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Regardless, in the end, Karin decided to follow Kagaya. Although her decision seemed somewhat inexplicable to Kagaya, since she was willing to follow him, it was naturally a good thing. Kagaya couldn't be bothered to delve deeper into her reasons.
On the way back to the inn, about halfway there, Kagaya suddenly clapped his hands and stopped. He had finally remembered something he had forgotten.
Something about Zabuza.
In the original story, Zabuza went to assassinate Tazuna. The specific details of the process, Kagaya could no longer recall clearly. But he remembered one key point: during Zabuza's first encounter with Kakashi, he was almost killed by Kakashi and was only saved in the end by Haku.
Hmm...
Kagaya glanced at the Haku walking beside him and felt a bit awkward. So now, who was going to save Zabuza?
Sigh...
Indeed, he'd have to go himself. Zabuza was a powerful asset. During the invasion of Konoha, having an ally like Zabuza would undoubtedly be very useful. As long as it wasn't too difficult, Kagaya was willing to go save Zabuza.
And how difficult was saving Zabuza for Kagaya? Not difficult at all! Just one Kakashi and three Genin. Kagaya could handle them alone. So, Kagaya decided to go save Zabuza.
'I shouldn't have let Zabuza go assassinate Tazuna in the first place. How did I forget about Kakashi? Then again, that guy Zabuza probably wouldn't have listened to me anyway.'
Thinking this, Kagaya spoke to Haku and Karin beside him. "I need to go to a place now. Are you two coming?"
Haku nodded. "Yes. Wherever Kagaya goes, I go."
Karin spoke as if it were obvious. "You're the one who asked me to follow you. Y-you can't just abandon me now." As she spoke, her face reddened slightly.
Kagaya's mouth twitched. This Karin girl was definitely... something else.
"Alright then. Let's go."
In a forest.
The Executioner's Blade was embedded in a tree trunk. Zabuza stood upon the sword's hilt, looking down at Kakashi's group below.
Kakashi stepped forward. "Well, if it isn't the missing-nin from Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza."
As he spoke, Kakashi raised a hand to stop Naruto, who was about to charge at Zabuza, and said seriously, "Stand down! You three, fall back! Now!"
Naruto asked, confused, "Why?!"
"This guy is on a completely different level from the ones we fought before. If our opponent is him... this might be tough."
Saying this, Kakashi reached up to lift the forehead protector covering his left eye.
Before encountering Zabuza, Kakashi's team had, as in the original story, first encountered the Demon Brothers and defeated them. The '"ones we fought before"' Kakashi referred to were the Demon Brothers.
Zabuza looked down at Kakashi. "So you're Kakashi of the Sharingan. Apologies, but hand the old man over quickly."
Kakashi kept his gaze fixed on Zabuza, instructing Naruto and the others behind him. "You three, form a diamond-shaped formation around Mr. Tazuna. Do not get involved in this fight. Protecting the client is your teamwork for now."
After speaking, Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing his left eye, and addressed Zabuza. "Your fight is with me!"
At that very moment, Naruto stared dumbfounded at the crimson eye in Kakashi's left socket.
'This... this eye...'
He had seen the same eye before. That night when he stole the Scroll of Seals, when the ANBU came to pursue Kagaya, Naruto had seen an eye identical to Kakashi's in Kagaya's socket.
Zabuza showed a hint of surprise. "Oh? I didn't expect to witness the legendary Sharingan so soon. What an honor. I wonder how your Sharingan compares to that guy's?"
Naruto asked anxiously, "Sharingan? What's that? And why... Kakashi-sensei, do you have the same eye as Kagaya?"
Sasuke explained from the side. "The Sharingan. A power derived from vision, unleashed through the pupil. Users of this ocular jutsu can instantly see through all genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. The Sharingan is one of the special ocular pupils possessed by certain clans. But the abilities of the Sharingan aren't limited to that."
Zabuza picked up the explanation. "Correct. Not limited to that. What's even more terrifying is that those eyes can not only see through an opponent's techniques but also copy them. Moreover, those eyes grant terrifying dynamic vision. I've met someone with a pair of those eyes. With that fearsome dynamic vision, his speed was horrifyingly fast. To be honest, in a real fight, I don't think I could win against him. So, I want to see how far you, Kakashi, can wield that same eye.
"When I was still in Kirigakure's ANBU, the manual we carried had your information in it. It was written like this: 'The man who copied over a thousand jutsu. The Copy Ninja, Kakashi.'"
Sasuke stared expressionlessly at Kakashi.
The Sharingan was supposed to be the Kekkei Genkai of his Uchiha clan. Even within the Uchiha, only a portion could awaken it, not everyone. This meant that even among the Uchiha, the Sharingan was something possessed by a minority. Why did this guy Kakashi have one?
Zabuza crouched down, gripping the hilt of the Executioner's Blade.
"Enough idle chat. I need to finish off that old man quickly."
As his words fell, Naruto and the others quickly surrounded Tazuna in a protective formation, while Kakashi stood at the forefront, facing Zabuza.
Zabuza sneered. "But first, Kakashi, it seems I'll have to deal with you."
With that, Zabuza pulled the Executioner's Blade from the tree and landed on the nearby water surface.
They were by a river.
"Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Technique!"
As Zabuza's jutsu took effect, vast amounts of thick mist billowed forth, obscuring the vision of everyone present.
"Karin." Kagaya looked at Karin.
Karin responded with an excited expression. "What is it? What is it? Need something, Kagaya?"
"Help me sense if there's an area nearby with a dense concentration of mist."
Now that he had Karin, finding people became much easier. At this point in time, Kakashi's group should have already arrived in the Land of Waves. That meant it wouldn't take them long to get there.
As for why he was sensing for dense mist, it was obvious. If Zabuza made a move, he would definitely use his "Hidden Mist Technique."
"Okay!" Karin replied obediently, then closed her eyes to concentrate.
A moment later, Karin opened her eyes and pointed in a direction. "Over there."
Kagaya couldn't help but give Karin a thumbs-up. This sensory ability was truly like a human radar, no joke.
Not long after, Kagaya, with Haku and Karin, arrived at a riverbank where thick, heavy mist obscured their vision.
Kagaya scratched his head. "That Zabuza, of course he'd make such a big scene."