The masked White, watching Naruto and Sasuke trapped within his Magic Mirror Ice Crystal Formation, said, "It's not too late to back down. I can consider letting you go."
"But if you insist on continuing, I wouldn't mind becoming a ruthless ninja."
"Don't pretend! We won't take a step back."
Naruto, holding a kunai, stood ready for battle.
Unusually, Sasuke agreed with Naruto, "Right, ninjas always face challenges head-on. How can we back down from such a small obstacle?"
"Then, I'm sorry."
As White's words faded...
White's figure appeared on the icy mirror beside Sasuke and Naruto!
Dozens of mirrors, each containing an identical figure, sent a chill down one's spine!
It was impossible to tell which one was real!
"What kind of weird jutsu is that!?"
Naruto exclaimed, throwing a kunai towards one of the mirrored Whites, testing the waters.
"Ding!"
A sharp clang echoed as the kunai was deflected.
Kakashi, witnessing White's jutsu, widened his eyes in astonishment, "Could this be..."
Kakashi's unfinished sentence was taken over by a smug Zabuza, "That's right, it's the kekkei genkai, Ice Release, possessed by only a handful of people in the ninja world."
"White is the ninja I trained, a prodigy in taijutsu, with exceptional jutsu skills and his own unique kekkei genkai."
"In a way, that kid has already surpassed me."
Kakashi choked, unable to speak.
It seemed Naruto and Sasuke were in danger.
Seeing Kakashi's expression, Zabuza's smugness intensified, "Scared, Kakashi? Your two disciples are no match for White, not even that red-haired brat."
"In your peaceful, almost foolish environment in Konoha, you can't cultivate true cold-blooded ninjas."
"White is different. He's fought alongside me many times, a true ninja."
Zabuza continued his boasting on the side.
Not far away, Sasuke and Naruto were experiencing the power of Ice Release firsthand.
Trapped in the Magic Mirror Ice Crystal, they were helpless.
White within the formation moved with lightning speed.
His movements were impossible to predict!
Every mirror reflected his image, but none of them were his real body!
Soon, Naruto and Sasuke were badly injured by White's relentless attacks.
"Damn it, this guy's needles could easily hit a vital point, but he keeps doing these small, insignificant attacks. Is he trying to torture us slowly?"
Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger.
He thought after mastering chakra control training, his jutsu skills would improve.
But as soon as he wanted to test his abilities, he encountered such a tough opponent!
"If it's ice, maybe we can melt it with fire!"
Sasuke decided to take a gamble, moving Naruto behind him.
Then, he clasped his hands together and quickly formed hand seals!
"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!!"
Sasuke opened his mouth, and flames burst forth!
A giant fireball, radiating intense heat, shot towards the surrounding ice mirrors!
"Whoa!"
The moment the fireball collided with the ice mirrors, a massive explosion erupted!
Despite the grand display, the effect was underwhelming.
Only a few droplets of water melted.
At that moment, White sneered, "Useless. That level of jutsu is far from enough to melt Ice Release."
Naruto, standing beside Sasuke, quickly formed hand seals.
He planned to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu to break free!
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
In a flash, dozens of shadow clones appeared!
Unfortunately, the clones didn't get far before White, darting between the mirrors, used his needles to eliminate them one by one!
"So sneaky, hiding behind mirrors! What's the point? If you've got the guts, come out and fight fair!"
Naruto roared in frustration.
White ignored Naruto's provocation, "That's how my jutsu works."
In this crisis, Naruto remembered his friend. If Ye Yu were here tonight, they wouldn't be so passive.
"If Ye Yu were here, he'd definitely figure out a way to escape."
"That guy's probably still sleeping soundly. By the time he wakes up, we'll both be frozen solid."
Sasuke made a rare joke.
To Naruto, it felt a bit cold.
On the other side.
Zabuza, facing Kakashi, swung his katana, ready to attack.
"Alright, let the kids handle their own problems."
"Our duel should come to a close."
As Zabuza finished speaking, he split into two water clones.
Sweat trickled down Kakashi's forehead.
Naruto and Sasuke were entangled with that Ice Release kid, and he had to protect Tazuna.
Fighting Zabuza under these circumstances was extremely difficult.
He needed to make it quick!
Thinking this, Kakashi slowly pulled down the headband covering his left eye.
As the Sharingan was fully exposed to the air, Kakashi was surprised to find that the mist seemed to grow even thicker!
So dense that it was nearly impossible to see!
Under these conditions, the Sharingan's effectiveness was greatly reduced!
From within the mist, Zabuza's voice echoed, "Did you think I wouldn't learn from our last encounter?"
"Using mist to cripple your Sharingan, you're a sitting duck!"
"You can't see, and neither can I."
Kakashi quipped.
"Don't forget, I'm Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, a master of silent assassination. Locating you by sound is a piece of cake!"
Zabuza's words fell.
Kakashi felt a gust of wind coming from behind!
In a moment of haste, he turned and blocked with his kunai.
"Clang!"
The kunai collided with Zabuza's katana!
The experienced Kakashi, in the instant the weapons clashed, shifted his body sideways.
At the same time, the kunai in his hand darted towards Zabuza's abdomen at a tricky angle!
"Whoa!"
The next second, the black kunai pierced through Zabuza's body.
Unfortunately, it was just a water clone!
Kakashi let out a wry smile, "You're really cautious. Even with the upper hand, you still use a water clone to test me."
Wait!
Before Kakashi finished speaking, his pupils contracted sharply!
Zabuza's target had never been him!
It was Mr. Tazuna!
Only by killing Mr. Tazuna could he get the reward for the mission!
Realizing the danger, Kakashi hurriedly went back to defend!
At that moment, a ghostly figure flashed behind Mr. Tazuna!
The figure raised its katana high, and swung down with force!!
"Chop!"
Blood splattered!
But the one injured wasn't Tazuna!
It turned out that at the last second, Kakashi had rushed back to help.
He used his kunai to block Zabuza's descending katana!
However.
Zabuza's blow, concentrated with all his strength, was incredibly powerful!
Kakashi was defending in a hurry.
Therefore, although Kakashi blocked Zabuza's strike, it slid down the kunai.
Ultimately.
It cut into Kakashi's arm!
The blow cut deep into his muscle, nearly reaching his bone!
Ignoring the searing pain in his arm, Kakashi used one hand to hold his kunai, blocking Zabuza's katana while retreating.
At this moment, he started to miss having Ye Yu around.
If Ye Yu were here today, the fight wouldn't be so difficult!