CHAPTER 122: CHAPTER 122: TIME TO TEST YOUR ACTING SKILLS

"Do you think I’ll just give in? Even if you’re Uchiha Shisui, do you really think I don’t have the strength to fight back?" Zabuza growled, gritting his teeth against Shisui’s calm, detached gaze. That indifference—it felt all too real.

Shisui’s tone didn’t waver. "If you don’t surrender, I’ll use a genjutsu to take full control of your body. I can do it. I just prefer not to—because if this is going to work, your acting has to be convincing. I need you to make it real, Zabuza. Do you understand? From where I stand, you don’t have a single chance to resist."

Zabuza’s eyes flicked to the side. "That kid over there—is he one of yours? Looks like he’s about to snap."

"Fine! I’ll do it!" Zabuza agreed without hesitation.

Shisui paused, then added quietly, "Didn’t expect a demon like you to have emotions, huh? But play your part well, or I won’t hesitate to make things real painful for you."

"Damn it," Zabuza cursed as control returned to his body. His first instinct was to run—but the moment he remembered the man nicknamed Shisui of the Body Flicker, he gave up that idea instantly. No way he was escaping that monster. He’d hit a wall this time, and he knew it.

"Just my luck..." he muttered.

The three brats were still on guard, unaware that to Zabuza, a full day had passed inside the illusion, though only seconds had ticked by in reality.

"Alright, kids! Let’s see if you can dodge all of my attacks!" Zabuza barked with a crazed grin. It was time to put his acting skills to the test.

He had to keep up the illusion of being an enemy. It felt ridiculous to him—scaring children and taking potshots—but what choice did he have? Shisui was watching, and there was no escaping his gaze.

He began his performance—striking fear, feinting attacks, and trading blows carefully enough not to cause lasting damage. After half an hour of relentless pressure, scratches and shallow wounds marred Sasuke and Naruto, and even Karin hadn’t escaped unscathed.

"Is that enough yet?" Zabuza called out, glancing around. "I guess I’ll use a bit more ninjutsu to sell it."

He was even thoughtful enough to cancel his Hidden Mist Technique, worried that the kids might actually get hurt for real if he kept it up.

"Little devils... I’ll admit, you’ve got guts. If you can handle this next move, maybe you will survive."

He clapped his hands together and began weaving seals—fast.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

Zabuza’s fingers moved with blinding speed. The infamous 44-hand seal jutsu was executed in an instant, and a ferocious dragon of water surged toward the trio.

Unbeknownst to Zabuza, Shisui, still hidden, was nearly laughing himself to death.

This guy really went for the full 44 hand seals... If he ever used that move on me, I’d probably need a second head just to survive it.

The roaring dragon slammed toward the kids. Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin countered with a combined Wind Style and Fire Style blast, but it wasn’t enough. Their coordination was off, and their reaction a split-second too slow. They were Genin, after all.

The water dragon crashed into them, tossing their small bodies like rag dolls.

Zabuza walked over and grabbed Karin by the collar, his face twisted into a cruel grin.

"This is your strength? Pathetic. Too weak... Weakness is a sin. You can’t even protect your comrades. What a waste."

He raised his massive blade. "Now, how should I deal with you? Quick and painless? Or slow and messy?" He faltered—unsure how far he should take this act. Damn it. They’re Genin. I’m not supposed to be able to beat three Genin? This is getting ridiculous. Shisui, give me a damn signal already!

"This red hair’s not bad... Maybe I’ll keep your head," Zabuza muttered, lifting the blade. A thin red line gleamed on its edge, catching the light ominously.

"Let her go!"

A surge of violent chakra exploded from Naruto’s body, throwing Zabuza back before he could react. The sheer pressure made the air hum.

Zabuza’s eyes widened. That chakra... it’s tangible. Those claws—he’s holding the other two!

"Shit... this kid’s the Jinchūriki. No wonder Shisui’s babysitting. Konoha only has one—the Nine-Tails. This brat... he’s the Fourth Hokage’s son."

In a blur of thought, Zabuza processed everything—the Hokage’s legacy, the Uzumaki lineage, the suppression of their fame. It all made sense now.

A chakra tail lashed out, sending Zabuza flying again. Haku—who had been watching from the shadows—finally rushed out and caught him mid-air.

"Sir, are you alright?" Haku asked, worry in his voice.

Zabuza gave a bitter chuckle. "Today’s all luck, kid. Whether we live or die depends on it."

"It’s an honor to stand with you, sir," Haku replied solemnly.

