【𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍】

𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄

𝐓he once sunny sky became foggy.

          the sky, which had been clear earlier, slowly turned pale as a white mist began to roll in from the sea. it wasn’t sudden—it crept in gently, spreading across the water until everything looked softer, quieter. the bright blue above faded into a light gray, and the horizon disappeared behind a wall of fog.

          the mist wasn’t thick enough to be dangerous yet, but it was enough to blur the edges of everything. the distant shore was no longer visible, and even the shape of the bridge ahead was hidden for now. the air felt cooler, and the fog brushed against their faces like a thin, damp breeze.

          team 7 sat quietly on the small wooden boat as it glided over the water. the boat was simple and a bit old, but it held steady. it rocked gently with each paddle stroke, tilting just a little from side to side. the boatman sat at the back, rowing with both hands. he didn’t speak. in fact, he hadn’t said a word since they left the dock. he had turned off the engine earlier to avoid drawing attention, and now they moved only by the quiet splash of oars in the water.

          the sound of waves had faded. no birds called from above anymore. everything felt hushed, like the world had gone still just for this part of the journey. the only sounds were the paddling and the soft creaking of wood.

          sakura leaned slightly toward naruto, her eyes narrowed. "this fog is really thick..."

          no one responded. they all understood. this wasn’t the time for idle conversation.

          𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐎 𝐔𝐙𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 sat near the front beside 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐎, nose twitching as he silently sniffed the air like an alert animal. while 𝐊𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 stood near the center, beside 𝐓𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐍𝐀, whose head remained bowed, a wide straw hat shadowing his face. he didn’t speak, nor did he meet anyone’s gaze.

          𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐇𝐀 remained tense and sharp-eyed, scanning the mist from the back of the boat. he sat beside 𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐈𝐊𝐎 𝐊𝐎𝐂𝐇𝐎, who—as always—wore that gentle smile. her violet-tinted hair swayed softly with the breeze, framing her face like silk in the pale light. she said nothing, but even in silence, she was striking—a still and watchful butterfly floating through a world of ghosts.

the paddling suddenly stopped.

         the boatman whispered, “the bridge should be visible soon. when we reach the side of the bridge, we’ll be in the land of waves.” he resumed rowing again, this time a bit faster. and then, through the fog, a shape emerged—

a huge unfinished bridge.

          “wow! so huge!” naruto gasped, eyes widening.

          “h-hey! keep it down!” the boatman snapped, startled and alarmed. “i took this boat out under cover of fog, and i cut the engine and am rowing by hand.” his paddling quickened. “if they find us, we’ll be in deep trouble!”

         naruto clamped his mouth shut with both hands, shrinking back with a guilty look. while the rest of team 7 remained silent, though their eyes were sharper now.

something wasn’t right.

         kakashi turned toward their client. “mr. tazuna.”

         tazuna remained still, lips pursed, eyes hidden.

         kakashi added, “i want to ask you something before we arrive at the pier.”

still no answer.

         kakashi continued, voice calm but firm, “the identity of your assailants, and the reason why they are after you. if you don’t tell us, our mission may end when you make landfall.”

all team 7 was now staring at the old man.

         finally, tazuna looked up, meeting kakashi’s eyes. “…i guess i have no choice but to tell you.” his tone shifted. “frankly, i’d like you to listen. just as you said, this may be beyond the scope of your mission. actually… i’m being targeted by a terrifying man.”

         “targeted? by who?” kakashi asked.

         tazuna took a breath. “you guys have probably heard at least his name before. a shipping magnate by the name of gato.”

         kakashi’s eye narrowed. “what? gato... of the gato company? one of the world’s richest men?”

         “yes.” tazuna nodded gravely. “that gato. he acts like a legitimate businessman, but in truth, he secretly uses gangs and even ninjas to expand his power. he moves like a shadow. buying out small countries, bribing officials, and silencing anyone in his way.”

his voice trembled slightly.

