In the outer seas of the Land of Whirlpools, within Konoha's surveillance and reconnaissance encirclement.
The scouting ninja under Orochimaru's command, including members of the Hyūga clan, had truly sealed off the island from the outside. Any attempt to escape would inevitably alert them.
If anything, the Hyūga were the most relentless—after all, this concerned a matter of utmost importance to their clan.
Amid the howling wind and snow, two vague silhouettes could be seen advancing.
Those two figures were, naturally, Kakashi and Hagoromo.
Being on a mission with Hagoromo had its pros and cons. The advantages aside, Kakashi had already begun to experience the downsides.
Hagoromo was humming—using a voice so low and so poorly suited for carrying through a snowstorm that only Kakashi's left ear could hear it, while his right ear was mercifully spared.
In such an environment, the tune sounded oddly eerie. Kakashi was certain he had never heard a song like this before.
Of course he hadn't.
Hagoromo was humming something rather fitting for the situation. If it had lyrics, it would go something like:
"Looking, looking for a friend…"
"Found myself a good friend…"
…In short, the two of them really were looking for someone.
From this perspective, Hagoromo wasn't particularly tense. To him, this was merely a somewhat special mission.
And then—these two remarkable individuals really did find a "good friend."
Their feet skimmed across the water's surface, ripples spreading outward in concentric rings, marking their movement from the open sea toward the island.
Suddenly, Kakashi stopped and raised a hand, signaling Hagoromo to halt.
A tall figure had appeared in his line of sight.
In such heavy snowfall, an ordinary person might have ignored such a blurry silhouette—but a shinobi could not afford to.
When Kakashi noticed the figure, Hagoromo naturally did as well.
The silhouette walked straight toward them.
Judging by the build alone, the newcomer appeared powerfully built.
And once the figure came into clear view, it became evident—
He was a burly man.
Kakashi's expression had already turned fully focused. This was a young ninja who placed the mission above his own life, someone willing to sever and discard anything that interfered with efficient execution—even at the cost of sealing off his own emotions.
The weather showed no sign of improving, yet perhaps because of this encounter, the wind and snow seemed to weaken slightly, allowing the enemy's form to become crystal clear.
A Kirigakure forehead protector.
A massive scar running across the right side of his face.
Short black hair. No eyebrows.
A wide grin filled with sharp, playful-looking teeth.
A fondness for theatrical behavior—wearing nothing but bandages wrapped around his body in the dead of winter.
And, slung over his shoulder—
The massive blade: Kubikiribōchō, the Executioner's Blade.
Kakashi pulled an intelligence booklet from his ninja pouch, his gaze moving back and forth between the photograph and the man's face. After confirming the match, he spoke with certainty:
"Identity confirmed. One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Wielder of the Executioner's Blade. Jōnin-class shinobi—Momochi Zabuza."
…Was all that really necessary?
Hagoromo stared at him speechlessly.
I mean, wasn't the sword alone enough to give it away?
"Seven Ninja Swordsmen, huh…"
Hagoromo muttered, his tone carrying an indistinct note of emotion. His hands were still clasped behind his head, as though he had no intention of attacking right away.
Zabuza stopped, regarding the two young Konoha ninja with a mocking gaze.
One wore a mask, the other covered his face—neither willing to show their true appearance. How shy.
As the leader of the two-man squad, Hagoromo spoke first:
"By convention, we're supposed to exchange some meaningless chatter before fighting."
"We're fully aware of your crimes. Murder aside, gouging out people's eyes is definitely a heinous offense…"
"So—"
"First, are you carrying the Byakugan? If you are, please hand it over."
"Second, if you aren't, then tell us which of your companions has it—and exactly where they are."
Kakashi shot him a sideways glance.
What kind of ridiculous lines were those?
No matter how Hagoromo phrased it, it was obviously pointless. The enemy was never going to answer—things didn't work that conveniently.
What, was Zabuza going to start his reply with 'Reporting to the authorities'?
"Heh. Brat," Zabuza sneered, clearly displeased with Hagoromo's tone. He swung the massive blade and pointed it directly at Hagoromo's chest.
"Do you even know who I am?"
Hagoromo glanced at Kakashi, the look clearly saying: See? Just like I said—no room for negotiation.
Kakashi didn't bother responding. Whether Zabuza was carrying the Byakugan or not would become clear once they defeated him.
Hagoromo had no intention of continuing the conversation.
Encounters like this always followed the same path: kill or be killed. There was no need for further words.
Zabuza swung the Executioner's Blade in a full arc, the air pressure carving a circular mark across the water's surface. Then he dragged the blade low at his side.
Chakra erupted beneath his feet.
He charged straight at the two of them!
It was clear—he wasn't taking them seriously at all.
Arrogant?
Arrogant shinobi didn't live long.
Hagoromo lowered his hands from behind his head, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light as he stared at the onrushing Zabuza.
Carrying a big sword—what, did he think he was Kurosaki Ichigo?
If you can't even use Getsuga Tenshō, you've got no right to be cocky.
Seven Swordsmen or eight—it didn't matter.
They'd talk after the fight.
Without waiting for Hagoromo's command, Kakashi had already moved. His hand seals were blindingly fast. Almost simultaneously, lightning erupted from both of them.
Kakashi's Raikiri blazed brilliantly in his hand.
Hagoromo's Chidori Nagashi, on the other hand, spread across his entire body—a wide-area Lightning Release technique.
Zabuza's gaze sharpened. He could tell at a glance how dangerous those Lightning Release techniques were.
These two kids weren't pushovers.
So what if his attitude had been arrogant? He wasn't stupid enough to be careless in actual combat.
Zabuza didn't retreat—he surged forward even faster!
But when it came to speed, Hagoromo and Kakashi were absolutely in their element.
Kakashi led the charge with Raikiri, Hagoromo close behind him in support.
Lightning streaked across the water like a meteor tearing through the night sky. In this environment, it possessed a cold, razor-sharp beauty. From above, Kakashi's lightning-wreathed figure reflected on the sea's surface, the current tracing the ripples beneath his feet—
Like an electrically charged sailfish slicing upstream across the water at extreme speed.
All three shinobi were moving at incredible velocity.
And yet, against the vastness of the open sea, the scene carried an almost surreal stillness.
What do you call that?
Isn't this… beautiful enough to be a painting?
PS: I've been releasing chapters daily . Honestly, it hurts seeing almost no support on Patreon after all that work.If you're enjoying the fic, even a little, supporting me would mean a lot. It helps a student stay independent .
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