Defeating Zabuza into Submission

[ Ding! A disruptive change has been detected in the fate of plot character "Yakushi Nonō." World feedback has reached the third tier! ]

[ Reward issued: Yakushi Nonō's medical experience, Mystical Palm Technique x1, 1:1 Chakra Replication (Yakushi Nonō's current state) ]

[ Ding! A disruptive change has been detected in the fate of plot character "Yakushi Kabuto." World feedback has reached the third tier! ]

[ Reward issued: Yakushi Kabuto's covert experience, Chakra Scalpel x1, 1:1 Chakra Replication (Yakushi Kabuto's current state) ]

Shien, who was on his way to Kirigakure, suddenly heard the voice in his ear and chuckled softly.

Looks like Yakushi Kabuto hadn't messed things up.

Next, he needed to make arrangements for the clan.

"Clan Head, we've arrived." Akabane's voice drew Shien's attention back.

They had reached the outskirts of Kirigakure.

"Halt. No further."

A figure emerged from the thick mist.

It was none other than Zabuza.

"So it's Lord Shien." Once he recognized Shien and Akabane,

Zabuza respectfully bowed to Shien as well.

Zabuza was only twenty-one now. His face still held a trace of youthfulness, but his reputation was anything but small.

Under the Bloody Mist Village's former policies, Ninja Academy students had to kill their companions in order to graduate.

Yet during the ninja graduation exam at the age of nine, Zabuza had slaughtered every student in his class by himself.

Through an even crueler method, he had forced Hidden Mist to change that rule.

Throughout Kirigakure, Zabuza was considered someone significant.

Moreover, whether he remained loyal to Karatachi Yagura would affect the stance of many neutral factions within Hidden Mist.

Karatachi Yagura also valued him highly. With the recent unrest, he had deliberately kept Zabuza in the village.

One reason was to watch over the village; the other was to have him receive Shien and the others.

"Where's Yagura?" Shien had no intention of entering and asked Zabuza directly.

Zabuza had clearly received instructions beforehand.

"Lord Mizukage has gone to suppress a rebellion. He should return in about five days."

"If Lord Shien has any business, you may instruct us to handle it on your behalf."

Though Zabuza spoke politely, his gaze kept drifting toward the katana at Shien's waist, his expression eager to fight.

The Uchiha Clan had always excelled in swordsmanship, and the head of the Uchiha Clan was standing right in front of him.

Zabuza naturally wanted to test Shien's skills.

But Shien was Yagura's guest, so Zabuza could only suppress his battle-hungry urge.

Shien's eyes shifted. "I've heard of Zabuza's name for a long time. Do you happen to have time for a spar?"

Zabuza's eyes lit up, and he drew his sword with a sharp clang.

"Gladly."

Shien laughed. "Isn't the village entrance a rather inappropriate place?"

Zabuza snorted. "Quit hemming and hawing. Are we fighting or not?"

Looking at Zabuza, whose fighting spirit was boiling over and nearly impossible to restrain, Shien knew this battle was unavoidable.

He smiled, gave Akabane a reassuring look, then stepped forward at an unhurried pace, his right hand lightly settling on the hilt of the katana at his waist.

"Make your move, Zabuza."

Before the words had even faded, a vicious glint flashed through Zabuza's eyes. His field sword, longer and heavier than Shien's katana, came crashing down in a simple, brutal vertical slash, shrieking as it tore through the air!

There was no flourish whatsoever—only pure strength and speed. It was the style of the Hidden Mist Assassination Technique, meant to decide the battle in a single blow!

Faced with a strike powerful enough to split apart a massive boulder, Shien advanced instead of retreating.

His footwork shifted subtly, and his body drifted lightly to the side like a willow catkin riding the wind pressure generated by the blade.

Clang—!

A piercing clash of metal erupted.

Shien didn't meet the strike head-on. Instead, he precisely pressed the side of his katana against the spine of Zabuza's field sword, then flicked and guided it with his wrist, sending out a burst of deft force.

He redirected Zabuza's overwhelmingly powerful slash to one side.

The heavy field sword smashed into the ground beside Shien, sending broken stones flying.

"What?!"

Zabuza's pupils contracted. It felt as though his strength had vanished into the sea, redirected by the other man through a method he couldn't comprehend.

He immediately changed moves, sweeping his field sword sideways in an attempt to force Shien back with its superior reach.

Yet Shien moved like a ghost, always cutting into the blind spot of Zabuza's swings half a step ahead of him.

The katana seemed to come alive in Shien's hand, blocking with agility, stabbing and attacking in rapid succession, its blade hidden soundlessly.

It slashed from unimaginable angles toward vital points on Zabuza's wrist, elbow, neck, and more.

The longer Zabuza fought, the more alarmed he became.

He felt as though he had fallen into an invisible net of blades. Every exertion of force was suppressed in advance, and every change in technique was seen through.

The other man's swordsmanship clearly seemed founded on solid basics, yet it blended several entirely different styles, all wielded with effortless, natural ease.

That nimble katana always struck the weakest point of his strength with the smallest movement and the most precise angle.

Despite all his immense strength, he had nowhere to use it. The frustration nearly made him cough blood.

"Damn it!" Zabuza roared, gripping his sword in both hands as he spun through the air in a horizontal slash.

A red gleam flashed through Shien's eyes. The Mangekyō Sharingan's perception instantly saw through the weakness in Zabuza's stance.

He moved with his blade, his katana becoming a streak of cold lightning as it thrust directly into the hollow of Zabuza's waist.

Pfft!

Blood sprayed, and Zabuza felt the strength drain from his hands. He could barely hold his sword anymore.

Clang.

A tremendous force struck him, and the field sword flew from his grip.

The tip of Shien's katana had already come to rest lightly against Zabuza's throat, its icy touch making his entire body stiffen.

Meanwhile, Shien's other hand was still casually tucked behind his back.

Akabane and the guards at Kirigakure's entrance were utterly stunned.

Zabuza looked at Shien, whose breathing was steady and gaze calm, then felt that fatal chill at his throat.

The unwillingness and fury on his face gradually faded, replaced by shock at the absolute gap in their strength and... conviction.

Shien moved his sword away. As Zabuza let out a breath of relief, a sharp pain came from his waist, and he hurriedly covered the wound.

Only to discover that it had merely broken the skin.

Though blood had splashed out, it was completely superficial.

It could be said that Shien had been at ease throughout the entire fight, even controlling the injury with effortless precision.

"I lost... completely and utterly. The Uchiha Clan Head's swordsmanship is incredible!"

At that moment, he truly acknowledged this young Uchiha Clan Head—not merely because of the Mizukage's orders, but because of a ninja's instinctive reverence for the strong.

Shien sheathed his sword and smiled slightly. "You lack a suitable blade. I think the Executioner's Blade would suit you."

Zabuza glanced at the weapon in his hand, deep in thought.

Since Zabuza has returned to the village, I'll gladly take Haku for myself.

He asked directly,

"Zabuza, if you were to leave Hidden Mist and the Land of Water, which route would you take?"

"And where is the Kaguya Clan's gathering place?"

"Hm...?"