Encountering Naruto Again, Immortal Arts Show Their Might

On the other side, Team Kakashi, no longer hindered by the Demon Brothers, soon arrived at the Land of Waves.

Their mission was to protect the bridge builder Tazuna until the bridge was completed; this should have been a mission of B-rank or higher.

Because Gato did not want the completed bridge to threaten his financial interests, he spared no expense in hiring powerful rogue ninjas like Zabuza Momochi to assassinate Tazuna.

However, because the Land of Waves was incredibly impoverished and could not afford the fees, they had no choice but to report it as a C-rank mission.

Fortunately, it was Team Kakashi that arrived; if it had been an average team of Chunin, they would have been wiped out instantly.

The scene shifts to Zabuza, who had already caught up with Team Kakashi. Watching his target and the Konoha ninjas nearby, he first hid to the side with Haku.

As a professional assassin, he would gather sufficient intelligence before making a move.

Just then, Naruto suddenly narrowed his eyes, grabbed a kunai with his right hand, and flung it toward the bushes nearby.

"Over there!"

Those around him were startled by his sudden attack; even Zabuza, hiding in the shadows, thought he had been exposed, though in reality, Naruto was just trying to look cool.

But by a stroke of luck, Zabuza, startled by Naruto, let his presence slip for a moment, and the keen Kakashi sensed that someone was indeed nearby.

He signaled to Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke sensed that things were not simple and slowly reached for his kunai, while Naruto... didn't even see Kakashi's signal.

"So I've been discovered. As expected of Kakashi, forgive me!"

Realizing that there was no point in hiding further now that the other side had found him, Zabuza threw the Kubikiribōchō horizontally, aiming directly at Tazuna.

He was not in his peak state and did not want to tangle with Kakashi for too long, intending to finish this quickly and leave.

"Get down!"

As he spoke, he was the first to crouch, dodging the Kubikiribōchō, while Naruto and Tazuna were tackled to the ground by Sakura. Sasuke's reaction was second only to Kakashi's, and he leaned back to let the blade pass over him.

Zabuza, failing his first strike, continued his pursuit and ordered Haku to join the fray.

"Haku, find an opportunity to kill Tazuna. I will deal with these Konoha ninjas. Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"

Under the influence of Zabuza's ninjutsu, their vision was soon stripped away, and the situation became dire.

From the earlier Kubikiribōchō, Kakashi had already realized that the one who had come was the Hidden Mist rogue ninja, Zabuza Momochi.

But he had no time to wonder why such a ninja would appear for a C-rank mission; he could only devise a plan while issuing combat deployments to Naruto and Sasuke.

"Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, stand back-to-back and don't move around blindly. This ninja is terrifying. Protect Tazuna and watch out for his other companion. Leave the rest to me."

After speaking, Kakashi placed his right hand on his forehead protector and uncovered his Sharingan, the three tomoe spinning incessantly within his eye.

"Tsk tsk, the Sharingan is truly enviable."

The one who said this was naturally Feng Yao, who had been following behind Zabuza. Because of his appearance, the confrontation between Kakashi and Zabuza had changed significantly.

First, Zabuza was injured and not at his peak, making it even harder for him to defeat Kakashi. Second, Haku had joined the battlefield early and had not yet met Naruto.

"This system can also allow the host to master and use the ocular techniques of the Sharingan, but the host must seize the corresponding eyes themselves."

Hearing this, Feng Yao froze for a moment, silently complaining that this system was indeed as much of a trap as ever. In the current Naruto world, the powerful Sharingan were all in the hands of terrifying individuals.

For example, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, and so on. Although he had mastered Sage Mode, he still had no chance of winning against these people.

"Let's not rush it then. The half-year mark hasn't arrived yet, and heaven knows what you'll draw for me, you trap of a system."

As they spoke, the battle between Team Kakashi and Zabuza had entered a white-hot stage.

Zabuza was already injured, and facing Kakashi with his Sharingan active, he found it even harder to parry, eventually being defeated by his own copied ninjutsu.

On the other side, Haku, seeing Zabuza injured, used the secret Ice Release technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, coordinating with Senbon Needles to attack Naruto and Sasuke. However, the result this time was different.

Sasuke did not suffer heavy injuries and dodged easily, but Naruto, having missed the "leveling up" experience with the Demon Brothers, was caught off guard and severely wounded. Feeling a threat to his life, the Nine-Tails within him went berserk.

