The last fight was between Kakashi and Zabuza.
Zabuza swung his giant sword at Kakashi, the copy ninja had to deflect with only his kunai. Of course, bigger the weapon, bigger the leverage. Kakashi was knocked back three steps by just the weight of the attack.
Before he could balance himself, another attack was directly at his shoulder. Kakashi was anything but non-adaptive, though. Being a sword user himself in his past, he knew well how to find flaws in the sword stance and how to avoid strikes, especially when those attacks were done by a sword this big.
Kobikiribōchō was big, very big for a sword. Only a madman could use it like a normal sword; that was saying something about Zabuza's strength.
But no matter how strong Zabuza's arms were, physics have its own laws.
Zabuza's sword was slow enough for Kakashi to predict where the attack was gonna land and avoid.
Of course, this was only because Zabuza wasn't exactly specialised in pure swordsmanship. While his swordsmanship was commendable, it was his assassination skills which really famed his name.
Dang…
Dang.
Again and again, the giant sword and the small, almost insignificant kunai collided, creating metallic sounds.
Both jonin moved with years-honed precision; it was almost like a dance.
Neither had broken out with any jutsu yet, gauging each other's condition and skills.
Sukuna was having a good time watching the two jonin duke it out. It's not every day, after all, he gets to see a fight of this calibre.
Though even a novice could tell that Kakashi was struggling. However, Sukuna wasn't worried at all; if anything, he was looking forward to what happened next.
Zabuza moved like a phantom in the mist, each swing of his massive blade sending shockwaves through the air. Kakashi blocked with a kunai, but the force of the blow pushed him back several steps. The bridge rang with every clash.
"You're slower today, Copy Ninja," Zabuza growled, stepping forward with another heavy strike.
Kakashi dodged the slash by a hair, feeling the wind from the blade cut across his vest. "Or maybe you're just more annoying than usual," he replied, trying to keep his tone light even as his arms trembled from the repeated impacts.
Zabuza didn't stop. He came in again, swinging the Kubikiribōchō from above. Kakashi blocked with both hands this time, knees bending under the pressure. The stone beneath his feet cracked.
"And how long you planned to hide that Sharingan of yours," Zabuza said with a mocking grin. "What's wrong? Afraid you'll tire out too quickly?"
That was the only reason Zabuza thought Kakashi was still holding back upon using his Sharingan.
Kakashi clicked his tongue and jumped back, throwing a flurry of shuriken. Zabuza spun his sword, blocking them easily.
"Not bad," Zabuza said, stepping forward. "But without the Sharingan, you're just another jonin."
Kakashi charged in, kunai in hand, and the two clashed again. Sparks flew. Kakashi aimed for Zabuza's side, but the swordsman twisted and slammed his elbow into Kakashi's ribs. Pain shot through Kakashi's torso.
He slid back, coughing once. "That hurt…"
Zabuza didn't wait. He rushed forward and slashed horizontally. Kakashi ducked, but not fast enough—the blade grazed his shoulder, cutting through the fabric and drawing blood.
Kakashi hissed softly. "Well! Finally."
"Huh?" Zabuza, who was about to deliver another mocking taunt, was left confused. What does he mean by finally?
Is Kakashi into those kinds of things?
Zabuza looked at the cut he made and looked at Kakashi's face, which looked much more relieved for some reason now.
So, he really is a pervert, huh…! In Zabuza's mind, Kakashi's image twisted from that famous ninja to something else entirely.
Kakashi, on the other hand, didn't mind what the hell he was thinking, he sighed because drawing blood in a fight was what he was looking forward to.
To explain why, we need a flashback…
…
[Flash Back]
Kakashi lay flat in his futon like a dead dog, his mask held up but Sukuna could tell the guy was panting, though ever so slightly.
His only hollow eye was staring at the ceiling with hopeless intensity, like all the answers to the question of what his life was lay there.
"You know, that eye of yours does more harm than good, right!" Sukuna couldn't help but bring out the subject. Their recent match was left unfinished since they didn't plan to go all out from the beginning.
Completely exhausting each other in hostile territory was idiotic at best.
Kakashi acted as if he didn't hear the question, still very much interested in the ceiling.
