Thick fog spread through the air, as though the entire world had been dragged into a chaotic, milky-white sea.
Visibility was terrifyingly low; beyond five meters, man and beast were indistinguishable.
The air was damp, cold, and viscous, clinging tightly to the skin like a layer of burial cloth that could not be shaken off.
Kakashi's scarlet Sharingan flickered through the mist like ghostfire, fixed firmly on the space ahead.
"The Demon of the Hidden Mist—Zabuza Momochi!"
The moment his words fell, a sinister, hoarse voice that seemed to carry the scent of rust drifted in from every direction. It slipped into everyone's ears like countless icy little insects gnawing at their eardrums.
"Oh? You know my name, and you possess that legendary Sharingan... Kakashi, looks like I hit the jackpot this time."
Then the voice turned mocking and cruel, as though he were selecting cuts of meat from a chopping block.
"Throat, spine, lungs, liver, carotid artery, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart... Hehehe, little brats, which vital spot would you like me to attack first?"
That blood-soaked "menu" instantly became a tangible pressure of terror that crashed down upon them!
"Urgh—!"
Sakura let out a short, miserable cry. Her eyes rolled back as the world spun around her, and she nearly fainted on the spot.
Sasuke, meanwhile, looked as though he had been struck by lightning!
His entire body stiffened, and his handsome face, usually so full of pride, had gone paper-white.
That killing intent, as if it had crawled out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, pierced wildly through his nerves like countless steel needles!
He could even clearly smell the thick stench of blood in the air and see the horrifying illusion of himself being sliced in two!
Fear!
Unprecedented fear!
This feeling was a hundred times more hopeless than facing Orochimaru in the Forest of Death during the Chunin Ninja Exams!
The hand clutching his kunai shook violently, his teeth chattering uncontrollably with a grating sound that made his skin crawl.
Before this suffocating killing intent, the Uchiha bloodline he took such pride in and the results of all his arduous training had become a complete joke.
Run?
Where could he run?
This fog was a prison!
Fight back?
How could he fight back?
He could not even see the other man's shadow!
An absurd and horrifying thought rose uncontrollably from the darkest corner of his heart—maybe... maybe cutting his own throat with this kunai would be easier than being tortured to death piece by piece by that invisible monster...
Naruto stood off to the side in boredom. Catching sight of Sasuke looking as though he was about to wet himself from the corner of his eye, he felt nothing at all. If anything, he almost wanted to laugh.
Tch, Two-Pillar's mental fortitude is still lacking. Looks like I need to step up my philosophy lessons.
He mocked him wildly in his heart.
Reciting a damn menu? Spouting off rhymes like he's taking a graduate entrance exam?
Just as Sasuke's mental defenses were about to collapse completely, and the hand holding his kunai had even begun slowly rising toward his neck, Kakashi's deep, forceful voice exploded beside his ear like a thunderclap!
"Don't be afraid, Sasuke!"
Kakashi suddenly erupted with powerful chakra, like a shockwave that forcibly scattered part of the killing intent shrouding the three of them.
He spread his arms and stood before them. That back, usually so lazy and carefree, had never seemed more dependable.
"As long as I'm here, I'll protect you even if it costs me my life!"
"Is that so?"
From within the thick fog, that hoarse voice brimmed with disdainful mockery.
Before the words had faded, a sharp howl that tore through the air suddenly rang out!
"Whoosh—!"
A massive Kubikiribōchō, far larger than imagination, spun out of the mist with the terrifying force to split mountains and shatter stone!
The broad blade whirled through the air like an out-of-control industrial meat grinder, whipping up a gale as it swept toward Team 7's waists!
Before the blade even arrived, its fierce wind pressure had already cut painfully across their cheeks!
"Scatter!"
Kakashi's pupils contracted sharply as he shoved Tazuna behind him to the side.
Rather than retreat, he charged forward. His kunai flashed into his hand, and with a loud clang, he precisely blocked the howling giant blade through the circular hole at its center!
Sparks flew everywhere!
The tremendous force sent Kakashi sliding several meters backward, his feet carving two deep furrows into the ground.
The next second, a tall man with his face wrapped in bandages, revealing only a pair of cold eyes, appeared ghostlike atop the handle of the Kubikiribōchō, looking down at Kakashi from above.
It was Zabuza Momochi!
"Not bad reflexes. As expected of Kakashi the Copy Ninja."
Before Zabuza finished speaking, the two turned into blurred shadows and collided in an instant!
Kunai and Kubikiribōchō clashed wildly, erupting with a rapid barrage of metallic clangs!
The collision of their taijutsu sent waves of air rolling outward, churning even the surrounding fog!
They fought from the bridge onto the water, their toes kicking up rings of ripples as they moved so fast that only afterimages could be seen!
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Two identical enormous water dragons roared up from the surface, colliding viciously in midair and exploding into a sky full of spray!
The battle was incomparably intense!
However, just as Kakashi focused completely on dealing with the fierce assault of the "Zabuza" before him, a ferocious face suddenly appeared in the water beneath his feet!
It was another Zabuza!
Damn it, a Water Clone Technique!
Alarm bells rang in Kakashi's mind, but it was already too late!
The real Zabuza beneath the water formed hand seals at astonishing speed!
"Too late!"
"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"
Splash—!
A huge spherical water prison instantly rose from the surface and trapped Kakashi inside with irresistible force!
Kakashi's expression changed drastically within the water prison. He tried to break through, but the density and pressure of the water forming the prison were astonishing, like steel!
He could not break free at all!
With a splash, the water clone that had been fighting Kakashi dissolved into a puddle of water and returned to the surface.
Zabuza's real body slowly rose from the water, one hand pressed against the water prison to maintain the technique.
He turned his head, his cold and cruel eyes settling on the three little brats on the shore, who had already been completely dumbstruck.
A cruel curve formed at the corner of his mouth, his voice filled with the pleasure of a cat toying with mice.
"Kakashi, the game is over."
"Stay right there and watch carefully."
"Next comes the time to slaughter your adorable little brats."
After saying that, water surged beside Zabuza and condensed into another water clone identical to him.
Without saying a word, the water clone hoisted the Kubikiribōchō embedded in the ground onto his shoulder. He let out chilling, sinister laughter and walked step by step toward Sasuke and Sakura on the shore.
He moved slowly, each step like the beat of Death's drum, striking heavily against everyone's hearts.
"No... don't come any closer!"
Sakura's mental defenses collapsed completely. She slumped onto the ground, crying out in despair, tears and snot streaming down her face in a miserable mess.
Sasuke, meanwhile, shook as though he were being sifted through a sieve.
He watched that monster carrying the giant blade and radiating terrifying killing intent advance step by step. His mind went completely blank.
Kakashi-sensei... is trapped...
We're... dead...
No!
No!!!
A frenzied emotion mixed with fear, humiliation, and unwillingness detonated Sasuke's sanity!
He could not die here!
He had yet to take revenge on that man!
More importantly... he could not look more pathetic than Naruto, that dead last, in front of this bastard!
His big brother was watching from behind!
He could lose. He could die. But he absolutely could not lose the Uchiha's dignity in front of Naruto!
"AAAAAAAH—!!!"
Sasuke's eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins. With a hoarse roar that broke his voice, he clenched the kunai soaked in cold sweat with all his strength and charged forward like a beast driven into a corner!
"I'm all in!!!"
Before you continue