Though Zabuza's mouth was bandaged, anyone could tell he was smirking.
"Dead end?" He slowly slung his giant blade back, posing to form seals, his gaze on Sasuke icy with killing intent. "You're Sasuke, right? I'll show you what a real ninja is."
"…" Sasuke readied his Qingfeng across his chest.
Even Kakashi focused.
Zabuza might beat Naruto and Sasuke, but with Kakashi there, after seeing their strength and teamwork, he'd know killing the target was nearly impossible.
What trump card did the "Demon" Momochi Zabuza hold?
Zabuza's hands formed the first seal.
Everyone stared.
"Release!"
He called softly.
Poof—
His body melted into a puddle, splashing down.
And… that was it.
The scene fell into eerie silence. Sasuke, sword in hand, scanned around, alert but baffled.
"What's this? A clone?" Naruto looked around. "Where's the guy?"
Shen Mo, spying, barely held back a laugh.
This was why he'd been shocked.
Momochi Zabuza, seeing no hope for the mission, tactically bailed without hesitation.
His "attack" on Naruto was already a clone. The real Zabuza had slipped away silently.
Leaving Sasuke and crew on guard for ages.
Finally, they confirmed…
He'd escaped.
"What's this!?" Sasuke's face flushed. "When did he swap to a clone? Is this a real ninja? Ditching the mission to run?"
"Argh, damn it!" Naruto clenched his fists, brimming with energy but nowhere to vent, utterly frustrated.
"Sasuke… he didn't ditch the mission," Kakashi said, looking helpless. "He's a seasoned ninja… Remember, missions matter, but adaptability is key. In that situation, retreating to lurk for another chance was the best move."
Kakashi figured his presence made Zabuza see no hope.
But he hadn't expected such a clean getaway. Now, trouble loomed.
Sasuke stayed silent, his young heart grappling with the ninja world's cruelty. He imagined if he ever beat that man, only for him to escape like Zabuza today…
Damn it!
Sasuke vowed to prepare thoroughly for revenge.
And Zabuza!
If he showed again, no way would he escape!
This first clash wasn't what anyone expected, not even Shen Mo.
But it made sense.
With Kakashi, nearly three jōnin-level fighters, plus Sakura and Rin covering blind spots, the team's power far surpassed the original. Zabuza wasn't abandoning the mission—just probing, then seeking another shot.
Still…
Alive meant business potential, but Shen Mo's plan was to beat him half-dead for easier deals.
So, he'd handle it himself.
Shen Mo glanced at Tsunade, one hand propping her chin, the other picking at barbecue slices, and said, "Tsunade, I've got business to do."
"Go, go," Tsunade waved lazily. "Just don't tell sensei I slacked on hosting."
"Of course not." Shen Mo read her thoughts, a bit resigned, but vanished like a phantom.
Money came first.
After he left…
Crack—
Tsunade's chopsticks snapped, her arm muscles tensing, her face barely holding back anger.
She'd long noticed Shen Mo's distraction.
Even if she was just following sensei's orders to host, his attitude was infuriating.
…
Elsewhere, Zabuza stopped by a lake in the forest.
Sure no one followed, he exhaled.
A figure dropped from a nearby tree.
"Zabuza's crisp escape was kinda captivating," said a delicate, cute boy.
"Hmph, you always say annoying stuff," Zabuza snorted, clearly displeased.
"Not sarcasm," the boy smiled sweetly. "If it's Zabuza, you'll strike back soon, right?"
"Not sure," Zabuza glanced at him, voice low. "Those brats might be stronger than you."
"…"
Simple words, but the boy's gaze dipped, his long lashes—girlier than most—trembling.
After a pause…
His youthful voice came.
"If so, I'll fight for Zabuza to the end."
"…"
Zabuza looked at the boy, his bandaged lips twitching, but he said nothing.
Just a soft grunt.
As if acknowledging the words.
The mood turned odd.
Everything seemed to hush—wind, rustling leaves. Zabuza felt only his and Haku's heartbeats.
…Wait!
He snapped alert. This wasn't emotional illusion.
In a flash, he gripped his blade, scanning warily, while Haku clutched needles, back-to-back with him.
Standard defense mode.
Soon…
They realized, horrified, everything around them froze.
Airflow, grass, leaves meant to sway—all static like a painting. Zabuza saw a bird paused midair, still leaves, even sunlit dust particles unmoving.
Eerie silence, with their amplifying heartbeats, shifted to primal fear.
"Release!"
Zabuza and Haku tried breaking the genjutsu simultaneously.
No effect.
Their ears caught nothing but each other's sounds.
"Zabuza!"
Haku shouted, pointing to a tree nearby.
Zabuza saw it too.
Under that frozen tree, a man in a black suit leaned, smiling, watching them. No heartbeat, no presence, as if merged with the absolute silence.
It was Shen Mo.
Without an introducer, he'd spent some trading points to boost the initial conviction needed to sell cans.
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