Naruto, though partially transformed into his Three-Tail form, still had enough clarity to set Sasuke and Karin down gently. But then—two more tails exploded from his back.

This time, there was no sanity left.

Naruto’s eyes were pure bloodlust.

"Secret Water Style: Thousand Flying Needles of Death!"

Thousands of icy needles rained toward him. But the moment they touched the chakra cloak of the Nine-Tails—they evaporated into steam.

"Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

Haku leapt into his signature technique, but Naruto smashed through the mirrors with one tail swipe. Power over finesse. Raw destruction.

"Move, Haku!" Zabuza yelled, pulling his partner back just in time.

"This isn’t a battle we can win," he shouted. "He’s a Jinchūriki! Forget fighting—just survive!"

Naruto lunged again.

"Ice Release: Ice Wall! Ice Release: Ice Wall! Ice Release: Ice Wall!"

Three successive ice walls shattered like glass, the chakra tail colliding with Zabuza’s blade in a violent clash of metal and chakra.

Zabuza and Haku fought desperately, relying entirely on their teamwork and instincts. Even so, Zabuza hadn’t had time to prepare a Water Dragon again—he could barely defend.

Sasuke and Karin finally regained consciousness. What they saw made their hearts pound.

A monstrous, red-chakra-covered figure, fangs bared and claws extended, was fighting Zabuza and a young shinobi.

"Where’s Naruto?!" Sasuke demanded, eyes scanning the scene.

Karin pointed with a trembling hand. "T-That is Naruto."

She was shaking. Her enhanced perception made her extra sensitive to chakra—and the malicious pressure from the Nine-Tails made her feel like her skull was about to split.

"You idiot kid!" Zabuza shouted from the battlefield. "He’s your teammate! If you don’t snap him out of it, he’ll kill all of us!"

"He’s right!" Karin said, struggling to stay steady. "Jinchūriki lose control when they transform like this. Naruto exploded to save us—we have to help him!"

"I know!" Sasuke clenched his fists, furious with his own weakness.

His Sharingan spun, the single tomoe morphing into two.

There has to be a way... think!

"Wake him up! That’s the only way! Either subdue him—or reach him!"

But Naruto’s blood-red eyes flicked to them with no recognition.

He lunged again.

Zabuza and Haku were nearly out of steam.

"Teacher..." Sasuke muttered, eyes scanning the treeline.

"Where are you, Shisui?"

---------------------------

"The students finally remembered their teacher."

In a flash, Shisui appeared before everyone, his Mangekyō Sharingan locking onto Naruto, who had transformed into the Three-Tails. Instantly, Naruto stopped moving. His chakra faded, and his body—covered in deep scars—collapsed to the ground.

---

Naruto’s Inner World

Big fox, I have to leave again. Sorry to bother you this time.

The Nine-Tails lazily rolled over inside the seal.

"You’d better not come back. Every time you do, those damn Uchiha eyes show up again. They’re always so irritating."

Ever since the Nine-Tails Rebellion eleven years ago, after it had been split in half, the fox had grown used to its diminished strength. And with the Uchiha clan growing stronger than ever, it had accepted its fate. Especially after sensing that annoying freak Xiuyu from the Uchiha clan, the Nine-Tails felt there was no point resisting anymore.

At least Naruto, this kind and simple kid—even if occasionally annoying—wasn’t all that bad.

"Alright, I’ve stopped the chakra output. Why are you still staring at me?" Kyuubi glared at the Mangekyō Sharingan in front of him. "Do none of you Uchiha understand the concept of respect? All you know is how to threaten me with those damn eyes!"

Shisui chuckled. After years of occasional contact with the Nine-Tails, he knew the giant fox wasn’t as bad as it looked—just extremely tsundere.

"Thanks for the help," Shisui said, then quietly withdrew from Naruto’s spiritual world.

"Even if you’re polite, I still don’t like the Uchiha," the fox muttered as it turned over and went back to sleep.

---

In the real world, the red chakra of the Nine-Tails dissipated. Naruto returned to his normal form, unconscious but breathing.

"Karin, heal him. Sasuke, protect both of them," Shisui commanded. "I’ll take care of Zabuza. Believe in me—your teacher’s pretty damn strong."

Sasuke and Karin quickly pulled Naruto away and retreated. Once his students were safely out of reach, Shisui turned toward Zabuza and the man standing in front of him.

The boy positioned himself defensively, blocking the path to Zabuza, as if saying with his stance: "If you want him, you’ll have to kill me first."

