Dawn Wind's First Cry and the Serpent's Shadow Emerges

At a hidden base in Tanzaku Town, Zabuza Momochi took Haku and Kimimaro to accept their first B-rank mission, personally vetted by Uchiha Ling: to wipe out a band of bandits entrenched along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass. These were no ordinary drifters; their leader was suspected to be a rogue chunin from a small nation, known for his brutality and for having evaded border patrol sweeps multiple times.

The purpose of the mission was clear: field training, verifying Zabuza's leadership, and testing the mindset and coordination of Haku and Kimimaro in actual, lethal combat.

Deep within the dense forests of the border region.

The bandits' camp was built against the mountain, crude but occupying a strategic position. On the watchtower, two sentries were yawning listlessly.

"Move." Haku and Kimimaro's leader, Zabuza, hidden in the shadows of the forest, issued the command with the coldness of a true demon.

Haku took a deep breath. A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, but at the thought of Uchiha Ling's expectations and the sins these bandits had committed, his gaze hardened. He formed hand seals:

"Ice Style: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"

Countless sharp ice senbon condensed in the air, shooting toward the watchtower like a silent, torrential downpour! They moved so fast they even created sonic booms!

"Urgh!"

The two sentries didn't even have time to cry out before they were turned into pincushions by the dense volley of ice, dying instantly.

"Enemy attack!!" The camp finally reacted, descending into chaos. Dozens of bandits rushed out, weapons in hand.

"Bone kid, that group on the left is yours." Zabuza hoisted the Executioner's Blade, pointing toward the larger side, then grinned savagely as he charged toward the rogue ninja suspected of being the leader. "This jonin—or so he claims—is mine!"

Kimimaro said nothing, his figure darting out like a bolt of white lightning.

"Dance of the Willow!"

His body moved like a flexible willow branch, weaving through the crowd. From his elbows, knees, and shoulder blades—every joint in his body—he could instantly sprout lethal bone blades! His movements were elegant yet fatal; every strike brought forth a spray of blood. When the bandits' weapons struck his bones, they only sparked, unable to inflict the slightest injury. He reaped lives with the efficiency of a reaper, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion.

On the other side, Haku primarily used Ice Style for harassment and long-range sniping.

"Ice Style: Ice Rock Dome!"

"Ice Style: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

He alternated between erecting ice walls to block the bandits' charges and utilizing ice mirrors to reflect his form, firing ice senbon from impossible angles to strike the enemies' wrists and ankles, stripping them of their mobility. He tried his best to avoid taking lives directly, but the battlefield was merciless; there were always those with malicious intent whose lives were claimed by his unavoidable attacks. His face grew paler with every kill, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on.

As for the main event, the battle between Zabuza and the rogue leader was a one-sided crushing defeat.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Hmph, the Silent Killing Technique of the Hidden Mist isn't something a half-baked amateur like you can fathom." Zabuza easily dodged the opponent's flashy water dragon, his figure dissolving into the suddenly thickening fog.

The next moment, a mournful flash of steel cut through the air!

Slash.

The Executioner's Blade swung with peerless force, instantly cleaving the rogue ninja and his own blade in two! Blood and viscera splattered across the ground.

"The boss is dead! Run!" Seeing this, the remaining bandits completely collapsed and fled in all directions.

The battle ended in just ten minutes. The camp was littered with corpses, the stench of blood thick enough to induce nausea.

Haku looked at the carnage, leaning against an ice wall as he began to retch. This was his first time experiencing such brutal slaughter.

Kimimaro walked over to his side and silently handed him a clean handkerchief. Though he did not understand why Haku felt pity for their enemies, he respected his comrade.

"On the battlefield, mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward yourself, kid." Zabuza shook the blood from the Decapitator Blade, his tone indifferent. "Remember this feeling, then become stronger—strong enough that you don't need to slaughter the weak to prove yourself."

Haku took the handkerchief, wiped his mouth, and nodded firmly. "I understand, Zabuza."

In this mission, "Dawn Wind" had made its mark, demonstrating immense execution and synergy. In particular, Kimimaro's cold ruthlessness and Haku's precise control left a deep impression on Zabuza. He had to admit that the two boys Uchiha Ling had found were indeed promising talents.

Not long after "Dawn Wind" completed their mission and quietly withdrew.

A slender, pale figure slid into the camp that had just been decimated, moving as silently as a snake.

He wore a loose kimono and had long, raven-black hair, vertical golden pupils, and purple eyeshadow extending to the sides of his nose. The man exuded an aura that was cold, dangerous, and filled with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. It was none other than one of the Sannin, the man who had broken out of Konoha: Orochimaru.

He ignored the corpses strewn about, extended his long tongue to lick his lips, and swept his gaze over the traces left on the battlefield with great interest.

"Interesting traces of chakra..." He crouched down, touched a bit of blood that hadn't fully congealed with his fingers, and sniffed it. "Ice Style bloodline limit... and these traces of hardened bone... is this the Kaguya clan's Dead Bone Pulse?"

His eyes glittered with the excitement of discovering rare experimental material.

"And this sword style... is that the Executioner's Blade belonging to that brat Zabuza Momochi? How did they get mixed up together?" Orochimaru stood up, his golden snake-like pupils fixed toward the Land of Fire, filled with thoughts of further study.

"Konoha seems to have undergone many changes I am unaware of. It seems it is time to go back and take a look. Perhaps I might even find a 'vessel' more exciting than Uchiha Sasuke..."

He let out a low, raspy laugh, his figure sinking slowly into the ground and vanishing.

Orochimaru had already set his sights on Konoha, and on Uchiha Ling and the nascent "Dawn Wind" under his command.

Konoha, Ninja Academy.

Uchiha Ling was unaware of everything that had happened at the border or of Orochimaru's prying eyes. He was facing a new "trouble."

During the theory class, he had once again crushed the entire field with impeccable skill. After class, a figure blocked his path.

It was Uchiha Sasuke.

His gaze was colder than ever, carrying a hint of desperate resolve.

"Uchiha Ling," Sasuke's voice was heavy with suppressed rage and resentment. "Fight me! At the training ground, right now!"

He could no longer endure Uchiha Ling's omnipresent sense of superiority, nor could he bear to appear so weak in front of the only other survivor of his clan. He needed a battle; even if he lost, he had to prove his determination and worth in seeking revenge!

Uchiha Ling looked at the familiar, paranoia-driven light of hatred in Sasuke's eyes and understood. He knew that simple avoidance and persuasion were no longer useful.

"Fine." Uchiha Ling accepted the challenge calmly.

This duel between brothers-in-clan would determine the direction of their future relationship. And in the distance, a pair of snake-like pupils hidden behind the leaves watched it all with keen interest.