The mist was suffocating, coiling like a living beast that wanted to swallow the bridge whole. Every worker trembled, their tools forgotten. Tazuna's hands shook as he clutched a plank, his knuckles white.
Kakashi stepped forward, kunai drawn, his Sharingan eye glaring through the fog. "Stay behind me. Zabuza…" His voice dropped into a deadly calm. "This time, I'm finishing it."
Zabuza chuckled, resting the massive Kubikiribōchō across his shoulder. "Heh. You didn't finish it last time, Copy Ninja. This bridge will be your grave."
Naruto's fists clenched at his sides. The sound of his own heartbeat filled his ears, but he forced himself not to tremble. He had promised Inari. He had promised himself. Running was no longer an option.
Sasuke glanced at him, smirking despite the tension. "Don't slow me down, dobe."
"Shut up, teme," Naruto shot back, but his voice lacked its usual bite. Deep down, he was grateful for the exchange—it steadied him.
Haku stepped forward silently, the porcelain mask hiding his expression. His presence was calm, but Naruto could sense the sharpness beneath it, like a blade hidden in silk.
"Leave this one to me," Haku murmured. His words were soft, but his intent was unshakable.
---
At that same moment, back in the village, the sound of boots thundered against the dirt road. Gato's hired thugs—rough men with cruel grins—stormed toward the houses. Their laughter echoed, promising pain.
Inside, Tsunami held Inari close, her hands trembling as she barred the door with a wooden plank. "Stay quiet," she whispered.
Inari's eyes burned with tears. The fear in his chest was so strong he could hardly breathe, but Naruto's words replayed in his head. If you stop believing, you let Gato win before the fight even starts.
He bit his lip, shaking. His hands wanted to grab the blanket and hide, but something deeper urged him forward. I don't want to be weak anymore… I don't want to watch again while others suffer.
When the door cracked under the first kick, Inari's small body moved before his mind caught up. He grabbed a kitchen knife, his legs shaking, but his grip tight.
The boy who once cried in silence now stood between the thugs and his mother.
---
Back on the bridge, Zabuza's killing intent thickened the air. Kakashi surged forward, steel clashing with steel as the two veterans collided in a storm of sparks.
"Team 7! Protect Tazuna!" Kakashi's voice rang even as he locked blades with the Demon of the Mist.
Naruto and Sasuke leapt into position, flanking the old man. Sakura stayed close, kunai trembling in her hand, her eyes locked on the workers cowering nearby.
Then Haku moved. In an instant, dozens of senbon needles flashed through the mist, each aimed with surgical precision. Naruto barely managed to deflect a few with his kunai, the rest grazing his arms.
"Tch—damn it! He's fast!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his movements sharp and deliberate as he parried. "Stay focused, Naruto! This one isn't like the others."
Haku tilted his head slightly, his voice calm even in battle. "I do not wish to kill you… but I will if I must."
Naruto growled, his fear burning into anger. "Don't talk like you've already won!"
The mist deepened, and in a blink, Haku's hands formed seals. A dome of ice mirrors erupted around Naruto and Sasuke, shimmering like deadly glass. Their reflections multiplied endlessly within the frozen prison.
Naruto's breath caught. "What… what is this?!"
From every mirror, Haku's masked face appeared, senbon glinting in his hands.
"This is my secret jutsu," his voice echoed from all sides. "Within this dome, you cannot escape."
Needles shot forward in a deadly rain. Naruto screamed as he tried to block, his arms and legs nicked by the storm. Sasuke gritted his teeth, shielding him from the worst of it, but blood soon streaked across his clothes too.
Naruto fell to one knee, panting. No… I can't lose here… I promised Inari. I promised myself!
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt something stir—a pulse of raw, burning energy waiting to be unleashed.
For the first time, the chains holding it back began to crack.
---
✨ End of Chapter 15 ✨