Shisui laughed lightly. "Zabuza did a pretty good job this time. At least he made it look real. You can go now. Just don’t meddle in the affairs of the Land of Waves again. From now on, this place belongs to the Uchiha."

Zabuza exhaled deeply. He had no fight left in him. Even if this hadn’t happened, he still wouldn’t have been a match for Shisui. True to his word, Shisui hadn’t silenced him—Zabuza’s life had been spared. Not that he had much to report now, anyway. The entire structure of the Land of Wave would be changed after this.

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll reveal Konoha’s and the Uchiha’s involvement?" Zabuza asked.

"What’s there to fear?" Shisui smirked arrogantly. "If there’s any fear, it’s people being afraid of us. Not the other way around."

Zabuza gave him a long, thoughtful look, then turned and left with Haku by his side.

---

The next morning, Naruto slowly woke up in Tazuna’s house. His body ached all over.

"I... What happened?" Naruto muttered groggily. He had no memory of his transformation. Just a strange, vague sense that he’d destroyed something.

"You’re awake, Naruto!" Karin said softly, gently wiping sweat from his forehead.

Naruto blinked in surprise. He and Karin had grown up together—childhood sweethearts, more or less—but he wasn’t used to being doted on like this.

"What happened to me?"

"You were badly hurt trying to protect me and Sasuke," Karin explained. "Do you remember anything at all?"

"I... not really." Naruto frowned, struggling to recall. "Just pieces. It’s all blurry."

"Then let me explain," Shisui said as he entered the room.

He looked at Naruto seriously—it was time for the truth.

"You have a being sealed inside you. It’s called the Nine-Tails. It’s a chakra-based lifeform—immortal, intelligent, and incredibly destructive. Even if you kill it, it’ll just reform somewhere else. There are nine of them in total, and yours is the strongest."

Naruto’s eyes widened.

"During the battle with Zabuza, in order to save Karin and Sasuke, you accidentally unleashed the Nine-Tails’ chakra. But your body couldn’t handle it. Even though the chakra was suppressed quickly, the strain made you lose your memory."

Naruto sat in stunned silence for a moment, then quietly asked, "Did I... hurt anyone? Did I hurt you?"

Shisui smiled and shook his head. "No. But listen—if you lose control again, you could hurt your friends. So don’t use the Nine-Tails’ chakra recklessly."

"But why me?" Naruto asked. "Why is the Nine-Tails sealed inside me?"

"Because your father chose you." Shisui’s tone softened. "Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage—he sealed it inside you himself. He believed you’d face many challenges in the future, and that the Nine-Tails’ power could help you overcome them."

Naruto was quiet for a long time, processing everything he’d just heard.

Shisui motioned for the others to give Naruto some space. He needed time.

---

By afternoon, Naruto was back to his usual self, full of curiosity.

"Brother Shisui, that guy Zabuza... What kind of ninja is he? How strong is he?"

Naruto and Sasuke both looked at him, eager for answers. This mission had opened their eyes. The world was far more dangerous than they had imagined.

"Zabuza is an elite jonin. His strength is comparable to that of Asuma Sarutobi or Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi might be a little stronger, though."

"What? That eyebrow-less guy is as strong as Kakashi?" Naruto blurted out.

Shisui smirked. "You’re just Genin. You really think jonin-level ninjas are easy to deal with? If Zabuza had been serious, the three of you would’ve been dead within a few moves."

"He wasn’t serious!?"

"Not even close." Shisui crossed his arms. "You know why they call him the ’Demon of the Hidden Mist’? Because he killed every single member of his graduating class during the final exam. That’s how he earned that name."

"Seriously? Damn, eyebrow-less guys are brutal..."

In the distance, Zabuza sneezed. He had no idea that damn yellow-haired brat was still talking about his eyebrows.

"You’ve got a long way to go before you can call yourselves real shinobi," Shisui said, ruffling both their heads.

Naruto blinked up at him. "What about you, Brother Shisui? How strong are you?"

Shisui grinned. "Me? I could beat Zabuza in one move. Kakashi would take two. Asuma, one."

Naruto and Sasuke both stared at him in awe.

"I’m nothing special, honestly," Shisui shrugged. "There’s still a huge gap between me and Hokage-sama. Among the Five Kage, the strongest are Fugaku-sama and the Tsuchikage Ōnoki. The Raikage is close behind. The Kazekage? He’s the weakest."

As Naruto and Sasuke took all this in, their eyes sparkled with newfound determination.

Their world had just gotten a whole lot bigger.

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