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Chapter no.26 Team 7 vs Zabuza
The small wooden boat creaked as it pushed through the mist-shrouded sea, the soft splash of the oars barely audible against the dense fog. Naruto sat cross-legged near the bow, his arms folded as he let out a long, exaggerated sigh.
It had been two days since he'd left the campsite with no sign of Lordran due to his mission, and the thought gnawed at him. Solaire must've left by now, he thought gloomily, fake tears welling up in his eyes. Looks like I can't talk to my Sunbro…
The soft murmur of voices drew his attention, and he turned to see Tazuna speaking with the helmsman.
"How's the situation looking back home?"
The helmsman adjusted his wide, worn straw hat, a hand calloused from years of labor brushing against its frayed edges. His name was Kojiro, a thin, wiry man with sun-weathered skin and deep-set eyes that seemed permanently narrowed from decades of squinting against the sea's glare. He wore a tattered blue yukata tied at the waist with a faded rope belt, and his sandals were held together by thin strips of cloth.
Kojiro's voice had a distinct cadence to it—a low, gravelly tone that dragged slightly. "The same as it's always been, Tazuna-san," he said, his eyes fixed on the mist ahead. "Gatō's men are everywhere, taking what they want, killing who they please. Your bridge… it's the only chance we've got left. That's why I agreed to this."
Team 7 took a collective breath, the weight of the helmsman's words settling over them like a heavy fog. They had known the mission was important—it had been drilled into their heads since the beginning. But hearing it from someone who lived it, someone who carried the scars of Gatō's tyranny, made it real in a way no briefing or strategy ever could.
"People are starving. Some have already started fleeing to the mountains. The rest… they're holding on for your bridge. If you can finish it, maybe, just maybe, we'll have a future that isn't owned by Gatō."
The boat glided forward, the mist beginning to part, revealing the skeletal outline of the unfinished bridge. Massive stone pillars rose from the water, their surfaces marred by moss and the elements. The framework of wooden scaffolding stretched across its length, incomplete and precarious, as if frozen mid-construction.
To Naruto, it was as impressive as the bridge back in Lordran.
"Tazuna-san, you made this?" Sakura asked.
"No, kid. I'll have made it when it's done—when my people can sleep, eat, and breathe without fear. Then, maybe, I'll call it mine."
The boat drifted into a series of arched stone tunnels, their curved ceilings damp with condensation, glistening faintly in the light that filtered through cracks above. Above the arches, the muffled sounds of a bustling fish market echoed faintly—voices haggling over prices, the sharp clatter of fishmongers' knives, and the occasional splash of discarded water. The air carried a peculiar mix of scents: salt, decay, and the tang of fish.
Naruto wrinkled his nose. "What is this place?"
"This is the dock for people like us—common folk. The real docks? Gatō owns those. This is all we've got left." He gestured to the mangroves. "I'll use the cover of the trees to sneak you in. Once we hit land, move fast. The roads aren't safe."
Kakashi nodded. "Team, we're going off the road. Stay alert. This is dangerous territory."
The boat slowed as Kojiro guided it into the dock. The wood groaned under their weight as they began to disembark. Around them, the mangroves stretched out like a natural fortress, the water stained with the muck of rot and salt. Small figures moved in the shadows—fishermen and children hauling what little they could, their faces gaunt and wary.
"They all look so…" Naruto trailed off, unsure of how to finish.
"They're surviving," Kojiro said simply. "That's all the people of the Wave can do."
But then, Naruto froze. His body tensed, every instinct screaming as he felt it—a shift in the air, the ripple of danger closing in.
"Get down!" Naruto shouted, shoving Tazuna to the side.
The rest of Team 7 ducked instinctively as a shadow tore through the air. A sharp whistle of wind cut across the dock, and then came the sickening sound of flesh and bone being severed—a single, brutal thud.
Jiro's body stood motionless for a heartbeat, as if frozen in time. Then, with a grotesque inevitability, his headless torso collapsed onto the dock, blood spraying across the weathered planks. His straw hat fluttered to the ground, landing beside his lifeless body as crimson pooled beneath it.
"No!" Tazuna cried out, his voice breaking.
The head tumbled into the murky water, sinking quickly, leaving behind ripples that spread out across the blood-streaked waves.
Above them, the massive blade of the Kubikiribōchō was embedded into a mangrove trunk, its bloodied edge glinting in the light. Then came the sound of footsteps, followed by the faint hum of Shunshin.
Zabuza Momochi appeared atop the blade of his sword, his tall, muscular frame silhouetted against the pale mist. His bandaged face was calm, his dark eyes scanning them like a predator sizing up its prey.
"So… these are the shinobi guarding Tazuna. Let's see if you're worth the effort."
Naruto growled low in his throat, his hands instinctively moving toward his sword. His fingers itched for action, for vengeance after the helmsman's death. But before he could take a step, Kakashi outstretched his hand, blocking him.
"This isn't your fight, Naruto," Kakashi said firmly. "Protect Tazuna. I'll handle this."
Naruto obeyed, stepping back as Kakashi reached up and pulled his headband up, revealing the crimson Sharingan. The air around Team 7 shifted as they realized their sensei was taking this fight seriously.
Without a word, the team snapped into formation. Naruto and Sasuke flanked either side of Tazuna, their weapons ready, while Sakura stood directly in front of the bridge builder, driving kunai into the rotting dock planks.
Tazuna glanced nervously at the team, his hands trembling slightly. "Wouldn't it be better if we ran?" he suggested, his voice tight with fear as he noticed the last few villagers fleeing into the mist.
"No," Kakashi replied. "You wouldn't make it far."
"Then it must be over for the villagers," Tazuna muttered as he took a swig from the battered bottle in his hands. His eyes tracked the silhouettes of men, women, and children darting into the mist, running as far from the conflict as they could.
"They know," Tazuna said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. His weathered face turned down slightly as if in prayer, his hand gripping the bottle like it was the only anchor he had. The moment you spot a ninja, you run—even if they're not after you. Their collateral can kill you just the same.
Naruto watched the villagers disappear into the fog, their figures fading like ghosts. His jaw clenched, and without a word, he formed a dozen shadow clones with a single handsign. The clones appeared in a flash, nodding to him before they flickered, vanishing into the mist with quiet efficiency.
"Don't worry, old man," Naruto said. "No one's dying on our watch."
Tazuna's lips pressed into a thin line, his hand tightening around the bottle. For a brief moment, he felt something unfamiliar—and then he noticed something in Naruto's body language.
Naruto felt the memories of something killing his clones in the mist.
"Konoha shinobi… is that really what you're like?"
From atop the massive Kubikiribōchō, Zabuza snorted. "Soft," he sneered. "That's what Konoha shinobi are—idealists playing at being warriors."
Zabuza's posture was relaxed. "Is this what you've taught your team, Kakashi of the Sharingan? To hold the hands of civilians? To play hero?"
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Zabuza's form. He knew immediately that the man standing on the massive sword was just a water clone, a decoy meant to distract, and his words were meant for psychological warfare. He's trying to unnerve them, to get into their heads before the fight begins.
"I think I've taught my brats well enough."
