The moment Kakashi saw that Body Flicker Technique, his expression darkened completely.
With this level of movement mastered, killing—or even seriously injuring—Zabuza would become extremely difficult.
Before he could finish the thought, the Kubikiribōchō was already descending.
Kakashi instinctively drew a kunai and raised it to block.
Clang!
The impact sent a violent shock through his arm.
Kakashi's pupils shrank.
What terrifying strength…!
When did Zabuza gain power like this?
The Kubikiribōchō had been modified by Shigure. Its increased weight could only be felt by the enemy—not by the wielder.
At the same time, the blade continuously absorbed blood through combat, restoring the user's stamina.
It turned its wielder into a relentless killing machine that would not tire.
This was one of Shigure's later refinements to the legendary blade.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Under Zabuza's relentless barrage, Kakashi's shock deepened.
"This is…" Kakashi muttered, blocking again. "Shigure's swordsmanship."
Zabuza's lips curled upward as he swung again without pause.
"That's right," he said calmly. "Shigure personally taught me. He even acknowledged that my swordsmanship has reached seventy to eighty percent of his level."
Seventy to eighty percent.
Kakashi's heart sank.
Who was Shigure?
In Kakashi's eyes, Shigure wasn't just a terrifying ninjutsu prodigy—he was also a monstrous genius with the sword.
To reach seventy to eighty percent of Shigure's level meant that Zabuza had already stepped into the realm of a true sword master.
Engaging him in close-quarters combat any longer would be suicide.
Kakashi immediately retreated, forcibly creating distance.
Just then—
"Guy-sensei, watch out!"
Neji's warning rang out sharply.
In the next instant, Ōshiro Mumei, wielding the Blunt Sword: Kabutowari, surged forward. Steam billowed from the weapon as it came crashing down toward Might Guy.
Thanks to Neji's warning, Guy leaped backward at the last second.
Boom! Crash!!
The ground exploded.
Cracks spread instantly across the earth, and the violent shockwave left Neji, Lee, and Tenten staring in disbelief.
Was this level of destructive force even achievable by a human?
Might Guy's heart pounded heavily.
He hadn't expected his opponent's raw attack power to be this terrifying.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist…" Guy said solemnly.
"Ōshiro Mumei—Blunt Sword, Kabutowari."
With that level of strength, this man was unquestionably elite jōnin level.
And compared to Zabuza, he was an even more terrifying monster in pure power.
"In that case," Guy said, planting his feet firmly, "it looks like you're my opponent!"
Meanwhile—
"Woman."
Kisame Hoshigaki lifted Samehada, pointing the massive blade toward Kurenai Yūhi at the edge of the battlefield.
Kurenai's face paled slightly.
Zabuza was suppressing Kakashi.
Ōshiro Mumei had forced Might Guy to retreat.
And this man—one of their companions—was certainly no weaker.
Her strength lay in genjutsu, not close-quarters combat.
If Kisame managed to close the distance…
The consequences would be disastrous.
As he spoke, Kisame sneered.
"What are you spacing out for? The battle already started!"
Crash! Bang!
The massive blade Samehada slammed down without warning.
"Kurenai! Don't lose focus—keep your eyes on the enemy!" Kakashi shouted while parrying Zabuza's attack.
"That man is Kisame Hoshigaki, wielder of the Great Sword, Samehada!"
"His strength is probably no weaker than the other two!"
Zabuza laughed coldly.
"You're fighting me and still worrying about your teammates?" he said.
"It seems I haven't forced you to fight seriously yet. Are you really looking down on me that much?"
The sound of rushing water suddenly filled the air.
The Kubikiribōchō in Zabuza's hand seemed to stir invisible currents, as if the moisture in the atmosphere itself was responding.
Water Breathing!
Third Form—Flowing Dance!
In an instant, Zabuza burst forward with astonishing speed. His figure flashed between trees, his movements fluid and relentless as he closed in on Kakashi from multiple angles.
This wasn't the first time Kakashi had seen this technique.
Yet even now, he couldn't help but marvel.
Shigure's Water Breathing… no matter how many times I see it, it's still incredible.
In the distance, the five Kirigakure ninja watching the battle had excitement burning in their eyes.
"So strong… Is this Lord Mizukage's unique swordsmanship—Water Breathing?"
"When Lord Zabuza uses it, the power is terrifying!"
"Damn it! If only I were qualified to learn this sword style!"
"I haven't even gotten started yet…"
Their voices overlapped with envy and admiration.
Kakashi finally understood.
It wasn't just Zabuza.
Shigure was spreading this swordsmanship throughout the entire Hidden Mist Village.
Not everyone had the talent to master it—but as long as a ninja learned even one or two forms, their strength would increase dramatically.
This was a systematic effort to raise the overall combat power of Kirigakure.
What exactly are you planning, Shigure…?
Crash! Bang!
Suddenly, Kakashi's kunai was knocked out of his hand.
Before he could recover, Zabuza's kick slammed into his abdomen, sending him flying backward.
Kakashi twisted midair, barely stabilizing himself before landing and sliding several meters across the ground.
He stopped at last, breathing heavily, his gaze fixed on Zabuza.
A trace of shock crept into his eyes.
Nearby, Ōshiro Mumei and Might Guy were locked in a brutal clash of strength.
As a taijutsu specialist, Might Guy's physical power was monstrous—but even so—
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Each collision between them sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
The fight was raw, violent, and overwhelming.
Neji, Lee, and Tenten watched with wide eyes.
"So this… is a jōnin-level battle?"
Neji clenched his fists.
He had always believed his strength was impressive—but compared to monsters like these, the gap was like heaven and earth.
"Genjutsu?"
Kisame's voice suddenly rang out, filled with disdain.
He knew exactly who his former partner had been.
Uchiha Itachi.
The first time Kisame met him, he had been completely overwhelmed by genjutsu. Since then, Kisame had developed absolute respect—and caution—toward it.
Now, facing Kurenai Yūhi's illusion, he understood immediately how to break it.
"Compared to that man," Kisame sneered,
"your genjutsu is far too weak."
Samehada moved.
Kurenai's eyes narrowed—
Crash! Bang!
She was struck head-on by a crushing blow and sent flying backward.
At the same moment—
In the Hidden Mist Village, Shigure returned to the Mizukage's office.
Ao stood before him, handing over stacks of documents.
As Shigure skimmed through them, the smile on his face gradually froze.
Great Sage—begin.
He no longer wanted to waste time.
Just then, movement stirred in the lake outside the Mizukage Building.
A shark surfaced silently.
Shigure lifted his gaze.
An intelligence report from Kisame…
Kuji retrieved the message and handed it over.
Shigure slowly unrolled the scroll and read its contents.
His expression darkened slightly.
Seeing this, Kuji's heart sank.
Something had gone wrong.
Shigure closed the scroll.
"Konoha…" he said calmly. "They are determined to obstruct us."
A faint smile curved his lips.
"It seems a conflict between the Hidden Mist and Konoha is unavoidable."
"Then so be it."
He turned to Kuji.
"You'll make a trip to Konoha."
Shigure's smile deepened, cold and sharp.
"I want to meet the Hokage of Konoha—personally."
(End of Chapter)
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