First of all, thanks for your patience and for answering my question. The pairing still confuses me, but at least I get it now.
Morwen: Nadeshiko is anime only, filler before Naruto arrives to turtle island, I believe. And I'm glad you enjoy my character work, it's something I do try and work on. Thanks for dropping a review, and I hope you indeed to keep keeping an eye on the story!
PS: This chapter is best consumed with a side serving of both first series and shippuden OST. Just find a playlist and let it all fly.
The sea was surprisingly gentle for this time of year, sending half-hearted attempts at waves across its' surface, not even managing to noticeably rock the boat. Of course, even if it was somehow disturbed, not one of the present ninja would have trouble with that, having grown up by that very sea.
Up above, hidden behind a layer of mist and clouds, the moon was shining brightly. While that meant that the tides would be stronger, it did little to illuminate the village and its' surroundings, the mist being too thick for the weaker light to penetrate.
There were only three men on the boat, Zabuza himself included. A younger man and an older one, the older one's back turned to the swordsman, his hands busy with the paddle. His motions looked smooth, revealing his experience at handling the transport; the waters near the Mist were treacherous, its' currents always shifting throughout the year. Only the most experienced of pilots could be so at ease during a run.
Sitting up, Zabuza licked his dry lips, blinking a few times as his eyes rapidly adjusted to the low light. The occasional light flickered in the distance, lanterns that hung about the main ports intended to guide civilian ships through the village-naming haze. They wouldn't be heading towards those ports much longer, however; shinobi entryways were few and well hidden. Rarely, if ever, did a low-ranked shinobi even know of their existence. Genin on their missions always came back to the village through the civilian ports.
Stifling a yawn, Zabuza loosely turned to the younger ninja, not bothering to ease into the questions:
"What's the plan once we get there? Hopefully you're not expecting me to sneak through the entire village..." In honesty, he wouldn't have a problem even if they did.
As he drew ever closer to the mist, an answer to a question he barely even knew was bothering him became clear to him - his purpose as a ninja was never to survive between odd jobs for shady characters, taking down honest men and turning in the occasional bounty. That life, for all the experience he gathered living it, simply wasn't one he was meant for.
Even before he slaughtered an entire class' worth of academy students, a part of him always knew it would come down to him and the Mizukage. The village under him was sick, and he could feel it as he walked its' streets and sailed its' waters; even the blade he was given in order to serve its' interests was soon soaked in its' own blood, growing heavier as the years went by.
Yet, no matter how heavy his blade, he was always strong enough to carry it; He was strong enough to carry it even when he wasn't strong enough to kill Yagura. It followed him where the road carried them, over the seas, through nations he'd have no reason to visit otherwise. Along with it, Haku followed as well, growing from a mild-mannered boy into a proper shinobi... even though he refused to embrace that part of himself completely.
But even his strength had limits.
Gato was the last straw... working for such a vile man was something Zabuza had once sworn never to do, forced into breaking his own oath due to necessity. After all those years, all the men he had killed, the one to truly see him at his weakest was none other than that disgusting man...
The mogul was no fool. He knew how the game was played, and he was damn good at playing it. Maybe he would've pulled through enough to take him down along with him, but Zabuza was, even then, sure that he would die in the wave. Wandering aimlessly, so far from the Mist, from his purpose... it was tiring. The only thing that kept him going was the faith that, one day, he'd see his ambition come to life.
In the end, however, his ambition wasn't enough. Sharingan Kakashi was the one obstacle he couldn't power through. He was supposed to die on that bridge, his last battle against a man who was in many ways not too different from him. They were both professionals, loyal to the village rather than its' leader; they both built their reputations through bloodshed, and they both knew that taking their occupation seriously all the time was bound to get them killed rather quickly.
He was supposed to die, but he didn't. By some twist of fate, he had a medic on standby; It wasn't something he usually did... the concern about the mystery assailant Haku fought off probably pushed him into the decision. Still, looking back on it, he couldn't say he regretted it.
If he had died, he wouldn't have had to bother with this thrice-damned ninja life anymore... But he also wouldn't get a chance to fight, to really fight, for his shot at the Mizukage. It didn't matter that his will faltered... so long as he saw his ambition through, the road leading up to its' realization was void.
He persevered, and it paid off. Gato, Kakashi, Kisame, the swordsman Kei... it all led up to this point. He would enter the mist once again, and with him would come revolution.
It was only a matter of time, after all. Yagura's regime was a sickness, one left to run rampart for far too long. But the Mist was a terribly stubborn beast; sooner or later it would start fighting off the infection, smothering the source and creating itself anew. As far as Zabuza was concerned, his arrival had only hastened the inevitable.
"You'll be escorted to a secure location within the village. Our leader will help you sneak into the palace." The young ninja answered, his expression difficult to discern from behind the cowl he was wearing. As with all other Kiri-nin, however, his voice was cold and distant.
"And what, you lot then just sit back and enjoy the fireworks?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Water clones, disguised as you. We're supposed to raise hell and divert the majority of the guard." the ninja answered curtly, the slightest trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.
