When did Sasuke become so powerful?

He had neutralized the two ambushing ninja so quickly, without Naruto even realizing what was happening...

The contrast stung. Naruto felt uneasy, frustration bubbling inside him.

"Don't get so full of yourself, you idiot! Always trying to hog the spotlight... Hmph, I don't need your help with these two losers. I can take care of them myself!"

Sasuke glanced at him with disdain and snorted. "Tch, stubborn dead-last."

That short remark made Naruto's temper flare. He jumped up and down in outrage, but deep down he couldn't deny Sasuke's strength. With no comeback ready, he could only glare at him with wide, angry eyes.

Watching the two boys on the verge of another fight, Dazna finally snapped out of his daze.

He glanced at the defeated ninja, then at Naruto and Sasuke who were still bickering, and swallowed hard.

These kids were terrifyingly strong. They had handled assassins in just a few moves.

The thought made Dazna uneasy. He remembered how he had lied about the mission rank to trick Konoha into sending ninja with him. Regret weighed heavily on his chest.

At that moment, Kakashi stepped forward. He quickly bound the two attackers tightly with rope, making sure they couldn't move. Then he turned back, his expression unusually serious.

Kakashi's gaze locked on Dazna. His voice was low and stern. "Mr. Dazna, we need an explanation. According to the commission, this was supposed to be a C-rank mission. We shouldn't be encountering hostile ninja. Yet just now, assassins ambushed us. Missions that involve enemy ninja are at least B-rank. Did you leave something out when you submitted your request?"

The weight of Kakashi's words pressed down on Dazna, making him shiver. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Sasuke folded his arms, snorting. "Lying is a bad habit."

The strength Sasuke had just displayed had already shaken Dazna. Hearing his casual but cutting remark now only deepened his unease.

Shame and regret filled Dazna's face. He knew he could no longer keep the truth hidden.

He lowered his head and bowed deeply. "I'm sorry... I deceived you."

"Actually... I concealed the true nature of the mission. The Land of Waves is under the control of a vile man named Gato. He monopolized all shipping and trade, and our people are being exploited and suffering terribly. The bridge I'm building is the only hope to break free of Gato's grip, so he's sent countless assassins to stop me. The ninja who attacked you were probably hired by him..."

At this point, Dazna's voice broke. Tears welled up as he choked out, "The Land of Waves is too poor to afford high-ranked guards. I was desperate, so I lied and issued a lower-ranked commission. I had no choice! Please forgive me!"

He bowed again, his old back bent with shame.

Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. He couldn't help but feel sympathy for the old man who had cast aside his pride for the sake of his people.

He glanced at Kakashi, then at Sasuke and Sakura.

Sasuke nodded calmly. Sakura let out a long sigh.

Kakashi was silent for a moment. Then his expression softened.

The Chunin Exams were already approaching. If they abandoned this mission now, it would be difficult to find another C-rank task in time. For the moment, continuing seemed the best choice.

Besides, Sasuke and Naruto's abilities were already more than enough to handle a B-rank mission.

"Forget it. We understand." Kakashi shook his head. "Fortunately, we already dealt with the attackers. Even if the mission rank has changed, Team 7 will continue to fulfill our duty as shinobi and escort you safely to the Land of Waves."

"Thank you... thank you so much!" Dazna's face lit up with relief. He nodded and bowed repeatedly, his gratitude overflowing. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." Kakashi waved off his thanks, then cast a calm glance at the two assassins tied up like dumplings on the ground. "But from now on, no more hiding mission details. If it hadn't been for Sasuke's quick response just now, this wouldn't have gone so smoothly. We need to know the truth about how many enemies there are and how strong they are so we can prepare properly."

"Yes, yes, I understand! I'll tell you everything I know from now on!" Dazna nodded rapidly, agreeing at once.

After the brief skirmish, Team 7 reorganized into formation and continued escorting Dazna on their way to the Land of Waves.

After this battle, everyone became more cautious about the dangers that might lie ahead.

But in contrast, Naruto and Sasuke didn't look nervous at all. Instead, their faces glowed with a faint eagerness for more combat.

One had awakened the Sharingan, his strength growing immensely.

The other had learned his father's ultimate move, the Rasengan, itching to test it out.

The two young men brimmed with energy and confidence, their self-assurance almost overflowing.

Walking behind them, Kakashi noticed their lack of fear in fact, their faint expectation of another battle and shook his head slightly.

Lowering his gaze, he flipped a page of his book, though a serious thought lingered in his heart.

Sasuke wasn't the only one who had gained control over the Sharingan from that dream...

Kakashi touched the covered left eye beneath his forehead protector, determination and quiet confidence flashing through him.

Along the way, Naruto kept scanning his surroundings.

He was brimming with the urge to prove himself to Sasuke, to show he was not inferior.

So whenever there was the slightest rustle the movement of animals in the brush or leaves blown by the wind Naruto would tense up and react as though enemies were about to strike.

Several times, he even hurled shuriken into the woods, startling everyone.

"Hey! Quit freaking out!" Sakura snapped, patting her chest after being scared yet again by Naruto's false alarms.

Because of his repeated outbursts, their progress slowed to a crawl, as the group had to stop and check every few steps.

Finally, Sasuke lost patience. He scowled and hissed under his breath, "That's enough, Naruto."

