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Chapter 101 Mission Before Dreams
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The water pressed in from all sides—crushing, suffocating. Naruto's limbs felt like lead, every inch of his body pinned under the immense pressure. The dome was heavy—unnaturally so, as if it carried the weight of the ocean itself. He couldn't breathe properly, every gasp taking in more water than air, his lungs burning as he fought to stay conscious.
This thing is going to kill me.
The thought pierced through the fog in his mind, clear and undeniable. He wasn't strong enough to break this. His Zweihander was useless in this cramped, crushing space. But Naruto wasn't one to give up.
He immediately unequipped the Zweihander, the sudden absence of its massive size creating a small gap in the dome for a fleeting second.
In that moment, Naruto raised his Pyromancy Flame, trying to cast a Fireball. But nothing happened. His heart sank as he realized he had used up all his fireball spells.
Desperate, Naruto clung to the Pyromancy Flame, forcing chakra into it. He didn't know if it would work, but he didn't have another choice. He poured everything he had into the flame, huge amounts of chakra feeding the flickering ember.
The Pyromancy Flame burned brighter and brighter, the heat radiating through the water like a tiny sun. But it wasn't enough. The dome fought back, compressing harder, and the flame began to sear his hand. The pain was excruciating, but Naruto gritted his teeth and kept going.
Outside the dome, Sakura stood frozen for only a moment. The water swirled violently, shimmering with the chakra Zabuza poured into it.
"Sasuke!" she shouted. "Tell me where the jutsu is weakest!"
Sasuke's crimson Sharingan spun furiously as he analyzed the dome, his eyes locking onto the faint chakra fluctuations in the water.
Sakura focused her chakra, pouring it into her arms and legs as she enhanced her strength. She pulled out a kunai, wrapped it with explosive tags, and hurled it. The kunai flew straight and true, embedding itself into the weak point of the dome.
The explosion sent a shockwave through the water, shattering the dome and releasing Naruto in a surge of broken waves.
Naruto lunged forward like a beast unleashed. His Pyromancy Flame still burned brightly in his hand, the flickering fire twisting and coiling like it had a mind of its own. Chakra radiated off him in waves, oppressive and suffocating, and with it came his killing intent.
Zabuza froze for a fraction of a second, his instincts flaring as the scene before him shifted.
It wasn't Naruto he saw lunging at him.
It was the Hellkite Wyvern.
For the briefest moment, Naruto's flaming hand morphed in Zabuza's mind, becoming the gaping maw of a massive wyvern, flames licking at its jaws. Its roar echoed in his ears—primal and terrifying.
No... something far greater than a wyvern.
In that moment, Naruto was a dragon.
Zabuza jumped back just in time to avoid Naruto's blazing strike, the flames grazing his throat as he retreated across the water. But before he could regain his footing, Sasuke appeared out of nowhere, his leg swinging in a sharp tornado kick aimed at Zabuza's side.
Zabuza blocked the kick, the Kubikiribōchō meeting Sasuke's leg with a sharp clang. But instead of feeling resistance, the boy exploded into a puff of smoke.
"A clone?!" Zabuza snarled, spinning around just in time to see the real Sasuke erupt from the water, his body propelled by Zabuza's own Water Style: Sailfish Jutsu. The Drake Sword gleamed as it tore through several water clones, dispelling them in a cascade of droplets.
The water prison holding Kakashi shattered, and the Copy Ninja emerged from the depths, his white hair plastered against his face, his expression dark.
Kakashi stood on the water's surface, his chest heaving as he took in the battlefield. His visible eye scanned the scene, lingering on his students—Sasuke on his knees, Naruto clutching his burning hand, Sakura rushing toward them.
His heart swelled with pride at how far they had come, but it was immediately followed by a surge of fury as his gaze locked onto Zabuza. His students had risked everything, and Zabuza had pushed them to the brink.
"First Gate: The Gate of Opening… open."
"Second Gate: The Gate of Healing… open."
A surge of chakra exploded from his body, rippling outward in an almost visible wave.
A sonic boom cracked through the battlefield as Kakashi appeared directly in front of Zabuza, his foot swinging in a brutal, lightning-fast arc. The impact was devastating. Zabuza's body launched like a cannonball, skidding across the water's surface, creating ripples and waves in his wake.
The Demon of the Mist coughed as he pushed himself up, his body aching from the force of the blow. He didn't hesitate, forming rapid hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
The river churned violently as a massive dragon made of water rose from the surface, its serpentine body towering high into the air. With a guttural roar, it surged toward Kakashi, the sheer force of its movement splitting the water in its wake.
But Kakashi was faster.
His hands blurred as he performed his own set of seals.
"Water Style: Water Hydra Jutsu!"
