Author's Note:
I'd really appreciate it if you could share your thoughts on this chapter in the comments—whether you liked it, disliked it, or noticed any strengths or weaknesses.
Your feedback helps me understand what works and what needs improvement, and it also creates a space for readers to discuss the chapter and its events together.
Feel free to be honest and speak your mind. This story grows with you and because of you.
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[—
[I see… No wonder the Demon Brothers didn't stand a chance…]
After observing closely, Zabuza recognized Kakashi and finally understood why the Demon Brothers had failed.
'Konohagakure's Copy Ninja… Kakashi of the Sharingan.'
Zabuza gripped his sword and attacked without the slightest hesitation.
"Everyone, get down!!" Kakashi shouted instantly. He had already sensed Zabuza's presence before the attack even began.
"Whoa!!" The moment they heard the warning, all of them dropped to their knees.
A massive blade, spinning at an invisible speed, swept just above their heads before slamming into a nearby tree.
Zabuza stood atop the sword embedded in the trunk, staring coldly at Kakashi and his team.
'This guy is…' Kakashi recognized the man immediately.
'Hehe, here's my chance. This time, I won't lose to Sasuke.' Naruto resolved not to retreat this time, no matter what happened.
"Well, well… if it isn't the Hidden Mist's Missing-nin, Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi announced the enemy's identity.
'Ready… go!!' Naruto was just about to rush forward, but Kakashi stopped him at that very moment.
"Everyone, fall back. This opponent is on a completely different level." Kakashi spoke firmly, halting Naruto's recklessness—and the others as well.
"…" Zabuza stared at them in silence, his gaze cold.
'Against him…' Kakashi thought briefly before deciding to lift the headband covering his left eye.
"It'll be a little tough… unless I do this…"
—]
…
Mystery.
That was what the readers felt at that moment—whether it was the Third Hokage, Danzō, and the council members, Mito, Kushina, and Minato, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and her younger brother Nawaki.
Clan members and their leaders, Sakumo and his son Kakashi, Maito Dai and his son Gai, ordinary civilians, regular shinobi, elite ANBU—even the Root members who were nearly emotionless—all felt the same sense of uncertainty.
But among Konoha's major clans, the one that was shocked more than any other was the Uchiha clan.
"Sharingan of the Kakashi? What kind of nonsense is this?!"
Uchiha Hugaku, the head of the Uchiha clan, slammed both hands onto the table. The coffee cup shook, spun slightly, and spilled across the surface.
The reflection of the middle-aged man appeared in the spilled coffee, his expression clearly conveying the shock he was experiencing.
It wasn't just him. His son Fugaku, Mikoto, and the rest of the clan members gathered in the art store—around forty people in total—were equally stunned.
Of course, not all of them possessed the Sharingan. However, a considerable number had awakened the clan's kekkei genkai, widely known as the Sharingan.
As a rare hereditary dōjutsu belonging exclusively to the Uchiha clan, it was supposed to manifest only among its members—and only under specific conditions.
"But why does this manga claim that Kakashi, a guy from the Hatake clan, possesses it?" Hugaku Uchiha exclaimed.
That was the core of the issue. If the Sharingan belonged solely to the Uchiha, how could someone from another clan have it?
'Unless…'
There was only one explanation forming in the clan head's mind—the only logical one.
Before pursuing it further, however, he ordered his clan members to remain silent. The irritated gazes of other readers were already directed at them due to the commotion. After that, he continued reading.
Chapter 12.
The chapter depicted a confrontation between the Hidden Mist's missing-nin, Momochi Zabuza, and Hatake Kakashi, who revealed his title in that same chapter as the Copy Ninja.
The shock and curiosity on Naruto's, Sakura's, and especially Sasuke's faces when they heard the word Sharingan from Zabuza perfectly reflected the expressions of the readers.
Only one person appeared calm on the surface—yet internally, he was anything but.
'Did he obtain it somehow…?'
Danzō thought as his eyes widened, staring at the blood-red eye with three tomoe revealed in Kakashi's left eye.
He followed the explanation of the Sharingan through Sasuke's perspective.
It is said that some possess eyes capable of reading and defeating all forms of genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. The Sharingan is one type of pupil that grants this power.
What shocked Danzō wasn't the Sharingan's abilities—he knew those well, far better than Sasuke's explanation. What truly surprised him was that Kakashi possessed only one eye, yet it was a fully awakened Sharingan.
