superior naruto

Nine-Tails (Kurama): "Not dead? The pulse isn't steady yet... That's a state of false death... So, that little guy came to save him?"

Naruto: "Yeah... Teacher Nine-Tails, do you think I should finish him off now?"

Kurama: "What's there to hesitate about? Do it."

But Naruto didn't act on it. Instead, he stood up and threw the beheading sword toward Haku. "Since it's yours, I'll give it back to you."

Kurama's eyes narrowed, puzzled by Naruto's actions.

Haku: "Thank you."

Haku caught the sword and slung it over his back. "I'll take this guy's body with me. After all, there are too many secrets hidden within him."

With that, Haku lifted Zabuza's body and disappeared into the mist.

Naruto: "Mr. Kakashi, if you don't act now, it's just a fake death."

Fake death!

Kakashi's eyes widened. If it was a fake death...

Kakashi: "Not good!"

Kakashi tried to chase after them, but his body faltered. His chakra was nearly depleted from overusing the Sharingan. His steps were unsteady, and he couldn't muster the strength to move.

But Naruto was already on the move.

He couldn't let them go. If Zabuza and Haku escaped, they would surely return to attack again. Naruto knew this wasn't the time for kindness. Being merciful to the enemy was being cruel to himself. Besides, only the strong had the right to show mercy—and right now, he wasn't strong enough.

With his mind made up, Naruto raised his hand and shouted, "Boom!"

A deafening explosion erupted a hundred meters away! The force of multiple detonation tags exploding at once shook the ground.

Naruto: "Hinata, lock onto the enemy. The battle isn't over yet."

Though confused, Hinata obeyed without question, activating her Byakugan.

Kurama: "Detonation tags? When did you set those up? I didn't notice."

Naruto: "I had my clones do it. That's why you didn't know."

Kurama: "Clever... So, you hid the tags on the sword?"

Naruto: "Yeah... I wrapped them in the cloth around the handle."

Hinata: "The enemy is still moving! Wait... Zabuza isn't dead! But he's injured—he's missing an arm."

Naruto: "What about the other one?"

Hinata: "The other one doesn't seem hurt."

Unhurt? How could Haku have avoided injury at such close range?

Naruto: "Tell me their location."

Naruto walked past Kakashi, grabbing a scroll from his hand. It was one Kakashi had confiscated earlier, containing twenty-seven detonation tags.

Unrolling the scroll, Naruto released the tags into the air.

Naruto: "Multiple Shadow Clones!"

Twenty-seven clones appeared, each grabbing a detonation tag and rushing toward the location Hinata had provided.

Hinata moved to follow, but Naruto stopped her.

Naruto: "You and Sasuke stay here to protect Kakashi-sensei."

Without waiting for a response, Naruto charged into the forest with his clones.

For a moment, Kakashi thought he saw the Fourth Hokage's silhouette in Naruto's retreating figure. He hesitated, forgetting to stop him.

Naruto soon reached the explosion site. A massive crater, twenty meters in diameter, marked the spot. The surrounding trees had been flattened by the blast.

It was hard to imagine how Haku had survived such an explosion. Naruto had used twenty detonation tags to create this devastation.

Naruto: "Teacher Nine-Tails, can you sense where the enemy is?"

Kurama: "Behind you."

Naruto's instincts screamed. He concentrated chakra into his feet and leaped to the side just as an ice spike pierced the spot where he'd been standing.

Haku appeared, perched on a tree branch, looking down at Naruto with calm eyes.

Naruto stared back, his expression grim. For a moment, he regretted chasing after them. He'd known Haku would be tough to deal with, but he hadn't expected to be found so quickly.

Naruto: "Multiple Shadow Clones!"

Ten more clones appeared around him.

Naruto: "Can you still tell which one is the real me?"

Haku: "Interesting. Your chakra reserves are impressive, but it will only delay your death."

Haku raised his hand, and dozens of ice spikes shot toward Naruto.

"Boom! Boom!"

Two clones were destroyed instantly.

Meanwhile, Zabuza appeared behind Naruto, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him off the ground.

Zabuza: "You little brat... Was it you who planted those detonation tags on my sword?"

Zabuza's right arm had been blown off. The humiliation of his defeat fueled his rage. He wanted to tear Naruto apart.

But then, Naruto's head twisted 180 degrees, his eyes locking onto Zabuza's.

Naruto: "Boom!"

The clone exploded, catching Zabuza off guard. He stumbled back, disoriented and furious.

Zabuza: "You...!"

Before he could react, another Naruto clone rushed forward, wrapping its arms around him.

Naruto Clone: "Boom!"

The explosion sent Zabuza flying. He hit the ground, dazed and bleeding.

Naruto's clones didn't let up. One after another, they tackled Zabuza and self-destructed.

Naruto's orders were clear: "Grab the enemy and blow yourselves up!"

After three consecutive explosions, Zabuza lay motionless, his body broken.

With Zabuza dealt with, Naruto's real body breathed a sigh of relief. Only Haku remained.

But Haku was no ordinary opponent.

Haku: "I found you again."

Haku's voice came from behind Naruto. Before Naruto could react, an ice spike shot toward him.

Thinking quickly, Naruto swapped places with a clone using the Replacement Technique. The clone exploded, but Haku blocked the blast with an ice wall.

Naruto: "Impressive. How do you keep finding my real body?"

The ice wall dissipated.

Haku: "Guess."

Naruto: "Multiple Shadow Clones!"

Ten more clones appeared.

Haku: "Is that all you can do?"

Naruto: "Sorry, but this is my specialty. Now, guess which one is me."

Naruto Clone: "By the way, bad news—Zabuza's dead."

Haku appeared in front of the clone that had spoken, driving an ice spike through its chest.

Haku: "I'll send you to join him."

The clone grinned. "Sorry, wrong one."

Boom!

The explosion rocked the area, but Haku remained unscathed, protected by his ice mirrors.

Haku: "That's how I know which one is real."

Haku raised his hands. "Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

Ice mirrors formed around Naruto, trapping him inside.

Haku: "You can't escape now. And it's a shame to tell you this, but Zabuza-sama isn't dead."

Haku: "And you... are going to die."

Haku stepped back, merging with one of the mirrors. His reflection appeared in every mirror, surrounding Naruto.

But Naruto wasn't done yet.

Outside the ice prison, twenty-two clones rushed forward, each grabbing an ice mirror and self-destructing.

Naruto's plan was simple: "Destroy the mirrors, no matter the cost."

The explosions echoed through the forest as Naruto prayed the ice mirrors would shatter—and that he could endure the pain of losing so many clones.

Boom!