A sharp whistle cut through the fog, the sound of a blade slicing the air behind Zabuza Momochi. The Demon of the Hidden Mist reacted instantly, his massive Kubikiribocho swinging forward with lethal precision, his voice brimming with confidence. "Your killing intent gave you away, kid! I won't fall for your tricks!"
But his strike met nothing but mist, the blade cleaving empty space. A chill ran down his spine as Ye Liangnai's katana pressed lightly against his back, the boy's voice teasing. "Wrong call, Zabuza. I'm behind you."
Zabuza whirled, his eyes wide with shock, but Ye Liangnai had already vanished into the fog, a phantom in his own domain. "Impossible!" Zabuza growled, his mind reeling. I misread his killing intent? That's not just sound distortion—he's twisting intent itself!
Ye Liangnai's voice drifted through the haze, playful yet taunting. "Can you figure me out this time, Zabuza?"
The words were a challenge, laced with a calm assurance that unnerved the seasoned Jonin. Zabuza's jaw tightened, his pride stung. Killing intents unreliable? Fine. I'll switch tactics.
He flung a volley of kunai, each tethered to chakra-infused steel wires, weaving a spiderweb around himself. The wires quivered, ready to catch any movement. "You can distort sound and intent, but touch? That's real. You can't fake that," he muttered, his senses locked on the web.
Within the fog, Ye Liangnai's lips curved into a grin, his admiration genuine. Zabuza's no slouch. He's the mist's master for a reason. But his grin turned sly. "Sorry, Zabuza, but that won't work either. Touch can lie too. My Hidden Mist Jutsu doesn't just mess with the body—it screws with the mind."
He struck, his movements a whisper in the fog. Zabuza's wires twitched, signaling an attack from the left. He pivoted, ready to counter—but the real strike came from the right, Ye Liangnai's katana grazing his arm before vanishing again.
"What the hell?!" Zabuza's worldview cracked, his voice a mix of disbelief and awe. This is Hidden Mist Jutsu? The technique he'd mastered, the cornerstone of his legend, felt like a child's toy compared to Ye Liangnai's. The boy's fog didn't just obscure—it rewrote reality, turning every sense into a lie.
Ye Liangnai attacked again, and again, each strike a calculated feint. Zabuza, despite his skill, couldn't land a single guess. Left, right, front, back—every cue was a deception. By the fifth miss, Zabuza's shoulders slumped, his pride shattered. I'm done. This kid's on another level.
He raised a hand, his voice hoarse but earnest. "I'm convinced, Ye Liangnai. Your Hidden Mist Jutsu… it's beyond me. Way beyond." He paused, his usual gruffness giving way to something rare—humility. "Can we talk? I've got a request."
To Ye Liangnai's surprise, Zabuza bowed deeply, his voice almost pleading. "Teach me how you do this. Please. I'll pay any price, just show me. This… it's everything to me."
The Demon of the Hidden Mist, a man feared across nations, humbling himself before a Chunin? Ye Liangnai's eyes softened, a sigh escaping him. He'd seen this coming. Zabuza's obsession with the mist was his core, and Ye Liangnai had just turned it upside down.
"Sorry, Zabuza," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "I can't teach you this. It's not about practice or some secret trick."
Zabuza's face fell, disappointment flashing into anger, his fists clenching. Is he mocking me? He opened his mouth, ready to storm off, but Ye Liangnai's voice cut through.
"But," Ye Liangnai continued, a spark in his eyes, "I can't teach you, but I can make your Hidden Mist Jutsu better. Stronger."
Zabuza's eyes widened, hope reigniting. "You serious?"
Ye Liangnai grinned. "Dead serious. Try it out after I'm done. You'll see."
He placed a hand on Zabuza's shoulder, his mind activating the system. Enhance Hidden Mist Jutsu.
A system prompt chimed in his head
Enhancement requires 3,500 Enhancement Points. Proceed?
Proceed.
Five seconds later, the system confirmed
Hidden Mist Jutsu enhancement successful.
A panel flickered in Ye Liangnai's vision:
Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Jutsu
Initial Enhancement Cost: 3,500 Points
Enhanced Rank: B (Pre-Enhancement: C)
Enhanced Effects: Distorts certain sound transmission directions, partially blocks perception, increased casting speed (Pre-Enhancement: Sight obstruction only)
Remaining Enhancements: 2
Ye Liangnai removed his hand, his voice casual. "Done. Give it a shot."
Zabuza blinked, skepticism etched on his face. "That's it? No ritual, no nothing?" He'd expected some elaborate process, not a five-second touch. But Ye Liangnai's serious nod prompted him to try.
He wove the seals, releasing Hidden Mist Jutsu. The fog surged, denser and more oppressive than ever, its range wider, its formation near-instantaneous. Zabuza's jaw dropped. "It's… stronger. Way stronger."
As a master of the technique, he felt the difference immediately—the fog's weight, its ability to muddle sound and chakra perception. It wasn't Ye Liangnai's godly level, but it was a leap forward. His eyes lit up, gratitude replacing his earlier frustration. "Ye Liangnai, I owe you. Name your price."
Ye Liangnai's smile was sly. "This isn't the place to talk. Care to step inside?"
Zabuza hesitated, his instincts wary, but curiosity—and Ye Liangnai's gift—won out. He followed, his heavy steps echoing as they entered the house.
Inside, Ye Liangnai sat, his demeanor shifting from playful to piercing. "Zabuza, what's your take on Lord Mizukage?"
The question hit like a kunai, and Zabuza's eyes narrowed, his voice cautious. "That's not something a kid like you should be asking. Is this… her orders?" He meant Terumi Mei, the only figure with the clout to prompt such a conversation.
Ye Liangnai leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his gaze sharper than his age should allow. "Let's say it is. So, what's your view?"
Zabuza exhaled, his guard lowering. If Mei was making her move, he'd speak his truth. "He's not right. Lord Mizukage… something's off. The Blood Mist policies, the purges—it's madness. If this keeps up, Kirigakure's finished. A hollow shell."
Ye Liangnai listened intently, his mind cataloging every word. Zabuza was a potential ally, a fact both he and Mei recognized. Mei had mentioned Zabuza's prior talks with her, his discontent with Yagura's rule. The man was a loner, but his loyalty to the village ran deep, and his skills were undeniable.
"Agreed," Ye Liangnai said, his voice steady. "The Blood Mist has to end. But we can't rush it. We need to build our strength, gather allies. Changing Kirigakure's sky won't happen overnight."
Zabuza nodded, his expression grim but resolute. "When the time comes, call me. I'm in."
He stood, his decision made, and left without another word, his silhouette vanishing into the mist. Ye Liangnai watched him go, a quiet admiration stirring in his chest. "No matter the world, there's always someone fighting to save it," he murmured. "That spirit… it's something else."
Whether in his past life or this one, that drive to rise against ruin was a legacy worth respecting.