Side Quest, Lottery Gift Pack? / The Right Way to Use Your Enemies.

So fast!

Oh no!

This was bad.

If the Disaster Ninja Aogetsu Hyuga called this move his ultimate technique, it had to be a terrifying trump card!

Haku had to stop Aogetsu from using it!

"Ice Release..." Yuki Haku surged with Chakra, his fair hands flying through Hand Seals. He meant to use Ice Release to stop Aogetsu's ultimate technique.

But he was too slow.

"Ultimate Ninja Art—Thousand Years of Death!" Aogetsu Hyuga bent forward, clasped his hands together, then drove two fingers straight into Yuki Haku's backside.

Side Mission: A Lottery Pack?

"Mm—ow!" Yuki Haku let out a clear, startled cry. His slight body shot into the sky before crashing heavily to the ground.

Team 7 stared at Yuki Haku lying on the ground, dumbfounded. None of them knew what to say.

What... what was that?

They had been eagerly waiting for their teacher to show them the ultimate technique that could defeat a Mizukage.

And then... he pulled this?

That sleazy move could defeat the Fifth Mizukage?

Who would believe that?

"Pervert!" Yuki Haku knelt on the ground, clutching his aching backside. His slight body trembled, and behind his white mask, his flushed face glared at Aogetsu in humiliation and anger.

What a shameless ultimate technique!

What was wrong with Aogetsu Hyuga?

Could that technique really defeat the Fifth Mizukage?

Perhaps it could.

Mei Terumi was a woman, after all. Looked at another way, the move really could defeat her.

It was every woman's enemy!

"See? Very effective," Aogetsu Hyuga said with a soft laugh. "Mei Terumi reacted even more strongly than you did."

She had been furious at the time, swearing she would kill Aogetsu one day.

[Ding—]

[Side Mission: Have the three members of Team 7 defeat the rogue Ninja Zabuza Momochi.]

[Reward: One random Lottery Pack, containing abilities and items from countless worlds.]

[Time limit: Seven days.]

[No penalty for failure.]

The system's notification sounded.

"A Side Mission, huh? A random Lottery Pack doesn't sound all that tempting." Aogetsu Hyuga raised an eyebrow and glanced at the barely breathing Zabuza in the distance.

Still, a Lottery Pack was a reward. Maybe he would draw something fun.

A Zanpakuto to play around with, for example.

Finishing Zabuza off should count as defeating him, right?

He could have all of Team 7 deliver the final blow.

[No. The three members of Team 7 must defeat Zabuza Momochi while he is uninjured and at full strength.]

The system spoke in a light female voice.

"Defeating him at full strength within seven days? That'll be tough for those brats." Aogetsu Hyuga turned toward Team 7 in the distance.

At their current level, the three of them had no chance against Zabuza.

Unless he could teach the Nine-Tails brat Rasengan and the Uchiha brat Chidori within seven days.

As for Sakura Haruno...

He had never worked with Strength of a Hundred Power. Before learning it, she would need to master Chakra Enhanced Strength.

He could not teach her Strength of a Hundred Power, but he could at least start with Chakra Enhanced Strength.

There was no penalty for failure anyway. He might as well let the brats try.

Besides, even if they failed to learn Rasengan, Chidori, and Chakra Enhanced Strength in seven days, he still had a backup plan that would let Team 7 win decisively.

Aogetsu Hyuga's gaze shifted to Naruto Uzumaki.

His backup plan was the Nine-Tails inside Naruto. He could have Naruto unleash the Demon Fox Cloak!

This Side Mission was practically a free reward!

Perfect!

Yuki Haku saw that Aogetsu Hyuga was lost in thought, paying no attention to him despite their being enemies. He reacted at once, his fair hands flying through Hand Seals.

"Ice Release: Exploding Ice Pillars!"

The ground beneath Team 7 shook violently. Several enormous, sharp ice pillars burst upward, hurtling toward them, Tazuna, and the others.

The sudden attack caught Team 7 off guard.

"Sasuke!" Naruto Uzumaki's face changed. He shoved Sasuke aside, only for an ice pillar to snag his clothes and carry him skyward.

Naruto Uzumaki forced a grin and looked down at Sasuke Uchiha. "You're not hurt, are you, scaredy-cat?"

He held grudges. Sasuke's earlier jab had to be repaid!

Now he had saved Sasuke and mocked him. Next time, he would save Aogetsu and really let him have it!

Sasuke Uchiha scrambled up and glared at Naruto, who was being carried into the sky. What a colossal idiot!

He could have dodged the pillar himself. Naruto Uzumaki had only made things worse!

Sakura Haruno looked up at Naruto hanging from the pillar, panic on her face. "Naruto!"

In the next instant,

Yuki Haku scooped up the unconscious Zabuza and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique, darting from tree trunk to tree trunk.

He had been wondering how to retreat when he noticed Aogetsu deep in thought. He had seized the chance to escape.

Naruto Uzumaki shouted, "Don't worry about me, Aogetsu! Chase them!"

