The mist of the Land of Waves clung to everything, a cold, damp veil that muffled sound and blurred the horizon. Team Seven moved in tight formation across the unfinished bridge, Tazuna at the center, his steps unsteady but determined. I took the rear, my hood low to conceal my four eyes—born with me in this world—my senses sharpened by my modified body. My second heart beat steadily, boosting my chakra flow; my expanded lungs drew deep breaths, fueling endurance that outlasted any genin. My frame, now just over six feet and rippling with chakra-enhanced muscle, gave me a presence that drew wary glances from Naruto and Sasuke. My goals—power, control, freedom—burned brighter than ever, and this mission, with its escalating dangers, was a crucible to test my strength.
The Demon Brothers' attack had been a warning shot, proof this was no C-rank mission. Kakashi's calm demeanor hid a predator's alertness, his Sharingan likely sensing what I did: a chakra signature in the mist, vast and menacing. Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Mist, was close. In my past life, playing RPGs like Baldur's Gate and Warhammer 40,000, I'd faced bosses that required strategy over brute force. Zabuza was no different—a high-level encounter demanding precision and teamwork. Hiruzen's scrutiny, Danzo's suspicions, and Kakashi's watchful eye loomed, but I'd use Team Seven to clear this quest while keeping my true power—Dismantle, Cleave, and my growing genjutsu arsenal—under wraps.
The attack came at dawn, as we crossed the bridge's skeletal framework. The mist thickened, unnatural and heavy, swallowing sound. Kakashi signaled us to stop, his voice low. "Stay sharp. Protect Tazuna."
Naruto gripped a kunai, his bravado faltering. Sasuke's eyes darted, his Sharingan flickering to life. I stood ready, my chakra steady, my enhanced physiology keeping fatigue at bay. A laugh echoed through the mist, deep and mocking, followed by the glint of a massive blade. Zabuza emerged, his bandaged face and towering frame cutting an imposing figure, his Executioner's Blade slung over his shoulder. Beside him stood a masked figure, their chakra subtle but dangerous—Haku, I suspected, a wildcard in this fight.
"Well, well," Zabuza drawled. "Kakashi of the Sharingan. And a bunch of brats. Hand over the old man, and I might let you live."
Naruto bristled, shouting, "No way, you big jerk! We're Team Seven, and we'll kick your butt!"
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Naruto, focus. Form a perimeter around Tazuna."
I moved, positioning myself between Tazuna and the mist, my senses tracking Zabuza's chakra. He vanished, his Silent Killing technique cloaking his movements. Kakashi countered, forming a water clone to guard Tazuna, but Zabuza's blade swung from the mist, aiming for Naruto. Sasuke intercepted, his kunai clashing against the massive sword, but the force sent him skidding back.
I acted, weaving a Mirror Mirage Technique inspired by Baldur's Gate's Mirror Image spell. Five illusory clones appeared, their movements fluid, their faint footsteps echoing in the mist to confuse Zabuza. He paused, his blade hesitating as my clones darted around him. I surged forward, my chakra-enhanced speed a blur, and tapped his sword arm with a restrained Cleave. The contact-based technique left a shallow cut, forcing him to retreat into the mist.
"Nice trick," Zabuza growled, his voice echoing. "But illusions won't save you."
Kakashi engaged, his Sharingan tracking Zabuza's movements, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. Naruto, rallying, summoned Shadow Clones, flooding the bridge with chaos. Sasuke flanked, his fireball jutsu cutting through the mist, but Haku intervened, their senbon needles deflecting the flames with eerie precision. I stayed near Tazuna, my second heart keeping my chakra steady, my lungs fueling long bursts of alertness.
Haku targeted me, their needles flying like a swarm. My enhanced reflexes let me dodge, my taller frame moving with agility that belied its size. I countered with a shadow-based genjutsu, inspired by Shikamaru's technique, making Haku's shadow seem to writhe, slowing their movements for a split second. It was enough—I closed the distance, grazing their arm with Cleave, the cut shallow but precise. Haku retreated, their mask hiding any reaction.
Zabuza unleashed his Water Dragon Jutsu, a roaring torrent that threatened to sweep us off the bridge. Kakashi countered with his own, the dragons colliding in a massive spray. Naruto's clones charged, distracting Zabuza, while Sasuke aimed a shuriken barrage. I saw an opening, weaving a confusion genjutsu inspired by Ino's Mind Transfer. The illusion flooded Zabuza's senses with flickering images—me in a dozen places, each clone striking from a different angle. He roared, slashing wildly, but I was already moving, my Dismantle slicing through the mist to nick his shoulder.
Kakashi seized the moment, trapping Zabuza in a water prison. "Surrender," he said, his voice cold. "You're outmatched."
Haku moved to free Zabuza, but I intercepted, my Mirror Mirage clones surrounding them. "Stay back," I said, my voice low, my imposing frame adding weight to the threat. Haku hesitated, and Kakashi tightened the prison. Before we could finish, Gato's men appeared—dozens of thugs, armed and eager. Zabuza, seeing the betrayal, broke free, his loyalty to Haku outweighing his contract.
The fight turned chaotic. Naruto's Shadow Clones overwhelmed the thugs, Sasuke's precision cut through their ranks, and I used Dismantle to clear a path, my blades slicing armor and weapons with surgical accuracy. My modified body held strong, my second heart and expanded lungs letting me fight without pause. Zabuza and Haku, fighting for their own survival, turned on Gato's men, their teamwork a mirror to Ino-Shika-Cho's synergy.
In the end, Gato was dead, Zabuza and Haku wounded but spared. Kakashi let them go, a decision that surprised me but fit his ideals. As they vanished into the mist, Naruto cheered, naming the bridge after himself. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but I caught Kakashi's gaze on me, his Sharingan piercing. "You're full of surprises, Archon," he said. "Those techniques… where'd you learn them?"
"Training," I replied, deflecting. "Just doing my part."
He didn't push, but the weight of his scrutiny lingered. Naruto slapped my shoulder, grinning. "You're awesome, Archon! We totally rocked this!"
Sasuke's silence was louder, his eyes narrowing. Team Seven was a crucible, forging me through conflict, but also a cage, exposing me to Konoha's watchful eyes. My gamer instincts, honed by Warhammer's tactical depth, saw the bigger picture: this mission was a milestone, but greater threats loomed.
That night, at Tazuna's house, I trained in secret, slipping into a nearby forest. My Mirror Mirage Technique now summoned six clones, their illusions near-perfect, fooling a passing wolf. My shadow genjutsu paralyzed a deer, my confusion genjutsu disoriented a bird. Dismantle cut through a tree, Cleave shattered a boulder. My medical ninjutsu healed a self-inflicted cut, boosting stamina with precise chakra control. My body—taller, stronger, built for chakra dominance—felt unstoppable, each modification amplifying my power.
Team Seven was a tool, not a family. Naruto's chaos, Sasuke's rivalry, Kakashi's insight—they were pieces on my board, useful for now. Hiruzen and Danzo could watch, but I was Archon, forging a path no shinobi could block. The Land of Waves had tested me, and I'd passed. The next challenge would only make me stronger.