Although it was only a Tailed Beast state without tails, it was still not something Haku could withstand, and the secret technique was shattered in an instant.

At this moment, Sasuke felt the destructive aura of Naruto's Nine-Tails; besides shock, he felt jealousy and longing.

He needed power, and this dead-last he usually looked down upon actually possessed such formidable strength within his body.

Naruto, his emotions unstable due to the Nine-Tails, wanted to kill the person who had caused him harm. He crouched low and charged toward Haku like a beast, intending to finish him in one blow.

Kakashi, watching Naruto's berserk state, was just about to stop him when a fair hand gripped Naruto's wrist. It was a youth wearing a mask, who chuckled lightly: "These two are my companions. Could I ask you all to stop for a moment?"

Naruto didn't waste words; he let out an angry snort and expressed his attitude through action. He used his other free hand to grab Feng Yao's left arm and stomped his feet hard against the ground, trying to fling the other person away.

Two craters were instantly formed in the ground by Naruto's immense force, yet Feng Yao remained unmoved.

Before coming out, he had already activated Sage Mode; with Naruto in his current tailless state, he couldn't do anything to him.

Seeing that Naruto wouldn't listen to a word he said, Feng Yao felt helpless. He placed one hand on Naruto's head and used his powerful spiritual energy to force Naruto to regain his senses.

Naruto wasn't completely out of control; he was merely being guided by the Nine-Tails' emotions. Under the influence of Feng Yao's spiritual energy, he gradually sobered up, and the Tailed Beast state vanished.

Kakashi looked with some astonishment at this youth who seemed to be about the same age as Naruto. Although he wore a mask and his features were unclear, he should only be a kid of twelve or thirteen.

To suppress the power of the Nine-Tails without relying on a Sealing Technique... are the kids these days all this strong? And looking at this, he must be on Zabuza's side.

Kakashi now felt that the situation was even more difficult, while simultaneously cursing the client of this mission. A mission like this would have been acceptable even as an A-rank, yet the client had falsely reported it as a C-rank just to save money.

But now was not the time for reflection. He lunged forward, his left hand swinging a kunai to slash at the youth's arm, while his other hand reached out to pull Naruto back.

Feng Yao, seeing Kakashi rush over, had no intention of stopping him and simply tossed Naruto toward him. Naruto let out a cry of pain but was not injured.

Zabuza, lying on the ground, saw Feng Yao. Although he knew the man had likely been tracking him, he said nothing; had the intervention come a moment later, Haku would have been dead.

"Heh... Leader, my apologies. I've let you see me in such a pathetic state."

Looking at Zabuza's wounds, Feng Yao chuckled.

"Not at all. You'll be back on your feet soon. Sage Art: Life Dew." As he spoke, his hands moved in a rapid blur of seals.

Life Dew was a unique senjutsu from Shikkotsu Forest, taught by the Katsuyu Sage and mastered quickly with the help of the system.

A spectral white butterfly was summoned, and a single drop of Life Dew fell from its mouth. The wounds on Zabuza's body began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye, and soon, he was completely recovered.

Feng Yao repeated the process for Haku, restoring him to his original state as well.

This senjutsu required a specific interval to cast—once every half month—and could only produce a maximum of three drops at a time. However, its effects were incredibly potent, capable of instantly healing any physical injury.

Zabuza couldn't help but marvel at the wonder of this technique. He walked over and stood beside Feng Yao along with Haku.

"Leader, it seems I underestimated you... Thank you for saving Haku."

Haku also lowered his head in gratitude, though he was thanking Feng Yao for saving Zabuza; Haku had long since ceased to care about his own life.

Kakashi, whose chakra was running low from keeping his Sharingan active, began to feel troubled. The two enemies had recovered completely, and there was also this kid of unknown strength.

On his own side, he had Naruto, who could lose control at any moment; a somewhat reliable Sasuke; Sakura, who had little combat capability; and himself, nearly drained of chakra. No matter how he looked at it, there was no chance of victory.

Zabuza, clearly sensing Kakashi's wavering resolve, let out a cold snort and drew his Kubikiribōchō once more, preparing to weave seals and strike again.

"Wait, Zabuza. You have already lost. As an assassin, once you fail your first attempt, you have effectively lost your chance. The mission is already a failure."

