Naruto: God Reborn

The air felt thick and tense as mist began to roll in. Zabuza stood on a branch. His cold eyes scanned the group in front of him, assessing each one with a mixture of disdain and indifference.

With a low chuckle, Zabuza spoke, his voice carrying an icy menace. "So, you're the ones escorting the bridge builder? If you hand him over quietly, maybe I'll spare you."

Anko smirked, stepping forward. Her fingers trailed idly along her kunai, the gleam in her eyes a mix of defiance and thrill. "Think we're gonna roll over that easily? You'll find we're a little more than you bargained for."

Kurenai positioned herself just behind Anko, her expression focused, ready to counter whatever tricks Zabuza had up his sleeve. Hana crouched low beside her, her body already adapting to her Four Legs Technique. Her ninken stood at her sides, all three growling as they sized up the deadly swordsman.

Zabuza's smirk widened. "So, Konoha sent me a pack of pups, three brats... Let's see if any of you can keep up."

With a burst of speed that surprised even the seasoned shinobi, Zabuza disappeared, melding into the mist. His presence seemed to vanish completely, and the eerie silence only heightened the tension.

"Stay alert. He's a master of silent killing," Kurenai murmured, her eyes scanning the fog. Anko's grin didn't waver as she focused, her senses attuned to the faintest sounds.

Suddenly, Zabuza's hulking form appeared right behind Hana, Kubikiribōchō already slicing down in a deadly arc. Hana twisted just in time, evading the attack with a feral grace. Her claws slashed toward Zabuza's arm in retaliation, forcing him to retreat a step.

"Four Legs Technique, huh?" Zabuza scoffed, his eyes gleaming with interest. "You'll need more than that to keep up with me."

Anko didn't waste a second, her hands flashing through seals before summoning a thick, coiling snake that launched itself at Zabuza. The snake struck with blinding speed. But Zabuza was faster, sidestepping the attack and slicing the snake cleanly in half with Kubikiribōchō. Zabuza lunged at her.

Anko leapt back, flinging a series of kunai in rapid succession, each laced with explosive tags. The small explosions created temporary bursts of light in the mist, giving Hana a moment to reposition herself. Her ninken, in perfect sync with her, circled Zabuza, snapping and lunging to keep him off balance.

The momentary distraction was all Kurenai needed. She weaved her hands through seals, locking eyes with Zabuza in the split second he glanced her way. "Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death."

Zabuza suddenly found himself immobilized, thick roots curling around his arms and legs, pinning him in place against an illusory tree that seemed to grow straight out of the mist. Kurenai appeared in front of him, a kunai poised at his throat.

But Zabuza merely laughed, his low voice echoing through the fog. "You think this cheap trick is enough to hold me?"

With a surge of chakra, Zabuza shattered the illusion. In a swift counter, he swung his sword at her, forcing her to leap backward to avoid the massive blade.

"Kurenai, stay back!" Hana called out, her voice a growl. She and her ninken charged forward in a coordinated assault. With her claws outstretched, she lunged at Zabuza from the front while her ninken flanked him on all sides.

"Man Beast Clone!" she called out, transforming her ninken into exact replicas of herself. Now, four nearly identical Hana figures attacked Zabuza from multiple angles, their speed and agility making it hard for him to target any one of them.

But Zabuza's experience shone through. With deft, powerful swings of his Kubikiribōchō, he managed to deflect most of their attacks, though not without suffering a few scratches from Hana's claws. Blood trickled down his arm, though his expression remained unreadable.

"Impressive teamwork," he admitted, "but you're still no match for me."

As Hana and her ninken regrouped for another round of attacks, Anko seized the moment to perform another set of hand seals. Flames erupted from her lips, a fierce torrent of fire racing toward Zabuza. "Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"

Zabuza's eyes narrowed, and he quickly responded, slamming his hand to the ground. "Water Release: Water Wall!"

A towering wall of water surged up, extinguishing the flames in a hissing cloud of steam that only thickened the mist around them. Anko cursed under her breath, her eyes scanning for Zabuza's form within the fog. The instant the steam cleared, she saw him approaching. She barely had time to dodge as he attempted another strike.

Kurenai took advantage of Zabuza's focus on Anko and quickly cast another genjutsu, layering the fog with hallucinatory images of Anko, Hana, and herself, all moving in a confusing dance of illusions. Zabuza's expression remained impassive, but it was clear he was beginning to register the deception.

Realizing this, he quickly shifted tactics "Water Clone Technique."

Suddenly, three clones of Zabuza materialized in the mist, each one indistinguishable from the real Zabuza. The clones advanced, wielding identical copies of the Kubikiribōchō, and launched at each of the kunoichi simultaneously. Anko found herself dodging a clone's heavy blade, each swing getting closer, while Hana and her ninken were pushed back by another, forced to dodge and weave to avoid getting caught.

Kurenai held her ground, her keen eyes searching for the real Zabuza among the clones. Then she felt it, a small fluctuation in the mist, a hint of his true presence. She threw a kunai in his direction, aiming not to hit, but to draw his attention.

The real Zabuza turned, locking eyes with her for just an instant, and Kurenai seized the moment. Her fingers flew through a series of seals, and Zabuza suddenly found himself falling into another illusion, this time more potent, designed to trap him within a nightmare of his deepest fears. She had implanted a vision of his failure, his helplessness against Yagura.

But Zabuza's will was iron. He broke out of the Illusion.

"Tch," Zabuza muttered, respect finally lighting his gaze as he assessed his opponents. "You're more persistent than I thought. But it ends here."

