Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

"THUMP!"

The Rasengan collided with the Executioner's Blade, and the resulting boom was deafening.

Naruto Uzumaki stared at the massive sword in Zabuza's hands, amazed. That blade's insane. Not even a scratch from my Rasengan... He narrowed his eyes. I kind of want it.

But now was definitely not the time to daydream. After that brief clash, Naruto could tell—he wasn't Zabuza's match yet. This fight still belonged to Kakashi.

Zabuza suddenly slashed downward, aiming straight for Naruto's lower half, intending to cleave him in two. Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He jumped instinctively, stepping on the blade mid-air and using the momentum to launch himself backward, landing safely behind Kakashi.

"You're pretty sharp for a blond brat," Zabuza sneered. "Almost got me."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he lunged forward, raising his sword for another attack—but Kakashi moved first. He ducked low, avoiding the blade with swift precision, and jabbed his kunai right at Zabuza's heart.

But instead of blood, only water spilled out.

Zabuza's entire body melted into a puddle. At the same time, a dense fog spread rapidly, swallowing the forest. In an instant, visibility dropped to nothing. You couldn't even see your hand in front of your face.

For anyone without sensory abilities, death could come in the very next second—and they'd never even see it coming.

The mist wasn't the only thing suffocating them. A monstrous killing intent flooded the air, so intense that it twisted the very atmosphere. Even Naruto had to circulate Nine-Tails chakra through his body to keep his mind clear.

Sasuke and Sakura weren't so lucky.

Sakura's vision went blurry—her legs gave out, and she could barely stay conscious.

Sasuke remained standing, but the fear overwhelmed him. His body shook uncontrollably. The pressure broke him. In a panic, he raised a kunai toward his own throat.

He was about to take his own life.

Naruto, catching the subtle sounds of their struggle, realized something was wrong. He clapped his hands together and summoned several shadow clones. They released waves of chakra into the air, disrupting the mist and pulling his teammates out of their trance.

Taking advantage of the noise and distraction, Naruto slipped silently into the bushes.

"You think you can hide, kid?"

A terrifying voice whispered from behind. The speed was inhuman—Naruto's clone barely had time to react before the blade came down, aiming to split it in two.

BOOM!

Kakashi arrived just in time, shielding Naruto's clone, as well as Sasuke and Sakura. With a swift motion, he drove a kunai straight through Zabuza's head—only to watch him dissolve again into water.

Another clone.

Sakura and Sasuke quickly retreated to the sides, trying to stay out of the dangerous crossfire.

Meanwhile, Tazuna—the bridge builder—was completely paralyzed with fear. His legs trembled uncontrollably, and he looked like he might wet himself.

The real Naruto sighed with relief from his hiding place.

Zabuza... the Demon of the Hidden Mist. That guy's no joke.

His Hidden Mist Technique had turned the battlefield into a death zone. It was clear Zabuza had been trained since childhood to rely on sound instead of sight.

Even though he knew Kakashi had a Sharingan, he still used a jutsu that favored Kakashi's vision-based combat style. Was it arrogance—or overconfidence?

Either way, it was giving Kakashi the upper hand.

If Kakashi didn't have to worry about his students, he might've been laughing through this whole fight.

One's Gato. The other's Zabuza. No wonder they partnered up—a match made in criminal heaven. Crouching dragon, hidden chicken.

Unfortunately, the fog was still too thick for any of Naruto's Seduction Techniques to work.

He remained in the bushes, waiting for the perfect opening. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Zabuza clashed again. But this time, Zabuza seemed to realize the fog wasn't helping him anymore. Gradually, it began to thin.

Now the two were on equal footing.

Kakashi was still watching out for his students. Naruto? He believed the blond could handle himself. But Sasuke and Sakura were a different story—they were liabilities. If Zabuza targeted them again, they might not survive.

Zabuza wasn't having an easy time either. Besides fending off Kakashi, he also had to deal with occasional interference from those three brats—especially that blond kid, who'd left a clone on the field while his real body had vanished.

Zabuza kept one eye over his shoulder. Where the hell did that kid go?

Why is killing one old man so damn stressful?

[Ding! Passive Selection Triggered!]

A mechanical chime echoed in Naruto's ears. He focused, and a glowing text box appeared in his vision.

You narrowly escaped Zabuza's sword, but now you've been marked by another. With the main battlefield distracted, a new threat—cold but deadly—is watching you from the shadows.

What will you do?

Option 1 – Stay Friendly: Pretend nothing's happening. Stay still.Reward: 10,000 Ryo.

Option 2 – Be Rational: Call out to Sasuke and Sakura and face Haku together.Reward: Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.

Option 3 – Be Reckless: Fight Haku solo, defeat him, humiliate him.Reward: Haku's Corruption +25%.

Option 4 – Be Ruthless: No words. Just kill him.Reward: Big Ball Rasengan.

Haku?!

So he had been hiding nearby this whole time.

Naruto didn't panic. He stayed calm and scanned his surroundings—but saw nothing. Haku was far more cautious than Zabuza. While Zabuza and Kakashi fought fiercely, Haku had waited silently, making no moves.

Just standing by in case Zabuza needed to be rescued.

Smart.

But Naruto wasn't going to let him wait it out forever.

The battle between Kakashi and Zabuza was at its peak now. Most of the mist had cleared, and the passive notification confirmed: Haku's watching him now.

Naruto's grin spread slowly across his face.

"Ninjutsu: Reverse Harem Technique."

Part of the Perfect Seduction Suite, this move was untested—but if it worked, it would definitely be a shocker.

In a puff of smoke, three shirtless, ridiculously handsome men appeared in the bushes, posing dramatically and sending seductive winks in all directions.

Suddenly—two coughs came from the fifth tree to the southeast.

The sound vanished as quickly as it came, but Naruto caught it.

Found you.

He canceled the technique instantly and launched himself toward that location.

As Naruto sprang forward, Sasuke and Sakura stared in disbelief. The Naruto who'd been fighting beside them all this time—it was just a clone.

"That... that was a clone the whole time?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Is his strength really that insane?" Sasuke muttered, stunned.

The clone had been firing Rasengans at Zabuza while keeping up the illusion of the real Naruto.

No wonder he didn't say a word when I beat those two enemy ninja, Sasuke thought bitterly. He didn't care. They were just trash to him.

When I said I'd surpass him... did he think I was just being cute?

Sasuke clenched his fists, falling into a storm of self-doubt.

Even Zabuza and Kakashi noticed Naruto's sudden movement.

Kakashi's heart skipped a beat. That kid... he must've sensed another enemy.

The pressure intensified. Kakashi now regretted deeply taking this mission after realizing it far exceeded their team's original rank.

If Naruto had discovered someone powerful—and Kakashi was almost certain he had—not only were Sasuke and Sakura at risk... he himself might not survive this.

"Could it be... Haku's been spotted?" Kakashi whispered to himself.

Zabuza, noticing Naruto breaking off, let out a cold chuckle.

"Looks like your blond student's got guts, Kakashi. He just ran off alone to chase my partner." He smirked darkly. "He's in trouble."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Then we end this—now."

He inhaled deeply, Sharingan blazing, ready to finish this battle once and for all.