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No matter how strong Momochi Zabuza was, he wasn't invincible.
After all, he didn't possess a heaven-defying bloodline limit like the Rinnegan!
"Die by your sword? Hahahaha!"
Zabuza laughed loudly. "A brat like you? When I graduated, I was already tired of killing!"
"Fine then. I'll use you for practice — Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
With a roar, Zabuza quickly formed hand seals. In an instant, the surroundings changed drastically. Thick mist rolled in, engulfing the area like a heavy veil, and his figure vanished from sight.
"Ye Dou, fall back!"
Kakashi shouted immediately.
Although the Hidden Mist Jutsu was a simple Water Release technique, it was extremely practical, allowing the user to control the battlefield by severely reducing visibility. Especially here — the Land of Waves, where the surrounding ocean and humid climate made Water Release techniques even more potent than in Konoha.
"Eight points…"
"Throat, spine, lungs…"
"Liver, artery, subclavian artery…"
"Kidney, heart… Where do you want me to start?"
Zabuza's chilling voice echoed through the mist. Class 7 could barely see a few feet in front of them. They closed ranks around Tazuna, not daring to move rashly.
Hidden within the dense fog, Zabuza displayed his terrifying skill. His low, ghostly voice constantly shifted locations, gnawing at their nerves, increasing the pressure, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The technique itself wasn't the terrifying part — it was Zabuza himself.
This was the man who, even as a child, had slaughtered an entire class at the Kirigakure Academy during the "Bloody Mist" era. After joining the Hidden Mist's ANBU, he became notorious for carrying out assassinations with ruthless efficiency.
Ye Dou didn't panic. Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, he raised his senses to the maximum, staying sharp for any movement around him.
"Good instincts…"
"But it's over!"
Zabuza's voice grew closer, cutting through the mist like a blade.
In the blink of an eye, Zabuza appeared right behind Ye Dou!
The mongoose, hidden nearby, urgently warned, "Ye Dou, behind you!"
Ye Dou didn't hesitate. He turned and slashed backhanded — clang!
Their blades collided, and the shockwave from the clash blew away the surrounding mist, briefly revealing Zabuza's imposing figure.
"Huh?"
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. His killing strike — one that should have felled any genin — was blocked.
Even more shocking, an immense force was pushing back through the massive Decapitating Blade. Physically, he was being overwhelmed — by a kid!?
How could this be?
Even if he was only wielding his sword one-handed — the other hand still maintaining the Hidden Mist Jutsu — it should've been enough to overpower a fresh genin.
He, Momochi Zabuza, the "Demon of the Hidden Mist," second-generation wielder of the Decapitating Blade, and a former candidate to assassinate the Mizukage himself, was being pushed back?
The veins in Zabuza's arms bulged as he tried to resist. But Ye Dou's strength was monstrous, and despite all his effort, Zabuza was forced to retreat.
Just as Zabuza thought to regain distance, Ye Dou suddenly released his blade's pressure, sidestepped, and struck with a powerful palm!
Boom!
Zabuza retreated instinctively, using the momentum to put distance between them, intending to reassess the situation.
But Ye Dou was relentless — he charged forward, slashing again with a swift, heavy strike.
Zabuza barely raised his sword to block, gritting his teeth as he was once again pushed back.
Again, Ye Dou closed the distance immediately, blade flashing through the mist.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sounds of steel crashing echoed non-stop through the thick fog.
Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, guarding Tazuna, clenched their fists. They wanted to help — but the mist was so dense they dared not move. Any wrong step might endanger themselves or their teammates.
"What's that…?"
Naruto squinted into the fog.
Through the swirling mist, they caught a faint, bright emerald green glow, constantly moving — and wherever it moved, sparks and the clash of blades would follow.
"Could it be…?"
Kakashi narrowed his visible eye. "He marked him."
Indeed — Ye Dou had used phosphorescent powder — a trick learned from his studies. Although it couldn't clearly reveal an enemy's shape, the faint glow on Zabuza's body was enough to track his movements in the dense fog.
In the Land of Waves — a land constantly shrouded in mist — this was an ingenious tactic.
"Shit! You sneaky brat!"
Zabuza finally realized what was happening.
Looking down, he spotted a faint green powder glowing on his abdomen — right where Ye Dou had slapped him earlier!
Realizing Kakashi and the others were now tracking his movements too, Zabuza roared, parried Ye Dou's sword fiercely, and dived into the nearby waters.
Splash!
He submerged himself, letting the current wash away the phosphorescent powder.
Moments later, his head broke the surface once more, and he immediately wove hand seals.
"Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Again, the thick mist rolled back over the battlefield, denser than before.
Zabuza melted into the mist, ready to continue the deadly game of hide and seek with Team 7.
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