         “he came to our village and took over the shipping industry. once he had that, he controlled everything—money, supplies, food. our people are poor, barely surviving. that’s when i decided to build a bridge. something permanent. something that could connect our village without having to rely on gato’s ships.”

        he looked out at the unfinished bridge ahead. “but gato saw it as a threat to his business. he wants me dead before i can finish it.”

        the boat rocked gently in the silence that followed.

        tazuna sighed, then admitted, “the truth is… we couldn’t afford a high-ranking mission. our village is too poor. and i… i lied in my request. i said it was a simple escort, just so i could get help.”

         he glanced up at them with a sorrowful look. “if you abandon me now… i won’t even make it home. they’ll kill me at the pier. and my daughter… she’ll curse every shinobi who left her father behind. and my grandson… he’ll cry his heart out. cry and cry until he falls asleep.”

team 7 blinked.

        a heavy sweatdrop ran down sakura’s cheek. sasuke looked away. naruto mumbled something under his breath. even kakashi seems unamused.

        then, the jonin exhaled slowly. “…fine. we’ll continue the mission. but next time, be honest.”

        “right…” tazuna said, a sweat dropped. a sign of relief.

        the boat creaked softly as it moved forward, the oars dipping into the water in slow rhythm.

        after a moment of silence—but not too long, ameiko turned her head slightly, her voice quiet but clear. “that was a rather persuasive plea, mister tazuna,” she said, her smile deepening just a little. “you almost made it feel like we are heartless.”

       tazuna blinked, then laughed under his breath, scratching the side of his head. he gave her a sheepish peace sign, clearly a bit embarrassed. “heh… well, desperate times.”

       ameiko didn’t reply. she simply turned her gaze back toward the mist, her smile still calm but it deepened.

the rest of team 7 stared at them. just watching.

        sakura looked over, expression unreadable. naruto shifted in place. sasuke glanced toward the exchange, then back at the fog. kakashi said nothing, eye lingering for a moment longer.

no one spoke again.

        while the boat continued forward, cutting slowly through the mist and toward the forest.

where someone is already waiting.

          the boat came to a slow stop at the edge of the pier, the old wooden planks creaking under their weight as team 7 stepped off one by one. the mist was still thick, swirling gently around their legs and blurring the edges of the distant forest ahead.

         the boat's owner, gripping the edge of his cap, offered them a quick nod. “take care now!” he called, already starting the engine again with a loud sputter. the boat turned slowly back toward the open water, its ripples fading into the fog as it disappeared from sight.

         tazuna adjusted the weight of the pack over his shoulder. “alright!” he shouted, striding ahead. “get me home safely, yeah?”

         kakashi gave him a flat look, unimpressed. “right.” he replied dryly, then glanced at the forest ahead. 'the next attack... it won’t be chunin,' he thought, eyes narrowing beneath his headband. 'it’ll be elite-level jonin.' he let out a quiet sigh and closed his eyes briefly.

yare yare.

          the group continued walking into the forest trail, quiet now except for the soft rustling of leaves above and the faint squish of their sandals on damp soil. naruto walked ahead again, this time with sasuke walking just beside him, keeping pace. he didn’t look at naruto. he didn’t say a word.

         naruto, however, kept glancing sideways at him, his fists clenched. 'i’m not gonna let this guy do all the cool stuff anymore!' he told himself.

         they hadn’t gone far when naruto suddenly broke into a run. “wait—there it is!” he shouted, stopping a few feet ahead and pulling out a kunai. his eyes darted to the left, locked on a patch of thick bushes.

he threw the kunai fast.

         tazuna and sakura both screamed. “what are you doing?!” sakura shouted. naruto turned around, grinning. “heh—just a mouse.”

         sakura pointed at him furiously. “quit trying to show off! there was nothing there!”

          kakashi had both hands raised in mild scolding. “naruto, don’t throw kunai around like that. they’re dangerous.”

