The air shimmered. Water dripped from the ceiling of the tiled room, the water sinking into crevices. The tiles glimmered, depicting images of coiled dragons spitting water fire and golden light. The walls shimmered. The grey stone of the castle darkened with moisture
Yokaze stepped backward, her body forcing its way behind Naruto. She swallowed, biting her lip slightly.
This guy is awesome. Naruto grinned, clenching his fist. Saying 'you might get caught up like that' is so cool! He's definitely the only trainer worthy of me, Naruto Uzumaki!
Sasuke tensed. Zabuza looks a lot stronger, and he's got a sword. I don't think things will turn out the way we expect… If necessary, I should be ready to protect Kōju-san and ero-nin. Her hand touched the scroll at her side. She unclipped it, reaching swiftly sideways.
Kōju tightened her grip on her sword. I better be ready to protect Yokaze-san. Any true heroine would. Of course, I can't so easily forsake my friends, but I need to be prepared in all aspects…
Nōtō lifted his hands. His foot balanced against the side of his leg. His body tensed.
Zabuza lifted his arms. The massive sword glowed in the large hands. "Yeah, I've heard about you… Mura Nōtō-san. It's said that you're one of the most dangerous people in Leaf." His eyes narrowed as he regarded Nōtō. "I can see where those people are coming from."
Nōtō smiled tightly. "I'm pleased to hear that my reputation precedes me." The air darkened. "But then, you realize that you won't be able both to fight me and capture that woman…"
"Most dangerous person in Leaf?" Sasuke questioned nervously. She took a step toward the door.
"You mean he didn't tell you?" Zabuza snorted. "Yeah. This guy is one of three people in history to have mastered the art of Susano'o Mikoto." He lifted his finger, pointing at Nōtō. "And he's also the only person to have done it without learning chakra sensing abilities."
Nōtō bowed his head. His arms extended to the sides.
The air grew still. A faint wind blew along the ground swiftly.
"Yeah… This guy, it would be unfair to compare to a prodigy, because he's beyond that. He's skilled in both medical ninjutsu and taijutsu, enough that he can find chakra points by instinct."
The stones of the castle trembled. The earth rose, drops of water falling from the surface of the ceiling.
"You said something wrong, though." Zabuza's hands grasped the sword swiftly, covering the hilt. The cloth of the facial mask dampened.
"Hm?" Nōtō frowned, his eyes narrowing.
"You said that I won't be able to fight you and capture that woman." Zabuza's hands clapped rapidly together.
The castle trembled. The flagstones shook heavily.
Kōju glanced upward, her eyes widening. This kind of technique? It's ridiculous—I should be so lucky to meet someone so strong…
Nōtō's eyes narrowed. How irritating. If I understand correctly, he's planning to use that…
Naruto hopped from foot to foot, his eyes wide. Whoa! What's up with this situation, huh?! How crazy can someone be?!
"That's wrong… Mura-san." Zabuza's lips curled upward, the mask matching his movements. He clapped his hands together rapidly in a series of motions.
The earth shook. The water drops intensified, gathering on the ground and forming a pool.
"There's a river not far from here. I imagine you noticed it on your way inward. That technique expends a lot of chakra, so I didn't want to use it at first, but against you it's my only hope, isn't it? You don't deal well with large volumes of water." Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "Or anything, really. It weakens you enough that you can't use your normal methods to deal with problems."
The ground trembled. The drops of water intensified, becoming a hailstorm of water.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!" Zabuza's hands clapped together, his eyes blazing with blue energy. The form of a demon rose around Zabuza's body.
Kōju gasped. Eh? What's this? She turned her head to one side. I've never seen chakra take such a concentrated and horrible form before!
Sasuke's brow dripped with sweat.
The castle glistened. A deluge of water poured inward from every nook, every cranny, every motion of the castle walls, the tiles destroyed, the world igniting with the force of the water conjured.
Zabuza's lips curled upward.
A wall collapsed. A massive wave of water, taking the fanciful form of a dragon, burst through the wall rapidly.
Yokaze gasped. Her hand rose to her mouth. Hoh…
A drop of sweat ran down Sasuke's forehead. What is all this, anyway? What kind of lunatic suggested that we try taking on a freak like that? Huh?
Naruto gritted his teeth. Right now, I would only get in the way… I need to wait for an opening. Sooner or later such a thing has to appear, and when it does, I'll be ready for that event. I can definitely beat this guy—I know I can! I just need to be prepared and ready for whatever happens!
