In an instant—
Naruto and Sasuke were both struck.
Despite their desperate evasions, senbon pierced their bodies from multiple directions. Thin needles of ice flashed through the air, and bloody mist burst forth as their faces, arms, waists, and legs were riddled with wounds.
Naruto staggered, his vision swimming.
"Damn it…!" he growled through clenched teeth. "Is this guy's chakra really that massive?!"
Sasuke grit his teeth as well, barely managing to twist aside as another volley of senbon tore past his face.
"Why do these damn hand seals never end?!" he snapped.
The Demonic Reflective Ice Crystals surrounded them like a flawless prison. From every direction, Haku's reflection appeared and vanished, attacking without warning. Each movement was precise, merciless, and terrifyingly efficient.
Naruto knew the truth better than anyone.
He was already at his limit.
After fighting Zabuza's Water Clone, his chakra had been nearly exhausted. Though he had rested briefly, the intense battle inside the ice mirrors had drained him once again.
At this point, his aggressive stance was little more than bluff.
Yes, he could purify chakra while fighting—but the purified chakra was being consumed faster than it could be generated.
The only reason he was still standing—
Was because his body refused to give up.
Physical Beast—activate.
In the midst of crisis, Naruto instinctively triggered the power engraved deep within him. His muscles tightened, veins bulged, and raw physical strength surged through his limbs.
His body twisted violently, dodging most of the incoming senbon by the narrowest margins. Even while bleeding, he forced himself forward, looking for a chance—any chance—to strike back.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Naruto roared, ignoring the blood streaming down his cheek. He spun and kicked with all his strength, his heel crashing violently into one of the ice mirrors.
Bang!
The mirror shook—but did not break.
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed. "How are these ice mirrors this tough?!"
Sasuke wasn't faring much better.
His Sharingan spun rapidly, barely keeping up with Haku's speed. Every senbon trajectory, every fleeting reflection—he saw them all.
But seeing did not mean enduring.
He only possessed a two-tomoe Sharingan. His chakra reserves were limited, and his mental stamina was being shredded with every second that passed.
After his earlier clash with Zabuza, he had already been close to exhaustion.
Now—
Bang! Bang!
Sasuke's body jerked as more senbon struck him. Blood soaked through his clothes, his breathing growing ragged.
Outside the ice dome, Kakashi and Hinata could not see what was happening within.
They could only hear it.
Naruto's furious roars. Sasuke's suppressed groans. The dull, sickening sound of flesh being pierced.
Both of them felt their hearts tighten painfully.
"Naruto-kun… Sasuke…" Hinata whispered, hands clasped tightly together.
"Please… please let nothing happen…"
Kakashi let out a heavy sigh, forcing himself to remain calm despite the growing dread.
"Both of them have nearly exhausted their chakra," he said hoarsely. "But their opponent is still at full strength. He can form hand seals with one hand… and with an Ice Release Bloodline Limit on top of that…"
He coughed violently.
"He's not someone they can defeat easily."
Turning his head slightly, Kakashi looked at Hinata.
"H-Hinata… cough… go help them."
Hinata froze.
"K-Kakashi-sensei… a-and Tazuna-san…"
Tazuna's voice cut in, heavy and resolute.
"If those two kids die, then I won't survive either."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Go, Hinata."
Hinata hesitated.
"I'm keeping my Byakugan active," she said softly. "Naruto-kun and Sasuke… they're not defeated yet."
She bit her lip.
"But I'm worried about them… and I'm also worried about you, Kakashi-sensei, and Tazuna-san."
"You can still fight," she continued, voice trembling. "But Kakashi-sensei… you've already—"
"The enemy is too cunning," she said firmly. "We don't know if reinforcements will come."
"I won't leave you alone unless it's absolutely necessary."
Kakashi felt his heart stir.
"Hinata… you really are a strong and kind child."
Tazuna could only sigh deeply.
Hinata smiled faintly.
