Fire Shadow: You Call This Guy the Savior?!

Another B-rank ninjutsu, and the completion level appears remarkably high; even This Humble One might not be able to execute it better than him.

Where on earth did this brat learn these ninjutsu? Is he truly just a commoner?

The Shadow Clone is identical to the original; for a moment, Zabuza cannot distinguish which is the real body, but he does not overthink it, swinging his blade down fiercely toward one of them.

Clang!

The Kunai blocked the falling blade, yet it was snapped in two. The blade finally landed on the back of Keiichi's raised hand, but fortunately, the momentum was spent and it was blocked by his bracer, preventing any serious injury.

At the same time, the Shadow Clone Keiichi seized the moment, his Kunai striking the exact point on the back of the blade with all his might.

The next instant, a crisp sound jolted everyone awake, and they stared at the scene before them in disbelief.

That unremarkable thrust had somehow triggered a burst of luck, shattering the Kubikiribōchō into pieces!

The Kubikiribōchō fractured into three shards from the break point, leaving only a truncated blade in his hand. Even the Water Clone was stunned into stillness.

Keiichi smiled; although he had sustained some injuries, the gains exceeded his expectations.

"Blade broken, Kubikiribōchō shattered. Gained 25 Magic Modification Points."

The system's voice echoed in his mind.

Wha... What happened?!

Although the Kubikiribōchō can be restored to its original state through blood absorption, ever since Zabuza obtained it, he had never seen it suffer such severe damage. Usually, it would only sustain a small chip on the edge.

One must know that the last time the Kubikiribōchō suffered such heavy damage was when it took a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Bomb.

"You brat, what did you do to my blade?!" Zabuza's expression turned grim, and he longed to rush over and tear him to pieces.

"Hey, hey, is his luck really that good?" Naruto watched, completely dumbfounded.

"Idiot, do you really think this is just luck?" Sasuke glanced at Naruto, his eyes filled with disdain.

Anyone could see that this guy was aiming specifically for the opponent's weapon. While it was unclear why he was so obsessed with destroying the Kubikiribōchō, he had certainly succeeded.

How is this possible?! Kakashi, trapped within the Water Prison, was also left wide-eyed.

But looking at the sequence of events, Keiichi's performance itself was bizarre; every move was aimed at the opponent's Kubikiribōchō, as if he were deliberately trying to destroy it.

The key was that he had actually succeeded!

Kakashi knew all too well what the Kubikiribōchō represented. As one of the most famous Seven Ninja Swords of Kirigakure, the boost it provided to the wielder's combat power was significant; even an average Jonin could be elevated to the level of an elite Jonin.

Yet, such a formidable weapon had been destroyed by a twelve-year-old child—it was utterly preposterous.

With over twenty years of experience as a ninja, he could not explain how this had happened.

Indeed, it was impossible for Keiichi to destroy the Kubikiribōchō with his own strength alone, but the [Spirit: Destruction] granted by the system was quite potent. Its effect was to indiscriminately destroy any inanimate object; although it could only be used once, it was worth it to use it on the Kubikiribōchō!

Without the Kubikiribōchō, Zabuza's strength would be invisibly weakened, and his own situation would become much safer.

This was far more important than defeating the Water Clone!

Gaining the Magic Modification Points was merely a pleasant surprise.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Taking advantage of the Water Clone's momentary hesitation, Keiichi completed the hand seals once more, spewing a massive fireball toward it.

However, the fireball formed too slowly, and the Water Clone dodged it with ease, remaining unscathed.

But immediately after, Keiichi's Shadow Clone also finished its seals, and another Great Fireball came hurtling toward the Water Clone.

A hint of human-like mockery appeared on the Water Clone's face as it tapped the water surface like a dragonfly, dodging it once again.

Yet, the next moment, seven or eight Shuriken flew out from within the fireball, shooting toward the arm Zabuza was using to control the Water Prison Technique like meteors.

"Trifling tricks!" Zabuza snorted coldly. With his other hand holding a Kunai, he moved with lightning speed, knocking down the Shuriken one by one, fully demonstrating the formidable strength of a Jonin.

Keiichi frowned. He vaguely remembered that in the original story, the Water Prison Technique was broken by attacking Zabuza's arm, thereby restoring Kakashi's mobility. Why didn't it work when he did it?

