Reborn in the Mist

“I didn’t ask for you!” Mangetsu yelled, blood crazed, soaked in the effect of his own jutsu with kunai fiercely gripped in both hands. He marched over and snatch the man Zabuza had just run through with his wakizashi. The unfortunate thing gurgled as Mangetsu slashed his throat open just for good measure and to claim the kill. “Stand back!”

“I don’t take orders from you, boy.” Zabuza leered, side stepping a flailing spearman’s thrust. He stepped forward and cut his stomach open, the bull leather armour tore away like paper. “You should be grateful I’m here, looks like you’re having a hard time dispatching these fodder and you had the lesser task.” He mocked the wet haired Chuunin mercilessly.

He knew it would stab deeper because it was true. Chuunin or no, Lord Fourth’s prodigy apprentice or no, Hozuki scion or no, the boy was still just a boy at the end of the day and Juzo knew better than to toss him to the veritable wolves that were Zabuza’s eastern half of the base.

Zabuza had applied himself to his task faster and better than the Hozuki prodigy currently was. While he sneaked in through sludge pipes or a well or whatever, and was faced with a yard brimming with the Named Samurai’s tenders, militia and a handful of Samurai as well. Zabuza on the other hand walked right through the eastern gate, fed over three dozen fools poison aplenty and killed the remaining.

He was sure he’d crippled the forts fighting force single-handedly and without so much as a single flashy Ninjutsu cast. Just his will and his steel.

Mangetsu openly glared at him with gritted teeth, “If you weren’t blind you’d notice there are more mili-”

Zabuza lurched out, zigzagging through the thirty or so militia men still arming themselves to face Mangetsu. His wakizashi tore tendons, sliced open throats and his kunai buried in skulls, open backs and disfigured faces as he danced in-between what was little more than a peasant army.

Satiated by the abject terror in their eyes, Zabuza stopped his spree right in front of another spearman. His silent, heavy breathing and bloody grin brought the man to wet himself. Zabuza walked the trembling man to the wall, smiling even as he fashioned the spear against him. Zabuza pushed it aside with one finger and slowly sunk his kunai in the man’s gut. The spear clattered to the ground and the man gave a breathless yelp as he gripped Zabuza’s arm haplessly.

“You make excuses for failing the easiest tasks, these weak fools are asking to die, if you can’t see that I wonder how much more you’ll disappoint Lord Fourth.” Zabuza mused out loud, basking in how the remnants of the militia stood paralyzed, not daring to move and yet wishing to all the same.

“You don’t know me, you’re just a demon and-”

“And that’s why you lost to me, a demon is what this village wants, it is hell after all.” As the spearman blood ran cold over Zabuza’s murderous hand, he smirked at Mangetsu over his shoulder, finding the boy ignoring those militias who have woken from their stupor and fled. “Even now you fail the task. Have you wondered why I’m here, on this mission and specifically with you and a legendary swordsman? You don’t think it’s a coincidence do you?”

Mangetsu narrowed his eyes, “Nothings ever a coincidence in my life. I know why you’re here. Competition isn’t it? Matriarch Megumi wants you to challenge me to more, I’m not worried, you are twice of me and still less.”

Zabuza’s smile fell to a scowl, “You think you’re better just because of some stupid clan technique? Ninjutsu? Ha, your privilege makes you complacent and that’s why I’m here. Mummy Megumi wants me to challenge you, ha! No, Lord Fourth himself asked for me, he sent you to retrieve me. And we’re here for a mission only Juzo and I are needed to accomplish, you lot are just extras.”

Mangetsu only shifted his weight as he folded his arms and smirked, “Hit a cord did I? Low caste scum.”

Zabuza’s blood boiled. He reaffirmed his grip on the wakizashi as he roared forward, “I’ll show you scum!”

Mangetsu braced himself, double wielding kunai and setting his stance to receive. But before Zabuza can lift his weapon the fort’s tower explodes with chakra, shattering the multiple windows on each level down the tower and defenestrating a familiar looking shinobi.

The body soared, crashed and rolled off three roofs before spilling off and landing between Mangetsu and Zabuza bleeding from a cut through the centre. The orange haired youth was the Funato Chuunin that’d accompanied Juzo up to face the Named Samurai, though from the way he scrunched his face in soundless agony, rasping for help closing the wound or even just a painkilling pill, Zabuza knew the Named Samurai was a tad more than a Chuunin could chew.

He and Mangetsu exchanged vile glares in sync, turned to the busted, trembling tower that suffered Juzo’s murderous presence and then back to glaring at each other. Zabuza knew what the boy was thinking because it was the exact thought crossing his mind— go up there and take the Funato Chuunin’s place helping Juzo end the only true foe in this costal fort.

The tower shuddered as Kubikiribocho sliced an unnatural opening, cutting down three broken windows before tearing horizontally and sending the bisected half falling over into the base below. As the ground shook and thundered Juzo’s maniacal laugh bellowed through the tower’s now open top.

Zabuza met Mangetsu’s stare and again shared the same thought— It’s better not to get in the way.