Seeing Kakashi go, whooping Zabuza's ass, Sukuna felt an inner giddiness that was hard to explain.
It was only by chance that he learned Binding Vows could be used on others. It's rather simple, like cursing someone. The only difference is that while making the vow, Sukuna just excludes himself.
Questions like how Kakashi can use a Binding Vow when he has no Curse Energy are natural. Sukuna himself didn't understand how it worked the first time, but after testing it out a bit he realized it.
It was his Curse Energy which made that Binding Vow on them. Again, it's almost like cursing something; it just acts like a Binding Vow, with clear benefits and clear disadvantages.
He wondered what else he could do with vows. Can he make a vow which combines two chakra natures to make a Kekkei Genkai?
Of course, it wouldn't work on himself, but what about others.
He was no Orochimaru, but his smile currently could have given any roadside snake chills.
Looking around, he noticed the other fights were also almost done.
'Konoha should have this entire situation in the bag. At least until that one person hiding in the mist comes out.' Sukuna muttered, once again focusing on the place deep in the mist where that person was hiding. He wasn't visible, but Sukuna could sense his negative emotions.
Now that the fight over here was coming to an end, Sukuna thought he should take care of whoever that, most likely a Mist shinobi, was.
Just as he was about to take action, he felt the enemy's chakra moving towards them.
"I guess I have to intervene after all, Zabuza." came the voice. From deep within the mist, a silhouette was visible from afar.
But to Sukuna's confusion he was actually expecting an adult, but this was a child. Since when did Mist have a strong ninja prodigy like this guy here? Another butterfly effect of his meddling?
Can't be right, he hardly made moves outside Konoha. How could that have affected Hidden Mist, arguably the most secretive and closed-off hidden village there was.
While Sukuna fell into contemplation, Kakashi, who was pushing Zabuza back with his newfound power, had his eyes practically shrink after he heard the voice.
He had only seen the man once, never fought him in person since back in the Third Great Ninja War he wasn't capable of facing an opponent of this man's caliber.
Kakashi might not have faced him, but he sure remembered the terror this one person from Hidden Mist brought.
As the small silhouette revealed himself, even Sukuna realized that he had mistaken. This was no child.
"What is the Mizukage doing here in person?" Kakashi couldn't help himself but ask out, maybe a genuine question to Zabuza or just questioning his own luck.
"Yagura… I told you only step in if I lost." Zabuza remarked, looking pretty annoyed, glaring at the short man who looked much like a kid.
"But you were about to lose, didn't you?" Yagura smiled. Sukuna for a second even wondered how he could smile like that to Zabuza's face.
Kakashi's mind sped up. The gravity of the situation they were in—no one knew better than him. Yagura was a Jinchuriki, and not just any Jinchuriki but a stable one. He could control his Biju.
This was bad. Really bad.
It was now beside the point why the Mizukage himself was here and why a common rich merchant like Gato was important enough for the village Kage to come in person. What mattered now was the lives of his Genin.
With Zabuza and Yagura here, even running away would be nigh impossible. Kakashi clenched his fist tight, overworking his brain for any escape for his Genin, even if it meant he had to sacrifice himself.
He can't let them lose, especially Naruto. Naruto's status was important. Far beyond his own relation with the boy and his father, Naruto's identity as Nine Tails Jinchuriki… if Naruto got captured here, then Leaf would have to give a bone and a nail to get him back.
It might even erupt into war if Leaf didn't get the Jinchuriki back, or if Hidden Mist was feeling extra greedy recently.
And that was still a salvageable outcome since negotiation was an option there.
What was worse is if Naruto were to fall here, Nine Tails would reform outside the village. Then he doubted anyone would be able to capture that beast.
Kakashi's stomach churned. He recalled the Nine Tails attack all those years ago, the loss of life and destruction. He didn't doubt a bit that the beast was vindictive enough to attack Leaf for revenge.
'No! I won't let that happen.' Kakashi shook his head. He couldn't let that happen.
"Ah, Kakashi of the Sharingan. It's been a long time since we have met, isn't it. I recall you were there in the battle of the north-east shore in the Third Great War." Yagura turned to Kakashi with his still calm look, like he was reminiscing his past days.
"And no, you're mistaken. I'm no longer the Mizukage if you haven't heard. I don't blame you. Hidden Mist is rather elusive, news rarely goes out of here hahhahaha…" Yagura laughed, like he wasn't even worried about the situation they were in.
Kakashi stored that small bit of intel back in his mind. If he made it back to the village alive then it sure would be useful. For now, they needed to escape…
"Yo Kakashi sensei. Leave that guy to me. I'll take care of him." Sukuna, who was just listening as a bystander until now, finally moved. Kakashi sure couldn't handle both Zabuza and Yagura together. He had to step in.
Not to mention, he wouldn't give up the opportunity to fight against a Jinchuriki.
"No wait, Sukuna. That shinobi is not normal. Don't underestimate him." Kakashi wished to bolt from there, to stop Sukuna from engaging Yagura in a fight, but Zabuza stepped in between in time.
"Where you are going, our fight hasn't done yet." Zabuza chided, already swinging his giant sword at Kakashi.
"Don't worry Kakashi Sensei. I got this." Sukuna offhandedly waved his hand and moved towards Yagura.
"If possible I'd rather not fight. We don't have any real enmity, why not just turn back, Konoha…," Yagura knew what the outcome of this battle would be. It was no doubt with him here the Mist would win.
However, right now the Mist couldn't afford tension between villages. He might not be a Mizukage anymore but he still thought like one. So he'd rather avoid the fight and spare these Konoha shinobi's lives if that meant avoiding tension with Konoha later.
Kakashi should accept the offer if he gave them a way out, shouldn't he?
But that Zabuza was too stubborn. Sigh…
Then he saw a pink-haired Genin coming to fight him. He could only sigh again.
He tried to stop him but before that Yagura, who wasn't taking the Genin seriously, suddenly heard a voice inside.
"I feel huge malice from this shinobi, Yagura. Be careful."
"Huh!" Yagura blinked.
'That was Isobu's voice…' that was his Biju inside him. Yagura wasn't a sensor but Isobu could sense chakra from long distance; all Biju can.
"What do you mean by Malice?" Yagura didn't get it. Wasn't this pink-haired boy just a Genin?
"Name's Sukuna Haruno. And yours?" Sukuna grinned and stretched his body while asking, like getting ready for the fight.
'Does this boy think this is a Samurai fight, announcing his name like that?' Yagura shook his head.
"Yagura Karatachi."
"I'll advise you to give up. We don't need to fight. I promise to give all of you a way out if you turn back and leave Land of Waves…" Yagura tried again.
However Sukuna just grinned even more.
"But there won't be any fun in that. I wanna fight a Jinchuriki. Come on, show me your power."
"Let's Dance!"
~o~
A/N : Ah, did someone saw this coming ?
Another thing to explain, people will know Sukuna is strong. I don't intent to hide away his power, he long has pass that stage. However, others wouldn't know about his few hidden techniques. The obvious once like his Curse Technique and Kamui. He'll try to hide them as long as could. But outside that, he won't hide his power.
xxx
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