Here @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.
I apologize for not posting anything yesterday, due to some personal problems, I didn't have time.
When everything was clarified, the group resumed their journey toward the Land of Waves.
The Land of Waves was a small island, geographically isolated from the other nations.
To get there, Team 7 and Tazuna had to take a boat.
Fortunately, Tazuna had contacts who would help him return without issues, so the trip proceeded smoothly.
Throughout the journey, a deep silence reigned.
The island was surrounded by a dense, thick, and bothersome mist.
Naruto sighed in relief upon seeing that, at least on the island, there was no mist as well.
"Well, get me home safely," Tazuna demanded cheekily.
No one responded; we simply kept moving forward, guided by his directions.
Halfway through, a message from Minato caught his attention.
[Minato Namikaze: Naruto, you're being watched again. Be careful.]
Naruto had already sensed it, and upon noticing Kakashi moving with more caution, he confirmed that he had sensed it too.
Sasuke, realizing Naruto's gaze toward Kakashi, immediately understood what was happening.
"Get down!" Kakashi suddenly shouted.
Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna threw themselves to the ground without a second thought.
Naruto, however, upon hearing the whistling sound of the Kubikiribōchō cutting through the air, felt a thrill of excitement run through his body.
For an instant, his gaze became sharp, predatory, and his eyes took on a deep red hue with slit pupils.
Then, a wave of dense, scorching chakra burst around him, forming a red cloak that rippled like flames.
Behind him, a chakra tail took shape.
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Naruto tapping into the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Naruto leaped toward the Kubikiribōchō and caught it by the hilt.
The sword stopped midair, held with monstrous strength, completely neutralizing the force of the throw.
Naruto landed with the Kubikiribōchō in his hands.
Kakashi frowned, recognizing it immediately.
"Rogue ninja of Kirigakure… Zabuza Momochi!"
He realized he had made a grave mistake by underestimating this mission.
Zabuza also frowned. He had never imagined that someone could have the strength to catch his Kubikiribōchō mid-flight.
But that wasn't the only concerning thing.
That brat holding it… was the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki.
"Sharingan Kakashi, the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, and the Last of the Uchiha… Quite the rare combination," Zabuza muttered under his breath.
Sasuke turned his head toward Kakashi upon hearing the title Zabuza had given him.
In response, Kakashi lifted his forehead protector from his left eye, revealing the Sharingan.
[Sakumo Hatake: Putting aside Naruto's incredible feat… Why does my son Kakashi have a Sharingan implanted in his left eye?]
[Minato Namikaze: Obito, my student, gave it to him before dying. Back then, Kakashi had lost an eye.]
[Rin Nohara: I was the one who implanted it at that time.]
"You'd better hand over the old man and forget about him," Zabuza said, trying to maintain his composure.
Naruto, still wrapped in the Tailed Beast Cloak, observed him with respect. In his place, it would have been difficult to remain so calm.
"And what do you plan to do without your sword?" Naruto asked, inspecting the Kubikiribōchō with curiosity.
The Kubikiribōchō was gigantic, resembling a butcher's knife.
Like all the Demon Swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, it had a unique power.
It could regenerate using the iron from the blood of its victims. The process was almost instantaneous, no matter how much damage it suffered.
"It's a good sword… I'll keep it!" Naruto declared, unconcerned with Zabuza's expression.
However, the sword wasn't suited for him, so he tossed it to Kakashi, who caught it gladly.
He hoped Kakashi wouldn't misunderstand the gesture.
The Kubikiribōchō would return to his hands once he was done with Zabuza.
In his current state, Naruto preferred a more savage fighting style.
The Tailed Beast Cloak didn't just make him several times stronger—it also made his nails grow like those of a wild animal, sharp as blades, and the vertebrae of his spine protruded from his back.
Now, Naruto looked more like a beast… a fox… than a human.
[Hashirama Senju: Why is he only using the Tailed Beast Cloak? Hasn't he already become a Perfect Jinchūriki?]
[Mito Uzumaki: Husband, don't be foolish. If Naruto used his full power, it would raise too many suspicions.]
[Madara Uchiha: Don't bother explaining it to him. Hashirama, listen carefully… Would you use Wood Release Sage Art: True Several Thousand Hands to crush an insect?]
[Hashirama Senju: What? Of course not! Why would I use my most powerful technique on an insect… Oh… I see.]
[Mito Uzumaki: Madara, you clearly understand my husband better than I do. You can have him.]
[Hashirama Senju: Mito, dear, don't be like that. Madara and I are best friends, like brothers. Don't make it sound weird.]
[Tobirama Senju: Clearly, Madara isn't satisfied with just being friends.]
[Madara Uchiha: Damn you, Tobirama! Are you saying I like men?! Then what's with you and my brother? I've seen you visiting him very often in our private quarters!]
[Izuna Uchiha: Brother, don't say things like that! Tobirama and I have just been getting along lately!]
[Madara Uchiha: Clearly, Tobirama isn't satisfied with just that!]
[Hashirama Senju: Tobirama, Madara got you back! HAHAHAHA!]
Zabuza frowned upon seeing Kakashi with both his Kubikiribōchō and Sharingan.
Immediately, he knew he was at a disadvantage.
With a whistle, a Special ANBU Hunter from the Mist appeared by his side.
"Let's even the odds… I don't like being at a disadvantage," Zabuza said.
The ANBU removed his mask and tucked it into his clothes.
"Haku, keep the Jinchūriki brat busy. I'll take care of Kakashi, reclaim my sword, and then come to help you."
Naruto looked at Haku with an amused smile.
He definitely looked effeminate.
But what amused him the most… was that Zabuza actually thought Haku could stop him.
Kakashi frowned as he perceived Zabuza's immense chakra concentration.
Within seconds, a dense, thick fog expanded over the entire area, shrouding the battlefield in an impenetrable white darkness. Zabuza's presence vanished completely.
The mist was so thick that even Kakashi and Sasuke's Sharingan were rendered useless, unable to pierce through it.
However, while Zabuza had managed to erase his trace from sight, Naruto, strengthened by the Tailed Beast Cloak, could still sense him.
His hearing caught the sound of his enemy's breathing, the movement of his footsteps displacing water, and most revealing of all… the beating of his heart.
"Kakashi-sensei, he's going to attack!" Naruto warned urgently.
"You shouldn't look away!"
Haku interrupted, attacking Naruto before he could continue alerting his Jōnin-sensei.
Meanwhile, Sakura and Sasuke stood firm, protecting Tazuna.
Sasuke gritted his teeth in frustration upon seeing Naruto fighting alone against Haku. But in an instant, he made a decision.
Without hesitation, he joined the fight.
"Don't abandon Tazuna, stay with him!" he ordered Sakura, not taking his eyes off the enemy.
[Madara Uchiha: Finally, a battle worth witnessing. I was wondering when the brat's life would start getting interesting.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: When Naruto finishes them, I'll have a few words for those two bastards!]
[Minato Namikaze: Kushina, we still don't know if everyone who dies because of Naruto ends up joining the chat group.]
[Tobirama Senju: We'll just have to wait and see.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: I just hope that's the case! They're going to find out what it means to make a mother angry!]
[Tobirama Senju: I've been thinking… Just like with Sakumo's tantō, could Zabuza end up granting Naruto the Kubikiribōchō? If that happened, Konoha would benefit greatly by obtaining two Demon Swords.]
[Hashirama Senju: Brother, you overthink things too much. Relax, enjoy the fight…]
[Tobirama Senju: I was just saying… because I want one…]
[Hashirama Senju: Oh…]