Naruto: Young Teacher
Chapter 27
Team 7 encountered the Demon Brothers, two genin-level missing-nin working under Zabuza. Ren and Kakashi deliberately walked ahead of the group, acting as bait, and were quickly ambushed.
In a flash, both of them were seemingly struck down and killed.
Naruto froze in shock, fear gripping his entire body. Sakura screamed in panic, while Sasuke reacted a second later, drawing his kunai and preparing to fight.
Despite his effort, Sasuke was no match for the coordinated attacks of the two brothers. Just as they were about to strike Sakura, the situation changed instantly.
Ren appeared behind one of them and took him down in a single move, while Kakashi reappeared and neutralized the other just as easily.
"Sigh… you guys lost your composure too quickly," Ren said calmly. "You didn't even notice that Kakashi-sensei and I turned into wood."
Naruto clenched his fists as Ren's gaze shifted toward him.
"And this is exactly why teachers favor Sasuke over you," Ren continued bluntly. "He doesn't shout around like an idiot. He trains properly and behaves more like a ninja than you do."
Kakashi stepped forward, addressing the team with a more measured tone.
"Well, it was your first time facing real enemies," he said. "We'll let it pass this time. But if you don't learn from this, you might as well quit being shinobi."
Naruto and Sakura lowered their heads in shame.
Sasuke felt a brief sense of satisfaction at the acknowledgment, but it was overshadowed by frustration at his own weakness.
Kakashi then turned toward Ren.
"Good work, Ren," he said. "You noticed them early and even understood my plan."
Ren shrugged casually.
"My sensory abilities are better than most," he replied. "Besides, even an idiot could tell something was off."
He glanced at the others briefly.
"How can there be a puddle of water in the middle of a forest road without any sign of rain?"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura froze as realization hit them.
Their faces flushed with embarrassment.
Kakashi looked at them seriously.
"This is one of the deadliest mistakes a ninja can make," he said. "Always stay aware of your surroundings, or you won't even realize how you died."
After interrogating Tazuna and learning the truth about the mission, Team 7 decided to continue. With Ren present as additional support, Kakashi felt more at ease.
They traveled further until they approached a large lake. A thick mist began to spread across the area, reducing visibility.
Ren's eyes sharpened as he briefly activated his Six Eyes.
"Kakashi-sensei," Ren said calmly. "That's not natural mist. It's the Hidden Mist Jutsu."
Everyone immediately became tense.
A moment later, a massive sword spun through the air toward them.
"Duck!" Kakashi shouted.
The team crouched instantly to avoid the incoming Executioner's Blade.
However, Ren acted differently.
He stepped forward and slammed a Rasengan directly into the blade, shattering it into pieces. In the same motion, he sealed the fragments into a scroll.
Both Kakashi and Zabuza blinked in shock at the unexpected move.
Ren casually waved toward Zabuza.
"Hey, mummy wrapped in bandages," Ren said with a grin. "You don't mind me borrowing your sword, right?"
Zabuza's eye twitched in irritation.
"You brat… give that back," he growled.
Kakashi stepped forward, positioning himself between Zabuza and the team.
Zabuza's gaze shifted to Kakashi's exposed eye, which now revealed the Sharingan.
"So… the famous Kakashi of the Sharingan," Zabuza said. "I didn't expect to meet you here."
Ren walked back toward Team 7, completely relaxed.
"Kakashi-sensei, go beat up the mummy guy," Ren said casually. "We'll just watch."
Kakashi ignored the comment as he and Zabuza engaged in battle.
Without his sword, Zabuza was already at a disadvantage.
The two Jonin clashed with a mix of taijutsu and ninjutsu, exchanging blows at high speed.
After several exchanges, Zabuza stepped back slightly.
"As expected of Ka—"
He didn't get to finish his sentence.
His instincts screamed in warning, forcing him to jump to the side at the last second.
A nearly invisible Rasengan passed through the exact spot where he had been standing.
"Tch… you Jonin are such a pain," Ren complained. "Always dodging at the last moment."
Kakashi blinked in disbelief as he looked at Ren.
"Ren… that was…?"
Ren grinned proudly.
"Normal Rasengan was getting boring," he said. "So I added lightning nature transformation."
He shrugged casually.
"And just like that, we have a Vanishing Rasengan."
Kakashi's mouth twitched again.
What the hell… he thought internally. Do you think adding nature transformation to the Rasengan is that easy? Even Minato-sensei couldn't complete that…
However, Kakashi quickly refocused on the battle.
Zabuza had managed to avoid the attack, but now his guard was fully raised.
The fight had only just begun.