Kaito vs. Zabuza Momochi – The Demon of the Hidden Mist!
Seeing the three terrified individuals before him, Zabuza Momochi smirked, taking slow, deliberate steps forward. His imposing presence, combined with the thick mist, made him seem like a specter of death.
"Yo! Hey, you, eyebrow-less guy! I'll give you back your big sword!"
Just as he was about to strike, a voice called out from behind him.
Zabuza's instincts screamed danger. Without hesitation, he spun around—just in time to see his own Kubikiribōchō (Executioner's Blade) hurtling toward him with deadly force, cutting through the air like a guillotine.
Eyes narrowing, Zabuza ducked swiftly, narrowly avoiding the blade. He knew better than anyone how devastating its weight and momentum could be.
Boom!
The Kubikiribōchō embedded itself into a tree trunk, quivering from the impact. Standing atop its hilt, back turned to everyone, was Kaito.
Zabuza's eyes widened in recognition.
"Wait a damn second—! That's MY entrance!"
His irritation flared. "First you steal my sword, and now my dramatic style?! At least have some originality, brat!"
Internally, Zabuza was already on high alert. This kid caught the Kubikiribōchō with his bare hands… His strength alone was remarkable.
"Listen up, brat," Zabuza growled, gripping a kunai tightly. "Return my Executioner's Blade, and maybe I'll let you live."
Kaito, however, only smirked. "Oh? You want it back? No problem—I'll return it right now!"
That grin sent a chill down Zabuza's spine. Something wasn't right.
Before he could react, Kaito clamped the Kubikiribōchō between his legs, flexed his muscles, and launched it from the tree trunk like a cannonball—straight toward Zabuza!
Not stopping there, Kaito shot forward, grabbing the handle mid-air. He twisted his body, using the blade's momentum to spin, then brought it down in a vicious overhead slash aimed directly at Zabuza's head!
It was too late to evade, yet it happened in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Kaito, wielding the Kubikiribōchō (Executioner's Blade), closed the distance between himself and Zabuza Momochi, leaving the rogue ninja no time to escape.
Seeing the massive blade swinging toward him, Zabuza, with no other choice, raised his Kubikiribōchō's broken remains in a desperate attempt to block the incoming strike.
"Clang—crack!!"
"Boom!!"
The clash of weapons echoed through the air as Zabuza's short blade shattered upon impact, unable to withstand the force of Kaito's attack. The Kubikiribōchō, upon making contact with the ground, carved a deep crack before rebounding into the air.
Kaito took full advantage of the blade's momentum. With a swift motion, he shifted its trajectory from vertical to horizontal and unleashed a sweeping strike aimed directly at Zabuza.
With no time to dodge, Zabuza hastily raised what remained of his weapon, using the broken blade to intercept Kaito's swing.
"Boom!!"
Though he managed to block the attack, the sheer raw strength behind Kaito's blow was overwhelming. Enhanced by the weight of the Kubikiribōchō, the impact sent Zabuza flying. He crashed through several trees before finally hitting the ground—only for his form to dissolve into a water clone.
As the clone dissipated into a puddle, Kaito's gaze shifted toward the real Zabuza, who stood atop the lake's surface.
"Your turn, browless freak!" Kaito declared, gripping the Kubikiribōchō tightly as he charged toward the water.
Seeing his opponent rushing toward him, Zabuza clicked his tongue in frustration. With no time to hesitate, he withdrew his hands from the Water Prison Technique and quickly weaved hand signs, his voice echoing over the water:
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive, serpentine water dragon rose from the lake and surged toward Kaito with incredible force. Undeterred, Kaito swung his Kubikiribōchō in a wide arc, cleaving through the watery beast.
The severed dragon, now devoid of chakra, collapsed into a torrential downpour, momentarily obscuring Kaito's vision.
By the time the water settled, Zabuza had vanished, disappearing into the mist.
At that moment, Kakashi Hatake broke free from the Water Prison, leaping onto solid ground.
"Tch… I let my guard down," Kakashi admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "I should be the one protecting you, not the other way around."
I won't let my comrade die in front of me!!"
Hearing Kaito's words, Kakashi chuckled. He had once said something similar to Sasuke before.
"By the way, Kakashi-sensei, did you see how Zabuza disappeared?" Kaito asked.
Kakashi reached up and pulled his forehead protector down, covering his Sharingan as he responded, "He probably escaped using the Hidden Mist Jutsu or slipped away underwater with Water Style."
Hearing this, Kaito nodded. It aligned with his own guess, which was now confirmed by Kakashi.
"No point chasing him. Let's keep moving. As for Zabuza Momochi, if he's still alive, we're bound to cross paths again."
Kaito glanced at the massive Kubikiribōchō in his hands. As long as he had Zabuza's Executioner's Blade, he was certain the Demon of the Hidden Mist would return for it.