Zabuza's eyes darkened. "You think you're raising shinobi? No. What you've made are children pretending to be warriors. A ninja isn't someone who protects, Kakashi. A ninja is a weapon. A tool forged to kill, again and again, until there's nothing left."
His gaze shifted to Naruto's clones as they vanished deeper into the mist, ushering the few remaining villagers to safety.
"You're wasting your time, kid. I've already popped your little toys. Hearts, kidneys, throats—those poor civilians are bleeding out as we speak. You should've stayed with your client instead of playing hero."
Naruto's fingers tightened on the hilt of his Zweihander, his jaw clenching as fury rippled through him.
"Stop!" Kakashi's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Naruto, calm down! Don't let him get into your head!"
Naruto froze in place, his breath heaving, but he didn't lower his weapon.
"That's right, boy. Listen to your teacher. You're not ready to face someone like me."
Before he could say more, Kakashi moved.
"Lightning Style: Senbon!"
A flash of light cracked through the mist as Kakashi's jutsu shot forward, piercing Zabuza's chest in an instant. The figure on the Kubikiribōchō froze, then dissolved into a splash of water, the remnants falling back into the sea.
As the ripples faded, Zabuza's voice echoed through the mist, low and mocking. "Good shot, Kakashi. But that wasn't me."
The fog thickened, rolling over the dock like a living thing, swallowing the area in a dense, suffocating white. The world grew eerily quiet, the only sound the faint lapping of waves against the mangroves.
Naruto tightened his grip on the Zweihander, adjusting his stance. He let the blade drop into the fool's guard, but his senses extended outward, feeling every minute shift in the air, every vibration in the water.
Sasuke crouched low to Naruto's left, his Sharingan spinning as he scanned the mist for even the faintest movement. Sakura remained close to Tazuna, her hands ready, her eyes darting between the shadows.
The team waited, their breaths shallow, their nerves taut like bowstrings.
Somewhere in the fog, the Demon of the Mist waited too. Watching. Hunting.
And then the silence broke.
Without warning, Zabuza appeared like a phantom from the fog, his massive Kubikiribōchō slicing through the air in a deadly, sweeping arc aimed to decapitate the entire team.
Naruto's Zweihander shot upward, the blade catching Zabuza's massive sword with a metallic crash. The sheer force of Naruto's swing stopped the executioner's blade in its tracks, sparks flying as the two weapons met.
To Zabuza's surprise, Naruto's raw strength pushed him back. The force was enough to make him skid across the slick dock, his feet digging into the wood as he regained his balance.
"That strength…"
But before Zabuza could recover, Kakashi appeared behind him in a blur of speed. A kunai gleamed in the faint light as Kakashi's hand moved like lightning, slitting Zabuza's throat.
Or so it seemed.
Zabuza's body melted into water, splashing harmlessly onto the dock as another figure emerged from the mist behind Kakashi and swung his massive sword in a deadly horizontal arc, the blade slicing through the air toward the older man's back.
Kakashi twisted his body at the last moment, jumping into a backflip that carried him out of harm's way. As he flipped through the air, his hands came together in a blur of motion.
"Wind Style: Reuleaux Triangle!"
A blast of wind, shaped like a rotating circular triangle, burst from Kakashi's palms. The jutsu spun with razor-sharp edges, cutting through the mist with a high-pitched screech. It slammed into Zabuza with enough force to send him crashing into the water below—only for his body to splatter into a puddle, another water clone.
A low, mocking laugh echoed through the mist, chilling and cruel. "You're good, Kakashi. But not good enough."
From the fog, standing atop the water like a shadow of death, Zabuza formed a series of rapid hand signs. His voice rang out, commanding and sharp.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
The water surrounding him surged, rising and twisting as it molded into the shape of a massive dragon. Its serpentine body writhed, and its gaping maw snarled as it roared toward Team 7.
"Sasuke!" Kakashi shouted.
"I'm on it!"
Sasuke took a deep breath and released his Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
A massive sphere of fire shot forward, colliding with the water dragon in an explosion of steam and mist. The air sizzled and hissed, but Zabuza's mastery of water proved too strong. The dragon pushed through the fireball, its momentum barely slowed as it barreled toward the team.
"Sakura, now!" Kakashi commanded as he landed on the dock.
Sakura clapped her hands together, her palms glowing with chakra. "Ninja Art: Barrier Formation!"
The kunai stabbed into the dock floor glowed brightly, and chakra threads surged between them, forming a translucent wall that shimmered like liquid crystal. The water dragon crashed into the barrier with a deafening roar, the impact shaking the entire dock. Water splashed everywhere, the force so intense it sent ripples through the mist.
The dragon shattered into massive torrents, its energy breaking into countless streams that fell harmlessly around the team. The chakra barrier flickered but held, its glow illuminating the dock.
Zabuza clicked his tongue in annoyance as the mist began to thin. The sight of the shimmering chakra wall protecting his targets was enough to make him scowl. "Smart. But clever tricks won't save you for long," he muttered.
Before Zabuza could form another jutsu, Kakashi appeared in front of him with a flicker, his kunai clashing against the Kubikiribōchō.
The force of the clash sent a shockwave rippling outward, shaking the water beneath their feet. Zabuza's sword was massive, but Kakashi's speed and precision made up for the difference in weight. Their weapons locked, the two shinobi glaring at each other, their killing intent palpable.
Zabuza pressed the attack, swinging his massive blade in a series of brutal arcs. Each strike was precise and deliberate, the weight of the Kubikiribōchō enough to split the dock in half with a single misstep. Kakashi moved with fluid grace, dodging and parrying with his kunai.
Zabuza feinted high, forcing Kakashi to block, only to sweep low with a spinning kick aimed at Kakashi's legs. Kakashi jumped, flipping midair to avoid the strike, and retaliated with a kunai aimed at Zabuza's ribs. Zabuza twisted his body, the blade narrowly missing him as he brought his massive sword down in a crushing overhead swing.
Kakashi sidestepped, his kunai scraping against the massive sword as sparks flew. The two broke apart, each assessing the other as the mist swirled around them.
"Here's the thing, Kakashi," Zabuza said, "you never fight a shinobi of Kirigakure in the water."
Without warning, Zabuza released his chakra control, plunging into the depths below with a splash. His form disappeared beneath the surface, leaving only ripples in his wake.
"Look at your team, Copy Ninja!"
Kakashi turned sharply, his Sharingan spinning as his gaze snapped to Team 7.
From all sides, multiple water clones of Zabuza rose from the sea, their features identical to the original, their massive swords gleaming with the promise of death.
Naruto's Zweihander swept through the Zabuza clones, cleaving them cleanly in two, while Sasuke's ninja wire shot out like gleaming threads of silver, wrapping tightly around the remaining clones. The wires glowed with crackling lightning chakra, the electricity coursing through the clones and shattering them into bursts of water.
Sakura, meanwhile, remained rooted near Tazuna, her hands pressed together in concentration. A pyramidal chakra barrier shimmered around them.
But then, the real Zabuza exploded from the water with terrifying speed, his Kubikiribōchō slicing downward— Naruto met him head-on, his Zweihander raised.
