Zabuza's Shocking Retreat

Ino's mind wandered the moment she heard Lu Yu say that, and she couldn't help but let her thoughts run wild.

Why did this guy suddenly say something like that? Could it be... has he finally realized how I feel?

As it turned out, Ino was overthinking it. The oblivious Lu Yu simply pulled out a bag of beef jerky, handed it to her, and said with a cheerful grin:

"I noticed you really like beef jerky. Here, you can have this bag too."

Ino stared at the beef jerky in her hands, completely dumbfounded, feeling as though her entire world had just collapsed.

In that instant, all her shyness and touched emotions vanished without a trace; Ino only felt a growing, intense urge to beat Lu Yu to a pulp.

There was a reason why Lu Yu was still single. With his level of denseness, forget about the Old Man of the Moon tying a red thread for him—even if he were given a steel cable, Lu Yu would find a way to snap it with his sheer talent for ruining the mood.

Asuma nodded, satisfied with Lu Yu's performance:

"That attack just now was quite stunning. I never expected your strength to be so unexpectedly formidable."

Lu Yu pulled out his canteen, took a sip of water, and replied with a smile:

"It was just passable, really. Just enough to protect myself."

Everyone who heard this couldn't help but twitch their lips in unison.

If that was "just passable," then what was impressive? In the blink of an eye, the opponent had been sent flying to who knows where. The speed and power were simply unheard of and unseen!

However, sensing that Lu Yu had no intention of elaborating, the group didn't press the matter.

Besides, Lu Yu was one of their own; there was no harm in him being strong.

Asuma subconsciously glanced at Tazuna, and upon seeing the man's pitiful expression, he sighed helplessly.

Tazuna had already explained the situation on the road, but his tendency to downplay the danger while using moral pressure had left Asuma feeling quite frustrated.

Furthermore, as someone who had served as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi, Asuma possessed a strong sense of justice, so after much deliberation, he had agreed to the mission.

Before this, Asuma had assumed they were just dealing with a group of thugs, or at most, some Chunin.

Now, seeing that the situation was far more serious than he had imagined—with Chunin acting as the vanguard—it was certain that the next wave would be Jonin-level. Thinking of this, Asuma looked at the four of them and said sternly:

"You all need to stay sharp. The next enemies we face might be at the Jonin level."

Hearing the word "Jonin," the expressions of everyone, including Tazuna, turned incredibly grave.

In the ninja world, the title of Jonin spoke for itself; it represented a level of strength that was truly formidable.

Upon hearing this, Ino instinctively moved to Lu Yu's side, looking like a fragile, vulnerable young girl.

Whether Lu Yu had finally had a moment of clarity or was simply acting on instinct, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Ino's shoulder, saying softly:

"Don't worry, Ino. I said it before, I will protect you."

Ino looked into Lu Yu's eyes, and her heart began to race uncontrollably again. She stammered:

"I... is that so... Lu Yu-kun..."

Seeing that Asuma had no intention of backing out, Tazuna let out a sigh of relief.

As long as he had these Konoha ninja protecting him, his life was safe for the time being.

The group resumed their journey, but they hadn't gone far when Asuma, who had been carefully observing their surroundings, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

On the ground lay a rabbit, its fur pure white without a single speck of color.

Asuma recognized it instantly; this was a type of rabbit specifically raised by ninja to be used for the Body Replacement Technique.

"Stop!"

Asuma waved his hand with a grim expression.

Lu Yu glanced at the Snow Rabbit, his brow furrowing involuntarily.

If Zabuza shows up now, doesn't that mean I'll have to head back to the village shortly after defeating him?

That absolutely won't do. I finally managed to get out of the village; there's no way I'm going back so easily.

Or should I beat him half to death, let him go, and then fight him again?

No, for a slacker like me, that's way too much trouble.

How about...

Lu Yu scanned the surroundings quickly and instantly spotted the murderous Zabuza. The moment the man prepared to strike, Lu Yu's gaze turned razor-sharp.

Then, a terrifying aura surged outward.

Just as Zabuza intended to hurl his Executioner's Blade at the group, he suddenly felt a deafening roar erupt in his mind, like a massive bell tolling within his consciousness.

BOOM!

The reverberating sound echoed through his mind, and Zabuza's body shuddered violently as if struck by lightning. He lost all control and tumbled from the tree branch, completely unable to move!

"What is happening!?"

"Why can't I move my body? Where is this terrifying sensation coming from!?"

Zabuza's face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with shock. In his decades of experience, he had never encountered such an unfathomable situation.

This terrifying pressure, appearing from nowhere, felt as heavy as a mountain. Once it pinned him down, Zabuza found it difficult to even twitch a single finger.

On the other side, Haku, who had been observing from the shadows, noticed Zabuza's strange behavior and immediately flew over.

Seeing the trace of panic in Zabuza's eyes, Haku did not hesitate for a second and whisked Zabuza away at once.

Following this, the corners of Lu Yu's mouth curled upward; no one knew that Zabuza had been quietly scared off by him.

Since he was already out, it wouldn't be in the character of the Salted Fish King not to wander around for a few more months.

Lu Yu had even planned out how to return just in time for the Chunin Exams...