Boom!
Crash!
The massive waves slammed violently against the earthen wall, but not a single drop broke through. Kakashi's barrier held firm. The bridge trembled under the force, but Team 7 stood protected behind it.
"Damn it!"
Zabuza's face twisted in frustration as he landed lightly on the water's surface. His breathing was heavy, mist swirling around him like a cloak. He had known from the start that Kakashi Hatake—the Copy Ninja of the Hidden Leaf—was strong. But to this extent?
His attacks weren't landing.
Every move, every trick, was being anticipated and countered with surgical precision. Even with Kakashi carrying four Genin, there were no openings to exploit. That reality gnawed at Zabuza's pride.
He gritted his teeth. 'Even if he's stronger than me, those kids should be his weakness! I just need one slip… one distraction!'
But no matter how he pressed, Kakashi never broke formation. There were no flaws to exploit. Zabuza's jaw clenched. Retreating now would mean accepting failure—and he wasn't built for that.
'If I can't kill the target, I'll at least draw him away. Once I separate him from the kids, Haku can strike!'
His mind raced. In that split second, he made his decision. He would reposition, lure Kakashi, and have Haku handle the bridge builder.
With a sharp step, Zabuza blurred backward—
Swoosh!
At the same instant, Kakashi's hand flashed through seals, his teeth biting into his thumb.
"Summoning Technique!"
He slammed his palm onto the soaked ground.
Puff!
A burst of chakra surged—and white smoke exploded outward.
When the mist cleared, eight fierce ninja hounds stood around Kakashi, growling low and ready.
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. 'Ninja dogs?'
The sharp auras surrounded him instantly—powerful, coordinated, fast. He couldn't see them through the fog, but he could feel them closing in.
Kakashi's voice was calm, deadly calm.
"You've killed enough, Zabuza. You're not leaving this bridge alive."
The Copy Ninja's chakra flared—strong, steady, and completely under control.
"Earth Release: Tracking Fang Technique!"
The ground split open as the ninja dogs dove beneath the surface, vanishing in an instant. The earth rumbled with their movement as they tunneled straight toward their prey.
"Not good!"
Zabuza's instincts screamed. He could feel the vibrations, but the Hidden Mist Technique he'd cast earlier now worked against him—his own concealment was blinding him. His senses failed to pinpoint where the attack would come from.
He leapt back and swung his massive blade in a wide arc—
Swish!
The Executioner's Blade cleaved through empty air.
Then, from beneath his feet—
Crack!
Bang!
Bang!
The ground burst open. Kakashi's ninken erupted from below, snarling and lunging with perfect coordination. Their claws tore into Zabuza's legs and arms, locking him in place.
"Damn it—ninja dogs!?"
His eyes widened as the realization hit. The Copy Ninja's strategy clicked together in his mind—this was what the Sharingan was for. Every movement, every step Zabuza had made was already predicted, already trapped.
Pinned, bleeding, Zabuza gritted his teeth. "Haku!"
The name echoed through the fog.
"Ice Release: Ice Dome Technique!"
A blur shot in from the mist—a slender figure in a porcelain mask. Haku's chakra surged, and the air grew cold enough to sting. Shimmering frost crystals formed instantly, solidifying into curved walls of ice that encased Zabuza in a protective shell.
The ninken crashed into the frozen barrier, their fangs scraping harmlessly against the ice. For a brief moment, Zabuza caught his breath, though his pulse still thundered in his ears.
But Kakashi was relentless.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
In an instant, Kakashi inhaled deeply and exhaled a roaring torrent of flame. The fireball collided with the ice dome—
Boom!
Steam exploded outward, filling the battlefield with heat and mist. Cracks spiderwebbed across the dome as the ice began to melt, dripping and hissing under the heat.
Zabuza's silhouette became visible again—his eyes wide as the oppressive presence of the Sharingan locked onto him once more.
Kakashi stepped forward through the fog, his voice low and cutting.
"You thought the Mist could hide you from me?"
Zabuza's face twisted. Between the ninken circling and Kakashi's killing intent pressing in, escape was impossible. For the first time in years, the Demon of the Hidden Mist felt genuine dread.
'So this is Hatake Kakashi—the man who copied over a thousand jutsu…'
Zabuza clenched his blade tighter. His pride wouldn't allow him to kneel.
"Then I'll die standing!"
He roared, chakra flaring wildly as he swung the Executioner's Blade in a final desperate charge.
"Zabuza!" Haku called, his composure cracking. He started forward instinctively, the air around him chilling as frost began to gather once more.
But before he could act, another chakra signature flared to life—a burning crimson aura cutting through the mist.
"Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Dozens of glinting shuriken spun through the air, splitting into hundreds mid-flight. Menma had already moved. His golden eyes narrowed in focus, the Nine-Tails' chakra flickering faintly around his form.
"Stay with Dazna!" he shouted back to Sasuke and Naruto without turning.
His hands blurred through seals, launching the enhanced projectiles straight toward Haku.
The sudden assault forced Haku to twist mid-air. Even his speed couldn't completely evade the barrage.
'That technique… from the Scroll of Seals!' Haku thought, surprised. 'He's no ordinary Genin…'
Ice began forming rapidly along his arms.
"Ice Release: Exploding Ice Crystal Technique!"
Dozens of razor-sharp shards burst outward, colliding mid-air with Menma's spinning shuriken clones. The clash of chakra-created steel and freezing mist lit up the fog-covered bridge in flashes of light.
Menma gritted his teeth.
'So that's Ice Release, huh? Looks like the rumors about the Yuki Clan were true.'
As Haku landed lightly across from him, both stood their ground—eyes locked.
The temperature dropped again. The next phase of the battle had begun.
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