Naruto: Shadows of the Divine Flame

We pressed forward, the weight of the mission finally settling in. What should have been a simple escort job had turned into something far more dangerous.

Naruto was still sulking after Tazuna's revelation. "Seriously, you lied about the mission?!"

Tazuna sighed. "Look, if I told the truth, Konoha would've charged way more, and we can't afford it. I had no choice."

Kakashi, despite his usual laid-back demeanor, wasn't pleased. "Deception in missions isn't taken lightly. But… I understand your circumstances."

I glanced at Sasuke, who was still deep in thought, likely calculating the risks.

I, on the other hand, welcomed the challenge. If Gato was as powerful as Tazuna claimed, then this mission would be more than just a simple escort. It would be a test—one that would push our limits.

The path ahead was eerily silent. The kind of silence that made my instincts scream trap.

I focused, stretching my senses outward.

Then—I felt it.

The hairs on my arms rose. Something was watching us.

I stopped. "Something's coming."

Kakashi halted as well, his expression sharpening beneath his mask. "Where?"

I pointed toward the trees.

A sudden gust of wind rushed past us.

Then, the air shifted.

A massive sword came spinning from the mist, hurtling straight at us.

Kakashi reacted instantly, grabbing Tazuna and pulling him down just as the blade embedded itself into a tree with a deep THUNK.

A man stood atop the hilt, wrapped in bandages, his headband tilted to the side. His sharp eyes scanned us like a predator eyeing prey.

"Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi muttered.

I felt the shift in the air. This was no low-level mercenary. This was a former Seven Swordsman of the Mist.

Zabuza smirked. "Copy Ninja Kakashi… What an honor." His eyes then flicked toward the rest of us. "And a bunch of kids? This'll be easier than I thought."

Kakashi's expression darkened. "Stay back. This isn't an opponent you can handle."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "What?! But—"

Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing the Sharingan.

Zabuza's smirk widened. His hand gripped the hilt of his massive blade. "Let's see if the rumors are true."

Without warning, the mist thickened.

I felt my body tense as the air grew damp, our vision quickly becoming obscured.

"Hidden Mist Jutsu," I realized.

Kakashi's stance shifted. "He's going to try and separate us."

A cold voice echoed through the fog. "Eight points on the body… the heart, the spine, the liver… so many ways to kill."

Then—he struck.

A blur of motion.

I reacted just in time, pivoting on my heel as Zabuza's blade sliced through the mist, aiming straight for Kakashi. Our sensei dodged, meeting him head-on in a violent clash of steel.

The impact sent a shockwave through the ground.

Zabuza was fast. Faster than any opponent I had faced so far.

I forced my breathing to steady. Think, analyze.

Kakashi and Zabuza broke apart, their eyes locked.

Naruto and Sasuke stood tense, watching for an opening.

I had already seen the flaw in Zabuza's plan.

Mist hid him, yes—but it also blinded him. If I could track his movements before he struck, I could predict his attacks.

I closed my eyes, tapping into my chakra. Feel the movement. Sense the shift.

There.

A flicker of intent. A disturbance in the mist.

I moved before he did.

Zabuza reappeared behind Kakashi, blade swinging in a lethal arc.

I was already there.

My hand shot out, fingers curling into a seal.

"Wood Style: Binding Roots!"

Thick wooden tendrils burst from the ground, wrapping around Zabuza's sword arm.

His eyes widened in shock.

"What?!"

Kakashi didn't waste the opportunity. He lunged, kunai flashing toward Zabuza's throat.

But the Mist Ninja was fast.

In a burst of strength, he shattered my wooden restraints, flipping backward just in time to avoid Kakashi's strike.

He landed on the surface of the river, smirking. "Wood Style…? Heh. Interesting. You're full of surprises, kid."

Kakashi's gaze flicked toward me. I could see the approval in his expression, but also caution. I had revealed an ability I had never shown before.

Naruto gawked. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at me.

I didn't answer.

Zabuza wiped his mouth, still smirking. "Well… this just got interesting."

Then, the mist thickened once again.

I tensed.

This fight was far from over.