The air in the Land of Waves was thick with unease. Ever since Team 7 had entered the region, Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that eyes were watching them from the shadows. The rustle of trees, the silence between the birdsong, even the sound of water flowing seemed heavier, as if hiding whispers too faint to catch.
Kakashi Hatake, the silver-haired jonin, walked ahead with his usual calm. His single exposed eye, however, was sharp, flicking across their surroundings with a predator's vigilance. Beside him, Sakura clutched the straps of her pouch nervously while Sasuke kept his gaze forward, his posture relaxed but ready. Naruto trailed behind, fists clenched, trying to look confident though his stomach twisted with anticipation.
They had already fended off the Demon Brothers — two rogue chunin who had tried to ambush them. That fight had shaken Naruto, but it had also awakened something deep inside him: the resolve to protect. Not just himself, but his teammates, his sensei, and even the old bridge builder Tazuna.
As they reached the mist-covered marshes, Tazuna muttered, "We're close now… but don't let your guard down. Gato's men will stop at nothing."
Naruto's ears perked at that name. Gato — the corrupt tycoon strangling this land. Naruto had grown up with no family, no money, nothing but scorn, but even he couldn't imagine crushing an entire nation just for profit. His blood boiled at the thought.
Then it happened.
The air thickened unnaturally. Mist rolled in, clinging to their clothes and chilling their skin. Even Kakashi paused.
Sakura swallowed hard. "Th-this mist… it's unnatural."
Kakashi's voice cut through the fog, calm but edged with warning. "Stay sharp. This is no ordinary weather. This is… jutsu."
Before anyone could respond, a presence pressed against them. Killing intent flooded the marsh like icy blades stabbing their skin. Naruto's knees trembled. It was suffocating, like being caught under a tidal wave. Sasuke's hand instinctively went to his kunai pouch, his black eyes narrowing.
Then, a voice — deep, cold, and dripping with menace — slithered through the fog.
"Well, well… so you're the escort for the old man. A pity. You'll die here."
From the mist stepped a tall figure. His face was concealed behind a bandaged mask, his eyes gleaming like a predator's, and across his back was a massive cleaver-like sword taller than Naruto himself.
Sakura gasped. "That sword…!"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "Zabuza Momochi… the Demon of the Hidden Mist."
The name sent chills down Naruto's spine. Even he, a rookie, had heard whispers of the rogue ninja who had slaughtered entire squads during the Bloody Mist era.
Zabuza's lips curled under his mask. "Hatake Kakashi… Copy Ninja of the Leaf. What luck. I get to kill a famous shinobi today."
Before Naruto could blink, Kakashi's hand rose. "Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto — protect Tazuna. This opponent is mine."
Naruto's heart raced. Protect Tazuna? Against that monster? His pride screamed at him to fight alongside Kakashi, but his fear rooted him to the ground.
Zabuza's hand formed seals, and the mist grew denser until vision dropped to almost nothing. Naruto's breaths came fast. He could barely see Sasuke standing beside him.
A whisper cut through the fog — Kakashi's voice. "Don't lose focus. He's coming."
And then — steel met steel. The sound of a massive blade crashing against kunai echoed like thunder. Naruto squinted into the mist and caught glimpses of silhouettes — Kakashi and Zabuza locked in deadly combat, movements swift and sharp.
Every strike shook the marsh, the ground vibrating under their clash. Zabuza's killing intent pressed harder, suffocating them, threatening to crush their very will.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his temple. "Tch… damn it. I can't… move under this pressure."
Naruto's fists clenched. Fear gnawed at his insides, telling him to run, to hide, to leave the fighting to Kakashi. But another voice — louder, fiercer — rose within him. If you back down now, you'll never become Hokage. You'll always be the weakling everyone says you are.
Naruto's nails dug into his palms as he steadied his breath. He turned to Sasuke and Sakura, his voice trembling but firm. "We… we can't freeze. We have to guard Tazuna, no matter what. Kakashi-sensei is counting on us."
Sakura nodded weakly, forcing her fear down, while Sasuke scowled but positioned himself closer to the old man.
Then the mist parted briefly, revealing Zabuza standing on the surface of the water, his massive blade resting casually against his shoulder. His eyes burned with bloodlust.
Kakashi stood across from him, calm but coiled like a spring. "Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura… don't interfere. This is a battle on another level."
Zabuza chuckled darkly. "You talk big, but let's see how long you can protect them."
And with that, he vanished into the mist again.
Naruto's breath hitched. The battle had only just begun.
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✨ End of Chapter 5 ✨