Kapitel 46: Chapter 46: Foundational Skills Rivaling a Jōnin
"You're here alone, kid?"
Zabuza's voice carried a mix of disbelief and irritation, as if he couldn't quite believe Sasuke would dare face him one-on-one.
Sasuke, however, had no intention of entertaining such pointless questions.
Without a word, he raised his hand and hurled a shuriken.
Whoosh!
The shuriken zipped past Zabuza's face, narrowly missing him. His expression darkened instantly.
"To think you'd have the nerve to provoke me directly... You're asking for death, brat!"
Clang, clang!
The Executioner's Blade dragged along the ground as Zabuza advanced, sparks flying from its edge. His killing intent grew even stronger as he glared at the young Uchiha before him.
"Impressive. For a Genin, you've got guts and courage. I'll remember you for that, kid. Your name is Sasuke Uchiha, isn't it?"
"You talk too much," Sasuke replied flatly.
Zabuza's face froze momentarily, then twisted with rage.
"Fine, let's begin! Let's see if you can keep that same attitude once we're done!"
In an instant, Zabuza surged forward, accelerating rapidly toward Sasuke.
The Executioner's Blade swung through the air with a high-pitched whistle, its edge gleaming menacingly.
In the blink of an eye, Zabuza closed the distance, bringing the massive blade down in a vicious slash aimed directly at Sasuke.
A flash of silver light streaked through the air.
Clang!
Sizzle!
Sasuke held his ground, gripping a kunai in a reverse grip, using it to block the oversized blade with apparent ease.
Compared to before, Sasuke's strength was now on par with Zabuza's. Even with just a kunai, he managed to halt the heavy sword's momentum without faltering.
This time, it was Zabuza who looked stunned.
His overwhelming strength should've forced Sasuke back at least a dozen steps, leaving him struggling to regain his balance. Yet here Sasuke stood, entirely unshaken.
"How is this possible?" Zabuza thought, feeling the force that was transmitted through his blade.
"When did this brat's strength become so powerful?"
Sasuke's lips curled into a faint smirk. His hunch was correct his physical abilities had grown to rival those of Kakashi and Zabuza.
With his base skills already on par with Jōnin, the battle would be far more interesting.
This was the perfect opportunity to test how much his new jutsu could enhance his capabilities.
While Zabuza remained shocked by Sasuke's newfound strength, an arc of lightning suddenly surged along Sasuke's arm.
Sizzle!
Lightning crackled along Sasuke's right arm, dancing and sparking as it gathered intensity.
Crackle!
With a sharp swing of his kunai, Sasuke unleashed a surge of force that sent Zabuza stumbling backward.
Zabuza skidded several meters before finally regaining his footing, his eyes now filled with grim determination.
Haku stepped forward, glancing at Sasuke in surprise.
"Zabuza-sama, are you all right?"
Zabuza shook his head, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Impossible… This brat's strength is on par with mine!"
"On par with Zabuza-sama?" Haku's disbelief mirrored his mentor's. How could this be? Zabuza was an elite Jōnin of the Hidden Mist, a ninja whose raw power rivaled the best. Even someone like Hatake Kakashi wouldn't surpass him in pure physical strength.
Yet the evidence was undeniable Haku had seen it with his own eyes.
"Again!" Zabuza growled, gripping his blade tightly. "Let's see how many of my strikes you can withstand, kid!"
In an instant, Zabuza charged again. The air between them erupted in a flurry of clashing steel and relentless movement.
The two figures became a blur, their forms crossing and recrossing as they moved at high speeds. Each collision of blade and kunai sparked bursts of light, and the sounds of their battle echoed across the unfinished bridge.
Sasuke, however, was no longer merely defending.
Utilizing his new jutsu, Lightning Style: Discharge, he amplified his movements with bursts of electricity, enhancing his speed and reaction time. When he clashed with Zabuza, he channeled the lightning into his strikes, augmenting his strength.
The ferocity of their close-quarters combat began to tilt in Sasuke's favor. Despite his reputation as the "Demon of the Hidden Mist," Zabuza found himself steadily pushed onto the defensive.
Sasuke's body shimmered with arcs of lightning. Though not as overwhelming as the Lightning Body Flicker, the residual energy left streaks of light in his wake, creating an afterimage with every swift movement.
From his vantage point, Haku watched in awe, his eyes wide.
"A Genin from the Leaf… is fighting Zabuza-sama on equal footing? No… he's overpowering him."
"This can't be real," Haku muttered, his voice trembling with shock.
Clang!
The clash reached its crescendo as Sasuke delivered a decisive blow. The Executioner's Blade was ripped from Zabuza's grasp, sent spinning through the air before embedding itself in the ground some distance away.
Before Zabuza could regain his balance, Sasuke dashed forward like an arrow released from a bow.
In the next instant, Lightning Style: Discharge surged through his body, his chakra roaring to life. The electric current intensified as Sasuke launched a devastating punch into Zabuza's abdomen.
A surge of pain exploded through Zabuza's midsection as the lightning coursed into his body, temporarily paralyzing him.
Sasuke wasted no time. As Zabuza was sent flying by the punch, Sasuke channeled lightning into a kunai in his hand, the blade sparking and crackling with power. With a swift turn and added momentum, Sasuke hurled the electrified kunai through the air.
The weapon streaked toward Zabuza's forehead with lethal precision, electricity trailing behind it like a comet.
Cold sweat beaded on Zabuza's brow. This kid… he knows how to infuse chakra into weapons?
Moreover, it wasn't just raw chakra it was elemental chakra altered with lightning nature transformation, further enhancing its speed and lethality.
Just as the kunai was about to strike, a metallic ting! echoed.
A senbon needle flew through the air, striking the kunai mid-flight and knocking it off course. The kunai veered off, embedding itself harmlessly into the ground nearby.
Even so, the electrified kunai hit the ground with enough force to create a small crater, electricity crackling and spreading outward in rippling arcs.
Sasuke smirked as he pulled out another kunai, lightning sparking along its edge. The effectiveness of Lightning Style: Discharge was becoming clear. The technique consumed little chakra while providing a noticeable boost to his physical abilities. Moreover, increasing the chakra input only amplified its power.
Seeing his initial kunai miss its mark, Sasuke clasped his hands together. If long-range isn't working, I'll attack from mid-range instead.
Lightning gathered in Sasuke's palms, crackling fiercely before shooting out in a directed surge toward Zabuza.
But before the attack could connect, Haku appeared in front of Zabuza.
A wall of ice mirrors materialized in an instant, forming a shield. Sasuke's lightning struck the icy surface, creating fractures but failing to shatter the barrier.
Zabuza stared in disbelief, a mix of surprise and frustration flickering across his face.
"Releasing jutsu without hand signs…?" Zabuza muttered.
"And this kid's sudden surge in strength… On top of that, he's using elemental release without seals?!"
Zabuza's eyes narrowed as he studied Sasuke.
"So, this is what they call a genius of the Leaf Village."
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