Could it be that the distance was too great, allowing him to be on guard?

Suddenly, Keiichi had a flash of inspiration and came up with a bold idea.

He appeared to be listening to something, then gave an imperceptible nod toward Kakashi before changing his tactics, charging fiercely toward Zabuza's real body.

The Water Clone tried to step forward to intercept, but was held back by the Shadow Clone, which clung to it desperately, slowing its movements by a half-beat.

By the time it dealt with the Shadow Clone, a distance had already opened up between the two.

Zabuza's attention had been fixed on this brat he wanted to hack into a thousand pieces, so he naturally saw every move he made. He immediately understood something and cast a glance at Kakashi, whom he had trapped beside him.

What did you say to him? What kind of scheme are you plotting?

However, Kakashi merely offered him a meaningful smile.

Heh, how would I know what this brat is planning?

Zabuza frowned slightly. He was certain the opponent must have a conspiracy; otherwise, with his mediocre skills, would he dare to fight him head-on?

I could crush you like an ant even with one hand tied behind my back!

Furthermore, with the Water Clone flanking from behind, he was essentially putting himself in a dead-end situation, front and back. Could he really be that stupid?

Before he could even process the situation, Keiichi had already charged forward, his hands scattering a massive flurry of Shuriken as if they were worthless pebbles.

The result was predictable; they failed to inflict even the slightest injury upon Zabuza.

"Now!" Keiichi shouted.

Hearing this, Zabuza hurriedly braced himself, pushing his focus to the absolute limit, terrified of falling into a trap.

Sure enough, the water surface not far behind him suddenly churned the very next moment, and a figure burst forth, lunging to strike him in the back.

This scene was all too familiar to Zabuza, for the figure was none other than Kakashi!

Wait, wasn't Kakashi trapped within my Water Prison Technique?

Could it be that the one I had restrained was merely a Water Clone?

It was no wonder Zabuza thought this way, as he had been monitoring every move of the Kakashi in the water prison; from start to finish, the man hadn't performed a single jutsu, nor would he have been able to.

Therefore, there was no other possibility: the Kakashi behind him had to be the real body!

Combined with Keiichi's performance just moments ago, Zabuza became convinced that Kakashi had been hiding underwater, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Without further hesitation, Zabuza pulled his hand away from the Water Prison Technique and spun around, his blade clashing with 'Kakashi'.

But the moment they made contact, Zabuza realized he had been duped; the force was so pathetic that his arm passed straight through the opponent, leaving behind nothing but a watery afterimage.

Damn it!

You wretched bastard!

Enraged, Zabuza lunged toward the nearby Keiichi, his Kunai slashing down with lethal intent.

But this strike was easily intercepted by Kakashi, who shielded Keiichi behind him.

He would never miss such a golden opportunity; the moment the Water Prison Technique was dispelled, he had broken free, protecting Keiichi by the narrowest of margins.

"Well done."

Coming from Kakashi, this was high praise, and a smug smile spread across Keiichi's face.

Indeed, the Water Clone that had disguised itself as Kakashi was a reward he had obtained from the system, and because it could be cast without hand seals, he had successfully deceived Zabuza.

Plan accomplished!

Having rescued Kakashi, Keiichi very sensibly retreated from the battlefield, knowing full well how terrifying a fight between elite Jonin was—it was certainly not a place for him.

Isn't it far more comfortable to watch a high-level match from a distance?

It was a pity the system remained silent; it seemed that even if he hadn't intervened, the rescue of Kakashi would have occurred regardless, meaning no Magic Modification Points for him.

This gave him a deeper understanding of the system's operational mechanics.

Naruto watched with some resentment as Keiichi claimed such a major achievement. In truth, he had come up with a brilliant idea in his own mind just moments ago—one that might have also tricked Zabuza and saved Kakashi-sensei—and he had been just about to tell Sasuke his plan when someone else beat him to it.

"Tch, what's the big deal? I could have done the same thing," Naruto muttered indignantly.

"You're just bragging all day long!" Sakura retorted without hesitation.

"..." Sasuke said nothing, though his gaze toward Keiichi was somewhat strange.

Others might not have noticed, but he had caught a glimpse of something bizarre. Where had that Water Clone Kakashi come from? Was it really something the teacher had prepared and hidden underwater beforehand?

