36: The Brutal Sasuke, Captured Alive and Never Beheaded

[Suddenly!]

[A thick fog spreads across the forest.]

[Zabuza, as if anticipating this, leaps into the mist to disappear from sight.]

["Be careful, this mist is created by ninjutsu. Another enemy is making their move!"]

[Kakashi immediately warns his team.]

[Sasuke, seeing Zabuza vanish into the fog, turns and casually tosses the Beheading Sword to Kakashi:]

["Mr. Kakashi, take this broken sword. I'm not used to it."]

[Zabuza, hidden in the mist: "..."]

[This brat! How dare he treat my Beheading Sword so carelessly!]

["Haku! Stop Hatake Kakashi and the others!"]

[Zabuza orders Haku from within the mist.]

[He plans to have Haku hold off Kakashi with Ice Release, while he uses this chance to capture Uchiha Sasuke and use him as leverage to get his sword back from Kakashi.]

[Sasuke, being a descendant of the Uchiha, is too valuable for Kakashi to abandon.]

[Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!]

[Icy mirrors suddenly form around Kakashi and the others.]

["I won't let you interfere with Master Zabuza."]

[A soft voice comes from the mist.]

["..."]

[Kakashi, however, shows no signs of concern for Sasuke.]

---

Fourth Raikage: "He actually thinks he can capture Uchiha Sasuke alive…"

Terumi Mei: "Capturing him alive? You should focus on surviving first!"

Suigetsu Hozuki: "As expected from the man who assassinated the Mizukage, Zabuza's courage is admirable, but... wow."

Zabuza Momochi: "..."

This is going downhill fast.

---

["The throat, spine, liver, lungs, carotid artery, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart... so many vital points, where should I start?"]

[A cold, sinister voice echoes from all directions.]

[Sasuke smirks disdainfully:]

["Psychological warfare? This won't work on me. Come on, show me something more advanced."]

[Sasuke knows this is just a ploy to scare him and cause a mistake. It's the kind of tactic that might work on an ordinary Genin.]

["..."]

[Zabuza remains silent, starting to form hand seals.]

[A heavy, ominous stillness fills the air.]

[Sasuke grows confused, raising an eyebrow.]

[What is Zabuza doing? Running away? Why is there no movement?]

[After nearly ten seconds of tense silence, a loud rushing sound erupts from behind as a massive Water Dragon emerges from the water and charges toward Sasuke!]

[Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!]

[What the...?]

[Sasuke is baffled.]

[Why did it take him so long to cast this jutsu?]

[Sasuke quickly channels Fire Style chakra without even needing to form seals:]

["Fire Style: Dragon Flame Technique!"]

[Boom!]

[A ferocious fire dragon roars into the sky, instantly overpowering the Water Dragon and swallowing it whole!]

["What?!"]

[Zabuza freezes in disbelief.]

[This is Fire Style?]

[Why didn't he need to use hand seals?]

[And how is it so powerful? It just consumed my Water Dragon Bullet!]

[The fire dragon bursts through the mist and continues its assault, forcing Zabuza to quickly form another set of seals:]

["Water Style: Water Wall!"]

[A towering wall of water rises, creating a barrier between Zabuza and the fire dragon.]

[Sizzle!]

[The fire dragon slams into the Water Wall, causing steam to rise as the water evaporates. Yet, the flames press on, burning through the barrier!]

["No! One Water Wall isn't enough to stop it!"]

[Zabuza tries to form more hand seals to defend, but it's too late. The fire dragon pierces the water and strikes him head-on!]

---

Uzumaki Naruto: "That was amazing ninjutsu!"

Senju Tobirama: "This level of Fire Style is rare, even among the Uchiha."

Uchiha Madara: "To swallow a Water Dragon Bullet and burn through a Water Wall... Sasuke's Fire Style is impressive."

Uchiha Fugaku: "And he doesn't even need to form seals. He casts powerful ninjutsu instantly."

Hatake Kakashi: "The Dragon Flame Technique is supposed to be a B-rank jutsu. To cast it without seals… Sasuke in that world is truly something else."

Suigetsu Hozuki: "Senior Zabuza won't be able to walk away from this, will he?"

Terumi Mei: "It took him nearly ten seconds to perform Water Dragon Bullet... must've used the 44-seal original version…"

Senju Tobirama: "Pathetic!"

Uzumaki Naruto: "Wow, Kakashi-sensei took it easy for a while back then..."

Hatake Kakashi: "..."

---

["Agh!"]

[Zabuza stumbles out of the smoke, his body severely burned.]

[Both of his arms and the front of his body are covered in burns! The only reason he's still alive is because the fire dragon's power was partially weakened by the Water Dragon and Water Wall.]

[Whoosh!]

[Sasuke dashes forward, lightning flickering around him, and delivers a devastating punch straight to Zabuza's chest!]

["Damn it!"]

[Zabuza curses internally, crossing his arms in a desperate attempt to block.]

[Crack!]

[Both of Zabuza's arms shatter under the force of the blow, and even several ribs are broken! He's sent flying through the air, blood spraying from his mouth.]

[Never in his life has he been beaten this badly!]

[Struggling to stand, his arms hang limply by his sides, broken.]

[But Sasuke doesn't give him a moment to recover. He rushes forward and kicks Zabuza's left leg with incredible force!]

[Crack!]

["Aaaaah!!!"]

[Even the infamous Demon of the Mist howls in pain as his left leg snaps inward, twisting grotesquely.]

[Only at this moment does Haku, seeing what's happening, realize Zabuza is in serious danger and attempts to rush over.]

[But.]

[It's too late.]

[Sasuke grabs Zabuza by the hair, lifts him up, and asks with a cold smile:]

["I wonder how much you'd fetch on the black market, Zabuza Momochi?"]