In truth, Yamato had prepared far more than Haruto and the others could ever have imagined.
After learning that the team had encountered a Jōnin-level enemy, the Third Hokage immediately dispatched Yamato to provide covert support. He also sent along a wide array of specialized tools:
A Mist-sealing scroll specifically designed to counter Kirigakure techniques,
All types of life-support and emergency medical equipment,
Even a high-level defensive Barrier scroll.
To protect Kakashi's team from true danger, these preparations had been made in advance. In fact, the Third Hokage had never intended to let such a critical squad as Haruto face true life-or-death peril.
If the Third had not specifically ordered Yamato to allow them to grow through this mission… the battle would have already ended long ago.
Suddenly, Yamato's ears twitched."Hm? Someone's coming."
Quickly, he left behind a wooden clone disguised as Naruto, then picked up Naruto's real body and stealthily hid to the side.
Haku silently approached Naruto's fallen form. He knelt down, placed a hand on Naruto's chest, and after sensing no breath, sighed quietly."...I'm sorry."
A tear slid down his cheek.
But Haku's compassion spared Naruto's life.
Silently, Yamato withdrew the long-prepared fiber needle technique and replaced it with a gentler method.
"Wood Release: Silent Binding Technique."
Snap—!In an instant, Haku was tightly bound like a shameful rice dumpling, completely unable to speak or move.
"I'll let them decide whether you live or die," Yamato said coldly.
Sasuke stood there, stunned, unable to fully register what he'd just witnessed.
Yamato walked over to him. "Don't worry—Naruto's not dead."
Sasuke blinked a few times… then started crying. "This idiot... always almost dies. I've been annoyed with him for ages... might be better if he stayed dead."
He spoke coldly, but the tear stains down his cheeks and the slight upward curve of his lips gave away the truth.
Yamato's gaze turned serious. "Haruto's almost at his limit. Is he planning to open the Eight Gates?"
He frowned deeply. "Opening the Gates in this condition could cause lasting injury... I have to step in."
Without another word, Yamato rushed toward Haruto's battlefield.
Meanwhile, Kakashi was struggling—Raiga's lightning attacks had grown fiercer and more intense by the second.
"So that's how it is…" Kakashi murmured under his breath. "This guy channels chakra into the clouds, then draws lightning from the sky itself… the longer he fights, the more powerful his strikes become."
"But in the end, it's still natural lightning."
Taking a deep breath, Kakashi formed a hand seal :
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
This time, Kakashi poured far more chakra into the technique than before. The stone wall rose and completely enclosed him in a dome of solid rock.
Raiga sneered. "Using Earth Style to fight Lightning Style? That's the dumbest idea I've ever seen."
Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind Raiga: "Lord Raiga, be careful! There are violent chakra fluctuations behind the wall!"
Raiga's expression hardened. "Tch… I've had enough fun. Time to finish this."
He looked up at the dark clouds above, lightning flickering within. "Hahaha... The thunder's nearly ready. Let me show you the true power of the Kiba Blade!"
"Lightning Release: Thunder Burial!"
A massive surge of lightning, like a condensed thunderstorm, crashed down from the heavens. In the distance, Haruto watched, eyes wide. "Damn... this is like a miniaturized version of Kirin. Should a move this broken even exist in the early stages of Naruto!?"
A giant column of divine thunder descended. But instead of retreating, Kakashi calmly stepped forward. A faint blue glow gathered in his right hand.
"I don't rely solely on copying other people's jutsu."
"Feel the technique that can cut lightning—Raikiri!"
Compared to the overwhelming Thunder Pillar, Raikiri's glow seemed almost insignificant. But Kakashi surged forward at high speed, arm raised.
Then—collision.
But there was no explosion.
"Raiga, look out! He's coming through it!" The panicked warning came from Ranmaru behind.
From within the blinding Thunder Pillar, Kakashi emerged—Raikiri glowing even more intensely. The massive lightning beam had been cleaved in half—Raikiri had sliced right through it.
Raiga's eyes widened."Wh-What is this…?!"
The two passed each other in a flash.
Though Raiga dodged a lethal hit thanks to Ranmaru's warning, his left arm had vanished, charred black.No blood spilled—it was simply gone.
Panting heavily, Raiga stared in disbelief. "Why… How…?"
Kakashi, composed, finally spoke : "I've been gathering data on you this whole time."
"Through repeated probing, I obtained crucial intel."
Raiga was still dazed."...Crucial?"
