Death Battle on the Great Bridge and Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals

The thick fog of the Land of Waves seemed as if it would never disperse, like the cursed fate of the country itself. Tazuna's home was shabby but warm, and everyone sat around the hearth in a heavy atmosphere. Kakashi had fallen unconscious from overusing the Sharingan, his fever refusing to break, and had temporarily lost his ability to fight.

"I'm sorry... it's all because I hid the mission rank..." Tazuna knelt on the floor, tears streaming down his aged face. "If I hadn't said it was only a C-rank mission, I never could've scraped together the commission fee... This bridge is the hope of the Land of Waves. I can't give up..."

Naruto shot to his feet and thumped his chest hard. "Don't worry, old man! We'll protect you to the end!"

Sakura looked anxiously at the unconscious Kakashi. "But Kakashi-sensei, he..."

Sasuke leaned against the wall, wiping his kunai in silence.

Uchiha Ling was changing the wet towel on Kakashi's forehead. Under the knowledge from the [Basic Medical Ninjutsu Manual] and Shizune's guidance, his chakra control had improved noticeably. Though he still could not use the Mystical Palm Technique, his basic nursing was meticulous.

"Ling, that masked kid..." Sasuke suddenly spoke. "Who exactly is he?"

Uchiha Ling dipped the towel into cold water. "His chakra is very special. It carries the presence of ice and snow. If I'm not wrong, it should be a Bloodline Limit."

"A Bloodline Limit?" Naruto leaned over curiously.

"It's a special ability that surpasses ordinary elemental chakra," Ling explained calmly. "For example, the Sharingan. For example, Haku's Ice Release."

Sasuke tightened his grip on the kunai, the Sharingan surfacing unconsciously. "Ice Release, huh..."

Just then, Kakashi let out a faint groan. Ling immediately gathered chakra at his fingertips and gently pressed Kakashi's temples. This was a method for relieving mental fatigue that he had learned from the medical manual.

[Ding! Sign-in target detected: Kakashi Hatake]

[Interaction level: rescue + trust]

[Sign-in reward: Sharingan usage consumption reduced by 2% (cumulative reduction: 10%)]

Another precious reward! Ling could feel his control over the meridians around his eyes becoming more and more effortless.

At dawn three days later, Kakashi finally regained consciousness. After hearing everyone's report, his expression turned grave. "It looks like we've run into big trouble. That masked boy is very likely from Hidden Mist's Hunter-nin Corps, but things aren't that simple."

Over the next few days, Team 7 began special training. Kakashi guided Sasuke in the embryonic form of Chidori and taught Naruto tree-climbing training. Uchiha Ling, meanwhile, asked Kakashi for advice on lightning-nature chakra transformation.

"Imagine chakra as a sharp blade." Kakashi demonstrated the hand motion for Lightning Cutter. "Don't let it spread. Condense it to the absolute limit."

Ling tried gathering Lightning Release chakra at his fingertips. At first, there were only scattered sparks, but with the [Lightning Release: Chidori Simplified Instruction] and Kakashi's guidance, he could soon maintain a stable current. Even more surprising was that he tried combining Lightning Release with his two-blade style; lightning leaping over the kunai made his attack paths even stranger and harder to predict.

"An astonishing learning speed," Kakashi commented. "You seem to have a natural affinity for Lightning Release."

At the same time, Ling did not neglect his other training. On the road escorting Tazuna to the bridge construction site, he secretly experimented with the inspiration he had gained from Haku—the technique of rapidly freezing Water Release chakra. Though he was still far from reaching the level of Ice Release, he could already make the surrounding moisture condense into frost.

The day of the decisive battle finally arrived. Thick fog shrouded the great bridge, and Zabuza and Haku appeared as promised.

"I won't let you get in the way this time." Zabuza swung the Kubikiribocho.

Haku stood quietly at the side, his gaze beneath the mask sweeping over everyone and lingering on Uchiha Ling for an extra instant.

The battle erupted in an instant. Kakashi faced Zabuza, the Sharingan and Kubikiribocho clashing once more. Haku, meanwhile, took on Naruto, Sasuke, and Ling.

"Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

Countless ice mirrors formed in an instant, trapping the three of them at the center. Haku's figure moved freely through the mirror surfaces, and senbon poured down like a rainstorm.

"Too fast!" Sasuke's Sharingan could barely catch the trajectories, but his body could not keep up.

Naruto's shadow clones shattered one after another under the senbon attacks.

Ling attached Lightning Release chakra to both feet, and his speed suddenly surged. His two-blade style danced so tightly that no gap was left, deflecting most of the senbon, but several bloody cuts were still carved across his arms.

"It's useless." Haku's voice came from all directions. "Inside the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, my speed is absolute."

Sasuke suddenly formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

The flames struck an ice mirror, but only left shallow marks.

"Ordinary ninjutsu is useless against a Bloodline Limit..." Sasuke half-knelt on the ground, panting hard.

Ling carefully observed the structure of the ice mirrors. With the insight he had trained through the [White Eye Chakra Resonance Technique], he found the key—there were subtle chakra connections between every ice mirror.

"Sasuke, Naruto!" Ling shouted. "Attack the connection points between the mirrors!"

He took the lead, gathering Lightning Release chakra onto his kunai and throwing it toward the angle between two ice mirrors. Lightning exploded, and cracks really did appear in the ice mirrors!

"Got it!" Sasuke's embryonic Chidori blasted toward another connection point.

Naruto's shadow clones launched attacks at the same time.

Under the three of them working together, the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals began to collapse. Haku was forced to reveal himself, and a crack appeared on his mask.

"Why..." Haku looked at the three of them. "Why fight so desperately? For a country that has nothing to do with you..."

Naruto answered loudly, "Because that's my ninja way!"

Sasuke said coldly, "Cut the crap."

Ling looked at Haku. "Everyone has something they want to protect. This bridge is the hope of the Land of Waves."

Haku's gaze wavered slightly. Just then, a tremendous sound came from the other battlefield—Kakashi had badly wounded Zabuza with Lightning Cutter!

"Mr. Zabuza!" Haku lost focus for an instant.

Sasuke seized that opening with precision, his embryonic Chidori aiming straight for Haku's vital point!

"Wait!" Ling tried to stop him, but it was already too late.

At this life-or-death moment, Haku instead revealed a relieved smile. He took the initiative to meet Sasuke's attack, and Chidori pierced through his chest.

"Haku!!!" Zabuza let out a heart-wrenching roar.

Blood blossomed in the air like falling cherry blossoms. Haku slowly collapsed, his mask shattering completely and revealing a delicate face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zabuza... In the end, I still couldn't become... a useful tool to you..."

At that moment, everyone fell silent.

Ling looked at Haku's corpse, his heart filled with a tangle of emotions. He had originally wanted to change this ending, but the trajectory of fate seemed to possess a powerful inertia.

However, the battle was not over yet. The severely wounded Zabuza held Haku's body and let out a beastlike wail. He broke free of Kakashi's restraint and charged madly toward Gato and his men.

In the final moments of his life, the Demon displayed true terror. The Kubikiribocho was like the scythe of the god of death, reaping the lives of his enemies. When all the dust settled, Zabuza crawled with difficulty to Haku's side and used the last of his strength to hold Haku's hand.

"Haku... you were never a tool..."

The morning sun finally broke through the thick fog and shone upon the bloodstained great bridge. The surviving residents of the Land of Waves slowly walked onto the bridge. Looking at Zabuza and Haku, who had died side by side, they bowed in silence.

Uchiha Ling stood at the edge of the bridge, feeling the warmth of the sunlight. He spread his palm, and a trace of ice crystals condensed in his hand before quickly melting away. This battle had given him a deeper understanding of chakra nature transformation, and had also made him truly feel the cruelty and warmth of this world.

[Ding! Plot node "Battle in the Land of Waves" detected as complete]

[Special reward: Ice Release Chakra Adaptability (beginner)]

The system prompt made him pause slightly. It seemed that this death battle had brought not only pain and insight.