White mist enveloped the entirety of Team 7.
Sasuke's body trembled. He could feel that murderous intent—so thick it was almost tangible!
It pressed down on him so heavily he could barely breathe.
It felt like if he made even the smallest wrong move, instant death would follow.
This was the killing intent of a jonin!
The helplessness of having your fate completely in someone else's hands was unbearable!
Kakashi quickly noticed Sasuke's state and spoke reassuringly.
"Sasuke, don't be afraid. Even if it costs me my life, I'll protect all of you."
From within the white mist, Zabuza's voice came.
"Is that so?"
The next instant, Shinju felt another presence beside him.
He turned—and there stood Zabuza, hefting his massive Executioner's Blade!
Zabuza raised the giant sword high and swung it down toward old man Tazuna!
Shinju immediately pulled out two kunai from his pouch and stepped in front of Tazuna!
Clang!!
A heavy impact rang out, making Shinju's hands go numb.
On the other side, Zabuza was equally surprised.
This brat was so young, yet he could block his Executioner's Blade?
But what happened next shocked him even more!
Green energy steam erupted from Shinju's body as he grabbed the flat of Zabuza's Executioner's Blade and yanked it back hard!
Zabuza hadn't expected such strange taijutsu from a kid.
The moment his sword was pulled, his focus faltered.
Kakashi seized the chance, kunai in hand, closing in fast.
Swish!
The blade sliced across Zabuza's throat—
But instead of blood, water spilled out.
"A water clone!"
Kakashi instantly realized the danger and moved to shield Shinju.
At that exact moment—
Zabuza suddenly appeared behind Shinju, swinging the Executioner's Blade in a horizontal slash!
"You're a pretty good kid. Shame you're about to die under my blade!"
But before he could finish speaking, he noticed—
The kid in front of his blade… had vanished!
Zabuza: Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
What kind of jutsu was that?!
He was just here a second ago!
His slash cut through empty air, and Kakashi swiftly formed hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
Whoosh!
Water swirled and shaped into a dragon, surging toward Zabuza.
Yet when it struck, Kakashi saw—this Zabuza was also a water clone!
Behind Tazuna—
The real Zabuza emerged, Executioner's Blade raised high, and brought it down hard!
Slash!!
Clang!!
This time, the one who blocked was Sasuke, who had been guarding Tazuna.
Beside him, Naruto wasn't idle either.
Eager to prove himself, he lunged with a kunai, stabbing toward Zabuza without hesitation!
Swish!
The blade was about to pierce Zabuza, forcing him to abandon his attack and leap back to create distance.
In that moment, Shinju appeared beside Naruto with a Body Flicker seal and hurled a kunai.
"You three did well," Kakashi praised.
Not only had they just protected themselves, they had also kept the mission target, Tazuna, safe.
It was commendable.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Kakashi realized Shinju—who should have been with Sasuke and Naruto—had vanished.
Kakashi: (≖╻≖;)
What's that brat up to now?!
Elsewhere—
Zabuza barely avoided a kunai that whistled past his cheek.
Before he could feel relief, Shinju used the Body Flicker seal on the kunai to teleport right behind him!
Midair, Shinju caught the kunai and stabbed down fiercely!
Years of battle instincts told Zabuza of the attack from behind, and he whipped his massive blade upward—
Shhk!!
But Shinju's kunai struck first, stabbing into Zabuza's shoulder!
In that instant, Shinju planted a Body Flicker seal on Zabuza's shoulder.
Then, without pause, he teleported back to Naruto's side.
Once again, Zabuza's blade sliced nothing but air!
Agonizing pain radiated from his shoulder. Zabuza was furious.
If it were Copy Ninja Kakashi, fine—but a mere brat had made him look this pathetic!
He'd been toyed with in a seamless combo, without landing a single hit—not even grazing the kid's hair!
Then it hit him.
That red-haired kid's jutsu… it looked a lot like the Yellow Flash's Flying Thunder God Technique from back then!
Damn!
Back in the Third Great Ninja War, the Yellow Flash was unstoppable with that jutsu, eventually becoming the Fourth Hokage of Konoha!
And this kid—what was he, twelve?
Twelve years old and already mastering an S-rank jutsu!
Not even the time he graduated and slaughtered over a hundred classmates shook him like this.
Konoha had produced a super prodigy!
Nearby, Shinju—now beside Naruto—exchanged a look with Kakashi.
Kakashi instantly understood and quietly gave him a thumbs-up.
Then Kakashi pulled up his forehead protector, revealing the crimson Sharingan in his left eye.
It was Shinju's first time seeing the legendary Sharingan up close.
That red sclera and black tomoe radiated an eerie, captivating power.
Meanwhile, Zabuza retreated to the lake's surface, quickly forming hand seals.
The water beneath him would amplify his Water Style.
On shore, Kakashi's Sharingan locked onto Zabuza's hands, matching his seals move for move.
Both jonin moved at incredible speed.
Shinju looked from Kakashi to Zabuza—their motions were perfectly synchronized, with no delay in Kakashi's copying.
Following Kakashi's signal, Shinju retreated behind Naruto and Sasuke.
The next instant, both jonin completed their seals and shouted together:
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A massive whirlpool surged before them, crashing toward the other side!
Just then, Shinju suddenly dashed toward Zabuza!
"Hmph, trying to ambush me? You're still too green!"
Zabuza scoffed, sweeping his Executioner's Blade across.
This time, his blade struck true, hitting Shinju's neck!
Crack!
With one slash, Shinju was split in two.
Splash—
But in the next moment—
The clone's body dissolved into lightning, wrapping around the Executioner's Blade!
Electric currents instantly paralyzed Zabuza's body!
Zabuza: --d͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇)
Crap!
He'd been played—big time!!
Immediately after—
The real Shinju used the Body Flicker seal to appear behind Zabuza, rapidly forming hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!!"
Splash!
Shinju pressed his right hand down!
Water from the lake surged up, forming a sphere that completely trapped Zabuza inside!
Zabuza: (°Д°≡°Д°)
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