Hana, still in her feral state, growled, her ninken regrouping around her. "Not on our watch."

With a shared glance, Anko, Kurenai, and Hana prepared for their final stand, each of them pushing themselves to their limit to take down the Demon of the Mist. Zabuza, now taking them seriously, adjusted his stance, his grip on Kubikiribōchō firm as he prepared for their next clash.

---

From a distance, Ino, Sasuke, Aizen, and Tazuna watched the battle unfold, their faces tense with apprehension.

"Sensei and the others are barely holding their own against him," Ino murmured, a mixture of awe and anxiety in her voice. "That guy... he's no ordinary shinobi."

Aizen, his face impassive, merely observed.

____

As the clash between Kurenai, Anko, Hana, and Zabuza settled into a tense deadlock, a sudden surge of spiritual power rippled through the mist-covered forest. With a calm but commanding voice, Aizen's presence shattered the haze, clearing the mist in an instant. The oppressive atmosphere gave way to his unwavering confidence, as he strode forward, his gaze fixed solely on Zabuza. "Fall back," he said to Kurenai, Anko, and Hana, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll handle this."

Hana, unfamiliar with the extent of Aizen's power, gave him a skeptical look. "Are you insane? Facing him alone is suicide," she warned, a mix of concern and doubt in her voice.

Zabuza chuckled darkly, aligning with her sentiment. "Listen to her, kid. You must have a death wish."

Aizen's gaze didn't shift; he barely acknowledged Zabuza's presence before speaking again. "Silence, ant. I don't recall giving you permission to speak." His words carried an air of superiority that was almost suffocating.

Zabuza's eye twitched with irritation at the insult. In a flash, Aizen appeared directly in front of him, closing the distance faster than anyone could track. Without hesitation, Aizen launched a series of attacks. Zabuza barely managed to defend himself, blocking the rapid strikes with his massive blade. Each blow vibrated through the steel, sending shockwaves up Zabuza's arms as he struggled to keep up with Aizen's sheer speed and power.

With one final strike, Aizen forced Zabuza back, staggering him. Aizen summoned his Zanpakuto, the gleam of the blade reflecting a deadly intent.

The two warriors locked eyes, and in the next instant, they were upon each other, engaged in a fierce swordfight.

Despite Zabuza's strength and skill, he found himself driven back, his defenses crumbling under Aizen's relentless assault. It wasn't long before Aizen's superiority became apparent; with each clash, he dominated Zabuza, wearing down both his stamina and spirit.

Then, in a feat that defied belief, Aizen halted Kubikiribōchō mid-swing, using only a single finger. Zabuza's eyes widened, stunned, as did those of the Konoha shinobi watching from afar. The impossible sight left everyone speechless, Zabuza most of all.

"Impossible…" Zabuza muttered, barely concealing the fear creeping into his gaze. He quickly leapt back, putting some distance between himself and Aizen, but the rattled look in his eyes betrayed his shaken confidence.

Aizen, however, wore a faint smirk. Zabuza, determined to regain control, flashed through a series of hand signs. Upon completion, he summoned a massive water dragon that roared to life, surging toward Aizen with tremendous force.

Aizen's response was quick, his hands weaving through the same signs with even greater speed. He created his own water dragon, one that dwarfed Zabuza's in both size and ferocity. The colossal beast tore through Zabuza's dragon, overpowering it effortlessly, and continued barreling toward him. Reacting quickly, Zabuza conjured a powerful water barrier, throwing every ounce of his skill into fortifying it against Aizen's onslaught.

Through the crashing waters, Aizen's voice echoed clearly. "Any trick you can muster, I can surpass." Zabuza gritted his teeth as the reality of Aizen's words sank in, his earlier confidence now riddled with doubt and fear.

The air grew thick and oppressive as Aizen released his reiryoku, the sheer weight of his spiritual energy pressing down on everyone present. Zabuza could barely withstand it, his breaths shallow and labored as the crushing pressure settled over him.

Aizen's gaze was steely. "Know your place, ant" he said coldly. Without even an incantation, he raised his finger and conjured a massive black box, the dark energy of Kurohitsugi forming around Zabuza, trapping him within. The sinister energy of the spell twisted and darkened, forming the spikes within the box that threatened to pierce Zabuza from every angle.

Through clenched teeth, Zabuza muttered one last word. "…Monster."

The black box dissipated, leaving only a shattered log in its wake. Zabuza had managed to use the Substitution Jutsu at the last possible moment. However, Aizen sensed his presence lurking nearby, hidden among the trees. A small smirk tugged at Aizen's lips, but he made no effort to pursue.

Before he could decide his next move, Aizen sensed several new spiritual signatures moving in, approaching from all directions. His smirk widened as the monstrous entities emerged from the shadows, their eerie masks and gaping hollow chests stark against the forest backdrop. They surrounded the Konoha shinobi and Tazuna, filling the air with an ominous aura.

Aizen surveyed the new arrivals with mild interest, his tone laced with amusement. "Aren't you lot a long way from home," he remarked casually, his words more a taunt than a greeting.

One of the creatures, a towering Hollow with a deep, guttural voice, spoke in return. "And you, Shinigami… what brings you here?"

The Konoha ninja and Tazuna froze as they heard the word. Shinigami. The term resonated with an unsettling weight, and each of them felt a chill run down their spine. They stared at Aizen in shock, the truth of his identity inching closer, disturbing and undeniable.

Aizen's smirk only deepened, his eyes gleaming with intrigue as he prepared for what was to come.

Tbc