Chapter 152: The Second Confrontation
Dawn brought with it an unnatural stillness to the great bridge. As the team arrived for another day's work, they immediately sensed something was wrong. The morning mist hung thick and oppressive, far denser than usual, pressing against their skin with an uncomfortable, damp chill.
Kakashi's expression sharpened instantly. This wasn't natural weather—he understood that much immediately. It seemed their escaped enemy had returned for round two.
"Looks like our friend is back," Kakashi's voice cut through the heavy fog. "Satsuki, Sakura—your job is to protect the bridge builder! Naruto, stay alert and be ready for an attack from any direction!"
The team quickly formed a defensive formation, with Sakura and Satsuki positioning themselves around Tazuna. Naruto focused his senses, searching for any unusual chakra fluctuations in the surrounding mist.
Then, Zabuza's voice echoed from all directions, dripping with killing intent as it reverberated through the fog.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi... and you too, blond brat. I'd suggest you stop wasting your time. This time, that old man dies for sure!"
As his words faded—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Multiple figures burst from the dense mist without warning! All bore Zabuza's appearance, wielding massive swords as they launched a coordinated assault on the defensive circle from different angles.
"Move out!"
At Kakashi's command, the battle erupted instantly!
Naruto and Satsuki intercepted the charging "Zabuza" copies. Naruto dropped low in a swift dodge, precisely avoiding a horizontal slash, then pivoted from his core and unleashed a devastating "Leaf Whirlwind" kick!
"Thump!" The dull impact echoed as the "Zabuza" he struck immediately collapsed into a puddle of clear water—just a water clone.
Meanwhile, Satsuki's Sharingan tracked every attack trajectory with perfect clarity. She gracefully sidestepped a descending blade, then instantly activated the Body Flicker Technique. Her form flickered like lightning, reappearing behind another water clone. Her kunai traced a cold arc through the air, precisely slicing across the "enemy's" throat. Another clone dissolved into water.
"I'm not afraid anymore," Satsuki whispered to herself, her Sharingan blazing with determination. Compared to that pain worse than death itself... this level of killing intent was nothing to fear!
Just as Naruto finished clearing the remaining water clones with his taijutsu, Satsuki's Sharingan caught a subtle glint of reflected light through the mist—almost imperceptible, coming from their left flank!
Her wrist flicked, and several shuriken flew from her hand, cutting through the air with sharp whistles toward that position!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The crisp sound of metal on metal rang out! Several senbon needles that had been aimed at Sakura and Tazuna were intercepted mid-flight and knocked aside by Satsuki's precisely thrown shuriken.
"What a couple of troublesome brats. Looks like you've found your opponents, Haku."
Zabuza's voice emerged from the mist again, and two figures slowly materialized from the low-visibility fog—the fully healed and even more dangerous Momochi Zabuza, accompanied by a silent youth wearing a Hidden Mist ANBU mask.
Kakashi's gaze immediately locked onto the masked boy. So he was the one who used Ice Style to rescue Zabuza that day?
"So that's the backup you found, Zabuza?" Kakashi spoke in his characteristic lazy, mocking tone. "Still wearing a mask, I see... I've always hated the sneaky types who hide behind things like that."
Seeing Haku's figure, Naruto immediately volunteered for the fight. "Kakashi-sensei, let me handle the masked guy! He doesn't look that strong anyway."
Haku quietly observed Naruto, the boy he'd briefly encountered a few mornings ago. His voice remained gentle beneath the mask. "I see... so you're the one who gave Zabuza-san so much trouble?"
"You should prepare yourself, Haku," Zabuza commanded. "Go on, but don't underestimate him."
"Yes, Zabuza-san." Haku bowed respectfully.
The next instant, Haku's form vanished without warning! When he reappeared, he was directly in front of Naruto using the Body Flicker Technique!
So fast! Even Kakashi felt a jolt of surprise. This enemy, who appeared only a few years older than Naruto, possessed such incredible speed!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A rapid series of sharp metallic impacts exploded between them! Naruto reacted with lightning reflexes, his kunai precisely deflecting the senbon needles from Haku's hands.
Immediately after, Haku twisted his body, disengaging from the brief weapon exchange to launch a flowing, continuous taijutsu assault! But Naruto's foundation in close combat was equally solid, and he managed to counter and block each of Haku's attacks through their exchange of punches and kicks!
Seeing this, Satsuki didn't hesitate for a moment before moving to support him. Her hands moved swiftly, launching several shuriken connected to nearly invisible chakra threads. The weapons traced strange arcs through the air, bypassing the fighting Naruto to strike precisely at Haku's exposed back.
Haku immediately sensed the threat from behind. Amazingly, he continued blocking and parrying Naruto's taijutsu attacks with one hand while his other hand began forming seals at an incredible speed and dexterity—with just one hand.
Witnessing this display, even Kakashi couldn't help but exclaim in shock. "One-handed seals?! That kind of technique... I've never seen it done before..."
Dad really kept that one under wraps, didn't he... Hearing Kakashi's amazement, Naruto couldn't help but comment internally.
Just before Satsuki's shuriken could connect, a thick, solid ice mirror instantly formed behind Haku! "Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!" The shuriken were all blocked by the ice mirror, embedding in its surface.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Crash!"
Without missing a beat, Satsuki gripped the chakra threads connecting her shuriken and rapidly completed the hand seals for her lightning jutsu! The next moment, visible arcs of violent, crackling electricity raced along the transparent chakra threads.
BOOM!
Brilliant lightning struck the ice mirror with devastating force! The solid ice couldn't withstand such violent electrical assault and instantly shattered into countless fragments, ice shards scattering in all directions!
Haku sensed the danger but remained calm, beginning another series of one-handed seals.
The moment the ice mirror exploded, Satsuki's form appeared behind him as if by teleportation! Her kunai, charged with cold killing intent, thrust mercilessly toward Haku's back.
But Haku had already completed his next jutsu. "Ice Style: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!."
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