A Loyal Tool! Haku, the Ice Release Ninja

On the island.

Inari, whom Shinki had saved, knocked on the door of every resident.

He had learned from Shinki that something might have happened on the bridge under construction.

So he wanted to call the islanders together to help.

However, after Inari knocked on the islanders' doors, the villagers locked their doors before he could even finish explaining.

Their voices came from behind the doors.

"Inari, we can't change anything."

Faced with such an answer, Inari gritted his teeth.

"Other people are fighting for the Land of Waves now. If even we people of the Land of Waves aren't willing to stand up for ourselves, then there really is no hope."

Inari spoke in disappointment.

For the first time, he felt such a profound sense of helplessness.

He used to be just like them, didn't he?

"Give up, Inari. After your father died, there was no courage left in the Land of Waves."

His mother embraced the dejected Inari and spoke softly.

"No, we absolutely can't give up!"

"That's what Shinki taught me: courage and hope!"

With that, Inari refused to give up and ran off again, knocking on the next resident's door.

On the bridge, the battle between Shinki and Haku continued.

After forming Hand Seals and using Piercing Hand, lightning enveloped Shinki's palm as he thrust it straight at Haku's right shoulder with unstoppable force!

Shinki didn't want to kill Haku, so this attack was meant to incapacitate him!

"Pfft!"

The effect was immediate!

Shinki's palm pierced straight through Haku's right shoulder!

Blood trickled out!

After suffering the grievous wound, Haku painfully coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Shockingly, even after Shinki had gravely wounded him and he had coughed up blood, Haku still hadn't abandoned his Hand Seals!

"I'm Mr. Zabuza's tool. If I can't be of use, that would be true failure."

As Haku completed his Hand Seals, countless Ice Needles rose from the ground and shot toward Shinki!

At such close range, Shinki had no way to dodge!

"Why go that far?"

Shinki felt sorry for Haku.

He couldn't understand what was so good about Zabuza that the boy would go this far for him.

The next moment, Shinki instantly transferred himself using the Body Flicker Technique formula he had previously placed on Naruto!

All the Ice Needles missed.

The gravely wounded Haku clutched his wound as blood dripped onto the bridge, one drop at a time.

His gaze resolute, Haku staggered toward Shinki.

He pulled a Kunai from his ninja tool pouch and threw it toward Shinki.

Immediately afterward, he abruptly picked up speed, charging toward Shinki behind the Kunai!

"Clang!"

Shinki raised a hand to deflect Haku's Kunai, then formed Hand Seals, intending to counterattack with Lightning Release.

Just then.

Naruto and Sasuke, who were watching, saw Haku abruptly change direction as he charged toward Shinki!

Haku's target this time was Kakashi-sensei!

Sasuke hurriedly shouted a warning. "Kakashi-sensei, watch out!"

Elsewhere.

After turning, Haku ignored the horrifying wound in his right chest and charged at Kakashi, gripping a Kunai in his left hand!

In the emergency, Kakashi pulled back his hand and leaped away!

"Splash!!"

After Kakashi retreated, the Water Prison he had been maintaining came apart!

Zabuza, who had been trapped by the Water Prison Technique, was finally free!

Having regained his mobility, Zabuza's eyes gleamed fiercely.

"Haku, well done."

Zabuza patted Haku on the shoulder in satisfaction.

When he looked at the wound on Haku's chest, Zabuza's eyes flickered. Finally, he put on an indifferent expression. "As expected of a ninja tool I trained. Can you still fight?"

Haku nodded. "Of course, Mr. Zabuza."

On the battlefield atop the bridge.

Kakashi's arm was injured, while Sasuke and Naruto had been pierced all over by needles. Both were gravely wounded and had little fighting ability left.

Zabuza had taken a heavy blow to the back from Shinki's Rasengan and probably had a few broken ribs, but judging by how arrogant he looked, he clearly hadn't been affected much.

Haku was the most seriously injured. Blood was still trickling from the right side of his chest, which Shinki's Piercing Hand had pierced through.

Although his face was covered by a mask, there was no need to guess that he must be extremely pale right now.

At present, Shinki's side had the advantage.

"Give up, Zabuza. There's no need to lose your life over an assassination mission."

Kakashi tried to reason with him.

Zabuza said stubbornly, "But I really need the money to achieve my lofty ideal."

Zabuza had once attempted to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage because he was dissatisfied with the village's tyranny.

After the assassination failed, he fled the village and became a missing-nin.

His lofty ideal was to establish a land of his own.

For that, he needed a large sum of money.

"To achieve your ideal, you've hurt too many innocent people. You even helped someone like Gato do evil."

Kakashi rebuked him.

Zabuza responded with an indifferent expression. "I can't be bothered to care whether the civilians live or die."

"All right, Kakashi, and you too, brat. Let me show you what a truly terrifying killing technique looks like!"

With that, Zabuza formed Hand Seals.

He once again used his signature Hidden Mist Technique, making the mist that had thinned grow thick again!

Then.

Zabuza concentrated Chakra throughout his body.

"Whoosh!"

Red Chakra currents burst from Zabuza's entire body!

The blood-red Chakra made Zabuza look like an Asura who had emerged from hell!

In the white mist, the blood-red figure flashed repeatedly!

"In fact, I said it long ago: the same Ninjutsu won't work on me twice."

"Your Hidden Mist Technique is no exception."

Kakashi calmly pulled out a Ninjutsu scroll.

After Shinki gave him a look, Kakashi formed Hand Seals.

"Earth Release: Fang Pursuit Technique!"

Shouting aloud, Kakashi quickly slapped the battle in his hand against the ground.

The next moment!

"Rumble!"

A fissure created by Earth Release appeared beneath Zabuza's feet!

Immediately afterward!

Several Ninja Dogs burst out and bit down on his limbs, restraining him!

Earth Release: Fang Pursuit Technique was a combination technique Kakashi had created by combining Earth Release and the Summoning Technique.

Kakashi's summoned beasts could move beneath an enemy's feet using Earth Release, then instantly burst out and restrain the enemy!

The thick mist blocked their vision, but not their noses!

Ninja Dogs had a stronger sense of smell than ordinary dogs, so this technique couldn't have been more suitable for fighting Zabuza.

After Zabuza was restrained, Kakashi gave Shinki, who stood beside him, a look.

He signaled that Shinki could act.

Although he could use Lightning Release to close in on Zabuza quickly, it was much slower than Shinki's Flying Thunder God Technique.

Elsewhere, Shinki had begun forming Hand Seals as soon as Kakashi pulled out the Ninjutsu scroll.

After receiving Kakashi-sensei's signal that he could act.

Shinki used the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind Zabuza!

Zabuza was a problem as long as he lived, so Shinki intended to finish him off in one blow!

Both his lightning-shrouded hands thrust out at once!

"Pfft!!"