Nodding, Zabuza watched as the boat neared the volcanic rock that surrounded the village, no obvious entry in sight. That was slightly surprising, the way he remembered it, he should've seen an entrance at this distance, even with the mist so thick in the air.
The boat kept going, edging ever closer to the rocks. A collision at this speed wouldn't really hurt anyone, but there was simply no way an experienced pilot would just aimlessly paddle towards the walls. Maybe it was some kind of concealment jutsu? A seal array or a stable altered surroundings genjutsu meant to conceal the entrances?
Seeing his guess as correct the moment the boat went through what looked like solid rock, Zabuza smirked, watching with slight amusement as torch-induced shadows danced across the tunnel walls.
"Where's Haku?" He asked, suddenly remembering the boy. He doubted that the 'resistance' would do anything to harm him, but if they did...
"The Yuki should be waiting for us." The man answered, quickly dispelling the scenario that was coming to life in Zabuza's mind.
Haku had followed him for too long, given up too much. He needed to be there to at least see the outcome of the battle all this had led up to. He needed to see one of them die, death is what dragged the boy into the world of shinobi, and death would be what gives him the out he so truly deserves.
After all, isn't that what everyone in this cursed village wanted? An out, and end, anything to take them away from the bloodshed and misery... there was only so much death one could forget and sweep under the rug, only so many bones you can bury before you start hearing them creak with every step you take.
Leaving the tunnel, the small boat came to a stop at a small, fairly well-hidden dock, the ferryman ninja stepping onto it to greet the Kiri-nin that was descending down the stairs.
"Report?" The newly-arrived ninja asked, some kind of document in his hands.
"Transporting goods and passengers, sir." Came the pilot's reply, a faint smirk coming to the man's lips.
"Goods? What kind?" Came the next question.
"Fresh vegetables." the reply was immediate.
"And how many passengers?"
"Just the two of us."
Turning towards the boat, the shinobi took a long look at both Zabuza and the younger ninja, giving a small nod and turning back to the boat's pilot. "It appears so..."
Giving the three of them a smirk, the shinobi wrote one more thing in his form before motioning for the two to disembark. "Welcome back to the Hidden Mist Village."
oOoOoOo
It was a difficult feeling to describe, feeling the cobblestone paths beneath his feet after so much time had passed. There were times when he believed he'd never see them again, and times when he could all but feel them under his sandals. They were the village, just like the civilians that ducked into hiding at the sight of the passing shinobi and the faint scent of copper in the air.
'Home, bloody home.' He thought, smirking to himself.
"Took you long enough." Spoke the shinobi who had greeted them at the docks, the one who was carrying the torch that was lighting their way through the fog; lanterns hung only in the port after curfew, and curfew was long since in effect.
"You talking to me, or to our guest?" Replied the ferryman ninja, cracking a smile.
"Probably both." Concluded the last Kiri-nin, face still invisible behind the cowl. At least his tone was somewhat more chipper now.
"Who's the leader?" Zabuza interrupted, slightly annoyed with the amount of unnecessary detours they were taking... or were they doing it because the building layout changed? He never did spent much time around the southern quarters...
"Should we tell him?" Asked the ferryman.
"Better not. He wouldn't believe us." Came the reply from his torch-wielding comrade.
"Try me." the swordsman grunted, hoping his request would pass better than it did in the tavern.
"I don't think I will." came the reply.
This time, however, Zabuza not only lacked a bottle to smash against the shinobi's temple, but found that such an action would be a sign of ill will he didn't really need. These people were probably on his side, and he's beat down enough of them already...
"Through here."
"Another tavern?" The swordsman inquired, frowning. Couldn't they find a better place to hold a revolutionary meeting?
"Yes, another tavern." one of the ninja replied dryly, motioning for him to move.
Shaking his head, Zabuza pressed on, entering the overly bright tavern. If this was all an elaborate plan to kill him, it wasn't a bad place to go, all things considered. As expected, Kiri ninja of various rank were scattered around the area, all obviously waiting for his arrival. Ao himself was seated at one of the tables, a bottle of ale in front of him.
The tavern itself, while populated right now, seemed to be long-abandoned. The tables were worn and cracked, tankards were scattered all around with fine layers of dust on their edges, and cobwebs had covered the vast majority of the building's ceiling.
However, that wasn't what caught his attention.
"Zabuza!" Haku all but yelled, running up to the swordsman and immediately positioning himself between him and the nearest Kiri-nin. He'd have liked to embrace the man, tell him just how worried he is, how frustrated and angry he is... but now wasn't either the time, or the place.
Zabuza arched an eyebrow, noticing that the boy had ditched his usual kimono for stylized ninja overalls, black with navy details. It obviously wasn't what he would usually wear, but it blended with the surroundings well enough; with some luck, he could pass for an ordinary Kiri genin.
The girl, who was leaning against the wall a ways' off, just kept staring at them with indifferent eyes... so she knew. Keeping the secret wasn't much of an option with the presence of these people, after all. She was there just in case Zabuza himself was the last man who dared stand up to Yagura. With so many ready to support the crusade against the Mizukage, the girl's presence was a redundancy.
"Haku." he nodded, feeling a lot more comfortable with the boy at his side.
