Five cloaked figures were jumping through the trees due north. Our target was a weapons merchant coming from the country of Iron headed towards the country of water. After a day’s worth of travel we reached the border where the caravan was supposed to pass to Fire country and we waited. Half a day passed before I spotted the caravan approaching. It was slow going compared to shinobi travel speed. A week passed of slow caravan trailing, at this point and everyone was better rested. Two horse-drawn carriages with a dozen or so military personnel reached a familiar misty forest. We were close to the border with the land of water. Meaning our mission was almost over without any trouble. The mist thickened as the caravan ventured closer to the border. As the range of my sight lessened I belatedly realised the mist was laden with chakra. I used hand signs to notify the others.

“Mist. Danger. Chakra. No visibility. Enemy. Ambush.”

Everyone tensed as Ino confirmed chakra signatures ahead of the caravan. We moved forward, to track the ninja and lay an ambush. I noticed two figures hiding behind trees on the opposite side of the road. Further investigation didn’t show any more people. So we attacked, me and Ino were on one side, Yui and Akari on the other and Anko would stay hidden for emergencies. The mist was thick enough to obscure vision from one side of the road to the other. As we approached our target a chain flung out from beneath the road tying both of the enemies together. The other side had already attacked and alerted them, so we had no choice but to engage and keep our target from helping his ally. It was a masked man with Kiri hitai-ate and two horn like additions to the band. The giant metal claw was a giveaway to their identity, the demon brothers. They were waiting to ambush the caravan using their bladed chain as a roadblock. He was too alert by his brother yanking the chain, so he dodged my blow, cursing.

“Shit! It’s an escort!” He yelled as he leapt back into the road to reach his brother.

We all converged onto the road. Their chain was deadly but too clunky to be of any real danger as long as one was aware of their surroundings and that was easy for me. Outside of catching someone in an ambush it would only hinder them. Also the weight of their gauntlets wouldn’t do them any favours in close quarters, at least that was my thought process as I charged in first. I lunged with a simple strike, a simple speed check and Ino rushed at the other brother to keep up pressure. My opponent reacted even if it was slower than I anticipated. He managed to dodge and counter with his gauntlet, pulling the chain closer and encircling us four. Yui and Akari provided ranged support as much as they could standing outside the chain circle. It would be the best option to not get in each other's way. The demon brothers were not very skilled, but they had experience and it showed. I kicked at his oncoming gauntlet pushing it away and opening his guard wide open. As I went in for the lethal blow, his brother had pulled his gauntlet making the chain lash out at me, causing me to stop my attack and avoid the chain. Giving my opponent a chance to attack. He kicked at me, pulling his gauntleted left hand back for momentum, tightening the chain around Ino. She evaded it by jumping above it. I blocked the kick headed towards my head with my left arm. A barrage of shuriken headed for the brothers from the outside and they pushed a wave through the chain causing it to lash out at the projectiles and deflect them. I weaved under and punched with my right at my opponent. Simultaneously pushed the sand from said arm onto his eyes as he blocked my punch. He was momentarily blinded and I kicked his gauntleted arm. Unable to hold the weight his arm lurched back and yanked his brother's arm, which was going to block Ino’s kunai, but now couldn’t. Causing it to draw blood as her target leaned back to avoid as much as he could.

“Well, well, well. What are leaf children so far outside their village?”

A raspy voice echoed throughout the mist. A figure appeared amidst our fight. He moved fast. Something was wrong with his chakra. Ino reacted first. She slashed at him. Only to be caught by the wrist. A disgusting crack sounded. A moment later her gut wrenching scream followed. Her wrist was cleanly broken. I lunged aiming at his arm, so he would let go of the blonde girl. He easily reared back, pulling Ino with him. He launched a sideways kick at me, all I could do was raise my arms to block. It hit me like a truck and sent me flying back into the mist. I saw as I flew back. A man with his lower face covered with bandages, short unkempt dark hair, small beady eyes, arm and leg warmers with the same design and a hitai-ate sideways on his head. I saw a kunai go through his head as Ino fell from his grasp. Then the whole man turned into a puddle. I hit a tree hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs, nearly passing out from the impact.

I grit my teeth and clenched my fist as I lunged back towards Zabuza. My mind was a whirlwind trying desperately to think of anything I could do. Ino was in danger and Anko was only a Tokubetsu Jounin, most likely not a match for an S-rank missing nin. Especially since her specialty was striking when unknown. Perhaps I could bind his feet with the sand I dropped as I got launched into a tree. Allowing Anko an opportunity for a deadly strike. Finally getting close enough to see the fight again. I saw Ino clutching her hand and Akari helping her, as Yui stood nearby on guard. Anko was clashing with Zabuza, his huge sword easily cut through the air as it got deflected by Anko’s tiny kunai. The demon brothers were nowhere to be seen, probably retreated after the wound I surmised. I got close to the girls and watched the fight, staying as alert as I could, the goddamn Hashirama tree was harder than I expected. They weren’t moving much, Zabuza struck wildly and Anko defended as best as she could, but minor cuts were accumulating.

