Counterattack into Eight Gates

Elsewhere, Yan recovered and sent several Shadow Clones out to search for items that could clear the mist.

Yan left markers along the way to guide his teammates.

Kakashi was also searching for an item to clear the mist as he moved through the forest.

Kakashi had quickly realized that securing those items was the key to victory. No one could defeat this Zabuza alone. Aside from Obito, nobody would even think of challenging him one-on-one.

Hm!

Kakashi sensed killing intent. He stopped and held his breath. Through a gap in the trees, he saw a figure slowly approaching in the distance.

His hand instinctively closed around the White Fang his father had given him. Now he could see the figure clearly!

Every inch of exposed skin was wrapped in bandages. A strange greatsword rested on his back, and two Samurai Swords hung at his waist.

A samurai?

Kakashi suppressed his nerves and fixed his gaze on Wandering Zabuza.

Clack, clack.

Each step of the wooden sandals seemed to land on Kakashi's heart. His pupils tightened. Zabuza had stopped.

Had he been spotted?

He eased White Fang a fraction from its sheath and gathered his Chakra.

Snap.

Zabuza turned and rushed toward the sound. Before Kakashi could react, a line of text appeared in the sky: Genma Shiranui has been eliminated.

In the real world, Genma Shiranui jolted awake. He felt his neck and only relaxed once he was sure his head was still attached.

He had accidentally made a noise. That bandaged monster had charged at him with his blade, appeared before him as if teleporting, and cut off his head in one stroke.

"Damn, that thing Yan made is way too realistic."

"Realistic?"

Genma Shiranui muttered the word, only for someone ahead of him to speak.

He looked up and found Lord Hokage standing before him.

"What are you all..."

The Third Hokage looked at the group sitting together with their eyes closed, baffled. Since when did meditation require everyone to sit in a circle?

Genma Shiranui explained Yan's new training method to him.

The Third Hokage fell silent for a moment. Yan always managed to surprise him in ways he could never have imagined.

Back in the Raid, Kakashi saw that Genma Shiranui had been eliminated and swiftly changed positions.

I need to meet up with Yan or Asuma first.

Kakashi knew they would only stand a chance against Zabuza if their strongest fighters gathered together.

Hm?

As he moved, Kakashi spotted a strange stone with a blue Scroll floating above it. He watched it for a while, then slowly stepped out once he was sure no one was there.

"Huh?"

Asuma and Might Guy stepped out at the same time and froze when they saw Kakashi across from them.

The three suppressed their excitement, quickly took the Scroll, and ducked into the forest before exchanging information.

Asuma had run into Might Guy while searching. A few minutes earlier, they had both caught sight of Zabuza.

Neither had dared make a sound. After Zabuza left, they had gone the opposite way and unexpectedly run into Kakashi.

"What a powerful opponent. I can't believe Yan made him feel so real."

Might Guy sounded excited. If Asuma hadn't stopped him, he would have opened the Five Gates and traded a few blows with Zabuza. Injuries wouldn't carry over to reality anyway.

"Should we stick together or split up to find the others?"

Asuma asked Kakashi, who thought for a moment.

"Let's stick together. If one of us gets caught alone, we'll barely be able to fight back."

"Besides..."

Kakashi glanced around and estimated how much time had passed. The mist was growing thicker.

Asuma nodded and was about to pick a direction.

"Look!"

Might Guy pointed at the sky. The other two looked up and saw that the red rectangle overhead had grown shorter.

"What does that mean?"

Kakashi pondered it. Had someone engaged Zabuza?

Just as Kakashi suspected, a minute earlier, Zabuza had found Yan after he picked up a Scroll while searching for his teammates. Yan had been forced to recall his Shadow Clones.

Zabuza opened with a sweeping slash that scared Yan half to death.

Luckily, Yan had the True Immersion Substitution Technique. He substituted himself and immediately pulled away.

Zabuza did not charge in with another sweeping slash. Yan looked at the wooden post split in two behind Zabuza, drew Crimson Sky, activated his Sharingan, and took his stance.

Zabuza pushed off the ground and closed in fast, swinging the Kubikiribōchō at Yan's neck.

Yan instinctively moved to block and trigger Counterattack, but his Sharingan's keen vision caught Zabuza's other hand moving toward a sword.

The Kubikiribōchō is a feint!

With that realization, Yan's gaze sharpened. He leaped sideways onto the Kubikiribōchō and brought Crimson Sky down to his left to block.

Clang.

Crimson Sky held Zabuza's Samurai Sword fast. Yan felt the force coming through the blade.

Trust Chiyo to make a ninja who hits this hard.

