Chiba Joins the Fray Alongside Zabuza in a Hundred-Man Slaughter

Kubikiribōchō cleaved through the shield wall, its tip skimming along the bridge planks before flipping upward. The foremost mercenaries rolled aside with their shields, and spears from the rear ranks immediately filled the gap.

Zabuza stepped onto a fallen iron shield and twisted the ring on the blade with his left hand. The broad edge swung around behind him, sweeping toward the swordsmen closing in.

"Block him!"

"He can only move one arm!"

"Whoever lands the kill gets the bounty!"

Three cleavers came down at once. Zabuza caught them with the flat of his blade, and the wound on his right shoulder split open further, blood streaming down his armor to his waist.

Haku raised his hands to form seals, frost gathering between his fingers.

"Chiba, let me go."

"You'll just get in the way of a blade if you go over there."

"I can attack from here."

"Then use senbon."

The roots at his waist loosened by a ring, though silver-white wood patterns still clasped both his wrists.

Haku drew slender needles hidden in his sleeves. Ice coated their tails as he raised his hand and fired them behind Zabuza.

Three senbon flew past the blade, pinning a crossbow string and the wrists of two mercenaries.

Zabuza did not look back.

"I let you live. I didn't let you interfere."

"I can't hear you this time."

Haku picked up more senbon.

Chiba withdrew his spear. Metal Wood grew outward from his shoulder, silver-white roots boring into the bridge planks and spreading beneath the crowd along both railings.

Asuma held Flying Swallow across his body.

"What are you planning?"

"Cleaning up trash."

"How much chakra do you have left?"

"Enough."

"That doesn't sound true at all."

Kakashi covered his Sharingan, his right hand pressing against the numb spot at his