Chapter 24: Zabuza, Defeated
"Bastard!"
Being insulted like this by a boy, Zabuza Momochi cursed inwardly from within the water prison. However, he didn't fall for it, instead waiting quietly inside the water prison for the thundercloud storm to dissipate.
In just a few short seconds, Zabuza Momochi had already discerned the frequency of the lightning strikes. As long as he poured chakra into the water prison, he could ensure he held out for a long time.
But that kid had already followed the trail of lightning over!
Uehara Naraka held a stack of exploding tags in his hand, casually tossing them onto the water prison, and said softly, "These are the one hundred exploding tags we agreed upon earlier in the Land of Waves. Consider this your payment!"
Zabuza Momochi: "..."
What kind of payment method is this!
One hundred exploding tags were roughly equivalent to one hundred Jonin-level Fire Release ninjutsu. Exploding together, they could directly vaporize the water condensing the Water Prison Technique!
Uehara Naraka waved his hand, raised his finger, and shouted seriously and sternly, "Art is an Explosion... Hah!"
"...Idiot!"
Zabuza Momochi weakly facepalmed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions echoed across the sea. The defensive water barrier was instantly shattered by the bombardment of hundreds of exploding tags. A flash of horror crossed the eyes of Zabuza Momochi inside the water prison as the explosions hit his body head-on!
A splash of water flew up!
It was a Water Clone!
The Zabuza Momochi inside the water prison had turned out to be a Water Clone! As for his real body, its whereabouts were already unknown. The thundercloud storm in the sky gradually dissipated, also losing track of Zabuza Momochi's true location.
Uehara Naraka frowned. As he vigilantly watched the surrounding mist, he suddenly heard Zabuza Momochi's furious roar!
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Zabuza's chakra rapidly intensified. A behemoth raised its head and broke through the mist—a huge water dragon lunged towards Uehara Naraka's position!
"Wind Release: Wind Wall!"
Seeing this, Uehara Naraka wasn't flustered. After symbolically forming a hand seal, he released a wind wall. Watching the water dragon crash against the wind wall, sending up splashes, he said softly, "A technique requiring forty-four seals must have been quite tiring, right?"
"..."
A red light reflected at Uehara Naraka's feet!
Zabuza Momochi's body was almost blood-red—it was the chakra aura radiating from him. He descended from the sky, the Executioner's Blade in his hand slashing down with resolute momentum!
Was that Water Dragon Bullet technique just now only a feint? This current Silent Killing technique was the true killing move aimed at Uehara Naraka!
The Executioner's Blade in Zabuza Momochi's hand was just a second away from landing on Uehara Naraka's arm. This was his goal; as long as Uehara Naraka lost an arm, he wouldn't be able to form seals properly and would be at his mercy.
Crack!
A golden shield materialized around Uehara Naraka. The immense impact force shattered the Executioner's Blade inch by inch!
Several golden chakra light swords floated around the shield, swiftly piercing into Zabuza Momochi's body!
It was the angel's ultimate skill, Intervention!
Zabuza Momochi, pierced by the chakra swords and bleeding profusely, stared in astonishment at the unharmed boy, a trace of unwillingness in his eyes, "Bastard! So it was a trap! You kid hide your strength so deeply!"
"You were the one who attacked me first!"
Uehara Naraka grabbed Zabuza's wrist with one hand, smoothly catching the falling Executioner's Blade handle, and kicked Zabuza in the chest, sending him flying back onto the boat.
Side Quest: Defeat a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen (1/7). Reward Unknown.
Side Quest: Defeat Zabuza Momochi (1/1). Mission Complete. Reward Skill: My Style Secret Technique: Haze Formation.
My Style Secret Technique: Haze Formation: Releases an area of smoke. Become invisible within the smoke and recover 40% of Chakra. While invisible, cannot be hit by enemy attacks. Duration 5 seconds. Reappears upon attacking or using a skill. No cost. Cooldown 20 seconds.
This skill made Uehara Naraka scratch his head in confusion.
Just this? That's it?
He defeated Zabuza Momochi!
Looking across the entire timeline of the Naruto world, only three people ever pushed the complete protagonist Team 7 into dire straits: the first was Zabuza Momochi, the second was Six Paths Uchiha Madara, and the third was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
However, the reward of the Haze Formation skill wasn't bad; it counted as a survival skill, plus it came with chakra recovery.
Uehara Naraka returned to the boat and sat down calmly. Looking at Zabuza clutching his wounds, he said softly, "Let me give you a piece of advice: don't provoke people you shouldn't provoke."
"Hmph..."
Hearing this, Zabuza Momochi couldn't help grinding his teeth. This kid said that again! Was he still praising his own amazing identity and strength?
Hearing his cold snort, Uehara Naraka smiled, "Mr. Zabuza, I am a naturally kind person. Even though you tried to ambush me just now, I am still willing to let you live. After all, you are someone who is barely a little bit useful..."
"..."
Zabuza Momochi was so angered by his words that rage surged in his heart. He forcefully suppressed his anger and said sarcastically, "Sounds like I'm really lucky then!"
"Indeed."
Uehara nodded seriously, looking at him, "After all, if I want to meet another member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, I still have to rely entirely on Mr. Zabuza!"
Zabuza Momochi's body slowly relaxed. He glanced at the youth opposite him, "Since you need my help, you should at least tell me who you want to meet, right?"
"Kisame Hoshigaki."
Uehara Naraka said the name without the slightest hesitation.
Throughout the history of the ninja world, very few could be called true ninjas. Kisame Hoshigaki was undoubtedly a qualified ninja.
If possible, Uehara Naraka even wanted to try and convert Kisame Hoshigaki. That shark-faced man was a rare helper. Just based on his dedication to his superiors' missions, letting him go would be a terrible waste.
As for how to convert him, that was a big problem.
If nothing unexpected happened, Kisame Hoshigaki must have already become the mysterious masked man's pawn. He might even have been won over by the masked man's promised Eye of the Moon Plan, remaining sufficiently loyal until his spectacular death in battle.
Apart from the fact that he needed hand seals to release any ninjutsu, it was really hard to find any other flaws in Kisame Hoshigaki.
"Ha!"
Hearing Kisame Hoshigaki's name, Zabuza Momochi couldn't help but sneer, looking contemptuously at Uehara Naraka, "If you had named someone else, I might have had some doubts. But that guy Kisame Hoshigaki would absolutely never betray the Fourth Mizukage!"
Kisame Hoshigaki was a trusted confidant of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura.
Back when Yagura wanted to seize control of the ANBU, he instructed Kisame Hoshigaki to kill the previous ANBU leader, Fuguki Suikazan, promoted Kisame to be a new member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and gave him Samehada.
All of Kirigakure knew of Kisame Hoshigaki's loyalty to the Fourth Mizukage Yagura. Apart from Yagura's orders, nothing else could move Kisame; he wouldn't pay attention to anything else, even if someone privately invited him to jointly propose abolishing the unreasonable Bloody Mist system.
If the Fourth Mizukage Yagura were overthrown within Kirigakure, the last person standing in front to protect him would absolutely be Kisame Hoshigaki.
How could such a person possibly betray him?
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