Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

"Sir, we need to conserve our strength, don't we...?"

The bandaged warrior's voice carried a tentative tone, but the white-cloaked warrior simply stepped forward, positioning himself between him and the Konoha team.

"Don't worry, Haku. Since we'll be traveling together for the next few days, we naturally need to confirm whether they're qualified enough to entrust with our backs..." His voice was cold, brimming with confidence and an undisguised challenge.

"But what you said makes sense, Haku. I believe you. Test their abilities for me..."

Although the white warrior's words had an impact on him—he truly wanted to fight personally to assess the reputation of the Konoha shinobi—he reconsidered. This wasn't the only opportunity, and after some thought, he agreed.

The white-cloaked warrior, Haku, nodded slightly, adjusting his grip on his sword, shifting it to a forehand hold, while his other hand hovered near his second blade, ready to strike at any moment.

"I won't disappoint you..." A cold voice drifted from beneath Haku's mask.

Only now did Zixu and the others hear Haku's voice clearly—a neutral tone that suggested he was no older than them.

Yamato, unsurprised by the development, took a moment to observe their surroundings. Seeing that there wasn't a suitable battleground nearby, he suggested they move forward until they found a more open space.

Zabuza agreed, and with that, both sides maintained a wary distance, splitting into two clearly defined teams.

"Don't panic when you encounter situations like this. It's common during missions—both as a test and a warning..." Yamato explained as they moved.

While he spoke, Hyuga Chinano and Zixu focused their attention on Haku, while Aburame Hatsuizumi discreetly left a few insects along the path at regular intervals. Hearing Yamato's words, she turned and frowned.

"A warning? They just don't trust our strength, isn't that all? What kind of warning is that? They're just looking down on us."

She adjusted her glasses, which had gone slightly askew from running.

"While that is part of it, testing our strength is also a way of saying, 'If you aren't strong enough, don't get yourself killed.'"

Noticing that Zixu and Chinano weren't paying attention to him, Yamato followed their gaze.

"You noticed it too..." Chinano murmured, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Yeah... The temperature around that guy in white is unnaturally low," Zixu replied, though he didn't finish his thought.

From his perspective, Haku's body was wreathed in blue and white mist, resembling a walking block of ice.

Chinano turned to Yamato, about to ask something, but before she could speak, a cold voice interrupted from behind.

"This area is spacious enough. We can stop here. I don't want to keep you waiting too long. If you're not strong enough, you can turn back now. Your village isn't far from here."

The temperature dropped even further, visible white mist curling from Haku's body.

"I'll go first..." Aburame Hatsuizumi was already irritated by the opponent's arrogance and seized the opportunity to step forward.

"No, the three of you can come at me together. It'll be quicker that way."

Haku shook his head slightly, the bells tied to his hair ornament emitting a crisp chime.

"Don't underestimate Haku. You can all come at me together..."

Zabuza, who had been silent until now, crossed his arms and looked down at them with an air of superiority.

Hatsuizumi didn't argue. He activated the Body Flicker Technique (Shunshin no Jutsu), reappearing two meters to Haku's left. Without hesitation, he scattered several jade-green insects while his hands became coated with a thin layer of chakra-infused water. His kunai, enveloped in a faint blue glow, shot toward his opponent.

"A flaw!"

Haku's eyes flashed sharply.

Just as Hatsuizumi exited the teleportation state and regained full control of his body, his opponent's sword gleamed—a bright white streak aimed straight for him. However, before the blade could land, several scarecrow-shaped puppets intercepted it.

"The Kusanagi Bug (Grass Puppet Insect) can blend into the surrounding foliage, using grass and leaves to form its body for combat. It also possesses minor self-repair capabilities..."

Chinano recalled the information Hatsuizumi had shared previously. It seemed that this was the technique he had used.

"The back of the blade? He's holding back?"

Zixu noticed that Haku had deliberately struck with the dull edge of his sword, which was why it had been blocked by the grass puppet.

"He's strong."

"Come back, Hatsuizumi. He's too much for you," Zixu called out, stepping forward and pulling his teammate behind him. He wanted to face the opponent himself—to see how far he could go now.

"Excuse me..."

Haku didn't hesitate, reversing his grip and swinging his sword in a sharp, precise strike. The cold light of his blade arrived before the steel itself, slicing toward Zixu's left shoulder.

To Hatsuizumi's eyes, the attack was too fast to dodge. Even Chinano, with her Byakugan, could see the trajectory but knew her body wouldn't keep up in time. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Yet, at the last moment, Zixu appeared to stumble on a loose stone, spinning instinctively in a way that perfectly avoided the slash. The movement was so natural that even Yamato couldn't tell if it was intentional or not.

"So by feeling the chakra fluctuations around me, I can predict my opponent's movements... If I master this skill, it won't be any weaker than Observation Haki. Maybe this is the key to unlocking it..."

Zixu turned, throwing several shuriken at Haku.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!"

Haku deflected every last one with precise slashes, but that wasn't Zixu's true goal.

By the time Haku parried the final shuriken, Zixu had already vanished using the Body Flicker Technique (Shunshin no Jutsu). His form flickered away like a phantom dissipating in the wind.

"I see... So I've fallen into a trap."

Haku smirked beneath his mask, his sword poised and ready. He had been gathering strength for a while now, and Zixu's figure materialized precisely in the path of his strike.

"I've fallen into a trap."

Zixu mirrored his expression.

Despite being caught in mid-movement, his body seemed to accelerate unnaturally, disappearing yet again. Haku's confident strike missed entirely.

"Hm?"

Zabuza, who had been watching in silence, narrowed his eyes.

"Did he just use the Body Flicker twice in succession? No... More likely, he momentarily revealed his position mid-movement... Interesting."

When Zixu reappeared, he was right beside Haku's left arm. With his opponent still mid-swing, the opening was clear.

Zixu didn't hesitate—he struck directly at the exposed Haku.

"Boom!"

Haku stumbled back several steps. Zixu stared at the spot where he had landed his hit, eyes widening slightly.

Small cracks of ice had formed where he struck.

"Is this... a Kekkei Genkai? Ice Release (Hyōton)?"

Yamato, noticing the fragments of shattered ice, muttered in surprise.

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