Nōtō's hand rose in an arc.
The water halted. The water collapsed to the ground. Blue chakra dissipated from the ripples in the water, fading away into nothingness as the water collapsed rapidly to the ground. The air glimmered, light fading from the base of the water and crashing into nothingness.
The brown energy around Nōtō's body dissipated. Water dripped downward from the surface of the skin.
Nōtō exhaled. "You've broken my aura…" His hand reached sideways. He drew out a massive totem with spikes on the end from the cloak. "I guess I'll just have to fight normally." He breathed in heavily, his eyes narrowing. I see quite clearly how matters stand now, I think. It seems that Zabuza is still every bit as dangerous as before. He tensed. It's a pity that I may have to return to my form of that era, but I have very little choice under the circumstances.
Zabuza rushed forward. His hands clapped together rapidly.
Mist rose from the ground.
Sasuke reached upward, clutching her chest. This aura is incredibly terrifying… I feel like I'm going to die at any moment. What the hell is this feeling? She swallowed. It's… no, it's different. A pure killing intent, without any temperance of desire for power or something like that…
Naruto swallowed tightly. What the hell…? He swallowed again, bile rising in his throat. It's like I'm standing on hundreds of corpses…
Mist rose across the ground, surrounding the surface of the space. Wintry cold froze the area.
The steel glasses glinted.
"Stay where you are. Do not attack." Nōtō spoke calmly and firmly. His hand rested on the mace.
Naruto raised his kunai defensively, swallowing.
Sasuke reached upward. She wiped away a drop of sweat, her body growing heavy and shaking.
Kōju bit her lip. Dark blood dripped from the surface of the crimson lip.
Mist rose through the air.
"It's Silent Killing… This technique is unique to Hidden Mist swordsmen. It's said that they can kill without the target being aware of their presence. It depends on Hidden Mist Technique, however." Nōtō's eyes narrowed. "Truthfully, until he comes close, I'm not certain I can kill him in this form. He has more experience with that than I do. However, I can say most certainly that I will not allow my team to come to harm in any way."
The mist darkened.
Naruto turned in a circle, looking at the shadows.
Kōju drew out her tantō. She shook heavily, from head to toe. Sweat dripped down her brow. This whole thing is very different from expectations.
Zabuza swung downward, his massive sword slashing toward the head rapidly.
Yokaze gasped. She closed her eyes.
The blade stopped rapidly in midair.
Yokaze forced her eyes open. Her body shook with surprise, her arms falling downward.
Nōtō smirked as he reappeared from the shadows of the fog, his club blocking the attack. "You shouldn't telegraph your presence so much… You left marks on the ground."
Zabuza swung around again rapidly. His arms tensed.
Nōtō dodged sideways as the sword slammed into the ground.
Tile broke. Golden dragons flew upward from the surface of the ground, shooting into the ceiling.
Kōju gasped.
This must be what a real battle looks like, Sasuke reflected, her eyes widening as she attempted to track the movements. Good Emperor… is this really where my brother ended up in terms of his power? He's too insane…
Nōtō rushed upward, his fist plunging into the sternum.
Zabuza's body shook and shifted.
"ORARARARARARARA!" Nōtō roared, his hands blurring forward and slamming into the body.
Water fell to the ground.
Ripples spread across the water.
Naruto's eyes widened. "Eh?"
Water Clone Technique. Nōtō turned rapidly, his hands seizing on his club once again.
"It's not that easy to take me off guard!" Zabuza appeared again behind Nōtō, swinging rapidly.
The head collapsed to the ground.
The sword passed over the body. Blood flew from the stump of the neck.
Nōtō's expression, momentarily, showed surprise.
"Sensei!" Kōju shouted in a panic, her eyes wide. Her body shook fiercely. Sweat dripped down her forehead.
No way! Naruto's eyes widened. He died that easily?
The body transformed into earth.
Zabuza turned around slowly.
Nōtō brought down the club heavily. The arm smashed into the surface of the table.
Zabuza collapsed to the ground, his body falling motionless.
Blood spilled from the pate of the head.
The club bent in the head.
"Sensei!" Naruto shouted, his eyes wide.
"He was prepared to die from the moment he became a shinobi." Nōtō's eyes narrowed. He glanced down at the club. Crimson. That was his real body… He turned around. "Yokaze-san, you seemed to know him…" He paused. "I'll need to know information regarding his habits."
