Pride Comes Before a Fall

"Care for a spar?"

Zabuza watched Lu Yu, who was already walking away, with a mix of suspicion and hesitation flickering in his eyes.

Up until now, although his reason told him that Lu Yu's strength was terrifyingly high, his instincts still clung to a sliver of wishful thinking.

After all, the first time, Zabuza had been scared off by Lu Yu, and just a moment ago, he had blacked out without even knowing what happened.

From beginning to end, Zabuza had never actually seen Lu Yu make a move.

Therefore, beyond the fear he felt toward Lu Yu, Zabuza was mostly just curious.

Zabuza was curious about how strong such a young man could possibly be to dare boast that he could improve his strength.

Just as Zabuza hesitated, he keenly sensed Asuma's mocking gaze from the side. Unable to save face, he snapped angrily:

"Fine, let's do it. Who's afraid of who..."

Seeing Zabuza fall for his provocation, the corners of Asuma's mouth curled up slightly, his face filled with intense curiosity.

Asuma had always been deeply intrigued by this peculiar fellow, Lu Yu.

His father, Sarutobi Hiruzen, seemed to hold Lu Yu in high regard, and on top of that, that guy Kakashi had personally admitted that he had been defeated by Lu Yu's sheer presence.

Furthermore, the incredibly strong Naruto and the arrogant Second Pillar both willingly and wholeheartedly called Lu Yu their boss.

All of this had shrouded Lu Yu in a veil of mystery.

If Lu Yu's strength were on par with Sasuke and Naruto, it would be fine; Asuma could find an excuse to spar and surely gauge the depth of his abilities.

But according to Asuma's estimation, Lu Yu's strength was likely greater than his own. If he lost, it would be incredibly awkward to face him every day.

So, even though Asuma was dying to know Lu Yu's true strength, he could never find an opening to satisfy his curiosity, and he had been feeling quite frustrated for the past few months.

Now, that blockhead Zabuza had actually agreed to a spar with Lu Yu.

This made Asuma feel incredibly excited; the question that had been bothering him for so many days would finally have an answer soon.

A minute later, the three of them appeared on the water beneath the bridge.

This was intentional on Lu Yu's part; he naturally knew that as a ninja from the Mist Village, Zabuza's strength was greatly enhanced in areas with water.

Lu Yu wanted Zabuza to go all out, only to be beaten into submission.

The two stood facing each other from a distance. Zabuza looked at Lu Yu, who had his arms crossed, and couldn't help but say with some anger:

"Kid, even if you are strong, isn't it a bit too arrogant to fight me without using your hands..."

"Alright, alright."

Lu Yu knew Zabuza was just suffering for the sake of his pride because Asuma was watching.

Lu Yu helplessly lowered his arms and looked at Zabuza meaningfully:

"If I use my hands, things might get a bit intense from here on out..."

"Hmph, don't look down on me!"

Zabuza let out an angry shout and quickly formed hand seals:

"Water Clone Technique!"

The water surged, and three water clones identical to Zabuza immediately appeared.

Then, Zabuza brandished the Executioner's Blade and charged toward Lu Yu along with his three clones.

Swish, swish, swish...

In just a moment, the two sides clashed.

Zabuza swung the Executioner's Blade with fierce momentum, and combined with the attacks of the three water clones, it created a sense of intense pressure.

However, to Lu Yu, Zabuza's speed was nothing special. He ducked under a strike and casually threw a punch, causing one water clone to vanish instantly.

In less than two seconds, all the water clones had been destroyed, leaving only Zabuza's real body a few meters away.

At this moment, taking advantage of the time Lu Yu spent destroying the clones, Zabuza took a running start, leaped high into the air, and poured all his strength into a vicious downward strike.

Watching this blow, Asuma's expression shifted slightly; even he would have to dodge and avoid the brunt of such an attack from Zabuza.

This strike, which included the momentum of the run, the charge, and the gravity of the high-altitude leap, possessed formidable power.

However, the next moment, a scene unfolded that left both Zabuza and Asuma dumbfounded.

Lu Yu did not dodge the strike; he simply raised his right hand in a leisurely manner.

Then, the moment Zabuza's full-force strike came down, Lu Yu's thumb and index finger firmly pinched the Executioner's Blade.

Just like that, Zabuza's earth-shattering blow was caught by Lu Yu with such effortless ease...

Zabuza was stunned, staring at what was happening before him. This was a strike delivered with 120% of his power, yet the opponent had caught it with just two fingers.

Sage of Six Paths above, you can't be joking with me, can you...

Asuma's jaw dropped in shock, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Good heavens, is this guy Lu Yu really that ridiculously strong?

That was Zabuza's full-force strike! A blow like that could cut through steel bars, let alone two fingers. Was this kid even human?

Lu Yu watched Zabuza, who was dumbstruck, with great interest. He applied a slight pressure with his thumb and index finger, then gave it a forceful snap...

Clang!

Following a crisp sound, Zabuza and Asuma were struck as if by a heavy blow once again, their entire beings feeling utterly unwell...

Because Lu Yu had actually snapped a piece off the Executioner's Blade with his bare hands...

Zabuza watched Lu Yu, who acted as if nothing had happened, with a twitching mouth, cold sweat instantly streaming down his head...