"Hidden Mist Jutsu."
The moment Zabuza Momochi's voice echoed through the battlefield, thick fog surged outward like a living creature, swallowing everything in sight.
Within that suffocating white haze, Zabuza moved.
His figure vanished completely.
By activating his unique Body Acceleration Technique, Zabuza pierced through the mist like a silent phantom. His speed was terrifying—so fast that even sound itself seemed unable to keep up.
This was the true essence of his infamous technique—
Silent Killing.
No sound.
No warning.
Only death.
"Be careful!"
Hinata and Sasuke reacted instantly.
They both knew Naruto was at his weakest. His chakra had been heavily drained, and although his recovery speed was monstrous, this brief window made him the most vulnerable among them.
If Zabuza struck now—
Naruto could die.
Suddenly, a cold gleam tore through the mist.
A massive blade appeared out of nowhere.
The executioner's sword flashed directly in front of Hinata's eyes, so close it felt as though her pupils would be split apart the next instant.
A normal Genin would have panicked.
And panicking here meant death.
But Hinata Hyuga was no ordinary Genin.
At the very instant danger reached its peak, her pale Byakugan eyes blazed with light.
"Let!"
Her chakra erupted.
She unleashed her self-created technique—
Protective Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palm!
Boom!
A violent burst of chakra surged forward, striking the tip of Zabuza's executioner blade with terrifying precision.
Clang!
The massive sword was deflected—only by a few centimeters, but that difference was enough to save a life.
"Hm?"
Zabuza's heart jolted.
What kind of technique is this?
Before he could fully process it, Sasuke had already completed his hand seals.
Fire chakra gathered violently in his chest.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Flames burst from his mouth, splitting midair into multiple blazing fireballs that scattered like exploding fireworks, attacking Zabuza from every direction.
Forced to abandon his assault, Zabuza retreated instantly, melting back into the fog.
The mist churned violently.
A furious roar echoed through it.
"You damn brats!"
"How dare you block my path!"
Repeatedly being stopped by mere Genin ignited Zabuza's bloodlust. His killing intent surged, thick and suffocating.
His rationality began to crack.
Still—
This outcome wasn't as strange as it seemed.
First of all, this Zabuza was only a Water Clone—one of several he had created.
Secondly, as Kakashi had said before, Team 7 was abnormal.
Naruto Uzumaki possessed monstrous chakra reserves, terrifying physical strength, and already had a solid grasp of advanced Wind Release.
Sasuke Uchiha had awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan, mastered Fire Release far beyond his peers, and possessed outstanding battle instincts.
Hinata Hyuga carried the Byakugan, terrifying perception, and her own evolving Gentle Fist style.
Even for a Jonin-level clone, handling all three at once was no easy task.
From deeper within the fog, the sounds of violent clashes echoed.
Clearly, Kakashi-sensei was locked in fierce combat with Zabuza's main body.
Team 7's mission was simple—
Protect Tazuna.
Defeat the Water Clone.
Zabuza suddenly shifted targets.
This time, his executioner blade swung straight toward Naruto.
He had identified the weakest link.
Naruto's chakra was depleted.
His breathing was heavier.
If anyone could be killed quickly, it was him.
But Hinata reacted before Naruto could move.
She lunged forward without hesitation, her Byakugan flaring as she positioned herself directly in front of him.
"Hinata—!"
She struck again with Protective Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palm, but this time Zabuza adapted instantly.
Twisting mid-swing, he avoided the palm strike and slashed at Naruto from an impossible angle.
"Damn it!"
Hinata was still a Genin.
Her self-created technique was powerful—but far from perfected.
Against a Jonin like Zabuza, the gap was still immense.
The executioner blade descended toward Naruto with unstoppable force.
The blade's cold gleam already reflected in his eyes.
Then—
Clang!
A kunai crossed in front of Naruto's face.
Sasuke stood there, arms crossed, teeth clenched as he deflected the strike.
"Hmph," Zabuza sneered. "Another annoying brat."
Naruto stared at the two figures protecting him.
Hinata was one thing—but even that bastard Sasuke…
As Sasuke held the blade at bay, Hinata seized the opening.
She struck.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palm!
Zabuza felt a sharp disturbance in his chakra network and was forced to retreat.
"You—" Naruto started.
"Don't misunderstand," Sasuke snapped coldly. "I'm just protecting Tazuna and completing the mission."
Naruto snorted.
"Tch…"
"Like I needed you to save me anyway!"
Yet, deep down, something warm stirred in his chest.
And during that brief exchange, Naruto felt it—
His chakra was recovering.
Thanks to his refined chakra circulation, purification technique, and natural reserves, his chakra had already recovered to nearly thirty percent.
Naruto roared.
"Step back! I've got this now!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
A violent storm erupted from his mouth, blasting forward like a hurricane.
The dense mist was torn apart instantly.
Zabuza frowned.
"This brat's chakra recovered already…?"
"What a monster."
As the fog dispersed, Kakashi and Team 7 regained visual contact.
Seeing that everyone was still standing, Kakashi let out a breath.
"Excellent work, all of you!"
Naruto grinned widely.
"And we're not done yet! Watch us, Kakashi-sensei—we're taking down this Water Clone!"
Hinata smiled softly.
"Yes, Naruto-kun!"
Sasuke scoffed.
"Obviously."
Behind them, Tazuna shouted hoarsely, "Don't worry about me!"
"If you hold back, we'll all die!"
Naruto nodded firmly.
"You're right!"
"Let's go, Hinata! Sasuke!"
"Mm."
"Tch."
In an instant, they formed formation—
Naruto in the center.
Sasuke on the left.
Hinata on the right.
They charged.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
Naruto unleashed the jutsu he had been perfecting for days.
A thin, nearly invisible blade of wind sliced across the ground toward Zabuza.
But—
It lacked killing power.
Zabuza dodged easily, sneering.
Naruto clenched his teeth.
Still not good enough…
But Sasuke had already moved.
Shuriken flew in a precise pattern.
In terms of throwing techniques, Sasuke was peerless.
Zabuza swung his sword, smashing them aside.
Then—
Sasuke appeared behind him.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
A roaring stream of flames transformed into a blazing fire dragon, charging forward with terrifying heat.
Zabuza leapt onto the river's surface.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
A massive water dragon surged up, colliding head-on with the flames.
Water suppressed fire.
Sasuke's attack was extinguished.
"Damn it!"
At that moment, Hinata moved.
She dashed across the water's surface.
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palm!"
A barrage of precise strikes erupted like a storm, forcing Zabuza back step by step.
But the executioner blade swung again, forcing her to retreat.
Even together—
They still couldn't defeat him.
Kakashi shouted from afar.
"You won't win unless you work together!"
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance.
Memories surfaced—
The bell test.
No words.
Just understanding.
Naruto's chakra surged.
"Wind Release: Storm Palm!"
At the same time, Sasuke activated his Sharingan to its fullest, synchronizing perfectly—
And unleashed his strongest Fire Release.
The combined attack surged forward—
Wind feeding fire.
Fire riding wind.
A devastating fusion.
---
To be continued.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)