Chapter 146: Another Butterfly Effect
After landing, the group traveled along the damp, muddy forest paths of the Land of Waves toward Tazuna's residence.
Throughout the journey, Tazuna appeared restless and uneasy. He constantly felt a vague, bone-chillingly cold terror following him like a shadow, making his back break out in cold sweats.
He didn't know where this chill came from—whether it stemmed from fear of Gato's pursuit or something else... He could only place all his hopes on Team 7, hoping these Konoha ninja could protect him when real danger arrived.
However, he didn't realize that the terror making his spine crawl came from one of his escorts. Every time Satsuki seemingly casually glanced at him, her gaze was cold as if looking at a dead man.
Though Naruto had decided to continue the mission and she chose to comply, thinking that all the potential dangers ahead stemmed from this old man's lies made the killing intent in her heart impossible to calm.
If something happens to Naruto because of this level of mission... I'll definitely kill you with my own hands!
The team proceeded cautiously. As they walked, the dense bushes beside the road suddenly rustled unnaturally...
A wild rabbit? Sakura instinctively thought, trying to ease her tension.
But the next second—"Watch out!"
Naruto's warning came almost simultaneously with the subtle sound of something cutting through air!
Sakura and Tazuna reacted extremely quickly, immediately crouching upon hearing the sound! A cold gleam flew over their heads!
Meanwhile, Naruto and Kakashi had already determined the attack trajectory the moment the sound rang out. Both simultaneously grabbed kunai and precisely swung forward!
Clang! Clang!
Two crisp sounds of metal striking metal rang out as the incoming projectiles were successfully deflected and fell powerlessly to the ground.
On the other side, Satsuki performed a swift sideways jump, avoiding the cold light aimed at her.
The attack paused, and everyone immediately looked at the object that had been knocked to the ground.
"Shuriken?"
Naruto looked at the ordinary-looking shuriken on the ground, feeling puzzled. This kind of probing attack didn't seem quite like...
Just then, a tall, burly figure silently descended from the treetops, looking down at everyone below from his elevated position, revealing his face.
Naruto instantly recognized this guy—Momochi Zabuza.
Half his face was wrapped in white bandages, his black short hair stood on end, and his entire body emanated the sharp killing intent of a battle-hardened veteran.
And that signature Executioner's Blade...?
Where's the Executioner's Blade?
Naruto was stunned. Zabuza's back wasn't carrying that absurdly massive cleaver—instead, there was only what appeared to be quite an ordinary standard-issue long sword.
Why? Naruto's heart filled with bewilderment and confusion. Was this another change caused by the butterfly effect?
"Oh? Isn't this the rogue ninja from Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza?" Kakashi's tone still carried his characteristic laziness, but all his muscles had already tensed.
"I didn't expect this mission would have the honor of 'visiting' Konoha's Copy Ninja, Sharingan Kakashi." Zabuza spoke. "No wonder the Demon Brothers failed."
"Sorry for ruining your subordinates' 'good work.'" Kakashi replied indifferently. "But it wasn't me who defeated them."
"Such trivial matters don't concern me."
Zabuza pointed at Tazuna being protected behind them. "Sorry, but our chat ends here. Could you hand over that old man behind you? This is personal business between him and me."
The two casually exchanged business compliments, but their gazes were locked dead on each other in the air, battle about to erupt at any moment.
When Satsuki heard the title "Sharingan Kakashi," her heart stirred slightly.
After returning home on team assignment day, when her father Uchiha Fugaku learned her supervising Jonin was Kakashi, he had specifically told her about this Copy Ninja's achievements. The most important point was—Hatake Kakashi was the only ninja outside the Uchiha clan to successfully obtain and wield Sharingan power...
Just then, Naruto actively stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi, his gaze burning as he looked at the powerful enemy ahead.
"Kakashi-sensei, let me help." Naruto's voice was full of confidence. "Let's work together to defeat this troublesome guy quickly and finish the mission sooner."
Kakashi glanced at Naruto beside him, immediately recalling the taijutsu, reaction speed, and calm judgment far exceeding Genin level that Naruto had displayed during the bell-snatching exercise. After brief consideration, he made his decision.
"Alright then."
Kakashi nodded, but his tone became particularly serious. "But you must prioritize protecting yourself! Remember, unless you reach true desperation, absolutely do not use that power on your own, understood? That power's burden and risks for you are still unknown."
Faced with Kakashi's warning, Naruto readily agreed. "I understand, sensei."
However, in his heart, he quickly assessed the power comparison between both sides.
Though saying this might seem somewhat arrogant... Zabuza, for him, might only count as a small fry on the roadside.
Watching Naruto unhesitatingly stand shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi, preparing to face the intimidating rogue ninja from Kirigakure, Satsuki instinctively felt intense unease and worry surge in her heart, almost wanting to step forward and stop him.
But ultimately, she forcibly suppressed this impulse, once again pressing that protective instinct threatening to burst forth back into the depths of her heart. Only her tightly clenched hands had knuckles already pale from exertion.
"Satsuki, Sakura, don't get involved in the battle. Protect Tazuna-san."
Kakashi gave orders while simultaneously raising his hand, lifting the Konoha forehead protector that had always covered his left eye, revealing the three-tomoe Sharingan beneath that couldn't be closed.
"The boring chat ends here."
Zabuza's voice came through the gradually thickening mist. "I need to hurry and kill that old man."
With his words, the surrounding air visibly filled with fog so dense it seemed impossible to dissolve, and visibility dropped sharply.
"To let that brat participate in the battle between us, you really are overconfident, Kakashi."
Before his words finished, Zabuza used Body Flicker to appear on the nearby lake surface. He raised one hand toward the sky while the other pressed against his chest in a seal-like gesture, striking a somewhat chuunibyou pose.
"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Technique."
With Zabuza's voice, his figure completely merged with the thick fog, disappearing from the lake surface.
However, at the same instant Zabuza's figure vanished:
"All non-combatants, stay where you are and don't move!" Naruto's voice suddenly rang out.
Before others could fully react, Naruto's hands were already flying, completing hand seals at amazing speed!
"Water Style: Water Surge!"
Instantly, a surging water flow materialized from nowhere. Rather than for attack, it spread precisely around the ground surrounding Kakashi and Naruto like something alive, forming a continuously expanding shallow water area while skillfully avoiding Satsuki, Sakura, and Tazuna who were protecting the client behind them.
"Kakashi-sensei, use Lightning Style!" Naruto immediately shouted.
Seeing the conductive water rapidly spreading across the surrounding ground, Kakashi instantly understood Naruto's tactical intention! This was to use water to conduct electricity for indiscriminate area attacks!
"I see, Lightning Style: Grateful Wave!"
Kakashi's hand seal speed left only afterimages! He lowered his head slightly, violently spitting out brilliant, hissing, leaping violent electrical currents from beneath his mask!
The lightning poured into the water at his feet and spread frantically in all directions across the water surface at terrifying speed, forming a lightning net covering an extremely large area!
"Ugh—!"
Sure enough, the next moment, from the thick fog not far from them came an involuntary grunt of shock!
Naruto's idea was simple and effective. Even if your Hidden Mist Technique could conceal your form, as long as you wanted to close in for an attack, you had to step into this water area! Under this kind of wide-area jutsu coverage, there was nowhere to hide!
Simultaneously, Naruto had already named this impromptu collaborative jutsu in his mind:
Water-Lightning Style: Heavenly Dome Water Mirror Thunder Prison Thousand Cry Annihilation First Form!
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