The water flowed upward.
Nōtō whirled around.
The water on the floor rose.
"Heh…"
A sphere of water formed around Nōtō.
Nōtō's eyes widened.
"You can't beat me with your skills like that." Zabuza rose to his feet.
"Then at that time you used a second copy shape-shifted…" Nōtō smiled faintly. He placed his hands on his legs. "It's my loss…"
Zabuza's eyes widened. He stared down at his limbs. His body wobbled rapidly. He shook heavily.
"Or so I'd say if I hadn't taken one last precaution."
"This is genjutsu?" Zabuza demanded. He stared up at the ceiling. Truly, this guy is a prodigy…
"I made a security. I expect to die, but—if I can save them, then I will have fulfilled my duty."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. He lifted the sword with one arm. "Nice try, but if I focus my energy, it'll be gone in an instant."
"I don't believe that's possible right now. The performance of the Water Prison Technique takes a great deal of precise chakra control. Unbalancing it releases me, and I'm sure you would prefer not to fight me in taijutsu. To release the genjutsu would prove difficult if not impossible. The only option remaining for you is…" Nōtō paused, letting Zabuza's experience speak for him.
"To fight like this…" Zabuza exhaled. "Water Clone Technique."
A copy of Zabuza appeared in the space.
The sword rose. The massive energy lifted in the air.
"I guess you are strong. Still, I came to kill her, so… I'll kill her." Zabuza lifted his sword. "It's as simple as that."
"Clones cannot be maintained too far from the body. You guys should run." Nōtō looked seriously at the genin.
"You guys shouldn't be called ninja yet. You're basically greenlings… too young to be considered that. A shinobi has scars on their body." Zabuza vanished.
Kōju's eyes widened. She drew her blade.
The head protector lay motionless under Zabuza's foot.
"Well, how about it, princess? I'll repay you. Consider this my severance pay!" Zabuza shouted.
Yokaze bit her lip. "Maybe you guys ought to run…"
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "No way. Sasuke-san. Kōju-san… This is our mission, right? We're not leaving a comrade behind."
Kōju lifted her sword.
Sasuke reached downward. A pair of shuriken puffed into her hands.
Naruto drew back his fist.
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "Hidden in Mist Technique!"
"Hold still. Here's my plan…"
Mist spread through the air.
Naruto explained his plan.
Kōju nodded. "It has a chance of success. I wouldn't say much more than that, though."
"This guy we're up against has much better odds to begin with." Sasuke sighed. "Still, nothing like a lost cause…"
The castle creaked. The wall glimmered.
Light passed through the opening.
I should wait for them to come at me. I have the advantage of location. Attacking is a waste. Zabuza's eyes narrowed. From what I can tell, this genjutsu alters my depth perception and relative considerations.
Naruto rushed forward. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
Clones appeared around the room.
The clones rushed Zabuza as one.
Zabuza swung around. Clones dissipated into smoke.
Naruto gritted his teeth. It's more than a little irritating that I'm still the distraction, but… He lifted the kunai, hurling them forward.
Zabuza's eyes narrowed.
The sword rose in the air. Scarred and terrible, it deflected the kunai.
This kid. Could he be the jinchūriki of Hidden Leaf? Zabuza lifted his sword, catching the weapon with both hands.
"Run, you idiots!" Nōtō shouted.
"I'm not going to stop them. Now that my father is dead, I need protection wherever I am…" Yokaze declared sharply, her face full of shock. Her body shook heavily.
Nōtō gritted his teeth. "This guy is on a whole different level! He's the Demon of Hidden Mist. There's no way you guys have a chance against him!" He closed his eyes tightly. "You should simply go! You don't have a chance in this battle!"
"The demon?"
"Yeah. It's a shame you don't know this…" Zabuza faded into the mist.
"Probably one of the few things he's proud of." Nōtō exhaled. "The Hidden Mist, not more than ten years ago, had killing exams—to graduate, friends, brothers, sisters, and enemies killed each other. The plan was to release students who survived… But the exam method changed ten years ago, when the Demon Momoichi Zabuza came… That person killed everyone at the exam. He was the only person to graduate." He closed his mouth again, his body shaking.
Kōju's eyes widened.
Naruto gasped. He stared at the others.
Sasuke swallowed.
Zabuza raised his blade. "I don't have such a thing as pride—beyond the usual for a ninja, that is." He drew the blade over Sasuke's head. I'm pleased he allowed me to demoralize them. Their fear will encourage them to move backward. A blade raised with fear cannot reach me.
