Back then, when Kakashi had gone after the rogue Orochimaru, a single glance from him had frozen Kakashi in place.
That fear was still etched deep into his bones.
But now, he had a strange intuition—Akira's presence carried even more pressure than Orochimaru had back then.
Akira shrugged. "Power is just a tool. As long as it's enough, that's all that matters. I'm not greedy."
Kakashi nearly fell off the tree when he heard that.
That sounded way too pretentious. If he didn't know Akira's personality, he'd think the kid was just showing off.
But thinking about it carefully… the guy actually had the right to say it. His strength had already broken through the ceiling—of course it was "enough."
If an ordinary person said that, they'd sound delusional. When Akira said it, it was called perspective.
Seeing Kakashi's constipated expression, Akira chuckled. "I'm kidding. Honestly, I've just been training step by step. I've already hit the ceiling for now—probably going to be stuck at this bottleneck for a while."
That was only half true.
There was no limit to physical evolution—Ōtsutsuki bloodline was practically a cheat.
But in terms of ninjutsu, he really had learned everything he could. If he wanted to go further, he'd probably have to get personal tutoring from the Sage of Six Paths himself.
At his current level, he was roughly at the entry stage of "beyond Kage." There was still some distance between him and monsters like Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama—the kind who fought like walking Gundams. As for Six Paths level… that was still far out of reach.
Kakashi, however, believed him. After all, a shinobi's growth curve always slowed down over time—bottlenecks were normal.
"Don't rush it. Haste makes waste. At your age, having strength comparable to a Kage is already unprecedented."
"Honestly, I think your raw destructive power might already surpass my teacher's."
In Kakashi's eyes, Akira—who had mastered the Flying Raijin, possessed monstrous physical strength, and wielded Wood Style—was more well-rounded than the Fourth Hokage in terms of sheer power.
The Fourth excelled in speed and reflexes, but in terms of raw force and defense, he couldn't compare to someone with Wood Style.
Kakashi suddenly joked, half-serious, "At this rate, you might become the youngest Fifth Hokage in history."
Akira froze for a moment, then waved his hand with a bitter smile. "Kakashi-sensei, don't set me up like that. I have zero interest in that hat. It's exhausting work, and you still have to deal with those advisors. I'd rather be a laid-back ninja, just basking in the sun."
He meant it.
In a world full of danger, having enough strength to protect oneself was sufficient.
Even though very few people could threaten him now, he would never grow arrogant because of it.
Laying low and developing steadily—that was the real way forward.
It wasn't laziness—it was clarity.
Some rules he would follow; others were, in his eyes, nothing more than scrap paper.
To act freely without crossing the line—that was the ninja way he pursued.
In this bizarre and ever-shifting world, Akira felt his own presence was as faint as invisible air.
Like something drifting with the wind—free, yet bound, with nowhere to truly settle.
Kakashi narrowed his lone visible eye and smiled with a hint of melancholy. "In this world, most things are out of our control. You can't expect everything to go your way."
The silver-haired jōnin let out a quiet sigh. He actually enjoyed this lazy lifestyle, but in a world like this, true freedom was almost impossible.
Akira's lips curved slightly. "Exactly. If it were that easy to obtain, that kind of freedom wouldn't be worth longing for."
The two stood atop a tall tree trunk, chatting idly.
Below them, the situation suddenly took a turn.
Sasuke was on the verge of collapsing under pressure, while another Kirigakure chūnin—lying in ambush—revealed a ferocious gleam in his eyes and charged straight toward the defenseless Tazuna.
Sasuke was completely tied down. Sakura stood no chance against such killing intent. Naruto was still frozen in terror, unable to move.
If no one intervened now, Tazuna would be dead on the spot.
Akira glanced sideways at Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei, still not moving? With Sakura's level, she definitely can't block that attack."
Kakashi shook his head helplessly, a trace of sternness flashing in his eyes. "These kids are still too inexperienced—they've got a lot of growing to do."
Before he even finished speaking, his figure blurred.
With a Body Flicker, he appeared ghost-like in front of Sakura.
Crack!
The Kiri chūnin didn't even have time to scream before his neck was smashed out of shape with a single punch.
Almost at the same moment, the other enemy—still entangled with Sasuke—had no time to react before Kakashi yanked the chain from his hands.
The movement was so fast it dazzled the eye. In less than a blink, the enemy was bound tightly.
The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, taking less than three seconds.
The two once-menacing Kiri chūnin were now tied up like dumplings against a tree trunk, completely immobilized.
Seeing Kakashi reappear unharmed, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura all froze, their brains struggling to process what had just happened.
"Kakashi-sensei! You're not dead!"
Naruto snapped back to reality, shouting and flailing with excitement.
Sakura clutched her chest, letting out a relieved smile. "I knew it! There's no way Kakashi-sensei would go down so easily!"
Only Sasuke's eyes darted around, sharp and searching. He didn't believe that mysterious Akira would have been taken out.
