"Hey, Kakashi-sensei! We've lost our way on the path of life!"
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke called out in unison as they exited Ichiraku Ramen, spotting Kakashi waiting idly across the street.
"Alright, cut the chatter. Come with me, we're going to see the Hokage," Kakashi said, a little irritated by the trio's lively mood, beckoning them to follow.
"Hokage-sama, Team Seven reporting for duty," Kakashi announced as they stepped into the Third Hokage's office.
"Mm... Come over here," the Third Hokage said, taking a leisurely puff from his pipe and waving them over.
"This time, your mission is to protect someone," he said calmly.
"Hokage-sama, isn't a protection mission at least C-rank? How can you assign something like that to Naruto and the others right off the bat? Genin are supposed to start with D-rank missions to build experience!" Iruka interjected, visibly concerned.
"Iruka… don't worry. I know what I'm doing," the Hokage replied, his aged eyes flashing with a sharp glint.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Reassured by the Third Hokage's confidence, Iruka backed down.
"The person you'll be protecting is this gentleman." He pointed to a sliding door slowly opening nearby.
"Hello there. I'm the one you've been assigned to protect," said an elderly man as he stepped forward, Tazuna.
"Understood," Kakashi nodded and turned to the Hokage. "Then we'll be on our way."
"Very well. Just follow this gentleman," the Hokage said, reclining into his chair for another smoke.
"Alright, let's move out." At Kakashi's command, the five of them left the office.
"Tazuna-san, why don't you tell us more about yourself?" Kakashi asked as they walked. "We'll need to know everything to protect you properly."
"Right… I'm in charge of building a major bridge. Your mission is to guard me until construction is complete."
Though he sounded calm, a trace of unease flickered in Tazuna's eyes, he was clearly hiding something.
Naruto picked up on it immediately despite Tazuna's careful composure. Zabuza Momochi, huh…? he thought.
Splash…
Naruto's attention was drawn to a puddle on the ground.
The Demon Brothers? He looked at it with disdain. "Such a lousy hiding technique."
"Earth Style: Antlion Technique!"
Naruto suddenly spun around and slammed his palm to the ground where the puddle lay.
Whoooosh!
The earth softened and began to swirl downward like a vortex of quicksand.
Glug…
The Demon Brothers, sensing the trap, tried to escape from the puddle, but it was too late.
Naruto grinned. "Earth Style: Tectonic Crush!"
BOOM!
The collapsing earth squeezed tight, as if crushed by a giant invisible fist.
"Heh, that's the end of them. What a joke… and they call themselves Chūnin?"
"What's going on over there, Naruto?" Sakura, alarmed by the loud explosion, turned around.
"No worries. Just took care of a couple of small fry," Naruto said, dusting off his hands with ease.
"Whoa... That brat's actually pretty impressive…" Tazuna was visibly awed.
"Naruto, you bastard!" Sasuke, who had seen it all, clenched his fists, disturbed.
When did he get so strong? he thought, a faint Sharingan glow flickering in his eyes.
"You've grown a lot, Naruto… You might even surpass me soon," Kakashi murmured, his voice distant. "Sensei, are you watching this?"
SWOOSH!
Suddenly, the sound of wind rushed past.
"Naruto, get down!" Kakashi yelled.
Naruto ducked just in time as a massive object flew over his head.
Turning to look, his eyes narrowed.
"The Executioner's Blade…? So, Zabuza's finally here."
CLANG, CRASH!
The blade slammed into a tree trunk, sending a shower of leaves raining down.
Thump!
A tall, muscular man in loose pants appeared atop the embedded blade.
"Well, well, if it isn't one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said lazily, lifting his visible eye to glance at him.
"No wonder the Demon Brothers failed. So, the escort is the famous Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi. I'd love to fight you, but I have a job to do. Hand over the old man."
Zabuza ignored the rest of Team Seven entirely, locking eyes with Kakashi.
"This could be annoying…" Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan. "But I can't let you take him."
"Thank you… for not blaming me for hiding the true difficulty of this mission," Tazuna said sincerely.
"It's a hassle, but we accepted the mission…" Kakashi paused. "So we'll see it through!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
Kakashi formed hand seals, and a massive dragon-shaped mass of earth erupted, roaring toward Zabuza.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Zabuza responded with a water dragon of his own, but earth overcame water, the water dragon dissipated, and the earth dragon kept surging forward.
"Haaah!"
Zabuza swung his blade to break the weakened earth dragon, then raised one finger to the sky. "Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
"Heh… Hidden Mist? Let me add a little something."
Naruto sneered as the fog thickened. "Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"
Suddenly, darkness engulfed the sky, pitch black, not even a hand visible before one's face.
"What's going on?!" Sakura cried out.
"Oh? Some kind of darkness jutsu? How foolish. That just makes things easier for me," Zabuza scoffed.
"Really? Is it foolish?" Naruto smirked. "Phantom Servant Technique!"
"Ugh! damn it!" Zabuza's startled shout was followed by a series of blade slashes and the sound of battle.
"Useless to resist…"
Naruto thought with satisfaction. In total darkness, this genjutsu is nearly unbeatable. These phantoms will wear him down slowly.
"Water Style: Violent Water Wave!"
Zabuza roared, and a thunderous wave crashed forth.
"Earth Style: Four Earth Pillar Walls!"
Naruto, drawing on a bit of Nine-Tails' chakra, formed a defensive barrier.
BOOOOM!
The impact shook the ground, proof of the immense power behind it.
The shadows are enough now. Time for the final strike.
Naruto made up his mind.
"Phantom Barrage, Multiple Shadow Assault!"
The black phantoms charged Zabuza in Naruto's image, striking over and over again.
Thud, thud, thud!
Zabuza grunted as he was relentlessly pummeled.
"Heh… Enjoy the mental torment, Zabuza," Naruto muttered, stretching his arm. "Phew, all those hand signs really wore me out."
The pounding continued for a long while. When Naruto felt Zabuza was too weak to resist anymore, he finally dispelled both techniques.
"Phew… What just happened…?"
As the light returned, Sakura looked around in confusion. Her jaw dropped when she saw the massive, fortress-like earthen walls.
"Wh-Where did all these walls come from? They're surrounding us on all four sides!"
CRASH!
The earth walls collapsed one by one, revealing the outside.
"The ground's soaked… and a lot of trees are down. Looks like they were hit by a huge shockwave," Sasuke observed. Thinking back to the sounds during the darkness, and knowing Zabuza was a water-style ninja, he quickly pieced it together.
"Zabuza must've used a high-powered water-style jutsu, but those earth walls blocked it. We were completely protected. But… who summoned such a powerful earth technique?"
Sasuke glanced at Kakashi and frowned. "Was it him? If so, that's incredible… The chakra required must be enormous."
"Huff… One powerful jutsu after another. Even I'm starting to sweat," Kakashi said, Sharingan spinning as he looked at Naruto's labored breathing.
"So all those high-level jutsu were yours… Naruto, just how strong have you become? You've already far surpassed me…"
Kakashi was stunned.
"Is Zabuza… dead?" He looked toward the unmoving body sprawled out in the distance and slowly walked over to him.
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