Zabuza briefly explained to Sasuke what a Jinchuriki was.
Sasuke immediately felt much better... So it wasn't that he was weak; Naruto was just unbelievably monstrous.
It was something Sasuke had understood long ago, but his mindset had crumbled a little earlier, and he hadn't realized it.
Now, the Sasuke who had arrogance ingrained in his very bones was back.
"The rookies from Konoha... apart from Naruto and me, they're all utterly worthless. They're so weak they can't even hold my interest."
"What about the girl on your team?"
"Obviously."
As the two exchanged questions and answers, Haku's face changed dramatically. He remembered what he'd forgotten.
"What the heck happened?"
Looking at Sakura sprawled on the ground in front of him, Naruto was bewildered. "Why... is the first thing I see when I get back you getting beaten up?"
"I'm sorry, Sakura, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
Haku kept bowing and apologizing to Sakura. She'd agreed to be his sparring partner, but he'd sent her flying with a single punch.
"It's, it's okay. I know... you didn't mean to..."
Inside, Sakura was screaming bloody murder; on the outside, she forced a smile.
What could she do? She could feel someone staring at her without restraint from behind. Was she supposed to lose her temper?
The other girl had a man to back her up, while her own man...
Wasn't even her man yet, and some little homewrecker was already trying to steal him from her.
Unable to take it anymore, Sakura rushed over and yanked Karin away from Sasuke, who she'd been cozying up to nonstop.
"Have you got no manners? Can't you see Sasuke's sick of you?!"
Karin's bright smile for Sasuke vanished, replaced by a sneer. "Ugly girl, who are you? What business is it of