The clash of steel rang out like a thunderclap, the sheer force of the blow sending shockwaves through the air. Naruto was sent hurtling backward, his body smashing through the wooden walls of the dock far away. Sasuke's ninja wires shot out, wrapping tightly around the massive sword. With a surge of chakra, he sent electricity coursing through the wires, aiming to disable the blade. But Zabuza barely flinched.
"Amusing."
With one swift motion, he closed the distance, driving his knee into Sasuke's stomach. The impact sent the boy flying backward, slamming him against Sakura's barrier. The wall trembled, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
Zabuza raised his sword high, aiming to cleave Sasuke in two. The blade descended only for Kakashi to appear in a blur of speed, substituting himself for the boy at the last second.
But Zabuza was already one step ahead.
The swing of Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō seemed destined for Kakashi's throat, but the blade veered off course at the last moment, embedding itself into the dock with a resounding crack. Before the white-haired jōnin could react to the feint, Zabuza twisted his body into a spinning tornado kick. The strike connected squarely with Kakashi's chest, the force of the blow like being hit by a battering ram.
The white-haired man hit the surface with a splash, his body already twisting to recover when he felt it—a massive surge of chakra beneath him.
"Water Style: Venus Flytrap!"
The water around Kakashi churned violently, rising into the shape of a massive maw. Two halves of the watery trap snapped shut around him, the jaws locking him in place. The Venus Flytrap shifted, its watery surface twisting and reforming into a sphere that encased Kakashi entirely.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!" Zabuza's voice rang out from the mist.
Kakashi felt the weight of the water pressing in on him, restricting his movements and making it difficult to breathe. The heavy sphere glimmered with Zabuza's control, an unrelenting force designed to crush both body and spirit.
From the water, four Zabuza clones leapt into the air, maintaining the Water Prison.
"You lose, Konoha shinobi," the original Zabuza said, his voice filled with cold certainty.
On the dock, Tazuna trembled behind Sakura, his weathered hands clasped tightly together as if in prayer. Sakura, her pink hair clinging to her damp forehead, stood resolutely in front of him, her hands pressed together in concentration. Despite the strain of maintaining the glowing pyramidal barrier surrounding them, she held firm.
Then it came.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
From the water's surface rose a monstrous serpentine dragon, its twisting body made entirely of water. The creature reared back, its jaws snapping as it surged toward the dock, its massive form casting an ominous shadow over Sakura and Tazuna. The force of the jutsu roared in Sakura's ears, the water dragon's sheer size and power shaking the dock as it closed in.
Kakashi's voice rang out, sharp and desperate. "Run!"
But Sakura didn't move.
Fear flickered in her eyes—raw, unfiltered, and undeniable. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, clawing at her resolve. But there was something else, something far stronger that burned in the depths of her heart.
Determination.
Trust.
Even with the suffocating weight of Zabuza's killing intent pressing down on her, making her hands tremble, she held her ground. She didn't run. She didn't falter. Her duty was to protect Tazuna, and she would not abandon her post. Because that was her role. And because she trusted—no, she knew—that Naruto and Sasuke had her back.
The water dragon lunged forward, its massive maw open wide, ready to crush everything in its path. The dock groaned beneath Sakura's feet as the beast bore down on her, its sheer presence suffocating.
But before it could reach her, two blinding attacks cut through the mist from opposite sides.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball, larger than anything Kakashi had seen Sasuke produce before, roared across the dock. The flames illuminated the mist, casting long shadows as they surged forward.
From the opposite side, a gale of slicing wind shot out, a crescent-shaped slash of air that tore through the fog.
The two attacks collided with the water dragon Zabuza had summoned, shattering it in an explosion of steam and raw energy. Water sprayed in every direction, the remnants of the dragon dissipating into harmless ripples.
Zabuza's eyes narrowed as he saw the two boys standing tall atop the water.
Naruto held the Zweihander in one hand, his Drake Sword in the other.
"Hey, Zabuza," Naruto called out. "How hard is life with no eyebrows?"
Zabuza felt a vein pop in his head.
Sasuke smirked. "And how ugly do you have to be to wear bandages as a mask?"
The two boys stood on opposite ends, the water beneath them rippling slightly with their chakra control.
Kakashi, trapped in the Water Prison, watched them with a mixture of pride and disbelief. Sasuke… he must've copied it with his Sharingan.
His gaze shifted to the boy covered in armor and splinters. How did Naruto figure out water-walking so quickly?
"Run!" Kakashi shouted. "Zabuza is not someone you can fight!"
But neither boy moved.
Zabuza chuckled, low and guttural. The mist around him seemed to grow thicker, darker, as his voice cut through the silence, each word laced with malice.
"You think you can stand and fight me?" he growled, his grip tightening on the Kubikiribōchō. His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper, yet somehow louder than the mist-shrouded battlefield itself. "Do you know what it takes to survive as a shinobi of Kirigakure? To earn the right to wear this headband?"
His eyes gleamed with cold amusement as he began to step forward, his boots splashing lightly against the water.
"When I was your age, I had to kill my entire class just to graduate—hundreds of my peers, all desperate, all promising, all eager to live." His words dripped with venom. "And I slaughtered them. Every. Last. One."
His mouth curled into a sadistic grin beneath his bandages. "Their screams, their tears, their pathetic begging—I felt nothing. Because that's what it means to be a shinobi. No rules, no bonds, no mercy. I didn't hesitate, and because of that, I survived. I became a demon. And now…"
Zabuza stopped, his bloodlust rolling off him in waves, suffocating the air like a vice.
"You tell me, you little brats… what makes you think you can stand against me?"
Zabuza unleashed the full weight of his killer intent. It hit like a tidal wave, invisible but crushing, crashing over the battlefield with such intensity that Tazuna's body crumpled to the dock, unconscious before he even realized what had happened.
Kakashi's mind raced, panic rising in his chest. He needed a plan—needed to find a way to escape and keep his team safe. They were too young, too inexperienced, and Zabuza wasn't bluffing. This was a monster in human form.
To Kakashi's shock, Zabuza's killer intent barely fazed his team.
"Wow," Naruto replied. "Not only do you have no eyebrows, but you're a loser who thinks killing his classmates makes him strong. You climbed over a pile of corpses to get where you are."
Naruto pointed his blade toward Zabuza. "I guess that's the difference between you and us. You're just a monster who fought alone. But we? We're a team."
Sasuke's voice followed. "We were taught something you'd never understand."
Team 7 spoke together, their voices resolute, like a mantra etched into their very souls.
"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum… but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat as their words echoed in his mind—words he'd once lived by, taught to him by someone he'd never forget.
Zabuza paused for a moment, as if weighing their words. Then, he laughed as he stepped back, dissolving into the swirling mist. His voice followed, slithering through the fog, disembodied yet suffocatingly close.
"Run if you want to live, brats," he hissed. "But if you choose to stay… you'll learn the hard way. Demons don't play by your rules."
The fight was about to begin, and Team 7 knew one thing for certain: this wasn't just a battle for victory.
It was a battle to survive.
The mist thickened further, swallowing the world in dense, impenetrable white. Naruto and Sasuke flickered into position beside Sakura, her hands steady as she reinforced the pyramidal chakra barrier.
