The mist thickened around them, curling like ghostly fingers through the trees, pressing in from all sides. The world outside vanished, replaced by an opaque, swirling grey that swallowed sounds and distorted vision. Team 7 stood tense, their young faces etched with a mixture of apprehension and grim determination, eyes darting through the obscured surroundings. Tazuna, the bridge builder, clutched his sake bottle, his face pale with fear, shrinking further into himself.
Kakashi, his voice a calm counterpoint to the churning anxiety, stepped to the forefront. "Everyone, stay back. Protect Tazuna. This isn't an opponent you can handle yet." His words were a stark reminder of their inexperience, a cold splash of reality after their earlier, relatively easy victory against the two rogue ninja. His hand went to his forehead protector, slowly sliding it up to reveal the Sharingan. The crimson eye glowed ominously in the mist, its tomoe, like miniature whirlpools, spinning slowly, preparing to analyze and copy.
"Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi called out, his voice cutting through the thick air, a challenge and a warning. "Demon of the Hidden Mist."
A low, guttural chuckle echoed through the impenetrable fog, a sound that seemed to reverberate from every direction and settle deep in their bones. "Ah, the Copy Ninja. And the Crimson Fang of Konoha. Quite the formidable pair." The voice, raspy and confident, sent another shiver down Weiss's spine. She instinctively brought Myrtenaster to a ready position, the crystal pommel cool against her palm. Blake's hand rested on the hilt of Gambol Shroud, her Faunus ears twitching, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, but the mist played tricks, scattering the sound.
Mikasa stepped beside Kakashi, her red scarf fluttering almost imperceptibly as an unseen breeze stirred the dense vapor. Her eyes narrowed, the familiar cold steel of her gaze sharpened by the oppressive conditions. "Be careful," she warned the team, her voice low and urgent. "This is the Hidden Mist Jutsu. Zabuza specializes in silent killing. He can strike from anywhere. Stay alert."
Naruto swallowed hard, the bravado from moments ago replaced by a tangible sense of dread. This wasn't like sparring in the academy or even fighting the bandits. This was a demon. Sasuke's Sharingan, though activated, struggled to pierce the artificial veil, his jaw tight. Sakura gripped a kunai, her knuckles white. Yang's usual grin was gone, replaced by a serious frown as her eyes darted nervously. Ruby, despite her youthful courage, gripped Crescent Rose so tightly her knuckles were white.
The mist, as Weiss had noted, was indeed getting thicker, swirling with a deliberate, unnatural quality that suggested a powerful chakra signature at its heart. It wasn't just visual obstruction; it felt like it was pressing on their very minds, blurring their senses.
Suddenly—a brutal, unseen force cleaved through the fog. A massive, cleaver-like sword, Kubikiribocho, materialized from the grey, swinging with terrifying speed and precision straight for Tazuna.
Mikasa moved. She didn't hesitate, didn't think. It was pure instinct, honed by countless battles against titans. Her body became a red blur, a streak of crimson against the oppressive white. With a desperate cry, she intercepted the colossal blade with her own, the smaller, thinner steel of her katana meeting the enormous mass of Zabuza's sword in a deafening shower of sparks. The impact vibrated through her arms, threatening to shatter her bones, but her resolve, fueled by the love and loyalty she felt for her comrades, held firm.
Kakashi seized the split-second opening Mikasa had created. His Sharingan already processed the situation. In a flash, he was behind where Zabuza should have been, driving a kunai with deadly intent towards the neck of the visible figure. The kunai plunged deep—but the body dissolved into a gush of water, splashing harmlessly onto the boat.
"A water clone!" Kakashi muttered, his voice tight with surprise. This wasn't just brute force; it was deception.
As the clone dissipated, another Zabuza, the real one, appeared behind Kakashi, moving with shocking speed, his monstrous sword already swinging down for a decapitating blow. Kakashi, relying on his years of experience, didn't even turn fully. His own body shimmered and dispersed into smoke – a substitution jutsu. The real Kakashi appeared several feet away, having narrowly avoided the attack, his mind already racing to counter.
Meanwhile, Mikasa, having blocked the initial attack, found herself facing another clone, which materialized directly in front of her. Their blades clashed again, a deadly, rhythmic dance in the swirling mist. Her movements were swift, precise, a beautiful, terrifying display of a warrior in her element. She sliced and parried, forcing the clone back, but it was relentless, its attacks bearing the weight and speed of the original.
A third Zabuza, a sinister grin barely visible through the bandages on his face, materialized with chilling suddenness. He struck Kakashi with a powerful kick, sending the Jounin hurtling backward, splashing into the icy water below. Before Kakashi could recover, the clone performed a rapid series of hand signs.
"Water Prison Jutsu!" Zabuza snarled, and a sphere of water erupted around Kakashi, trapping him, immobilizing him completely. He struggled, but the water, dense and heavy, held him fast.
