Kakashi of the Sharingan

Just as everyone was searching for Zabuza, he suddenly appeared behind Tazuna!

He moved like a ghost, the Executioner's Blade in his hand tearing through the air with a shrieking howl as it cleaved straight toward Tazuna's completely unguarded back!

It all happened in a flash. The thick mist severely blocked their vision, and even Kakashi's Sharingan failed to catch his true movements at the first moment.

"Watch out!" Sasuke and Duanmu shouted warnings almost at the same time. Sasuke dug in with his feet and shot toward Tazuna like an arrow loosed from the string, the Kunai in his hand aimed at Zabuza's wrist.

However, there was still some distance between them and Tazuna, and the blade was about to reach him!

At that critical instant, one figure moved a step faster than Sasuke!

It was Kakashi. As if he had predicted Zabuza's ambush in advance, he appeared between Tazuna and Zabuza at a speed that almost defied reason!

Kakashi slashed down toward Zabuza's neck with his Kunai, but the Zabuza before him turned into a streak of water, collapsing into a puddle that scattered across the ground.

"The Water Clone Technique again?" Kakashi's eyes sharpened, and he knew something was wrong.

But Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi again, the Executioner's Blade in his hand carrying the force to split mountains and shatter stone as it chopped viciously toward the back of Kakashi's head!

But this Kakashi was also a Shadow Clone.

With a soft bang, the Shadow Clone turned into a puff of white smoke and vanished.

The real Kakashi had already appeared behind Zabuza. He held his Kunai against Zabuza's neck, the Sharingan flashing scarlet through the mist. "I've seen through all your movements."

"Hmph. Don't tell me you think that's all I'm capable of."

The Zabuza before Kakashi also turned into a streak of water and disappeared, while the real Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi. But what Zabuza had not expected was that this Kakashi was also a water clone.

Duanmu knew this Zabuza was a water clone too. After all, this was that endless nesting-doll moment from the original work.

Sure enough, Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi again, kicked him flying, and then performed Water Style: Water Prison Technique.

A massive surge of water instantly gushed from Zabuza's hand, wrapping around the Kakashi he had kicked away as if it were alive. It formed a huge sphere of water, trapping him in the center.

"It's over, Kakashi!" Zabuza's voice carried a trace of smugness. His hands maintained the seal for the water prison as he sneered at the figure struggling inside. "As long as I keep this jutsu going, you'll suffocate to death in there!"

And Kakashi had no way to use any methods at the moment. Duanmu knew that now was the time for Team 7 to be tested.

At that moment, Zabuza formed a seal with one hand and summoned another water clone. In his view, one water clone was more than enough to deal with the few genin in front of him.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were already too frightened to move. Their bodies seemed bound by invisible chains, and even their breathing carried an icy fear.

Sakura's face was as pale as paper. She clamped both hands tightly over her mouth to stop herself from crying out. She could clearly see Teacher Kakashi struggling in agony inside the water prison, chakra stirring fine bubbles through the water, yet no matter what, he could not break through that seemingly soft but actually indestructible wall of water.

"Teacher!" Naruto let out a roar edged with tears. That anger surged back into his chest, but this time it carried a few more shades of despair.

He wanted to rush forward, but his legs felt as heavy as if they had been filled with lead. The pressure Zabuza brought him—standing beside the water prison, maintaining the technique with a one-handed seal while using his other hand to direct the water clone—was simply too strong.

Sasuke was in slightly better shape, but the hand gripping his Kunai was trembling faintly too.

He stared fixedly at Zabuza and the water clone slowly walking toward them, his mind racing.

"Hmph. A bunch of little brats scared out of their wits." Zabuza's water clone let out the same cold, hoarse laugh as the real body. It carried the enormous Executioner's Blade on its shoulder, and with every step it took, the ground seemed to tremble. "Since your teacher can't even look after himself, I'll send you on your way first!"

The water clone suddenly accelerated, dragging the great blade as it charged toward the nearest person, Naruto. The blade traced a chilling arc through the thick mist, carrying the momentum to split mountains and shatter stone.

At that critical instant, Duanmu, who had been staring at the battlefield the entire time, shoved Naruto hard. "Naruto! Dodge!"

He used no small amount of force with that push. Naruto staggered and threw himself to the side, crashing awkwardly to the ground. The Executioner's Blade almost grazed the tip of his nose before hacking into the earth with a boom, sending mud flying and leaving behind a deep gash.

"What are you doing?!" Naruto, dizzy from the fall, roared instinctively. But when he saw that blade mark, he instantly understood Duanmu's intention, and a wave of lingering fear surged through him.

"Now isn't the time to stand around!" Duanmu's voice carried a trace of urgency, but his gaze was unusually firm. He looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke! We have to think of something! If this keeps up, Teacher Kakashi will..."

Sasuke took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He glanced at Kakashi, who was already having some difficulty breathing inside the water prison, then looked at the water clone raising its blade again, preparing to attack Tazuna. A trace of determination flashed in his eyes.

He abruptly stabbed his Kunai into the ground and began forming seals with both hands at high speed.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

With a low shout, Sasuke opened his mouth, and a huge mass of flame surged out, like an enraged fire dragon, carrying scorching heat as it rushed straight toward Zabuza's water clone!

Although he was not very skilled with this technique yet and it consumed a lot, at this moment, he could no longer worry about that.

The water clone clearly had not expected this seemingly unimpressive genin to be able to use such a powerful Fire Style. Its pupils shrank slightly, and it instinctively raised the Executioner's Blade to block.

Boom! The great fireball slammed hard into the blade, and the flames instantly spread out with a sizzling hiss. The water clone was forced two steps back by the impact of the flames, the moisture on its body rapidly evaporating under the high heat, making it somewhat transparent.

"Nice one, Sasuke!" Seeing this, Naruto could not be bothered to feel afraid anymore. When he saw that Sasuke's great fireball was effective against the water clone, his spirits immediately rose. "Watch me!"

He quickly formed seals with both hands. Although his movements were still somewhat clumsy, his eyes were extremely focused. "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With several muffled pops, more than a dozen Narutos appeared on the field. Although his poor chakra control made the clones look a bit insubstantial, their numbers did create a certain amount of momentum.

"Go!" The real Naruto waved a hand, and more than a dozen clones immediately howled as they charged from different directions at the water clone that had been hit by the great fireball and was still giving off white smoke.

The water clone snorted coldly and shook the arm that had been scorched by the flames until it stung. The Executioner's Blade swung again, stirring up gusts of blade wind.

The few Shadow Clones charging at the very front were instantly cut into white smoke.

Duanmu knew that in truth, attacks like this were useless against Zabuza. What they had to do was find a way to save Kakashi.