Haku moved.
A blur of motion, faster than anything normal eyes could follow. The senbon shot toward Naruto, dozens of them, aimed for his limbs, his vital points, places that would disable him without killing.
They struck—
And bounced off.
Haku's breath hitched.
Naruto opened his eyes. "Oh."
Haku moved again, faster this time. More senbon, more angles, a storm of needles meant to cut down anything in their way.
They all bounced off.
Naruto just stood there, blinking. He looked down at himself. He felt the impacts, the slight pressure, the cool touch of metal before they fell uselessly to the ground.
Haku's form flickered between mirrors, now hesitant.
"…What are you?" they whispered.
Naruto didn't answer. He took a slow step forward, dragging his foot across the ice, not hurried, not bothered in the slightest. He tilted his head. "Why do you keep doing that?"
Haku clenched their fists. "Because I have to!"
Naruto took another step. "Even if it doesn't work?"
Haku threw more senbon. They clattered harmlessly to the ground.
"You're wasting weapons," Naruto observed.
Haku exhaled sharply. "That doesn't matter."
Naruto took another step forward, looking at the ice mirrors. He lifted a hand and pressed his palm against the frozen surface. Cold, solid. But breakable. He knew that instinctively.
Haku saw what he was doing and moved immediately, their speed increasing, appearing behind Naruto in a blur, hand raised—
Naruto didn't turn around.
Instead, he shifted his weight. A simple movement, but backed by the sheer immovable density of a creature that had withstood the assaults of the largest predators of its time.
Haku's strike landed—
And nothing happened.
It was like hitting stone. No, harder than stone.
Haku staggered back, fingers trembling. That had never happened before. Even Zabuza felt it when they struck him, even Kakashi had reacted when their needles hit flesh. But Naruto? He didn't even flinch.
"You're scared now," Naruto stated.
Haku stiffened.
"I can smell it," Naruto continued, staring at them through the mirrors. "Fear."
Haku swallowed. "I… I don't understand."
"Neither do I," Naruto admitted. "But I don't think I need to."
Then he moved.
It wasn't fast. It wasn't elegant. But it didn't need to be.
Naruto lifted his arm—
And swung.
Not a punch, not a strike. Just a simple swing of his arm, the same way an Ankylosaurus would lash out with its massive tail.
The air trembled.
The mirror shattered instantly.
Haku barely leapt away in time, moving to another reflection. But before they could react, Naruto was already moving again. Another swing. Another impact. More ice shattering.
Haku was forced to move, abandoning one mirror after another, their perfect prison crumbling before them.
"That's not possible," they whispered.
Naruto didn't respond. He just kept swinging, step by step, breaking down everything in his path.
Haku realized—Naruto wasn't even aiming. He wasn't thinking about weak spots or strategy. He was just walking, moving, breaking everything in his way like it was inevitable.
And for the first time, Haku felt something strange.
It wasn't fear. Not exactly.
It was helplessness.
Like watching an avalanche come down a mountain. Like watching a storm approach from the sea.
Naruto wasn't attacking them.
He was erasing them.
The last mirror shattered. Haku landed on the ground, breathing heavily, looking up at Naruto, who simply stood there, watching them.
"You lost," Naruto stated.
Haku gritted their teeth. "Not yet."
They moved, hand flashing toward their pouch—
Naruto took another step.
The sheer force of it sent a pulse through the ground, shaking the air itself.
Haku froze.
Naruto didn't even raise a hand.
"You don't have to do this," he said.
Haku exhaled sharply. "I told you. I have to."
Naruto blinked slowly. "That's sad."
Haku clenched their fists. "Then finish it."
Naruto tilted his head. "Why?"
"Because I lost. That's how this works."
Naruto frowned. "I don't think it does."
Haku's hands trembled. "Please… Just do it."
Naruto stared at them.
Then, he shook his head. "No."
Haku's breath hitched.
"Go away," Naruto said simply.
Haku's vision blurred for a moment. "I…"
They couldn't finish.
They turned and ran.
Zabuza was breathing heavily, his massive sword resting against the ground for a moment as he glared at Kakashi through the mist. Blood dripped from a cut on his arm, staining the ground beneath him, but he didn't look bothered.
"You're a stubborn one, Copy Ninja," Zabuza muttered, rolling his shoulders.
Kakashi, his Sharingan eye blazing red, kept his stance firm, kunai in hand. "You're one to talk. Still standing after all that?"
Zabuza chuckled lowly, adjusting his grip on his blade. "You sound impressed."
Kakashi didn't deny it. "Your strength isn't in question. But your situation is looking worse by the second."
Haku landed beside Zabuza, mask slightly cracked, breathing hard. Zabuza barely spared them a glance before scoffing. "You let the brat go, huh?"
Haku lowered their head slightly. "He was… different."
Zabuza exhaled through his nose. "Yeah, no kidding. I saw the way he walked through your mirrors like they were made of paper. What the hell was that?"
Haku didn't have an answer.