"Took you long enough." Ao commented from his table, magnificently ignoring every single shinobi in the room save for the swordsman.
"I already said that." one of the ninja cut in, having extinguished his torch.
"Where's the leader?" Zabuza replied, perfectly ignoring the other shinobi as well. They didn't seem to mind, though, patiently waiting for the organization's leader to finally show up and get this whole thing started.
"She likes to make a dramatic entrance." The Byuakugan user answered, taking a sip of his ale.
"She?" The demon asked, raising an eyebrow. Just as he spoke, however, a door swung open, revealing a woman clad in blue, bright red hair rolling down her shoulders and back in messy waves. She smiled, walking over to Ao's table and sitting next to the man. Not showing the slightest sign of caring, she took the man's ale, downing whatever was left in a single gulp; the bottle, which she tossed away, was caught by one of the surrounding shinobi.
Zabuza opened his mouth, closed it, then shook his head.
"Fucking Mei Terumi is the mastermind?" He asked, giving a disbelieving look to the assembled shinobi.
Most, if not all of them, replied with affirmative nods.
"No." He spoke, raising an open-palmed hand slightly, "I'm not dealing with that shit right now... Just tell me where the fucking S-Rank ninja is so I can go kill him."
There was no way in hell that the strange little girl who sat next to him in the academy, the one who was sick on graduation day, matured into the redhead bombshell that just sat down next to the man with the stolen eyeball. He just wasn't able to process that right now.
Killing a Kage? No problem, he'd kill them all if he had to. Dealing with this, however, he wasn't too keen on. Just how the fuck did someone like her grow up to become the leader of a damn resistance movement? She completely fell off the radar once he joined the swordsmen, and he hadn't heard anything about her ever since. To see that she was here now...
"Surprised, Zabuza-san?" She asked sweetly, giving a smile just for him.
"Very." He replied, recovering rather quickly, "They tell me you'll be sneaking me into the palace."
"They did? Then we're done with this little meet already, aren't we?" She asked, turning to the shinobi scattered around her.
They all nodded, making a hand seal and generating small amounts of water one way or another. The number of bodies in the room almost doubled, water clones of each shinobi standing next to the originals and waiting further instructions. She tilted her head to the side a bit, and the clones gave a collective nod, slowly transforming into perfect lookalikes of Zabuza himself.
"One demon is reason for panic enough..." Ao began, smirking.
"Just imagine what a dozen or so will do to the village." Mei finished, watching with amusement as the clones scattered.
On cue, the shinobi themselves scattered, intent on getting into their assigned positions. Win or lose, Zabuza was just a diversion. If he didn't show up, they'd be doing this same thing a month later.
A superstitious man would say that Yagura's end was simply destined.
The village slept, but it was a troubled sleep. Watching from his office window, Yagura could easily tell as much. There was a tension in the air, and it appeared that he was the only one who felt it. Perhaps it was just simple paranoia, but the greater part of him knew better - the Demon was coming, and he was coming tonight.
"Gaishiki, go give the guards a night off." He commanded, peering at the man in question over his shoulder.
The jonin arched an eyebrow, but knew better than to start questioning the Mizukage's decisions. Yagura might have been a harsh man, but he was just and good at what he did; the past few years, the Mist was the village with the lowest amount of casualties on the job, and the number of local executions was steadily dwindling.
Nodding, the man stood up and left the office, motioning for the present ANBU to follow along. If the Mizukage wanted to be alone, far be it from them to refuse. As soon as the last headband was out the door, it slammed shut, leaving the office dreadfully empty once again.
'They'd only be nuisances.' Yagura thought, rationalizing his decision. No Kage in their right mind would send their personal guard away when they knew an assassin was coming, but when did he ever care what kind of Kage he was? The only thing that mattered was that he was doing his job, keeping the village safe.
The darkness would always be there, snapping at his heels like a demon in its' own right... But as ninja, he was supposed to walk into that darkness, to use it to his own ends. He chose to hide his village in it. When the Hidden Mist became the Bloody Mist, it stopped being a potential warzone. The Stone, the Cloud... even the Leaf, they all feared it, no matter what they said. Come wartime, not one of those villages would have the guts to try and take the Mist, not while its' Kage was still there, waiting for all challengers with a small smile on his lips.
Stretching lightly, the Kage stood up, starting towards the door. It would be a shame to ruin the office by fighting in it, an open area such as the palace roof would be a much better place. Open combat was never something to be taken lightly, but he'd be lying if he said that the anticipation wasn't killing him.
In the end, shinobi, be they academy student or Kage, were simple soldiers, meant to do battle where civilians and lesser warriors could not. And unlike other soldiers, who still shuddered at the memory of the most recent civil war, Yagura wasn't bothered, wasn't afraid.
It wasn't that he relished in the bloodshed, he didn't. He got no fulfillment no matter how many fell to his jutsu and hookstaff. But he was so very good at it, and the itch needed to be scratched at some point. Let Zabuza come - a broken man surely wouldn't be much of a challenge, but it would be a challenge he'd take nonetheless.
