The battle was shifting.
Haku's movements were precise, but now there was a sense of urgency behind them. He wasn't just attacking—he was trying to finish this as quickly as possible. His mind was elsewhere.
I followed his gaze again. The mist was thick, but my sharp eyes picked up the outlines of the fight between Kakashi and Zabuza. Kakashi was moving sluggishly, blood dripping from a fresh wound on his side. Zabuza's massive sword gleamed with moisture as he pressed forward, relentless.
Haku was getting desperate.
That meant we had an opening.
Sasuke was still adjusting to his Sharingan, dodging attacks more fluidly, but he was on the defensive. Naruto growled in frustration, his fists clenched.
"This is pissing me off!" Naruto shouted. "I can't even hit him!"
I exhaled. "Then we force him out of his advantage."
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
I pressed my hands together. If Haku wanted to use this frozen battlefield to his advantage, I'd take it from him.
My chakra surged.
A deep tremor rippled through the bridge.
Thick, gnarled roots erupted from the wooden planks beneath us, stretching out like grasping fingers. They twisted toward the ice mirrors, wrapping around the base of Haku's jutsu.
The air shimmered.
Cracks splintered across the ice.
Haku's masked face snapped toward me, surprise flickering in his gaze.
"Wood Release…?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
The moment of distraction was all Sasuke needed.
A kunai sliced through the air.
Haku twisted, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge completely. A thin line of blood dripped from his shoulder.
Sasuke smirked. "Looks like you're not untouchable after all."
Haku didn't answer. He pressed a hand against his wound, his breathing uneven. His mirrors flickered, the jutsu weakening.
Good.
But I wasn't done yet.
I shifted my stance, molding my chakra differently this time. Instead of wood, I called on something else—something sharp and fast.
Lightning.
Sparks crackled around my fingertips, the energy snapping at the air. A small current of electricity danced across my palm, and I launched it forward.
The bolt shot through the mist, hitting the ice mirrors with a sharp, crackling explosion.
A web of cracks spread across the surfaces.
The mirrors were weakening.
Haku's eyes widened in alarm.
I clenched my fists, channeling more chakra. "Sasuke, Naruto—get ready."
Sasuke's eyes gleamed with understanding. Naruto, less so, but he still nodded.
Haku exhaled sharply. He was cornered now. His mirrors were failing. Zabuza was still fighting, still in danger.
And Haku had made a choice the moment he stepped onto this bridge.
A final attack.
His form blurred as he moved between the remaining mirrors, senbon in hand.
This time, he wasn't holding back.
I moved before he could strike.
The roots beneath us shifted, reacting to my will. They shot upward, forming a twisting barrier between Haku and us.
The senbon clashed against the bark, barely missing their targets.
Haku hesitated again.
That was his mistake.
Sasuke lunged.
His kunai sliced through the mist, aimed straight for Haku's chest.
But at the last second—
Haku stopped.
His body remained still.
Sasuke's kunai hovered inches from his heart.
A choice had been made.
Haku's voice was quiet. "Do it."
Sasuke's hand trembled slightly.
Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait—"
But it was too late.