Zabuza. Or rather, Momochi Zabuza. That had to refer to the same man who'd once been one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, another rogue from Kirigakure and a formidable jonin.
If it really was him, then yes, that kind of opponent deserved to be taken seriously.
They were probably around the same level, both elite jonin. Definitely strong enough to be considered worthy rivals.
Kakashi had heard of Momochi Zabuza, but he'd never met him in person. He had no real intel beyond rumors.
Would there be a video of their fight today?
Kaede Kitahara's diary updates were unpredictable. That was what frustrated Kakashi the most. Apart from one guaranteed entry per day, everything else seemed random. Sometimes the update came in the morning, sometimes at night.
Sometimes it was a single sentence, sometimes several. It was exactly like those authors who loved chopping chapters into tiny cliffhangers.
And even when a diary entry appeared, it didn't always come with a video. There was a pattern somewhere, but he hadn't cracked it yet.
"Ten days…" Kakashi calculated silently. The last two videos had both shown up around the ten-day mark. It wasn't exact, but close enough to suggest some kind of cycle.
If that pattern held, then today or tomorrow should have another video. Usually, when a video appeared, Kaede Kitahara got strangely enthusiastic about writing. The entries grew longer.
Tonight's entry was long.
Which meant the chance of a new video appearing was high.
And what would it show?
Something about the Land of Waves mission?
Kakashi was eager to know what that mission really involved, especially if it had something to do with a dangerous enemy like Momochi Zabuza.
Just as he was thinking that, a brand-new video appeared on the diary.
[Kakashi VS Zabuza!]
He tapped it open instantly.
The footage began with Zabuza's silhouette emerging from the mist.
"I see… no wonder the Demon Brothers couldn't beat you. It's the Copy Ninja of the Leaf, Hatake Kakashi."
A massive Kubikiribocho dropped from the sky in the next instant, catching everyone completely off guard. By the time they recovered, the blade was buried in a tree and a tall figure stood balanced on its spine.
"I ended up on the same team as that dead last?"
Outside the video, Sasuke stared at his future team composition with a look of disbelief. He was already seeing his future teammates ahead of time.
Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura.
He didn't care who his teammates were, but there was no denying it. If they were too weak, they'd drag him down.
He didn't have much of an opinion about Sakura. Her academy grades were decent, and her overall ability was upper-middle in their class. Nothing like that dead last, who always ranked at the bottom.
His attention drifted back to Zabuza, the one Kaede Kitahara kept hinting at, someone who could even go toe-to-toe with the powerful Hatake Kakashi.
"Hey, isn't this the rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza?" Kakashi stepped forward, trying to keep his tone easygoing.
Naruto, still clueless about the situation, tried to charge in. Kakashi blocked him immediately. This wasn't an enemy a genin could handle.
After a brief exchange, Zabuza displayed the unmistakable precision of the Mist's assassination corps. One use of the Hiding in Mist Technique wrapped everyone in blinding fog.
"When I served in the Mist's assassination unit, my handbook carried your wanted poster. And it said this… the Copy Ninja Kakashi, who has copied over a thousand jutsu."
Zabuza's voice echoed through the thick mist.
He was infamous, but Kakashi was no less renowned.
The mist grew denser, so thick that even Kakashi became nothing but a vague shape.
The killing intent distorted the air. Even through the video, the three kids could barely breathe. Outside the video, Sasuke felt his chest tighten too.
It wasn't on the level of the suffocating pressure kage-level monsters radiated, but it was still enough to crush him.
This was the strength of the world's true shinobi. And Sasuke was still far, far from reaching that realm.
A moment later, Kakashi forced wind through his chakra to scatter the fog.
"That bloodlust… one breath, even a twitch of your eyes, and he'll kill you. This pressure… if I stood here for an hour, I'd go insane. The clash of elite jonin, the feeling of your life being toyed with in someone else's hands… no. If it's like this, I'd rather die and be done with it!"
On-screen Sasuke looked terrified, pure instinct taking over.
Off-screen Sasuke buried his face in his hands. Seriously? That's my reaction? I wanted to die on the spot?
"How could someone that weak possibly kill Itachi for revenge…"
Just then, Kakashi seemed to sense the fear gripping his student.
"Sasuke, relax. Even if I die, I'll protect all of you. I won't let him lay a hand on my teammates."
Hearing that, the three finally let out the breath they were holding.
"Is that so?"
Zabuza's voice drifted from behind them. None of them had noticed him slip behind the defensive formation.
"It's over."
Zabuza moved, but Kakashi struck first, driving a kunai through his body—only for the figure to dissolve into flowing water.
A water clone.
At the same time, the real Zabuza materialized behind Kakashi, Kubikiribocho raised to strike.
But Kakashi turned into water as well.
"A water clone? Don't tell me…"
Zabuza suddenly remembered the moment he'd formed his hand signs earlier. Had his opponent sensed him even then?
Had the Copy Ninja already copied his water clone technique?
"Copied it in the middle of this heavy mist?" Zabuza sounded genuinely shaken.
Kakashi appeared behind him, kunai pressed to his neck.
"Don't move."
The exchange happened fast, but it was sharp, clean, and overwhelming.
And just when everyone thought the fight was settled—
"Over? You still don't get it, do you? Cheap tricks like that can't beat me. Not a chance. But I'll hand it to you, you really did copy my water clone that early?"
Zabuza's calm voice rolled through the fog.