Chapter 152 - 18

Chapter 18: Zabuza, Did You Steal Your Pants from a Cow?Naruto seized the giant blade in stride.The massive blade, which would be incredibly heavy to an ordinary person, felt as light as a plastic tube in his hands.Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—With a flick of Naruto's wrist, the kubikiribōchōspun into several beautiful flourishes, the resulting gust of wind making Sakura's hair dance wildly.Thud!Naruto casually stabbed it down.The giant blade sank deep into the thick wooden planks of the bow, standing upright before everyone."This toothpick is too thick; it's too big even for picking teeth."Naruto clapped the rust off his hands, looking thoroughly annoyed.The entire scene fell into a dead silence.Only the sound of waves lapping against the hull could be heard.Kakashi's visible dead-fish eye widened into a perfect circle, his headband nearly slipping off.Catching the kubikiribōchō with one hand?Was this truly the strength a Genin could possess? Even a Jonin specializing in Taijutsu wouldn't dare be so reckless!Moreover, seeing Naruto's relaxed and effortless demeanor, he hadn't used any Chakra at all; it was pure, raw physical strength!Sasuke stared fixedly at Naruto's back.His nails dug deep into his palms, the stinging pain keeping him conscious.It was happening again.That despair-inducing gap.When that blade flew over just now, he couldn't even move his body, only able to crouch and cover his head like a coward.But Naruto...He treated that blade, a symbol of death, like a toy."Dammit..."Sasuke grit his teeth, the flames of resentment churning in his chest.On the water's surface.Zabuza slowly stood up straight.As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mistand an assassin known as the "Demon Man," he had never suffered such a profound humiliation.His weapon had been snatched.His strength had been crushed.And he was even mocked as a salted fish."Brat... you will pay for your arrogance."Zabuza's hands flew through seals, his speed so fast only afterimages remained.The surrounding seawater began to churn violently.Ox-Monkey-Rabbit-Rat-Boar-Bird-Ox..."Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"Roar!A massive water dragon erupted from the sea with a roar, its ferocious head carrying an aura of total destruction as it dived toward the small boat.The massive surge of Chakra caused the boat to rock violently."Not good!"Kakashi reacted instantly, his hands moving rapidly through seals to prepare a defense.At this distance, if it wasn't blocked, the entire ship would be smashed to pieces!"So this is a Jonin's Ninjutsu..."Sakura's face turned deathly pale, the overwhelming pressure making it difficult for her to breathe.However.Someone was faster than Kakashi."So noisy."Naruto didn't even spare a glance at the water dragon.He raised his leg and delivered a kick to the kubikiribōchō embedded in the deck."Take it back!"Boom!The air exploded.The kubikiribōchō transformed into a spinning black meteor, trailing a piercing sonic boom as it crashed straight into the water dragon.There were no fancy techniques.Just pure strength and speed.Splat—!The massive kubikiribōchō sliced through the water dragon's head like it was cutting tofu.The once-imposing water dragon instantly disintegrated under the impact, turning into a torrential downpour that splashed down.Yet the giant blade's momentum didn't slow, carrying a terrifying wind pressure as it headed straight for Zabuza's face.Zabuza's pupils shrank.The backlash from his interrupted Ninjutsu made his chest feel tight, but he couldn't worry about that as he desperately leaned his body back.Swoosh!The giant blade flew past the tip of his nose, shearing off a few strands of hair before slamming heavily into the water behind him, kicking up a water column several meters high.Zabuza skidded awkwardly across the water for over a dozen meters before finally coming to a halt.He panted heavily, his gaze toward the blonde boy standing at the bow completely changed.What kind of monster is this?Disrupting Ninjutsu with a physical attack?"Hey."Naruto's voice rang out again.He stood at the bow with his hands in his pockets, looking Zabuza up and down as if he were some rare animal.[Ding! Target's mental state detected as unstable. Host, please increase the intensity.][Option A: Mock his Ninjutsu seals for being too slow, like he's doing calisthenics.][Option B: Critique his fashion sense. Reward: Mental attack effectiveness doubled.]Naruto pointed at Zabuza."I say, it's a hot day. Aren't you hot wrapped in all those bandages?"Naruto asked with a face full of sincerity."Are you afraid of getting a heat rash, or are you just too ugly to show your face?"Veins bulged on Zabuza's forehead."And those pants."Naruto's gaze fell on Zabuza's signature cow-print leggings."Black and white spots? Did you steal a cow's hide to make those? Or is this the current trend in the Hidden Mist Village?""I wouldn't have guessed. A cold-blooded 'Demon Man' like you actually has a little baby who loves drinking milk living in his heart?"Pfft—Sakura, unable to help herself in this tense atmosphere, let out a short snort of laughter before quickly covering her mouth in terror.But that laugh was like the final straw that broke the camel's back.Zabuza's killing intent instantly surged to its peak.The surrounding air seemed to solidify.The temperature plummeted."I'm going to... slaughter you!!!"Zabuza held up one hand."Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Technique!"The already dense mist seemed to come alive, becoming thick and viscous.In an instant, the entire sea was swallowed by a vast white fog.Visibility dropped to zero.Even the figures of Sasuke and Sakura, who were right next to him, became blurred and indistinct."Be careful!"Kakashi's voice became grave. "He's getting serious now. This is the Silent Killing Technique, relying on hearing and killing intent to lock onto a position. Everyone, back to back, protect Mr. Tazuna!"Sasuke and Sakura immediately pulled out their Kunai, nervously guarding Tazuna.The surroundings were deathly still.Only the sound of the thick mist flowing could be heard.Suddenly, Zabuza's eerie voice drifted from all directions, shifting left and right, making it impossible to pinpoint his location."Throat...""Spine...""Lungs...""Liver...""Carotid artery...""Subclavian artery...""Kidneys...""Heart..."Every word carried a heavy scent of blood."Which vital point do you want me to strike?"Sakura trembled with fear, clutching Sasuke's sleeve as tears welled up in her eyes.This kind of invisible enemy was the most terrifying."Ha..."From within the thick mist, an extremely ill-timed yawn suddenly rang out.Naruto's lazy voice echoed, piercing through the fog."Stop reading out the menu.""Did you just graduate from culinary school? Do you have to ask the customer's opinion on where to cut?""If you've got the guts, come out and slash me. What kind of man hides in the mist?"Naruto paused, his tone becoming even more mocking."Oh, I forgot. You wear cow pants. Maybe you're not just a pervert, but you've also got a shy little princess living in your heart who's too afraid to see strangers?"[Ding! Zabuza's mental breakdown index +50!][Ding! Obtained Agility Attribute Point +2.][Ding! Obtained Skill Fragment: Hidden Mist Assassination Technique (3/10).]System notifications flooded the screen.In the thick fog, that killing intent became erratic and violent.Clearly, Zabuza had been provoked to the point where he could no longer remain calm.In a normal Ninja duel, an assassin should remain even calmer when faced with such provocation.But every one of Naruto's words stepped precisely on his nerves; that contempt and humiliation were sharper than any blade."Die!!!"The killing intent instantly locked onto a direction.It wasn't Naruto.It was Tazuna!Zabuza knew very well that the blonde brat was a tough nut to crack; killing the mission target first was the Ninja's code!