The Newcomer of the Seven

That is!

Hōzuki Mangetsu recognized it immediately.

"Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

Zabuza shouted, spitting out a massive torrent of water from his mouth.

This was a B-rank Water Style ninjutsu used by shinobi to create a favorable battlefield, capable of generating an environment suited for water-based combat in a short amount of time.

Hōzuki Mangetsu stood upon the water, looking at Zabuza in confusion. Knowing that both of them were Water-attribute shinobi, why would he bother creating such an advantage?

Zabuza took a deep breath. Since neither his taijutsu nor his assassination techniques were a match for Hōzuki Mangetsu, he would decide the outcome with ninjutsu!

"Mist Concealment Technique!"

Soon, Zabuza's figure vanished into the water once again.

The same trick again?

Hōzuki Mangetsu felt a bit dismissive.

He had already grasped most of Zabuza's repertoire. His taijutsu and Silent Killing technique were no match for him, and while his ninjutsu might be slightly superior, it was limited.

It posed no threat to him at all.

Just then, several figures suddenly rushed over at high speed.

Water Clones?

A cold sneer flashed across the corner of Hōzuki Mangetsu's mouth. "Cheap tricks!"

As he spoke, he prepared to weave hand signs to create his own clones.

Zabuza's figure suddenly appeared behind him, and two cold glints flashed across Hōzuki Mangetsu's back without hesitation.

Splash!

Hōzuki Mangetsu's body rapidly liquefied; the attack was ineffective.

Hydrification Technique?

Zabuza was slightly stunned.

Only now did he remember that the Hozuki Clan possessed the ability to liquefy, rendering any attack other than Lightning Style useless against them.

In that split second of hesitation, Zabuza's hands sank into Hōzuki Mangetsu's body and became stuck.

He had been trapped by Hōzuki Mangetsu's liquefied form.

An index finger pressed against Zabuza's forehead—the Hozuki Clan's secret technique, the Water Gun Technique.

Is it over?

Zabuza slowly closed his eyes.

He had witnessed the power of the Water Gun Technique and knew he could never withstand such a blow.

No matter how hard he tried, he was ultimately no match for Hōzuki Mangetsu, who possessed such secret arts.

Hōzuki Mangetsu suddenly withdrew his finger, released his hold, let go of Zabuza, and stepped back a few paces.

"You..."

Zabuza was stunned, looking at Hōzuki Mangetsu in confusion.

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled faintly. "I didn't expect you to know the Body Flicker Technique. Is this the Mist Body Flicker? Truly impressive. If not for the Hydrification Technique, I would have been finished just now."

Indeed!

He had been a bit careless just now; he hadn't expected Zabuza to have such a trump card.

The Mist Body Flicker was a more advanced version of the standard Water Body Flicker, allowing the user to rely on the cover of thick fog to kill an enemy in a single strike.

If not for the fact that ordinary physical attacks were ineffective against the Hozuki body, Hōzuki Mangetsu would have been dead or severely wounded by that blow.

A look of defiance flashed in Zabuza's eyes, but he still asked hesitantly, "Since you possess the ability to liquefy instantly, why didn't you dodge my attack earlier? Were you intentionally leading me into a trap?"

He had some understanding of the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique, though he was unclear about its speed and duration.

Through their earlier clash of Silent Killing techniques, he had successfully wounded Hōzuki Mangetsu, realizing that the Hozuki Clan's liquefaction required time to prepare.

Within that time gap, it was still possible to injure Hōzuki Mangetsu.

That was why Zabuza had unleashed the thunderous strike of his Mist Body Flicker, but to his surprise, it had been countered by Hōzuki Mangetsu.

A smile appeared on the corner of Hōzuki Mangetsu's mouth.

"Actually, the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique requires no preparation time. As long as my body can still produce chakra, it can remain in a liquefied state."

Zabuza was shocked. "Then why was I able to hurt you?"

He pointed to the injured arm of Hōzuki Mangetsu.

"That?"

Hōzuki Mangetsu tilted his head and thought for a moment. "If I had used the Hydrification Technique, I would have been in an invincible position. That wouldn't have been fair to you, so I didn't use it earlier. It was only because that last strike was truly unavoidable that I had to use it. Strictly speaking, if I weren't a member of the Hozuki Clan, I would have been finished by that blow."

He narrowed his eyes and gave a thumbs-up. "Momochi Zabuza, you are truly remarkable."

Zabuza could hardly believe his own ears.

In Kirigakure, noble clans usually possessed rare bloodline limits and secret techniques. This was their capital; they were born ahead of the starting line.

By comparison, civilian ninjas had to exert ten or even a hundred times the effort to stand out.

As a civilian-born ninja, Zabuza naturally understood the hardships involved.

Therefore, an irreconcilable conflict existed between civilian ninjas and the noble clans, with both sides harboring mutual hostility.

It was rare for a scion of a noble clan like Hōzuki Mangetsu to appreciate a civilian ninja so much.

Zabuza sneered and dropped the kunai in his hand.

"The process doesn't matter; what matters is the result. The result is that I lost. If you want to kill me, then do it—there is no need to preach to me with such hypocrisy."

He was the one who had instigated the duel, and now that he had been defeated, no one could say anything if Hōzuki Mangetsu killed him.

The winner is the king, and the loser is the bandit. This was the rule of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

A smile appeared at the corners of Hōzuki Mangetsu's mouth.

In truth, he quite admired Zabuza as a person; he had both ambition and sentiment. When he had first encountered Naruto, the battle on the Great Naruto Bridge had moved him to tears.

For the first time, Hōzuki Mangetsu felt that men could possess such deep bonds.

It wasn't romance, nor was it anything improper—it was sentiment, yes, just sentiment!

Zabuza was an excellent ninja; anyone capable of becoming one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was naturally no mediocre talent.

It was just a pity that he was a civilian ninja and a confidant of Suikazan Fuguki. After Terumi Mei, who represented the noble clans, took power, she naturally showed no mercy to the remnants of Fuguki's faction. That was why Zabuza had defected.

He was merely a sacrifice in a political struggle.

But now that Hōzuki Mangetsu had arrived, he naturally wouldn't let that happen again, so he intended to recruit Zabuza.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu suddenly summoned a strange weapon; from a distance, it looked like a giant steel needle.

This was the longsword Nuibari!

Zabuza stared in shock at the longsword in Hōzuki Mangetsu's hand.

Hadn't this blade been lost during the last war? How could it be in the hands of Hōzuki Mangetsu?

Hōzuki Mangetsu suddenly tossed the longsword over!

"This is the Nuibari I snatched back from Konoha. For all these years, it hasn't found a suitable master, but now, it has finally waited for one."

Zabuza caught it blankly, his mind instantly in chaos as a strange thought suddenly rose in his heart.

Hōzuki Mangetsu was actually not killing him, and he was even offering him a position among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Could this be a dream?

He had dreamed of becoming one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen his entire life.

Hōzuki Mangetsu took out a small scroll and handed it to Zabuza, saying, "This is the method for using Nuibari. With your ability, it won't take long for you to master it."

"Mangetsu!"

Even a man as bloodthirsty as Zabuza felt a bit embarrassed now.

"Why?"

He felt somewhat uneasy.

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled and said, "Because you are a talent, and I do not wish for you to die in factional struggles. Keep your useful body and serve the village!"