"Flame Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Sasuke inhaled rapidly, her hands clapping together.
Zabuza jumped backward, his body vanishing again.
Flames rushed over the mist.
Sasuke collapsed to one knee, gasping. Her body dripped with sweat.
The mist faded.
Kōju leaped upward. Her foot slammed against the side of the chandelier.
The chandelier collapsed.
The water droplets hung motionless in the air, glimmering beneath the impact of the light.
One by one, the water droplets fell to the ground.
"Aiming for my real body? But you had to realize that would fail." Zabuza's eyes narrowed.
The chandelier fell to the ground.
Kōju blurred forward. Her sword shot toward the water prison.
Zabuza's eyes widened. He lifted his sword. After the genjutsu, I'm too damned slow!
Kōju cut forward. The blade glowed white. The sword cut through the water. A crashing wave of water spread along the ground, striking into the earth rapidly.
The water collapsed to the ground.
Nōtō stood upright.
The fading rays of sunset dissipated into the night.
Nōtō's arms extended.
"I see. Most of it was just bluffing, but you had a purpose in your madness." Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "The whole time the objective was to get that blade to me. It appears to be similar to the White Light Chakra Sabre." He stared at the prison. "Basically, if you hadn't done that, the chakra buildup of the water prison might not have broken… Okay, you brats have some skill. But that isn't going to matter… I'm not merely capable of these clones. Release!"
Purple energy gathered briefly across the ground.
Zabuza lifted his sword.
Nōtō's eyes narrowed. "I've seen how that technique works… Your chakra won't work for it. What will you do?"
"Flame Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Zabuza roared, his hands clapping together.
Flames engulfed the ground. The stone melted rapidly, pieces of stone falling to the ground. The crimson flames rose across the ground.
Nōtō smiled. The heavy mace swung around.
The flames divided.
Nōtō rushed forward. He hurled down the club.
Zabuza's eyes widened.
"Orarararararararararara!"
A flurry of punches shot out of Nōtō's body.
Zabuza gasped as the punches hammered into his body. "What the hell… is this?" His arms relaxed.
"You're about to die." Nōtō's hand lifted. "Heaven Point!"
The hand plunged into the sternum hard.
A wave of energy shot outward.
A section of tiles flew upward.
Ice suddenly formed around the figure.
Zabuza froze over, his face wide with surprise.
"That's right… He is." A figure with a nearly identical appearance to Yokaze hung upside down from the ceiling of the castle. Frost surrounded the feet.
Nōtō's eyes widened. "Hm." He looked upward.
Naruto glanced between the two, scratching his head. "Aren't you over here?" he questioned, glancing back at Yokaze.
The ice crept over the form.
"Oh, dear. I've forgotten to introduce you…" Yokaze sighed. "This is my viceroy. Father could always tell the difference between us, but then, that was him." She bowed her head, glancing down at the corpse. "He pretended to be me."
"Pretended…?" Naruto frowned.
"Well, at any rate, it's done now. Zabuza-san is the type of opponent I can entrust to someone so strong." Nōtō rose to his feet. "I trust you don't mind. Our mission isn't done yet…"
The castle walls creaked.
Light poured through the broken wall.
Nōtō sighed. "Also, for the time being, Yokaze-san, I must request that one of us stay with you at all times. It is again for your own safety. Do you agree to these terms?" he questioned.
"My viceroy is entirely capable, Nōtō-san," Yokaze remarked with a certain heat in her words.
"I can't entrust your safety to someone I do not know. For the sake of this expedition, please be reasonable," Nōtō remarked, his face stern. He folded his arms across his chest.
"Very well. In that case, not the blond idiot, or that silent statue over there." Yokaze pointed imperiously at Naruto, then Sasuke. "The white-haired one."
Kōju grinned broadly.
"What are you…?" Naruto's eyes widened as he understood the meaning of the words. "Hey!" he shouted, shaking his fist. "I'll beat you up, woman! You don't even know my name—"
Sasuke punched Naruto on the head. She sighed quietly. "Let's move forward. Sensei, do you have a plan, or know what's going on here?"
"The beginnings of both. However, I am afraid that it implies a certain degree of deception hidden behind the scenes of this matter." Nōtō paused. "To a degree, if I am correct right now we are actors playing upon a painted stage." He rubbed his chin. "For now, let us repair to the local inn."