After destroying Zabuza's water clone, Orion called out:
"Kakashi-sensei, focus on the real one. You don't need to worry about this side."
Kakashi smirked slightly.
"Bringing you along was definitely the right decision."
What Orion had shown so far deeply impressed him.
From instantly defeating two chūnin to eliminating Zabuza's water clone—
Orion hadn't even used a single ninjutsu.
Yet his combat strength had already reached jōnin level.
And more importantly—
Kakashi could clearly tell—
Orion's taijutsu had improved drastically.
If Orion had fought like this during their earlier encounter, Kakashi wouldn't have defeated him so easily.
And this was without any formal taijutsu training.
Up until now—
Orion had been fighting purely on instinct.
Which meant—
If he ever properly learned taijutsu…
His strength would be terrifying.
Zabuza stared at Orion, his expression darkening.
"That brat… he's really troublesome."
He knew—
If Orion wasn't dealt with—
There was no way he could kill Tazuna.
Against Kakashi alone, Zabuza wasn't under much pressure.
Despite Kakashi's reputation—
Zabuza himself was an elite jōnin, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
He believed they were evenly matched.
But now—
With Orion added into the equation—
Everything changed.
Kakashi rushed forward.
Zabuza swung his massive blade.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel collided with steel.
On the lake's surface—
One wielded a kunai.
The other, the Executioner's Blade.
Sparks flew as two elite jōnin clashed in pure taijutsu.
Watching this for the first time—
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura were completely stunned.
Sasuke felt small.
"So this… is a jōnin…"
"Orion was right… Kakashi is truly strong."
Naruto clenched his fists.
"Damn it… I'm so weak… I can't help at all…"
Sakura stayed close to Tazuna, guarding him carefully.
Among them—
She was the weakest.
If even Sasuke and Naruto couldn't intervene—
She stood no chance.
But her eyes drifted to Orion.
He had saved her earlier.
And now—
He stood calmly, observing.
The gap between them felt enormous.
Meanwhile—
Orion's attention was fully focused on the battle.
For him—
This fight was invaluable.
Watching two elite jōnin clash—
Even in pure taijutsu—
Gave him immense insight.
Unknowingly—
He was already beginning to learn taijutsu just by observing.
Zabuza's attacks grew fiercer.
He knew—
If this continued—
Even if he won—
He wouldn't be able to complete the mission.
Suddenly—
He swung his blade with full force.
Boom!
Kakashi was knocked back.
Zabuza leapt away—
Mid-air—
His hands moved at incredible speed.
A full sequence of hand seals completed in an instant.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
ROOOAR—
The lake erupted.
Columns of water shot into the sky—
Condensing into a massive water dragon over ten meters long.
It roared as it surged toward Orion.
Kakashi's expression changed instantly.
"Damn it—Orion doesn't know any ninjutsu yet!"
But it was too fast.
The dragon was already upon them.
Zabuza smirked.
"No matter how strong your taijutsu is—"
"You can't block this!"
The water dragon roared, rushing forward with overwhelming force.
Kakashi tried to intervene—
But it was too late.
Orion narrowed his eyes.
"…That's a powerful technique."
In that instant—
His hands moved.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu."
ROOOAR—
At the last possible moment—
Orion completed his hand seals.
Water droplets formed around him—
Spinning rapidly.
Then—
A massive water dragon, dozens of meters long, burst into existence.
Larger.
Denser.
More powerful.
Like a true dragon rising from the sea—
It surged forward.
BOOOOM!!!
The two dragons collided.
The impact shook the ground—
Cracks spread across the earth like spiderwebs.
But in the very next moment—
Zabuza's dragon shattered instantly into spray.
Orion's dragon—
Remained completely intact.
It roared forward—
As if alive—
Charging straight at Zabuza.
Zabuza froze.
"…Impossible."
"How can he use this jutsu?"
"At his age… his chakra reserves shouldn't allow it!"
"And… he didn't even use the lake's water…"
"He created it from nothing?!"
"What kind of monster is this kid?!"
In that split second—
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
The massive dragon lunged—
Mouth wide open—
Ready to devour him.
Zabuza had no choice—
He vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
BOOOOM!!!
The dragon crashed into the lake—
Sending waves several meters high.
Zabuza reappeared dozens of meters away.
Even he—
A veteran of the Bloody Mist—
Felt a chill run down his spine.
"That jutsu…"
"It's far stronger than mine…"
"If I had been hit…"
"I'd have been torn to pieces."
Back near Sasuke and the others—
Kakashi stared at Orion in disbelief.
"…Don't tell me…"
"He learned it… just by watching Zabuza?"
The moment that thought formed—
Kakashi felt his scalp tingle.
That level of learning ability—
Was terrifying.
And what was even more frightening—
Was that Orion's version—
Was far stronger than Zabuza's.
Even Kakashi himself—
Wasn't confident he could produce a Water Dragon of that level.
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