Silent Killing, Sasuke's Growing Despair
As Kakashi revealed his Sharingan, Zabuza Momochi's eyes narrowed slightly in surprise before a smirk spread across his face.
"Oh? I didn't expect to see the legendary Sharingan so soon. What an honor."
Naruto, standing nearby, heard Zabuza mention the Sharingan and immediately reacted with curiosity, his voice rising with excitement.
"You keep talking about Sharingan! Sharingan this, Sharingan that—what exactly is it?"
Hearing Naruto's question, Sasuke turned his head slightly, his tone calm but serious as he explained:
"Sharingan… is a dōjutsu, a visual power unique to the Uchiha clan. Those who possess it can see through all illusions, predict movements in taijutsu, and analyze and counter jutsu in an instant."
Sasuke's words barely registered with Naruto, who scratched his head in confusion. Before he could ask more, Kakashi spoke up, his single Sharingan eye watching Zabuza carefully.
"Good explanation, Sasuke. But there's more. The Sharingan can do something even more terrifying—it can instantly copy an opponent's ninjutsu."
Zabuza chuckled darkly, stepping forward as a mist began to roll in around them.
"When I was still part of the Hidden Mist's Assassination Squad, I carried a Bingo Book filled with information on dangerous shinobi." He lifted his massive Kubikiribōchō onto his shoulder. "And in that book, there's a name I've known for a long time—Kakashi of the Sharingan! The man who copied over a thousand jutsu!"
Sakura's breath caught in her throat. Kakashi-sensei… is he really that powerful?
Naruto, however, was awestruck and couldn't hold back his enthusiasm.
"That's insane!! Kakashi-sensei, you're amazing!!"
But Sasuke, his face shadowed, clenched his fists. Why does he… why does someone outside the Uchiha clan have the Sharingan?
Zabuza's smirk widened. "Well, enough talk. That old man needs to die."
Hearing this, Tazuna flinched, nearly dropping his glasses, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura instinctively moved in front of him, forming a protective stance.
"Looks like I'll have to get through you first, Kakashi."
With that, Zabuza vanished in an instant. When he reappeared, he was standing effortlessly on the surface of the lake.
The three Genin gasped as they watched him stand on water with ease.
Zabuza lifted one hand, forming a single-handed seal, his voice cold and commanding as the mist thickened.
"Ninjutsu—Hidden Mist Technique!"
As Zabuza Momochi's words fell, the surrounding mist thickened instantly, reducing visibility to nearly zero. The Hidden Mist Technique shrouded the battlefield in an eerie haze, making it impossible to discern his location.
Within the dense fog, Zabuza unleashed his overwhelming killing intent. The sheer intensity of his bloodlust froze Team 7 in place, their bodies instinctively reacting to the imminent threat of death.
Naruto trembled uncontrollably, collapsing to the ground, his breath shallow and erratic. Sakura clutched her arms, her body shaking as fear consumed her entirely.
Sasuke, usually composed, found himself on the verge of breaking. A suffocating dread wrapped around his heart—his instincts screaming that even the slightest movement would mean instant death.
"This... this is a Jōnin's killing intent...!" Sasuke thought, his mind spiraling. "Just breathing, just blinking—he'll kill me in an instant!"
For the first time in his life, Sasuke Uchiha felt completely powerless. The sensation of death loomed so heavily that the idea of ending his own life to escape the fear crossed his mind. His hands trembled as he slowly unsheathed a kunai, his mind overwhelmed by the crushing pressure.
"Rather than waiting to be slaughtered… I should just do it myself…"
Just as Sasuke was about to thrust the kunai into his own body, a calm yet firm voice cut through the despair.
"Sasuke, I won't let my comrades die."
It was Kakashi Hatake. His eye, filled with confidence and reassurance, met Sasuke's frozen gaze. In that moment, the suffocating darkness lifted slightly, and Sasuke's grip on the kunai loosened.
Meanwhile, hidden within the mist, Zabuza saw an opportunity. With a silent but deadly leap, he rushed toward Team 7, his massive executioner's blade ready to carve them down in an instant.
But before he could strike, Kakashi reacted with blinding speed. He moved between Naruto and Sakura, shoving them aside just as Zabuza's sword came crashing down. The impact of their clash sent a shockwave through the fog, parting it slightly.
Without hesitation, Kakashi countered, driving a kunai directly toward Zabuza's exposed midsection—only for the rogue shinobi to twist his body at the last second, narrowly avoiding a fatal wound.
The deadly battle between Kakashi Hatake and Zabuza Momochi had truly begun.