Making it out onto the roof, the Mizukage made a beeline towards the railing, casting a longing look to the village port - the only illuminated part of the village. It was tricky to make out from all the haze, but he had a decade of experience. To his eyes, every single detail was clear, every civilian with their weary eyes and tired limbs, every ship sail that trembled in the gentle winds, even as low as they were...
The village was what he was fighting for. Not some personal desire to outdo an enemy, not some selfish drive to keep himself in the position of power - all he did was for the village, and that was an honest truth. Perhaps the world perceived him as a monster because of the demon he carried within himself, but the reality couldn't be much further off from that impression.
No one cared for the fact that he was the village paragon - he was a jinchuriki, and no matter what he did, they would hate him for it. Even if he could somehow remove all possible threats to the village single-handedly, they still wouldn't trust him...
Grabbing the rails, he pushed himself to the side, dodging the quartet of shuriken that sought to bury themselves into his back. Clanging uselessly against the rail, the projectiles fell to the ground, indiscernible from the dark floor of the palace roof. Yagura spun around, smirking upon seeing that the man he was waiting for had finally arrived.
The black muscle shirt, the loose headband as well as the Kubikiribocho itself... this was the demon no doubt. Physically, he didn't seem too different, having lost a few things along the way perhaps, but not much else... But the difference in stance, chakra, even the in killing intent he was allowing to roll across the roof's surface... it was surprising. The last time the demon had come for his head, Yagura needed only show up to rout him, this time it wouldn't be that easy.
"Took you long enough." The Mizukage quipped, getting into stance.
"Would you people stop saying that?" Zabuza growled, pulling his blade up and slowly moving to the side.
In a moment, both men lunged, steel clashing against something that had long since transcended simple wood. Sparks shot through the air, throwing momentary shadows across the fighters' faces, only to see them part and swing again.
The battle had begun.
oOoOoOo
The road that led up to this was neither short nor easy, but if he were to turn back, to see just how far he's come for this... he'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. No matter how many lives he ruined along the way, no matter how deep in hell he's going to end up, having the chance to settle this last score was worth it.
"Time's run out, boy. This is the last coup you'll ever see." the swordsman snarled, batting at his much nimbler foe with the colossal blade in his hand.
Yagura wasn't a physical powerhouse, that much was obvious even at first glance. What he lacked in frame, however, he more than enough made up with form and chakra. The hookstaff danced in his arms, redirecting the executioner's blade's savage swings with apparent ease. Ducking under a blow that looked too fast to block, Yagura swept low with the staff, forcing the swordsman to back off, if only for a moment.
"Do you think your threats unnerve me, Zabuza?" The Mizukage asked, flipping through a set of hand seals, "Think again. Water Style: Tearing Torrent Jutsu!"
Water lashed out from the Mizukage's palm, cutting into the roof's surface, only narrowly avoided by the swordsman. Forced away, Zabuza grunted, then dashed towards his opponent, completely ignoring the incoming attack. Just as the jutsu was supposed to connect, however, he swung wide with the seversword, cutting the technique clean in half.
Moving unopposed, he pressed on towards the Mizukage, a grin plastered on his face. "That was a mistake!"
Once again, the weapons ground against one another, but this time it was obvious that the swordsman's attack was much closer to getting through. Kicking off of the massive blade, Yagura landed directly atop the railing, face frozen in an unmoving frown.
"You always were a nuisance, Momochi. Even as a child, you had to go against the current... Would it have killed you to simply understand that the village needed this?" He mused, idly twirling the staff in his hands.
"What the village needs is for you to disappear." The swordsman replied, placing his other hand on the blade's hilt.
"Really? You believe that removing the man who protects the village is what needs to be done? You truly are a fool."
Not waiting for the bladesman's reply, the Mizukage jumped back, hooking the end of his staff around the rail, swinging under it and shooting forwards like some kind of human missile. His attack landed perfectly on the flat of Zabuza's blade, sending the demon skidding backwards a way. Landing with a flip, the Mizukage wasted no time in going in for a follow-up assault, attacking relentlessly with his signature weapon.
"Give in! You're not beating me! I'm the Mizukage, I've dedicated my life to protecting this village!"
"And I dedicated mine to ending yours!" Zabuza replied, lashing out, forcing the boy in appearance back.
Yagura smirked, then began dissolving into water.
'Water clone!' Zabuza thought in panic, turning around just in time to see the Mizukage's arm thrusting at him, surrounded by water.
"Water Style..." The Mizukage began, eyes impassive as he stabilized his jutsu, "Water Prison Technique."
Water quickly enveloped the swordsman, forcing him into the same imprisonment he held Kakashi in back in the Wave. From inside, the water surface was as hard as steel, far beyond his ability to escape.
Was this how it ended? One slip-up, followed by drowning by way of water jutsu? It wasn't a particularly heroic death, but then again, his death would never be a hero's one. It was still frustrating, though, losing a battle this big so quickly...
Then again, S-Rank was fucking S-Rank for a reason.
It didn't matter. Even if he did drown here, in this confined little bubble of water and chakra, Yagura was dead the moment he had stepped onto that roof. His road might end here, but Haku would get to carry on, to live out a life he never dreamed he could...