"We're at a disadvantage," Sasuke said, his voice quiet but grim.
Naruto and Sakura nodded. From power to experience, to the very environment itself—everything worked in Zabuza's favor. The Demon of the Mist had the upper hand in every possible way.
"Sasuke, use Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Sasuke stiffened at Naruto's suggestion, fully aware of the toll it would take. However, through their training and countless D-rank missions, he had come to understand that Naruto was an extremely crafty combatant—his tactics were often unpredictable but goddamn effective.
Without hesitation, Sasuke formed the hand seals and pushed his chakra to the limit. Two clones materialized in front of him in a puff of smoke, their red Sharingan glowing faintly through the mist.
The original Sasuke dropped to his knees, his breaths labored as sweat poured down his face. His vision blurred for a moment, and his muscles screamed in protest, trembling under the strain. Every ounce of chakra he had left felt like it had been ripped out of him.
"Drink this," Naruto said, shoving the Estus Flask into Sasuke's mouth.
Before he could question it, Sasuke drank from the glowing golden liquid. Instantly, his body felt reinvigorated. The burning ache in his muscles faded, his chakra reserves replenished almost entirely. Even the lingering pain of old wounds, scars buried deep from years of training, vanished.
What the hell… Naruto, just what did you make me drink?
Sasuke thought, his hand tightening around the flask as he stared at Naruto in disbelief. But there wasn't time to ask.
"Focus. We've got work to do," Naruto said, already stepping forward as he gestured for the clones to take position.
Naruto quickly outlined the plan, his voice low but filled with urgency. Sasuke's clones moved swiftly, crouching on the water's surface as they placed their hands into the rippling depths. Sasuke poured every ounce of chakra he had into the technique, channeling pure lightning into the water.
The effect was immediate. Lightning arced and surged through the surface, illuminating the mist with brilliant flashes of blue and white. The water crackled and hissed, small explosions ripping through it as though a storm had descended upon the battlefield. The sheer intensity of the move made the water undulate violently, forcing Zabuza to react.
From within the mist, the Demon of the Mist emerged, leaping high into the air to avoid the electrified surface. His plan to attack from beneath the water was thwarted.
Naruto moved.
His body flickered as he shot toward Zabuza with his Zweihander in hand, the massive blade aimed for a decisive strike.
Zabuza raised the Kubikiribōchō, using the flat of the weapon like a shield.
The two blades collided with a deafening crash, wind chakra surging along Naruto's blade as it clashed against the water chakra flowing through Zabuza's. The force of the collision sent both combatants hurtling back, their feet skidding across the surface of the water as waves rippled outward from the impact.
Naruto raised his sword into the high guard position.
Zabuza's lips curled beneath his bandages into a cold grin. He shifted the Kubikiribōchō slightly, holding it low and parallel to the water—a stance built for sweeping strikes and counters.
"Impressive sword for a kid," Zabuza said. "Let's see if you know how to use it."
Naruto didn't respond with words. Instead, he surged forward, his boots barely skimming the water as he swung the Zweihander in a crushing diagonal arc, the blade slicing down with brutal speed.
Zabuza stepped back, pivoting smoothly as the blade grazed past him, kicking up a splash of water.
"You're quick," Zabuza remarked as he spun his massive blade in a sweeping horizontal arc, aiming low to take out Naruto's legs.
Zabuza underestimated Naruto and intended to give him a painful death rather than a quick one.
Naruto shifted immediately into his low stance, bringing his sword down to meet his opponent's. The clash of steel rang out across the water as Naruto angled his blade to deflect Zabuza's strike upward. The force of the parry created an opening, and Naruto surged forward, aiming a thrust at Zabuza's chest with the tip of his sword using an extended grip.
Zabuza twisted his body at the last second, letting the blade skim past his ribs. His blade came up in a short, brutal cut aimed at the boy's torso.
Naruto stepped back, switching fluidly to his forward-pointing stance directly at Zabuza, creating a defensive barrier that kept the older swordsman at bay.
Zabuza tested the distance with a quick feint, but Naruto's tip followed his movements, controlling the range and keeping him out of reach.
"Not bad," Zabuza muttered.
His movements shifted, becoming looser, almost lazy, as he began circling Naruto. It was clear he was trying to bait Naruto into overextending.
Naruto recognized the tactic immediately. He dropped his blade into the Fool's Guard.
"You think you can trick me with that amateur stance?" Zabuza sneered, lunging forward with a vertical slash aimed at Naruto's exposed side.
Naruto's trap snapped shut.
With a sudden burst of movement, he pivoted on his back foot, his grip sliding along the pommel in a smooth motion as he brought the Zweihander up in a brutal diagonal cut. The sheer force of the counter knocked Zabuza's blade off-course, forcing him to stagger back.
Zabuza grunted, his grip tightening on the Kubikiribōchō as he adjusted his stance. He shifted low, one foot forward, the blade angled for a precise, slicing attack. He darted in, closing the distance with assassin-like speed, his sword coming down in a quick, calculated strike aimed at Naruto's weapon arm.
Naruto used a sliding grip to whip his greatsword across his body, the massive blade parrying the strike with a sharp clang.
The two swordsmen circled each other, their boots creating faint ripples on the water's surface.
Naruto and Zabuza's swords locked together, grinding against each other in a brutal bind. Sparks flew from the clashing steel as their feet danced across the rippling water, each fighter adjusting their stance.
Naruto gritted his teeth, pushing hard against the sheer weight of Zabuza's blade. His arms strained, but he shifted his grip into the standard lever position, using the pommel for extra control to redirect Zabuza's force. Zabuza responded immediately, twisting his blade and stepping to the side, forcing Naruto to adjust and maintain the bind.
They moved in a deadly waltz, neither giving an inch as their swords remained locked together. Water splashed beneath their boots as they twisted, pivoted, and pushed against each other for dominance. Zabuza pressed forward, forcing Naruto back toward a deeper part of the river.
"You like playing with your food?"
Zabuza snorted. "No," he said simply. "I was interested to see what you'd do. A greatsword like yours is barely—if ever—used by shinobi. You could say this was a moment of... interest. It allowed you to live this long."
Naruto smirked, stepping to the side as he broke the bind with a quick pivot, resetting into his forward-pointing stance, the Zweihander aimed directly at Zabuza's centerline. "Well, thanks for the chance, I guess," he said. "But, honestly, look—despite having no eyebrows, you seem like a cool dude. So why don't you just, I don't know, leave? Or something?"
Zabuza barked a short, humorless laugh, bringing the Kubikiribōchō into a horizontal guard. "Not how this works, kid," he said, stepping forward with a sharp, measured swing.
Naruto parried, sliding his grip up the pommel for better control. Their swords locked again, the bind forcing their faces close enough for Naruto to see the faint glimmer of amusement in Zabuza's eyes.
"I'm a shinobi," Zabuza said, pushing hard into the bind. "As long as we get paid, we kill. That's what it means to be a shinobi."
Naruto remained quiet, his blue eyes narrowing slightly as he absorbed Zabuza's words.
"What? Not going to spew some idealistic nonsense about how shinobi aren't supposed to be like that?"