Feng Yao turned to address Zabuza.

Zabuza's eyes flickered with surprise. He hesitated for a moment before attempting to persuade him.

"Leader, if we let them go now, we will inevitably face retaliation from Konoha. My suggestion is to silence them. Besides, failing the mission will lower our reputation as assassins. With you here, this Kakashi is no match for us."

Feng Yao, who was already thinking about how to leave and let Team Kakashi go, nearly slapped Zabuza across the face. If you want to die, don't drag me into it.

Wiping out the main cast? The thought alone was absurd. Not to mention Sakura, Naruto had just tapped into the Nine-Tails' power without the cloak; if he were truly pushed to the brink and the Nine-Tails was fully unleashed, things wouldn't be so easily resolved.

And looking at Sasuke—he might not be strong now, but did Zabuza know who was backing him? Itachi Uchiha, a man who could be called a demigod. If Itachi found out he had killed his little brother, he would likely travel thousands of miles just to pin him down with a Susanoo and crush him.

Look at Orochimaru—he coveted Sasuke's body, and look at what happened to him after being beaten by Itachi.

Kakashi was also a man who could go toe-to-toe with Kaguya, and Feng Yao had no grudge against the main cast, so why look for trouble? Just as he was about to scold Zabuza, Naruto spoke up first. Although Feng Yao was wearing a mask, Naruto had recognized his voice and build.

"Feng Yao... You're Feng Yao, aren't you? You're wearing a mask, but I wouldn't mistake your voice. Why did you leave the village? Why didn't you tell me anything!"

Hearing Naruto recognize him, Feng Yao frowned instinctively. However, instead of rushing to deny it, he slowly removed his mask and smiled at Naruto.

"I think you've mistaken me for someone else. Look closely—am I the person you're looking for?"

With his mask removed, Feng Yao's appearance stunned everyone present. Team Kakashi was momentarily dazed, and even Zabuza, who had seen Feng Yao's face before, couldn't help but be drawn in. Sakura muttered to herself, "This man is so beautiful... and there's something about him that feels so familiar."

Kakashi looked at Sakura, who was clearly infatuated, but said nothing. The man's appearance was indeed bewitching; even he felt as though he had been caught in a trance.

He had been slightly suspicious after hearing Naruto's words. Feng Yao's information was recorded in the Anbu's field manual, and Kakashi had seen this foreign spy who had infiltrated Konoha, though he wasn't familiar with him.

But if Naruto was so certain, there was an eighty percent chance it was him, as the two had been close since childhood. Yet, when the man removed his mask, Kakashi's doubts vanished.

Because the photo of Feng Yao he had seen was of a very ordinary face—the kind you would forget the moment you looked away—completely different from the person before him.

Naruto was also stunned. The man's voice and build were identical to the Feng Yao in his memory, but the face was not that of his good friend. Before Naruto could react, Feng Yao put his mask back on, and the gazes of those around him finally receded.

Kakashi stood his ground. Having become a Jonin at twelve and having completed nearly a thousand missions, he knew the difficulty of this mission exceeded what his team could handle. But as a ninja, completing the mission was his duty, so he decided to step forward and negotiate.

"Your strength is indeed formidable. However, we have a mission to fulfill, and I assume you don't want to fight to the death either. That technique used to heal wounds shouldn't be usable indefinitely. How about we make a wager?"

This piqued Feng Yao's interest; he had been wondering how to reasonably let the four of them go.

After all, his subordinates were people who cared about their pride. If he were too forceful from the start, it might be difficult to manage them in the future. As for the wager, no matter what they bet on, he could simply lose on purpose.

"Oh? Tell me, what kind of wager do you have in mind?"

Seeing the other party agree, Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief. If they hadn't agreed, he would have had to fight for his life.

But he feared that the future hope of Konoha standing behind him would perish here. Kakashi took two bells out of his pouch.

"There are two bells here. You and I will each take one. Within a set time, whoever manages to take the other's bell wins. If we win, you are not to attack Tazuna again until the mission is over. If we lose, Tazuna is yours to dispose of."

Looking at the bells, Feng Yao wore a strange expression. This was the method Kakashi had once used to test Naruto and the others; he hadn't expected Kakashi to suggest a bet like this.