It was his choice now. He could follow along his path, the path of a shinobi, a killer for hire and a warrior of honor... or he could just throw it all away, live the life that would fit his nature, a life full of compassion and love, the kind of life that few, if any, in the ninja world got to live.
Feeling the pressure build up in his lungs, Zabuza looked on as the Mizukage brought him to the roof's edge, offering him one last look at the village he had failed so many times. All those lives... they've suffered long enough, and they'd suffer still. With his failure, many of the resistance shinobi would fall against the Mizukage, and chaos would once again flood the streets of the Mist.
It was a bitter last thought to have, but he expected no better from himself.
"Gah!" came a shout from behind him, and he turned to see the Mizukage reeling back from a barrage of senbon. Almost immediately, the jutsu began falling apart, and Zabuza kicked off of the railing, sending himself far over the roof's edge.
As he fell, his hands blurring though dozens of hand signs, he smirked. Haku just couldn't stay away, could he? if they survived this thing, if he survived this thing, he'd do well to remember to thank the boy for yet again saving his life. Feeling his chakra reaching its' maximum buildup, he let loose, focusing the jutsu through word, just like it was always done.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" He roared, watching with malicious glee as the great water beast materialized out of the air around him, shooting up to the palace roof, towards Yagura.
If there was any one move he could predict the Mizukage to make, it was redirecting a water dragon through the Water Style: Water Mirror technique... And that was completely fine by him.
As expected, Yagura hastily brought up his barrier, hooking it's end and flipping it around in a practiced motion. Only, instead of a water dragon emerging from the mirror, there was an explosion, sending a massive amount of water, as well as the Mizukage himself, flying off of the roof.
They both fell. Water, debris, chakra and dust all followed along, plummeting though the air above the hidden Mist market; It was a long fall.
Yagura cursed. Not only did the demon have backup, but he got clever enough to hide an explosive tag inside a water dragon bullet...
His water mirror was the perfect counter to long-range jutsu like the dragons. His proficiency with the technique is part of why he was feared as one of the best Water Style users alive... To think that one of his signature jutsu would be so easily disrupted by a mere explosive tag... it was beyond infuriating.
They wouldn't die from the fall, they were beyond that. But once they were at ground level, the rules changed. It wasn't an open area anymore, it was a veritable jungle of market stalls, fences, stone walls and other such objects that would only get in his way. He wasn't a slouch up close, but there was a reason why he preferred fighting at a distance.
The earth seemed to shake as the two shinobi crashed into the market, the buildings they landed atop being devastated in a matter of moments. What few civilians were still there shrieked in panic, running as fast as they possibly could in the other direction. To them, this was a sign of yet another war... and a war it was, but not between opposing factions.
Their war was a war of ideals. Zabuza wanted the Mist to be free to make its' own choices, regardless of whether they would end up destroying it in the process... Yagura believed that the village needed to be protected and controlled, its' actions guided in such a way that survival was completely insured.
Freedom versus control, Kage versus sword, jinchuriki versus demon.
Yagura dug himself out of the rubble, immediately leaping up towards his opponent's crash site. But Zabuza wasn't there. He had already ducked out of sight, most likely trying to set up a silent killing.
He had to applaud him for his tenacity and stubbornness, at least. Not many had the courage to tackle a kage, let alone a jinchuriki one. If the man was willing to go up against the three-tails' wrath, he deserved a better death than drowning... That was Yagura's decision - he wouldn't torture the swordsman, wouldn't punish him for all the chaos he had caused... his reward for fearlessness would be a quick, spectacular death.
"Alright Isobu... I know we're not in the best of places, but I'll need some help with this one... Ninja Art: Illusionary Mist Technique." He spoke, making a simple hand sign. Just as he did so, thick mist, way thicker than what usually lingered around the village, began spreading though the market. If Zabuza was there, this would surely smoke him out.
The Illusionary Mist was a genjutsu that gave one's memories form, usually in a combat context, forcing them to fight off a non-existent foe in addition to the real one. If he wished it so, Yagura could have made the mist potent enough to turn shinobi against one another, but he hadn't done that since the Kaguya uprising.
It was just a matter of time until the swordsman made enough noise for him to notice...
What right did a rouge-nin have to try and control the village? The moment he turned his blade against him, the village's rightful leader, he had forfeited the right to ever return. But of course, Zabuza never was one to stick to the rules, even when he did serve the village's interests.
He intended to try and kill him, the Yondaime Mizukage.
"Where are you..." He trailed off, eyes slowly scanning the surroundings through the mist.
oOoOoOo
Hidden in what seemed to be a storage facility of some sort, Zabuza immediately recognized the technique that began filling the air around him. It was genjutsu, the kind that he couldn't just break away from.
Taking a deep breath, Zabuza steeled himself for what was to come, knowing full well that as soon as the illusion took hold, he would believe that the opponent was real. That wasn't a problem, as he'd just kill whoever it was and be done with it.
Of course, when Sharingan Kakashi emerged from the mist, all of that went out the metaphorical window.
Dodging left, Zabuza narrowly avoided getting impaled on the man's kunai, blocking the followup strike from above. Kakashi wasn't surprised in the slightest, however, kicking at Zabuza's knee and trying to stick him with the blade anyway.