Naruto shrugged, breaking the bind with a sudden push and sliding into his low stance, the Zweihander pointed forward like a spear. "Eh," he said. "I don't really care. I prefer the role of a knight anyway… or a squire."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Naruto grinned, the tip of his sword steady as he moved to keep Zabuza in range.
"Precept the Seventh: A knight does not barter his blade, for his sword is sworn to those who cannot defend themselves. To trade life for coin is to weigh the worth of one's soul in silver and find it gravely lacking."
"What?"
"My master taught me that," Naruto explained.
"Your master," Zabuza said quietly, his voice losing some of its edge. "He must've been someone worth respecting. There aren't many like that left in this world."
Naruto blinked, surprised.
"How about this, kid?" Zabuza said. "If you want to honor your master so much, here's an offer: kill your team, kill that bridge builder, and walk away. Do that, and I'll let you live."
"Guess you really did lose your brain along with your eyebrows."
"You're young. Foolish. Still clinging to your lofty ideals," Zabuza sneered. "But let me tell you something, boy. You don't know what it means to live in this world. Not yet."
He took a step forward. "Tell me, back on that dock… when the helmsman was about to be killed, why did you move to protect that builder? Why did you care about him?"
Naruto said nothing.
"It wasn't because of some knightly 'precept' or your so-called honor, was it?" He tilted his head mockingly, his voice turning sharp. "It was because you were hired to protect him. You were paid. You did it for the same reason I kill."
Naruto remained silent as Zabuza took the opportunity to glance at the other two. Sakura and Sasuke were in a hushed discussion, their expressions flickering between shock and wariness.
Did they really think a genin could stall me? Zabuza thought. He sometimes forgot how fast shinobi battles were to outsiders. What had felt like an eternity of exchanged strikes with Naruto had barely lasted a minute in real time.
"What?" Sasuke's voice cut through the mist, his tone sharp and taunting. "Did our weakest member actually give you trouble?"
Zabuza rolled his eyes, recognizing the bluff for what it was—a cheap attempt to unsettle him and make him cautious.
Thankfully, before the Demon of the Mist could act, Naruto finally broke his silence.
"I couldn't save Kojiro-san," the boy said suddenly, his voice quiet but heavy with emotion. "Because I was weak. Not because I was like you."
Naruto unequipped it, the massive blade vanishing in a shimmer.
"Honestly," Naruto continued, "it was my mistake to let you get into my head. Precept the Eighth: Speak no words to the wicked; give them no chance to justify their deeds. The only language a monster understands is the cold bite of steel."
Zabuza's eyes widened, and then he felt it—a massive buildup of chakra radiating from Naruto.
The Demon of the Mist felt it: killer intent stronger than his own.
It struck like a tidal wave, brief but devastating. For a fraction of a second, Zabuza wasn't on the mist-shrouded battlefield.
He was standing in the middle of a broken asylum, the air thick with decay and despair. The walls were cracked and stained, the flickering light casting long, jagged shadows. At the far end of the asylum, two massive doors rattled violently, the sound of frenzied banging echoing through the empty halls. Whatever was behind those doors wanted out, and the sheer force of its presence made Zabuza's chest tighten. And then, just as quickly as it came, it was gone.
Zabuza found himself back on the battlefield, the oppressive mist swirling around him.
That should be impossible, Zabuza thought, his mind racing. He knew that weak killer intent could induce the sensation of fear—a primal unease. But strong killer intent? That could create visuals, break the mind's defenses, and drag someone into their own subconscious horrors. And Naruto—this brat, this loudmouth genin—had unleashed killer intent strong enough to do just that. Even if it was only for a second, Zabuza had felt it. Seen it.
It made no sense.
Naruto's shout shattered the man's thoughts. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A dozen shadow clones lunged at Zabuza with reckless abandon, their Zweihanders swinging in wide, heavy arcs. The Demon of the Mist cut them down effortlessly. The water exploded around him with each swing, mist and chakra residue mingling in the air.
But it was all a distraction.
From the mist, Naruto appeared with seven clones flanking him. Each one raised a glowing, flickering flame in their hands—the Pyromancy Flame. The heat was immediate and oppressive, cutting through the chilled dampness of the mist like a knife. Steam hissed and rose, obscuring the battlefield further as the mist began to warp and shift under the intense heat.
The faint, choking coolness that had clung to Zabuza moments before was now replaced by a dry, suffocating heat.
Eight fireballs launched forward, streaking through the dissipating mist like comets. The flames roared, their heat pulsing with every rotation as they flew toward Zabuza.
He didn't hesitate—letting go of his control over the mist, Zabuza dropped into the water below, vanishing into the depths like a phantom.
Beneath the water's surface, Zabuza's form blurred as he moved with practiced ease. The water was a Kiri shinobi's domain, and here, he was a predator in his natural habitat. The currents around him shifted unnaturally as he manipulated the water itself with chakra to propel him forward, his movements near silent. Suddenly, Zabuza saw Naruto leap high into the air. The boy's shadow moved against the dissipating mist, outlined by the flames still hanging in the air.
Why?
The thought barely passed through Zabuza's mind before he felt it—a massive build-up of chakra beneath the water. His eyes snapped downward, and he saw Sasuke crouched on the riverbed, holding the glowing Drake Sword in his hands. Floating beside him was an empty Estus Flask.
With a single swing, Sasuke brought the sword down, releasing its innate power. The water exploded in a massive arc, a shockwave parting the river with a deafening roar.
"Water Style: Geyser Jutsu!"
The water beneath him erupted, launching him upward at incredible speed, away from Sasuke's strike and toward Naruto, who waited mid-air.
But Naruto wasn't alone.
Twenty shadow clones formed around him in perfect unison, each holding a talisman. The clones surrounded Zabuza in a circle as they activated the Force Miracle.
A shockwave rippled outward, slamming into Zabuza from all directions. The attack was designed to stunlock him, freezing him in place long enough for Sasuke's Drake Sword to finish the job and free Kakashi from his prison.
But Naruto's confident smirk faded as Zabuza's form melted into water, dissipating harmlessly into the air.
A water clone?!
The real Zabuza burst out of the water near the edge of the battlefield, directly in front of Kakashi's Water Prison. He had used the Water Style: Sailfish Jutsu to propel himself at incredible speeds through the water, bypassing Naruto and Sasuke's carefully laid trap.
"Water Style: Tidal Wave Jutsu!"
Zabuza slammed his palm onto the surface of the river.
The water surged and swelled unnaturally, rising into a massive wave that towered over the dock. The shockwave from the wave's impact split the river, shattering the remaining mist and sending planks of the dock, debris, and Naruto's clones flying in all directions. The sound was deafening, a cacophony of roaring water and cracking wood. When the wave subsided, the battlefield was a chaotic mess of floating wreckage and broken waterlines.
Zabuza's breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling as water dripped from his form. But before he could act, a massive Fūma Shuriken spun toward him.
As the weapon flew toward its target, Sakura clapped her hands together and shouted with confidence, "You lose! I'll trap you in my barriers!"
