The fog was no longer natural. Shredder—now fully embodying Kakashi—felt it coil around them like a living thing, pressing down against his skin. It was too dense, too cold, and too silent. Not a single bird chirped. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Here we go.
Behind him, Naruto glanced around nervously. "Uh… is it supposed to get this foggy?"
"No," Shredder said quietly. His eye narrowed. This isn't weather. It's Zabuza.
He turned slightly, glancing at the trembling rabbit in Naruto's grip. White. Wrong season.
It was a signal… not bait. A substitution. He's already here.
He didn't have to say anything. His instincts screamed danger, and within seconds—
A massive blade sliced through the fog.
"GET DOWN!" Shredder barked.
All of Team 7 hit the ground as a massive sword flew over their heads, embedding itself deep into a thick tree. Wood splintered and shook. A shadowy figure landed on the hilt of the blade with perfect balance—tall, muscular, and wrapped in bandages like a corpse brought to life.
Zabuza Momochi. The Demon of the Hidden Mist.
The fog swallowed the space around him, but his presence cut through it like fire.
Tazuna was frozen in fear. Naruto gawked. Sakura flinched. Sasuke tensed, his hand drifting toward a kunai.
Shredder stood tall, facing him.
"So," Zabuza said with a low, raspy voice, "they send the Copy Ninja himself. Kakashi Hatake."
Shredder exhaled through his nose. He raised a hand, gripping the edge of his headband and sliding it up. The red glow of his Sharingan flared in the mist.
"Zabuza Momochi... of the Hidden Mist."
Even as he said it, a voice in his head groaned.
Why do ninja always introduce each other like trading cards?
Still, he couldn't deny how cool this felt in real life. Facing one of the Seven Swordsmen. Protecting his team. Eye glowing, fog swirling—it was like stepping into the screen.
But this isn't anime anymore. I can't rely on the script.
The Shift
Zabuza grinned. "It's an honor. I've heard about that eye of yours… I always wondered how it would feel going up against it."
Then, in a blink, his chakra spiked.
The killing intent dropped like a crashing wave.
Naruto gasped and fell to one knee, shivering.Sakura dropped entirely, grabbing her arms.Even Sasuke's breath hitched as he stumbled back, eyes wide with something between panic and awe.
A heaviness filled the air, like the world itself wanted to stop breathing.
Shredder held firm.
Man… even when I watched this back then, this scene hit hard. But feeling it? It's on another level.
He didn't break eye contact with Zabuza. "You know, for a guy with such a dramatic entrance, you really like making kids pass out."
Zabuza chuckled. "If they can't handle that much, they don't belong on the battlefield."
Shredder shifted his stance. "Then it's a good thing I'm here."
Behind him, Naruto clenched his teeth. "W-What is this feeling? I feel like I'm gonna die…"
Sasuke's fists shook. "He's… no ordinary ninja…"
Shredder turned his head slightly, glancing back at them. "This is called killing intent. A technique that overwhelms you with the feeling of death. It's not just a threat—it's instinctual. Your body knows it's real."
He looked right at Naruto. "And if you don't get used to it, it will kill you someday."
He turned back to Zabuza. "But today's not that day."
The Sharingan Awakens
With a flick of his wrist, Shredder exposed his Sharingan fully. The tomoe spun slowly, reading Zabuza's stance, chakra flow, muscle tension—everything.
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "That eye… annoying as ever."
Shredder smirked behind the mask. "You're not the first to say that."
The mist pulsed again. Zabuza stepped forward, yanking his massive sword free from the tree.
Naruto flinched. "W-What do we do?"
"Stay out of it," Shredder said. "Protect Tazuna. I'll handle this."
He cracked his neck once, rolling his shoulders.
Alright, Zabuza. Let's dance.
Because this time, it wasn't about copying what Kakashi did. This was Shredder's story now.