"Ahem... Naruto, you two look after Tazuna-sensei, I'll handle Zabuza."
Hearing Uzumaki Naruto's complaints, Kakashi couldn't help but blush.
Although showing off in front of his students felt great, with his little scheme exposed, he couldn't continue to pretend.
"Kakashi, do you want me to get rid of this talkative brat for you?"
Zabuza, also feeling very displeased, looked at Uzumaki Naruto and said coldly.
"No need, I'm here today, you won't kill anyone."
"Is that so?"
"It seems that to complete the mission, I must first deal with you."
Zabuza snorted coldly and activated his Body Flicker Technique.
The next second, Zabuza's figure appeared on the nearby lake.
"Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
With a low shout, dense fog quickly began to spread from Zabuza's center.
Soon, it enveloped everything around them.
Although confident in his strength, Zabuza was never careless.
This was the battlefield he had carefully chosen.
This lake allowed him to unleash his full power.
"It's getting foggy."
Sakura and Sasuke tightly shielded Tazuna behind them, their faces filled with apprehension.
Only Uzumaki Naruto's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end.
In fact, for him, who possessed extraordinary sensory abilities, these dense fogs made little difference.
"Damn it, where did that guy go?"
The surroundings were silent, and Uchiha Sasuke felt like he could hear his own pounding heart.
Besides vision, this dense fog seemed to block out sound, which made him feel an unprecedented pressure.
Sakura was not faring any better.
Although she knew Naruto was constantly watching over her, she still couldn't help but grow uneasy.
"Heart, throat, liver, carotid artery, lungs..."
"Where should I strike?"
Zabuza's deep voice echoed through the dense fog.
The opponent seemed to not have them in his eyes at all; the only reason he hadn't attacked was because he was agonizing over what kind of death to choose for them.
"Such intense killing intent."
As Zabuza continued to exert pressure, Uchiha Sasuke's mental burden gradually increased.
He felt that even just moving his eyeballs could very likely get him killed.
His proud Sharingan was useless in this dense fog.
Under the extremely oppressive atmosphere, Uchiha Sasuke even had thoughts of suicide.
"Naruto... I'm scared."
Sakura's voice had a hint of a sob.
Under this pressure, she felt she was not far from breaking down.
"As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you."
Uzumaki Naruto patted Sakura's shoulder and stood in front of her.
Seeing this, Sasuke couldn't help but cast an envious glance.
Just then, a sharp kubikiribōchō suddenly shot out from the dense fog.
Clang!
With a metallic clang, a steel kunai and the kubikiribōchō collided, sending out intense sparks.
"Na... Naruto, you saved me?"
Uchiha Sasuke looked at the kubikiribōchō, which was inches away, and couldn't help but take two steps back.
That was too close; if Naruto had reacted any slower, he would already be headless.
"Sasuke, how did you get so weak after a few days?"
Uzumaki Naruto teased.
Hearing his words, Uchiha Sasuke snorted softly, somewhat unconvinced.
I was distracted because of you, wasn't I?
Why are you showing off your affection in front of me for no reason?
Bastard!
Having failed in one strike, Zabuza's figure disappeared again.
"Was it luck?"
Zabuza muttered to himself, then adjusted his direction of attack.
"Hmph!"
"Brat, I won't miss this time."
After preparing, Zabuza used all his strength to slash fiercely at Uzumaki Naruto.
Clang!
Again, sparks flew.
Zabuza's offensive was once again blocked by Uzumaki Naruto.
"This... how is this possible?!"
Zabuza couldn't help but exclaim.
His previous attack,
he had used all his strength.
The weight of the kubikiribōchō itself, plus the inertia of his full-force swing.
How could a brat possibly block such an attack head-on?
No, that's not right.
Even if this brat's physique was special,
ordinary steel kunai shouldn't be able to block the kubikiribōchō!
"This aura... is it Wind Release Chakra?!"
Zabuza's pupils constricted.
This brat,
he attached Wind Release Chakra to the kunai in his hand, thereby blocking his attack!
"This brat has already mastered Chakra nature transformation?"
Zabuza gasped.
This technique,
even many Jonin might not be able to master it properly!
Most importantly,
to maintain such calmness under his Silent Killing technique... this level of composure,
can a brat really possess it?
"Found you!"
Just as Zabuza was momentarily stunned, Kakashi Hatake's figure appeared behind Zabuza.
Pfft!
With a dull thud,
Zabuza's heart was pierced by Kakashi's kunai.
"That's great!"
"We won."
Seeing this scene, Uchiha Sasuke shouted excitedly.
But the next second,
Zabuza's body turned into a puddle of water.
"Water Clone?!"
"It's too late to realize that now."
Zabuza's figure appeared behind Kakashi.
"Ninja Art: Water Prison Jutsu!"
Forming hand signs,
a giant water sphere enveloped Kakashi Hatake's body.
"Kakashi, the outcome is decided."
Looking at Kakashi Hatake struggling in the water prison, Zabuza's face showed a triumphant expression.
As long as Kakashi Hatake was controlled,
these three brats in front of him,
wouldn't they be at his mercy?
"Damn it!"
Seeing this scene, Uchiha Sasuke's mood sank to rock bottom.
Kakashi was controlled,
facing an Elite Jonin like Zabuza,
what should they do?
"Three Konoha brats, are you ready to die?"
Zabuza smugly stared at Uzumaki Naruto and the others.
Although that blonde brat was able to block his Water Clone's attack just now, which surprised him greatly.
But that was all there was to it.
Even if he was a genius,
he was currently just a mere Konoha Genin.
He had won this battle.
"We must save Kakashi!"
"Only then do we have a chance of survival."
After Uchiha Sasuke calmly analyzed the current situation, he took out his kunai and prepared to attack Zabuza.
In this situation,
only he had a chance to do this!
Pat!
Someone patted his shoulder, and Uchiha Sasuke turned his head, looking at Uzumaki Naruto with some confusion.
"Sasuke, don't throw your life away for nothing."
"An opponent of this strength is not someone you can deal with."
"Sakura, you and Sasuke protect this old man."
Uzumaki Naruto finished speaking and slowly walked towards Zabuza.