If it had been planned, how could he have known he would fall into the trap of the Water Prison Technique? There would have been no need for such a risk.

If it wasn't, then it was Keiichi's handiwork, but how did he manage it? He hadn't seen him perform a single hand seal.

For the first time, he felt a strange sensation: this guy named Keiichi might actually be a bit stronger than him. His maneuvers were beyond even his own comprehension.

Could there really be a peer stronger than him?

Damn it, this is an insult to the honor of the Uchiha Clan. I will never allow myself to be weaker than someone my own age!

Before the eyes of everyone, a battle unfolded between Zabuza and Kakashi that looked like a mirror match. Both sides utilized identical techniques; whether it was ninjutsu or taijutsu, they were perfectly matched, leaving the spectators in awe.

Was this the power of Kakashi, the man who had copied over a thousand jutsu? Even Zabuza found him troublesome; he even had the illusion that he was fighting himself.

The feeling was agonizing, shaking his resolve—how was he supposed to defeat himself?

Then, something even more incredible happened. As if Kakashi possessed mind-reading abilities, he anticipated Zabuza's moves, preemptively using the very ninjutsu Zabuza was about to cast. The result was a miscalculation that left Zabuza severely wounded.

The very jutsu he intended to use to defeat his opponent had been turned against him, and the taste was far from pleasant.

Thwack! Thwack!

Kakashi pressed his advantage, throwing Kunai that pierced Zabuza's limbs, completely neutralizing his ability to fight and confirming that the target before him was indeed the real body.

"You're finished!" Kakashi declared coldly, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Yet, the next moment, two Steel Needles flew out of thin air, piercing Zabuza's throat. He collapsed with a thud, his life extinguished.

This turn of events caught everyone by surprise.

Kakashi looked toward the direction from which the needles had been thrown and saw a figure standing openly on a tree, wearing a mask with a strange pattern and the symbol of Kirigakure engraved upon it.

"I have been searching for an opportunity to kill Zabuza. Thank you, ninja of Konoha," a voice devoid of emotion drifted from behind the mask.

"Could it be... are you a Hunter-nin from Kirigakure?" Kakashi asked, startled by the realization.

"Not bad. I shall be taking Zabuza's corpse back with me."

Kakashi stepped forward to examine Zabuza's body, and only after confirming that there was truly no breath left did he heave a sigh of relief.

However, regarding the request from Haku, he merely furrowed his brows, not immediately agreeing.

"Who do you think you are? Why should we let you just waltz in and take away the guy we went through so much trouble to defeat! Why!" Naruto rushed over in a fit of indignation, pointing at the other's nose and cursing loudly.

"Stop!" Kakashi, however, blocked him and barked a sharp command.

Naruto truly did not understand, his stomach churning with anger.

"The other party's request is not unreasonable. You must understand that a ninja's corpse is not a useless object; one can obtain key intelligence from it regarding ninjutsu training, medicinal usage, chakra nature, and more. These are all classified secrets of various villages or clans that must never be leaked."

Kakashi's meaning was clear: Kirigakure would not trouble them for killing Zabuza, as he was merely a rogue ninja, but if they were to take the corpse away as well, the trouble would be immense.

Therefore, having a Hunter-nin from Kirigakure personally kill and retrieve the body was the most logical outcome, ensuring there would be no complications.

"What, are you dissatisfied? Little brat?" In an instant, the Masked Man appeared directly in front of Naruto, his gaze through the slits of the mask like that of someone looking at a dead man.

This murderous aura left Naruto momentarily unable to speak.

However, before Kakashi could make a move, Keiichi proactively stepped in front of Naruto, confronting the figure without a hint of fear.

"How can you prove that you are a Hunter-nin?" Keiichi asked calmly.

Although he desperately wanted to shout out Haku's name to stun the other party and seize the chance for a sneak attack—which would have settled everything—he could not do so.

Setting aside the probability of a successful sneak attack, the key was that he could not arouse Kakashi's suspicion; he had no way to explain how he could recognize a ninja from Kirigakure.

In his persona, he was merely a novice genin who had never left the village.

Thus, he could only use this method to quietly drop a hint to Kakashi.

"It seems I cannot prove my identity without showing some real strength." Haku replied calmly, the Steel Needle in his sleeve sliding into his fingers as he prepared for battle.