The sound of the flute was gentle yet lingering, its slow and haunting melody echoing throughout the sealed underground chamber. The tune amplified in the confined space, and even the jōnin in the observation area weren't spared from its influence. Their thoughts grew heavy, their awareness sinking into the depths of darkness.
This was—
The Magic Flute: "Nest Crane."
A melody that lulls all who hear it into slumber, like cranes returning to their nests at dusk.
It was Yūsuke's most skilled piece.
However—
Everyone here was a jōnin. Their mental fortitude wasn't so fragile. Except for Momochi Zabuza, none of them were Yūsuke's intended targets. There was no real danger to them, and they had more than enough time to dispel the illusion themselves.
"Phew… a genjutsu that works through sound… that's really something."
Genji gently shook his head.
He had almost fallen asleep himself. Even his companion, Gonbee, hadn't managed to break free of the illusion right away.
Fortunately, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, was strong enough to resist. He disrupted his chakra flow instantly, breaking the genjutsu's hold, then reached over to help Elder Genji do the same, pulling him back from the brink of sleep.
As soon as Genji regained clarity, he couldn't help but praise him.
Then he sighed. "If I were ten years younger, you wouldn't need to step in, Lord Fourth… Tell me, who do you think will win this one?"
"Zabuza's Silent Killing technique is formidable… but this sound-based illusion—"
Yagura's voice trailed off.
The answer was obvious.
He didn't have much confidence in Momochi Zabuza.
"You're right. Genjutsu of this kind… it's a tricky thing. The boy's still young. Honestly, even among our ranks, not many have ever seen such an illusion in action… Looks like quite a few fell for it."
Genji glanced around.
Gonbee and Elder Anzō Oniyuzu had both succumbed, and even Jūzō Biwa—despite having once fought alongside Yūsuke against Orochimaru and experienced this flute technique firsthand—was only a step faster than Yagura in breaking free.
"Jūzō, help wake up Elder Oniyuzu and Gonbee—"
Before Yagura could finish, his expression froze.
Instinctively, he turned his gaze toward the training field. Through the dense mist, his sharp eyes caught sight of something that made him tense. "Someone, take Yūsuke to the medical room—no, never mind. Jūzō, you go."
He had realized midway that the ANBU he brought were all asleep under the illusion's influence.
With no choice, he had to rely on Jūzō.
"Yes, sir."
Jūzō responded promptly and dashed into the training ground.
"Over here!" Zabuza's voice called from the fog.
Following the sound, Jūzō arrived to find Koeda Yūsuke lying unconscious on the ground, a dark pool of blood beneath him.
"He's still alive. I avoided his vitals. Just knocked him out."
Zabuza's voice came again, steady but laced with cold killing intent that seeped into the air around him. The kunai in his hand still dripped blood.
"...Phew. Beating Yūsuke… kid, you're something else."
Jūzō crouched and lifted Yūsuke up.
At once, he sensed the boy's breathing—steady and even. Zabuza wasn't bluffing.
Still, the young swordsman gave no reaction to the praise.
Jūzō didn't mind. After all, Kirigakure was full of such ruthless, ill-tempered brats.
"Hm?"
Just as Jūzō was about to carry Yūsuke away, he caught sight of something through the mist— a faint streak of red near Zabuza's temple.
In that instant, it was as if lightning had struck him.
He realized how the boy had resisted Yūsuke's Magic Flute!
That kid…
Truly was a madman.
Not only ruthless toward others—
but just as merciless toward himself.
Jūzō sighed internally, carrying Yūsuke back to Yagura.
"Jūzō, bring Yūsuke here—"
"Mizukage-sama," Jūzō interrupted, "Zabuza probably ruptured his own eardrums to block out Yūsuke's flute. He can't hear you right now. You'll have to go to him yourself."
Leaving that behind, Jūzō departed for the medical ward.
"...No wonder."
Yagura's eyes widened slightly in realization.
He had wondered how Zabuza managed to withstand Yūsuke's magic flute. To think he'd achieved it by sacrificing his own hearing… How brutal.
"...Interesting."
Genji was visibly impressed as well.
Without hesitation, Yagura stood from the bench and stepped into the fog. As a master of the Hiding in Mist Technique himself, he quickly found Zabuza standing motionless beside the pool of blood.
The young man stared at him with questioning eyes, not quite sure why the Mizukage had approached.
When Yagura's gaze dropped to his ears, Zabuza understood.
"...So it's true."
Yagura inhaled deeply.
He looked at the trails of blood running from the boy's ears—and in that moment, his opinion of the young shinobi nicknamed "the Demon" rose sharply.
So young, yet already a master of the Silent Killing Technique. His battle instincts were sharp, his composure unshaken. Moreover… his background was clean. The Momochi clan was a low-ranking family with no ties to the village's major houses, nor any connection to Elder Genji.
This boy—
was worth cultivating.
"Zabuza, can you hear me at all?" Yagura asked slowly, enunciating clearly while pointing to his own ear. Even if Zabuza couldn't read lips, he should understand.
"Mizukage-sama, I controlled my strike's strength. It's only temporary deafness. If there's nothing else, please—let's continue the fight!" Zabuza urged, as if his injury were nothing more than a scratch.
That attitude left Yagura speechless for a moment.
He shook his head, then called out loudly, "Three seconds from now, the next challenger may enter! The rules remain unchanged."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Three seconds later, he had already returned to the observation area.
And then—
A new challenger stepped into the field.
The mist grew denser still.