"This fog…"
Everyone frowned as they stared into the thick mist that had suddenly rolled in. It came out of nowhere, swallowing them whole in an instant.
The fog was so dense it seemed to smother everything in sight. White haze stretched endlessly before their eyes. Even if they raised a hand, they couldn't see their own fingers — let alone the figures of their teammates.
Only the sound of shallow breathing and pounding hearts filled the air.
An invisible pressure settled over them, heavy and suffocating.
"Everyone, stay alert!" Kurenai's voice cut through the silence, firm and steady. "The enemy is Momochi Zabuza. Back when he served in the Hidden Mist's ANBU, he was known for his Silent Killing Technique. Don't let your guard down!"
Shino Aburame frowned behind his high collar, turning toward the direction of her voice. "Silent… killing?"
"Yes. He moves without sound," Kurenai explained grimly. "When he attacks, you won't hear a thing — and his strike is meant to kill in an instant. One mistake could cost your life."
"Silent assassination, combined with this kind of fog…" Cold sweat trickled down Shino's neck. "This battlefield favors him completely. Sensei, we should get out of the mist while we can!"
"It's no use," Kurenai replied, her tone tinged with both tension and calm resolve. "As long as Zabuza is hunting us, we can't escape his fog."
She knew this fight would be difficult — especially for Hinata and Shino. But with Genya present, she didn't truly fear disaster. If things turned dangerous… Genya would act.
At that very moment, Kurenai's instincts flared. A flicker of killing intent — faint, but sharp as a blade — brushed against her senses.
A shadow lunged from within the mist.
Kurenai reacted instantly, drawing a kunai and raising it just in time to parry the incoming strike.
"Heh… blocked, huh?" A mocking voice echoed faintly through the fog. It was Zabuza's.
He had aimed for her first — naturally. As Genya's Sensei, she posed the greatest threat in his eyes. But his surprise attack had failed.
"Since you chose to strike at me," Kurenai's eyes turned cold, "you'll pay the price."
She countered swiftly — but her kunai met only empty air.
Zabuza's form had already vanished into the mist once more, as if he had never been there at all.
The surroundings fell silent once more.
Someone tried to pinpoint Zabuza's location through the sound of his footsteps, but his movements were completely soundless. Everyone stood tense, alert to every shadow in the mist.
In this dense fog, even Kurenai Yuhi's genjutsu—her greatest weapon—was nearly useless. She couldn't cast illusions effectively under these conditions.
Eventually, she gave up trying to trace Zabuza's movements and instead positioned herself in front of Tazuna, protecting him while keeping a sharp eye on her surroundings.
As for Zabuza, she decided to leave him to Hinata and Shino.
After all, this wasn't just a battle—it was a test. No, to be precise, it was Genya's way of training Hinata and Shino. Right now, she was merely an observer.
"Shino, be careful!" Hinata's soft voice suddenly rang out, shattering the heavy silence.
The clash of steel followed instantly, then the sound of two people retreating.
"Hinata, Shino! Are you both alright?" Kurenai called out anxiously.
"Sensei, we're fine," Hinata replied, her tone calm and composed. "Please don't worry about us."
Drip... drip...
The sound of water hitting the ground echoed clearly through the mist, and a faint scent of blood began to spread through the air.
Someone was injured.
Rip—
The sound of fabric tearing cut through the silence, followed by Zabuza's low voice. "Little girl from the Hyūga clan… you can see me even through the mist?"
Hinata nodded slightly, her voice steady. "From the beginning, you've never once escaped my Byakugan's sight."
"Heh… interesting." Zabuza chuckled, amusement lacing his tone. "So you stayed quiet to make me lower my guard, then waited for me to attack someone else before striking back. Seems you've got more brains than I thought, Hyūga girl."
When Zabuza had lunged at Shino, Hinata had stepped in at the perfect moment—blocking his blade and countering with a single, precise shuriken that pierced his arm. The mistake had cost Zabuza, and irritation flickered in his heart.
"Heh… looks like I'll have to deal with you first." His voice faded into the fog once more.
But Hinata's Byakugan had already locked onto him.
The battle that followed revealed the true strength of Hinata Hyūga.
With the sharp perception of the Byakugan, the elegance of the Gentle Fist, and the precision of her Eight Trigrams techniques, she pressed Zabuza hard—forcing even the silent assassin to struggle under the relentless flow of her strikes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The clash of weapons echoed again and again as Hinata's relentless attacks surged like waves, giving her opponent no chance to breathe.
Though Zabuza was a seasoned veteran, under Hinata's fierce pressure, he began to feel the strain. Her precision and persistence were far beyond what he expected.
"Damn it… Why is this Hyūga brat so troublesome?" Zabuza muttered, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
He realized that if this continued, it would be difficult to regain the upper hand. And if Kurenai joined the battle too, he might be in serious danger.
His thoughts shifted rapidly. In the next instant, Zabuza's sharp eyes turned toward Genya, who had been quietly watching from the side.
The boy didn't seem to possess any combat ability—nor did anyone appear to be guarding him.
If Zabuza could capture Genya, he might use him as leverage against the others.
"Hmph, once I control that kid, the Hyūga girl will have no choice but to surrender." Zabuza sneered inwardly.
With a swing of his massive blade, he forced Hinata back several steps before suddenly spinning around and dashing toward Genya.
"Genya—watch out!" Hinata cried, her pupils shrinking in shock as she realized his target. Panic filled her chest.
At that instant, the air around her Byakugan seemed to ripple faintly—like space itself had trembled.
Then, something impossible happened.
Zabuza, mid-leap toward Genya, suddenly froze in place—his body locked solidly, unable to move even an inch.
"What… what is this?" Zabuza's heart raced in alarm. He tried to struggle, to break free from the invisible force restraining him, but his limbs refused to respond.
"This…?"
His eyes widened in disbelief. His entire body was trapped—controlled by something unseen!
The space around him felt thick, like he was sinking into mud, binding him completely.
For the first time, Zabuza felt utterly powerless. In that moment, he was no longer the predator— but a helpless beast awaiting the butcher's blade.
He hadn't expected it at all. The little girl from the Hyuga clan was actually this strong.
Even possessing a Kekkei Genkai capable of controlling space itself. That was far beyond his expectations. He had been too careless.
"Yo~ Were you trying to kill me just now? Or were you planning to use me to threaten Hinata?" Genya stepped forward through the frozen space.
Though spatial ripples still shimmered around them, the sealed area didn't seem to affect him much at all.
As he spoke, Genya casually disarmed Zabuza, pulling the blade from his hand and tossing it aside. Then he patted Zabuza's face lightly and said, "Too bad… you picked the wrong target~ I'd suggest you find someone else to threaten next time."
Genya's smug expression made him look like some arrogant young master, showing off power that wasn't his own.
He was basking in Hinata's strength, using it to act all high and mighty. Zabuza glared at Genya, murderous intent spilling from his eyes.
****
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