Chapter 173: Team Nine’s First Battle

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In the thick mist, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't clearly see Momochi Zabuza's face.

But the killing intent radiating from the Kubikiribōchō sent alarms blaring in his mind.

Yet his body refused to obey.

Only now did he realize—Uchiha Itachi had never truly fought him seriously.

If he had, just this level of bloodlust would have crushed Sasuke's will.

So that bastard just wanted to torture me? To make me watch Father's death over and over?

"ARGH!"

Sasuke roared in fury.

"Sasuke!"

Uzumaki Naruto, thinking he was in danger, somehow broke free from the killing intent's grip and formed a hand seal.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A dozen Narutos charged blindly into the mist.

Zabuza raised an eyebrow.

For a genin to use such a high-level technique…

But he didn't dwell on it.

With a single swing of his blade, every clone dispersed into smoke.

Then—lightning flashed.

Even the dense fog couldn't obscure its brilliance.

A deafening thunderclap split the night.

Zabuza turned to see Sasuke's right hand crackling with concentrated Raiton chakra.

The next instant, the enraged Uchiha lunged at him.

"Not bad… for a brat."

Zabuza smirked at the straightforward attack.

"Mist Teleportation Jutsu!"

His form blurred, reappearing behind Sasuke—

—and kicked him straight into a tree.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke gasped, struggling to rise.

Naruto gritted his teeth but didn't act recklessly.

Though he couldn't see Zabuza, he could feel his malice.

With Minato's guidance from the seal space, he quickly pinpointed the enemy's location.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets!"

Naruto exhaled sharply, firing compressed air projectiles from his mouth.

Zabuza blocked with his sword, but his smirk faded.

These aren't ordinary genin.

Still—too inexperienced.

With a flick of his wrist, the Kubikiribōchō went spinning toward Naruto.

The boy barely dodged in time.

"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"

Zabuza's free hand shot out, encasing the charging Sasuke in a swirling orb of water.

"Wha—?!"

Sasuke's eyes widened.

Even his two-tomoe Sharingan couldn't track the move.

Zabuza caught his returning blade—

—and swung down.

"Gotcha!"

A golden flash intercepted the strike.

Naruto's Rasengan collided with the sword, the impact wrenching it from Zabuza's grip.

But the missing-nin recovered instantly, roundhouse-kicking Naruto across the clearing.

"Annoying pests."

Zabuza scowled.

I've wasted too much time on these brats.

As he turned to finish Sasuke, the downed Naruto poofed into smoke.

A clone?!

Before he could react—

"RASENGAN!"

The real Naruto struck from behind, the spiraling sphere tearing through Zabuza's back—

—only for the body to dissolve into water.

But the Water Prison shattered, freeing Sasuke.

"Impressive."

Zabuza emerged from the mist, voice icy.

"But this ends now."

"Silent Killing Jutsu!"

A crimson haze erupted, merging with the fog.

Zabuza vanished completely.

Sasuke's Sharingan darted frantically—useless.

The suffocating bloodlust returned, locking his muscles.

"Sasuke, follow my lead!"

Naruto elbowed him, whispering.

"I can barely sense him."

Sasuke stared.

How are you resisting the killing intent?!

And tracking him?!

…Am I really this far behind?

His Sharingan pulsed violently.

THUD!

Zabuza struck before they could react.

A double kick sent both boys skidding across the dirt.

The Kubikiribōchō whistled through the air—

BOOM!

The ground exploded.

But Zabuza's blade met only earth.

He glared at the trio now standing meters away.

"Help Hinata."

Sasame released Naruto and Sasuke, smiling.

"You've done well. Leave the rest to me."

"No!"

Sasuke spat blood, defiant.

"I'll defeat him!"

"This isn't about pride, idiot!"

Naruto grabbed his arm.

They'd pushed themselves to the limit.

Without tapping into Kurama's chakra, victory was impossible.

"But—"

Sasuke's protest died in his throat.

His jaw dropped.

The battle was already over.

Before he could blink.

Sasame had simply stepped forward—

—and punched.

No fancy techniques. No wasted movement.

Zabuza snarled at the insult.

Hokage or not, you're dead!

He swung the Kubikiribōchō with enough force to part the mist itself—

"Flying Thunder God."

Sasame vanished.

"GUH—?!"

The punch connected with Zabuza's spine, launching him like a ragdoll.

CRASH!

The missing-nin cratered the earth, bones shattered, blood frothing at his lips.

"Too… fast…"

Naruto rubbed his eyes.

One second, Zabuza stood.

The next—obliterated.

Had this been some no-name genin, he might've believed it.

But he'd felt Zabuza's strength firsthand.

Minato had briefed him—this was one of Kiri's legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

And Sasame-sensei crushed him like an ant.

"Flying Thunder God plus monstrous strength."

Minato sighed in Naruto's mindscape.

"He's surpassed me."

"And he's still young," Kushina added grimly.

With Wood Release, Sage Mode, and now this?

Sasame was unstoppable.

"Quit gawking."

Sasame's voice snapped the boys back to reality.

They scrambled to aid Hinata.

——

Sasame had observed Hinata's duel with Haku earlier.

A stalemate.

The real threat was Haku's Ice Mirrors—allowing near-lightspeed movement between reflections while pelting foes with senbon.

In the original timeline, this technique had overwhelmed Naruto and Sasuke.

But Hinata's Byakugan nullified its advantage.

No amount of speed could deceive her all-seeing eyes.

Sasame picked up the Kubikiribōchō, then shrugged.

Useless to me.

But perhaps Mei would pay for it.

Zabuza and Haku too.

Killing them offered a one-time Fate Point payout.

Handing them over to Mei?

Recurring dividends.

Besides, releasing them posed zero risk to him.

Might as well earn some Mizukage favor.

"Sasame-nii, behind you!"

Hinata's cry came too late.

Haku—mask cracked—lunged from the mist, hands flying through seals.

"Ice Style: Thousand Flying Needles!"

A storm of senbon rained down, precision-aimed to avoid Zabuza.

Sasame didn't even turn.

"Cute."

He flickered—

—grabbed Haku's wrist—

—and slammed him into the dirt beside Zabuza.

"You okay?"

He ruffled Hinata's hair.

"I… I failed."

She hung her head. "He got past me."

"You held your own against a jonin-level opponent."

Sasame glanced at Naruto and Sasuke—both sulking.

The fight had ended too abruptly.

All credit to him, none to them.

Even their teamwork against Haku had failed.

Had the boy not rushed to save Zabuza, he'd have escaped.

"Cheer up."

Sasame clapped.

"One's an elite jonin, the other a special jonin. Beating them would've been absurd."

Naruto, informed by Minato, just nodded.

But Sasuke and Hinata stiffened.

Jonin?!

That changed everything.

For genin to perform this well was… exceptional.

Hinata exhaled in relief.

At least I didn't disappoint Sasame-nii.

Sasuke, however, fell deep into thought.

If I could reach Sasame-sensei's level…

Could I kill Itachi?

For the first time, he fully acknowledged his young teacher.

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