Steel clashed, water crashed, and the mist swallowed everything. Kakashi's Sharingan spun furiously as he pressed Zabuza back, their blades ringing like thunderclaps. Every strike carved ripples into the lake, each movement too fast for the genin to follow.
Yet even as the Copy Ninja fought, danger still loomed.
The clone.
Naruto's shadow clones had bought them precious moments, but Zabuza's double was relentless, its cleaver dripping with water and malice. Each swing shredded illusions and split the ground.
Naruto panted heavily, crouched low as sweat dripped down his forehead. His remaining clones flickered and disappeared. "Damn it… I can't hold it…"
The water clone's head turned toward him, cold and merciless.
"You first, brat."
It swung.
Naruto froze. His body wouldn't move. Fear clamped down harder than the prison had on Kakashi. I'm going to die…
"Move, you idiot!" Sasuke's shout cut through the fog. Shuriken whistled past Naruto, forcing the clone to deflect with its massive blade.
Naruto stumbled back, heart pounding. Sasuke landed beside him, kunai ready, eyes locked on the clone.
"Don't just stand there and die," Sasuke snapped, his tone sharp but… protective.
Naruto's throat tightened. He wanted to scream at Sasuke, to argue, but the words wouldn't come.
The clone attacked again. Both boys dodged, barely. Sasuke countered with a kick, but the clone caught his leg and hurled him aside like a ragdoll. Sasuke skidded across the ground, coughing.
"Bastard!" Naruto's voice cracked. He charged forward recklessly, kunai raised high.
The clone barely shifted. The cleaver swung sideways.
For an instant, Naruto saw it all in slow motion — the massive blade cutting through the air, his own weapon useless, his death inevitable.
And then it happened.
A surge of burning energy erupted in his chest. His vision blurred red, his breath turned ragged, and power exploded outward like fire.
The mist rippled.
Zabuza's eyes flicked toward the boy, brows furrowing. What is this chakra…?
Naruto's body moved on its own. His kunai shattered against the clone's blade, but his strength didn't falter. He kicked upward with raw power, sending the massive water form staggering back.
Sasuke froze mid-rise, his eyes wide. Naruto's aura glowed faintly crimson, his whisker-marks darkening, his eyes burning like embers.
"Naruto…?"
The blond boy's lips curled back, a low growl escaping his throat. "I won't… let you… kill us!"
The clone lunged again, but this time Naruto met it head-on. His movements were savage, primal. Each strike of his fists cracked against the watery body, dispersing chunks of liquid that reformed sluggishly.
Zabuza's real eyes narrowed as he clashed with Kakashi. "That chakra… it's not human."
Kakashi's Sharingan flickered, catching the sight of Naruto in the distance. His heart clenched. Not now…!
The battle was spiraling.
With one final roar, Naruto drove his fist into the clone's chest. The water exploded apart, dissipating into harmless ripples. The force knocked Naruto back onto his knees, panting heavily, the red glow fading from his body.
Sasuke stared, silent, as the mist settled around them.
Naruto looked at his trembling hands, fear flashing across his face. What… was that?
Kakashi and Zabuza's blades clashed again, sparks flying. But both men now watched the boy out of the corner of their eyes.
And for the first time, the Demon of the Mist felt a chill.
That wasn't just a brat.
That was a jinchūriki.
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✨ End of Chapter 9 ✨