Trick Within Tricks

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Zabuza, feeling the presence of his adversary but unable to pinpoint him, grew increasingly frustrated. "What the hell is this!" he roared, his voice a mix of anger and contempt.

Horyu didn't respond. Words were useless here in the heart of the mist. Instead, he focused on closing the distance, his eyes locked on the vague silhouette of Zabuza. As he neared, he tightened his grip on Chucky, preparing to strike.

Horyu took a deep breath and struck, but the rank between them wasn't for show. His blade moved with precision, aiming for a weak spot he'd observed in Zabuza's defense. However, the seasoned Jonin was not easily outmaneuvered. Zabuza's counter was swift and brutal, a powerful slash that forced Horyu to retreat, vanishing once again into the mist.

The mist was Horyu's ally now, his form flickering in and out of sight as he maneuvered around Zabuza. He understood the importance of patience and observation, especially when facing a foe as formidable as Zabuza. Each movement, each decision was calculated, a game of deadly chess where a single mistake could be fatal.

Zabuza, his frustration mounting, his blade sliced through the fog, a desperate attempt to connect with the elusive Genin.

Horyu, hearing the anger in Zabuza's voice, smirked. 'Angry opponents make mistakes,' he thought, using Zabuza's agitation to his advantage. He circled the Jonin, looking for an opening, his steps silent but deadly.

Kurenai, meanwhile, was not idle. She observed Zabuza's pattern, counting the seconds between each chakra disruption. "35 seconds."

First was 21, second 28, third 35 seconds. Kurenai swiftly collected the clues. Zabuza was counting in sevens, probably an homage to his identity as one of the seven swordsmen of the Mist. He likely started at 7, then 14, two intervals Kurenai missed. If she was right, it would be 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and then 49. She had two more opportunities before Zabuza would reset to 7 seconds, where applying Genjutsu would be trickier. She quickly devised a plan. Her Genjutsu had to start now, then she would break it 41 seconds later, just before Zabuza disrupted his own Chakra flow. However, an exaggerated illusion that suddenly went away would alert Zabuza, so subtlety was key. It had to be gradual, almost imperceptible.

At the moment, Zabuza's frustration was not just being unable to pinpoint Horyu but also the nagging suspicion that the mist, his own jutsu, was being used against him. The thought irked him; the mist was his domain, his killing field. If he couldn't take advantage of it soon, he'd have to lift it, which would then shift the advantage back to Zabuza and take it from Horyu, who could hide within the mist and, although surprising to Kurenai too, locate Zabuza easily.

Waving that distraction through, Kurenai cast her Genjutsu, her aim to make Zabuza believe he could find Horyu easily. To make it believable, she even fed him the location of Horyu she could see but a second or two late, just enough to give Zabuza a sense of security, but not enough to endanger Horyu. And after 41 seconds, she would break the Genjutsu then start the real one for the next period of 49 seconds.

Zabuza, confident now that he was closing in on his prey, lunged towards the location fed to him. Each time he struck, he felt the satisfaction of knowing he was a step closer to his target.

Horyu, for a second, was surprised to see Zabuza getting closer. They had no way to communicate, so he was unaware of Kurenai's plan in the heat of the battle, but soon, he recognized the subtle distortions of genjutsu affecting Zabuza. Realizing it must be Kurenai's doing, he trusted her strategy and played along, weaving through the mist with deliberate movements, leading Zabuza on a chase that was both real and illusory.

Zabuza, fueled by the deceptive confidence instilled by the genjutsu, moved with a predator's precision. His swings were calculated, his steps silent despite his size, a testament to his mastery over the Silent Killing Technique. However, each strike met only mist and shadows, Horyu always a breath away from the blade's deadly kiss.

Kurenai, observing from the sidelines, maintained her focus. The 41-second mark approached, and she subtly lifted the genjutsu, preparing for the next phase. As Zabuza's chakra disruption neared, she cast another, more potent illusion. This one was insidious, slowly altering Zabuza's perception of time and space within the mist. She needed him to believe he was gaining ground when, in reality, he was being lured into a trap.

But she couldn't directly use the full effect of the illusion on Zabuza. He was not a robot that strictly followed seconds, and if he felt something was wrong, he would suspect it was a Genjutsu and break it. Thus, Kurenai increased the effects slowly, weaving the illusion with precision, ensuring it felt natural to Zabuza, a mere extension of his own senses being slightly misled.

Zabuza, confident in his mastery of the mist and the Silent Killing Technique, moved with a hunter's grace. His every step was measured, his every breath controlled. His actions were silent and deadly, a whisper of death in the fog.

[System Message: New Branch Detected: 'Mist's Dance'. Your adaptation to fighting in heavy mist conditions has led to a new technique development.]

Horyu acknowledged the message with a nod. He didn't have time to rejoice; every second counted. He focused on the red dot, his mind calculating the best moment to strike.

Zabuza, guided by Kurenai's subtle manipulations, believed he was closing in on Horyu. He prepared to unleash a deadly strike, the culmination of his Silent Killing Technique. But Horyu, anticipating this, used his newly developed 'Mist's Dance' to evade, moving with a fluidity that seemed almost supernatural.

Kurenai, her eyes never leaving the battlefield, counted the seconds. "42, 43, 44…" The genjutsu's effect was intensifying, the world around Zabuza subtly shifting, distorting his perception just enough to give Horyu the advantage.

Horyu, sensing Zabuza's confusion, struck. Chucky, his blade, moved in a swift arc, aiming for a non-lethal yet incapacitating blow. Zabuza, his instincts screaming that something was amiss, twisted away, the blade grazing his side, a line of red blossoming on his clothes.

Zabuza, now aware that something was wrong, tried to sever his chakra flow, to break free from any potential genjutsu. But Kurenai was ready; her illusion adapted, creating a false sense of normalcy, a trick within a trick, keeping Zabuza ensnared.

Horyu didn't let up. He pressed the attack, his movements a blend of Uchiha Intercepting Style and Mist's Dance, a ballet of blades in the dense fog. Zabuza countered, his own sword a deadly extension of his will, but he was fighting shadows, Horyu always a step ahead.

Kurenai, her chakra finely tuned to the unfolding battle, whispered, "Now." She released the full force of her genjutsu, a sudden shift that turned the mist into a labyrinth of false perceptions.

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