A Flick of the Finger

Zabuza was thoroughly enraged. Gripping the Kubikiribōchō, he charged at Naruto, raising the massive blade overhead with icy killing intent before bringing it down viciously.

He was incredibly fast, and it was a sudden attack. He reached Naruto's side almost instantly, giving no one time to react.

"Watch out!" Sakura screamed in fright, terrified that Naruto would be struck by the blade.

But—

Just as the Kubikiribōchō was about to reach Naruto, he tilted his body aside at the critical moment, then raised his right hand and flicked the blade with his index finger.

"Idiot."

Zabuza watched Naruto's movement with mockery in his eyes.

He was just about to turn his blade and slash sideways when Naruto's index finger struck the Kubikiribōchō.

Ding!

A clear, pleasant chime like the ringing of a wind bell echoed out, but Zabuza's eyes filled with shock.

A terrifying force had come from the Kubikiribōchō. The recoil nearly made him lose his grip on the weapon.

Zabuza was truly alarmed now. He had never expected a mere flick from this brat to contain such tremendous strength.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Kunai suddenly flew in from the side. Kakashi flashed forward, charging in like a swimming dragon.

In an instant, Kakashi and Zabuza engaged in close combat, swiftly moving into the thick mist as they fought.

Watching Kakashi vanish from sight, Sasuke and Sakura grew anxious. They wanted to help, but they were not even capable of seeing the battle clearly. They could only determine the battle's location from the sounds.

Naruto, meanwhile, leisurely watched everything as he absorbed Experience Points.

"Naruto, is your perception really that strong? Can you still locate the enemy in the thick mist?" Sakura could not help asking.

"Of course. It's nothing. You wouldn't understand how enjoyable it is for a sensory ninja to watch a battle. Just stay put."

As Naruto spoke, something suddenly occurred to him, and he looked at Sasuke with a half-smile.

"Sasuke, I have a way for you to see the battle. You might even be able to help."

"What way?"

Sasuke froze, growing curious. Being unable to help really did make him feel useless, so naturally, he did not want to pass up a solution.

"It's simple. Use the Wind Release: Flower Scattering Dance you learned before and blow away the thick mist." Naruto chuckled.

"Wind Release: Flower Scattering Dance? Impossible. I will never use a woman's ninjutsu." Sasuke refused with a dark expression.

"That's your choice. You can't even help with something this minor. Are you sure you're a ninja?"

"I!"

Sasuke's face darkened further. He even regretted not learning Wind Release: Great Breakthrough earlier. Though it was only a C-rank ninjutsu, it could at least have blown away some of the mist.

But it was too late to learn it now. The battle was intense, and if the enemy suddenly attacked Tazuna, he would not have time to defend him. Sasuke fell into a dilemma.

After a brief moment of thought, Sasuke ultimately decided to use the ninjutsu. He was a ninja, after all. With a dark face, he took several steps forward and slowly raised his hands.

Wind Release: Flower Scattering Dance!

A swirling gale spun around Sasuke, scattering the thick mist in every direction. Along with the wind and mist, beautiful flower petals drifted through the air.

At the very center stood Sasuke. Reflected by the petals, he possessed a distinctly feminine beauty that made Sakura swoon beside him.

"So beautiful," Sakura praised.

"Shut up!"

Hearing that praise, Sasuke's expression darkened another shade. Using a woman's ninjutsu was already depressing enough, and then she had to call him "beautiful." That was even more irritating than Naruto.

Annoyed, Sasuke turned to look around and found that much of the mist had been blown away, greatly widening his field of vision. That gave him some comfort.

"Not bad, not bad. Some of the mist has been cleared, but the range is still too small. You need to use it a few more times," Naruto encouraged.

"Hmph. I don't need you to tell me. I know what to do."

Sasuke was still somewhat angry, but he raised his hands and formed seals again. The next moment, a gale roared forth, and countless flower petals drifted around his hair, adding even more beauty to his appearance.

"Tsk, tsk. If you put on women's clothes..."

Naruto suddenly recalled an image from his previous life, one depicting a feminized Sasuke.

If Sasuke really dressed like that, he would count as quite a pretty girl. His looks were excellent to begin with, and with some dressing up, he would not lose to any woman.

[Experience Points +1]

"Forget it. Let's watch the battle. The mist has mostly been blown away."

Naruto muttered as he looked at the newly gained Experience Points, then turned to glance at the forest on the right.

There, the masked Haku was hiding, prepared to provide support and rescue at any time.

Naruto did not expose him and instead continued watching the battle between Kakashi and Zabuza.

These two were very powerful. More importantly, as they fought, the Experience Orb was slowly filling up. Clearly, they had reached an important point in the story.

"Look, Kakashi-sensei is gradually gaining control of the attack rhythm. That ninja named Zabuza seems emotionally unstable, and he's fighting rather passively," Sasuke quickly analyzed after seeing the battle clearly.

"Why? Why would that Zabuza be emotionally unstable?" Sakura asked doubtfully.

"Naruto must have angered him. He said that ninja had body odor earlier."

Sasuke glanced up at Naruto, feeling that his ability to infuriate people was truly formidable.

"So that's how it is. Then before future battles, we should have Naruto anger our enemies first. That'll make it easier for us to win," Sakura suggested.

"Heh."

Naruto merely smiled and said nothing. Zabuza was a real ninja—how could a few words make him lose his composure?

The reason he had fallen into a disadvantage was more likely because Naruto's flick had numbed his hand. Naruto figured Zabuza was having a very unpleasant time after taking that kind of force.

Moreover, Zabuza was clearly wary of Naruto, afraid that he might launch a sneak attack.

But if this continued, Zabuza would undoubtedly lose. Naruto considered whether he should prolong the battle.

He did not want Kakashi to defeat Zabuza so quickly. Otherwise, how was he supposed to earn Experience Points?

So he prepared to join the battle and deliberately cause trouble to extend the fight.

No sooner thought than done, Naruto suddenly rushed forward and shouted, "I'll help!"

"Help?"

Hearing those words in the middle of battle, Zabuza's expression tightened. Feeling his still-numb right hand, he then looked at Kakashi, who was evenly matched with him.

Without another word, Zabuza abruptly broke away from the fight and vanished after several leaps.

"This..."

Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi stared speechlessly at the scene. It felt far too dramatic. They had been fighting a life-and-death battle, so why had he suddenly run away?

That reversal had come much too quickly. Was he really here to kill someone? Was he really here to eliminate Tazuna?

No one knew what to say. They could only assume that he had been overly cautious.

Only Naruto did not know whether to laugh or cry. In the end, he shook his head and decided to find Zabuza when he had time and continue earning Experience Points.

Elsewhere, atop a large tree.

Zabuza moved swiftly, only stopping after confirming that it was safe.

Whoosh!

Haku suddenly leaped into view and looked at Zabuza in confusion. "Lord Zabuza, what happened? Why did you suddenly leave?"

"I encountered a very strange brat. I can't figure out what's going on with him." Zabuza raised his right hand, his expression solemn.

"Can't figure him out? Lord Zabuza, can you tell me about it?" Haku asked curiously.

A brat capable of making even the powerful Zabuza look so serious had truly aroused Haku's curiosity.