"Mist Body Flicker Technique."
Zabuza activated his unique jutsu, allowing him to traverse instantly through the dense fog. Not only was he incredibly fast, but he was also completely silent, making him nearly impossible to defend against. This was the true secret to his silent killing technique.
"Careful!" Hinata and Sasuke knew that Naruto was at his weakest and resolved to fight to the death.
Suddenly, a flash of steel cleaved through the fog, appearing right in front of them in an instant. An ordinary genin would have panicked and been cut down. But these were members of Team 7.
"Hah!" Hinata immediately unleashed her full power, delivering a powerful blow with her self-created Guardian Gentle Fist.
*THWACK!*
Her chakra-infused palm slammed into the blade of the Executioner's Sword with perfect precision, deflecting the slash by a few crucial inches.
*Huh? What kind of move is that?* Zabuza thought, his rhythm broken for a fraction of a second.
It was all the opening Sasuke needed. He had already completed his hand seals. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Technique!" he shouted, and a shower of fiery orbs shot out from all directions, exploding like fireworks and blocking all of Zabuza's escape routes.
Forced to retreat, Zabuza disappeared back into the thick fog, his voice roaring with agitation. "How dare a few brats block my way! You're courting death!" After suffering successive defeats at the hands of low-ranking ninja, his violent, bloodthirsty mentality began to take over, and he started to lose his reason. A renowned Jonin, repeatedly thwarted by a few inexperienced genin—anyone would become irritable.
But in reality, it wasn't so surprising. This was only one of several water clones, and the three members of Team 7 were all absolute geniuses. Naruto, with his enormous chakra reserves and monstrous physical strength; Sasuke, with his two-tomoe Sharingan and mastery of Fire Release; and Hinata, with her Byakugan's incredible insight and her self-created defensive Gentle Fist. Even for a Jonin's clone, fighting against three prodigies like this was no easy feat.
In the distance, the clang of steel echoed through the fog. Kakashi and Zabuza's true body were locked in a fierce battle. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata could only hope that Kakashi would win. Their mission was to protect Tazuna and defeat this water clone.
Zabuza roared and swung his blade again, this time aiming directly for Naruto, knowing he was the weakest link with his depleted chakra. Just as Naruto was about to move, Hinata rushed forward, her Byakugan wide open, ready to protect him.
"Hinata..."
She unleashed another Guardian Gentle Fist, but this time, Zabuza had learned from his mistake. He instantly changed his angle of attack, dodging her palm strike and still slashing down at Naruto. "Oh no!" Hinata was, after all, still a genin. Her unique technique was far from perfect, and it was too much to expect her to face a Jonin like Zabuza and win. The blade was about to strike.
*CLANG!*
With a soft sound, Sasuke swung his kunai, his hands crossed, blocking the slash.
"Hmm? Another troublesome brat has appeared!" Zabuza growled.
Naruto watched the two guarding him, a surge of emotions welling up inside him. Hinata was one thing, but even that jerk Sasuke...
As Sasuke defended, Hinata seized the opportunity to unleash another Gentle Fist attack. Zabuza, knowing the power of the technique, was forced to retreat for the time being.
"Sasuke, you..." Naruto began, but Sasuke cut him off.
"Don't misunderstand," he said coldly. "I'm just doing my job to protect the client and complete the mission." At that moment, Naruto finally understood Sasuke's hypocrisy.
*Damn it... I didn't need you to protect me in the first place!* He was grateful, moved even, but like Sasuke, he would never admit it. Amidst a surge of complex emotions, Naruto felt some of his strength return. With his "Multitasking" ability and perfected chakra refining technique, he had already recovered a portion of his reserves.
"Let me do it!" he roared. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" The violent chakra erupted once more, a fierce wind sweeping across the land and dispersing the thick fog.
"Has that brat's chakra recovered?" Zabuza frowned. "He's a monster..."
As the fog cleared, the two groups could see each other clearly again. "Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, well done!" Kakashi called out.
"That's not all!" Naruto chuckled. "Just watch, Kakashi-sensei! We're going to completely defeat this guy's water clone!"
"Yes, Naruto-kun!" Hinata smiled.
"Of course," Sasuke scoffed.
"Go, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata!" Tazuna said from behind them. "Don't worry about me anymore! It would be better to let you fight with all you have and defeat this bastard!"
"That's right!" Naruto nodded. "Let's go, Hinata, Sasuke!"
In an instant, the three formed a battle formation—Naruto in the center, Sasuke on the left, and Hinata on the right—and charged towards Zabuza's water clone.
"Wind Release: Wind-Slicing Blade!" Naruto unleashed the technique he had been diligently practicing. However, it only created a barely noticeable wind blade that sliced through the ground. Zabuza just sneered and easily dodged it. Naruto was filled with resentment; his technique was still far from perfect.
Sasuke had already launched a volley of shuriken. In terms of shurikenjutsu, no one in his peer group could match him. Zabuza swung his massive blade to knock them all down, but Sasuke had already appeared behind him. "Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!" A blazing fire dragon shot straight ahead, slamming into Zabuza. He leaped onto the river's surface, activating his own jutsu. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" A water dragon roared out, colliding violently with Sasuke's. Water Release countered Fire Release, and Sasuke's jutsu was quickly annihilated.
At that moment, Hinata rushed onto the water's surface, having completed her water-walking training. "Gentle Fist Bagua Palm!" A continuous barrage of punches and palm strikes forced Zabuza to retreat several steps before he swung his Executioner's Blade, forcing her back. Even with the combined efforts of the three, they were still no match for him individually.
"You cannot defeat him if you do not work together!" Kakashi shouted from his own fierce battle.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look, a shared memory flashing between them: the bell-grabbing contest, their first real test as a team. Without speaking, they nodded in tacit agreement.
In that instant, Naruto unleashed all of his remaining chakra. "Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
At the same time, Sasuke used his Sharingan to coordinate with Naruto's attack, unleashing his strongest Fire Release ninjutsu.