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"WELL, WELL." Kakashi mused casually with his hands shoved in his pockets. "I had it right. It was all an act with that cute little mask." His scrutiny was directed to the young boy who stood beside Zabuza. His outfit did not resemble a Mist hunter-nin, but his mask certainly did. A pure white mask covered his secretive face, two red waves swirling across the white plane with the Mist Village symbol etched above the eye slits.

"Don't take all the credit, Hatake," Yuri grumbled.

"Big phoney, hah." Sasuke scoffed at the fake Mist Hunter-nin.

Tazuna scratched his head. "So, I guess all that about being a tracker ninja protecting his village was a bunch of bull?"

Kakashi nodded. "After Yuri and her team apprehended us and told us that no other hunter-nin could be tracking Zabuza as it was her mission, the alarm bells began ringing."

Yuri tilted her head. "What's his name?" She ordered Zabuza.

The man grinned behind his bandages. "Haku Yuki."

Yuri's eyes widened once more. "Yuki?"

"You and your damn questions." Zabuza groaned.

The Yuki Clan were shinobi who possessed the kekkei genkai, Ice Release. Sometime after the Kirigakure Civil War where the Yuki Clan fought, the clan went into hiding as a national fear emerged for those who possessed any kekkei genkai. The Yuki Clan was hunted down and eliminated not long after, leaving no Ice Release users alive. All besides one. One that stood before Yuri and her team who posed a dangerous threat.

Yuri stood with her jaw hanging loose, Yaragi and Sezaki copying her

"He's got some nerve facing again after that truck he pulled last time," Sakura scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, referring to the last time Kakashi and Zabuza fought and Haku took Zabuza under the guise that he was a tracking ninja.

"And hiding behind a mask, who does he think he's fooling?"

"Speak for yourself, sensei," Sakura commented.

Sasuke muttered under his breath. "I'm taking him out. Who does he think he's fooling, hiding behind that mask like some type of clown?"

"Sasuke! You're so cool!" The pink-haired girl gushed.

If Yuri were not in a state of shock, she most definitely would have laughed at the fact that Sakura gushed over Sasuke's comment that Kakashi had just uttered.

"Do not underestimate that boy," Yuri ordered Sasuke. "He's likely stronger and faster than you."

But Sasuke only scoffed smugly. "We'll see about that."

All of a sudden, Haku was standing before Sasuke with a sharp needle-like weapon in his hand, ready to pierce it through his chest, however, the Uchiha boy was agile and evaded the attack.

Yuri quickly snapped out of her thoughts. "Team 4, you know our objection. We do not stop until it is complete."

"Yes, sensei!" The three Mist ninja declared, readying their weapons. Kakashi watched in astoundment at Yuri's leadership skills, wondering how her kids listened and reacted so well to her orders plus they had great teamwork while he had a much harder time with Team 7.

Yuri began charging toward Zabuza with her dual-ended katana, a look of pure hatred etched into her features. But his yell cut her short.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Yuri. Unless you want to risk the lives of your brats." He eerily taunted.

"Stop!" She yelled to Yaragi, Doremi and Sezaki, who followed her command to perfection. "What do you want, Zabuza?"

"We just want the bridge builder, is that so hard?" He smirked beneath his mask of bandages.

Yuri scoffed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, lowering her katana to place a hand on her hip. She tilted her head at the man she once called a friend. "We both know I am not stupid enough to take your word for it. You clearly want a fight."

Zabuza smirked once more. "Always so clever." He uttered. "But not with you, old friend. With the copy ninja. I figured you might want to join me."

Yuri squinted her eyes, casting her gaze upon Kakashi over her shoulder. The grey-haired ninja was struck frozen in fear for his students and himself as he analysed his opponents. His gaze flickered to Yuri's, seeing her analysing him in return. He furrowed his brow at her hateful gaze. A look he was familiar with coming from her, considering he had been met with her squinted pink eyes twice before.

They had called a truce until the mission was over, why would she be considering him as an enemy at this very moment? What had Zabuza said to her for her to swap teams so quickly?

She wanted more than anything to cut him down.

To destroy him as he did her.

To rip everything of importance from him til he is nothing.

But she had a mission.

And personal revenge comes second to Kirigakure.

"I would rather see you dead first." Yuri seethed out as she turned back to Zabuza, placing her sword back in its holster in her back. Before he could react, Yuri's hands moved quickly, forming an array of hand signs. "Plant Style: Binding Vines Technique!" She yelled before rapidly stretching her arms out, aiming at the shark-toothed man.

Hundreds of dark green vines decorated with tiny multi-coloured flowers quickly sprouted from the bridge, shooting into the air and aiming for their target. But Zabuza was fast. He leapt out of the way before the vines could entangle themselves around him. He has seen all of Yuri's techniques from their time in the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, though they're strong and fast, he's had time to become stronger and faster than them. Yuri huffed out a smile as she began running towards Zabuza once more, instructing her team to stay put beside Kakashi. "You always were two steps ahead of everyone, weren't you, Momochi?" She yelled out with an exasperated laugh.

"You know me so well, Ren." He spoke back, a twisted grin appearing behind his bandages.

Yuri grinned, a hint of madness glistening in her wide magenta irises. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy tearing you down." She spoke, her voice tense with anticipation as she drew out her katana once more, striking it down, only for him to block it with his large executioner's blade.

Zabuza laughed once more. "Just like old times, eh?" He questioned between swings as they stumbled across the bridge. "Why don't you pretend it's Kakashi's face you're trying to beat like you used to? You might have a chance then." Zabuza poked.

A grumble left her throat, partially annoyed at his lack of faith in her abilities and partially embarrassed that he revealed that she was once so angry at Kakashi that she would pretend her opponents were him to give her motivation. "You'll pay for that."

Kakashi watched from a distance as Yuri and Zabuza swung their blades at one another. Though neither of them could touch each other. The two had known each other for around a decade and had most certainly spared a handful of times that they knew the other's moves fo by heart. "There's no way Yuri's going to win against him by herself," he muttered to himself, though Sezaki heard him.

"What do you mean?" She questioned though still on guard as her eyes flickered between Sasuke and Haku's fight and Yuri and Zabuza's battle.

"They know each other's moves and jutsu... they'll just continue fighting until they grow exhausted and use up all their chakra. And knowing them, that won't be for a while."

Yaragi looked up at Kakashi with wide, worried eyes. "Then you have to help her!"

Kakashi furrowed his brow, his one visible eye casting down to the blonde shark-featured boy. "And why would I do that?"

"Because she's helping you right now!" Doremi exclaimed loudly, making everyone around her wince slightly. "You made a truce to help each other on your missions, this is your time to help her!"

Kakashi looked back to the fight between the old friends and then back to the two younger rivals. Just as Kakashi had made a decision, Sasuke had shoved Haku away from him, sending him flying towards Yuri and Zabuza. The younger boy collided against the concrete, harshly skidding to a stop before their feet. With their blades still pressed against one another, the two Mist ninjas look at the masked boy - one with concern, the other with pride.

"Not so tough now, are you, Zabuza?" Yuri smirked up at the rouge ninja, knowing that all of his previous prideful comments about Haku now laid a waste just like the boy in question laid before them.