The blow hurt, but it wasn't enough to stop the demon; fighting through the pain, he connected with a quick uppercut, sending the Konoha jonin skidding back. Gritting his teeth, Zabuza underswung the blade, trying to bisect the annoying dojutsu wielder, only narrowly missing.
"You gave me your word, Zabuza." The cyclops began, staring at the swordsman impassively.
"And I kept it." The demon replied, easing into a more comfortable stance. The sooner he could get rid of Hatake, the sooner he could get back to finishing his actual mission.
Why the hell was he here, anyway? Was Yagura so desperate that he hired Konoha as protection? Was this some kind of joke? For Sharingan Kakashi, of all people, to show up in the middle of their fight... it didn't make any sense. Of course, little did make sense in the world of shinobi, but that wasn't much comfort given the situation.
"Don't lie to me!" The leaf jonin growled, a water clone of him rising from a nearby puddle. The two Kakashi lunged at the swordsman from opposing directions, forcing him to dodge the only way he could - jumping.
Of course, that was what the copy-nin expected, shooting a fireball immediately after recovering from his attack. Forced to bring up a minor water jutsu to defend himself, Zabuza was send back by the recoil, crashing into the wooden wall of the storage facility.
His eyes widened as the eerie blue light of the lightning blade lit up the dark room, rolling to the side in order to avoid getting skewered. The clone tried to follow up with a kunai strike, but ended up getting impaled on Zabuza's own kunai, dissipating into harmless water.
"Already cracking out the ace, huh?" Zabuza taunted, rolling his shoulders, "I've gotten better since the Wave, Hatake."
Standing up, he readied his blade, running forward and thrusting it in the copy ninja's general direction. Seeing that the man leapt up to avoid the attack, Zabuza immediately followed up with a leap of his own, flipping though a set of hand signs before managing to tag the leaf jonin.
Landing, he held up the watery sphere in which his opponent was caught once again - a slightly nostalgic sight. Of course, this time there won't be any genin to interfere.
"You keep using the same old tricks, Kakashi." He spoke, frowning, "It's like you learned nothing since the wave."
What was Sharingan Kakashi doing in the Mist? There was no plausible explanation. Sure, he could've been hired as protection, but Yagura wasn't the kind of man who needed protecting.
This was genjutsu, which meant that the boy Kage himself wasn't too far away. Being caught off guard again would mean certain death, as Haku surely wasn't around to bail him out again. He needed to break this illusion quickly...
Pulling his kunai, Zabuza jammed it into the throat of the illusionary copy-nin, watching as his jutsu broke apart, leaving nothing behind. An illusion was good only so long as the enemy believed it was actual reality; see past the curtain, and the foreign chakra in your system is purged like a virus.
Picking his sword back up, Zabuza walked out of the facility, stepping onto the Mist's cobblestone once again. He needed to finish this fight quickly, to pull off that silent killing that was so many years in the making. Yagura would be on his guard, but he had killed people who expected him before.
Silencing his breathing and his steps, the demon slowly made his was between the market stalls, keeping hidden under the canvas covers and wooden roofs. Yagura's chakra was like a beacon, so he wouldn't be too difficult to track, but the fact that he could be anywhere somewhat complicated things.
Only three Kage in history were ever actually assassinated... the third Mizukage, the first Tsuchikage and the first Raikage... if he was successful now, Zabuza would be adding another Mizukage to that list.
There.
Pulling himself up, the mist assassin noticed the Mizukage's silhouette, creating a water clone and sending it to do the deed. A clone was a perfect extension of himself, so it didn't matter if he failed or not; Yagura dodging the silent killing just meant that he was open to a jutsu attack.
So he moved forward, approaching the Yondaime. His blade trembled in the late night air, craving the blood of the man who had handed it to its' current owner. One more step... there.
Zabuza swung, feeling only the smallest bit of resistance as the Mizukage's head was parted from his shoulders.
It was done... the Mizukage was dead.
He blinked, unable to believe that it was so...easy. That was impossible, a shinobi of Yagura's caliber would surely...
"Did you really think a silent killing would be enough!?"The voice roared from behind him, the body that lay at his twin's feet revealing itself to be a simple barrel.
Hooking Zabuza around the arm, Yagura threw him through the nearest wall with chakra-magnified strength, sending the swordsman flying though several wooden panels before finally crashing into a stone wall of what seemed to be a small water mill.
Feeling as if his body was on fire, Zabuza could only watch as the Mizukage slowly approached, holding what seemed to be a highly pressurized Tearing Torrent Jutsu in his hand. The boy Kage snickered, motioning with his free hand at the surrounding chaos.
"You can't stop me, Zabuza. You weren't good enough then, and you're hardly much better now." He spoke, waiting for a reply.
The demon, as beaten as he was, still managed to smirk. "I did not come this far... just to die now."
Moving with surprising dexterity, considering the fact that he was half-buried in a stone wall, Zabuza chucked a explosive tag kunai at the boy Kage, forcing him to drop his jutsu and dodge. In that little time, the swordsman broke free of his impromptu prison, picking his blade up and lunging at his foe.
