Nested Deceptions, Let's See Who Was More Cunning

When Kakashi saw the white snow rabbit, he immediately went on guard, because the enemy was hiding nearby.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said in a lowered voice, "it looks like there's a ninja nearby."

"Mm." Kakashi agreed with Naruto. "Protect Mr. Tazuna."

What?! Sasuke beside them was already wide-eyed with fury, his mind racing: An enemy? Nearby? Where? Why didn't I know? Why couldn't I detect them? Why could Naruto? How did Naruto find out?

Just then, a massive blade came spinning through the air, cleaving toward them with a howling gust that sounded terrifying.

"Everyone, get down!" Naruto shouted a warning as he flashed to Tazuna's side and slammed him to the ground.

Thanks to Naruto's advance warning, everyone easily avoided the strike. All they had to do was drop flat, and the enormous blade flew harmlessly past.

A burly man appeared not far away. Bandages covered half his face, while his bare upper body displayed powerful, well-developed muscles. The spinning blade landed in his hand, and the moment he gripped it, his eyes brimmed with killing intent.

"Well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi, the rogue ninja of Hidden Mist." Kakashi began in a teasing tone, then turned grave. "Looks like I'll have to use this eye against someone like you." As he spoke, Kakashi placed a hand over the forehead protector covering his left eye.

"You must be Kakashi, Konoha's Copy Ninja," Zabuza Momochi said coldly. "I hear you possess the Sharingan."

"What?!" Sasuke was stunned again. Only members of the Uchiha Clan can possess the Sharingan. Could Kakashi be...

"I really didn't want to fight you today," Zabuza Momochi said. "As long as you hand over that old man, I can let you Konoha people leave."

"Do you think that's possible?" Kakashi retorted. At the same time, he pushed up his forehead protector, revealing his left eye. Kakashi abruptly opened it, and the crimson pupil was particularly striking.

Sasuke stared at the red pupil in Kakashi's left eye. After all these years, this was the first time he had seen a Sharingan on someone else.

"To have the honor of battling the legendary Sharingan," Zabuza Momochi said, barely concealing his excitement. "What an honor!"

"Ninja Art! Hiding in Mist Technique!" Zabuza Momochi leaped onto the water and poured a vast amount of chakra into it. Thick mist instantly spread in every direction, blocking their vision.

"Form a defensive formation." Naruto snapped Sasuke and Sakura out of it. The three held kunai and guarded Tazuna.

As the mist grew thicker and thicker, Kakashi, only four or five steps away, was gradually swallowed by the fog until he could no longer be seen at all.

"Do you know how many vital points the human body has?" Zabuza Momochi's voice suddenly came from beside them. "The throat, spine, heart, lungs, carotid artery, subclavian artery, liver, and kidneys. Eight in total."

"I'll choose one of you, then choose one of those eight vital points. Who will be the lucky one I pick? Which vital point will be attacked?" Only Zabuza Momochi's voice could be heard; he himself was nowhere to be seen.

Sakura was trembling violently by then, cold sweat pouring down her face as her heart raced.

A sharp sound tore through the air. Zabuza Momochi suddenly appeared, raising the Kubikiribōchō as he emerged right in front of Tazuna.

Because Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had formed a defensive formation, the three stood back-to-back in front of Tazuna. Zabuza Momochi was now behind them.

Kakashi was shocked. Just as he was about to rush back to defend them, Naruto spoke. "I knew you'd show up here."

Tazuna pulled out a kunai and said, "You were wrong. The human body has more than eight vital points. There's one more place that's extremely vulnerable."

"What?!" Zabuza Momochi was startled.

"Thank you for running right in front of me and sticking your butt up so high in my face. It's just perfect." Tazuna revealed a sinister grin. "Konoha's taijutsu secret technique—Thousand Years of Death!"

The moment he finished speaking, Tazuna's kunai plunged toward Zabuza Momochi's backside, striking true and driving deep in.

White smoke erupted all over Tazuna's body, and he reverted to Naruto. Naruto grinned. "I hid that old man away beforehand. This was just a disguise created with the Transformation Technique." At the same time, another Naruto vanished into thin air. That had merely been a Shadow Clone used to deceive the enemy.

"Hehehe..." A great deal of water burst from between Tazuna's buttocks, and his entire body immediately collapsed into a puddle of clear water.

Zabuza Momochi flashed behind Naruto, raising the Kubikiribōchō high as he said, "The one you stabbed was only my Water Clone."

As the Kubikiribōchō fell and was about to cut Naruto down, Kakashi leaped over and blocked the strike with a kunai.

Zabuza Momochi instantly exerted his strength, wielding the Kubikiribōchō with ferocious force. One slash cut Kakashi cleanly in half, but just as Zabuza Momochi was about to celebrate, Kakashi's severed body also turned into a puddle of clear water.

"Kakashi used a Water Clone?" Zabuza Momochi was startled. He had not expected Kakashi to be capable of using the Water Clone Technique just like him.

"That's right. I copied your Water Clone Technique with the Sharingan just now." Kakashi emerged behind Zabuza Momochi and pressed a kunai to his throat.

"But do you think I'm that easy to deal with?" Zabuza Momochi instantly fell apart, his entire body turning into a puddle of clear water once more. The Zabuza Momochi Kakashi had restrained was still only a Water Clone.

Another Zabuza Momochi appeared behind Kakashi, carrying the Kubikiribōchō. He swung the enormous blade with all his strength in a horizontal slash, determined to split Kakashi in two.

"Hehe." Naruto suddenly laughed. "Did you think the me who transformed into Tazuna was the real body?" As soon as he said that, white smoke erupted from his body, and he vanished instantly. This was another Shadow Clone.

White smoke suddenly erupted from below. Zabuza Momochi sensed something was wrong and glanced downward, only to see a large boulder transform into Naruto.

"Let me take proper aim!" Naruto lay on the ground, positioned right between Zabuza Momochi's legs. He gripped a kunai and ruthlessly thrust it toward Zabuza Momochi's backside.

With his vital area under serious threat, Zabuza Momochi abandoned his attempt to kill Kakashi. He twisted his waist with a powerful movement of his abdomen, evading Naruto's strike at his lower body. However, the kunai stabbed Zabuza Momochi's thigh instead, and blood immediately gushed out, dripping onto Naruto's face.

Kakashi seized the opportunity and turned to attack Zabuza Momochi, forcing him to retreat several steps.

"Naruto! He's so strong!" Sakura looked utterly incredulous.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was completely stunned. He had never expected Naruto, a mere Genin, to be able to take part in a Jonin battle. Naruto had even caught Zabuza Momochi off guard and successfully wounded him. That achievement could only be described as unprecedented.