The Rematch

"What's wrong? You look down. Missing Hinata?" Sasuke asked, eyeing Nanfeng's displeased expression.

"I have been away for so long that I do miss Hinata, but that's not why I look so gloomy today. I actually got handed a 'good guy card'!" Nanfeng said indignantly, venting all his frustration into the bowl of food in front of him.

This time, they weren't staying with Tazuna. Instead, they'd used the supplies they'd brought along and some nearby lumber to build a simple cabin. The reason was that Nanfeng didn't like the little brat at Tazuna's house.

Naruto, however, seemed to have been visiting the boy quite often over the past few days. They appeared to be getting along well.

It seemed there was always some mysterious force in the shadows trying to restore every change to the way things had been. Unfortunately, this mysterious force was limited. Compared to Nanfeng, that bug in the system, it was still far too weak.

"Good guy card? What's that? Sounds like it means you're a good person. Isn't that a compliment?" Naruto swallowed his food and mumbled indistinctly.

Kakashi, meanwhile, wore a rather complicated expression, as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Naruto, Sasuke, you're still young, so you might not understand. Let your teacher explain it, and you'll see!" Kakashi wore a strange smile as he explained the whole thing to them. Afterward, everyone looked at Nanfeng rather oddly.

Or perhaps... with pity?

"Nanfeng, you may have been rejected, but you still have Hinata. Don't you dare become a two-timing man! Your teacher would be the first to look down on you!" Kakashi said earnestly, patting Nanfeng on the shoulder.

"Get lost. If you want to be itching all over tomorrow, I'd be happy to make that wish come true!" Nanfeng said through gritted teeth.

At that, everyone immediately shut their mouths. They might not know much about other things, but when it came to poison, Nanfeng was second to none. Even Kakashi, a Jonin, sometimes inexplicably fell victim to it. That only deepened their respect for Medical Ninjas.

"I just met a girl gathering herbs while I was training. I hadn't even said a word before she told me I was a good person. Who could take that?" Nanfeng said irritably.

Kakashi's expression turned a little odd, but after exchanging a look with Nanfeng, he understood what was going on.

"By the way, construction on the bridge in the Land of Waves is nearing completion tomorrow. The number of wandering samurai who've been coming to harass us has increased considerably these past few days, and the workload has gotten more complicated," Kakashi said, as if in passing.

"Anyway, all the hidden snakes and rats will come out tomorrow. Get a good night's rest and conserve your strength. Tomorrow will probably be a tough fight!" Nanfeng said, tossing his lunchbox to Naruto. Washing dishes was obviously his little brother's job. He was determined to stick to his plan of getting a good rest.

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, the four of them appeared near the bridge, looking serious. Sure enough, Gato had sent a large group of wandering samurai to the bridgehead to obstruct the final stages of construction.

"You're here. Things are looking a little grim, and they have a ninja on their side too—the same one you fought last time..." Tazuna said, looking at a figure in the crowd across from them with lingering fear.

He knew Kakashi was an Elite Jonin, yet he'd still ended up in a draw with Zabuza. Now the two were back for another fight... Would the bridge withstand the shock waves of their battle? Still, once they dealt with the threat Gato posed, everything else should be easy to sort out.

"We meet again. But this time won't be like last time, because I've brought a companion with me." Momochi Zabuza gave Team 7 a chilling smile.

"So it really was you. The one who took your body back then wasn't a pursuing unit after all. It's a shame I wasn't in good shape at the time, but now I can wipe you all out in one go." Kakashi paid no heed to Zabuza's threat.

Threats were the least useful things in a ninja's arsenal. They couldn't even break through someone's defenses—especially not someone like Kakashi, whose heart had long since been hollowed out.

"So it was you. I thought your silhouette looked familiar back then. But you didn't attack me. You're a good person too." Nanfeng looked at Yuki Haku across from him with a gentle smile, silently returning the good guy card Haku had given him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't attack you then because I knew we'd fight again. It seemed better to settle things here, all at once, don't you think?" Yuki Haku put on his mask and faced Nanfeng.

"Do you remember what I told you back then?" Nanfeng suddenly asked.

Though he didn't know why Nanfeng was asking, Yuki Haku nodded instinctively.

"Let's go!" Nanfeng said no more. He quickly formed up with Naruto and Sasuke, then charged toward Yuki Haku.

"Ice Release: Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals!" Yuki Haku's hand seals were strange—he formed them with one hand. Kakashi couldn't help looking surprised.

"A survivor of the Yuki Clan. You're lucky to have found a companion like him," Kakashi said with a frown.

"Throughout ninja history, the abilities of the Mizuki Clan were no weaker than the Sharingan before it matured. Judging by the way he looks, yours is still just an immature Sharingan. You have even fewer tomoe than an outsider like yourself. Do you really think it can stand against fully developed Ice Release?" Momochi Zabuza said proudly.

"That remains to be seen. These are my students, whom I'm proud of. Their abilities are beyond your imagination!" As they spoke, Kakashi and Momochi Zabuza had already begun clashing in Taijutsu. Naruto and Sasuke were also doing everything they could to melt the ice crystals in front of them.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" A huge fireball burst from Sasuke's mouth. Its scorching heat even seemed to distort the surrounding air, but it appeared to have little effect on the ice crystals created by this Kekkei Genkai!

"How is that possible? That was the Great Fireball at my maximum chakra output. How could it have no effect at all?" Sasuke stood frozen, staring at what was happening in disbelief.

"Secret Technique: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!" While Sasuke was still stunned, Yuki Haku's body moved swiftly inside the ice crystals, and a barrage of senbon shot toward them!