"You didn't go back all night. Are you planning to stay here until the mission is over?" Kusuo said with a smile, holding his sword, as Naruto was still freaking out about Haku being a boy.
"Kusuo! You're here!" Seeing that Kusuo had come to find him personally, Naruto's mood immediately shifted to excitement. He leaned in close, his eyes gleaming. "I've already learned how to climb trees! Come look!"
With that, Naruto looked at the large tree beside them, took a deep breath, and focused his chakra on his feet.
Tap! Tap!
A series of rapid footsteps echoed. Naruto really did climb the large tree step by step, light and fast, until he was standing at the very top. He waved his hands excitedly. "Look, look! Kusuo, I did it! Aren't I amazing?!"
Seeing the satisfied smile on Naruto's face, Kusuo just shook his head. With a flick of his wrist, he moved the sword he was cradling to hang at his waist. "If you don't come down soon, Asuma-sensei is going to get angry, you know."
With that, Kusuo turned to leave. Hearing this, Naruto was dumbfounded. "Huh???" Then, in a flash, he scrambled down the tree, even taking a tumble in his haste.
"Ouch! Kusuo, why didn't you say so earlier?! Let's go, quick! Otherwise, Asuma-sensei is going to be really mad!" With that, Naruto dashed back in a hurry.
Watching Naruto's anxious departing figure, the smile on Kusuo's face slowly faded. He thought of Haku, whom he had just met. "The next time we meet, I won't hold back..."
At the docks, Asuma was already waiting with Hinata. Kusuo was responsible for getting Naruto, and then they would all depart together. Inari hadn't come to see them off, so it was only Tazuna and his daughter, Tsunami. At this moment, both of their faces showed a degree of reluctance, whether it was out of gratitude for having their lives saved or a hidden hope that they would stay. But they also knew it was impossible. These were great ninja from the Village Hidden in the Leaves; how could they possibly halt their journey for a small matter like theirs?
"Asuma-sensei! I'm here!" From a distance, Naruto came running, waving his arms. Behind him followed Kusuo, who didn't appear to be running but whose speed was not slow, walking with a leisurely gait.
"You brat! You leave a note and then don't come back all night! What would you have done if you ran into danger?" Asuma said, rapping his fist on Naruto's head. Seeing him covered in dirt and grass, he felt a pang of sympathy.
"Hehe," Naruto scratched his head with a goofy grin.
"Ho ho, it looks like you're all here. Saves me the trouble of having to look for you."
Suddenly, a thick fog rolled in, the white mist moving on its own without any wind. A sinister voice drifted into their ears.
Tazuna's face went pale with terror. Zabuza! Although he had only heard that voice once, he would never forget it, as it was the voice of the man he had barely escaped from thanks to Naruto.
"This is bad! Tsunami, get back quickly! It's dangerous here!" Without time to react, Tazuna subconsciously tried to send his daughter home.
But... "Too late!"
Swoosh!
A shadow flashed past. Zabuza, carrying his Executioner's Blade, had already cut into the gap between them.
POW!
Decisive in his actions and ruthless in his methods, Zabuza didn't waste time on words. He struck with his sword immediately. The sheer power of a full-force swing from the heavy Executioner's Blade could be understood just from the sound of the wind it generated.
"Ah!" Tsunami, terrified by the jonin's aura and the power of the strike, screamed on the spot.
CLANG!
The sound of metal on metal rang out again, crisp and clear.
"I spared your life before. Why have you come back to die?" a calm voice asked. Reflected in Zabuza's pupils was a face as placid as still water.
"It's you, you brat!" The moment Zabuza saw Kusuo, his expression turned to fury.
After blocking Zabuza's strike with his katana, Kusuo immediately said to Asuma, "Asuma-sensei, get them back first. I'll hold him off here." His words carried an unquestionable certainty. Asuma hesitated for a moment, then chose to trust him.
He clapped Kusuo on the shoulder. "I'm leaving this to you, then. I'll get them to a safe place and be right back." Then he said to Naruto in a deep voice, "Naruto, you support Kusuo and hold Zabuza off until I return!"
"Right!" Naruto nodded forcefully, clenching his fists, full of fighting spirit.
"Tch." After being blocked by Kusuo's sword, Zabuza slammed his Executioner's Blade into the ground, creating a deep crack. "Brat, last time I was careless and fell to your blade. You won't be so lucky this time."
"Is that so," Kusuo replied, his face unchanging.
That damned expression again! What gives this brat the right to be so arrogant?! Zabuza was enraged, the calmness on Kusuo's face igniting his killing intent.
"Haku! Do it!" he finally yelled into the air.
"Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals! A Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
A flurry of snow materialized out of thin air, making the air several degrees colder. The very world seemed to change.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of ice forming suddenly surrounded them. Naruto, who had just moved up, suddenly found himself trapped by a dozen strange ice crystals, or rather, ice mirrors.
SWISH!
Countless ice needles appeared in an instant, raining down like a violent storm, like a clap of thunder.
"Ah! That hurts!" In an instant, Naruto was turned into a pincushion by countless needles. Although Haku had held back, only piercing the surface of his skin, the pain of sharp objects piercing his flesh still made Naruto scream in agony.
Kusuo casually swung his sword, shattering all the needles aimed at him, and sighed internally. This was what I foresaw would happen. As expected, Haku has made his move.
-------
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