Alert! Haku

"What's the Sharingan? What is the Sharingan?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke explained the Sharingan's characteristics to Naruto, then said, "I never expected our teacher to have an Uchiha Clan Sharingan." Naruto froze. "The Uchiha Clan?"

"Heh heh, an excellent explanation. But it seems your students don't know what their teacher is capable of." Zabuza said. "The Sharingan can see through an opponent's ninjutsu in an instant and copy it. Back when I was in Kirigakure's Assassination Squad, I carried a handbook with your information in it. This was how it described you: the man who copied over a thousand ninjutsu, Copy Ninja Kakashi." As he spoke, mist began to rise around them. Sasuke did not dare lower his guard and drew a kunai defensively.

"You've talked too much. Now I need to take that old man's head." Zabuza pulled his massive blade from the tree, leaped onto the lake ahead, and used the Hidden Mist Technique.

Sasuke immediately shouted, "You two, get over here and form a defensive formation." Naruto and Sakura promptly joined Sasuke in surrounding Tazuna. The mist grew thicker and thicker until Sasuke could only see Kakashi's back. Zabuza's voice rang out again, still spouting his usual theories on assassination. Sasuke ignored the temptation in his voice and refused to be cowed by his killing intent. In fact, that killing intent caused his mental strength to grow somewhat. Still, Sasuke did not like this kind of growth. It was too abrupt. But he had no choice—he was simply too weak right now, weak enough to feel pressure from Zabuza's killing intent.

"You carry such a huge sword, yet you talk about human organs with such precision. You really are a weirdo," Sasuke suddenly mocked. "Oh? A brave little brat. But you'll die quickly too."

Kakashi suddenly released a massive amount of Chakra, blowing away the dense mist around them. "Don't worry. Even if I die, I'll protect you all," Kakashi said as he turned back. His gaze and tone truly made people feel safe, but Sasuke, knowing Kakashi would be captured later, really wanted to make a snarky remark.

"Is that really so?" The moment Zabuza finished speaking, Sasuke sensed someone charging at him. The speed was fast, but it should not have been the real body. Sasuke met it directly with his kunai, shattering the Water Clone in a single exchange before swiftly returning to his position. Kakashi had started moving as well, and the sound of clashing metal rang through the mist. Sasuke watched carefully with his Sharingan. Both men were incredibly fast and constantly created clones, while Kakashi even copied Zabuza's Water Clone Technique.

Sasuke could use it too. He had seen it in the Scroll of Seals, and only now could he begin learning B-rank ninjutsu. But it consumed far too much Chakra to use often. Copying the two men's Taijutsu was not bad either, but where was Haku? He needed to make preparations, yet Haku's location was still uncertain. He did not want to fight them again a week later. The best option was to kill them here, then go deal with Gato too. Sasuke strongly suspected that Gato's wealth had ultimately fallen into Konoha's hands, and he also suspected several Anbu were following him. But none of that had anything to do with him right now. He needed an opportunity to secretly use ninjutsu.

Kakashi was finally captured. Zabuza's clone kicked Naruto away, leaving his Forehead Protector behind. Sakura and Tazuna felt waves of fear. Naruto's body trembled as he unconsciously wanted to turn and run.

"Naruto, do you remember what I told you?" Sasuke would not act at this moment. Naruto had to fight. "A ninja must be prepared to kill and be killed. Kakashi-sensei is trapped now. If you want to run, I'll help you hold Zabuza back. But after that, don't ever think about becoming Hokage again." Sasuke's voice was ice-cold.

"Haha, hold me back? You're an interesting brat. You beat one of my clones and now you don't know your own limits." Sure enough, Zabuza was still taunting Sasuke at a time like this.

Naruto stopped moving. He must have been struggling fiercely inside. He needed another push. "Your Forehead Protector was trampled under someone's foot. It was Iruka-sensei's graduation gift to you. It is proof that you are a Konoha ninja. What are you going to do?"

Naruto stood up with his head lowered, clenching his fists. Although his hands were not injured, Sasuke's words had worked. Sasuke stopped paying attention after that, casually agreeing to Naruto's plan until Naruto threw the cross-shaped shuriken to him.

Holding the cross-shaped shuriken, Sasuke knew Naruto had still done it. He immediately leaped up. "Fuma Shuriken, Shadow Windmill!" This kind of shuriken was useless against a Jonin, so Zabuza had completely let down his guard. Naruto successfully rescued Kakashi.

"Sasuke, what do you think of my plan?" Naruto shouted happily from the water. Sasuke said nothing and merely gave him a thumbs-up. Naruto needed praise at a time like this. But Sasuke's opportunity had come as well. As long as Kakashi and Zabuza fought on the water, massive currents would surge toward the shore. It was a good opportunity.

"Water Release! Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" Two water dragons collided, sending the lake water surging and churning. Massive currents crashed onto the shore, but Sasuke felt the flow was too weak. This would not work. Next, Kakashi used psychological warfare to make Zabuza hesitate for a moment, then seized the chance to use the Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique. This was a much better opportunity. Sasuke deliberately fell into the water. Sakura found it strange. She was standing on the water's surface, so why had Sasuke been swept away?

Kakashi attacked Zabuza's limbs with four kunai. "Why? Can you see the future?" Zabuza asked. "That's right," Kakashi had barely finished speaking when two Senbon flew in from the distance and struck Zabuza's neck. A masked youth appeared in a nearby tree. "Thank you so much. I've been looking for a chance to kill Zabuza."

"That mask... so you're from Kirigakure's Hunter-nin?" Kakashi asked. "Hunter-nin?" Naruto had completely forgotten what was in the textbooks, or perhaps he had never read them at all. Sakura, the top student, began explaining it to him. Sasuke stepped forward and placed his fingers against Zabuza's neck. There truly was no pulse, but it was clearly sealed off. Sasuke's body blocked Haku's line of sight as blue light flickered around his fingers. He used Chakra to probe deeper, and Zabuza was not dead.

But Sasuke still raised his head and looked at Kakashi. "He's dead." Naruto felt terrible at that moment. "Why could a brat my age so easily kill someone as powerful as Zabuza?" Naruto had worked so hard just to injure Zabuza, but Haku's appearance dealt him a huge blow. Kakashi went over to comfort him, while Sasuke did not move. Haku had already descended from the tree, preparing to take Zabuza away.

Pretending to walk back, Sasuke suddenly turned around and hurled eight kunai in one burst. They targeted not only Haku, but Zabuza as well. The abrupt change made Naruto shut his mouth. Sakura covered her mouth with wide eyes, while Tazuna did not move at all, standing there stiffly in a daze. Kakashi frowned, seeming to realize something.

At that moment, Haku had just lifted Zabuza's body. He could dodge, but Zabuza could not.