Chapter 11: Kakashi: Itachi, don't hurt Sasuke… Huh?
"They really do have other motives."
Kakashi wasn't surprised by Kisame's sudden attack, given his two-faced nature.
The next second, he saw Shiromo blocking his path, and his expression immediately hardened.
Having exchanged a brief clash earlier, Kakashi couldn't tell what Shiromo had done.
Now that he had activated his Sharingan after fighting Zabuza, Kakashi wanted to try again.
His three-tomoe Sharingan locked firmly onto Shiromo.
Shiromo, showing respect toward Kakashi, immediately began forming hand seals.
Kakashi followed without hesitation.
"Hey, kid, watch out! That's the Copy Ninja, Kakashi of the Sharingan! He can copy your ninjutsu!"
Zabuza, who had just been rescued, recognized the familiar scene and hurriedly warned Shiromo.
However…
What kind of technique requires so many hand seals?
A bead of cold sweat appeared on Kakashi's forehead.
Despite his unease, Kakashi's hands didn't stop moving.
His Sharingan remained fixed on Shiromo's hands.
His observation was incredibly precise; he could even discern the muscle movements in Shiromo's fingers as he shifted to the next hand seal. This allowed Kakashi to anticipate each seal and form them faster than Shiromo himself.
This was the same technique he had used earlier when fighting Zabuza.
"Reaper Death Seal!"
"Reaper Death Seal… what?!"
Kakashi confidently completed the hand seals before Shiromo and shouted the name of the ninjutsu, echoing Shiromo's words. However, the moment the name left his mouth, Kakashi froze in shock.
"What the hell?"
Kakashi didn't know the hand seal sequence for the Reaper Death Seal, but he recognized the technique. After all, his sensei, Namikaze Minato, had used it to seal the Nine-Tails.
Once this forbidden technique was activated, whether the enemy could be sealed was uncertain, but the user would unquestionably die.
Kakashi was genuinely shaken.
Only after sensing that there was no chakra fluctuation did he finally let out a breath of relief.
"Are you Scared? Will you dare copy ninjutsu so casually next time, and release it prematurely?"
Shiromo shook his hand.
It was slightly sore from forming so many hand seals.
Kakashi's expression darkened at his words.
"This personality is absolutely awful!"
But after thinking it through, he realized the other party wasn't wrong.
If someone deliberately used the hand seals of a suicidal or self-destructive technique, and Kakashi copied and released it before them.
Wouldn't he die on the spot?
After reaching this conclusion, Kakashi grew even more confused.
If the other party was deliberately targeting his weaknesses and removing his advantages, were they friend or foe?
"Hahahaha! I never thought Sharingan Kakashi would be toyed with by a young man! Hahahaha!"
Zabuza burst into wild laughter upon seeing Kakashi's embarrassment.
"You idiot who can only use forty-odd hand seals for a single jutsu, don't laugh at others."
Shiromo's words abruptly cut off Zabuza's laughter.
"Kisame, is he your subordinate?"
Zabuza's expression turned unpleasant.
"No. I suppose I'm his subordinate."
Kisame replied casually.
"What?"
Zabuza frowned.
Before he could say anything else, the masked man hiding in the shadows finally jumped out.
Zabuza was indeed a terrifying figure.
In the Shippuden finale, Otsutsuki Kaguya faced Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, and a "masked man."
Now, Zabuza was facing an identical lineup.
"Who goes there?"
Kakashi turned toward the disturbance, holding a kunai horizontally in front of him.
"Gentlemen, I am from the Kirigakure Village's Anbu. My mission is to capture the rogue ninja Zabuza and retrieve the Executioner Blade. Please hand him over to me."
Haku used the explanation he had prepared, attempting to persuade them.
"Indeed, a masked Anbu from the Kirigakure Village…"
Kakashi was at a loss for words.
If it were only Zabuza, there would be no issue with this person stepping forward.
But now, not only was Zabuza present, Hoshigaki Kisame was here as well.
More importantly, these Konoha ninjas were somehow cooperating with Kisame, another rogue ninja from Kirigakure.
Was this explanation simply an attempt to force everyone into killing each other to erase all witnesses?
"Haku, you idiot, shut up!"
Zabuza interrupted him.
Calling out his name meant they clearly knew each other.
Kakashi immediately realized the masked man was an imposter, here to rescue Zabuza.
"Zabuza-sama?"
Haku was confused.
"Kisame, what do you want? You're not after my sword, are you?"
Zabuza ignored Haku and turned his gaze toward Kisame.
Having just been defeated by Kakashi, he would be completely helpless against Kisame.
As for Kakashi, his chakra was nearly depleted, and he was responsible for several subordinates. Facing a ninja like Kisame, who possessed enormous chakra reserves and was still at full strength, Kakashi would have no choice but to retreat.
Zabuza's life or death now depended entirely on Kisame's decision.
Kisame didn't answer Zabuza. Instead, he looked toward Shiromo.
"What do we need your sword for? Since we saved you, you, your sword, and this subordinate of yours will all become members of our branch."
Shiromo spoke calmly.
The moment Shiromo finished speaking, Kakashi's group immediately became alert.
A branch?
That meant there was also a headquarters.
Could this be a newly formed force, centered around rogue ninja, gathering somewhere in secret?
"…An organization capable of recruiting someone of your strength, Kisame, must be extraordinary. I can agree, but I have a few questions I'd like to ask first."
Zabuza hesitated briefly before nodding.
He then turned his gaze toward Kakashi and the others, saying nothing further.
Kakashi's expression was grim.
A group composed of such powerful rogue ninja couldn't possibly have harmless intentions.
If left unchecked, they would inevitably threaten the village's safety.
Ideally, he should find a way to obtain more information.
But the current situation clearly wasn't suitable for intelligence gathering.
Putting three subordinates in danger for the sake of information would violate Kakashi's long-held ninja code.
"We..."
"Strategist, the mission is complete."
Just as Kakashi was about to speak and retreat, a flock of crows suddenly flew in, merging together and forming Uchiha Itachi, who handed a scroll to Shiromo.
"Uchiha Itachi?"
The moment Kakashi saw him, he sensed that something was very wrong.
Sure enough, as that thought crossed his mind, Sasuke, standing behind him, trembled violently. He threw a Fūma Shuriken forward and then charged ahead with a kunai in hand.
"Itachi!!!"
Sasuke rushed forward with a frenzied expression.
Shiromo nodded, accepted the mission scroll, and exchanged a few quiet words with Itachi.
Itachi then slowly turned his head and activated his Sharingan.
The three tomoe spun rapidly, instantly transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Stop! Itachi! Don't hurt Sasuke..."
Kakashi shouted in terror.
But he only managed to get halfway through his words…
In the next instant, Kakashi found himself bound to a cross, suspended in darkness.
Huh.
So he wasn't going to attack Sasuke after all?
Outside the Tsukuyomi dimension, Sasuke was equally stunned.
Those eyes were far too familiar.
Whenever he saw them, it meant he would relive the night of the Uchiha Clan's massacre.
But this time…
Nothing happened.
Sasuke checked himself, confirming that he was unharmed. He then turned around and saw Kakashi had collapsed into the water and was being pulled ashore by Naruto and Sakura.
(End of this chapter)