In the thick mist, the three children stood back-to-back, surrounding Tazuna.
"Listen carefully." Kakashi kept his voice low. "Kirigakure's Silent Killing Technique-in this mist, you can't trust sounds or shadows."
"What do you mean, we can't trust them...?" Sakura's voice was tight.
"It means," Kakashi said, tightening his grip on his kunai, "he could come at us from any direction, at any moment."
No sooner had he spoken than that hoarse, deep voice rang out from every direction in the mist.
"The body's vital points-the throat, spine, lungs, liver, carotid artery..."
The voice shifted left and right, near and far. There was no telling where it came from.
"Heh heh... tell me, which one should I start with?"
Sakura's teeth chattered. Sweat seeped from Naruto's temples. Tazuna's knees buckled, and Naruto reached back to steady him.
The next second-
The dense mist overhead parted, and a sword taller than a man came cleaving straight down!
Clang!!
Kakashi whipped out his kunai and braced it above Tazuna's head, sending sparks flying!
The tremendous force buckled his knees, and the gravel beneath his feet cracked.
"Not bad reflexes." Zabuza grinned viciously, pushed off, and flipped backward into the mist.
"No other choice."
Kakashi straightened, raised his hand, and slowly pushed up his tilted forehead protector.
Beneath it was his tightly closed left eye.
His eyelid opened-
Three tomoe slowly rotated in a blood-red iris.
"Th-the Sharingan?!"
Sasuke's breathing suddenly faltered.
Impossible.
The Sharingan was the Uchiha Clan's kekkei genkai-an eye only members of the Uchiha could possess!
After that night, there were only two people left in the world who had those eyes.
Why did Kakashi have one?!
"Sasuke?!" His suddenly labored breathing startled Sakura.
Sasuke didn't answer.
He stared at that eye, his nails digging into his palms.
**"Water