Buzz~~
The air around her dropped sharply in temperature, and a cold mist began to spread.
Tiny ice crystals gradually formed in the air.
More and more ice crystals appeared, drifting like snowflakes, eventually coalescing into crystal-clear mirrors of ice.
The first, second, and third ice mirrors emerged one after another in the cold air, surrounding Hinata completely and forming a barrier made entirely of ice mirrors.
"Mirrors? What is she trying to do?" Hinata looked around, her brows furrowed.
She felt trapped in a strange space formed by the ice mirrors.
Her reflection stared back at her from every surface, as if countless versions of herself were coldly observing her.
However, the ice mirrors didn't look particularly strong; they seemed like they could be shattered at any moment.
Hinata thought silently to herself.
Her fingers twitched slightly, chakra flowing within her, ready for any sudden attack.
"Next, your opponent will be me!"
Haku's voice echoed through the ice mirrors, carrying a hint of icy amusement.
His figure slowly appeared from one of the ice mirrors, then merged with it, as if he were part of the mirror itself.
Immediately, his reflection appeared in every ice mirror, his gaze sharp and unyielding on Hinata.
"This is your ability?" Hinata asked calmly, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
Although trapped within the ice mirror barrier, she showed no sign of panic.
Instead, she found Haku's jutsu fascinating.
"Hehe. From now on, this mirror will be my domain!" Haku's voice came from all directions, laced with cold confidence.
"From here on, I control your life!"
As his words fell, Haku's figure appeared in every ice mirror simultaneously, countless sharp ice needles forming in his hands.
The ice needles shimmered with a chilling light, ready to fire at any moment, completely surrounding Hinata.
"Prey? With tricks like this, you think you can call me prey?" Hinata sneered.
Her eyes locked on one of the ice mirrors, her tone calm.
"If you've got the skill, then try me."
A drop of cold sweat formed on Haku's forehead.
He hadn't expected Hinata to be so perceptive, able to see through his real body at a glance.
But he quickly regained his composure, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"No wonder you defeated Zabuza. You do have some skill. But in this mirror space, I can move freely. Even if you see through my body, you still can't beat me."
"Then the fight begins!"
No sooner had Hinata finished speaking than countless ice needles shot out from all directions of the mirrors, aiming straight at her.
"Eight Trigrams Palms!" Hinata remained calm. Her hands formed signs quickly, and an invisible chakra shield solidified around her.
The ice needles struck the shield with sharp clinks before falling harmlessly to the ground.
At the same time, Hinata swung her palms, throwing a few ice needles back toward the surrounding mirrors.
The needles pierced the mirror surfaces with a "ding ding," leaving tiny cracks. Haku's figure shifted quickly, escaping from the damaged mirrors.
However, the ice needles soon merged back into the mirrors, and the cracks healed instantly, as if no attack had ever occurred.
"Quick on the move, huh?" A flicker of interest shone in Hinata's eyes, a small smile forming on her lips.
She thought to herself that, according to Genya's teachings, Haku was indeed a worthy opponent—one who could help her sharpen her combat skills.
"You're impressive. But even if you can see through me, what then? In this mirror space, you can't harm me!" Haku's voice echoed from the mirrors, cold and mocking.
"How do you know until I try?" Hinata snorted, her figure flashing as she appeared in front of a mirror, slamming her palm forward.
"Bang!" The ice mirror shattered, but Haku's body was nowhere inside. The broken mirror quickly restored itself, as if untouched.
At that moment, a chill ran down Hinata's back.
Haku's figure emerged from another mirror, a kunai aimed straight at her back.
"From behind?" Hinata reacted instantly, twisting her body and sweeping a whip-like kick, sending Haku flying.
But his figure quickly melted into the mirror, reducing the impact.
"No wonder you beat Zabuza," Haku's voice carried a trace of seriousness.
Hinata looked at Haku, narrowing her eyes. "Your ability is indeed very special!"
Even as she spoke, there was a trace of confidence in her eyes.
This unusual kekkei genkai was troublesome, but she still held an absolute advantage.
Hinata thought quietly to herself, her gaze calmly scanning the surrounding ice mirrors.
She had already seen through Haku's patterns. In the coming battle, she would hold the initiative.
Outside the mirrors, Genya, Kurenai, and Shino were closely watching the fight inside the ice barrier.
"This isn't good." Kurenai furrowed her brow, a flicker of worry passing through her eyes.
Although she had confidence in Hinata's strength, Haku's jutsu was unpredictable, and she feared Hinata might fall into danger.
"Trying to save someone?" Zabuza's cold voice rang out, and in an instant, his figure appeared in front of Kurenai. He swung his large sword with a fierce chop. "Your opponent is me!"
"Ding!" Kurenai quickly drew her kunai, blocking Zabuza's attack.
But Zabuza's force was tremendous. Kurenai was pushed back two or three steps, and even Zabuza took a step back.
"Uh?" Shino immediately tensed, eyes fixed on Zabuza, ready to act at any moment.
"With no little Hyuga girl causing trouble, it's our turn now!" Zabuza's lips curled into a cold smile. His hands quickly formed hand seals. "Jutsu: Hidden Mist Technique!"
As he finished speaking, dense mist rapidly filled the air, completely blocking everyone's view.
Zabuza's figure vanished into the fog, seeming to merge with it.
"Kurenai-sensei, he's trying to sneak attack you from behind!" At that moment, Genya's voice came from the mist, lazy but precise, breaking the silent tension.
"Swish!" Hearing Genya's warning, Kurenai quickly turned, narrowly dodging Zabuza's ambush.
At the same time, she threw a shuriken, aiming straight at Zabuza's direction.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Shuriken clashed against the large blade, ringing sharply through the mist.
Zabuza's figure vanished once again into the thick fog, leaving only a curse behind. "Damn brat!"
"Shino, lower your head!" Genya's voice rang out again, calm as ever. "Move twelve steps to your left. That's where Kurenai-sensei is."
Shino Aburame blinked in surprise at Genya's instructions, but quickly obeyed, ducking just in time to avoid Zabuza's sneak attack.
He moved toward Kurenai as instructed, muttering under his breath, "Genya, couldn't you have said that sooner? I almost got sliced!"
Genya's voice carried a faint smile. "Don't worry. I trust your reflexes."
Zabuza's figure lingered in the fog, eyes coldly fixed on Genya. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "That damn brat is really in the way!"
****
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