The senbon hurtling toward them moved faster than Sasuke's Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. Almost as soon as Haku's voice echoed through the clearing, the needles struck Zabuza's water clone, which dissolved instantly into a puddle of clear water that splashed onto the forest floor.
"!!!"
They saw and heard everything clearly. Shock and curiosity mingled as they quickly huddled together, staring intently at the figure in the hunter-nin mask perched on a distant tree trunk.
"Do you know what kind of squad that is?" Naruto whispered, his voice tight.
Sakura shook her head, but Sasuke's expression was grave, tinged with wariness. "Kakashi told me they're a specialized unit in Kirigakure — Hunter-nin. They hunt down missing-nin and retrieve their bodies."
He paused, his voice dropping lower. "Because ninjas—and their corpses—hold valuable intel. They can't leave anything behind."
Compared to the rest of them, Kakashi had always paid the most attention to Sasuke, given his talent, and shared more with him during their private sessions.
Hearing the explanation, Sakura let out a shaky breath. "I just heard Kakashi say Zabuza is a missing-nin from Kirigakure. So this hunter-nin is here for him. He's probably not our enemy."
"Otherwise," she added, glancing at the trees, "with those senbon — so sudden and hard to defend against — one of us would've been hit for sure."
In that situation, if Sasuke and Naruto — standing farther away — had been ambushed, it might have been a different story. But Sakura, closer to the forest, definitely wouldn't have had time to react. If she was lucky and only got grazed, she might survive. If she was hit in a vital spot? She'd be dead.
Facing life-or-death situations two days in a row was taking its toll. Sakura felt her limbs go weak. Her gaze drifted unconsciously toward Naruto, hoping Menma would take over and protect her.
Naruto and Sakura's words eased Naruto's own guard. His face lit up with excitement as he looked toward the battlefield, still shrouded in thick fog. "Then we can cooperate! Kakashi's in a tough fight. If we all jump in, we can turn the tide!"
Before Naruto could finish, a clear voice cut him off.
"I realize this might be presumptuous, but I would gladly work with you."
In a blink, Haku appeared before the three of them. His Body Flicker Technique was far faster than anything they could manage, leaving them momentarily speechless. The speed of the technique depended on taijutsu and chakra control. Being that much faster than a chunin meant he was at least an Elite Jōnin.
Naruto, ever the optimist, stepped forward with a casual air. "Judging by your gear, you're about our age, right? I didn't expect you to be so fast!"
Haku took a cautious step back. "My mission is to hunt down the missing-nin. Please don't waste any more of my time."
His retreat and defensive posture reassured Sasuke and Sakura. If Haku were an enemy, he would have seized the opportunity to close the distance and ambush them. This was clearly just a gesture of willingness to cooperate.
With their combined strength and Haku's skills, they could definitely help Kakashi defeat Zabuza.
Sasuke nodded. "Then let's not waste time. We should support Kakashi."
"What about Tazuna?" Sakura asked.
"Don't worry about me! Just handle the enemy!" Tazuna shouted from behind a nearby bush, having overheard their conversation.
Seeing Tazuna agree, the three of them, worried about Kakashi's safety, nodded and rushed into the fog. Haku followed immediately behind them, his hands moving behind his back to form hand seals.
Individually, Naruto and the others weren't particularly strong, but together they could defeat Zabuza's water clones. That was why Haku hadn't ambushed them earlier to take one out. His plan was to lure them into the fog and then strike — crippling two or all of them at once.
As the four of them entered the mist, Sasuke, lagging behind slightly, silently activated his one-tomoe Sharingan. He gripped a kunai tightly in his hand.
Haku quickly closed the distance to the group, his hands forming a hand seal behind his back, ready to strike.
Suddenly, Sasuke whirled around. His kunai flashed, aimed directly at Haku's shoulder — the one arm hidden behind his back.
Clang!
Haku's other hand, clutching a bundle of senbon, blocked the incoming kunai with precise speed.
"When did you find out?" Haku's voice remained calm, though a hint of surprise laced his tone. "I thought I hid it well."
The sudden clash and the sound of metal on metal instantly drew Naruto and Sakura's attention. The two hurried back, weapons drawn, watching Haku warily.
"What's going on?!" Naruto shouted. "Sasuke, why are you fighting him?"
Sasuke didn't look away from Haku. A soft chuckle escaped him. "I didn't notice at first. But you were standing too close, and I caught a glimpse of your hand behind your back. I took a risk and tested you."
He smirked. "Looks like I was right."
Seeing the crimson and black tomoe spinning in Sasuke's eyes, Haku's voice rang out with genuine surprise. "The Sharingan. No wonder you spotted my trick, even with the Hidden Mist Technique concealing it."
Despite being discovered, Haku showed no anger. His tone remained eerily calm. "But it doesn't matter. You're already inside the range of my technique."
"Technique?!"
Whoosh!
Before they could question him further, countless mirrors made of ice erupted from the ground, completely enveloping the trio. Haku, who had been standing before them, took a step back and vanished into the mirrored surfaces.
"Ice Release Secret Technique: Demonic Mirror Ice Crystal."
Haku's voice echoed from all directions. His reflection appeared in every mirror surrounding them.
"Ice Release?!" Sasuke's expression hardened. "Everyone, get close! It's a kekkei genkai!"
This was knowledge Kakashi had drilled into him personally.
"A what?" Naruto and Sakura seemed confused, but they pressed their backs together defensively.
"It's a powerful ninjutsu inherited through bloodlines," Sasuke explained quickly. "Just like my and Kakashi's Sharingan."
He grit his teeth. "Naruto, you need to tell Menma — we're in deep trouble this time."
Before Sasuke could finish, Haku's voice cut through the air again. "Since you know what this is, please don't resist. I don't want to kill you. I just want to incapacitate you—"
"Shut up!" Naruto roared, cutting him off. "Sasuke, Sakura! We've gotten stronger! We can handle this ourselves, just like we took down that clone!"
"He's just hiding behind an ice wall. Watch me smash it and drag him out!"
Naruto finished speaking and charged headfirst at the mirror wall in front of him. He had already made up his mind not to ask Menma for help, not even for tactical advice. He wanted to prove that even without his dark personality, his primary personality could hold his own.
"Naruto, don't be reckless!" Sasuke yelled, caught off guard.
Haku frowned from within his mirrors. "So reckless. Is he even a real ninja? No matter. The battle ends here."
"Ice Release Secret Technique: Thousand Needles of Death."
The air inside the mirrors grew deathly cold.