But knowing Kakashi's character, he understood that even if Kakashi lost, he wouldn't honestly hand over Tazuna.

That didn't matter to him, though; Feng Yao didn't care whether Tazuna lived or died.

"Fine, I agree. However, I want all four of you to come at me together. You alone cannot defeat me."

Haku stepped forward, intending to speak, but was stopped by Feng Yao.

"You two have already lost, so there is no need to fight. I will avenge you; just watch from the sidelines."

Zabuza smiled knowingly. This cheap leader he had just acknowledged didn't seem half bad; serving under him as the Demon of the Mist wasn't exactly a waste of his talents.

He pulled Haku back to a safe spot. Team Kakashi, meanwhile, was overjoyed. Their odds of winning against one opponent with four people were significantly higher, and this was a drill they had trained for before.

There was one exception: Naruto. He pointed directly at Feng Yao and began to curse.

"You masked guy, stop acting so arrogant! You look like a brat about my age. Do you want to see if I can beat you up?"

The field fell into an eerie silence for a few seconds. Sakura punched him from behind and snapped, "You idiot! We finally have a slight advantage; what if you provoke them into attacking all at once? Do you even have a brain?"

Sasuke and Kakashi shook their heads in frustration. Kakashi tossed a bell to Feng Yao, whispered something to Naruto and the others, and prepared to move.

Just as Feng Yao finished attaching the bell to his body, Kakashi had already completed his hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"

The ground began to ripple, and two-meter-high walls of earth rose to the left, right, and behind Feng Yao. This jutsu was excellent for frontal defense, with the only weakness being the rear, but it was used here simply to restrict Feng Yao's movement.

Naruto was the first to charge, forming hand seals as he ran.

"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!" In an instant, nearly a thousand clones appeared, completely blocking the only path forward.

Feng Yao couldn't help but marvel at Naruto's immense chakra. His Sage Mode was nearing its end, so he had to finish the fight quickly while making it look convincing. He spread his feet and crouched.

"Geppo!"

He launched himself into the air, escaping the range of Kakashi's jutsu and the charging Naruto.

Sasuke seized the moment; since it is difficult to dodge while in mid-air, he aimed at Feng Yao's limbs and threw nearly twenty kunai at once.

Seeing the enemy in the air, Naruto on the ground had his shadow clones work in pairs, one stepping on the other's hands to launch himself repeatedly toward the sky.

However, Feng Yao's Geppo allowed him to change his trajectory in mid-air, and he dodged the incoming kunai with ease.

As for Naruto, Feng Yao kicked each clone into a puff of smoke. Just then, Sasuke pulled his hands through the air and shouted to Naruto.

"Now! Grab my kunai!"

Feng Yao noticed that a few of Naruto's shadow clones had taken advantage of his distraction to fly above his head.

Holding the kunai Sasuke had just thrown, which were connected by sturdy wires, Naruto used the wires attached to the ends of the blades to bind Feng Yao.

Feng Yao let out a cold snort. "Do you really think you can beat me with such tricks?"

With a surge of strength, he snapped all the wires wrapped around him. However, it had wasted a moment, and as he landed, Kakashi's next jutsu was waiting for him.

"Summoning: Earth Style: Tracking Fang Technique!"

Several ninja hounds burst from the soil. Varying in size, they bit into his limbs to pin him down, and at that moment, Naruto rushed over to snatch the bell from his waist.

It seems if I don't show some real skill, you'll finish me off too easily, Feng Yao thought to himself.

He immediately activated "Iron Body" to shake off the hounds pinning his arms.

The moment he broke free, he unleashed one of his few strongest Sage Arts.

"Sage Art: Wood Style: True Several Thousand Hands!"

As the earth trembled, a majestic Buddha statue emerged from the ground, its back covered in countless arms. The statue was much smaller than the one summoned by the First Hokage.

It was roughly the size of the Nine-Tails. One must remember that the statue summoned by Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, was over ten times larger than the Nine-Tails and could pin the beast with a single hand.

Even so, it left everyone around him in utter shock. Sasuke, in particular, felt his desire for strength grow even more intense, and Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief.

"How is this possible! How can he use the secret Wood Style? He's clearly trying to kill us!"

Zabuza was even more terrified. Thinking back to how he had foolishly tried to kill this man, he realized that if this jutsu had been unleashed, there wouldn't even be a scrap of him left.