Without hesitation, he swung his Kubikiribōchō, and the moment steel met steel, the Fūma Shuriken erupted in a violent explosion. Zabuza's eyes widened as the hidden explosive tag Sakura had carefully planted detonated, the force of the blast engulfing him. Before he could recover, the second shuriken followed.
In truth, Sakura couldn't have activated her barriers at such a range—it was all a calculated bluff to make Zabuza focus on defending against the shuriken.
And it worked.
But the dissipating smoke revealed Zabuza's silhouette, bloodied and battered but still standing. The burns and cuts across his body told the story of just how much damage the explosions had inflicted, but his gaze remained as sharp as ever.
Naruto landed on the water's surface, his body flickering as he surged forward with incredible speed.
The momentum from his Shunshin combined with the lack of air resistance turned Naruto into a blur, his blade poised for a devastating stab at Zabuza's chest. The sheer velocity of his attack sent a shockwave across the water, parting it briefly as he closed the distance in an instant.
"Water Style: Pressure Dome Jutsu!"
Water surged upward, surrounding Naruto in a massive sphere that compressed inward from all directions. The weight of the water was immense, pressing against Naruto's armor and restricting his movements. He struggled to lift his arms, but the crushing force pinned him in place.
The only thing saving Naruto was his armor and his innate damage resistance, but even that was beginning to waver under the relentless pressure.
Sakura's eyes widened in horror as she saw Naruto trapped. Without hesitation, she started sprinting across the water toward him, chakra flowing to her feet.
"Hang on, Naruto!" she shouted.
But before she could reach him, a clone of Zabuza emerged from the water, cutting her off.
Sakura skidded to a halt, panic flashing across her face.
Suddenly, from beneath the water, Sasuke burst upward, his blade slicing cleanly through the clone and dispelling it.
The water pressed in from all sides—crushing, suffocating. Naruto's limbs felt like lead, every inch of his body pinned under the immense pressure. The dome was heavy—unnaturally so, as if it carried the weight of the ocean itself. He couldn't breathe properly, every gasp taking in more water than air, his lungs burning as he fought to stay conscious.
This thing is going to kill me.
The thought pierced through the fog in his mind, clear and undeniable. He wasn't strong enough to break this. His Zweihander was useless in this cramped, crushing space. But Naruto wasn't one to give up.
He immediately unequipped the Zweihander, the sudden absence of its massive size creating a small gap in the dome for a fleeting second.
In that moment, Naruto raised his Pyromancy Flame, trying to cast a Fireball. But nothing happened. His heart sank as he realized he had used up all his fireball spells.
Damn it!
Desperate, Naruto clung to the Pyromancy Flame, forcing chakra into it. He didn't know if it would work, but he didn't have another choice. He poured everything he had into the flame, huge amounts of chakra feeding the flickering ember.
The Pyromancy Flame burned brighter and brighter, the heat radiating through the water like a tiny sun. But it wasn't enough. The dome fought back, compressing harder, and the flame began to sear his hand. The pain was excruciating, but Naruto gritted his teeth and kept going.
Outside the dome, Sakura stood frozen for only a moment. The water swirled violently, shimmering with the chakra Zabuza poured into it.
"Sasuke!" she shouted. "Tell me where the jutsu is weakest!"
Sasuke's crimson Sharingan spun furiously as he analyzed the dome, his eyes locking onto the faint chakra fluctuations in the water.
"There!"
Sakura focused her chakra, pouring it into her arms and legs as she enhanced her strength. She pulled out a kunai, wrapped it with explosive tags, and hurled it. The kunai flew straight and true, embedding itself into the weak point of the dome.
The explosion sent a shockwave through the water, shattering the dome and releasing Naruto in a surge of broken waves.
Naruto lunged forward like a beast unleashed. His Pyromancy Flame still burned brightly in his hand, the flickering fire twisting and coiling like it had a mind of its own. Chakra radiated off him in waves, oppressive and suffocating, and with it came his killing intent.
Zabuza froze for a fraction of a second, his instincts flaring as the scene before him shifted.
It wasn't Naruto he saw lunging at him.
It was the Hellkite Wyvern.
For the briefest moment, Naruto's flaming hand morphed in Zabuza's mind, becoming the gaping maw of a massive wyvern, flames licking at its jaws. Its roar echoed in his ears—primal and terrifying.
No... something far greater than a wyvern.
In that moment, Naruto was a dragon.
Zabuza jumped back just in time to avoid Naruto's blazing strike, the flames grazing his throat as he retreated across the water. But before he could regain his footing, Sasuke appeared out of nowhere, his leg swinging in a sharp tornado kick aimed at Zabuza's side.
Zabuza blocked the kick, the Kubikiribōchō meeting Sasuke's leg with a sharp clang. But instead of feeling resistance, the boy exploded into a puff of smoke.
"A clone?!" Zabuza snarled, spinning around just in time to see the real Sasuke erupt from the water, his body propelled by Zabuza's own Water Style: Sailfish Jutsu. The Drake Sword gleamed as it tore through several water clones, dispelling them in a cascade of droplets.
The water prison holding Kakashi shattered, and the Copy Ninja emerged from the depths, his white hair plastered against his face, his expression dark.
Kakashi stood on the water's surface, his chest heaving as he took in the battlefield. His visible eye scanned the scene, lingering on his students—Sasuke on his knees, Naruto clutching his burning hand, Sakura rushing toward them.
His heart swelled with pride at how far they had come, but it was immediately followed by a surge of fury as his gaze locked onto Zabuza. His students had risked everything, and Zabuza had pushed them to the brink.
"First Gate: The Gate of Opening… open."
"Second Gate: The Gate of Healing… open."
A surge of chakra exploded from his body, rippling outward in an almost visible wave.
A sonic boom cracked through the battlefield as Kakashi appeared directly in front of Zabuza, his foot swinging in a brutal, lightning-fast arc. The impact was devastating. Zabuza's body launched like a cannonball, skidding across the water's surface, creating ripples and waves in his wake.
The Demon of the Mist coughed as he pushed himself up, his body aching from the force of the blow. He didn't hesitate, forming rapid hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
The river churned violently as a massive dragon made of water rose from the surface, its serpentine body towering high into the air. With a guttural roar, it surged toward Kakashi, the sheer force of its movement splitting the water in its wake.
But Kakashi was faster.
His hands blurred as he performed his own set of seals.
"Water Style: Water Hydra Jutsu!"
The river erupted violently, splitting apart as three massive hydra heads burst from the surface. Each head was larger and more monstrous than Zabuza's water dragon, their jaws filled with swirling torrents of water that mimicked teeth. The hydra roared as it lunged forward, each head moving in perfect synchronization. The first head clamped its jaws around Zabuza's water dragon, crushing it instantly. The second head coiled around the remnants, scattering them into harmless droplets that rained down on the battlefield. The third head surged forward, slamming into Zabuza and the dock.
The dock shattered under the hydra's immense force, the wooden planks exploding into splinters and debris. Waves rippled outward, swallowing the remains of the platform as the hydra continued its rampage.
The sight was apocalyptic.
The sheer power of the technique left the battlefield in ruins, the once-calm river now a chaotic sea of swirling currents and broken wood.
Zabuza was nowhere to be seen.