The river erupted violently, splitting apart as three massive hydra heads burst from the surface. Each head was larger and more monstrous than Zabuza's water dragon, their jaws filled with swirling torrents of water that mimicked teeth. The hydra roared as it lunged forward, each head moving in perfect synchronization. The first head clamped its jaws around Zabuza's water dragon, crushing it instantly. The second head coiled around the remnants, scattering them into harmless droplets that rained down on the battlefield. The third head surged forward, slamming into Zabuza and the dock.
The dock shattered under the hydra's immense force, the wooden planks exploding into splinters and debris. Waves rippled outward, swallowing the remains of the platform as the hydra continued its rampage.
The sight was apocalyptic.
The sheer power of the technique left the battlefield in ruins, the once-calm river now a chaotic sea of swirling currents and broken wood.
Zabuza was nowhere to be seen.
Kakashi's Sharingan scanned the battlefield, his instincts sharp. The Demon of the Mist could have been obliterated by the hydra, or he could be hiding. Either way, Kakashi wasn't about to take chances. He moved toward the area where Zabuza had last stood, ready to decapitate the body to ensure the kill.
But before he could act, a scream cut through the silence.
Kakashi's head snapped toward the sound—a scream, raw and agonized. His Sharingan caught it instantly: Naruto, writhing on the ground, his body convulsing as Sakura desperately tried to hold him down.
Flames engulfed Naruto's right hand, their glow unnatural, wild, and insatiable. They burned with a searing intensity—not like ordinary fire, but something far worse. A hunger. Kakashi could feel the heat even from where he stood, like standing too close to a forge at full blaze. The acrid stench of burning leather and flesh thickened the air, stinging his nostrils. His Sharingan pierced through the chaos, revealing the truth—
The flames weren't just consuming Naruto's hand.
They were devouring him.
Kakashi moved in an instant.
A blur of motion—two fingers pressed against Naruto's bicep. He didn't have the precision of the Hyūga, but he had copied enough of their techniques to replicate their chakra suppression in an emergency. His chakra surged, cutting off the flow to Naruto's arm.
The flames sputtered—hissing, twisting, resisting—before finally dying, leaving behind only curling wisps of black smoke.
But the damage was done.
Kakashi barely hesitated as he grasped Naruto's arm, peeling away what remained of the scorched leather gauntlet. Even with chakra shielding his hands, he could still feel the lingering heat seeping into his skin.
Naruto's hand was ruined.
Blackened. Charred. Cracked.
The flesh was burned away so deeply that raw, exposed muscle gleamed beneath brittle, flaking skin. The damage was unnatural, as though the fire had seared through not just his body, but his very being. Smoke still curled from his fingers, faint and ghostly, as if reluctant to release its hold.
Naruto gasped sharply, his entire body quivering with pain. His breaths came in ragged, shallow gulps, his vision swimming, the agony so overwhelming that the edges of consciousness blurred.
A flicker of something foreign in his mind.
[Warning: Player has been burned by Pyromancy Flame and afflicted by the Curse of the Witch.]
[Player's right hand is severely burned and unusable.]
The words felt distant, like an echo carried through water.
Naruto barely had time to process it before the pain crashed over him again, threatening to drag him under.
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As Naruto's body went limp, Kakashi immediately moved into action. He knelt beside the boy, quickly removing the helmet from Naruto's head to help him breathe more easily. Beads of sweat clung to Naruto's forehead, his face pale beneath the streaks of soot and blood.
Kakashi's sharp eyes moved to Naruto's burnt hand, the charcoal-like flesh glistening faintly in the light. He grimaced but stayed composed. There wasn't much he could do to heal it now, but he could at least ease the pain.
He pulled a small pouch from his medical kit, retrieving thin, gleaming senbons.
"Hold on, Naruto," he murmured.
With precision, he inserted the needles into key pressure points around Naruto's shoulder and arm, numbing the nerves that connected to the damaged hand. He worked quickly, his Sharingan spinning faintly as it guided his movements, ensuring no missteps. One by one, the senbons slid into place, dulling the pain radiating from Naruto's injury.
Kakashi exhaled, satisfied with his work, and gently lifted Naruto into his arms, holding him bridal style. The boy's chest rose and fell faintly, his breathing shallow but steady.
"Sensei… is Naruto going to be okay?"
"Don't worry," Kakashi said softly. "Everything is going to be okay."
Sakura nodded, though the fear in her eyes remained as her gaze flickered to Naruto's burnt hand. The sight of it made her stomach churn, but she forced herself to be strong.
"Sasuke, Sakura," Kakashi said. "Go get Tazuna-san."
The two genin nodded in unison, their eyes lingering on Naruto for a moment longer before they turned and ran toward the collapsed old man lying near the edge of the destroyed dock.