          sasuke scoffed behind them. “idiot.”

          naruto ignored them, eyes scanning the trees. “i swear, i sense something… no, it’s over here—” suddenly, he spun and threw another kunai. kakashi’s eye narrowed. something about the suspicious movement in the bush made him tense. “there!” naruto yelled.

          sakura quickly smacked him on the head. “stop it already!”

          naruto pouted while rubbing his head. “b-but someone’s really been watching us the whole time! dattebayo!”

          before anyone else could speak, kakashi stepped forward and silently followed the path of the kunai. his gaze lowered… and there it was.

a small white rabbit,trembling. traumatized.

          “a bunny?!” naruto shouted, his expression falling.

          sakura gasped. “naruto! what have you done!?”

          ameiko was quick to knelt quietly beside the creature, scooping it gently into her lap. her sleeves brushed the grass as she leaned closer, soft fingers brushing over the rabbit’s fur.

           naruto hurried over to her and the rabbit, guilt spreading across his face. “i-i’m sorry! i didn’t mean to… i’m really sorry, bunny!” he said while he kept patting the traumatize bunny.

           ameiko just stared at the bunny, thoughtful and gentle. “aren’t you a pretty bunny?” she said, her voice as gentle as wind through silk. the rabbit twitched once, then slowly relaxed, nuzzling into her lap and naruto’s hand as he patted it apologetically.

           her violet eyes lifted slightly. “it’s unusual, though,” she added. “a snow rabbit… but it’s not winter.”

           kakashi’s single visible eye narrowed. ‘she’s right. it’s a snow rabbit. its fur turns white only in winter, when there’s little sunlight. this rabbit’s been raised indoors… kept in darkness. not wild. not accidental… a substitution.’

he slowly turned his head upward.

‘which means…’

a sudden flicker in the trees.

“everyone—get down!” kakashi barked.

          team 7 immediately dropped low just as a huge blade tore through the air above them. it spun fast, whistling like a scream, before slamming into the trunk of a nearby tree with a heavy thunk. wood cracked. the force of the impact sent splinters flying.

and then—someone landed.

          he stood balanced on the flat side of the embedded sword, his silhouette sharp against the gray mist.

he didn’t speak. didn’t move. just watched.

his presence was chilling.

         he was shirtless and tall, lean but powerful, with pale skin and strong arms tightly wrapped in warmers. the arm coverings were dark, but what stood out most were the odd black and white blotches along them—patterns that strangely resembled cow spots. they stretched unevenly from wrist to bicep, like animal markings, and somehow made him look even more unsettling.

         he wore baggy dark pants tucked into standard ninja sandals. a thick white cloth, like a bandage, was wrapped around the lower half of his face, covering from nose to chin. above that, his eyes stared cold and alert, heavy with killing intent. messy black hair hung across his forehead in wet strands. tied around his head was a scratched forehead protector—the symbol of the hidden mist.

a ninja.

           the fog curled around him like it belonged to him. his bare chest rose and fell with each slow breath, and the huge blade he stood on—clearly his—shimmered slightly with moisture.

           naruto froze. sakura didn’t move. sasuke’s eyes sharpened. even tazuna stiffened where he stood. while ameiko just tilted her head slightly, still kneeling beside the snow rabbit. her hands remained calm, but her eyes followed the movement above.

even then, she smiled.

but it was no longer carefree.

it was alert.

          kakashi eyes narrowed at the unknown man, ‘if i’m not mistaken, he's...’

          naruto clenched his fists. his breath caught in his chest as he stared up at the man, heart pounding. his feet itched to move, to jump, to prove something.‘this time… i’ll move first! i won't lose to sasuke and i will protect ameiko this time!’ he thought sharply, shooting a side glance at sasuke while checking ameiko and the others.

         sasuke didn’t react. his eyes were locked onto zabuza, studying his stance, his hands, the twitch in his muscles—looking for any weakness. any opening.but there were none.

this man was nothing like the chunin from earlier.

he felt like a storm about to hit.