But Naruto only widened his eyes further, scanning every corner, terrified of missing anything.

"Ugh, quiet already!" Sakura shouted, slamming her fist down on his head.

With a dull thunk, Naruto crumpled to a crouch, clutching his skull in pain. "Oww! Sakura! Why do you always hit me?!"

Sakura planted her hands on her hips, glaring. "Look at how much time you've wasted! From earlier until now, not a single enemy has shown up. Are we supposed to keep going like this?"

Naruto shrank back under her scolding, too intimidated to argue. He stood up sheepishly, rubbing his head and muttering, "Weird... why did all the enemies disappear? If I'd known, I would've left one for me to fight..."

Just as he grumbled to himself, something unexpected happened.

A sharp whistling noise suddenly pierced the air, cutting through the forest from far away and rapidly drawing closer.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. His voice turned sharp as he shouted, "Be careful!"

The next instant, a massive blade came spinning through the air, hurtling toward them with terrifying force!

"That's !" Kakashi recognized the weapon immediately. His expression hardened, his face suddenly grim.

But before he could warn them, the giant sword was already upon them!

Naruto heard nothing but the roar of the wind as danger closed in. His instincts screamed at him, and he dove forward, rolling across the dirt.

Whoosh!

The massive blade sliced just above his head, shaving a few golden strands of hair from his scalp before slamming into a huge tree trunk with a thunderous bang!

The sheer force made the tree quiver, its leaves shaking loose and drifting down.

"That was way too close..."

Naruto's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. But when he looked up, eyes wide with shock, he froze.

Someone was standing balanced on the back of the embedded sword.

He was tall, clad in a dark sleeveless vest, his face wrapped in bandages, leaving only a pair of cold, menacing eyes exposed.

The man stood balanced atop the massive sword, looking down at Naruto and the others with cold arrogance. The corners of his lips lifted in a chilling smile.

"Hmph... little brats, are you scared stiff already?"

"A bunch of Genin daring to escort the bridge builder?"

His mocking words cut through the air before his gaze shifted. His eyes locked on Kakashi, standing at the back with a solemn expression.

Zabuza paused in surprise, then let out a low chuckle. "Oh? So Konoha isn't completely foolish. They actually sent the Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi, to protect him."

"No wonder those brothers failed... But still your bad luck is running into me, Momochi Zabuza, today!"

The wind howled, the tension in the air thickening like a storm about to break.

Sakura and Dazna trembled with fear, instinctively moving closer to Kakashi.

Naruto had just scrambled back to his feet. Instead of fear, the sight of such a powerful enemy filled him with excitement.

Finally a real opponent worth fighting! He couldn't let Sasuke steal the spotlight this time.

Naruto's fighting spirit flared. He thrust out his right hand, chakra beginning to whirl and condense.

Zabuza sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Hand over the old man quietly, and maybe I won't "

But before he could finish, a flash of crimson caught the corner of his eye.

From within the group, the black-haired boy tilted his head upward. His eyes gleamed blood-red, twin tomoe spinning wildly.

The moment Zabuza met those eyes, his chest clenched. Sharingan?!

His instincts screamed. He tried to shut his eyes, to leap back

But it was too late.

The world around him twisted violently. The sky and ground were suddenly drowned in a sea of scarlet.

Zabuza's body was yanked into a strange blood-red dimension.

"This is... an illusion?!" His face hardened as he tried to break free by force.

But before he could move, black nails burst from the void, spearing through his limbs and torso, pinning him in place. His body froze, nailed down by the illusion itself.

In reality, Zabuza's tall frame stiffened, his movements halting as if paralyzed.

Sasuke kept his gaze fixed, sweat dripping from his brow.

From the moment Zabuza had appeared, Sasuke had sensed the overwhelming danger. This man wasn't some small fry.

The suffocating killing intent pouring off him was unlike anything an ordinary shinobi could possess.

Sasuke hadn't dared to be careless. The instant he recognized the threat, he unleashed the strongest illusion he had inherited from Itachi Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!

The advanced genjutsu dragged Zabuza's mind into a crimson illusion world, binding his body with spectral stakes and locking down his movements.

But Sasuke had underestimated the sheer power of this missing-nin from the Hidden Mist...

After all, Zabuza was a veteran S-class missing-nin, with unmatched experience and a will forged in countless battles.

Within seconds, his chakra flared violently, surging like a storm. The illusory shackles binding him began to splinter as he forced his way free.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, forcing every ounce of power into his Sharingan. His chakra poured out at a terrifying pace.

In less than five seconds, nearly half his reserves were gone.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His vision blurred and darkened, dizziness creeping in.

"Damn it... I was too arrogant!"

Sasuke cursed himself inwardly, realizing just how much chakra it took to restrain such a monster. Holding him down completely was impossible.

He wouldn't last long.

At that moment, a loud and frustrated shout rang in his ears.

"Sasuke! Leave this guy to me! I saw him first!"

Sasuke's eyes widened. Forcing his head to turn, he caught sight of Naruto, who had somehow maneuvered around to the base of the massive tree beneath Zabuza.

Naruto's face burned with determination. He leapt high, surging upward with a roar.

In his outstretched right hand, a sphere of pure chakra whirled violently, glowing with blinding blue light.

"Rasengan!!"

....

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