"Because… I believe in Naruto-kun."
"And I believe in Sasuke too."
Inside the ice mirrors, Naruto continued to resist with sheer stubbornness.
The Uzumaki bloodline. The Physical Beast enhancement. The Two-Way Approach ability.
Together, they allowed him to push beyond ordinary limits.
His flesh-and-blood body unleashed monstrous strength, and his abilities allowed him to generate chakra even while fighting.
But Sasuke—
Sasuke was reaching his breaking point.
Even Kakashi, with his Sharingan, had once collapsed from overuse.
Let alone a Genin.
Even if Sasuke was a legitimate Uchiha, he was still young—too young. His body was not strong enough to endure this level of strain.
Naruto noticed it.
"Sasuke…!" he shouted. "Can you still hold on?!"
But how could Sasuke admit defeat in front of Naruto?
"Don't underestimate the Uchiha Clan!"
With a furious roar, Sasuke hurled dozens of shuriken. They scattered like falling cherry blossoms, intercepting the incoming senbon in all directions.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Thanks to his Sharingan and flawless shuriken technique, he managed to sweep away the rain of needles—if only temporarily.
"Hm?!"
Haku's expression finally changed.
They had already fought Zabuza-sensei's clone. They should have reached their limits long ago.
Why were they still standing?!
Haku knew the truth.
If both Naruto and Sasuke had been at full strength—
He might have already lost.
But strength was never fair.
And for Zabuza's sake, he would not hesitate.
For a brief moment—
The space in front of Sasuke cleared.
"Now!" Sasuke shouted. "Naruto—coordinate!"
"I got it!"
Naruto understood instantly.
This was Sasuke's last push.
Their final chance.
"Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!"
Naruto unleashed the technique with everything he had left.
Sasuke followed, burning his remaining chakra without hesitation.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
The two jutsu merged instantly.
A massive, blazing fire dragon roared to life, carried forward by raging winds as it charged toward the ice mirror!
Haku's eyes widened.
He retreated at once.
BOOM—!!!
CRACK!!!
With a deafening explosion, every remaining Demonic Reflective Ice Crystal shattered into fragments!
Outside the dome—
Hinata cried out joyfully. "They did it! Naruto-kun! Sasuke!"
Naruto laughed hoarsely. "Sasuke—we did it!"
Even Sasuke's lips curved into a rare smile.
Then—
His body went limp.
"Sasuke?!"
Naruto panicked, rushing forward to catch him as he collapsed.
In that instant—
"I won't let you escape!"
Haku's voice rang out, filled with fury.
"If you do… Zabuza-sensei will die!"
His hair flew wildly, his expression twisted and feral.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
From the remaining fragments of ice, senbon shot forth—aimed straight at the unconscious Sasuke!
"Sasuke!"
Naruto didn't think.
He moved.
Throwing himself forward, Naruto shielded Sasuke with his own body.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Dozens of senbon pierced him mercilessly.
"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata screamed.
Kakashi's face turned deathly pale.
But the most shocked—
Was Sasuke.
Blood splattered across his hands. Across his face.
He stared at Naruto, trembling.
"Idiot…!"
"What are you doing?!"
"I don't need you to save me!"
"Why did you do this?!"
Naruto coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth.
"Who knows…?"
"Who said… I wanted to save you…?"
Sasuke's Sharingan faded.
His black pupils shook violently.
He wasn't angry.
He wasn't sad.
He was… lost.
Haku watched silently, shaken.
"Would you sacrifice yourselves for your comrades…?"
"Just as I would for Zabuza-sensei…"
"I admire you," he said softly. "But our positions are different."
"For Zabuza-sensei… I must still ask you to die."
He raised his hand—
Then—
Zabuza Momochi struggled to his feet.
Panting, bloodied, but standing.
He took in the shattered ice, the fallen Kakashi, and the scene before him—
And understood everything.
The battle was far from over.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)