"The Kiba Blade lets you control thunder and lightning, yes… but I noticed you needed actual ninjutsu to counter my Lightning Release. That means you can't directly control my Lightning-based chakra."
"You manipulate natural lightning by inducing positive and negative charges in the sky. But natural lightning lacks the chakra density of jutsu. Against a high-density chakra-based attack like Raikiri... your thunder gets cut instead of cutting."
"This stormy weather strengthens you... but why shouldn't it also empower me?"
Haruto's eyes sharpened.
"I see now."
Facing Zabuza's relentless assault, Haruto's situation was dire. He clenched his fists, sweat dripping.
"Damn it... there's no other choice."
"If I open the Eight Gates now... with my current physical condition, I can only handle two at most."
"Any more than that and my body might collapse."
Just as he was about to release the Eight Gates, the earth beneath Zabuza's feet erupted—
BOOM!
Massive wooden spikes burst out, coiling around Zabuza's arms and legs in an instant.
Zabuza's eyes widened in surprise. "What—!?"
Haruto didn't hesitate.
"Haaaah!!"
With one swift motion, Murasame slashed across Zabuza's chest——perfectly crossing the scar from their last battle.
Zabuza gasped, eyes going dull. He slumped forward, unable to move.
Before he could fall, more wooden restraints surged up, binding him completely.
"Is this... the end?" Haruto stood there, breathing heavily. After all the fierce fighting...it ended just like that?
"So anticlimactic."
But at the same time—
"So this is the power of teamwork."
Haruto truly understood now.
"No matter how strong you are alone... victory is forged together."
Just then, Yamato approached, calm as ever. Before Haruto could even speak, Yamato cut in:
"Don't worry. They're fine. Just a few injuries."
Haruto looked around. Kakashi was kneeling beside a wounded but still-standing Raiga. Sasuke, bloody but alive, sat near Haku, who was tied up and silent. Naruto... was breathing.
"So it's over?" After all that chaos, it felt unreal.
One moment they were struggling for their lives...and the next—It was done.
Haruto exhaled. The tension bled from his body, and he collapsed softly to the ground.
"We won."
"Naruto! Naruto, wake up!"
Naruto blinked blearily, rubbing his eyes. Around him—empty wooden floors and ghostly dim light.
"Where... where am I?""Is this... hell?"
Haruto smirked, slowly turning his face ghost-white like a ghost.
"Yes... this is hell. Come... let me eat you... AAAHH—!"
"AAAAAH! I don't wanna die! I haven't become Hokage yet! AAAAAH!!"
"...Idiot."
"Eh? Sasuke?!""You're here too? Wait... don't tell me you died too!"
Naruto suddenly looked heartbroken.
"Sasuke… I'm sorry. I dragged you down."
Sasuke stared at him silently. He remembered the moment Naruto stood in front of him, shielding him. His lips moved—But in the end, he only muttered:
"...Idiot."
"Kakashi-sensei, you're here too? And—who's that weird-looking guy?"
Yamato froze.
"Weird-looking?" X3.....
"He staggered emotionally—"That hurt... a lot more than it should've."
After a moment, Naruto finally realized—"Wait a second—YOU GUYS ARE MESSING WITH ME. Boss! You were just playing tricks on me!!"
Haruto chuckled. "Haha, who told you to be so easy to fool."
After a round of medical treatment, the group gathered to discuss the issue of the captives.
The four prisoners—Zabuza, Haku, Raiga, and Ranmaru——were tightly bound like rice dumplings, lined up before them.
Haruto folded his arms, frowning.
"Normally, we should hand them over to Konoha.""They'd extract all intel... and given Haku and Ranmaru's bloodline traits...""They'd probably end up as research subjects..."
Haruto and Naruto glanced at the unconscious Ranmaru.
"He's just a kid and Haku… he didn't even want to kill anyone from the start."
The group began to argue—some hardliners, some sympathetic. No consensus.
Suddenly—
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
Several dark figures dropped down from the trees like shadows.
Weapons were drawn instantly. Haruto, Kakashi, and Yamato took a step forward.
"ANBU? No..."
Kakashi narrowed his eye.
"They're wearing Kirigakure Hunter-nin masks."
These were Mist Village's Hunter Corps—Tasked with hunting down deserters.
One of the masked soldiers stepped aside. Out stepped a tall, seductive woman, long flowing hair. Cold, dangerous eyes.
"You've done well..." she said softly. "Now hand them over."