"Do it! Break out!"
Knowing there was no longer any hope of capturing Naruto, Zabuza let out a hysterical roar like a wild beast.
In their desperation, a crazed determination ignited in the eyes of those dozen or so Kirigakure nukenin.
They were indeed elites who had survived the Village of the Bloody Mist.
Even though they were heavily surrounded by hundreds of Naruto, they still displayed incredible tactical discipline.
"Suiton: Mizurappa!"
Three nukenin proficient in Suiton stood in a triangular formation, their hands forming seals so fast they left afterimages.
Violent currents converged in the hall, forming a small tsunami that violently dispersed dozens of Kage Bunshin in the front row.
"Ninpo: Kirigakure no Jutsu!"
Thick water vapor instantly filled the magnificent hall.
Under the cover of the white mist, the nukenin moved through the gaps like swimming fish.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As the Kirigakure's trademark, the Silent Killing Technique was utilized to its limit; every second, a large number of Kage Bunshin turned into white smoke.
However, what drove them to despair was...
Every time a nukenin exhausted their Chakra to kill one person, two new Kage Bunshin would expressionlessly fill the gap.
No matter how many clones they destroyed, the surrounding figures showed no sign of decreasing.
There was no clashing of ninjutsu, no bombardment of exploding tags.
There was only endless hand-to-hand combat and a suffocating war of attrition.
Naruto original body sat on the leather sofa that originally belonged to Gato, his fingertips rhythmically tapping the armrest.
Behind the lenses, his azure eyes showed no hint of panic, only a near-indifferent scrutiny.
His black-rimmed glasses reflected the flickering firelight from the fireplace, casting shifting shadows across half of his face.
He was holding back.
It was merely to evaluate whether this group of nukenin had any utility value.
"Knowing how to use the environment, decisive in killing, and seamless cooperation."
"Zabuza-san, your skill in training subordinates is quite good."
His posture was as if he wasn't on a battlefield, but rather watching a circus performance of a cornered beast's struggle.
"Sensatsu Hyosho!"
Haku's hands formed seals, and countless ice senbon swept through the hall like a rainstorm.
Naruto eyes brightened slightly as he stared at the shimmering ice crystals:
"Hyoton... the Kekkei Genkai of the Kirigakure? Truly a magnificent work of art."
Ten minutes later.
The original sounds of battle in the hall had grown faint, replaced by heavy panting and groans of despair.
Half of the nukenin had fallen, and the rest were at their wit's end.
"Haku! Ignore me! Go!"
Zabuza was covered in blood, and the arm swinging his blade was trembling slightly.
"No, we're leaving together!"
Haku's delicate face was covered in blood and grime as he used his last bit of Chakra to form seals:
"Secret Water Technique: Killing Water Needles!"
Countless dense ice senbon wove into a net, forcibly tearing a path through the sea of clones.
"An opening!"
A sharp light exploded in Zabuza's eyes.
He didn't choose to flee; instead, he turned into a thunderous afterimage, becoming one with the Kubikiribocho.
To capture the bandits, first capture their leader!
Betting all the momentum of a lifetime of killing, he swung down at the figure on the sofa!
"Go to hell!! You demon!!"
The blade tore through the air.
Carrying the conviction of a certain kill, the great sword was only an inch away from Naruto.
However, against a strike that even Kakashi-sensei would have to temporarily evade...
Naruto merely looked up slightly and pushed his glasses.
"Too slow."
Whoosh.
The Naruto who had been sitting on the sofa seemed to turn into an afterimage, vanishing from Zabuza's sight.
Zabuza's full-strength strike slammed into the sofa, shattering the expensive leather and wooden frame.
Wood chips and down feathers flew through the air.
"An afterimage?"
Zabuza's pupils instantly shrank to the size of pinheads.
Because he had used too much force and missed, his body involuntarily leaned forward, exposing a massive opening in his back.
"Don't compare clones to my original body."
A voice as smooth as jade yet bone-chillingly cold echoed eerily beside Zabuza.
"My original body is capable of performing secret techniques."
Naruto had appeared on his flank at some unknown point.
There were no flashy ninjutsu.
Using the explosive power granted by his breathing technique, Naruto delivered a heavy whip kick that slammed into Zabuza's defenseless waist.
Boom!!
The dull sound of flesh impacting flesh rang through the hall.
Zabuza couldn't even scream; he was launched like a cannonball, smashing straight through a wall.
Amidst the swirling dust, he slumped in the ruins like a pile of mud, the broken blade slipping powerlessly from his hand.
"Zabuza-san!!"
Haku let out a shrill cry and struggled to crawl over, but was pinned firmly to the ground by the surrounding clones.
Naruto unhurriedly brushed the dust off his shoulder.
His calm, unruffled appearance sent a deep shiver through everyone left alive.
He slowly walked over to Zabuza and casually raised his foot, stepping on Zabuza's head.
"Is this your trump card? It's a bit disappointing."
Haku knelt not far away, watching Zabuza—his face covered in blood—being stepped on, and his psychological defenses completely collapsed.
"Let him go... I beg you..."
Haku let out a desperate plea, his forehead slamming heavily against the ground:
"Kill me instead... I'll do anything you want, just let him live!"
Naruto turned his head, his gaze lingering on Haku with a look of interest.
"Are you sure? Anything?"
"Even if it means... surrendering your soul?"
Naruto smiled, his tone so gentle it made one's hair stand on end.
"Don't... agree to it... Haku..."
Zabuza let out a final whimper, trying to stop him, but the force of Naruto foot pressed him back into the rubble.
Haku closed his eyes in despair, tears streaming down.
To protect Zabuza-san, he was willing to fall into the abyss.
"I... I am willing, as long as you can spare Zabuza-san."
"A fine resolution."
A translucent chain invisible to normal eyes suddenly erupted from Naruto body, piercing straight into Haku's chest.
Clang—
Haku's body suddenly froze.
His pupils lost focus, then refocused once more.
Only this time, in those eyes that were once full of sadness and gentleness, there was no longer any shadow of Momochi Zabuza.
In its place was Naruto high-and-mighty figure.
A moment later, Haku slowly rose.
He elegantly wiped the bloody tears from his face.
He didn't even spare a glance at the person by his feet whom he had once regarded as his life.
He simply knelt on one knee with utmost piety and deeply bowed his head.
"I am your loyal tool, Master."
Zabuza watched this scene, his eyes wide with shock.
He could feel that the tool who only ever revolved around him, whose eyes were full of him... was gone.
This spiritual execution was a hundred times worse than physical pain.
The light in his eyes completely died out, and he slumped in the ruins like a walking corpse, his voice hoarse and inhuman:
"You win... you devil."
As the dust settled, Naruto looked at the reward he had just obtained, a satisfied smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
A-Rank Reward: Makima's Nine Chains
Description: Originating from the Control Devil Makima, nine chains representing nine seats of absolute submission.
Properties:
Absolute Loyalty: The controlled individual's cognition will be automatically reshaped, and their will subtly reconstructed, viewing the host as the sole master of their life, never to betray.
Ability Sharing: The host can perfectly call upon and use 100% of the controlled individual's special abilities.
There are nine chains in total; each use requires the target to be in a state of being unable to resist or in submission.
After the controlled individual dies, the chain can be recovered.
For every servant owned simultaneously, the mental energy consumption increases exponentially.