“Naive? Maybe… Judging by my wounds, it’s his senbon that hurt me. But up until now, he hasn’t aimed to kill. Is he trying to torture me to death? Still, before I disappear, I must make the most of myself…”
Within the encirclement of ice mirrors, Yukigetsu fiercely wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes scanning the surroundings. “What’s the principle behind this jutsu? Hiding clones in the mirrors to attack simultaneously? No, it can’t be that fast; I can’t even see the trajectory of the needles…”
His clothes were in disarray, and he looked battered, but his gaze remained sharp. “Moreover, why use so many ice mirrors if these were just clones? In the end, these ice mirrors are key to his attacks…”
At that moment, the masked boy seemed to understand Yukigetsu’s confusion and calmly began to explain, “This jutsu is actually a form of Body Flicker Technique. It uses the reflection of the ice mirrors that can only show my shadow… Compared to my speed, you are almost standing still!”
Outside, Kakashi clearly heard the boy’s words and seemed somewhat amazed. “I didn’t expect someone so young to know such a jutsu… and to possess a Kekkei Genkai!”
“Kekkei Genkai?” Sakura asked in confusion.
Kakashi explained solemnly, “It’s closely related to bloodline, passed down through extraordinary individual inheritance…”
Sakura was taken aback. “So…”
“Yes, it’s like my Sharingan,” Kakashi said, his gaze darkening. “Even I can’t replicate this jutsu, let alone break it!”
“Hmph!”
Yukigetsu slowly lifted his head inside the ice mirrors, a slight smile forming at the corner of his mouth. “In that case, let’s test it one last time.”
“What?” Haku frowned, sensing something amiss.
Amidst the cold within the ice mirror formation, the battered figure of Yukigetsu suddenly burst forward at high speed.
Swish, swish, swish…
Countless senbon almost instantly grazed the slender figure, but this time Yukigetsu did not dodge, pushing forward through the onslaught toward one of the ice mirrors.
Haku’s hand, continuously throwing senbon, trembled slightly and involuntarily stopped, a sad expression crossing his face. Is this guy… seeking death?
In the next instant, Yukigetsu’s body tensed, his right fist swinging out like a spear, smashing into the mirror ahead…
Boom!
A loud bang echoed as the ice mirror shuddered violently but remained smooth, seemingly unaffected by the attack.
“It’s useless!” Haku said somberly. “These mirrors are compressed to the extreme, not easily shattered. Unfortunately…”
Crack!
Just then, a cracking sound was heard. Haku looked on in shock as a tiny fracture appeared where Yukigetsu’s fist had struck. In the next moment, like a chain reaction, countless cracks spread out like a spider web.
Crack, crack, crack…
The next moment, with a loud explosion, the ice mirror shattered into fragments!
Tap, tap!
Amidst everyone’s stunned gazes, the boy in the windbreaker slowly stepped out.
“Yukigetsu! You did it…”
Sakura exclaimed in joy, but the next moment, she froze, as did Kakashi and Tazuna…
Because the boy was covered in senbon, with blood staining his clothes, he staggered forward, but each step seemed to drain all his energy. In the next moment, his body tilted, and he fell!
Thud!
The sound struck the hearts of Kakashi and the others. They watched in disbelief as the talented, resilient boy lay in a pool of blood. Did he really fall here?
“Hehehe…” Zabuza’s sinister voice came through. “I didn’t expect Haku actually to kill someone. Quite surprising.”
Shhh…
All the ice mirrors melted away, and Haku stood silently behind Yukigetsu, his body trembling, unsure if it was due to taking a life for the first time or something else. A hidden sadness showed in his eyes. “He… is dead…”
Sakura stared blankly at the boy lying in the blood, her body trembling as if trying to suppress something. Tazuna’s large hand gripped her small shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, if you want to go, go. If you want to cry, cry…”
“I… always scored top marks at the academy, memorizing hundreds of ninja principles. I always felt proud writing the answers…” Sakura’s voice was hollow, filled with sorrow. “Once, there was a question, ‘Write the 25th Ninja Rule.’ I confidently wrote the answer…”
Everyone’s eyes were drawn to her empty voice as she began to choke up. “A ninja must never show their emotions, no matter the circumstances… The mission is always the priority… Never show tears…”
Crystal-clear tears began to fall down her smooth cheeks, hitting the ground one by one.
When did I start liking him this much… so much that I didn’t even realize…
“Bastard—”
Kakashi roared in rage, his Sharingan filled with blood as he charged. Zabuza, without a word, swung his executioner’s blade, engaging him in battle.
“To give up all emotions and become a true ninja is difficult.”
Haku walked slowly to Yukigetsu’s side, squatting down, his voice filled with sorrow. “I really didn’t want to kill you… but I didn’t want you to kill me either… I never expected you to charge without dodging…”
“At this point, I have no choice but to cut off all emotions and become a true ninja…” He stood up slowly. “This bridge connects everyone’s dreams… the battlefield!”
His scarf fluttered around his waist as he walked forward, step by step. “I fight for my dream, and you fight for yours.”
“Please don’t hate me.”
“I want to protect someone very important… work for him, fight for him, help him realize his dreams… that is my dream.”
“For this, I can become a true ninja and ruthlessly kill you all!”
…
“Hehehe…” Zabuza’s eerie laughter filled the air. “Kakashi, even if you beat me, you can’t defeat Haku!”
“I taught him all my combat techniques when he was very young. Even in unimaginable situations, he performs exceptionally well.”
He spoke with undisguised pride. “He’s a combat machine, ready to give up even the concept of life! His jutsu surpasses mine, and he possesses a terrifying Kekkei Genkai!”
“I truly found a perfect tool, unlike that useless brat you have. He died so quickly…”
…
“Waaa! I’ll kill you all—”
Sobbing uncontrollably, Sakura could no longer hold back. She charged out under Tazuna’s bewildered gaze.
At the same time, Haku raised his senbon, aiming directly at Sakura’s neck.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Then…
Bam!
To everyone’s shock, Haku was suddenly thrown back, and a strong arm around her waist caught Sakura. A familiar lazy voice echoed across the battlefield:
“Good morning, everyone!”
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