A heavy silence fell over the surroundings.
In the fog-covered forest, everything seemed to freeze.
Uchiha Sasuke stared at the blond figure in front of him. The lingering pressure from Zabuza's blade still brushed against his neck, cold and sharp. And yet, the hand holding that blade had been stopped. By Naruto. That same Naruto he had always looked down on.
He… blocked a Jonin's attack?
How is that even possible?!
Sasuke's mind went blank.
"Naruto!"
Sakura covered her mouth, her voice trembling in shock. Inside the water prison, Kakashi felt his heart tighten. No one understood Zabuza Momochi's strength better than him. That was a Water Clone far beyond what a Genin should be able to handle. And yet Naruto not only kept up with it He stopped it head-on.
This kid… has changed so much after just one failure?
"Interesting…"
Zabuza's Water Clone narrowed his eyes, staring at Naruto's hand gripping his wrist.
The strength behind that grip was overwhelming he couldn't move at all.
"Looks like I underestimated you, brat."
He tried to pull his hand away, but Naruto's grip didn't budge.
"Let go."
His other hand turned into a blade and slashed toward Naruto's neck.
Naruto's eyes sharpened, but his body reacted just a bit too slow.
Damn it!.
This body is still too weak.
The coordination between Cursed Energy and Chakra isn't stable yet.
He barely tilted his head.
Slash!
The attack grazed his face, leaving a shallow cut. That was close. Taking that moment, the Water Clone broke free and leapt backward, widening the distance. He shook his numb wrist, killing intent rising as veins bulged on his forehead.
"Not bad. Your speed's decent, and your strength isn't bad either."
"But that alone won't be enough."
His figure vanished again. Naruto focused, sensing the flow of energy around him. Back at Jujutsu High, he was already used to sensing Cursed Energy to track enemies.Chakra and Cursed Energy might be different. But they were both still energy. Left. Naruto rolled to the right.
Boom!
The executioner's blade slammed into the ground where he had been, blasting a small crater. The attack didn't stop. The blade swept sideways with a sharp whistling sound. Naruto had just gotten up and couldn't steady himself in time, so he could only bend backward awkwardly.
The blade passed just inches from his nose.
Too passive. Irritation rose in Naruto's chest.
His instincts were still at the level of fighting Special Grade Cursed Spirits but this body was only that of a twelve-year-old Genin. His mind and body weren't in sync. And that mismatch was holding him back in every move.
"Pathetic, brat!"
The Water Clone pressed harder.
The massive blade shifted between heavy swings and tricky angles.
Naruto could only keep dodging under the flashing blade, barely holding on.
"Damn it!"
Sasuke clenched his teeth as he watched.
He couldn't accept this.
He had been blown away in one move
Yet Naruto, the dead last, was still fighting.
Worse Naruto was only in danger because he tried to save him! The pride of the Uchiha wouldn't allow him to just stand there.
"I'll help you!"
Sasuke rushed forward with a kunai.
"Don't come!"
Naruto shouted immediately. Too late.
"In the way."
Without even turning around, the Water Clone kicked Sasuke in the stomach.
Bang!
Sasuke was sent flying, crashing hard into a tree before sliding down and coughing up blood.
"Sasuke!"
Sakura ran to him in panic. Naruto's expression darkened slightly as he saw Sasuke on the ground. At Jujutsu High, he had seen Nanami die protecting his juniors. Back then, he swore He wouldn't let a comrade die again.
…Time to end this.
Naruto slowly straightened up and stopped dodging. Chakra and Cursed Energy began to move together inside his body. Two completely incompatible forces were forced to merge. Pain tore through his chakra Pathway. But Naruto only frowned.
This kind of pain…
Was nothing compared to Sukuna's slashes.
What he needed Was a moment of perfect balance.
"Giving up?"
The Water Clone sneered, thinking Naruto had reached his limit. He raised the executioner's blade and brought it down.
"This is the end."
Naruto didn't move. His eyes locked onto the enemy through the falling blade.
Now. At the last possible moment He moved. With a tiny shift, he dodged the blade by a hair's breadth. At the same time, he clenched his fist. Power surged. Chakra's vastness and Cursed Energy's precision aligned perfectly.
"What?!"
The Water Clone froze. Too late.
Boom!
"Black Flash!"
The world seemed to lose color.
A fist wrapped in black lightning slammed into his chin. The Water Clone was blasted upward Then exploded into water midair.
Splash!
Gone.
"…What?!"
Sakura stared in shock. Sasuke forced himself to look up, eyes filled with disbelief.
Inside the water prison, Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly. That punch it wasn't just Chakra. There was something else mixed in.
Something dark… something unknown.
"Haa…"
Naruto exhaled slowly, shaking his slightly numb fist. It worked. His body was starting to adapt. Still rough but usable.
"Not bad, brat."
Zabuza's real body finally looked at Naruto seriously. His left hand maintained the water prison. His right hand began forming seals again. But Naruto moved first. No hesitation.
In the Jujutsu world, he learned one thing
Never give your enemy time. He dashed forward like a flash of yellow.
Fast.
Too fast.
Zabuza's eyes widened. He stopped forming seals and grabbed the executioner's blade.
With one arm, he swung it in a wide arc.
The air roared. But Naruto saw everything clearly. He lowered his body And slipped under the blade.
Too close. Zabuza's instincts screamed.
He raised the blade defensively.
Too late.
Boom!
"Black Flash!!"
Crack!
Crack!
The blade shattered.
Fragments exploded into the air.
The force slammed into Zabuza's chest.
"Pfft!"
He coughed blood as he was blasted away
Crashing through multiple trees before disappearing into the distance.