"Ultimate Technique: Shattering Ice Crystal!" Yuki Haku clasped his hands together and unleashed a fierce cold. It engulfed Team 7 and the others, forming a mountain-sized mass of ice crystal around them.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" Yuki Haku changed his Hand Seals. A vast wave rose around him and crashed toward Aogetsu Hyuga.

He had spent every last bit of Chakra to make his escape!

Naruto Uzumaki's smile vanished. Feeling the cold close in, he struggled wildly and shouted through tears, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Aogetsu! Please save me!"

"Troublesome brat." Aogetsu Hyuga became a bolt of lightning. Azure light flashed, and in a fraction of a second he carried Team 7, Tazuna, and the others to the top of a distant hill.

Lightning was fast!

"Huff... huff..." All of Team 7 breathed a sigh of relief. If Aogetsu had not stepped in, Shattering Ice Crystal would have killed them instantly.

That move was terrifying!

For an instant, even their blood had seemed to freeze!

"He got away fast." Aogetsu Hyuga used the Tenseigan's penetrating vision to scan the vast forest, but Yuki Haku was nowhere to be seen.

The pretty boy was quite capable.

Using so many techniques in quick succession and still having the strength to carry Zabuza away made him an excellent Ninja.

In any case, Team 7 could deal with him later. He would be the means to Aogetsu's reward!

Naruto Uzumaki sank to his knees. "I'm really sorry. The enemy escaped because of me."

"You held me back, and now the enemy's gone for good." Aogetsu Hyuga looked coldly down at the three members of Team 7. "You should atone with your lives."

He did not actually care. Letting the enemy escape was part of his plan.

But he wanted to blame Team 7 so they would grow stronger within seven days.

"Honestly, I'm disappointed, and I'm out of patience. You're the worst students I've ever taught. When the enemy shows up again, deal with him yourselves." Aogetsu Hyuga's voice stayed cold. "If you can't, go back to school and study. Stop playing Ninja."

"I'm sorry..." Sakura Haruno lowered her head, her eyes reddening. Her spirits sank.

Was Aogetsu disappointed?

He had expected so much from Team 7 and always taught them patiently. Was seeing how helpless they were what had disappointed him?

All three fell silent, heads bowed. They could not bear to look at Aogetsu. They felt as though they had done something wrong.

They knew every word he had said was true.

The enemy had escaped because they were too weak!

They had to get stronger!

Standing by helplessly while Aogetsu fought the enemy was an experience they never wanted to repeat!

Putting on a stern expression, Aogetsu Hyuga said, "Five days. I'll give you five days to train hard and defeat the enemy. If you can't manage something that simple, I'll give up on Team 7."

Naruto Uzumaki looked up with a bright, determined smile. "Don't worry, Aogetsu. The enemy got away because of me, so I'll show you how strong I can become!"

He thought highly of Aogetsu Hyuga. He wanted to prove to someone important to him that he could grow stronger!

Sasuke Uchiha gritted his teeth and slowly clenched his fists. He looked up at Aogetsu, his expression hard. "Aogetsu, please give me power. I'll get stronger right away!"

His pride would not let him remain weak and helpless.

He had to gain power and defeat the enemy once and for all!

Besides, if Aogetsu gave up on Team 7, how would he ever gain the strength to take revenge?

He had to make Aogetsu stay!

"I'll work hard too!" Sakura Haruno declared.

Aogetsu Hyuga drew all three close and smiled. "You do have talent. Don't disappoint me again."

The whip and the sweet.

"Don't worry, Aogetsu!" All of Team 7 resolved to grow stronger in just five days and defeat the enemy when he returned.

"Head to the Land of Waves first. I have something to take care of." Aogetsu Hyuga glanced into the distance. Through his Chakra sensing, he could feel Yuki Haku's presence.

"So that's where he is. I might as well say hello."

Aogetsu Hyuga turned into a bolt of lightning and vanished completely.

In the distance,

"Huff... huff..." Yuki Haku breathed hard and sank weakly to the ground. The moment he sat down, pain shot through his backside, making his slight body tremble.

He had used too much Chakra!

In all his years as a Ninja, this was the first time he had spent every bit of Chakra and still been unable to do anything to one person.

Aogetsu Hyuga... that man was as strong as a monster!

Bzzzt. A flash of azure electricity swept past, and Aogetsu Hyuga appeared out of nowhere before Haku.

"Hey." Aogetsu Hyuga greeted him with a smile.

The Right Way to Use an Enemy ### "Eh—?"

Aogetsu Hyuga's sudden appearance startled Yuki Haku so badly that his slight body trembled. He looked as flustered as a frightened rabbit.

"You can take my life, but please spare Mr. Zabuza. He still has a dream he must fulfill." Yuki Haku picked up a Kunai and struggled to his feet through gritted teeth, watching Aogetsu Hyuga warily.

His Chakra was exhausted. Even standing took effort now, and forcing himself to use more Chakra could kill him.

He would probably need about two days to recover.

There was no way he could resist an enemy as powerful as Aogetsu Hyuga. All he could do was hope Aogetsu would spare Mr. Zabuza.

"Is that so? Dying for someone important to you... interesting proposal." Aogetsu Hyuga rubbed his chin and bent down to study Yuki Haku.