On the border of Hi no Kuni, on the river heading toward Nami no Kuni.
A thick fog hung in the air as a dilapidated small boat glided silently across the water.
The one rowing was an old friend of Tazuna-san's.
He had turned off the engine and only dared to row gently with the oars, fearing he might disturb something.
The atmosphere on the boat was oppressive.
Sasuke stood at the bow with his arms crossed, seemingly still savoring the thrill of having instantly killed the Demon Brothers.
His eyes gleamed with an eager excitement.
But Sakura, sitting at the stern, was completely different.
She kept her head down, staring at her slightly trembling hands as the scene from earlier played repeatedly in her mind: Naruto coldly piercing the enemies' limbs and then reducing them to ashes with flames.
That look of disregard for life made her feel alienated, even fearful.
"If it were me... could I do it?"
"No, I couldn't... just now, I was even too scared to move..."
Sakura bit her lip, forcing herself to grip her kunai tightly.
"I must get used to it... next time, next time I have to kill too... otherwise, I'll just be a burden..."
Just then, a hand lightly patted her shoulder.
Sakura jolted, looking up to meet Naruto eyes.
This time, she didn't feel that heart-palpitating indifference; instead, she saw a trace of gentleness in his gaze.
"Your hands are shaking, Sakura-chan."
Naruto handed her a bottle of water.
"Na-Naruto... I'm sorry... am I useless?"
Sakura lowered her head in shame.
"Even after all that special training, I'm still too afraid to kill..."
"I want to be as decisive as you and Sasuke, but..."
"You don't need to force yourself."
Naruto interrupted her confession, his tone surprisingly gentle:
"Everyone has things they are good at and things they aren't. Your duty isn't combat, so you don't have to push yourself so hard."
"Protect your kindness. Sasuke and I both have reasons why we must kill, but what you need to do is protect yourself."
"As long as you can guard our backs at the critical moment, that's enough."
"Naruto..."
Sakura stared blankly at Naruto.
The fear and self-loathing in her heart miraculously dissipated under those words.
So... he doesn't despise my weakness, but wants to protect my kindness?
A warm current surged through Sakura heart; she clenched her fists, her gaze becoming firm once more:
"Yeah! I'll definitely guard everyone's rear!"
Naruto gave a slight smile and turned to look at Sasuke.
"This Sasuke kid is getting cocky again; I need to bring him down a peg..."
Naruto felt like he was practically a babysitter, having to worry about helping them improve their strength while also solving their psychological issues.
Meanwhile, Kakashi remained silent, focused entirely on reading Icha Icha Paradise...
"We're almost there."
The man rowing the boat said in a low voice.
The thick fog ahead gradually dispersed, and the silhouette of a massive, unfinished bridge over the sea loomed in the mist.
This bridge was the hope of Nami no Kuni, and the thing Tazuna-san was desperately trying to protect.
The boat reached the shore.
Everyone stepped onto the soil of Nami no Kuni.
It was much more humid here than in Hi no Kuni, and the air carried a briny scent of the sea.
"Let's keep moving. Once you get me home, I'll be safe."
Tazuna-san finally breathed a sigh of relief upon returning to familiar surroundings.
They hadn't walked for long when—
"Wait!"
Naruto suddenly came to a halt.
He raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.
"What is it, Naruto-kun?"
Kakashi entered a state of high alert.
Naruto said nothing, his sensory perception spreading out in all directions like radar.
With the enhancement of Yin Release Chakra, the biological fluctuations within several hundred meters formed an image in his mind.
To the front left, two wild rabbits... in the forest to the right, a flock of birds... and...
Naruto brow suddenly furrowed.
He sensed two Chakras lurking in the fog ahead.
One was filled with killing intent, while the other was more concealed.
"They're here."
Naruto opened his eyes, his tone turning cold:
"Everyone, prepare for battle."
"There are two lurkers waiting for us."
"Two?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow and pulled out a kunai.
"I hope they can make me get serious."
The moment the words left Sasuke mouth—
Swoosh—!
The sound of air being torn apart suddenly rang out!
A suffocating, terrifying killing intent erupted from the mist.
"Get down!"
Kakashi shoved Tazuna-san's head down with a roar.
The massive Kubikiribocho spun through the air with a whistling wind, whizzing past the top of their heads.
Boom!
With a loud crash, a thick tree behind them was sliced clean in half by the great sword.
Amidst the flying dust, a burly figure with a bare upper body and the Kubikiribocho on his back landed steadily on the tree trunk.
His back was to them, and he turned his head slightly, revealing eyes full of killing intent.
The Demon of the Mist—Momochi Zabuza!
"Well, well... I intended to finish this with one swing... It seems there's a brat with very sharp senses among these Konohagakure kids."
Zabuza's voice carried a heavy scent of blood.
His gaze bypassed Kakashi and landed on Naruto in the middle of the group.
"The Demon Brothers were killed by you, weren't they? What a pair of trash; yours truly had to take action personally."
"That's..."
Kakashi expression instantly turned grim.
"The nukenin of Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza."
Tazuna-san was so terrified by Zabuza's killing intent that he collapsed onto the ground.
"Is he... the real assassin?"
However, unlike the terrified Tazuna-san, Sasuke looked at the man on the tree.
Far from being afraid, he felt his blood boil with excitement.
Having just killed two Chunin, his confidence was swelling excessively.
"So this is the so-called Demon? Doesn't look like much."
"In front of these eyes, even a Jonin... Kakashi, you don't need to step in."
An arrogant smirk curled onto Sasuke lips.
He pulled out kunai with both hands and charged straight at Zabuza.
"This guy's head belongs to me!"
"Sasuke! Don't be reckless!"
Kakashi tried to stop him, but it was already too late.
"Heh, a brat who doesn't know the meaning of death."
A flash of disdain crossed Zabuza's eyes; he had seen countless arrogant fools before.
The moment Sasuke leaped, Zabuza's figure vanished instantly.
A second later, he appeared directly in front of Sasuke.
Even though Sasuke had activated his Sharingan and captured the opponent's movements, his body simply couldn't keep up!
Clang!
The kunai collided with the Kubikiribocho.
The massive gap in strength made Sasuke feel as though he had run into a mountain.
"What?!"
Sasuke pupils shrank.
This kind of power... was on a completely different level compared to those trashy Demon Brothers!
"It's over, brat."
Zabuza swung the blade with one hand, the massive blade sweeping toward him with intense wind pressure.
Sasuke tried to dodge, only to find himself pinned down by the other's killing intent, his body stiffening for a moment.
"Am I... going to die?"