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Pu Tong collapsed to his knees, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The opponent hadn't even used his full strength, yet with a single sword strike, he had been crushed into submission.
"Zabuza-sama!"
From a distance, Haku cried out, his hands already forming seals.
In an instant, countless water senbon materialized out of thin air, like a torrential downpour of needles, shooting straight toward Ye Dou.
At that moment, a flash of intuition flared in Ye Dou's mind—sharper, more urgent than ever before. A dangerous presence was approaching from behind.
[Observation Haki - Kenbunshoku Haki]
Ye Dou had been cultivating his sense of danger and awareness since the beginning of his training. He wasn't entirely sure if it could be called "Observation Haki," but according to his training manual, this sudden, acute intuition fit the signs of its awakening.
Unlike Armament Haki, which manifested as visible armor, Observation Haki was subtle—an invisible sixth sense.
He immediately abandoned the plan to finish off Zabuza.
He had to grasp this sensation—he had to awaken it fully.
With a swift kick, Ye Dou sent Zabuza skidding backward, then spun, drawing a flash of his sword through the air.
He slashed at the incoming volley of water senbon.
Buzz!
A ripple of violet energy expanded outward from his blade, and the high-speed water senbon froze midair—then, shockingly, bounced back in the direction they had come from!
Though Haku managed to dodge the rebounding senbon, a few unlucky rogue ninja attempting to sneak up on Ye Dou were pierced through and fell to the ground, dead.
"Come at me with everything you have. Maybe I'll let you live!"
Ye Dou turned around and spoke calmly.
He wasn't tall—only half a head taller than Uzumaki Naruto—but at this moment, under his quiet gaze, Zabuza and the others felt as if they were being crushed by an overwhelming pressure, as if looking up at a giant.
"Damn it, he's toying with us!"
Zabuza's expression darkened.
Just one exchange had revealed the truth:
One hundred million ryō was no exaggeration.
This kid was terrifying—and the so-called "Copy Ninja Kakashi" couldn't even begin to compare.
"Zabuza-sama!"
Haku dashed over and stood protectively in front of him.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine… for now."
Zabuza struggled to stand, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
He no longer intended to flee.
If they ran again after losing so many men, he'd lose their loyalty—and the chance to return to Kirigakure with his head held high.
"Be careful. He might be the strongest enemy we've ever faced."
"I know," Haku nodded grimly, clutching senbon between his fingers.
[Dance with Death]
"Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu!" (Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu)
"Hyōton: Makyou Hyoushou!" (Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals)
The mist returned, even thicker than before.
And within it, the shimmering forms of multiple ice mirrors emerged, surrounding Ye Dou in a perfect formation.
"Bai, do it!"
"Yes, Zabuza-sama!"
The moment the setup was complete, Haku and Zabuza launched their coordinated attack.
Visibility dropped to almost nothing—Ye Dou could barely see three meters ahead.
Still, he resisted the urge to activate his Armament Haki.
Under this pressure, he needed to evolve—to awaken true Observation Haki.
One.
Two.
Three figures of Haku flickered through the mirrors.
His real body was hidden somewhere among them.
Suddenly, Ye Dou sensed it—the killing intent from behind.
Without looking, he twisted his body aside, narrowly avoiding a barrage of senbon.
"How?!"
Haku gasped from within the mirrors.
It wasn't just that Ye Dou dodged—it was how he dodged.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head—just like the Byakugan users of the Hyūga clan.
"What are you doing, Haku?! Now's not the time to hold back!"
Zabuza growled.
At that moment, Zabuza lunged forward from the mist, lifting his massive Executioner's Blade high, aiming a devastating blow at Ye Dou's back.
Clang!
Silver light flashed—Ye Dou, faster than the eye could follow, turned and met the strike head-on.
The mist exploded outward from the shockwave of their clash.
But what Zabuza struck wasn't Ye Dou's body—it was a clone.
The clone turned into water and splashed apart.
It was the Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Clone Technique)—similar to the Shadow Clone but weaker, unable to move far from the user.
"Tch!"
Zabuza clicked his tongue.
Only ten percent the strength of the original—but enough to buy Ye Dou a split-second advantage.
"I understand, Zabuza-sama!"
Haku refocused, moving rapidly within the mirrors.
He was Zabuza's weapon. His life and will were tied to Zabuza's command.
No more holding back.
From every mirror, dozens of water senbon shot out in a deadly rain.
Danger signals exploded from every direction.
Ye Dou let go of thought.
He let instinct take over.
Following the invisible threads of killing intent, he twisted, spun, and weaved through the storm of senbon with inhuman grace—each movement precise, flowing like water.
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