"No use! I told you—ever since the moment you were surrounded, this fight was already over!"
Haku, fully merged into the ice domain, once again seized control of the floating mirrors. A new ring of ice mirrors snapped shut around Sasuke. In each mirror, Haku's reflection held a handful of ice senbon.
Swish! Swish!
Without a word, Sasuke swept both arms outward. In a flash, over a dozen kunai crackled with lightning chakra and shot toward the surrounding mirrors at various angles.
Haku's eyes chilled. Every reflection in every mirror reacted at the same instant.
Cling! Cling! Cling!
Sharp, metallic clacks rang out as each mirrored Haku unleashed volleys of ice senbon. Despite being sharpened by lightning chakra, Sasuke's kunai were struck down before reaching their targets, clattering uselessly to the ground.
But Sasuke's expression grew excited.
He had finally read the enemy's attack pattern with his Sharingan.
At first, he'd assumed the figures within the mirrors were all clones of Haku. If that were true, he would have to rely on the same tactics he used against Naruto's Shadow Clones.
But after the kunai test, he realized that wasn't the case at all.
Using the clarity of the Sharingan, Sasuke discovered that most of the figures inside the mirrors were merely reflections—illusions created by refraction.
And the slight timing difference between each volley of ice senbon told him everything: Haku's real body was darting at extreme speed between the mirrors he created with his Ice Release.
"Too bad I only managed to see a blur just now…"
No sooner had the thought surfaced than Sasuke saw the reflections launch another barrage of ice senbon. His form flickered, and he drew the sword embedded in the ground.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sword shadows flashed wildly as Sasuke cleaved every incoming senbon to fragments.
While slashing, he tracked Haku's movement. His blade seemed to grow faster, his body lighter.
And Haku's movements appeared slower.
"That guy's shadow is getting clearer… Right there! I've got you!"
Sasuke leapt, hurling a lightning-wreathed kunai with a single, precise motion. In his left eye, a second tomoe quietly emerged.
At that moment, Haku's true body was halfway between one mirror and the next—half his torso protruding. The kunai streaked toward him, too close and too fast to dodge.
Clang!
Haku knocked it aside with an ice senbon—but immediately afterward, a cold gleam surged forward.
Thud!
Sasuke's blade pierced through Haku's shoulder. A victorious smirk appeared on Sasuke's face—but the "Haku" on the sword dissolved into an ice mirror with a crack.
Sasuke's mouth twitched. He flipped backward just in time for several ice senbon to slice past his ear.
Crash!
As he landed, ice shards scattered across the ground. Only one half-formed mirror remained; the real Haku, using the Substitution Technique, had already slipped back into another mirror.
"You're strong. For Zabuza-san's sake, I won't hold back anymore!"
Haku's voice echoed from every side as the ice domain expanded. More mirrors formed, the space tightening around Sasuke.
"I have to get out of this ice prison!"
Remembering the rain-like storm of senbon earlier, Sasuke's expression shifted. He quickly tossed a smoke bomb at his feet.
Boom!
Thick smoke erupted. The Hakus in the mirrors hesitated for only a heartbeat—then unleashed volleys of ice senbon.
Ding! Ding! Dang!
A sudden flurry of shuriken shot out from the smoke at random angles. One of them even skimmed the ground and spun clear outside the ring of mirrors.
Naruto, upon seeing that one shuriken, immediately grinned. He reinforced the Cursed Seal of Binding he'd placed on Zabuza—its time had nearly run out.
Zabuza felt Naruto's touch and scowled.
"I don't know what you brats are planning, but let me tell you this—if that kid hadn't been soft-hearted, your teammate would already be dead!"
Naruto didn't reply. He slipped directly into the mirror dimension. A moment later, he stepped back out. Noticing Zabuza glaring at him like he wanted to tear him apart, Naruto chuckled.
"Zabuza-san, who would've thought you still have such a strong heroic streak? Planning to settle in the Land of Waves, then find a chance to return to Kirigakure… And surprisingly, Xigua-san Pufferfish and Hozuki Mangetsu are secretly supporting you."
Zabuza's pupils shrank.
"How did you know they're helping me!?"
Naruto patted his shoulder.
"You really think the Mizukage is the one controlling the Hidden Mist? Haven't you noticed how strange the Fourth Mizukage's behavior has been since taking office?"
Zabuza's heart jolted.
"What… what are you saying? The Fourth—"
"Demonic Ice Killing!"
BOOM!
Before he could finish, Haku's true body burst forth nearby. The Ice Mirrors he created with his secret technique shattered into glittering fragments.
"Let Zabuza-san go!"
Haku approached Naruto step by step.
"Your teammate has already lost!"
Naruto extended his right hand, placing two lightning-crackling fingers against Zabuza's temple.
"Like teacher, like student. Kid, you're stronger than your teacher, but just as careless."
Haku froze as he finally saw the threat near Zabuza's head. A bad feeling surged through him.
Before he could react, his body stiffened—and a cold voice whispered behind him:
"You're a guy?"
The words hit, and Haku found himself being dragged toward Naruto. As they reached Zabuza's side, Naruto seized Haku's arm.
'Data collection complete. Current data integrity: 38%.
Authority updated: Uzumaki Naruto—World Sovereign, Level Four.'
'New permissions unlocked: Authority Distribution.
Soul Harvesting will soon be enabled.'
Sasuke, silent for a moment, finally asked, "So what now?"
As the voice in his mind faded, Naruto placed the same Cursed Seal of Binding onto Haku. Then a Shadow Clone took Zabuza's broken executioner blade.
"You two go downstairs and collect money from Gatō. I'll think about how to deal with them."
Sasuke gave the clone a glance and said nothing. He and Haku leapt over the rooftop's edge. Soon, screams echoed from below.
Zabuza looked at the dejected Haku.
"What do you want? If you meant to kill us, you wouldn't have waited this long."
Naruto stopped in front of him.
"Honestly, I only came to shake down Gatō for some funds. Then I found out you accepted his job, so I figured I'd give you a hand."
Zabuza narrowed his eyes.
"Help me? Hmph! Ninja are tools to be used by others. If you want something, say it."
Naruto laughed.
"You're right—I do intend to use you. And someone like you, who wants to save Kirigakure, will gladly be used."
Zabuza's gaze turned feral.
"Just who are you?!"
Naruto tapped the mask on his face.
"That, I can't tell you. But I can give you a hint about the Fourth Mizukage."
Zabuza's expression hardened.
"What hint?"
A faint smile spread beneath Naruto's mask.
"It's simple. Go home. Find the jōnin in your village who has the Byakugan. Have him take a good look at your Mizukage with his dojutsu.
You'll discover something… unexpected."
PS : I've been consistently releasing chapters for many days now, and If you want to support my work and read the complete fic (all chapters ), you can check out my P@treon. -> patreon.com/FinalArcHero789
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/FinalArcHero789