Naruto: The Uchiha Prodigy by Rifat

Chapter 13: The Wolves Are Here

Ten Days Later, Zabuza's Hideout, Nami no Kuni.

Zabuza Momochi was many things.

He was ruthless.

He was a seasoned killer.

Above all, he had his pride as a shinobi. A master of the silent killing technique, Zabuza had often prided himself over the fact that he was one of the better shinobi of his generation. As a child, he had a peaceful life, if one could call a mass murdering child a normal one.

However, ever since the Bloodline Purges began Zabuza had been put in a bind. Several of his comrades had been killed because of the Yondaime Mizukage Yagura's growing madness. He too had killed several Kekkei Genkai users. He had even killed a large number of Yuki Clan members.

During one of his missions, his unit had killed a pregnant woman and her seven year old son. There was a witness to all this. A girl no older than three had seen her mother and brother cut down in front of her eyes. Instead of killing the child, Zabuza took her in and raised her to be his 'tool', while getting rid of the others who were with him. For reasons known to himself, Zabuza like many other of his peers revolted against the Yondaime Mizukage and had attempted several assassinations on his life.

It had failed. He then went rogue, collecting funds for the Rebellion. For years to come he would take any wet work, no matter what the situation was. No ideals, no greater glory. Simply blood and the payment he got for it. He had worked for many a scum and didn't complain. He had taken in the girl named Haku and made her keep up the ruse of the Hunter nin. All was going well, if things at the pace it was he would soon be joining the war.

However that pride over his skills that he had built through all those years with blood, sweat and tears had been scarrred ten days ago.

Kakashi Hatake was famous for a reason. His mastery with the Sharingan was such that his skills would shame many pure blooded Uchiha. In a single battle, Kakashi had defeated him and showed that Zabuza's skills had diminished over the years. The Demon of the Hidden Mist had lost his devilish drive. Zabuza could've swallowed the defeat at the hands of Kakashi. The man had over a thousand jutsu in his arsenal and was one of the people responsible for the destruction of the Kannabi Bridge, the event that was a major turning point in the Third Great Ninja War.

No, Zabuza was furious that he had been one upped... by a genin.

"That Uchiha brat." Zabuza scowled as he slashed the air around him in fury as he remembered the genin.

True he was an Uchiha, an Uchiha with a fully matured Sharingan. The last time this happened those shinobi came to be known as Shisui the Teleporter and Itachi the Clan Slayer. Both were shinobi who had earned the respect of the zanbatou wielding ex-Kiri shinobi.

But to think that a brat had outsmarted him and then caught him in a genjutsu, that had caused him to use a significant amount of chakra during his battle with Kakashi, was appalling to him.

A genin ensuring the defeat of a shinobi who was a part of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist?

Lies.

Folly.

Madness.

The only conclusion that any rational minded shinobi could come to. But Zabuza knew better. The brat was the younger brother of Shisui and had proved that to some extent. But that did not stop Zabuza from blowing a gasket as he remembered the Gunbai wielding genin. He didn't even learn the brat's name. Zabuza had to kill Gato. He needed the money. So Zabuza knew that while he took care of Kakashi, Haku would have to take care of the genin brats. The only pain in this ordeal was said Uchiha brat who was a wild card in this situation.