Sure enough, Akira appeared silently beside Kakashi, wearing his usual faint smile. "Sakura and Sasuke did pretty well just now—quite impressive."
Seeing Akira completely unharmed, Sasuke frowned, his tone edged with accusation. "You… were hiding and watching on purpose, weren't you?"
Akira looked at Sasuke's displeased, tsundere expression and shrugged with a smile. "Not at all. I just didn't expect an ambush like this either."
Sasuke's face clearly said I don't believe you, but he wasn't foolish enough to press further.
Deep down, he understood—Akira's strength was unfathomable. Otherwise, there was no way he could have evaded the attack in perfect sync with Kakashi, without even a hint of disarray.
Those two had definitely sensed the killing intent in advance and were deliberately testing them.
By now, Naruto had finally recovered from the shock. His head hung low, clearly aware that his performance had been utterly pathetic.
Kakashi turned to the still-shaken Tazuna, his gaze sharpening. "Tazuna-san, I think you owe us a proper explanation. Why would a simple escort mission for a bridge builder attract ninja assassins?"
"This level of pursuit is clearly aimed at taking your head."
Tazuna avoided his gaze, still playing dumb. "After me? That can't be right. Since when am I that important?"
The difference in pay between a B-rank and a C-rank mission was enormous—this old man was clearly hiding something.
Seeing his shameless attitude, Kakashi frowned, his tone turning cold. "If you're unwilling to tell the truth, then we'll have to terminate the mission and return. This situation has exceeded the scope of a C-rank mission. We need to reassess it back in the village."
The moment he heard he might be abandoned, Tazuna panicked. "Wait, wait! Don't! Kakashi, I'll talk! I'll tell the truth!"
Under Kakashi's scrutinizing gaze, Tazuna spilled everything—the dire situation in the Land of Waves and the threat posed by Gatō.
After hearing the heavy story, Kakashi frowned slightly and turned to the boy beside him. "Akira, what do you think?"
Akira crossed his arms, smiling lightly. "You're the captain, Kakashi-sensei. Whether we stay or withdraw, I'm fine with either."
Smooth as ever—he kicked the decision right back to Kakashi.
Kakashi sighed helplessly, then glanced at Naruto, who was still dazed. "And we also need to consider sending Naruto back for treatment."
"The claws those Kirigakure ninjas used were likely poisoned."
After all, Naruto's hand had been scratched during the skirmish.
In truth, Kakashi was using this as an excuse—to give the team a way out. Carrying an injured teammate on a mission beyond their rank was simply too risky.
Sakura looked at Naruto's dazed, vacant expression and assumed the poison had already spread to his brain. She quickly nodded in agreement. "Right, right! Naruto's injury is serious—we need to head back immediately to treat the poison!"
At that moment, Naruto seemed to snap out of it.
He suddenly pulled out a kunai.
Stab!
Without hesitation, he drove it straight into the wounded back of his own hand. Blood instantly sprayed everywhere.
Gritting his teeth, his eyes burning with determination, he shouted, "Kakashi-sensei! I'm fine! I swear, next time I won't hold anyone back—I'll do better than anyone else!"
That kind of ruthless resolve actually pleased Kakashi. The kid might be dense, but at least he knew how to reflect and push forward.
Kakashi narrowed his eye and teased, "Nice speech. But if you don't stop the bleeding soon, there won't be a 'next time.' You'll bleed to death first."
Naruto looked down at his hand—covered in blood—and instantly lost all his bravado. His face turned pale. "Ah! Ah! Kakashi-sensei, save me! Stop the bleeding! I don't want to die!"
He was completely terrified by the amount of blood he'd just caused, forgetting all his bold declarations.
Watching from the side, Akira shook his head inwardly. You really can't judge a book by its cover. Who would've thought this loud, reckless guy would one day become the prophesied savior of the world?
Kakashi stepped forward to bandage Naruto's hand, only to be surprised.
The wound was healing at a visible rate—thin wisps of steam even rising from it.
Kakashi's pupil contracted slightly. Is this the Nine-Tails' chakra at work?
That kind of recovery… it's unreal.
Even someone as experienced as Kakashi couldn't help but be astonished by such monstrous vitality.
After a simple bandaging, the group set off again toward the Land of Waves.
This time, Naruto became jumpy and overly alert. The slightest movement in the surroundings made him tense—he was terrified of missing another enemy.
He desperately wanted to prove he wasn't just a coward who froze in fear.
Meanwhile, Sasuke kept stealing glances at Akira out of the corner of his eye.
Sakura did the same, her thoughts in turmoil. She suddenly realized she knew almost nothing about this teammate.
Who would have thought that the usually low-key Akira was this strong? Even without making a move, the fact that he reacted in perfect sync with Kakashi put him leagues above them.
Akira, however, walked beside Kakashi as if nothing had happened, completely at ease.
He seemed detached from Team Seven—there was no deep bond tying him to Sasuke, Naruto, or Sakura.
The rest of the journey went surprisingly smoothly, without any notable obstacles.
A day later, they finally arrived at the Land of Waves by boat.