"Why do you keep using it? I have heard about your performance from the Third Ninja War time, even without that Sharingan you were a force to reckon with. Why bother deadlifting the eye which does nothing but drag you down? Is the copy ability it provides really that useful for you to keep feeding it your chakra?" Sukuna prompted.
Kakashi only grunted, seemingly wishing to get up, but a sharp pain in his gut slammed him down again.
"You hit too damn hard." He complained.
"I thought that was the point." Sukuna smirked.
Sighing and muttering to himself something along the lines of bratty teenagers, he finally decided to open his mouth.
"It's given to me by a dead teammate of mine. I failed to protect him and one another back then. This eye reminds me of my failure." Kakashi sounded sad, reminiscing of the time back when he was in Minato's team, going on missions with Obito and Rin.
"He gave you his eye?" Sukuna, though knowing the entire story, still faked his astonishment.
This drew a little chuckle from Kakashi, lifting the man's mood a bit. "It was a gift on his deathbed."
"Hmm… well if it holds that much emotional meaning to you then I have no say in what you do. However, couldn't you find a way to block that eye or better yet, turn it off when you're not using it?" Sukuna asked, this time genuinely wondering why Kakashi never found a way to do it.
Kakashi pondered for a little while before finally answering, "It not like it never came to my mind, my sensei was one of the best fuinjutsu masters, you know. But something always kept me from actually finding a solution. Perhaps I didn't want to in the first place." Kakashi smiled, it wasn't one of those smiles where he didn't wish to change anything.
He just had accepted how things are, period.
"Even when that eye of yours would lead to your death, or perhaps your comrades' death?" Sukuna asked nonchalantly, knowing exactly how to get a rise out of Kakashi.
Kakashi stiffened. His life he didn't care much; however, he vowed not to let his comrades die. He wished he had an answer for this absurdly strong boy but he had nothing, only his guilt.
How would he go around explaining what guilt makes a man do to a boy not even half his age who hasn't seen war, hasn't lost anyone he loved, hasn't seen bloodshed?
"Look, I don't know what happened with you, however, I don't think your friend who gave you his eye gave it with the intent for you to torture yourself.
If anything, you doing that is borderline betraying his feelings and original intent. You might think Zabuza has not seen, but if I can, then an elite jonin like him definitely would.
When next time he comes, which he will, he'll drag out the fight. Until you're all out of chakra before delivering the finishing blow. And you should know this better than I do, that once you fall, none of the genin is a match for a jonin like Zabuza.
Your stubbornness not only will lead to your death but also your genin." Sukuna said, his tone serious and direct.
Kakashi's lips pursed. That shouldn't be the case, right? 'I won't let that happen, I can just finish the fight before it drags out,' Kakashi thought but was immediately shot down by Sukuna.
"Perhaps, you can end the fight early, if you're thinking about that, however, putting something to chance is as good as leaving your life in the enemy's hands, wishing for them to show mercy."
It was almost like Sukuna read his mind, Kakashi's hand clenched.
"If that's were to happen, I want you to take others and run." Kakashi, dejected, finally replied.
"Ah, stubborn to the boot. It's fine you die, but won't do anything about that eye!" Sukuna deadpanned.
Kakashi at this let out a helpless chuckle. "I said my teacher was a master in fuinjutsu, not me. I don't have any way to turn it off right now." Kakashi shrugged.
"Well… well. That sure is a conundrum, isn't it. It just so happens to be that I'm quite good in fuinjutsu myself.
Want me to give it a try?" Sukuna smiled, a toothy smile.
"I never knew you knew fuinjutsu." Kakashi was hesitant. How come even this boy's files didn't have this kind of intel in them? Just how much was he hiding?
Sukuna shrugged. "What can I say, been too busy in training and hospital that my other talents never got a chance to shine." Sukuna.
~o~
A/N : Ah, I so much wished to do something about that eye of his and finally got an idea how to. Not before any of you start questioning how is that even possible, I will explain the next capture. However, I am not taking the eye from him. I genuinely got a good solution.
How did you like the chapter, did you like the conversation, that always been my weak spot to be honest. Anyways, I'll make sure to improve as much as possible.
Also guys, if you like please give my Patreon a chance, you get advance chapters there.
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