"Hot, hot, hot—!"
With a thud, Karin set Haku and Zabuza Momochi down in front of Wu Yu. The instant she released Sage Mode, she began grimacing and yelping. Wu Yu patted her head.
Under the bombardment of the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi's two highly acidic kekkei genkai, Lava Release and Boil Release, the Snow Country Boy, once so delicate-featured and beautiful he could pass for a woman, had scarcely any uninjured skin left. His labored breaths brought up blood-streaked saliva.
Haku ignored his own injuries and dragged his sizzling, smoking body toward Zabuza Momochi beside him. Zabuza was encased in scalding wolf-head armor, its gaps spewing hot vapor and the thick stench of blood.
"Don't move." Karin gathered a mass of Physical Healing chakra, held down the arm Haku was reaching toward Zabuza, and channeled the healing energy into his body.
Under Wu Yu's supervision, Karin had never taken the training shortcut of "just bite me." Instead, she had diligently mastered the Physical Healing Secret Technique rather than relying entirely on her inherited talent. If Wu Yu saw tooth marks on her, he could scold her all day—even if she had bitten herself out of laziness.
Though Karin complained outwardly that he meddled too much, she was secretly delighted. Who didn't like being cared for?
After receiving a dose of Physical Healing, Haku's strength began recovering rapidly. He looked up at Karin with a pleading expression.
"I can't save him," Karin hurriedly explained. "That armor has squeezed far too much life force out of him. He's practically half dead already!"
"Is that so? What a shame—"
Mei Terumi's voice suddenly drew closer, and clouds of acidic mist soon appeared around them.
"Cough, cough!"
"Ugh—"
Haku and Karin immediately reacted. Karin covered her own nose with one hand and helped