It was a small island nation surrounded by the sea, the air thick with the salty scent of ocean water. The environment was quiet and serene.
Walking along a riverbank, dappled shadows from dense trees covered the ground. Tazuna pointed ahead with a smile. "Once we pass through that forest, we'll reach the village where I live."
At that moment, Akira's sharp gaze suddenly locked onto something deep within the forest. He turned and gave Kakashi a look.
Kakashi immediately understood, his expression tightening as he looked in the same direction.
But with the naked eye, nothing seemed out of place.
Naruto, already on edge, suddenly hurled two kunai into the roadside bushes and shouted, "Enemy!"
But when he rushed over and parted the grass, all he found was a trembling snow-white rabbit.
Sakura facepalmed helplessly. "Naruto, what are you doing?! You're so jumpy—you almost killed such a cute little bunny!"
Naruto lowered his head awkwardly. He had just wanted to prove his sharp awareness.
But in that exact moment—while one was scolding and the other being scolded—Akira's figure flashed like a ghost.
In an instant, he pressed both of their heads down.
Bzzzz—!
A terrifying tearing sound split the air.
Boom!
A massive blade came spinning out of the forest with destructive force, slicing through the air just above Naruto and Sakura's scalps.
If not for Akira's sudden action, their heads would've been sent flying like watermelons.
Naruto was about to complain about Akira being too rough, but when he looked up—
He saw the enormous executioner's blade embedded deep into a towering tree behind them, still trembling violently.
Sakura raised her head in horror, a few strands of severed hair drifting down. Only then did she realize—she had just brushed past death, and Akira had saved her life.
Sasuke's pupils shrank sharply, cold sweat soaking his back. In that instant, he hadn't even seen how Akira moved.
A crushing sense of frustration and urgency rose within him.
This guy… his strength is far beyond mine. We're the same age—so why is the gap this huge?!
Naruto gripped his kunai with trembling hands, pointing at the figure now standing atop the massive blade's handle.
Akira slowly released his grip on the two, his calm gaze fixed on the man radiating a thick aura of bloodlust.
"Momochi Zabuza… the Demon of the Hidden Mist. One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Wielder of the Executioner's Blade."
Zabuza stood with his back to them, then slightly turned his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Oh? A brat from Konoha who can recognize me at a glance? Not bad—you've got some knowledge."
Akira's introduction wasn't just for show—it was a warning to Naruto and Sakura: this is a boss-level enemy. Don't rush in and get yourselves killed.
Sure enough, Naruto—who had been fired up moments ago—immediately lost half his courage upon hearing titles like "Demon" and "elite jōnin." His movements became noticeably more cautious.
Kakashi stepped forward, placing himself in front of the group, and spoke in a low voice, "Sasuke, stay close to Tazuna-san. Protect him at all times."
Sasuke nodded solemnly, drawing his kunai as he moved into position beside Tazuna.
Kakashi then walked to stand beside Akira, looking up at the enemy. "Zabuza… someone of your caliber—what are you doing in a place like this?"
Standing atop his blade, Zabuza sneered down at them. "Kakashi of the Sharingan, don't play dumb. Do you think I'm here for sightseeing?"
Kakashi frowned, his tone turning serious. "Sakura, Naruto—leave this one to me. Fall back and assist Sasuke in protecting the client."
Naruto glanced at the calm Akira and shouted unwillingly, "Kakashi-sensei! I want to fight too! I can help!"
Without even turning his head, Kakashi replied sternly, "Naruto, don't be reckless! This isn't an opponent you can handle. Even I can't guarantee victory. Protecting Tazuna is your greatest contribution!"
Though Naruto wanted to argue, the level-headed Sakura dragged him away.
At this point, Sakura understood clearly—Akira's strength was far beyond the three of them. Otherwise, Kakashi would never have allowed him to remain on the front line alone.
Reluctantly, Naruto clenched his teeth and retreated with Sakura, forming a defensive perimeter around Tazuna.
…
Seeing Naruto's frustrated expression, Tazuna couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. "Kid, don't feel so bad. That boy in black—he's clearly on a different level from you. You can tell just from his presence."
Even an outsider like Tazuna could see how exceptional Akira was—Sasuke and the others felt it even more deeply.
Three pairs of eyes were fixed firmly on Akira standing beside Kakashi.
Especially Sasuke—his gaze burned with curiosity. He desperately wanted to know just how strong Akira really was.
Kakashi looked straight at Zabuza and said gravely, "So it seems the assassin hired by that businessman Gatō… is you."
Zabuza was utterly arrogant. Even facing the famed Copy Ninja Kakashi, he showed no fear.
A cruel smile curled on his lips. "Since you know, Kakashi, hand over the old man. Out of professional courtesy, I might just spare your life."
The title of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was built on mountains of corpses—each one an elite jōnin forged through slaughter.
Zabuza was among the best of them, a true killing machine.
Akira let out a soft chuckle, breaking the tension. "This old guy sure talks big… not afraid the wind might cut his tongue?"