Like Daz's new home, Zabuza's old hideout was also deep within a dense forest. The thick canopy of branches blocked out most of the light, making visibility extremely poor—even at dawn, the surroundings felt as dark as dusk.
Kakashi and the other two hid in the nearby bushes, carefully scanning their surroundings.
"So far, it doesn't look like there are any traps," Naruto whispered after surveying the area.
Kakashi nodded and said in a low voice, "I'll move later. You two focus on containing the masked boy. If anything goes wrong, retreat immediately."
Naruto glanced sideways and noticed Sasuke's body trembling slightly. He chuckled and asked, "What, Parkinson's disease?"
"No," Sasuke shook his head, his face full of excitement. "I'm fired up."
"Sure," Naruto replied casually. "You can fight Zabuza again later."
"…That's not impossible."
Naruto thought that if Sasuke had a tail, it would be sticking straight up by now. He couldn't help but feel a bit excited himself—wondering whether it would be Haku or him who'd end up getting beaten up.
Sasuke was already far stronger than in the original timeline. At this point, he could no longer be judged by common sense.
Suddenly, noises echoed through the forest.
Dark figures emerged one after another like bamboo shoots after the rain, spreading out and searching the area.
Most of them were wearing ninja headbands!
Damn it, Naruto thought. Things have gone off-script again. He couldn't help but suspect that this guy named Gato was basically a cockroach.
This enemy was frighteningly good at "reproducing."
Kakashi signaled them to hold their breath and continue waiting.
We can't alert the enemy yet.
Naruto thought about Zabuza's personality. He likely disliked cooperating with so many people, and his combat style leaned heavily toward assassination.
If I fight Zabuza later, I'll use words to drive a wedge between him and these other ninja.
At that moment, a man wearing a headscarf in the center shouted loudly, "Why don't you come out already?!"
Naruto felt his scalp tingle. Was he deliberately provoking them?
Impossible. How could they know the timing of the attack?
Another man beside him asked, "Dear, are you sure they're hiding here?"
"Our leader is very good at predicting things. He's never wrong," the headscarfed man replied firmly, as if he had fully bought into it.
"Listen up—I'll force them out. Fire Style—"
He began forming hand seals rapidly!
Naruto's hair stood on end. He whispered urgently, "Oh crap, boss, they're serious! What do we do?!"
Kakashi replied calmly, "Retreat."
Just then, the headscarfed man completed his seals.
"…Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
The temperature around them spiked instantly. Naruto scattered at once, but in doing so, he exposed his position.
Kakashi flipped up his headband, preparing to cover Naruto and Sasuke's retreat—when he suddenly felt a massive blade behind him.
"Hahaha—your opponent is me."
Zabuza appeared out of nowhere, holding his giant sword, its tip pressed against Kakashi's back.
"Zabuza…" Kakashi's eyes hardened instantly.
"Don't turn around," Zabuza said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "If you dare point your Sharingan at me, I'll cut you in half."
Naruto dodged several shuriken and shouted at him, "Zabuza! Are you Gato's dog now?!"
Zabuza suddenly turned his head, his gaze sharp enough to slice Naruto into pieces.
"A mission I accept must succeed. Failure is not an option!"
Then he flashed Kakashi a strangely playful smile.
"Besides, Gato is still useful to me."
"What do you think, my dear friend?"
Naruto understood Zabuza's intent, but it still made him uncomfortable. Did he really have to phrase it so cruelly?
Who could bring themselves to speak so harshly to a friend?!
Naruto couldn't help but admire Gato's brainwashing skills. He even suspected that if Zabuza stayed with Gato a few more days, he'd end up wearing a Korean-style trench coat.
Elsewhere.
Clink!
Sasuke spun repeatedly, using his kunai to intercept the senbon flying toward him.
"Your speed isn't bad," Haku commented casually, as if Sasuke's progress meant nothing.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke glanced at Zabuza and shouted, "Are you insane?! You're actually supporting that demon, Gato?!"
"I obey only Lord Zabuza's orders," Haku replied coldly, as always. "Lord Zabuza's will is absolute. More precisely… my life belongs to Lord Zabuza."
Sasuke grew increasingly irritated. He dodged another attack, kicked off the ground to create distance, and formed seals in an instant.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball swallowed the ninja near Sasuke. Compared to the one he'd used in front of Fugaku before, this fireball was nearly twice as large!
Like Naruto, Sasuke's chakra control and application had improved dramatically during this time.
Haku slipped away like a ghost, moving into the blind spot of a tree trunk and hurling several senbon toward Sasuke.
The needles precisely targeted vital points in Sasuke's neck!
But Sasuke seemed to sense something. He rolled aside smoothly, avoided the attack, and shot Haku a disdainful glance.
"All you talk about is Zabuza. Don't you have any thoughts of your own?!" Sasuke's voice was heavy with disgust.
Once, he too had followed someone blindly—only to be betrayed, his entire clan wiped out.
Blind trust was exactly why emotional collapse hurt so deeply.
Sasuke needed to "correct" Haku's warped worldview—using overwhelming force.
He closed in instantly. Haku calmly blocked every strike.
"At least I have one advantage now," Haku said evenly. "I'm restraining you with only one hand. That means my other hand is free to threaten you."
As he spoke, Haku began forming seals with one hand.
Seeing this, Sasuke suddenly recalled something Naruto had said during their tree-climbing training.
…
"Sasuke, that masked guy's techniques are weird. I've thought about it for a long time and came up with a general way to break the stalemate."
Sasuke glanced at Naruto. "What kind of stupid idea could someone like you come up with?"
"Don't get cocky around me," Naruto waved him off. "Think about it. Zabuza uses Water Style. If that masked kid's been following him since childhood, then his techniques are probably related to Water Style too."
Naruto continued, "So—what counters Water Style?"
…
"You're wrong about one thing," Sasuke said coldly, staring at Haku. "I'm restraining you with one hand too."
He yanked out a nearly invisible fuse from his other hand.
"BOOM!!!"
"BOOM!!!"
Violent explosions erupted where Sasuke and Haku stood, thick black smoke completely engulfing them.
…
So—what counters Water Style?
"Fire," Naruto said, shaking an explosive tag in his hand. "Water can suppress fire, sure—but if the fire is strong enough, it'll evaporate all the water. Of course, the premise is drying out the environment first."
"Fighting in a damp area puts us at a disadvantage."
What Naruto didn't mention was that Haku could freeze water on the ground into ice—making the fight even more dangerous.
…
"Explosive tags? Interesting."
Haku burst out of the smoke. Flames had scorched a corner of his clothing, and his usual elegance and composure were gone.
From the opposite side, Sasuke emerged calmly, his eyes clear and resolute.
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All the fanfiction is 30-chapter ahead but this "A Witty Life in the Naruto World" is 30 chapters ahead there