The enormous wave roared over the unfinished Great Naruto Bridge, casting a massive shadow across everyone present. The sound of water crashing down was deafening, and the sheer force was overwhelming.
Everyone, including Kakashi Hatake and Zabuza Momochi, stared in utter shock.
Even Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna were left speechless.
Wait, what? He said he wasn't good at Water Style?
If this wasn't Water Style, then what was it? Tsunami Style?
"Damn it!" Kakashi quickly snapped back to his senses. "Everyone, get out of here! Now!"
But his warning came too late.
The monstrous wave crashed down, water flooding the bridge and tearing apart the half-built railings. The force was enough to sweep away everyone, including Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Tazuna, and the injured Haku, into the sea.
The only two still standing on the bridge were Kakashi and Zabuza, their bodies drenched, but somehow managing to avoid being swept away.
"Well, that was effective." Menma chuckled, nodding to himself with satisfaction. "I made sure to hold back a little. It looks scary, but it shouldn't have hurt them too much. At most, they'll be soaking wet and exhausted."
Naruto struggled to stay afloat in the water, coughing and sputtering.
"D-Didn't hurt? You nearly drowned us!" he shouted, his voice barely above the crashing waves.
Sasuke's hands gripped the water's surface desperately.
"Water-walking... We haven't even learned that yet," he muttered bitterly.
Menma glanced at Kakashi with a mildly disapproving look. "They haven't even learned basic chakra control exercises like water-walking? Huh. And you're supposed to be their teacher?"
Kakashi felt a nerve twitch. The way Menma spoke, it was as if he was being scolded for being lazy. Who was this kid to judge him?
"Well, no matter." Menma turned his attention back to Kakashi and Zabuza, his smile casual but his eyes sharp. "So, what's the plan? Do you both continue fighting, or do you surrender?"
"Surrender?" Zabuza's voice was thick with disdain. "You think I'd ever surrender?"
Kakashi said nothing, but his silence spoke volumes. He couldn't just hand over Naruto and the others to some unknown group.
Zabuza and Kakashi exchanged a quick glance, silently forming a plan.
In a flash, Zabuza rushed forward, broken sword in hand, eyes blazing with determination. Behind him, Kakashi's hands flickered through a series of seals. His palm began to crackle with electricity.
"Raikiri!" Kakashi shouted, his signature move coming to life in his hand like a howling beast.
"Oh?" Menma raised an eyebrow, amused. "A decent plan. But..."
He brought two fingers to his lips.
"Water Style: Water Severing Wave."
A high-pressure stream of water shot out like a laser, cutting cleanly through the air.
Zabuza's instincts screamed at him. With a desperate twist, he dodged at the last moment, the blast slicing through the remnants of his already-damaged sword.
The blade split in two, the edges cut so cleanly they gleamed.
"What the hell?" Zabuza's eyes widened. He was a master of Water Style, but he had never seen something like this.
"That technique..." Kakashi's eyes narrowed, sweat beading on his forehead. "That's the Water Severing Wave. An advanced Water Style technique created by the Second Hokage. And he just pulled it off like it was nothing..."
Menma's eyes danced with amusement. "I told you, there's a huge difference in our strength. No matter what strategy you come up with, it won't matter."
With a burst of speed, Menma closed the distance and struck Zabuza hard in the stomach with a powerful punch.
"Gah!" Zabuza's body doubled over, eyes bulging as the air was forced from his lungs. The impact sent him flying backward, slamming into Kakashi with enough force to knock them both to the ground.
The bridge shook from the force of their collision, leaving them sprawled out and gasping for breath.
Menma appeared before them, hands resting casually on his hips. "So, do you still want to continue?"
The sheer confidence radiating from Menma was infuriating. Kakashi's eyes shifted to the strange armor Menma wore, now retracted into a core on his chest. That was another layer of the mystery. Who were these people?
Zabuza's fist clenched, his pride screaming at him to keep fighting. But his body refused to move. That hit from earlier had nearly shattered his ribs.
Kakashi's thoughts raced. This enemy was far stronger than he'd anticipated. His usual tricks and tactics were useless.
There was no other choice.
"I... surrender," Kakashi finally admitted through gritted teeth.
Zabuza shot him a furious glare. "You coward! We're shinobi! We don't just give up!"
Kakashi's eyes met his. "And what good is our pride if it gets us killed? We need to figure out who they are and what they want."
Menma laughed, clapping his hands. "Smart choice, Kakashi-sensei. I guess not all of you are complete idiots."
"..." Kakashi said nothing, but his fists clenched.
"As for you, Zabuza." Menma's voice hardened. "You might want to rethink your attitude if you want to survive the next few minutes."
The rogue ninja's glare softened, then lowered in reluctant acceptance. "Fine. You win, brat."
"Good! Now that we're all on the same page, let's do this properly." Menma's smile returned, though it held an unsettling edge.
"My name is Menma. Namikaze Menma."
"N-Namikaze...?" Kakashi's one visible eye widened in shock.
Menma's grin widened. "Oh? That name sounds familiar, doesn't it?"
Naruto, still floating in the water, felt his heart skip a beat. Namikaze... that was his father's name. The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Who the hell was this guy?