Kakashi's Sharingan scanned the battlefield, his instincts sharp. The Demon of the Mist could have been obliterated by the hydra, or he could be hiding. Either way, Kakashi wasn't about to take chances. He moved toward the area where Zabuza had last stood, ready to decapitate the body to ensure the kill.
But before he could act, a scream cut through the silence.
Kakashi's head snapped toward the sound—a scream, raw and agonized. His Sharingan caught it instantly: Naruto, writhing on the ground, his body convulsing as Sakura desperately tried to hold him down.
Flames engulfed Naruto's right hand, their glow unnatural, wild, and insatiable. They burned with a searing intensity—not like ordinary fire, but something far worse. A hunger. Kakashi could feel the heat even from where he stood, like standing too close to a forge at full blaze. The acrid stench of burning leather and flesh thickened the air, stinging his nostrils. His Sharingan pierced through the chaos, revealing the truth—
The flames weren't just consuming Naruto's hand.
They were devouring him.
Kakashi moved in an instant.
A blur of motion—two fingers pressed against Naruto's bicep. He didn't have the precision of the Hyūga, but he had copied enough of their techniques to replicate their chakra suppression in an emergency. His chakra surged, cutting off the flow to Naruto's arm.
The flames sputtered—hissing, twisting, resisting—before finally dying, leaving behind only curling wisps of black smoke.
But the damage was done.
Kakashi barely hesitated as he grasped Naruto's arm, peeling away what remained of the scorched leather gauntlet. Even with chakra shielding his hands, he could still feel the lingering heat seeping into his skin.
Naruto's hand was ruined.
Blackened. Charred. Cracked.
The flesh was burned away so deeply that raw, exposed muscle gleamed beneath brittle, flaking skin. The damage was unnatural, as though the fire had seared through not just his body, but his very being. Smoke still curled from his fingers, faint and ghostly, as if reluctant to release its hold.
Naruto gasped sharply, his entire body quivering with pain. His breaths came in ragged, shallow gulps, his vision swimming, the agony so overwhelming that the edges of consciousness blurred.
A flicker of something foreign in his mind.
A notification.
[Warning: Player has been burned by Pyromancy Flame and afflicted by the Curse of the Witch.]
[Player's right hand is severely burned and unusable.]
The words felt distant, like an echo carried through water.
Naruto barely had time to process it before the pain crashed over him again, threatening to drag him under.
As Naruto's body went limp, Kakashi immediately moved into action. He knelt beside the boy, quickly removing the helmet from Naruto's head to help him breathe more easily. Beads of sweat clung to Naruto's forehead, his face pale beneath the streaks of soot and blood.
Kakashi's sharp eyes moved to Naruto's burnt hand, the charcoal-like flesh glistening faintly in the light. He grimaced but stayed composed. There wasn't much he could do to heal it now, but he could at least ease the pain.
He pulled a small pouch from his medical kit, retrieving thin, gleaming senbons.
"Hold on, Naruto," he murmured.
With precision, he inserted the needles into key pressure points around Naruto's shoulder and arm, numbing the nerves that connected to the damaged hand. He worked quickly, his Sharingan spinning faintly as it guided his movements, ensuring no missteps. One by one, the senbons slid into place, dulling the pain radiating from Naruto's injury.
Kakashi exhaled, satisfied with his work, and gently lifted Naruto into his arms, holding him bridal style. The boy's chest rose and fell faintly, his breathing shallow but steady.
"Sensei… is Naruto going to be okay?"
"Don't worry," Kakashi said softly. "Everything is going to be okay."
Sakura nodded, though the fear in her eyes remained as her gaze flickered to Naruto's burnt hand. The sight of it made her stomach churn, but she forced herself to be strong.
"Sasuke, Sakura," Kakashi said. "Go get Tazuna-san."
The two genin nodded in unison, their eyes lingering on Naruto for a moment longer before they turned and ran toward the collapsed old man lying near the edge of the destroyed dock.
Reaching into his pouch, Kakashi pulled out a small container of chakra pills. He tossed two into his mouth, chewing quickly. The bitter taste was harsh, but the surge of energy that followed was enough to keep him standing. It wasn't a permanent fix—chakra pills were a crutch, not a solution—but right now, his team needed him functional. Kakashi turned to look at the destroyed dock, the shattered wood and rippling water painting a grim picture of the battle. He would've loved to find Zabuza's corpse, to ensure the man was dead and take his head back to Konoha as proof, but that wasn't the priority anymore.
Setting Naruto down gently on the least damaged section of the dock, Kakashi formed a quick hand seal.
"Summoning Jutsu."
With a puff of smoke, Pakkun appeared. The sharp-nosed ninken sniffed once, his eyes immediately landing on Naruto's unconscious form.
"Kakashi, what happened here? And what happened to the brat?"
"I don't know," Kakashi admitted, glancing at Naruto's burned hand before shaking his head. He pulled a scroll from his pouch, unrolling it and scribbling a message.
Pakkun hopped closer, reading over Kakashi's shoulder.
"Get this to the Hokage immediately," Kakashi instructed. "Don't give it to anyone else. Team 7 requests backup and medical assistance."
"Understood."
The small dog bit down on the scroll, securing it in his mouth before disappearing in another puff of smoke, heading straight for Konoha.
Kakashi turned back to Naruto. The boy's head rested against his chest, his body still trembling faintly from the aftershocks of pain. Sasuke and Sakura returned moments later, Tazuna leaning heavily on Sasuke's shoulder. The old man's face was pale, his hands clutching his chest as he looked at Naruto in Kakashi's arms.
"Sensei…" Sasuke said, his voice trailing off as his eyes fell to Naruto.
"Don't stop now," Kakashi said. "We need to move. Get to Tazuna-san's house. I'll explain everything when we're safe."
The team nodded, the weight of the battle still heavy on their shoulders.
Kakashi led the way, his steps steady despite his chakra exhaustion, as Team 7 disappeared into the mist, heading toward the safety of Tazuna's home.
When the coast was finally clear, a faint shimmer rippled through the air as a mirror of ice materialized amidst the broken dock and swirling mist. From its smooth, reflective surface, Haku and Zabuza emerged, though Zabuza nearly collapsed the moment his feet touched the ground.
Haku immediately moved to his side, catching him before he fell completely.
"Zabuza-sama," Haku said softly, concern lacing his voice. He removed his hunter-nin mask, his breathing heavy from the effort of using the ice mirror to extract them unnoticed.
"You… were slow in getting me out."
"I'm sorry, Zabuza-sama," Haku replied. "I had to ensure Kakashi Hatake's jutsu was fully executed before moving, so no one could trace my actions." He glanced at Zabuza's damaged body. "But I failed… I wasn't able to protect your beautiful body from injury."
Zabuza let out a rasping chuckle that ended in a cough, blood flecking his lips.
"You talk too much, Haku," he said, though his voice lacked its usual sharpness.
His gaze drifted toward the mist-covered battlefield, his brows furrowing as his mind lingered on what had transpired.
"The enemy this time was…" He trailed off, his frown deepening.
"Something wrong, Zabuza-sama?"
"That boy," Zabuza said quietly, his voice distant.
