"Oh, you mean that guy!"
Naruto suddenly understood and then asked, "Are you his companion? Did you come to avenge him?"
"Of course not!"
Zabuza immediately denied it and said angrily, "How could I be the companion of that kind of trash who could be killed by a kid? I came for the sword he was holding—that's my stuff! Also, I'm the one asking the questions now. Just answer properly. Say one more unnecessary word and I'll kill you immediately!"
"Where is that sword?!" Zabuza asked again.
"Oh, you're looking for that sword!"
Naruto heard Zabuza's words and thought about the Kubikiribōchō, which originally had only its hilt left after the battle and was later melted by him.
He turned his head away a little awkwardly, the corner of his mouth drooping as he said, "I remember that sword was shattered at the time. The remnants should still be where the battle took place. Why don't you go look there?"
"I already looked there. The core of the Kubikiribōchō isn't there at all!"
Zabuza said coldly after hearing Naruto's words. Then he added irritably, "Also, you little brat, your lying is way too obvious! The core of the Kubikiribōchō is definitely with you. Hand it over quickly!"
Naruto's current appearance looked so guilty that it was obvious he was lying.
So when Zabuza saw him like that, he became even more certain that the core of the Kubikiribōchō was with him.
"Uh… is it that obvious?"
Naruto was stunned for a moment when he heard Zabuza's words. Then he honestly replied, "Alright, the core part of that sword was indeed taken by me. But I melted it down and made it into a new weapon with other materials, so I can't give it back to you. I'm really sorry!"
Perhaps it was because he had spent so much time with Yamato, but Naruto's style of speaking was becoming more and more like that of a pirate.
"What?!"
Zabuza's face instantly turned red with anger when he heard Naruto's words.
He stepped out of the thick fog, flashed in front of Naruto, grabbed his collar, lifted him up, and asked coldly, "You just said you melted the core of the Kubikiribōchō?"
"Mm."
Naruto allowed Zabuza to hold him while looking him straight in the eyes. Then he nodded seriously.
"Because that sword's characteristics were very good, and my new weapon can merge the characteristics of other weapons. So I melted it into my new weapon."
Naruto could feel that Zabuza truly valued the Kubikiribōchō, so he told him the truth in the hope that he would give up.
As for why Naruto let Zabuza grab him without resisting—
It was simple.
In Naruto's eyes, Zabuza's strength posed absolutely no threat.
"Bastard! You damned brat! Do you know what the Kubikiribōchō represents? And you actually melted it!"
Zabuza could also tell that Naruto was telling the truth, which made him even angrier.
His hand trembled slightly as he glared at Naruto.
"Tell me quickly. What did you melt the Kubikiribōchō into? Hurry up and take it out so I can see it!"
He wanted to confirm whether the Kubikiribōchō could still be restored before deciding whether to kill this brat immediately.
"You want to see my sword?"
Naruto's eyes lit up when he heard Zabuza's words.
A flash of lightning appeared on his body, and he instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning, breaking free from Zabuza's grip.
Then he excitedly took out his weapon from the system space and showed it off.
"This is my sword. Its name is Infinity. How about it? Pretty cool, right?"
Zabuza was still in shock from Naruto turning into lightning and escaping his grasp.
Originally, he didn't believe that Biwa Jūzō could have been killed by such a brat.
He had heard that the Leaf's Sannin were present during that battle, so Zabuza assumed Biwa Jūzō must have been killed by them and that Akatsuki's intelligence was wrong.
But now…
He was beginning to believe that Biwa Jūzō might really have died at the hands of the brat in front of him.
Just now, when Naruto used that lightning ability, Zabuza didn't even see him form hand signs.
And it was a ninjutsu he had never seen before.
This brat is not simple!
Clang!
Naruto didn't know what Zabuza was thinking. Seeing that he didn't react to the sword, Naruto directly drew it from its sheath and continued talking.
"I'm telling you, my sword is much more powerful than that greatsword. Not only does it inherit the greatsword's self-repairing ability, but it can also enhance my physique when I use it. It can even transform into indestructible armor."
"And most importantly, the blade releases an incurable cursed poison. Even a small scratch will become a fatal wound!"
Naruto excitedly explained the various characteristics of his weapon to Zabuza.
He spoke so earnestly that it almost seemed like he didn't consider Zabuza an enemy at all.
For Naruto, the greatest use of this sword at the moment was probably to show it off.
"Hmm?"
Zabuza originally had little interest in Naruto's sword.
In his opinion, only giant blades like the Kubikiribōchō were weapons worthy of a man.
But after hearing Naruto's boastful explanation, he suddenly felt that the sword in the brat's hand seemed surprisingly appealing.
Setting aside abilities like strengthening the user's physique or transforming into armor, the one-hit kill poison alone made Zabuza feel that the sword would be a perfect match for him.
Of course, that was only if everything the brat said was true.
"Hmph."
Zabuza snorted and crossed his arms while staring at Naruto suspiciously.
"Brat, I think you're just talking nonsense. A sword enhancing the user's physique is believable, but how could a sword turn into armor? That's impossible."
"Heh, I'll show you!"
Naruto chuckled, tightening his grip on the hilt.
"Lion King, activate!"
A strange power flowed through Naruto's body.
Immediately, his appearance began to change. A pair of beast-like ears appeared on his head, his fingernails became sharp claws, and his height suddenly increased by more than ten centimeters.