          “well, well,” kakashi finally said, stepping forward just enough to put himself between his team and the enemy. his voice was even, but serious now. “if it isn't the rogue ninja of the hidden mist… zabuza momochi.”

           naruto thought, ‘r-rouge? whatever! i’ll show him! ready... go!’  he charged forward without hesitation—but before he could take a step, a firm hand shot out in front of him.

kakashi.

          “you’re in the way,” he said sharply, voice low and unreadable.

          his fingers stayed steady as he blocked naruto’s path, but his gaze lifted beyond them. to the man standing in the mist. to zabuza.

          then kakashi turned to the rest of them. his tone was calm, but serious in a way that made everyone freeze. “get back, you guys. this guy is a totally different level from the enemy the other day.”he paused. his eyes narrowed slightly. “him being our opponent means...”

sakura and naruto’s eyes widened in unison.

          then—his fingers reached up. slowly. to his forehead.

          sasuke’s attention sharpened. even ameiko tilted her head ever so slightly, expectant.

“…that things might get tricky. as i am now.”

he pulled the headband back.

a single eye opened.

red.black.a gaze that swirled with three curved tomoe around the pupil.

the sharingan.

a wave of silence broke through the air.

         “…huh!?” naruto flinched back. his whole body tensed. “w-what’s up with his eye?!” beside him, sakura gasped, hand tightening around a kunai.

          “i didn’t expect to see the sharingan so soon. this is an honor.” zabuza said, staring at the display.

         then, zabuza turned to them—finally acknowledging them with something close to amusement. he stared at kakashi, then the children behind him. he sounded entertained. “well, well. the sharingan… so, the rumors were true.”

         naruto squinted at the man. “s-sharingan? what is that!?”

         sasuke, arms crossed, stepped forward. his voice was low. a little distant. “sharingan…” he said slowly, “a power that the light of the eye generates… and the pupil emanates. it’s a type of visual jutsu. a rare one. the user can see through genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu.” he paused, the light catching in his dark eyes. “but that’s not all. that eye… can also copy anything it sees.”

a chill fell over the clearing.

          zabuza chuckled. “well done. that is not all. what’s more frightening is that such an eye can analyze and replicate the opponent’s techniques… instantly. moves, even your breathing.”

          the mist grew thicker. heavier. crawling around their ankles. hiding the edges of the trees.

          then, the rogue ninja continued, voice low. “i once worked for the anbu black ops. had access to all kinds of intel. read about you… kakashi hatake. the copy ninja. they say you’ve copied over a thousand jutsu.”

          sakura’s jaw dropped slightly. her thoughts raced. ‘what? kakashi-sensei is… that incredible of a ninja?’

          naruto’s jaw practically hit the ground. “w-wow!”

          but sasuke… he didn’t speak. his eyes were narrowed, sweat trailing down his cheek. ‘what does this mean? the sharingan… it’s a trait only passed down to a few among the uchiha. and yet… this man… he’s not even one of us. could it be…?’

zabuza cut the moment short.

          “enough talking. i must kill the old man here immediately.”

         instantly, team 7 surged forward—just like they were taught—closing ranks around tazuna.

         zabuza smirked. “hm. so i’ll have to kill you first, kakashi.”

but then—his gaze shifted.

his smirk faded, just slightly.

his eyes wandered.past naruto, past sakura, past even sasuke.

toward the one who had remained quiet all this time.

a butterfly flitted past his shoulder.

         his voice dropped. “but… seems like you need to work on your teamwork, kakashi… interesting.”

everyone turned to follow his line of sight.

their hearts skipped.

ameiko.

ameiko stood still.

too still.

