sneered. At Kakashi's name, her voice dripped with killing intent.
Zabuza might be a missing-nin, but he was once one of the Seven Swordsmen.
If he'd lost in a straight fight, she might have accepted it. But being undone by tactics? That was an insult to the Seven's name.
Yuto stifled a yawn. Zabuza's defeat was utterly senseless.
The Sharingan was infamous across the shinobi world. Even if the finer details were unknown, its basic abilities were no secret.
And Zabuza knew Kakashi's reputation: "the man who copied over a thousand jutsu."
So what was so shocking about Kakashi mirroring his seals?
Maybe it was just protagonist's plot armor, Yuto mused with amusement.
"Suigetsu, you're awfully quiet today."
Ameyuri raised a brow at him.
"Just thinking that black-haired brat is irritating. And the ANBU who carried Zabuza off… something's off about them."
Suigetsu scowled, speaking softly.
"Brat? You're a brat yourself."
Ameyuri gave him a mocking once-over, recalling the fight in her mind.
Then she smirked coldly.
"Looks like he's working with Zabuza."
Yuto's eyes gleamed with humor.
"Forget Zabuza. I'm more curious—when Kakashi collapsed, did either of you feel the urge to kill him?"
"Kill Kakashi?"
Suigetsu blinked. He'd never thought of it.
Ameyuri hesitated. She had wanted to—but had held back.
Killing Kakashi could spark Konoha's wrath. Even war.
Her eyes suddenly widened, realization dawning.
Yuto smiled, patting her head lightly.
"Exactly. We're here to spark war. Not between Mist and Leaf—but between Konoha and the other four villages."
His voice slid into both their ears.
Ameyuri flushed faintly at his touch, but her eyes burned with excitement.
"War, huh? Sounds fun."
"I've never been to Konoha," Suigetsu grinned, sharp teeth flashing. "Guess I'll get my chance."
Their eagerness surprised Yuto.
"You two don't seem worried."
"Heh. The old Mist couldn't challenge Konoha. But with you here, Yuto-dono, what's there to fear?"
Suigetsu laughed, matter-of-fact.
Ameyuri nodded firmly. Not just them—Mist as a whole placed absolute confidence in Yuto.
Yuto chuckled, shrugging.
"Come. Before the curtain rises, let's kill a few."
"Who?" Suigetsu asked.
"Konoha shinobi, of course." Ameyuri rolled her eyes at him.
In a blink, the three vanished.
...
Near the Land of Waves border.
Four masked Root operatives stood, scanning carefully.
One spoke softly:
"If the reports are right, Kinoshita Jiro has already entered the Land of Waves.
It may be small, but if he hides there, finding him won't be easy."
The others fell silent.
Danzo had given them little time. The longer it dragged, the worse it became.
"Then we split up. Report by signal if you find him. If there's a fight… you know what to do."
The squad leader's voice was cold.
The others nodded.
But as they spoke, mist thickened around them.
"Not good! Hidden Mist Technique!"
One Root ninja cried.
They fell back-to-back, covering four directions.
"Fūton—Great Breakthrough!"
One formed seals and exhaled a gale, trying to disperse the fog.
"Too late. Suiton—Water Gun!"
From the mist, Suigetsu smirked, hand shaped like a pistol as water bullets shot forth.
"Talkative idiot."
Ameyuri scoffed, lightning crackling across her blade as she lunged forward.
"Two signatures… not Jiro."
A Root operative's voice was flat, as chakra surged from both sides.
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