Mikasa's eyes widened, a flicker of panic, raw and visceral, flashing across her face. Seeing Kakashi trapped, helpless, ignited something deep within her. It wasn't just fear; it was a potent surge of love. This profound emotion, a core tenet of her being and the dormant power of her unique bloodline, ignited. A faint, ethereal glow, like the soft bloom of a cherry blossom, emanated from her body, subtle but undeniable. Her strength surged, her movements gaining an almost supernatural speed and force. The blade in her hand moved with blinding precision, cleaving through the water clone attacking her as if it were mere smoke. The clone burst into a geyser of water.
But Zabuza was far from done. With a single hand sign, he summoned more clones. Two more materialized from the mist, their eyes fixed on their targets. One attacked Mikasa, pressing her with relentless, shadowy strikes. The other, with a chilling focus, lunged directly towards Team 7 and Tazuna, its massive sword whistling through the air.
Naruto, seeing the immediate danger to Tazuna, yelled, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Multiple Narutos flickered into existence, rushing forward with a chaotic, uncoordinated charge. They were quickly dispatched, bursting into smoke with each casual swing of Zabuza's clone's sword. Naruto clenched his fists, frustrated by his weakness.
Sasuke, his Sharingan burning, took a deeper stance. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" He exhaled a burst of flames, but the clone sidestepped with effortless grace. Seeing an opening, Sasuke threw a Fuma Shuriken, a massive four-bladed throwing star, which was batted aside by Zabuza's clone with a bored ease. But a second shuriken, thrown immediately after, forced the clone to twist and dodge. It was a momentary distraction, but it was enough.
Mikasa, leveraging the slight opening created by Sasuke's shuriken, became a whirlwind of blades. She sliced through the clone pressing her, her movements precise and lethal, leaving another burst of water in her wake. The remaining clone, the one that had been hounding Team 7, momentarily retreated, assessing its new opponents.
"Our turn!" Ruby yelled, a crimson blur. She activated her Semblance, bursting forward in a shower of rose petals, appearing directly behind the remaining Zabuza clone. Crescent Rose swung with lightning speed. Simultaneously, Blake, her own Shadow Clones manifesting, moved like a phantom, her Gambol Shroud extending into its kusarigama form, striking from another angle. Zabuza's clone, momentarily caught off guard by the combined assault, dodged Ruby's scythe but sustained a shallow scratch from Blake's ribbon-blade on its arm.
"Now!" Yang roared, her fists glowing with fiery aura. She charged the scratched clone, a blur of golden light and raw power. Her punches landed with explosive force, shattering the water clone into a violent spray. Weiss, her Glyphs humming, followed up, creating a series of ice shards that shot towards the dissipated water, freezing any lingering traces. Sakura, though less flashy, used her improved taijutsu to deliver a precise kick to another clone, sending it stumbling back before Mikasa, having dispatched the clone attacking her, finished it off with a swift, decisive strike.
With all of his clones eliminated, the real Zabuza, still holding Kakashi in the Water Prison, grimaced. "You brats are more troublesome than I thought." He released Kakashi with a powerful surge of water, causing the Jounin to cough and gasp for air, then prepared his next attack.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Zabuza roared, making a rapid series of hand signs. A colossal dragon, made entirely of water, erupted from the river, its eyes glowing malevolently, its roars shaking the very air.
Kakashi, despite his exhaustion, copied the hand signs with impossible speed. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Another identical water dragon roared into existence, mirroring Zabuza's. The two monstrous beasts clashed in a magnificent, destructive display of water and chakra, their forms intertwining and tearing at each other before dissipating in a massive explosion of spray.
Zabuza, clearly angered, immediately followed up. "Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!" He began weaving a complex string of hand signs.
Kakashi, though visibly straining, his body trembling with the effort, pushed his limits. His Sharingan spun wildly, copying every single movement. "Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!" From Kakashi's position, an equally powerful torrent of water erupted, a roaring wave that crashed against Zabuza's. The sheer force of the two opposing jutsu created a chaotic maelstrom, throwing spray high into the air and drenching everything in their path.
Amidst the violent clash of water and chakra, Zabuza, seeing his advantage lost and realizing the toll this was taking on Kakashi, vanished. Not with a burst of water or smoke, but simply gone, dissolving back into the thick, unnatural mist. His presence, so overwhelming moments before, simply winked out of existence.
Kakashi swayed, his entire body screaming in protest. He attempted to take a step, perhaps to pursue, but his legs buckled. The sheer chakra drain from copying Zabuza's powerful, high-level techniques, especially in his weakened state, was too much. He collapsed forward, his vision blurring, the Sharingan dimming.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cried out, rushing forward, but Mikasa was already there. With a surge of renewed strength, she moved with incredible speed, catching Kakashi before he hit the wet ground. His body was heavy, almost limp, his breathing ragged. Without a word, she effortlessly hoisted him over her shoulder in a fireman's carry, holding him as if he weighed nothing.
