"Zabuza Momochi... the Demon of the Hidden Mist!"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. He had heard the name many times in the Bingo Book; he just hadn't expected to run into a legend on a C-rank escort mission.
"Demon? That sounds terrifying."
Sakura hugged herself, feeling a sudden chill. To be named after a demon—the mere thought of it sent waves of horror through her.
"The Demon, Zabuza Momochi. A Rogue Ninja of the Hidden Mist, a master of the Silent Killing Technique, and an elite Jonin."
Kakashi's expression grew solemn. "Encountering such an opponent on our first mission outside the Village is... problematic. More importantly, any mission involving Zabuza is automatically at least an A-rank mission."
Just as Shikaku had guessed, the client—that old drunkard Tazuna—had lied about the mission rank to save money.
"A Jonin? How strong is he? Is he stronger than you?"
Sasuke looked at Kakashi. He was more interested in Zabuza's strength. As fellow Jonin, how did Zabuza's power compare to Kakashi's?
"In a head-on fight, I don't fear him," Kakashi said, his voice calm but measured. "But Zabuza is an assassin. He strikes from the mist. And I have to protect Tazuna and you three simultaneously. There are too many openings."
"However," Kakashi's eye curved into a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. If it's just him, I won't let my comrades die."
Kakashi spoke cautiously, yet his words carried the weight of a veteran who had survived countless battlefields.
"What?! We're not burdens!" Naruto yelled, clenching his fists. "I'm already a Ninja! That Zabuza guy better just wait and see!"
Even Naruto could hear the subtext in Kakashi's words—he thought they were just dead weight to be protected.
[Uzumaki Naruto: Listen up, Zabuza! If you dare show up, I'll definitely take you down! Believe it!]
Naruto shouted directly onto the Sky Screen, challenging a hardened killer.
"Naruto, what on earth are you saying?!"
BONK.
Sakura delivered a vicious punch to the top of his head, forcing him to the floor.
"We haven't even accepted the mission yet, and you're already drawing aggro for us?!"
"Sakura-chan... why'd you hit me? Was I wrong?" Naruto rubbed the bump on his head, looking aggrieved.
"My, my. While I appreciate your spirit, Naruto, you aren't qualified to take a mission involving an A-rank Rogue Ninja," Kakashi said with a dangerously pleasant smile.
Their acceptance of this mission on the screen was a divergence. Now that they knew the truth, the village would never sanction a rookie team for a suicide mission.
"Ah... why!" Naruto's face fell instantly. The cool adventure was gone just like that?
[Zabuza Momochi: Hmph. You Konoha brats certainly talk big. A kid like you? I could handle you with one hand while drinking sake.]
Seeing Naruto's provocation, the Demon of the Mist couldn't help but reply from his hiding spot.
However, as soon as he hit send, Zabuza stumbled. A massive chunk of his Chakra vanished instantly. No one told him that speaking on the screen consumed Chakra!
And the consumption rate was terrifying. How could a mere Genin spam messages like that?
Oh, right. He's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. That chakra battery.
[Uzumaki Naruto: Dammit! How dare you look down on me! Just you wait, I'll definitely defeat you!]
[Onoki: What a spirited little fellow. It's good to be young and ignorant.]
[A (Fourth Raikage): He's just a bit too young. He doesn't know his place in the food chain.]
[Rasa (Fourth Kazekage): He is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. If the beast goes on a rampage, killing Zabuza would be trivial.]
[Orochimaru: The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... what a rare specimen. Perhaps I should visit Konoha soon.]
[Jiraiya: Orochimaru, you keep your snake hands off Naruto.]
[Orochimaru: Hehehe, that depends on whether you can protect him, old friend.]
[Mei Terumi: A Jinchuriki who hasn't even left the Village is already being targeted by Sannin. Popular.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Is the Hidden Mist Village really this lax? The location of your Rogue Ninja, Zabuza, has been exposed—aren't you sending anyone to capture him?]
[Mei Terumi: No need for the Hokage to worry about our internal affairs. Hunter-nin have already been dispatched.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: It would be best. This Zabuza has a lot of blood on his hands.]
[Mei Terumi: He's a Rogue Ninja. Surely the Hokage doesn't intend to blame the Mist for the actions of a traitor?]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Naturally, that is not what I meant.]
Every Hidden Village had Rogue Ninjas. If the actions of every traitor were blamed on their home village, the world would be in a constant state of war. Hiruzen wisely dropped the subject.
[Soon, Team 7 set out to protect Tazuna. The screen showed them leaving the massive gates of Konoha.
Naruto was vibrating with excitement, looking at everything like a tourist. Kakashi used the travel time to explain the geopolitical landscape of the Five Great Nations.
Meanwhile, the camera panned to the shadows. Two figures were trailing them.
The path was dry and dusty.
Yet, there was a puddle of water sitting innocently in the middle of the road.
Kakashi's eye flicked toward it. It hadn't rained in days. A puddle here was impossible. However, he said nothing and kept walking.
The group passed by the puddle.
SPLASH!
Two figures erupted from the water behind them like sharks breaching the surface.
They wore black cloaks, gas masks, and iron gauntlets connected by a razor-sharp chain.
"The first one!"
CLANG!
The brothers swung their arms. The spiked chain wrapped instantly around Kakashi, binding him tight.
"DIE!"
They yanked the chains in opposite directions.
RIP.
In a horrifying display of violence, Kakashi's body was instantly shredded into pieces of meat and blood!]
["What?!"]
[Sakura screamed. Naruto's eyes bulged out of his head.]
[The change happened in a heartbeat. Before anyone could process Kakashi's death, the two figures—the Demon Brothers—were already behind Naruto.]
["The second one!"]
[The chains hissed through the air, forming a deadly loop intended to tear the boy apart just like his teacher.]
[The attack was so swift, so violent, that Naruto couldn't react. His mind went blank. Fear froze his limbs. He could only stand there, paralyzed, watching his death approach.]
[CLACK!]
[At the critical moment, Sasuke moved.]
[He leaped into the air, throwing a shuriken that pinned the chain against a tree. Before the brothers could pull it free, he threw a kunai through the center hole of the shuriken, locking it in place.]
[THUMP!]
[Sasuke landed on the brothers' gauntlets, using their own arms as a platform to kick them in the face.]
[The Demon Brothers couldn't retract their chains. They unlatched them instantly, splitting up.]
[One charged at Naruto. The other charged at Tazuna.]
[Their target was clearly the bridge builder, but they needed to clear the obstacles first.]
[Sakura was terrified, trembling like a leaf, but she still jumped in front of Tazuna with a kunai raised. "Stay back, Tazuna-san!"]
[Sasuke, seeing the danger, abandoned his offense and moved to block the path in front of Sakura and the client.]
[But Naruto...]
[A sharp, cold claw was inches from his face. Yet Naruto couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He could only watch the metal hook descending.]
[Suddenly, a blur of motion.]
[BANG!]
[Naruto was knocked to the ground, but he felt no pain.]
[Kakashi stood over him, holding one Demon Brother in a headlock under each arm. He looked completely unharmed. The 'shredded body' turned into a pile of wooden logs—Substitution Jutsu.]
[He looked at the three stunned Genin, his coolness factor maxed out.]
["Yo," Kakashi said casually. "Sorry I didn't help you right away. I didn't want you to get hurt, but..."]
[He looked at the trembling Naruto, then at the composed Sasuke.]
["I didn't expect you to freeze up like that, Naruto."]
["Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried out, relief washing over her.]