"Hmm?!"
Zabuza's eyes widened instantly.
Because of Naruto's huge appetite, his body had already been growing rapidly. Even though he was only seven years old, he already looked bigger than many ten-year-old children.
Now, after activating the Lion King ability, his physique expanded even more.
From appearance alone, he looked like a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old teenager.
This transformation made Zabuza even more wary.
He even suspected that Naruto's previous childish appearance had been fake, and that this current form was his true body.
"It's not over yet!"
Naruto grinned smugly.
"Demon Armor – Incursio!"
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The scabbard in his hand suddenly shattered into countless fragments.
Those fragments quickly attached themselves to Naruto's body, forming an extremely cool suit of armor.
Zabuza's eyes immediately lit up.
"Hehehe."
Naruto's voice came out from under the armor's mask, sounding mechanical.
"How about it? Isn't it cool?"
Of course, activating the Lion King form or summoning the Demon Armor didn't actually require shouting the names.
But Naruto thought shouting them out made it much cooler.
"It is cool… but—"
Zabuza stared greedily at the sword in Naruto's hand.
Then he suddenly formed hand signs and shouted,
"Haku, now!"
Without a doubt, Zabuza had already set his sights on Naruto's sword.
Foolish brat.
That sword is yours now…
But after I kill you, it will be mine.
Zabuza thought coldly.
"Ice Release Secret Art: Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals!"
The temperature around Naruto suddenly dropped.
Ice mirrors instantly formed around him, creating a cage-like structure that trapped him inside.
Then masked figures appeared inside the mirrors.
It was the masked youth who had accompanied Zabuza.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The figures inside the mirrors threw kunai simultaneously, attacking Naruto from all directions.
"Heh, useless."
Naruto didn't even bother dodging.
He simply allowed the kunai to strike him.
Every single one was blocked by the armor on his body.
Ordinary kunai couldn't even scratch the Demon Armor.
"Such hard armor!"
Seeing Haku's kunai bounce off harmlessly, Zabuza's greed grew even stronger.
He had to obtain that sword.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Zabuza completed his hand seals.
A massive waterfall suddenly erupted out of thin air, instantly swallowing Naruto and the ice mirrors.
"Got you!"
Zabuza's eyes flashed.
He turned his body into water and merged into the flood.
The next moment, he appeared beside Naruto.
Forming quick hand signs, he reached out and grabbed Naruto.
The instant his hand touched Naruto, the surrounding water formed a spherical prison around him.
Water Release: Water Prison Technique.
This technique traps the enemy inside a sphere of water, preventing movement or hand seals.
More importantly—
It cannot be broken from the inside.
"Hahahaha!"
Zabuza burst into laughter while staring at Naruto trapped in the water prison.
"A brat is still just a brat. Even with such a powerful weapon, you're still this easy to defeat."
His gaze locked onto the Infinity sword.
"This kind of weapon can only unleash its true power in my hands."
Sizzle!
Suddenly, arcs of electricity flickered across Naruto's armor.
The next moment—
Blinding lightning exploded outward.
The water prison shattered instantly.
The lightning traveled through the water and struck Zabuza, causing smoke to rise from his body.
"Idiot. Water conducts electricity."
Naruto's voice echoed through the crackling lightning.
At the same time, a black blade slashed toward Zabuza.
"Damn it… I can't move!"
Zabuza struggled desperately, but the lightning had paralyzed his body.
He could only watch the blade approaching.
'Am I really going to die to this brat?'
His thoughts slowed down, and memories began flashing through his mind.
"Lord Zabuza!"
Suddenly, a cry rang out.
The masked youth rushed forward and pushed Zabuza away just in time.
"Haku, well done!"
Zabuza regained control of his body.
But the next moment—
A black curse mark began spreading rapidly across the youth's neck.
"Haku, what's wrong with you?!"
Zabuza grabbed the boy and turned him around.
A shallow cut was visible on Haku's back.
From that wound, the cursed poison was spreading rapidly across his body.
When Haku pushed Zabuza away earlier, Naruto's blade had lightly scratched him.
And now the poison had already spread everywhere.
He was doomed.
"I'm sorry… Lord Zabuza."
Haku removed his mask, revealing a delicate face more beautiful than many girls.
His skin was already covered in cursed markings.
But he still smiled gently.
"Haku is useless… I can only help you one last time."
"Ice Release Secret Art: A Thousand Needles of Death!"
Countless ice needles formed from the surrounding water and launched toward Naruto.
After unleashing his final attack, Haku closed his eyes and collapsed.
"Haku…"
Zabuza looked at the fallen boy.
For a moment, conflict flashed across his eyes.
But in the end—
He didn't catch him.
Instead, he drew the short blade on his back and rushed toward Naruto.
At the very least, I must kill this brat and make him accompany Haku in death.
Then there will be no future for me anyway.
Naruto vanished like lightning, slipping through the final barrage of ice needles.
When he reappeared—
He was already behind Zabuza.
The blade in his hand lightly brushed the back of Zabuza's neck, leaving a shallow cut.
"Heh…"
Zabuza felt the pain and slowly turned his head.
"You brat… you're really strong."
He dropped the short sword.
Then he picked up Haku's lifeless body.
Without another word, he disappeared into the mist.
Naruto didn't stop him.
Nor did he chase him.
Because he already knew.
That man was doomed.
---
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