"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried out joyfully as she recognized our mentor. She understood that only Kakashi could stand against the Demon of the Hidden Mist.
"Heh… I got a little distracted and lost control of my technique," Zabuza said arrogantly, staring straight into our mentor's eyes.
"No. My students forced you to lose control," Kakashi corrected him immediately.
"…"The Demon of the Hidden Mist was furious, but he didn't rush to act, carefully assessing his situation.
"So, what will you do next?" Kakashi continued calmly. "Just a warning — I'm not the type to fall for the same trap twice."
A tense standoff followed. Two powerful and experienced shinobi stared at one another, calculating their next move. Zabuza did not fully understand how the Sharingan worked. Beyond copying ninjutsu, this dōjutsu could read an opponent's intentions. The moment he met Kakashi's gaze, our mentor already knew what Zabuza was planning.
A fatal mistake.
At last, they moved.
Standing opposite each other, Kakashi-sensei and Zabuza suddenly leapt backward and began forming hand seals at blinding speed. After several seconds — and who knows how many seals — two massive water dragons formed from the river itself. Twisting and roaring, they collided head-on, creating a colossal wave that reached even us on the shore!
Shielding ourselves from the spray, we looked back toward our mentor — only to see Kakashi and Zabuza already locked in close combat.
After exchanging several blows, they jumped apart again, increasing the distance between them. Zabuza intended to use his signature technique and shroud the battlefield in mist — but stopped short when he noticed Kakashi mirroring his movements perfectly.
With that alone, Kakashi-sensei had invaded his opponent's mind — metaphorically speaking. Zabuza lost his composure, his concentration shattered by anger.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Kakashi completed the technique faster than Zabuza ever could.
A massive torrent of water surged forward and slammed into the Demon of the Hidden Mist. Zabuza raised his arms in an attempt to shield himself from the oncoming force. We had to cover our faces as well — water was everywhere.
When I wiped my eyes and looked toward where Kakashi-sensei had been standing, he was gone.
I scanned the area and saw the devastating aftermath of the technique. Countless trees had been ripped out by the roots.
So this is it… the power of high-level techniques. Soon, I'll be just as strong… No — I'll be even stronger! I thought.
"Kgh—! Urgh!"
Hearing the strained groan, I turned toward the sound.
It was Zabuza. He was slumped against a tree, utterly exhausted. Kunai pierced his arms and legs, pinning him in place — and standing dramatically atop the same tree was Kakashi-sensei, the one who had thrown them.
"How?! Can you… see the future?!" Zabuza demanded in shock.
"Yeah," Kakashi replied coldly, holding another kunai. "And in it, you die."
"…?!"
Just as Kakashi was about to finish him off, two needles shot through the air at incredible speed and pierced Zabuza's neck.
"—!!"
Kakashi-sensei, my teammates, and Tazuna were completely caught off guard. I, however, already knew about Haku — yet even I was stunned by the sheer speed of those senbon.
Damn… if the canon repeats itself, I'm going to get turned into a human pincushion…The thought alone made me shudder.
From that point on, events followed the canon.
Kakashi-sensei checked Zabuza's pulse to confirm his death. Haku, disguised as an ANBU operative, thanked him for his assistance and swiftly carried away Zabuza's "corpse" using the Body Flicker Technique.
Why didn't I expose Haku or stop him?
There were several reasons.
First — and most importantly — Haku wasn't a bad person. More than that… knowing his past, it was impossible not to sympathize with him.
Second — there was no guarantee our team could defeat him. Kakashi-sensei was already at his limit. His Sharingan consumed an enormous amount of chakra.
Third — the canon would completely derail, and I'd lose track of our enemies' future actions. Even if, somehow, we eliminated both Zabuza and Haku, Gatō wouldn't simply give up. Who knows who he might hire next?
So I chose not to interfere and allowed Haku to save the person most precious to him.
"Naruto, Sasuke — you did well. Sakura, you too," Kakashi-sensei said once we were alone. "Today, you showed me your best. Now then… let's escort Tazuna-san to his home."
Lowering his headband and covering his left eye, our mentor issued his next command.
"Hahaha! Thank you, kids!" Tazuna laughed happily. "You really did great! I knew I could count on you. Come on — you all need some rest."
"…?!"
We hadn't even walked five meters when Kakashi-sensei suddenly collapsed face-first onto the ground.
"Sensei! What's wrong?!" Sakura asked in alarm.
"Too… long… Sharingan…" Kakashi muttered faintly before losing consciousness.
"Alright, let's hurry and get to the drunk builder's house," I said, lifting Kakashi-sensei onto my back. "How far is it, old man?"
"Huh? Oh — fifteen, maybe twenty minutes on foot," Tazuna replied. "Let's go."