          she didn’t blink. didn’t breathe. her chest rose only slightly, as if afraid to disturb the air. her hands, always poised with grace, hung uselessly at her sides. her shoulders were stiff, caught somewhere between defense and collapse.

         her soft purple eyes — the same eyes that always smiled for others — had lost their shine. they stared, wide and unblinking, at the left side of kakashi’s face.

he had lifted his hitai-ate.

she saw it.

the sharingan.

         it spun slowly at first, like the hand of a cursed clock, then faster — one tomoe, then two, then three. red and black, like dried blood caught in a whirlpool.

she couldn’t move.

         the world around her dimmed, as if someone had pulled the color from it. the fog was still there — curling over the earth, muffling the trees — but she didn’t feel it anymore.

the forest disappeared. even the voices of her teammates blurred.

naruto’s shouting felt like it came from underwater. sakura’s breath hitched with worry, andsasuke’s voice tensed in her ears. and then,

their faces — their panic —it all faded.

she only saw the eye.

and behind that eye, a memory flickered.

not of kakashi.

of another man.

          a face half-shadowed in moonlight, with hair pale as snow and eyes like rainbow glass, staring down at her. a smile too calm. hands too steady. his fan-shaped weapon gleaming crimson in the dark. the night she lost everything — the cold, the silence, the breathless dread.

her body remembered before her mind did. her throat clenched. her knees faltered.

and still, she didn’t move.

          the fog pressed in tighter, almost like hands around her neck. her limbs grew heavy, like she was sinking. her mouth opened — maybe to cry out, maybe to breathe — but nothing came.

not even a sound.

then — a flash of silver.

a soundless blur.

zabuza moved.

          his massive blade cut through the mist, aimed straight for her back. fast, too fast.

          “ameiko!!” sakura and naruto’s voice broke through the fog.

but it was already too late.

ameiko couldn’t react.

          she stood there, caught in that memory — in that eye — when suddenly a hand gripped her shoulder and yanked her backward with gentleness, as if afraid that he would hurt her even more.

her head spun.

         arms wrapped around her, firm and protective. the sharp smell of metal and wind hit her nose.

kakashi.

  his body shielded hers in an instant.

the sword came down — hard.

metal shrieked against metal.

          he raised his kunai just in time to meet zabuza’s strike, but the force of it pushed him back. the blade scraped past his guard and slashed deep into his upper arm. blood splattered across the ground.

           kakashi hissed through his teeth, but he didn’t let go of her.

            “i’ve got you.” he muttered lowly, almost too soft to hear.

ameiko eyes widened, slightly.

          his hand trembled slightly as he pulled her to safety, retreating fast across the forest floor. when they reached the others, kakashi gently placed ameiko into naruto’s arms.

          “stay with her.” kakashi ordered, his voice hoarse.

          naruto nodded quickly, holding her carefully. “she’s not hurt, right?! right?!”

ameiko didn’t answer.

           she stared blankly ahead, still lost in that moment. but her fingers clutched at her haori, just barely.

           sakura went infront her immediately, brushing ameiko’s bangs out of her face. “ameiko, look at me… hey, you’re okay now. kakashi-sensei saved you. it’s over.” her voice cracked a little, but she forced a soft smile.

          but sasuke stepped forward, his eyes sharp and his fists clenched tight at his sides. “what the hell was that?” his voice cut through the mist like a kunai, low and harsh. he wasn’t shouting, but the anger in his tone was unmistakable. not panic. concern.

           he glared at ameiko — not because he didn’t care — but because seeing her like that, frozen, helpless, made something hot twist in his chest.

she was always calm. always smiling. always fine.but just now, she wasn’t.

and it scared him.

