The air shifted.
Shredder—wearing Kakashi's body—felt it immediately. The mist wasn't natural anymore. It clung to their skin, heavy and cold, creeping into their lungs with each breath. This wasn't just weather.
They're close.Zabuza and Haku... any moment now.
His visible eye narrowed. He subtly tapped his pouch, making sure his kunai were loose and ready.
Behind him, Naruto suddenly tensed, glancing into the trees. Then, without warning, he flung a kunai into a nearby bush.
Thwack!
A soft squeal followed. Shredder turned calmly as Naruto ran over and yanked out a trembling white rabbit.
"Just a rabbit," Naruto muttered. "False alarm."
But Shredder's gaze didn't leave the animal. It was white. Out of season. A snow rabbit? In this climate?
Genjutsu. Or more likely—a substitution.
His fingers twitched.
Then it hit.
A slicing presence tore through the air like death itself. In an instant, his instincts screamed—Duck.
"GET DOWN!"
The massive cleaver whipped through the mist where their heads had just been, embedding itself in a thick tree trunk with a resounding THUNK.
A figure landed on the hilt of the blade—tall, wrapped in bandages and malice.
Zabuza Momochi.
The air stilled. Team 7 froze behind Shredder, eyes wide.
Zabuza's voice cut through the fog. "Well, well... the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake."
Shredder's eye twitched.
Here it comes.
He straightened, sliding his hitai-ate up to reveal his Sharingan. "Zabuza... of the Hidden Mist."
As the words left his mouth, he cringed internally.
God, I sound like I'm reading from a fan-translated DVD.
He maintained his calm appearance, but mentally sighed.
I forgot how dramatic ninja intros were. Does everyone talk like they're in a fighting game cutscene?
Still, no time to dwell. Zabuza was already preparing to kill.
And Shredder was very interested in how far he could push things now that he knew the script.