Reaching into his pouch, Kakashi pulled out a small container of chakra pills. He tossed two into his mouth, chewing quickly. The bitter taste was harsh, but the surge of energy that followed was enough to keep him standing. It wasn't a permanent fix—chakra pills were a crutch, not a solution—but right now, his team needed him functional. Kakashi turned to look at the destroyed dock, the shattered wood and rippling water painting a grim picture of the battle. He would've loved to find Zabuza's corpse, to ensure the man was dead and take his head back to Konoha as proof, but that wasn't the priority anymore.
Setting Naruto down gently on the least damaged section of the dock, Kakashi formed a quick hand seal.
With a puff of smoke, Pakkun appeared. The sharp-nosed ninken sniffed once, his eyes immediately landing on Naruto's unconscious form.
"Kakashi, what happened here? And what happened to the brat?"
"I don't know," Kakashi admitted, glancing at Naruto's burned hand before shaking his head. He pulled a scroll from his pouch, unrolling it and scribbling a message.
Pakkun hopped closer, reading over Kakashi's shoulder.
"Get this to the Hokage immediately," Kakashi instructed. "Don't give it to anyone else. Team 7 requests backup and medical assistance."
The small dog bit down on the scroll, securing it in his mouth before disappearing in another puff of smoke, heading straight for Konoha.
Kakashi turned back to Naruto. The boy's head rested against his chest, his body still trembling faintly from the aftershocks of pain. Sasuke and Sakura returned moments later, Tazuna leaning heavily on Sasuke's shoulder. The old man's face was pale, his hands clutching his chest as he looked at Naruto in Kakashi's arms.
"Sensei…" Sasuke said, his voice trailing off as his eyes fell to Naruto.
"Don't stop now," Kakashi said. "We need to move. Get to Tazuna-san's house. I'll explain everything when we're safe."
The team nodded, the weight of the battle still heavy on their shoulders.
Kakashi led the way, his steps steady despite his chakra exhaustion, as Team 7 disappeared into the mist, heading toward the safety of Tazuna's home.
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When the coast was finally clear, a faint shimmer rippled through the air as a mirror of ice materialized amidst the broken dock and swirling mist. From its smooth, reflective surface, Haku and Zabuza emerged, though Zabuza nearly collapsed the moment his feet touched the ground.
Haku immediately moved to his side, catching him before he fell completely.
"Zabuza-sama," Haku said softly, concern lacing his voice. He removed his hunter-nin mask, his breathing heavy from the effort of using the ice mirror to extract them unnoticed.
"You… were slow in getting me out."
"I'm sorry, Zabuza-sama," Haku replied. "I had to ensure Kakashi Hatake's jutsu was fully executed before moving, so no one could trace my actions." He glanced at Zabuza's damaged body. "But I failed… I wasn't able to protect your beautiful body from injury."
Zabuza let out a rasping chuckle that ended in a cough, blood flecking his lips.
"You talk too much, Haku," he said, though his voice lacked its usual sharpness.
His gaze drifted toward the mist-covered battlefield, his brows furrowing as his mind lingered on what had transpired.
"The enemy this time was…" He trailed off, his frown deepening.
"Something wrong, Zabuza-sama?"
"That boy," Zabuza said quietly, his voice distant.
The memory of Naruto lunging at him burned in his mind—the overwhelming chakra, the terrifying killer intent, and the vision of the Hellkite Wyvern. Even now, the image sent a faint chill through him.
"Not just that boy," Haku said softly.
Zabuza's frown deepened as he begrudgingly acknowledged the truth. The other two genin had been more trouble than he wanted to admit.
Haku glanced down. "My apologies, I forgot to check all corners. If I had been more thorough—"
"You're not the only one," Zabuza cut him off gruffly. "I made the same mistake. Got too caught up in my own damn hubris."
Haku noted the rare, unsettled expression on Zabuza's face.
"From my assessment, your injuries will take two weeks to heal completely, provided you rest," Haku said. "You'll need to stay immobile for most of that time."
Zabuza remained silent.
"Look at the bright side, Zabuza-sama. Once this mission is over, you'll have quite an expensive armor set, not to mention enough funds to move closer to your dream."
Zabuza opened his eyes. "A mission," he said. "Always remember this, Haku: dreams have no place with us. Only the mission matters."
"Of course, Zabuza-sama."
After a moment, Haku added, "So… next time, you'll be fine?"
Zabuza let out a strained chuckle, his lips twitching into the faintest ghost of a smirk.
"Next time," he rasped, "I'll make sure the mission is completed. One way or the other."
Haku nodded again, though his eyes lingered on Zabuza's weakened form for a moment longer. Then, without another word, he wrapped his master's arm around his shoulders and helped him limp deeper into the mist, leaving only faint ripples in the water where the ice mirror had stood.
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 50, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!