Injury wasn't a factor... so long as he won, nothing mattered. The village had suffered the abuse of power long enough.
He was powerful enough to stop the Kage, he knew it. Yagura wasn't so mad as to transform into the three-tails in the middle of the village, and even if he was, he'd be signing his own death warrant. No matter what the outcome, the Mizukage simply couldn't win anymore.
"You really don't know when to quit, don't you?" an annoyed Yagura asked, dusting himself off, "As Mizukage, I banish you from this village."
Zabuza smirked at that, "And I'm just supposed to listen? Is that it?"
The jinchuriki shook his head, "Alright, I tried being civil... Water Style: Typhoon Drop Jutsu."
A massive amount of water began rushing through the streets, enveloping the swordsman, twisting and tearing at him, trying to wrench him apart. Yagura kept the last hand sign, the serpent sign, held, watching the swordsman with undiluted malice in his eyes.
"Be gone."
The typhoon rose just a tiny bit... then it barreled straight at the sky, crashing into the sea outside of the village with an almighty crash. Zabuza was out before he even hit the water.
The hidden mist was located within the mouth of a sunken volcano. The leftover heat produced the namesake mist, the fertile volcanic soil ensured that the majority of the village was further hidden under a layer of trees, while the rocky outside made a naval siege near impossible.
Being as defensible as it was, the mist would've easily been the wealthiest and most progressive of the ninja villages if it hadn't had the self-destructive tendencies it did. With two tailed beasts, housed in the nation with the largest navy in the continents, and such a premier location, it was a cruel twist of fate that the village's denizens were such a bloodthirsty lot.
But the Yondaime wouldn't have another war on his watch. Riding a water dragon out of the village, he too reached the outside sea, watching with slight amusement as the sworsman floated on the water's surface, instinctually using the water walking technique. He wasn't dead, which was a feat in its' own right, but he was unconscious.
Nodding in satisfaction, Yagura pressed his palm against the water's surface, watching as a thin line of corals made their way to the demon of the hidden Mist. On contact, the coral palm technique began spreading, growing like a prison around the swordsman, creating a living barge to hold him in place. Even if he did somehow wake up, Zabuza would be as helpless there as he was when held in place by the copy-nin's ninken.
As the coral grew, Yagura wasted no time in focusing, pulling out more and more of the Isobu's chakra, willing the great beast to help him finish this battle with style. Waves began rising from all that chakra, pushing the coral prison further and further away from the village; chakra became visible in the air, at first blue, but then quickly turning a hateful orange.
Letting the chakra cloak grow, Yagura quickly disappeared behind the ever more menacing chakra, morphing into something that may as well be an actual demon. But he wouldn't stop there... he let it run wild a bit more, grinning as the chakra grew into a dome around him, letting the three-tails finally manifest in the physical world.
It began small, but then rapidly grew outward, a massive bubble of ominous red chakra. It grew large enough to hide half the village behind it, finally bursting to reveal the monstrous, fully-grown form of the Sanbi.
Letting out a terrifying roar, the turtle felt the sea shake with its' rage, the skies above clearing up as if anticipating what was to come. People fled the ports in a panic, the beasts' dreadful presence enough to drive away even some of the more hardy shinobi.
The ninja who awaited the signal for their attack cringed, realizing that the worst case scenario came to be realized - Yagura transformed. It was out of their hands now... it was up to the Yuki and their leader to cover the demon, no matter how pointless the endeavor was.
You couldn't stop a tailed beast... the number of people through ninja history who could do such a thing could be counted on one's fingers. And from the ones that still were alive, not one was nearly close enough to the village to make a difference...
Funnily enough, when the first jinchuriki of the Rokubi killed herself, it was the Yuki clan that subdued the great beast, encasing it ice long enough for the sealing teams to suppress the biju. Now there was a mere handful of them, most being either far away from the village, unaware of their heritage, or drugged out of their minds in the correction facilities...
The turtle gave what some perceived as a grin, staring at the floating coral platform and the imprisoned swordsman with its' one open eye. It seemed to be enjoying its' triumph, or perhaps it was waiting for him to wake up... Either way, most everyone who was watching was well aware that Zabuza Momochi was a dead man.
Zabuza himself felt nothing, his consciousness trapped under the pain and fatigue. He had more than enough chakra, but his body was ravaged, crushed and tossed around by a massive typhoon. His limit as a man was reached, and he simply couldn't take any more...
Even unconscious, he could feel the ominous chakra of the three-tails. He felt the overwhelming killing intent pulling at him, daring him to wake up, to stare his own death in the eye.
But he couldn't do it... no man could do something like that. Ambition was one thing, but no one stood against a force of nature and won. And Yagura...fucking Yagura... for all intents and purposes, he was a force of nature.
No man could stop that...
"..."
He stirred.
"..."
No man could stop Yagura...
"..."
But he wasn't quite a man, now was he?
"..."
He was the fucking Demon of the hidden Mist.
Zabuza's eyes shot open, energy coursing though his body. It felt like chakra... but it wasn't his usual chakra. It was that demonic presence, the curiosity that gave him his nickname... It pulled him from the depths of his own mind, showing him just how things would end for him.
