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#14 Divine Reward System
🕑 Added 2025-02-22 01:15:09 +0000 UTCAfter sensing a surge of murderous intent, Kakashi's voice rang out sharply.
"Get down!"
Everyone reacted instantly, dropping low just as a massive spinning blade whizzed over their heads. The sheer force of it cut through the air with a deadly hum.
Had they hesitated even a second, they would have been sliced in half.
CLANG!
The [Kubikiribōchō - Executioner's Blade] crashed into a thick tree trunk, embedding itself deeply with a resounding impact. Standing atop the massive blade was a lone figure, his presence radiating menace.
Kakashi’s gaze darkened. His voice was low but firm.
"It's him."
The man perched on the sword was no stranger to Kakashi—[Momochi Zabuza], one of the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. This wasn't just another rogue ninja. This was an elite assassin, leagues above the likes of the [Demon Brothers].
Naruto clenched his fists, itching for a chance to redeem himself after his previous embarrassment. His determination flared.
"This time, I won’t lose to Sasuke!" he muttered under his breath. "I’ll prove myself!"
Just as he prepared to charge in, a firm hand grabbed his shoulder. It was Kakashi.
"Fall back," Kakashi ordered. "He's not an opponent you can handle."
Naruto stiffened, wanting to protest, but the intensity in Kakashi’s gaze left no room for argument.
Zabuza smirked, his voice carrying an eerie amusement.
"Well, well... if it isn’t the famous 'Kakashi of the Sharingan' of the Leaf." His eyes flickered over the group before settling on the old man behind them. "But don’t take it personally, Hatake. I’m not here for you. My target is the bridge builder. Hand him over, and I’ll spare your lives."
Tazuna's face went pale. The sheer killing intent radiating from Zabuza made his legs tremble. He wasn’t a ninja, but even he could sense the difference in power.
Meanwhile, Naruto furrowed his brows. "[Sharingan]…?" he mumbled, confused.
Sasuke, however, tensed at the mention of it. His mind raced. [Sharingan]—a power exclusive to his clan. And yet…
"Kakashi has it? But… he's not Uchiha." His fingers curled into fists. He had doubted the rumors before, but now… now he needed to see it with his own eyes.
Kakashi exhaled slowly, reaching up to his forehead protector. His voice was steady.
"Tatsuya, Naruto, Sasuke—form a defensive formation around Tazuna. I’ll handle this."
With that, he pulled up his headband, revealing his left eye.
A blood-red gaze locked onto Zabuza.
The [Sharingan].
Not just any Sharingan, but a fully developed [Three-Tomoe Sharingan]. The black tomoe swirled within the crimson iris, analyzing every movement, every shift in Zabuza’s stance.
Zabuza chuckled darkly. "So it’s true. You really do have the [Sharingan]. This just got interesting."
But what Kakashi knew—and what Sasuke was about to discover—was that this eye did not belong to him by birth. It was a gift… and a curse.
This [Sharingan] had once belonged to [Obito Uchiha]. And long ago, it had already evolved into the legendary [Mangekyō Sharingan]—though Kakashi himself remained unaware of it at the time.
Sasuke’s gaze locked onto the scarred eye, his breath hitching. "How? Why does Kakashi…?" Questions swirled in his mind, but now was not the time for answers.
Naruto, meanwhile, had a different reaction. He had glimpsed something similar before—just briefly, on the night Mizuki had been defeated. But back then, he had thought he imagined it.
His gaze darted toward Tatsuya, but the latter’s pupils were as normal as ever. Maybe it really was just his imagination.
Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him.
He turned back to Kakashi and asked aloud, "[Sharingan]? What the heck is that, anyway?"
“The Sharingan is a powerful dōjutsu!” Sasuke stated firmly.
“Someone who possesses these eyes can instantly see through illusions, taijutsu, and ninjutsu, allowing them to counterattack flawlessly.” He narrowed his eyes.
“But the power of the Sharingan goes far beyond that...”
Naruto was stunned by Sasuke’s words. He never imagined the [Sharingan] was this overpowered.
The Sharingan actually originated from the [Rinnegan] possessed by the ancestors of chakra, specifically [Otsutsuki Kaguya].
For example, Sasuke’s ultimate form, the [Six Tomoe Rinnegan], was just one step away from evolving into the legendary [Nine Tomoe Rinnegan].
If achieved, the user’s eyes would turn a deep crimson, unleashing the pinnacle of ocular power—the [Rinne Sharingan]!