After about ten minutes of fast walking, we reached our destination.
Just as I'd expected, Tazuna's house was built directly over the water.
It stood on thick wooden stilts sunk deep into the murky blue surface of the bay. Small waves gently struck the supports, producing a soft, rhythmic splash. A narrow wooden walkway led to the house — worn and creaky in places, but sturdy, clearly repaired more than once. The house itself was modest and single-story, built from darkened wood weathered by constant moisture.
At the entrance, we were greeted by Tazuna's daughter — Tsunami.
She was a woman of average height, with long dark hair and eyes of the same shade. She looked to be around twenty-nine or thirty years old. Judging by the way she waited at the door, she had been deeply worried about her father.
Tsunami-san grew visibly anxious when she noticed me carrying Kakashi-sensei on my back and immediately came closer, asking about his condition.
About fifteen minutes later, Tsunami-san served us tea.
Kakashi-sensei lay on a futon while our team sat nearby with Tazuna. By then, our mentor had already recovered somewhat. After thanking me for carrying him and Tsunami for her hospitality, he began explaining who Haku was.
He told us about the ANBU and the role they played in the shinobi world.
A few moments later, his eye widened.
Realizing that Haku was actually Zabuza's accomplice, Kakashi voiced his concerns.
Tazuna, Sakura, and Sasuke were shocked. Tsunami-san looked uneasy, still not fully grasping the scale of the danger. As for me, I decided to play along and put on a frightened expression.
In the end, Kakashi-sensei laid out the plan: while he recovered, we would be responsible for protecting our client. He also said that we had grown in his eyes — and that he was ready to train us.
What a lazy bastard, I cursed mentally.
"INARI! Where have you been?!"Soon after, Tazuna's grandson entered the house. Spotting him, Tazuna exclaimed happily.
"I'm back, Grandpa," Inari said, removing his shoes and allowing his grandfather to hug him.
"Inari, say hello," Tsunami said gently. "These ninja will be protecting your grandfather."
"…Mom, they're all going to die — especially that redhead," Inari said after a few seconds, glaring at us — clearly emphasizing me.
"What the hell?! You got a problem, brat?!" I snapped, irritated by his attitude.
Why the hell am I always the target of bullying?! I complained internally.
"You'll never defeat Gatō. If you value your lives, leave," the boy said coldly, completely devoid of emotion.
"…No. We're not leaving," I replied, calming myself when I saw the hopelessness in his eyes. "We'll protect your grandfather no matter what. I'm Uzumaki Naruto — and I give you my word, Inari."
"Tch. Idiot," Inari muttered before heading to his room.
An awkward silence filled the room.
Tazuna and Tsunami apologized for Inari's behavior, but seeing a child in such a state still made my chest feel heavy.
Children shouldn't lose hope, I thought, clenching my fists.
By the end of the day, our team settled comfortably in the client's house. I was assigned to share a room with Sasuke.
Before going to sleep, we stepped outside for a short walk.
"Phew, finally! Our lazy sensei's going to teach us a new technique!" I said, breaking the silence.
"Hm… Your shuriken plan wasn't bad," Sasuke nodded, unexpectedly changing the subject and acknowledging my efforts.
"Heh, I'm trying to catch up and reach your level," I grinned. "By the way… why did you look surprised when you noticed sensei's strange eye? The Sharingan, right?"
"The Sharingan is a dōjutsu of my clan, Naruto," Sasuke explained briefly. "It grants a massive advantage in battle."
"Yeah, I saw that! Kakashi-sensei wrecked Zabuza thanks to it. So… where's yours? You didn't use it when you fought me."
"…I haven't awakened it yet."
Sasuke froze. I noticed his fists clench tightly before he finally answered.
"Hey, don't tell me you're insecure about that?" I quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, I think I figured something out about my technique. Wanna test it?"
"…What is it?" Sasuke asked, intrigued.
"Create a Shadow Clone."
After he did, I created one of my own.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Let's find out. Have our clones go behind the building."
A minute later, information flooded our minds as the clones dispersed.
"Yes! Two out of three! I win!" I cheered. "When we get back home, you're treating me to Ichiraku Ramen!"
"Tch," Sasuke clicked his tongue.
"Get it now?" I said proudly. "The knowledge our clones gain transfers back to us!"
"…That makes this technique insanely useful for reconnaissance," Sasuke muttered, immediately grasping the implications.
"Exactly! During the fight with Zabuza, when you threw my transformed clone, I got its information once it dispersed. Now I've confirmed how useful it really is!"
From that moment on, Sasuke began seriously considering using Shadow Clones more often — despite their massive chakra cost.
We returned to the house late at night. I lay down to sleep, preparing for tomorrow.
Because tomorrow… Kakashi-sensei planned to begin our training.