         “you just stood there,” he said through gritted teeth, eyes flicking toward the place zabuza had vanished back into the fog. “you could’ve died. do you even realize that?”

          naruto flinched a little, tightening his grip around ameiko’s shoulders. “hey, back off! she’s—she’s okay now!”

but sasuke didn’t look at naruto.his eyes stayed on her.

          ameiko slowly lifted her gaze, her fingers still curled lightly into her haori. her lips parted, but no words came for a moment.

then she blinked.

once.

twice.

like she’d finally surfacedfrom deep water.

a breath passed her lips, slow and fragile.then, she smiled.

          not her usual bright, teasing smile. but something quieter. softer. like the aftertaste of a fading dream.

           “…sorry,” she said gently, her voice still light, but distant. “the mist… it reminded me of something.”

           she paused, eyes drifting to the side where kakashi stood — bloodied but steady, watching her with silent worry.

           “sorry you got hurt, sensei.” then she looked at the others, “sorry for letting my guard down, i had you guys worrying.”

a pause.

“i promise it won’t happen again.”

           she stepped back on her own, mist curling around her legs like a veil being lifted.

           the silence that followed was heavy — not from fear, but realization.

she wasn’t shaken.not anymore.

she was smiling. again.

then

a slow, deep chuckle echoed from the fog.

zabuza’s voice.

“that one…”

         the mist shifted. his silhouette formed again just above the water, massive blade resting on his shoulder like it weighed nothing.

         “…i thought she’d be easy to break. seems i was wrong.” his grin was wicked. amused. but there was respect in it, too — the kind you only gave to survivors.

          kakashi stepped forward, wincing slightly from his bleeding arm. “she’s not someone you’ll break so easily.” and then his voice went lower, dangerous. “i won't let you.”

          his voice was steady. cold. the sharingan still burned in his left eye.

          then, without looking back, kakashi said, “ameiko — stay with them. you guys protect tazuna.”

          ameiko nodded, her smile still faint, but her eyes clearer now. “understood.”

          and this time, her hand didn’t tremble as she reached for her blade.

【𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐈’𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒】

୨୧ — kakashi noticed ameiko’s sudden freeze the moment his sharingan was revealed. though he said nothing, he reacted faster than instinct alone. his first thought wasn’t zabuza—it was her.

୨୧ — sasuke had never seen ameiko falter before. the moment haunted him more than he’d admit. his frustration came from confusion, not anger.

୨୧ — naruto didn’t understand what happened, but he stayed physically close. his protective instincts kicked in before he even realized it.

୨୧ — sakura saw the fear in ameiko’s eyes before anyone else. it reminded her that even the strongest among them could carry hidden wounds.

୨୧ — tazuna kept glancing at ameiko throughout the fight. not out of fear, but awe. she didn’t just survive—she recovered. faster than most grown shinobi would have.

୨୧ — zabuza took note of her too. that crack in her composure had interested him... but the way she regained herself made him wary.

୨୧ — in the distance, a hidden observer watched her from the treeline—silent, curious, and unseen. just... watching. whoever they were, they now find her interesting.

【𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑’𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄】

hEYAAA GUYSSS! i’ve missed you all so much!! sorry for the delay!! the weather here decided to go full final boss mode, and of course, it hit right when i had plans to update. fever came, chaos followed. i’m okay now though!! still a bit dizzy, but as soon as i could sit up without seeing double, i ran to upload this chapter lol.

this one’s more of a soft teaser. just the tiniest peek into ameiko’s backstory. nothing big revealed yet, but the surface has officially cracked. and yep… for the first time ever. no emotional closeness yet, but don’t worry, the slowburn is still burning very… very slowly. i got plans. trust me pls. (also i’m lowkey scared every time i update. what if i disappoint someone?? this is my first book, okay, i’m learning as i go LMAO 😭)

but honestly — thank you. for the comments, the support, the little hearts and messages. i never expected this much love, and it really keeps me going. i read everything. it means the world to me. sending virtual hhug!! <33

(last update for this month, see you in august!)

hope you enjoy the chapter (because i was scared on how are you guys going to react the moment this will be uploaded huhuhu istg!) see you next time. and once again, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒! 🥀🥀