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“This is why I prefer to work alone. We both had to reveal ourselves to protect the underlings. You might have had a better shot otherwise, snake woman.” Zabuza rasped, carefree as if he was not in a battle to the death. Anko’s response was snake hands jutsu. A swarm of snakes of various sizes leapt out of her sleeves, towards Zabuza. He stepped back, getting covered by the ‘hidden in the mist’ jutsu. Only the executioner's edge’s tip appeared as he slashed the snakes and stepped forward again to engage Anko. I finally managed to weave enough sand to perhaps hinder his movement. I slapped my hands together in an effort to infuse more power to my skill and sand surged around his ankles to bind him in place. Anko grasping the opportunity lunged forward to grab Zabuza’s arms nullifying the effectiveness of his huge sword at such a close range. She used her right hand to form seals using Zabuza’s free hand. I realised quickly it was the Twin snakes mutual death technique. Secondly I realised an even more dreadful truth, Zabuza was not reacting at all, almost like a… lifeless clone.

“No! Stop! It’s a clone.” I shouted at the top of my lungs. If Anko killed herself here we would all die at Mist Swordsman’s hands. Luckily Anko froze, unluckily it was because of a giant sword around her neck. Her brows furrowed as sweat dripped from the side of her face and she breathed in big gulps. The clone she was holding turned into water and slipped through her fingers

“You seem too emotional, snake disciple. How unlike the snake Sannin. It seems at least one of the kids has potential.” Zabuza laughed.

“You are lucky, I don’t want to deal with Orochimaru, but I don’t think he would mind if a few kids died.” He added as he slammed the handle of Kubikiribocho to her neck, causing her to close her eyes and crumple onto the muddy road.

“Incoming!” I shouted as Zabuza charged at our little group. He arrived too fast. Akari’s yelp got cut short as she got a kick to the side that sent her flying into the mist. Yui and I stabbed towards him as Ino rolled away from her precarious position in front of Zabuza. He twisted, deflecting both our lunges and causing us to pass by him but Yui got a kick to her side as well, as she was also sent flying into the mist. There was nothing I could do as our numbers dwindled, but attack more furiously. Each of my fist he blocked was punching a brick wall. I tried to keep close so he wouldn’t swing his sword. I also felt dread for my teammates. Getting hit hard enough to be launched must have caused a lot of internal damage. I pulled at the sand to gather back to me as Ino joined the fight.

“I expected a bit more from a killer.” Zabuza drawled as he blocked and dodged lazily.

Ino performed a leg sweep. I kicked at the knee of his other leg. He was on one foot as he raised one to dodge Ino’s leg sweep. His sword came down right next to his leg to block my attack. For some reason I could read Ino’s movement easily. She cut upwards with a lightning kunai. Leaving her abdomen open for a knee strike, which I kicked away, pulling my arms back for more momentum and gathering the sand onto my arm. And swung it at his face, fully committing to the strike knowing Ino would defend me from the counter. She pulled at my collar downwards as the huge metal slab called a sword came at my face with the flat of the blade. My punch got blocked but I managed to send the sand into his eyes before Ino pulled me back. She stepped on my knee to launch herself up for a spinning kick to the face, capitalising on the momentary blindness. Zabuza blocked it easily and sent an elbow at the girl stuck in mid air. From my position nearly on my butt, I sent my feet up as I leaned further back down and used my hands for bracing instead of my feet and barely managed to push the elbow blow upwards.

“You too are strangely in sync. Even the demon brothers don’t show this level of coordination.” Zabuza commented, before taking a step back and stopping the engagement.

“My task is done. It was fun, but you two got a lot of growing to do.” He said and just disappeared into the mist. I stayed on alert until the mist dissipated. It seemed the coast was really clear.

“Go check on Akari, I’ll get Yui.” I ordered Ino and she dashed towards wherever Akari flew. Found Yui near a tree she hit after she got launched by Zabuza. She was not moving on the floor but conscious. I scanned her with my Byakugan. Her ribs were broken and a shoulder was out of place, probably she hit the tree with her shoulder after the kick broke her ribs.

“Alright Yui. You got broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. Probably hurts to breathe but I need to move you towards the others.” I said with furrowed brows. She looked at me pleadingly, her eyes filled with pain.

“I’ve got enough sand to make it comfortable, don't worry. I am worried about Akari, though she was caught way off guard.” I said, but she did not respond, only tried to nod in understanding. It probably hurt to breathe, with broken ribs.

I looked around as I was returning to the group with Yui, only to see Ino approach us. That did not bode well. She had a serious expression and threw furtive glances towards a certain direction.

“Akari… was not doing well.” Ino said in a low tone.

“How bad?” I asked after noticing her apprehension.

“Bad enough, to make sensei curse and rush towards the village on a huge snake.” Ino answered.

“Shit! Sounds bad, but how bad exactly? I asked sternly.

“Her… her ribs were shattered and… and were stuck in her lungs.” Ino answered with teary eyes.

“Fuck!” I cursed, with nothing else to do, I went to check on the caravan we were following. Everyone was dead, no surprise there. Probably Haku was tasked with the killing, while Zabuza made sure we wouldn’t interfere. I returned to Ino and Yui.

“We better head back to the village.” I said.