Chapter 40

The Executioner's Blade, one of the Seven Swords of the Mist, is known for its immense weight, extraordinary sharpness, and unique ability to absorb blood and regenerate itself.

"Without his preferred weapon, this should be much easier," Leo thought as he removed the Executioner's Blade from his staff. He then took out a sealing scroll and efficiently sealed the blade within it.

A sealing scroll, a rather expensive ninja tool, functions similarly to a spatial bag, allowing one to seal items with chakra and retrieve them when needed. Although Leo had his mission space, it could only store items obtained from side quests and was not always accessible.

Therefore, before setting off on his journey, he had asked Jino to purchase a sealing scroll for him. It was now coming in handy to prevent Zabuza from reclaiming his blade. 

While Leo wasn't particularly interested in the oddly shaped weapon, depriving Zabuza of it would significantly reduce his combat effectiveness.

Apart from its self-repairing ability, the Executioner's Blade lacked notable features compared to the other six swords of the Mist.

Zabuza, seeing his Executioner's Blade being sealed into the scroll, was so furious that it seemed like his facial bandages were about to burst. His initial plan to test the waters and engage in psychological warfare had backfired, with the unknown monk giving him a lesson instead.

"Well, well, if it isn't the rogue ninja from the Mist, Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said, his internal approval of Leo's actions reflected in a subtle nod. He stepped forward, joining the psychological battle under the tree where Zabuza stood.

Zabuza, known as the Demon, had become a rogue ninja after leading an unsuccessful assassination attempt on the Mizukage, forcing him into a life of evasion while gathering resources for another coup to overthrow the bloody regime in the Mist.

Even Kakashi had to be cautious of such a notorious ninja.

"Heh, the Copy Ninja Kakashi, said to have copied over a thousand jutsu. It's an honor to meet you here," Zabuza responded, crossing his arms and looking down at Kakashi and the others with an imposing demeanor. 

"But I suggest you take your team and leave. If you interfere with my mission to kill that old man, your journey as a ninja might end here today."

Despite losing his blade, Zabuza couldn't afford to lose his aura. Naruto, eager to prove himself, tried to step forward but was immediately pulled back by Kakashi.

"This isn't a foe you can handle. Protect Mr. Tazuna," Kakashi instructed, lifting his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan eye.

"So, that's the Sharingan!" Both Zabuza and Leo took note of Kakashi's Sharingan, one of the three great dojutsu in this world. The bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan, descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' eldest son Indra, the Sharingan possessed formidable abilities like observation, copying, and hypnosis. 

The wielder could see chakra flow, break and cast genjutsu, and replicate taijutsu and non-bloodline-limit ninjutsu. However, the user needed the corresponding chakra nature to copy a jutsu.

Kakashi's reputation for copying over a thousand jutsu came from his possession of all five chakra natures, similar to Leo.

"An impressive ability, but transplanting it without being an Uchiha comes with limitations," Leo mused. Although the Sharingan was highly desirable, the physical toll on a non-Uchiha user would significantly reduce their chakra reserves. 

Furthermore, unlocking the Mangekyo Sharingan, the more powerful form, required the trauma of losing a loved one, a condition Leo found hard to accept. For now, he decided against seeking out the Sharingan.

"Enough talk. Let's see you handle this!" Zabuza, now standing on a riverbank, performed a series of hand signs.

"Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Jutsu." As Zabuza released his chakra, a thick mist enveloped the area, shrouding everyone in fog.

Kakashi, holding a kunai, stepped forward to sense Zabuza's movements, calmly warning Naruto and the others, "This is the Hidden Mist Village's technique, Zabuza's specialty in silent killing. He uses the mist to obscure his movements and silently approaches to kill. Stay alert."

He then turned to Leo and said, "Chuan, please look after them."

To Kakashi, Leo was the only one who could withstand Zabuza's attacks, giving him the confidence to focus on Zabuza.

"Leave it to me. Although I prefer a vegetarian diet, my staff is not just for show!" Leo responded seriously, firmly planting his staff into the ground.

While he wasn't confident in defeating Zabuza one-on-one, he could certainly hold him off for a while. Behind him, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and Tazuna were already paralyzed with fear, overwhelmed by the intense killing intent from both Zabuza and Kakashi.

The fear was justified; Zabuza had grown up under the Mist Village's bloody policies, his graduation exam involving the murder of all his peers. His missions were drenched in blood. 

Similarly, before the death of the Fourth Hokage, Kakashi had been an extreme personality, operating in the shadows. Despite his current carefree demeanor, he had killed many enemies and participated in the brutal Third Shinobi World War.

The combined killing intent from these two veterans was overwhelming for Naruto and his team, who had never taken a life.

Leo, on the other hand, had a history of killing in underground fighting and during his time in Sokovia, making him immune to the psychological pressure.

"Is that so?" Zabuza's voice echoed from the mist. Before anyone could react, he appeared, kunai in hand, targeting Tazuna. The speed of a Jonin-level attack was beyond the reaction time of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.

"Take this!" However, Leo was ready. Without even turning, he kicked his staff horizontally, aiming directly at the spot where Zabuza appeared, as if he had eyes on the back of his head.