Feng Yao stood atop the Buddha's head and smiled faintly. "Now, I shall begin my counterattack."

As he spoke, the hundreds of massive arms behind the statue began to swing wildly, rushing toward Team Kakashi.

Kakashi roared, "Scatter! Don't take it head-on!"

In a single exchange, Naruto's numerous shadow clones were reduced to puffs of smoke, and Kakashi and the others struggled to maintain their footing under the massive impact of the countless arms.

They dodged amidst the sky-filling dust and debris kicked up by the arms. Under Feng Yao's careful control, the arms did not strike them directly.

They merely bombarded the surrounding area, destroying the terrain. After a full half-minute, it finally ended.

The area was now a ruin, filled with massive craters of varying sizes. Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura lay on the ground, groaning.

They didn't seem dead. Feng Yao slowly descended to the ground, and just as he prepared to retrieve the bell...

Kakashi managed to lift his head and smile at Feng Yao. "A powerful jutsu, but unfortunately, you lost."

As he spoke, the ninja hound biting Feng Yao's arm suddenly transformed into Naruto, who was already holding the bell from Feng Yao's waist. The initial shadow clones and shuriken were all feints, intended to let Naruto hide among the hounds to get close.

Feng Yao was silent for a moment, then said softly, "A truly excellent combination. I lost. I will ensure Zabuza stops hunting you."

Hearing this, Kakashi finally let out a sigh of relief. Naruto rushed to Sasuke and Sakura to check their injuries, and finding them unharmed, he finally relaxed.

Feng Yao, having ended his Sage Mode, walked toward Zabuza and Haku. In truth, he had sensed that one hound was different the moment Kakashi used the summoning.

Combined with his knowledge that Naruto loved to hide in shadow clones using the Transformation Technique, he was certain it was Naruto.

But he didn't call it out. He didn't want to be at odds with the main cast, so he had intentionally left this opening.

If Zabuza hadn't been there, he wouldn't have bothered using True Several Thousand Hands and would have just accepted the loss. But considering he needed to establish authority in front of his subordinate, he had performed this act with some reluctance.

Arriving before Zabuza, he coughed twice. "Ahem, I was careless. Let's call this mission off. I will deal with that Gato for you. You have no objections, do you?"

Having just witnessed the Sage Art, Zabuza dared not have any objections. After all, in the world of ninjas, the strong are always respected.

"No objections. Thank you for your hard work, Leader. I will handle the matter regarding Gato."

Seeing Zabuza so sensible, Feng Yao nodded in satisfaction.

Teaching subordinates is just like raising a pet; it requires strategy and technique. Too slow, and they won't be obedient; too fast, and they lose their spirit.

Just as Feng Yao and his two companions were about to leave, Naruto jumped out once again to desperately demand attention.

"You guys over there, just you wait! One day, I will defeat you head-on and become the strongest Hokage in the village... Mmph!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Kakashi covered his mouth. Kakashi offered a sheepish apology, "Don't mind him, don't mind him. This guy just likes to spout nonsense."

Feng Yao was already used to this side of Naruto, yet he still found it miraculous. An ordinary person who attracted this much hostility would have likely been killed long ago; perhaps this was the power of a protagonist's halo.

"I'll be waiting for you."

With that, he left alongside Zabuza.

Team Kakashi finally let out a heavy sigh of relief, after which Kakashi gave Naruto a sharp rap on the head.

"You idiot, do you have any idea how dangerous that was just now? That masked brat's strength is unfathomable. Even if I were at my peak, I wouldn't be able to defeat him."

Naruto rubbed his head in pain, tears welling up in his eyes, yet he still stubbornly retorted, "But he looks like he's about the same age as us."

Sasuke remained silent, and Kakashi glanced at him, speaking to no one in particular.

"In this world, there are many people who are stronger than me yet younger than you. However, your potential is also limitless. As long as you train diligently, one day you will be able to achieve your dreams."

Having said that, he sat on the ground and fell fast asleep. He had forced the use of his Sharingan, and with his chakra reserves already heavily depleted from the recent battle, he had long since reached his limit.

Although this mission was indeed perilous, it had brought about tremendous changes for Sasuke, Naruto, and even Sakura.

Sasuke, in particular, felt his resolve to grow stronger and seek revenge burn even more intensely.