'A fully awakened Sharingan… It seems the original owner must have suffered greatly to awaken it.'
A sinister smile slowly formed on Danzō's face.
He enjoyed seeing this scenario unfold. 'A boy from the Hatake clan wielding the Sharingan—how fascinating.'
'What kind of intriguing future are you drawing for us, Rubiro-kun…'
Danzō glanced toward the Uchiha clan members, who looked like headless chickens in their confusion.
After all, what had been revealed struck directly at the core of their clan.
"How will you explain an outsider possessing the Sharingan to them, Rubiro-kun…?"
This time, Danzō spoke aloud.
Hiruzen looked at him and replied, "Didn't he say he's only drawing fiction? Don't read too deeply into it, Danzō."
Mito glanced calmly at him before adding, "That eye may have been a gift from a friend who passed away."
"Look at what Kakashi says in that scene—the smile on his face, his kindness, his willingness to give his life for his comrades… he truly is a wonderful young man."
Mito smiled as she pointed to a particular panel, drawing everyone's attention.
…
[—
At that moment, as the battle between Zabuza and Kakashi began, Sasuke froze in fear. Sweat poured down his face as he sensed the terrifying killing intent.
'This overwhelming bloodlust…!'
'If I draw his attention even by blinking, he'll kill me! I can feel it!'
'I can't stay like this for long… I'm going to break.'
His trembling was obvious.
'The pressure of a jōnin… It feels like my life is in his hands. I hate it! I'd almost rather die now and be done with it…'
"Sasuke… don't worry," Kakashi spoke at that moment.
"I'll protect you all—even if it costs me my life."
He turned toward Sasuke with a gentle smile, leaving the trio stunned.
"I never let my comrades die."
—]
It wasn't only Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura in the manga who were stunned. In reality, the readers in the art store were even more shocked.
Kakashi's words left a deep impression, elevating him in their eyes to an entirely new level.
Sakumo felt as though he was looking at himself—not at some future version his son was meant to become.
'It seems he inherited my nature…'
As he thought that, his heart began to pound, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body—emotions he had never experienced before.
"Even in a life-and-death battle, he notices a trembling teammate and reassures him, all while focusing on the enemy hidden in the mist… What a spirit. What an incredible shinobi—Hatake Kakashi."
Tears streamed down Maito Dai's face; he was deeply moved.
Beside him, his son cried the same way—like an older and younger version of the same person, wiping their noses in perfect sync.
Meanwhile, young Kakashi was shaken. He felt as if he were standing right beside Sasuke. The moment he sensed Zabuza's killing intent, he too trembled with fear.
But in the next instant, his older counterpart turned toward Sasuke and declared that he would never let his comrades die.
Those words felt like a calming breeze. The crushing pressure of Zabuza's bloodlust vanished, replaced by calm and an overwhelming sense of safety.
Just as young Kakashi was about to say something, Zabuza suddenly appeared among them, his massive sword slicing through the formation around the old man, Tazuna. Young Kakashi felt like a small boat tossed into a raging sea.
'Why does it feel like I'm inside the manga's scene…?'
He couldn't understand what was happening.
In the next moment, Kakashi moved at incredible speed, intercepting Zabuza and sending him flying back along with Naruto, Sasuke, and the others.
Then, the sensation disappeared. He returned to reality, holding the manga open to the exact page depicting Kakashi blocking Zabuza as he appeared within Team Seven's formation around Tazuna.
'This feeling…'
It was the first time young Kakashi had ever experienced such intense immersion in a manga—so deep that his senses detached from reality and merged with the story itself.
"What do you think?"
He heard his father's warm voice.
"…"
Young Kakashi fell silent for a moment, still affected by what he thought was an illusion born from overwhelming excitement.
"He's exactly the kind of man I want to become when I grow up."
He clenched his fist as he spoke.
"Hm. Good. I like the Kakashi you'll become in the future, my son."
Sakumo smiled.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't amazed by what he had seen so far.
But at that moment, he set aside his astonishment at Kakashi's character—because the intense battle between Kakashi and Zabuza completely seized his attention.
A breathtaking fight that left the readers in the art store staring wide-eyed, mouths agape.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 64: Kakashi vs. Zabuza – An Astonishing Battle!
Chapter 65: Leaf Village Ninja, Uzumaki Naruto!
Chapter 66: Valuable Information About the Hidden Mist Village!
Chapter 67: The Astonishing Combat Style of the Copy Ninja!
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