The memory of Naruto lunging at him burned in his mind—the overwhelming chakra, the terrifying killer intent, and the vision of the Hellkite Wyvern. Even now, the image sent a faint chill through him.
"Not just that boy," Haku said softly.
Zabuza's frown deepened as he begrudgingly acknowledged the truth. The other two genin had been more trouble than he wanted to admit.
Haku glanced down. "My apologies, I forgot to check all corners. If I had been more thorough—"
"You're not the only one," Zabuza cut him off gruffly. "I made the same mistake. Got too caught up in my own damn hubris."
Haku noted the rare, unsettled expression on Zabuza's face.
"From my assessment, your injuries will take two weeks to heal completely, provided you rest," Haku said. "You'll need to stay immobile for most of that time."
Zabuza remained silent.
"Look at the bright side, Zabuza-sama. Once this mission is over, you'll have quite an expensive armor set, not to mention enough funds to move closer to your dream."
Zabuza opened his eyes. "A mission," he said. "Always remember this, Haku: dreams have no place with us. Only the mission matters."
"Of course, Zabuza-sama."
After a moment, Haku added, "So… next time, you'll be fine?"
Zabuza let out a strained chuckle, his lips twitching into the faintest ghost of a smirk.
"Next time," he rasped, "I'll make sure the mission is completed. One way or the other."
Haku nodded again, though his eyes lingered on Zabuza's weakened form for a moment longer. Then, without another word, he wrapped his master's arm around his shoulders and helped him limp deeper into the mist, leaving only faint ripples in the water where the ice mirror had stood.
Author's Note
Well then, wasn't that an exciting chapter? Now, I'm sure you all have a lot of burning questions, so let me answer some of them before we move forward.
1. Why was Sasuke able to drink the Estus Flasks?
This one might be the biggest, so let me explain. In Dark Souls lore, the exact nature of Estus Flasks has never been fully explained. We know they refill at bonfires, are linked to Firekeeper Souls, and serve as the primary healing method for the undead. However, the details—what exactly is inside them, how they function, and whether non-undead can drink them—are left ambiguous.
This fanfic operates on the following interpretation:
A. When placed near a bonfire, an Estus Flask is refilled by the fire itself, turning into a healing liquid. Think of it as an energy-to-matter conversion, where the flame's essence becomes a consumable substance.
B. Humans Can Use Bonfires and Estus. The idea that only the undead can drink Estus is a misconception. If that were true, why would you need to reverse hollowing to use a bonfire's full power? Humanity plays a role in kindling bonfires, and the Rite of Kindling itself is a sacred cleric practice, not something exclusive to the undead.
The item description for the Rite of Kindling states:
"Kindling was a sacred rite passed down among clerics, but all Undead can imitate the process..."
If humans had no use for Estus, why would clerics be harvesting it? The answer is simple: they could use it. It's just that undead need it far more often.
C. Undead Find Estus Tasty, But That Doesn't Mean Humans Can't Drink It. In Dark Souls 1, Estus Flasks are described as an "undead delicacy." This suggests they taste good to undead, but that doesn't mean humans find them repulsive—just that they have little reason to drink them unless necessary.
In biological terms, there isn't much separating a human from an undead. Every human carries the Darksign curse, meaning every human is a potential undead. The only difference is whether the curse has manifested yet. A human drinking Estus is no different than an undead drinking Estus.
D. Lastly, this is a crossover fanfic. Keeping the two worlds completely separate would defeat the purpose of a crossover. Just like how Naruto is able to bring back shit from Lordran, that doesn't mean the people he relies on won't be able to use it.
Plus, Estus Flasks serve as a practical healing method in a world of shinobi, where injuries are frequent and severe. Team 7 lacks a dedicated healer, so integrating Estus as a rare but powerful resource makes sense within the story.
2. What is the deal with Naruto's curse?
Well, the answer is simple. Naruto used all his spells (8) and when he tried to use Fireball to escape Zabuza's Pressure Dome, he couldn't. Without any spells left, Naruto's flame doesn't do much, and in a moment of desperation, Naruto channeled chakra into his Pyromancy Flame.
We know from previous chapters that chakra + pyromancy leads to the creation of life—the exact same thing the Witch of Izalith tried to do. So, technically, Naruto almost turned himself into a demon form.
Had Kakashi not blocked the chakra, Naruto would've gained a demon form.
Now, if you want a visualization of what Naruto's arm looks like, search up Gon's arm from Hunter x Hunter. You know—the black, charred arm.
Also, if you think this whole thing is just a nerf for Naruto, well… technically, it is—but it isn't. Naruto will learn how to overcome this limitation with one-handed hand signs, and even more so, when he finally gets this curse removed, he'll be even stronger than before.
But for the current moment?
Naruto's gonna hunt down a cure. And that?
That's gonna put him face-to-face with some seriously big names—like, actual gods.
And when I say things get insane, I mean Naruto's about to have a chat with a god even the gods call heretical.
Now, onto some of my questions for you guys:
Who is Konoha gonna send as backup for Team 7? And what changes are you expecting in the Wave Arc moving forward?
Would you like to see Vagrants in Naruto: The Chosen Undead?
Now, I'm guessing most of you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about, so let me explain.
Vagrants are one of the rarest enemies in Dark Souls. Like, stupidly rare. People can play through the game multiple times and never even see one. They only spawn when bloodstains are lost or when items are dropped and abandoned. So unless you know exactly how to trigger them, running into one is next to impossible.
Now, onto the actual idea—
I'm thinking about adding Vagrants into the story as a pet or companion for either Sasuke or Sakura.
Naruto already has Oscar, so maybe it's time the others got something too.
Here's a rough idea:
Because of Lordran's messed-up time distortions, special beings—aka Vagrants—form in the gaps between realities. They mostly exist in subspaces like inventories, hidden away until they grow large enough to break into the real world.
But while cleaning out his inventory, Naruto stumbles across some Vagrant eggs and, instead of keeping them, just hands them over to Sasuke and Sakura.
Boom.
They get their own weird little Vagrant companions.
This is all just a hypothetical, but I'm really curious—would you guys be into this?
I figured Naruto already has Oscar, and he's getting another companion [Take a guess] later, so it might be cool to spread the love a bit.
Also, if you think this will make Oscar as a companion less special, let me put it this way:
Oscar is a Crystal Lizard, and he can grow into a Ravenous Crystal Lizard, which are considered mini-bosses in DS3, capable of using crystal magic.
Whereas Vagrants? They're just regular enemies. Rare, yes—but still not something like a boss or mini-boss.
Also, Oscar has an even bigger chance to grow past the Ravenous Crystal Lizard state into something else entirely.
Let me know what you think!
And if you have any cool ideas for how to incorporate Vagrants, drop 'em in the comments.
Who should get it? Sakura or Sasuke?
And if you chose one over the other, what should the other get?
For example, if Sasuke gets a Vagrant, what should Sakura get? Undead Dog?
As always, thank you for your support, feedback, and amazing ideas. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter's developments!
Anyway, that's enough rambling from me. Let me know what you thought of the chapter—I'd love to hear your feedback!
Thank you all for your support—you make writing this story such an incredible journey!
Until next time,
Adamo Amet