Yan cursed inwardly. Rather than keep struggling against Zabuza's strength, he pulled back Crimson Sky and jumped away.

He completed his hand signs mid-flip.

Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!

The instant he landed, Phoenix Flower Fire poured from his mouth.

Faced with so many flames, Zabuza stood still as if stunned.

Something's wrong!

Yan went on alert. Sure enough, just as the flames reached him, Zabuza put away the Kubikiribōchō and turned his back to them.

The flames struck Zabuza but did not set him alight. Thick mist billowed around him, hiding him completely.

The next instant, Zabuza appeared behind Yan and swung the Kubikiribōchō upward.

Bang!

The substitute post was cut into four pieces by two strikes. Zabuza swung behind himself again, and Yan, who had substituted to his rear for a surprise attack, had to spring off Zabuza's shoulder instead and retreat into the forest.

Clang, clang, clang!

Zabuza deflected the Shuriken Yan threw while leaping away.

Yan's spirits lifted when he saw Zabuza had not used Counterattack.

Just as I thought. It has a cooldown.

But Yan noticed the mist thickening around him. That meant Zabuza knew where he was.

Zabuza charged again at tremendous speed. Yan could tell he had used another skill.

He really does just hit whatever lights up.

Yan settled into a quick-draw stance, but his thoughts went back to a few months earlier.

"Uncle Dai, what's this?"

Yan had stared at the Scroll in his hands, puzzled.

"Yan, thank you. I thought Guy would be looked down on at school, but you were willing to grow stronger alongside him. Your youthful spirit moves me to tears."

"I'm passing this technique on to you. I know you'll unleash an even fiercer youth!"

Zabuza appeared before Yan as if he had teleported and swung the Kubikiribōchō. His fierce killing intent seemed to stop the air itself.

Now! Yan drove his Chakra through his meridians toward his head.

Eight Gates of Life and Death: Gate of Healing, open!

As tremendous power surged through his body, Crimson Sky flashed from its sheath to meet the savage Kubikiribōchō.

Boom!

The collision of two immense forces sent out a shockwave that scattered the surrounding mist.

Bolstered by the Eight Gates of Life and Death, Yan blocked Zabuza's sweeping slash and triggered Counterattack.

Thud!

He was not done. Yan's Chakra surged through his meridians again.

Gate of Life, open!

The Eight Gates flowed into Counterattack, and Counterattack flowed straight back into the Eight Gates.

With his left foot stepping on his right and his right foot stepping on his left, Yan's body had begun to redden.

He drove his arm upward and sent Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō flying.

Zabuza's guard was wide open. Before he could draw a Samurai Sword from his waist, Crimson Sky came down and carved a long gash across his abdomen.

The Eight Gates had greatly increased Yan's strength, though he could no longer control his Chakra precisely. That was fine. His left hand hit hard, and his right hit even harder.

While Counterattack lasted, he chased Zabuza down and hacked at him relentlessly. Zabuza could barely withstand any of the blows. He finally managed to break away and draw a Samurai Sword, only for Yan to cut it in two when their blades met.

After wounding Zabuza again, Yan leaped with all his strength and slashed at his neck.

But Counterattack's buff ended at that moment. Yan's speed dropped sharply, and Zabuza dodged the strike.

Zabuza seized the chance to pull away and retrieve the Kubikiribōchō. Yan glanced at the sky. Zabuza's health was down to roughly sixty percent.

Zabuza was in a sorry state. The clothes and bandages around his abdomen had been torn apart, and wounds covered his body.

But he was not a real person, and he showed no sign of pain as he slowly slung the Kubikiribōchō onto his back.

Fatigue washed over Yan. He panted heavily and quietly closed the Eight Gates.

His body could not yet sustain the Gate of Life for long. But Yan was not fighting alone.

"Yan!"

Anko had been drawn by the commotion. Seeing Yan looking somewhat battered, she could not hide the worry in her voice.

Kakashi and the others had already been drawn toward the fight. The thick mist had made it hard to see where they were going, costing them some time, but fortunately they were not too late.

The others who had been moving alone arrived as well. Obito, who had picked up two Scrolls on the way, could hardly wait to challenge Zabuza one-on-one. Then he felt Zabuza's killing intent, stopped quietly, and went over to Rin Nohara.

Yan let out a long breath and made a discreet hand signal.

The next instant, everyone scattered into the forest.

Zabuza was about to move, but they had already vanished from his senses.

Yan watched his Scroll dissolve into motes of light. The mist around him swiftly cleared.

The others opened their Scrolls too, clearing away the mist.

Now it was nine against one.