But reaching that level was nearly impossible—even the Sage of Six Paths himself had never fully awakened it!
Another crucial aspect was that when the Sharingan evolved into the [Rinnegan], the user had to consciously switch between them to access different abilities.
This was something Uchiha Madara confirmed during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
However, once it evolved into the [Tomoe Rinnegan], switching was no longer necessary. The two dojutsu had merged completely.
This was why, even later on, Sasuke could still use the [Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan] alongside the [Six-Tomoe Rinnegan]. His mastery over Susanoo remained intact because both eyes worked in perfect harmony.
And no matter how much he learned about the Sharingan, the sheer depth of its abilities continued to surprise him.
“That’s right,” Kakashi confirmed. “The Sharingan’s abilities don’t stop there.”
“What makes it even more terrifying is its ability to instantly analyze and copy an enemy’s jutsu,” he added, watching Zabuza carefully.
Zabuza’s gaze was cold as he locked eyes with Kakashi. “Your name appears in the Bingo Book of the [Hidden Mist Assassination Squad],” he said darkly. “It describes you as ‘Kakashi of the Sharingan,’ the man who has copied over a thousand jutsu.”
Naruto and Sasuke were stunned.
“Wait, Kakashi-sensei is that strong?!” Naruto blurted out in disbelief.
Zabuza smirked. “Enough talk. I need to finish off that old man as soon as possible.”
Kakashi signaled his team. “Stay close to Tazuna. Protect him at all costs.”
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura quickly took their positions around the bridge builder. Meanwhile, Kakashi stepped forward, standing directly in Zabuza’s path.
Zabuza exhaled. “Looks like I’ll have to deal with you first, Kakashi.”
With that, he swiftly weaved hand seals.
“Ninjutsu—Hidden Mist Technique!”
Immediately, a dense mist engulfed the area, swallowing their surroundings whole. Visibility dropped to nearly zero.
Then—Zabuza vanished.
Naruto tensed. “Where did he go?!” He could barely see past his own hand.
Kakashi’s voice was sharp. “Stay alert! He’s a master of silent killing. He can strike before you even realize it.”
Tatsuya wasted no time—his [Sharingan] activated in an instant, his red pupils spinning as they scanned the mist. Even with his current level of skill, he knew he couldn't afford to take Zabuza lightly.
Sasuke’s eyes widened in shock as he caught sight of Tatsuya's [Sharingan].
“Wait, how does he have the Sharingan?!”
Within a single day, Sasuke had seen two non-Uchiha wielding the Sharingan. Meanwhile, he himself still hadn’t fully awakened his own. Doubt crept into his mind.
Am I really an Uchiha? he thought bitterly. Was I just some orphan that Fugaku picked up from the trash?
Uchiha Fugaku, the father of Sasuke and Itachi, was a renowned user of the [Mangekyō Sharingan].
Meanwhile, Naruto, though equally stunned, muttered to himself, “So that night wasn’t just a dream… Tatsuya does have the Sharingan.”
Kakashi, hidden within the mist, shared their astonishment.
“So it’s true… The Third Hokage wasn’t lying. Tatsuya really possesses the Uchiha’s [Sharingan].”
Zabuza, lurking somewhere in the thick fog, was equally surprised.
“Sharingan… Is this kid an Uchiha?” he muttered.
But now was not the time for questions. The real battle was just beginning.
A chilling voice cut through the mist.
“There are eight vital points on the human body—the throat, spine, lungs, carotid artery, subclavian vein, liver, kidneys, and heart.”
Zabuza’s sinister chuckle echoed.
“Tell me, which one do you think I should slice first?”
The bloodlust in his voice sent a shiver down Naruto, Sasuke, and Tazuna’s spines.
The oppressive killing intent weighed heavily in the air.
Sensing their fear, Kakashi wasted no time. He released his own murderous intent, channeling it through his chakra.
The air crackled with tension.
The invisible clash of killing intent pressed down on them all, suffocating and inescapable.
Even Tatsuya, who had been on guard, felt the crushing weight of it.
Just then, Kakashi spoke, his voice steady and unwavering.
“Sasuke.”
Sasuke flinched but listened.
“Don’t worry. I will protect you with my life.”
Tatsuya, his eyes locked onto the mist, spoke up as well.
“Kakashi-sensei, focus on the fight. We’ll handle ourselves.”
Kakashi nodded, reassured by their determination. But his focus remained sharp, scanning the mist for any movement.
The battle was about to begin.
