The moment the two elite jōnin's weapons clashed, a suffocating bloodlust exploded outward, pressing down so heavily it was hard to breathe.
For Naruto, this was his first time experiencing true killing intent. It was like being dropped into a frozen abyss, his entire body locked in place as if turned to ice. Sasuke and Sakura fared no better, both standing rooted to the spot in shock.
Mist thickened around them. Kakashi and Zabuza faced off, blade against kunai, neither able to spare a thought for the paralyzed genin.
Naruto forced himself to circulate his chakra, steadying his breath. Within seconds, sensation returned. He darted to Sasuke and Sakura's side, slapping each of them sharply on the back.
Their eyes went vacant for a split second—then snapped wide as air rushed into their lungs, like drowning victims gasping to breathe.
"The killing intent of a jōnin… it's terrifying," Sasuke muttered, face pale, still shaken. He realized then—it was Naruto who'd shaken them both free, the first of the three to recover.
Sakura collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. This killing intent wasn't just imagined—it was chakra made tangible, crawling across their skin, infecting their very nerves with fear.
"Sakura," Naruto yanked her upright. "Disrupt your chakra flow—just like breaking genjutsu!"
The words snapped both Sasuke and Sakura awake. They quickly formed the Release seal. It worked—their bodies loosened, fear receding enough to move again.
Meanwhile, Kakashi and Zabuza had already exchanged blows. A sudden ripple in a puddle announced the rise of a Water Clone, charging straight toward the three genin.
Even a clone made by an elite jōnin held at least the strength of a chūnin.
"Watch out!" Kakashi shouted between strikes, catching sight of the doppelgänger. He could have left a shadow clone to guard his students, but he hadn't. This was the shinobi world—survival of the fittest.
The genin didn't need his warning. Sasuke pulled Tazuna back, while Naruto grabbed Sakura, retreating with her.
"Sasuke!" Naruto barked. "Shuriken, now!"
Three steel flashes whistled through the air, forcing the clone to dodge. Naruto sprinted right behind them, pressing the attack.
"Sakura! Genjutsu!" he called while charging.
This was their first real battle as a team. There had been no time to plan, but Naruto was already taking command. Against Zabuza's clone, it was practically like fighting with open cards.
Tazuna, who only hours before had bragged endlessly about his bridge-building expertise, now stood trembling like a stunned duck, barely kept safe by Sasuke's guard.
Sakura, flustered but obedient, cast her illusion. It didn't affect the clone, but it stole its attention for the briefest moment.
And that single moment was enough.
A cold mechanical voice echoed in Naruto's head:
[Nine-Tails' Recognition: 2.2%]
Scarlet chakra erupted from his body, wrapping him in a blazing shroud. His eyes flared crimson, raw power boiling within.
With a boom, Naruto vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared behind the clone like a phantom, his sweeping kick shattering it to pieces.
Even at only 2.2% of the Nine-Tails' chakra, the power rivaled that of a tokubetsu jōnin. Without even touching his newly acquired Lava Release, Naruto could already outclass the vast majority of Konoha's chūnin.
"That kid… how can he be so strong?" Tazuna gasped, watching Naruto obliterate the clone in one strike.
Sasuke heard it too, and his face darkened.
Maybe the first victory had been luck. Maybe Naruto dispelling the killing intent before him and Sakura was coincidence. But now? Taking down a Water Clone with ease?
The pattern was clear—Naruto was the strongest of Team 7.
Sasuke clenched his teeth. If Naruto had been born into a great clan, trained with the best resources, Sasuke might have accepted it. But from the moment they met, Naruto had been the class clown, the dead last—loud, obnoxious, and weak. Not worth a second glance.
So why now…?
It was as if he'd become someone else overnight. Not only had he graduated top of the academy, but he knew all sorts of obscure clan secrets. They weren't world-shattering, but to Sasuke, who'd lost his clan young, and Sakura, who was just a civilian, they were practically forbidden knowledge.
Could it be…? Sasuke thought bitterly. All those years as dead last—was he faking it?
Too consistent. Year after year at the bottom. Almost too perfect.
A disguised prodigy?
The thought festered.
Meanwhile, Sakura exhaled a shaky breath of relief. Her hands were clasped tight, heart pounding. Thank goodness for Naruto.
If not for his call, she would've frozen uselessly again. At least this time, she'd managed to contribute, however little.
After losing one clone, Zabuza didn't bother making another. He was locked in deadly combat with Kakashi, both already bloodied.
Naruto, eyes sharp, prepared to charge in again.
At that exact moment, Kakashi found an opening. His hands blurred through seals, launching a Water Dragon Bullet directly at Zabuza.
The rogue barely dodged, staggering from a new wound—
And then three senbon needles flew from the mist, piercing his neck.
Kakashi froze in alarm. Naruto's brow eased instead.
So… Haku finally makes his entrance.
From the thick fog, a masked boy emerged, landing gracefully at Zabuza's side.
Naruto's pupils contracted, his chakra already stirring.