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However, "I forgot to tell you," Ye Dou said lightly, "when I went to buy the phosphor powder, the boss told me it was out of stock. So, I bought a more advanced phosphor. If you don't handle it carefully, you won't be able to wash it off!"
"Nani?!"
Zabuza Momochi whipped his head around violently, only to see a massive fireball barreling toward him — it was the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
[Konoha's Little Monster]
"Dammit!"
Being played like a monkey by a brat made Zabuza's blood boil. He didn't bother with any more Hiding in Mist Technique; after dodging the fireball, he immediately swung his massive blade toward Ye Dou with a roar.
Ye Dou met the attack head-on, unflinching.
Clang!
The beheading sword and Ye Dou's ninja blade collided again.
But this time was different — Zabuza gripped the sword with both hands and used his full strength, while the Kubikiribōchō's sheer mass and size should have given him an overwhelming advantage.
Yet, Ye Dou stood his ground.
Impossible!
Zabuza's eyes widened. Even if this brat started training from the cradle, he shouldn't be able to block my sword so easily!
"Don't forget about me!"
Bang!
Before Zabuza could recover, Kakashi Hatake shot out from the side and landed a heavy kick to his ribs, sending him flying.
But the assault didn't end there.
Before Zabuza could even catch his breath, Ye Dou lunged after him like a hunting beast, swinging his blade with murderous precision.
Crash!
A single strike cleaved a thick tree cleanly in half.
Zabuza barely evaded, sweat pouring down his face. He instantly realized — just Kakashi alone was already dangerous. Adding this savage monster Ye Dou into the mix was a death sentence.
These Konoha kids are insane!
Worse yet, the fluorescent marking Ye Dou had thrown on him earlier made him glow faintly even through the mist, halving the effectiveness of his stealth techniques.
And Ye Dou was so fast he didn't even need a Body Flicker Technique — just raw speed!
It wasn't even a ninja fight anymore. It was like a wild beast had been unleashed, hunting him down relentlessly.
Zabuza's heart was full of grievance:
Since when was it the hunter getting chased?! I've always been the one chasing others down with my Kubikiribōchō!
Meanwhile, Kakashi observed quietly, secretly astonished: This kid... he's just like Maito Gai!
The Master and Disciple Duo was too much to handle!
"Dammit... why am I so weak?!"
At Dazna's side, Uchiha Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, trembling with frustration.
The more he saw, the more he understood the enormous gap between himself and those monsters.
Especially when facing Ye Dou — the difference felt overwhelming.
He wanted to catch up, to surpass him — but right now, he could only watch from the sidelines.
Even Uzumaki Naruto was burning with unwillingness.
He held a complicated emotion toward Sasuke and Ye Dou — a fierce desire to defeat them and earn their recognition.
But Ye Dou didn't notice any of this.
All his attention was locked onto Zabuza.
One strike. Two strikes. Three strikes.
Ye Dou resembled a berserker. Every time he closed the distance, he would swing his blade without mercy.
The forest trembled under the onslaught. Trees were chopped down like wheat before a scythe, falling one after another with loud crashes.
This kid's like a living chainsaw!
Zabuza panted heavily, dodging and parrying frantically.
He knew: I'm just one slip away from being hacked into two pieces!
But a human can't maintain extreme concentration forever.
The moment Kakashi calculated Zabuza's trajectory, he formed a hand seal: Earth Style: Earth Swamp Jutsu!
A mud swamp appeared instantly under Zabuza's feet. Reflexively, Zabuza leapt into the air to avoid being trapped.
But right then — Ye Dou struck again!
The moment Zabuza raised his Kubikiribōchō to defend—
Clang!
Ye Dou's powerful slash knocked the giant sword away and broke through his guard.
"Shit!"
Zabuza felt a strange slimy sensation climbing up his legs — he realized too late: he had been trapped by the swamp's sludge at the edge.
Horrified, he looked up.
Ye Dou was already mid-strike.
The ninja blade in Ye Dou's hands seemed to sing for blood, whistling through the air.
"Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu — Water Needles of Death!"
At the critical moment, a barrage of water-made senbon shot at Ye Dou from a new direction!
Although made of water, each senbon was condensed and hardened, sharp enough to pierce flesh and bone.
Kakashi's expression changed.
"This is bad! Ye Dou, dodge!" he shouted.
"Hmph!"
Ye Dou snorted coldly and gave up the finishing blow.
He pivoted to face the oncoming needles, swatting down dozens with his blade.
But there were just too many!
Realizing he couldn't block them all, Ye Dou crossed his arms in front of him and shouted:
"Armament — Iron Body!"
A metallic sheen covered his skin — it was a technique even tougher than steel.
The torrent of water needles slammed into him.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
The sound was like metal striking metal.
Zabuza and even Kakashi widened their eyes in shock.
What is this monster made of?!
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