Tazuna, shaken but alive, pointed a trembling finger through the mist. "My house... it's not far now. Follow me!"
The journey was silent, heavy with the aftermath of battle. The mist still clung to them, but the immediate threat was gone, replaced by a profound exhaustion. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura walked beside Team RWBY, their earlier bravado replaced by a sober understanding of the power difference. Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Weiss exchanged grim glances. This was a whole new level of danger, far beyond anything they had encountered in Remnant or even during their initial skirmishes in the Naruto world. The chilling aura of Zabuza, the sheer scale of his jutsu, and the sight of Kakashi-sensei, the invincible Copy Ninja, collapsing from chakra exhaustion, left a deep impression.
Finally, a faint light glimmered through the fog, signaling a clearing. A small, humble house, nestled by the riverbank, appeared before them. A kind-faced woman, Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, stood at the doorway, her eyes wide with concern.
"Father! Are you alright?" she rushed forward, embracing Tazuna. Then her gaze fell upon the bedraggled team, and her eyes widened further at the sight of Mikasa carrying the unconscious Kakashi. "Oh my... please, bring him inside! Quickly!"
They entered the house, the warmth of the small living area a welcome respite from the damp cold outside. Mikasa gently laid Kakashi on a futon that Tsunami quickly prepared. His breathing was shallow, his face pale, the exposed Sharingan eye closed, a faint purple bruise forming beneath it.
Team 7 and RWBY stood around, helpless. Sakura, being the most medically inclined among them, nervously checked his pulse. "His chakra... it's severely depleted."
Mikasa knelt beside him, placing a hand gently but firmly on his chest. Her other hand rested lightly on his forehead. Her eyes closed, a soft, warm glow, like the subtle blush of a flower, once again emanated from her, enveloping both her and Kakashi. This was the "Love Bloom: Chakra Transfer," a unique application of her bloodline's power, a manifestation of her deep emotional bond. The ambient chakra in the room, even the raw energy within herself, began to flow, guided by her will and her profound affection, directly into Kakashi.
A soft sigh escaped Kakashi's lips as the warmth spread through his body, chasing away the bone-deep exhaustion. His breathing steadied, becoming deeper, more even. His eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly before focusing on Mikasa's face, so close to his, concern and determination etched onto it.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice still weak, but a hint of his usual strength returning. A faint, appreciative smile touched his lips, barely visible beneath his mask.
Mikasa smiled softly, a rare, gentle expression that softened the usual warrior's edge in her features. "Rest now. We'll face whatever comes next together." Her hand lingered, still subtly transferring chakra, until she felt his own reserves begin to stabilize.
The young Genin watched in quiet awe. They had seen Mikasa's strength in battle, but this display of healing, this tender transfer of life force, was something entirely new and profound. Naruto felt a surge of respect for both his sensei and Mikasa, understanding vaguely that their bond was deeper than just comrades. Sasuke observed with his Sharingan, analyzing the ethereal glow and the subtle changes in Kakashi's chakra flow, a flicker of curiosity in his usually stoic expression.
Tsunami brought them hot tea and some simple food. The air in the room, though tense with the knowledge of Zabuza's lingering threat, was also filled with a newfound camaraderie. The D-rank missions now seemed like a distant, childish game. This was the real world of shinobi, a world of life-or-death stakes, where even the strongest could fall, and true bonds were forged in the crucible of battle.
"So," Naruto broke the silence, his voice a little hoarse, "he's really the Demon of the Hidden Mist, huh? That was... intense."
"Understatement of the year, dobe," Sasuke grunted, but there was no malice in his tone, only a shared understanding of the danger.
Ruby slumped slightly, her earlier bravado tempered by the harsh reality. "He was so fast. And those water jutsu... like something out of a legend."
Weiss nodded. "His chakra signature was immense. And that Hidden Mist Jutsu made it impossible to get a read on him."
Yang cracked her neck. "Least we got some good hits in before he ran off. He's not invincible."
"He was testing us," Blake stated, her eyes thoughtful. "And he clearly wasn't going all out. He needed Kakashi-sensei alive to get information."
Sakura, finally able to relax a little, sighed. "What do we do now? He's still out there."
Kakashi, propped up slightly by Mikasa, opened his eyes again, his gaze sharp despite his fatigue. "He will come back. Zabuza is a highly skilled assassin. He won't leave Tazuna's bridge project unfinished." He looked at each of them in turn, a flicker of pride in his visible eye. "You all did well for your first true C-rank, which quickly became an A-rank mission. You supported each other. That's what matters."
He paused, then added, "But this time, it won't be a test. It will be for keeps." He locked eyes with Mikasa. "We have about a week, possibly less, until he returns for his main assault. We need to train. All of us."
The team looked at each other, the gravity of his words settling in. A week to prepare for a fight against a Jounin-level assassin. It was a daunting prospect, but after witnessing the power of Zabuza, they knew they had no choice. They had to get stronger, and fast.