Chapter 23: Chapter 23 - One-Handed Seal, Broken Mask
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"What's going on? What exactly happened here?" Dazuna asked, rushing over as soon as he reached the bridge, noticing the injured workers.
"They're here…" Kakashi's expression darkened as he saw the scene, silently realizing that Zabuza hadn't been killed as they previously thought. Sasuke, who knew about the plan, also had similar suspicions and remained on high alert.
"It's getting foggy…" Sakura said, noticing the mist slowly thickening around them. In the Land of Waves, a place abundant with water vapor, fog wasn't unusual. However, this mist was rising unnaturally fast.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu!"
Zabuza was definitely still alive.
"Sasuke, Sakura, protect Mr. Dazuna!" Kakashi ordered sharply, chakra surging from his feet as he moved to stand beside Dazuna. Sasuke and Sakura followed closely, positioning themselves to form a protective triangle around Dazuna.
Suddenly, six figures of Zabuza materialized from the mist, their swords gleaming menacingly as they slashed through the air.
"They're coming!" Sasuke's eyes flashed coldly as he deftly hurled a kunai, which instantly turned into a streak of black light.
"Puff, puff, puff!"
The six Zabuza clones exploded into water as the kunai hit them, leaving puddles in their wake.
"Well done. You managed to take out all six of my water clones in one go. You've improved, little Uchiha…" Zabuza's voice echoed from within the mist as he appeared alongside a masked figure—Shiro.
"Of course, Sasuke is my proudest student," Kakashi said with pride. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at Shiro. "That masked one—so, you're working with Zabuza."
Sasuke stepped forward, glaring at Shiro with a smirk. "Leave the one in the mask to me. I've always hated people who hide behind masks, pretending to be something they're not."
"Sasuke-kun is so cool…" Sakura gushed, her cheeks flushing as she stared at Sasuke dreamily.
Both Kakashi and Sasuke twitched at her words.
How did she become a fangirl so quickly?
Zabuza sneered. "Bai, it looks like the Uchiha brat has set his eyes on you. I'll leave him to you."
Shiro gave a silent nod. His feet skimmed the water, instantly turning it into ice beneath him, and he glided toward Sasuke at incredible speed.
"So fast…" Sakura gasped, worried that Sasuke wouldn't be able to react in time.
Prepared, Sasuke quickly performed a series of hand seals. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" he shouted, releasing a massive fireball with a diameter of five meters that roared towards Shiro.
The fireball surged forward, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
"Such an attack won't affect me…" Shiro said calmly, dodging the fireball effortlessly and appearing right next to Sasuke in an instant.
"Clang!"
The fine needles of Shiro's senbon clashed with Sasuke's kunai, sending sparks flying.
"Who said my attacks are useless?" Sasuke smirked confidently, his eyes fixed on Shiro.
In the next moment, the fireball behind Shiro exploded, evaporating all the nearby water in a burst of intense heat.
"I see… So you're trying to prevent me from using my Water Style jutsu. But did you forget? We're in the Land of Waves, a place filled with water vapor. I already hold the advantage here, an advantage that hard work alone can't overcome." Shiro held Sasuke's kunai with one hand, while his other hand began to form seals.
"One-handed seals!"
Both Kakashi and Sakura gasped in unison, shocked at what they were witnessing. Even Kakashi had never seen something like this before.
Just then, Sasuke's system rang in his ears, triggering a notification: [You have detected Shiro's malicious intent. Mission: Declare loudly that you, too, are a genius. Reward: One-handed seal technique.]
Sasuke, who had been preparing to explode his chakra and retreat, couldn't help but grin in satisfaction.
What a pleasant surprise!
"If you're proud of your one-handed seals, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I, too, am a genius," Sasuke declared loudly, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
In that moment, under Shiro's disbelieving gaze, Sasuke's reward was seamlessly integrated into his body. He began forming seals with his left hand just as swiftly as Shiro had done.
"Impossible… How can this be?!" Shiro cried out in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"That's incredible…" Kakashi, Zabuza, and Sakura all exclaimed in unison.
While everyone was still reeling in astonishment, Sasuke took advantage of Shiro's momentary distraction to complete the seals for his next jutsu.
"Raiton: Raijin no Hebi!" he shouted, summoning a bolt of lightning that shot toward Shiro's head.
Seeing the incoming attack, Zabuza's expression changed drastically. "Bai!" he yelled, swinging his executioner's blade in a desperate attempt to save his comrade.
But before the blade could reach its target, Kakashi intercepted it with his kunai. "Sorry, but your opponent is me. It looks like my student is more than capable," Kakashi said coldly, mocking Zabuza with a smirk.
Just as Sasuke's lightning attack was about to hit, Shiro managed to evade at the last second. However, the lightning bolt grazed Shiro's mask, shattering it and revealing a delicate, beautiful face beneath.
"So beautiful…" Sakura murmured as she saw Shiro's face, her voice filled with awe.
"Shiro, I see you've finally met your match," Zabuza said, relief evident in his voice. "But don't forget, any more hesitation will get you killed…"
Sasuke stood firm, staring at Shiro's face. "So, it's you," he said coldly, his fighting spirit undiminished.
Shiro gazed at Sasuke, her eyes filled with a strange sense of admiration. "I know you're strong, Sasuke, but luck won't always be on your side. I'm impressed by the bond you share with Naruto, but I won't die here. I won't let you sever the bonds I have." Determination flared in Shiro's eyes as a visible icy blue chakra enveloped her body.
"Secret Technique: Demonic Ice Mirrors!" Shiro shouted, forming seals rapidly with her hands. Ice walls materialized around both her and Sasuke, trapping them inside.
"This is bad…" Sasuke muttered, realizing he was at a serious disadvantage. Without hesitation, he leapt high into the air, attempting to escape before the technique fully formed.
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