"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
BOOM—!!!
The moment he broke free from his restraints, Zabuza unleashed a Water Dragon Bullet, the culmination of decades of honed hand seals.
Unfortunately, his aim was completely off.
Sakura thought victory was within her grasp.
But in the blink of an eye, a figure suddenly appeared behind Zabuza, grabbing him and forming a single-hand seal.
"Release!"
Buzz—
Zabuza finally broke free from the illusion.
"Mr. Zabuza, are you okay?"
SMACK—
Zabuza slapped the hand away, took a deep breath, and remained silent.
"Mr. Zabuza, I was discovered early, so I—"
"That's enough."
Regaining his composure, Zabuza turned to Kakashi.
"Kakashi, we both have excellent subordinates."
"She is indeed strong, but those who grow up in a peaceful ninja village can never cultivate a true shinobi."
At that moment, Naruto suddenly chuckled.
Zabuza, still clinging to your pride?
Or… are you just trying to find a way for Haku to survive?
Ignoring the conversation between the two jonin, Naruto turned his attention to Sasuke.
He was still trembling.
Naruto knew that Sasuke was shaken—not just by Sakura's strength, but by the lingering killing intent of Zabuza… and the terrifying change in Kakashi's left eye.
It was enough to break anyone.
But Sasuke wasn't just anyone.
And Naruto knew exactly how to snap him out of it.
He just needed something more shocking.
Naruto leaned in and whispered dramatically:
"My foolish little brother! If you want to kill me, then hate me, despise me, and survive in disgrace!"
"AHHH—!!!"
Sasuke let out a scream.
The scattered images in his mind shattered, replaced by a single, agonizing memory—the night his parents died.
And the words his brother left him with.
SWOOSH—
Sharingan!
One-tomoe in the right eye. Two-tomoe in the left.
Everyone knew that Sasuke's Sharingan evolution was anything but smooth.
He really did get beaten up a lot along the way.
"Damn it!"
Sasuke could no longer suppress the violent emotions surging inside him.
He let out a roar.
His past flashed before his eyes—
The years in the Academy, constantly overshadowed by Naruto.
The useless pink-haired girl who had always followed him around—now suddenly strong.
Naruto's absurd Shadow Clones.
His chakra-infused power-ups.
Even Sakura had grown strong enough to defeat a demon of the Hidden Mist.
And he?
He had frozen in fear.
He had hesitated.
He had been powerless.
Sasuke clenched his fists.
His body trembled.
Then—his breath steadied.
A single tear fell.
Slowly, he turned to Naruto, his voice raw with emotion.
"Naruto… I want to become stronger."
SNIFF—
Something inside him had changed.
The world around him felt… different.
Time itself seemed to slow.
His senses sharpened.
He could see everything.
"Is this… the Sharingan?"
His eyes widened in awe.
"One magatama on the right, two on the left," Naruto observed. "Not bad."
"Thank you, Naruto."
"Without you… I might have taken much longer to awaken it."
The despair from moments ago vanished.
Confidence surged through Sasuke at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Even Naruto, standing in front of him, suddenly seemed slower.
The sky clears, the rain stops—
"I, Uchiha Sasuke, am fine again!"
His eyes locked onto Sakura and Kakashi, who were still facing Zabuza and Haku.
"Naruto, don't hold me back. This time, I won't be a coward!"
Naruto shook his head.
"Just don't get reckless."
But his concern was valid.
Sasuke wasted no time rushing to Kakashi and Sakura's side.
Both of them looked at him in mild surprise.
Sasuke smirked.
Clenching his right fist, he raised his thumb and pointed at his eyes.
"Kakashi, let me show you the true power of the Sharingan!"
He turned to Sakura.
"Sakura, leave the masked one to me. I'm not interested in Zabuza anymore."
Sasuke took a step forward—
But Kakashi stopped him.
"Sasuke, that boy is different from you. He was trained to be a weapon."
The meaning was clear.
Yes, you're strong.
But you're still not ready.
Sasuke scowled.
"Hmph. Before my eyes, everything is meaningless."
Zabuza, who had been silent until now, suddenly narrowed his eyes.
Uchiha?
Wait.
Wasn't there a rumor about Itachi leaving behind a younger brother?
If that's the case…
"Haku," Zabuza said, his voice low, "it seems you've been underestimated."
Zabuza looked at Sasuke with a hint of contempt. "Just a rat trembling from mere killing intent."
"I won't disappoint you," Haku replied calmly.
"Tch… damn it!"
Sasuke's eyes turned ice-cold in an instant. Without hesitation, he flipped a kunai into his grip and lunged at Haku.
Zabuza simply stepped back, giving them space.
"Stop!"
Sakura's sharp cry rang out as she tried to step forward, but before she could react—
Whoosh!
A blur appeared before her.
Naruto.
With one hand, he caught her mid-motion. With the other, he flicked her forehead, sending a sharp yet harmless sound echoing.
Sakura's face flushed red—whether from frustration or embarrassment, even she wasn't sure.
"I-I'm fine, Naruto-kun! Just a short rest… I can still fight!" she protested weakly.
Naruto sighed. Even though his chakra-infused nutrients kept her from outright collapsing, her body had already reached its limit. Without the regenerative abilities of the Mori-Mori no Mi, the replenishment was far from enough.
"Rest," he said simply.
Sakura clenched her fists but couldn't refute him.
Kakashi, without turning around, spoke, "I'll leave Sakura to you, Naruto."
Then, he stepped forward.
"Zabuza, our battle isn't over yet."
Zabuza watched Sakura falter and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Had Haku not intervened earlier, he might have ended up like his water clone—except instead of dissolving into a puddle of water, he'd have been turned into a battered mess.
"Tch, a defeated opponent remains a defeated opponent. If I trapped you once, I can do it again."
Zabuza steadied his breathing. His chakra had almost recovered.
He struck first.
A blur of motion—two silhouettes clashed, exchanged blows, and separated once more.
A classic showdown.
Years of battle experience condensed into a single moment.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Boom—!
Twin dragons of water collided midair, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Naruto barely spared them a glance before turning to Tazuna.
"Hey, old man! Time to move!"
Startled, Tazuna jolted upright. Naruto's voice snapped him out of his daze, and he scrambled to grab his things.
"Oof—! My back…!"
His attempt to lift the luggage nearly cost him his spine.
Meanwhile, on the other side—
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A storm of senbon rained down on Sasuke.
He sneered.
His Sharingan spun wildly, predicting the incoming projectiles. His hands moved fast—too fast—blocking each senbon with precision.
But there were too many.
Even if his eyes could keep up, his body couldn't.
Whoosh—!
Sasuke found his opening.
With pinpoint accuracy, he flung a kunai through a gap in the assault.
Haku tilted his head at the last second, the blade slicing past harmlessly.
Zabuza, still clashing with Kakashi, took note of the exchange.
After awakening his Sharingan, Sasuke seemed like a different person.
Stronger.
Sharper.
But if this was his limit…
Zabuza smirked.
"Kakashi, even if you defeat me… you'll never beat Haku."