Before this battle began, Sasuke had already started a livestream, transmitting the fight in real-time to the members of the group.
[Are you about to fight again, Mr. Sasuke?] — Historia Reiss.
[The battles of ninjas are indeed quite mysterious.] — Fushiguro Megumi.
[Hey, kid, why does it feel like you're fighting every day? That's not good.] — Tony Stark.
....
However, Sasuke Uchiha had no chance to see the comments from the group members at that moment.
On this battlefield swallowed by thick fog, Haku's "Body Flicker Technique · Fog Body Flicker" was displayed to its fullest.
The dense fog he summoned using the Hiding in Mist Technique was like a white labyrinth, completely enveloping Sasuke and Naruto.
Within the fog, every tiny droplet of water wove into an impenetrable net, making it difficult for opponents to track his movements.
Naruto looked around anxiously, his eyes filled with urgency.
His perception was greatly weakened within this fog; even his keen instincts couldn't penetrate this thick veil to catch even a trace of Haku's presence.
He tried sending out shadow clones to explore, but the clones within the fog were like small boats lost in a vast ocean, unable to find their way back.
Just as Naruto was focusing entirely on searching for Haku's trail, a piercing chill struck—a sign of Haku's Ice Release chakra gathering.
However, at this critical moment, Sasuke's angry shout exploded like a thunderclap, shattering the momentary silence.
"Idiot."
After days of training, though he still hadn't made progress in Observation Haki, his perceptiveness had sharpened significantly.
Sasuke caught the subtle signs of Haku's imminent attack within the fog.
He didn't hesitate to kick out, the powerful force landing precisely on Haku's Body Flicker position.
But Haku, an experienced ninja, relied on his astonishing reaction speed to shift his body at the last moment. Although grazed by Sasuke's kick, he wasn't severely injured.
"Bam!" A flicker of surprise arose in Haku's heart; he hadn't expected Sasuke, a seemingly young boy, to unleash such incredible power.
Meanwhile, Sasuke smiled confidently, his figure flickering in and out of sight within the mist, as if merging with it.
As Haku was still marveling at Sasuke's strength, Sasuke used the advantage of his initiative to predict his next move. With a flicker of his form, he appeared behind Haku like a phantom.
The kunai in his hand aimed directly for Haku's vital point.
"You were too careless." Sasuke's voice echoed through the mist.
Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief; he couldn't understand why, in just a few days, Sasuke Uchiha had suddenly become so powerful, as if reborn.
In his understanding, while Sasuke was exceptionally talented, it was impossible for him to make such astonishing progress in such a short time.
Sasuke Uchiha was now overflowing with confidence, his heart filled with an unprecedented sense of power.
[Mr. Kizaru didn't lie to me; these powers are indeed very strong.]
He silently thanked the mysterious mentor from the world of One Piece. It was precisely the Armament Haki and Marine Rokushiki that Kizaru had taught him that had allowed his strength to make a qualitative leap in just a few days.
He could clearly feel the power surging within him, a sense of fulfillment he had never experienced before, making him believe he could defeat any opponent.
"I will defeat you here."
Sasuke Uchiha's voice was exceptionally clear in the mist, his tone brimming with confidence, as if he could already foresee his victory.
However, this confidence, in Roy's eyes, seemed somewhat blind.
In the world of One Piece, Roy stood aside, quietly watching the scene unfold, his gaze filled with amusement.
The sky had cleared, the rain had stopped, and Sasuke thought he was good again.
Although Sasuke's strength had indeed significantly improved with his help, facing someone like Haku, who possessed a Kekkei Genkai, this improvement was still far from enough.
The power brought by a Kekkei Genkai was far beyond what ordinary ninjas could match.
And just as Roy expected, the situation reversed in the next moment.
A faint smile appeared on Haku's face, a glint in his eyes.
"You are strong," he said softly, causing a proud smile to tug at the corner of Sasuke's mouth.
However, this smile didn't last long, because in the next instant, mirrors of crystal-clear ice materialized around him.
These were Haku's Ice Release Secret Technique · Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals. Each ice mirror seemed to possess a life of its own, constantly refracting the surrounding light, blurring Sasuke's vision. Furthermore, these ice mirrors could attack and defend according to Haku's will, repeatedly thwarting Sasuke's attacks.
"Water Release Secret Technique · Tysons of Death!"
With Haku's cold voice, he quickly formed hand seals with one hand, displaying astonishing ninjutsu skill.
Instantly, the surrounding moisture seemed to come to life, rapidly condensing into countless sharp senbon that shot towards Sasuke from all directions like a torrential rain, forming an almost impenetrable all-around attack.
This sudden turn of events caught Sasuke off guard; the scales of victory, which had seemed tipped in his favor, shifted in an instant.
The senbon were like deadly rain arrows, piercing through his defense. Sasuke's body was instantly covered in dense wounds, blood continuously seeping out like small streams, staining his clothes and reflecting the look of disbelief in his eyes.
[This... Sasuke is in danger.] Among the spectators, someone muttered in surprise, their tone filled with concern.
[What a terrifying battle.] Another chimed in, their eyes locked on the screen, unwilling to miss any detail.
The atmosphere in the group became tense due to Sasuke's perilous situation, and some even began asking Roy if he could help Sasuke out of his predicament.
However, Roy remained unusually calm, a faint smile on his lips, as if everything was under control.
As an observer familiar with the plot, he knew the truth behind this battle well—although Haku's methods were fierce, he had no real intention of killing the two.
As Roy predicted, the subsequent development of the story validated his judgment.
Facing the nearly fatal attack, Sasuke awakened his one-tomoe Sharingan in desperation, trying to turn the tide with this newfound power, but even so, he couldn't fully defend against Haku's Water Release ninjutsu.
Yet, at this critical moment of life and death, Naruto unleashed an astonishing power: the power of the Nine-Tails awakened within him. This breathtaking battle came to an end in an unexpected way.
All of this was within Roy's expectations. He nodded silently; the storyline had been confirmed once again.