Chapter 6: Zabuza Vs Asmodeus

The fog rolled in heavier, thicker—like a blanket that smothered all life beneath it.

Asmodeus stood still, watching the mist swirl in strange, unnatural patterns. His breath was slow, steady. A heartbeat.

Naruto's voice broke the tension. "What do we do now?"

"We fight," Kakashi said, his voice barely a whisper, but with enough weight to cut through the fog. "Zabuza Momochi is here."

Asmodeus turned, his eyes catching Kakashi's for a brief moment. There was something unspoken in that glance, an acknowledgment. Kakashi knew what had happened—what was about to happen.

The man who called himself 'Kakashi' was quiet for a moment longer, his eye hidden behind that mask, but the air was different now. The heavy silence of a predator and prey surrounded them.

A figure appeared from the mist.

At first, it was just a shadow. Slender, tall. Then, the shape solidified— a tall man with an enormous sword slung over his back, his body wrapped in bandages, and his eyes hidden beneath a dark, wide brimmed hat.

Zabuza.

The moment he stepped forward, the world seemed to grow colder. The fog wrapped tighter around them, choking out the sunlight until it seemed like they were suspended in a never-ending sea of mist.

Naruto's eyes widened in recognition. "That guy—he's the one we're supposed to protect Tazuna from?"

Asmodeus did not flinch. His gaze never left Zabuza's figure. He could hear the footsteps. The soft squelch of the ground beneath Zabuza's boots. The whisper of metal.

Zabuza's lips curled upward. "You're the ones they've sent, huh? I was expecting more of a challenge."

Kakashi spoke calmly, even though the air between them crackled with tension. "You're outnumbered. You've already failed."

Zabuza's laugh was dark, mirthless. "Is that so? We'll see."

A sudden blur of motion. The sword—the massive, cleaver-like weapon—swept through the mist like a storm. It moved with such precision that no one saw it coming until it was already too late.

Kakashi leapt forward, his body becoming a blur of speed as he narrowly dodged the strike.

But then, another blur—Zabuza's blade cleaved the air with a shrieking sound. And before anyone could react, he was upon them.

Asmodeus was the first to move.

His eyes narrowed, his hand steady as he pulled his katana from its sheath. His steps were deliberate—each movement controlled, but filled with intent. It wasn't the typical flurry of panic or speed. It was a dance. A slow, careful calculation.

Sasuke lunged next, his body moving almost in sync with the mist itself. His Sharingan activated, his eyes burning red with fury, watching for Zabuza's every twitch.

But it was Asmodeus who closed the gap first, silently approaching Zabuza from behind. The moment Zabuza twisted his blade toward Sasuke, Asmodeus was there—his katana aimed directly at the man's throat.

"Too slow," Asmodeus muttered, a mere whisper, but loud enough for the cold wind to carry it across the battlefield.

Zabuza twisted at the last second, and the blade scraped against Asmodeus' katana in a sharp, jarring sound that echoed through the mist. He had expected it, though—Zabuza's reflexes were fast, but Asmodeus was faster. Zabuza's grin faltered for just a second as he backed away.

Sasuke charged again, this time more cautiously, his Sharingan tracing Zabuza's every movement, but Zabuza danced around him—graceful and terrifying.

The battle was on.

And just as things seemed to settle into an eerie rhythm—something changed.

The ground beneath them seemed to rumble. A sudden surge of chakra—raw, violent chakra—ripped through the air.

From the mist, a voice echoed like thunder. "Water Prison!"

Water exploded from the earth around them, curling like serpents, wrapping tight around Kakashi, binding him in a massive sphere of water. His body was trapped, struggling against the weight of the prison, the air rapidly draining from his lungs.

"No!" Naruto shouted, eyes wide with panic.

Kakashi didn't struggle. His expression was cold, his Sharingan glowing faintly beneath his mask. He glared at Zabuza through the watery sphere, but his eyes remained calm.

Zabuza smiled grimly. "You see? You're already outmatched."

The others stood frozen—staring at Kakashi's struggling form as the mist closed in, the sounds of water splashing against the prison blending with the ominous silence of the battle.

Sasuke's hands clenched. His eyes sharpened.

But it was Asmodeus who acted first.

He took a slow step forward, his expression impassive. His mind was already calculating the angles, the weaknesses, the opportunities. He'd already seen the pattern—Zabuza's taunting, the way he fought, the way the mist twisted.

Zabuza wasn't just playing with them. He was testing them.

And Asmodeus knew what came next.

In one fluid movement, Asmodeus vanished into the mist, his body a flicker of shadow. The sound of his katana slicing the air was all that warned Zabuza of his presence.

But Zabuza was quick. He spun, his sword slashing horizontally to meet Asmodeus' strike. Their blades collided with a sickening clash, sparks flying in all directions as Asmodeus used his strength to force the attack back.

The two locked eyes for the briefest moment.

Zabuza smirked again. "You're good. I'll give you that."

Asmodeus said nothing. He only pushed forward, using every ounce of calculated precision he had—every piece of knowledge devoured, every technique stolen—to find the slightest opening.

The Water Prison shimmered in the background, Kakashi's figure barely visible through the walls of water.

And Asmodeus?

He wasn't about to let that stop him.

The fight continued in the thick mist, Asmodeus and Zabuza locked in a deadly dance of steel.

Sasuke stepped forward, his hands forming a series of seals. The air around him crackled with the familiar hum of chakra.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he shouted.

A massive ball of fire shot out of his mouth, streaking toward Zabuza, who deftly dodged, his movements almost too graceful to follow. But it didn't matter—because that was the distraction Asmodeus needed.

In one swift, brutal motion, he cut across Zabuza's defense, landing a shallow cut along the shinobi's arm.

Zabuza hissed, anger flashing in his eyes. "You think you can defeat me with cheap tricks?"

But Asmodeus' voice was a low whisper, filled with ice. "No tricks. Just inevitability."

Zabuza growled, his blade humming as he readied himself for the next exchange.

To Be continued-