Watching the sparks of lightning scatter from the shattered ice wall, Zabuza's eyes flickered with unease.
What's going on with this kid?
In just over a day, he's completely transformed!
His strength, speed they were now entirely on par with Zabuza's own. And then there was something else…
Zabuza recalled the bursts of electricity that surged from Sasuke's body during his movements and attacks.
Those lightning surges… They seem to amplify his speed, attack power, and strength. To the point where I, an elite Jonin, can't even fight back properly.
Even his legendary Executioner's Blade had been knocked out of his hands.
The thought sent a wave of frustration and disbelief through Zabuza. His pride as a Jonin had been shattered, utterly crushed by this Leaf Genin.
Just as Zabuza struggled to suppress his tumultuous thoughts, Haku's expression suddenly shifted.
"Zabuza-san! Dodge, quickly!" Haku shouted.
In the next instant
Boom!
A wave of ferocious flames erupted, following in the wake of Sasuke's lightning.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bomb!"
From Sasuke's mouth came a torrent of blazing fire, forming into the shape of a colossal dragon as it roared forward.
The fiery dragon slammed into the ice wall, emitting a sharp hiss as the intense heat collided with the icy barrier.
A second later, the flames shattered the ice, breaking through with an unstoppable force.
The fire dragon surged forward, its gaping maw bearing down on Zabuza and Haku with relentless fury.
The inferno roared, refusing to dissipate as it sought to engulf its targets.
Zabuza glanced at his Executioner's Blade lying nearby. With a swift motion, he kicked the massive weapon into the air, sending it hurtling toward the oncoming flames.
Of course, the blade wouldn't extinguish the fire.
Zabuza's true target wasn't the fire it was Sasuke.
The blade shot through the air like a missile, cutting straight toward the young Uchiha.
Sasuke stopped his fire jutsu abruptly, his eyes narrowing as the massive weapon approached.
With a fluid motion, he reached out and caught the Executioner's Blade with one hand.
Twisting it in his grip, Sasuke swung the enormous blade behind him, resting its weight effortlessly on his shoulder.
His arm bent slightly as he adjusted to the heft of the weapon, a spark of excitement glinting in his eyes.
In the next moment, electricity crackled from Sasuke's feet, surging outward.
Lightning Style: Discharge!
Zzzzt!
The electric burst propelled Sasuke forward with explosive speed, the Executioner's Blade still in hand as he charged toward Zabuza.
Zabuza, still reeling from his narrow escape from the fire jutsu, looked up to see Sasuke barreling toward him.
This time, the tables had turned entirely.
Still gripping the Executioner's Blade, Sasuke seemed intent on using Zabuza's own weapon against him.
How dare he!
Zabuza, unarmed but unfazed, accelerated toward Sasuke, planning to disarm him with his bare hands.
However, just as Sasuke leaped into the air to gain momentum, something unexpected happened.
A faint electric glow flashed in Sasuke's Sharingan-activated eyes.
Lightning erupted from both of Sasuke's arms, surging through his muscles and into the Executioner's Blade.
The blade, now crackling with electricity, became an extension of Sasuke's lightning-charged body.
For a moment, Zabuza froze in disbelief.
This kid… he wields my Executioner's Blade as if it's his own!
He had missed his best chance to reclaim the weapon.
Boom!
Sasuke brought the massive, lightning-imbued blade crashing down, splintering the ground beneath them.
A five-to-six-meter-long fissure opened where the blade struck, forcing Zabuza to roll out of harm's way.
Sasuke wasted no time, hoisting the blade again for another strike.
But while Sasuke's taijutsu was refined and precise, his kenjutsu the art of swordsmanship was nowhere near as skilled.
Zabuza easily evaded two more of Sasuke's swings before countering with a sharp elbow strike.
The blow sent Sasuke flying backward, loosening his grip on the Executioner's Blade.
With an effortless twist, Zabuza reclaimed his weapon, spinning it in a wide arc around his neck.
Gripping the handle as it completed its rotation, Zabuza aimed the blade at Sasuke and swung with devastating force.
The air screamed as the blade cut through it, hurtling toward Sasuke, who had just landed but hadn't yet regained his balance.
Zabuza grinned, confidence surging back into his voice.
"Kid! Your swordsmanship is pathetic!" he mocked.
"A blade... isn't something just anyone can wield!"
Sasuke smirked faintly, acknowledging the truth in Zabuza's words.
Compared to his taijutsu, Sasuke's kenjutsu was indeed lacking.
But Zabuza's swordsmanship wasn't particularly remarkable either.
Lightning crackled at Sasuke's feet, propelling him out of the blade's trajectory just in time.
At that moment, Haku seized the opportunity and launched a volley of senbon needles to disrupt Sasuke's movements.
Dodging backward, Sasuke swiftly reached into his ninja pouch, retrieving and flinging over a dozen shuriken in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp ring of shuriken striking metal filled the air as Zabuza advanced again.
But Sasuke was already preparing his next move.
With one hand raised to his chest, he taunted:
"Still… taking that blade might not have been the smartest idea."
Sasuke smirked, a glimmer of confidence in his eyes.
At that moment, Zabuza's instincts screamed that something was wrong.
"Explode!" Sasuke called out.
Fizz… Fizz…
The sound of an explosive tag igniting reached Zabuza's ears.
His pupils widened in shock as he flipped the Executioner's Blade over, revealing several explosive tags stuck to its surface.
When did he?!
BOOM!
A sudden, violent explosion engulfed Zabuza in a wave of fire and smoke.
Sasuke landed lightly on the ground, exhaling slowly as he observed the roaring flames.
Haku, standing nearby, went pale, his expression twisted with disbelief.
A mere Genin... this strong?
Haku hadn't even noticed when Sasuke planted the explosive tags.
How did he manage it?!
"Zabuza-sama!" Haku shouted, panic rising in his voice.
"You... You dare to harm Zabuza-sama?!"
"I won't forgive you for this!"
Haku prepared to attack, but Sasuke was already anticipating it.
With a sly grin, he raised his hand and pointed behind Haku.
"You might want to check behind you first."
Startled, Haku turned around quickly.
Whoosh!
A shadowy figure lashed out with a punch aimed straight at Haku's face.
Haku narrowly dodged, his instincts saving him from a direct hit.
When he turned back to look closely, his eyes widened in realization.
It was another Sasuke!
A shadow clone? No... this is a Lightning Clone!
When did he perform a clone technique? That's impossible! Even at high speed, he couldn't have done this without Zabuza-sama or me noticing!
Then it clicked.
It must have been before the fight began.
Sasuke chuckled knowingly.
The beauty of the Lightning Clone was simple: as long as it got close to the enemy, the plan was a success.
"Time to feel the sting of lightning!"
BOOM!
The Lightning Clone detonated, releasing a surge of electricity that sent Haku reeling with a cry of pain.
This was no ordinary Lightning Clone, either Sasuke had created it while at full chakra, giving it half of his reserves.
The resulting blast was akin to an attack unleashed by Kakashi at half power, packing an exceptional punch.
Before Haku could recover, Sasuke's kunai came flying, striking his arm with precision.
Each kunai, enhanced by Lightning Release, not only hit with increased power but also delivered a paralyzing shock.
One down.
Sasuke's calm demeanor masked his intent.
Taking one obstacle out of the equation is critical in a fight like this.
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