Yagura couldn't break him. Gato couldn't break him. Kakashi couldn't break him. Kisame couldn't break him.
No one could break him.
Staring the turtle down, Zabuza began struggling against his impromptu bindings, knowing full well that he couldn't get out in time. Whatever the beast chose to throw at him would be lethal, full stop.
Opening its' massive maw, the turtle began pooling dark masses of chakra, forming the dreaded bijudama - the tailed beast ball. A technique that required their own particular kind of demonic chakra, it was a jutsu that could ruin entire villages with ease, let alone one single man.
Unless protected by an incredibly advanced bloodline such as Mokuton or the Uchiha's Susanoo, most everyone who ever saw one was long dead. Zabuza, for all his strength, didn't have that kind of advantage.
The ball grew larger, and the beast slowly began lowering its' head in order to aim it. At least it would be a better death than drowning, thought the swordsman.
It needed only snap its' jaw once more, and the technique would be complete, the ball of condensed death shooting at him at unavoidable speed. He would feel nothing, because there would be nothing left to feel the moment it went off.
They said that he'd see his life flash before his yes, but all Zabuza saw was a motherfucking big turtle.
oOoOoOo
In a lifetime of living as a shinobi of the hidden mist, you don't really get many chances to exercise mercy. More often than not, merciful acts were punished in very unmerciful ways. But when he came across the small, scrawny little kid on that bridge, Zabuza decided that he'd break the unspoken rule.
Years have passed since then, and while he did train the boy to become the perfect shinobi, the ultimate tool, Zabuza never could've imagined the limits of the Hyoton's... Haku's power.
It froze the water at first, spreading as quickly as Yagura's coral palm technique did. It spread across the turtle's shell at a breakneck pace, slowly forming a massive block of ice around the beast. Before Yagura, or the Sanbi, or whatever, could fire off the bomb, its' jaw was frozen still, followed by its' entire head and eye.
The three-tails, a beast large enough to eclipse half the Hidden Mist Village, was completely encased in ice. Moonlight pierced the now clear sky, illuminating the beast, casting its' colossal shadows into the sea's depths. The shinobi that watched the battle stared in mute awe, only two of them being veterans who remembered the terrible power a Yuki could call upon.
Haku, who was standing on the shore a ways' off, was in more pain than he ever believed possible... But by the spirits, he was keeping the beast at bay! The senbon were a lucky shot, an opening he managed to use... this was his actual contribution to the fight, this was his way of repaying Zabuza some of what he owed him.
Zabuza watched as a familiar figure landed in front of him, flipping her hands through a set of hand signs.
"I thought you'd be long gone by now." He spoke in a dry tone, completely ignoring the fact that the bijudama was still hovering above them.
"Wind Style: Blade of Wind Technique." She muttered, throwing her arms out at the coral structure, watching with indifference as it began to crumble, cut apart by hundreds of invisible blades.
Suddenly free, Zabuza turned to look for the Kubikiribocho, finding it embedded in a stone on the faraway shore. The girl leapt away towards it, either intending to fetch it, or to simply abandon the battle altogether, her part in it done.
Smirking, the demon let his chakra flare and lash out, seeing the eerie purple glow coming from above him. Water demons were once feared creatures, but ninja had long since banished them all, their only legacy being terrible stories told to naughty children. Now he intended to remind this world why people feared the demon.
Ox, monkey, hare, rat, boar, bird, ox, horse, bird, rat, tiger, dog... Forty-four hand seals, and he flipped through them all perfectly.
A water dragon rose through the water, hovering above him briefly before diving back in. What emerged wasn't a simple water dragon anymore. What emerged from the water was a chakra construct large enough to rival the Sanbi.
Then it dived again.
When it reemerged, it was large enough to eclipse the village. Water demons were feared because they ruled the seas, better than any human could ever hope to do; Their will was made reality by the water. And now, so was Zabuza's.
The dragon roared, then shot towards the beast's technique, colliding with it and infusing it with all the chakra it carried, all the chakra the swordsman could squeeze into it. He couldn't hope to overpower it, that was impossible even for him... But he could destabilize it.
Bubbling and spasming, the Bijudama began to deform. If it was shot now, it could still do its' job and kill the demon, finishing his threat to the village once and for all. If Isobu would only snap its' jaw, it would all be over.
"Why aren't you firing?" Yagura asked, finding himself on the beach of his mindscape once more.
"..." The Sanbi didn't respond, just staring at him with an indifferent look in his eye.
"We could die from the blast. You know that." The Yondaime argued, voice tinged with frustration. Of all the possible times it could've picked, the damn turtle starts throwing a fit now.
"We have long since died, Yagura... I grow weary." Isobu answered, then tucked itself into a ball, cutting off any further communication.
'I grow weary.'
"..."
The tailed beast ball exploded.
A longish wait, but hopefully worth it. That's it for Book 1, which means that there's going to be quite a while until we see Zabuza again.
Any thoughts about the book? Maybe suggestions on what could be improved?
Book 2 is scheduled for the 21st of February, but I'll post earlier if fed with enough reviews. After that, it's every other Monday.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.