Kakashi became suspicious of the Water Release ninjutsu Zabuza was using.
This was because Kakashi had personally witnessed Chinya using those powerful Water Release techniques before, and Chinya had told him these techniques were originally created by Tobirama Senju.
In fact, during this battle, Kakashi had already started doubting when Zabuza suddenly spat out Water Needles. However, since he couldn't quite believe that Tobirama Senju's Water Release techniques had leaked out, he merely harbored suspicions at first.
Now though, Kakashi was already eighty percent certain that the Water Release ninjutsu Zabuza was using was exactly the same as Tobirama Senju's.
In Kakashi's memory, only three people knew Tobirama Senju's unique Water Release techniques.
One was Chinya himself, another was Yahiko, who used Daiki's identity, and the third was Konoha's own Kosuke Maruboshi.
Among them, Kosuke Maruboshi had only learned one or two techniques directly from Tobirama Senju as personal instruction.
Moreover, Tobirama Senju's Water Release techniques were very distinctive and easily recognizable.
So if Zabuza really was using Tobirama's Water Release techniques, how did he learn them?
His first thought was naturally Chinya.
Besides Kosuke Maruboshi, Yahiko's Water Release techniques were taught to him by Chinya, and the instruction had been thorough.
Zabuza seemed to know many techniques as well, so suspicion fell heavily on Chinya.
However, Zabuza was a rogue ninja from Mist village wearing their forehead protector, so if he really was one of Chinya's men, shouldn't he be wearing Otogakure's headband instead?
Suddenly, a light flickered in Kakashi's mind.
He remembered how Chinya had suddenly urged him to pay attention to someone — a man named Tazuna — arriving from the Land of Waves, predicting that once Tazuna reached Konoha, he would request a 'C-rank mission' that Kakashi should take personally.
When Kakashi asked why, Chinya had mysteriously replied with a "you'll understand later."
Now Kakashi understood everything completely.
His eyes turned into lifeless fish eyes as he called out to Zabuza, asking, "Hey, you were sent by him, weren't you?"
Zabuza raised an eyebrow slightly.
Kakashi had just questioned whether his Water Release techniques were those of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, and immediately followed up asking if he'd been sent by "him."
This "him" must clearly be someone Kakashi knew and also assumed Zabuza knew.
Therefore, the "him" Kakashi referred to could only be Chinya.
Catch on yet?
Zabuza's gaze instinctively darted toward Chinya's direction for a moment.
"Hmph," Zabuza snorted lightly, saying, "Sent by who? I'm hired by Gato to kill that old man!"
Kakashi's Sharingan keenly observed Zabuza's expression. He clearly noticed Zabuza briefly glance off into the distance.
Kakashi twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, convinced that Zabuza was full of crap.
Hired by Gato? If it truly was just a simple contract killing, Zabuza should have stopped at nothing to kill Tazuna immediately rather than waste time fighting him here.
Although Zabuza's target had indeed always been Tazuna, constantly trying to kill him, it seemed like Zabuza was treating Tazuna more like an excuse than a true objective for fighting Kakashi.
Kakashi sighed, shaking his head in exasperation.
Zabuza formed hand seals again. "Your focus should be completely on me, not on something irrelevant," he said coldly. "Because... if you let your guard down for even a second, I won't hold back—I'll kill you the moment I get the chance!"
[Water Release: Trumpet Blast Technique!]
Zabuza spat out a powerful stream of water shaped like a trumpet toward Kakashi.
But for Kakashi, this level of attack was hardly threatening.
Kakashi leapt up and stood atop the rushing water.
Although Kakashi had already deduced that Zabuza was sent by Chinya, he could tell Zabuza was holding nothing back—he would not hesitate or show mercy under any circumstances.
As Kakashi prepared to counterattack, Zabuza placed both hands onto the remaining water pooled on the bridge's surface before it could drain away entirely.
[Water Release: Water Malt Infiltration Wave!]
With Zabuza channeling his chakra into the water, it instantly thickened into an extremely sticky and viscous substance.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed sharply. Immediately, he used [Earth Style: Mud Wall] to create several earthen barriers and stood upon them.
This jutsu of Zabuza's severely hindered Kakashi's speed.
Now the bridge's surface was covered in thick, sticky puddles, making it nearly impossible to approach Zabuza quickly.
Looking at Kakashi standing on the dirt wall, Zabuza sneered, "You think you've gained an advantage just because you released all the water? How naive!"
[Water Release: Water Cutter Wave!]
Zabuza expelled an intensely high-pressure jet of water in a straight line from his mouth toward Kakashi.
Kakashi evaded by shifting positions using the dirt walls he'd just created.
However, these earth walls were instantly shattered under the cutting force of the powerful water beam.
Kakashi targeted Zabuza with [Fifth Form: Heat Realm Lightning!], firing long-range electric attacks at him.
However, since the lightning could only travel straight, Zabuza simply raised his Cleaver Sword forward to block Kakashi's Slash Shaped Like a Bolt of Lightning.
Now Kakashi and Zabuza were locked in pure ranged combat, resulting in a temporary stalemate.
Meanwhile...
Uchiha Sasuke had sustained severe injuries from Haku's ice spears piercing through his abdomen.
Naruto Uzumaki originally intended to go help Sasuke Uchiha, but gave up after receiving just a single glance from him.
Because within that look from Uchiha Sasuke was a clear message: don't act recklessly—he could keep going.
Naruto chose to trust Sasuke Uchiha.
He didn't know why, but he believed Sasuke could pull through.
Haku looked at Sasuke Uchiha clutching his abdomen wound, blood trickling through his fingers, and spoke calmly, "The temperature here was already below freezing. When exposed to such cold conditions for prolonged periods, your body loses its ability to regulate its own temperature, causing hypothermia symptoms.
Combined with massive blood loss right now, this drop in core temperature can lead to unconsciousness or cardiac arrest.
You're currently in extreme danger and no longer capable of fighting. If you want to live, you must leave this freezing environment immediately."
Haku hadn't intended to kill anyone, so he warned Sasuke Uchiha about what would be most rational to do at this point—leave.
If Sasuke Uchiha walks away now, he's not the Sasuke Uchiha we know.
Sasuke wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and glared at Haku: "I'm not done yet. Don't you dare pity me like I've already lost! My counterattack starts now!"
Suddenly, Sasuke yanked hard with his right hand, and something sprang up from the ice beneath his feet.
Haku glanced downward, eyes narrowing—he saw transparent threads!
Haku quickly turned his gaze toward Sasuke, who was desperately pulling on the thread with all his strength.
Oh, so that's it! Sasuke only seemed to miss his shuriken throws earlier because his body stiffened from the cold—but now I see, he did that on purpose!
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