Zabuza was no saint.
His nature was cruel and wild.
In the ninja academy's graduation exam, he slaughtered all other candidates single-handedly.
Even after meeting Haku softened him, it couldn't hide his villainy. At the least, Zabuza cared nothing for innocent lives.
But—
His determination was extraordinary.
During the Fourth Mizukage's controlled reign, wreaking havoc on the Mist Village, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen all defected. Yet only Zabuza resolved to stage a coup and change the village.
Now, his unyielding will, even in the face of death, hit Naruto like a wave.
Naruto stepped back slightly.
He couldn't fathom…
How even evil could carry such resolve.
"Just this shocks you?" Shen Mo's eyes seemed to pierce Naruto's heart. "Then your will to change fate is just that weak. To be a hero, you must face all kinds of enemies—not just a clash of strength, but of heart and will."
"…"
Naruto clenched his fists, stung by Shen Mo's calm tone.
He stomped forward heavily.
Pointing at Zabuza, he shouted defiantly:
"I won't give in! No matter how strong your evil resolve is, my will to protect hope is stronger! Even if it kills me, I won't let you hurt Dazuna!"
"This kid…"
Zabuza eyed Naruto, stubborn and unyielding.
He began to see why this kid was chosen by the man beside him, granted the right to buy cans.
Protect hope?
Could someone really make that their lifelong fate?
"Kid, pretty words don't cut it," Zabuza's gaze sharpened. "With that resolve… you'll die."
He was taking this seriously now, feeling it.
A clash of wills.
If this boy was ready to die to stop him, even with Shen Mo here, Zabuza wouldn't back down.
Will, once yielded, crumbles completely.
"Bring it!" Naruto's heart raced, but instead of fear, it felt like a breakthrough, his blood surging.
He even grinned.
This was it—heroes facing villains must feel like this.
"You idiot, don't just decide for us…" Sasuke gripped his broken sword, took a deep breath, and stepped beside Naruto, facing Zabuza. "Sorry, this guy's a moron, but I've got reasons I can't back down from either. I have to get stronger."
He recalled a line from his swordsmanship inheritance.
A swordsman must charge forward.
Conquer fear of failure first, then the enemy.
He could flee today, but he didn't want to run from that man later!
No, this wasn't for Naruto.
"My students… all idiots," Kakashi said, a wry smile under his mask. Abandoning the mission was the smart choice—no punishment awaited them back home. But if the Jinchūriki fell into danger and he didn't stop it, he'd face a harsh reprimand, even if they survived.
"Kakashi…"
Rin stood before Sakura, hands behind her back, calling out with a faint smile.
She said nothing more.
But Kakashi understood.
"I know." He touched the scar over his right eye, his slouched spine straightening unconsciously. "When you can't stop your comrades, you follow. I made the wrong choice once—I won't again."
This wasn't the "right" move.
It was a textbook ninja failure.
But that was Kakashi.
Team 7's three men seemed to forge a fierce bond in that moment.
Zabuza, watching them, tightened his grip on his All-Cutting Teigu, voice low. "I've run into some weird ninjas…"
"And to them, you're just as strange an enemy," Shen Mo cut in, his smile shifting, now radiant, brimming with anticipation.
He raised his staff, voice booming:
"You've grasped it—the fate of can openers! No room for retreat, no turning back! Your fates are changed by cans, but those changed fates will clash and collide. The victor advances, the loser falls. So—fight!"
With a heavy swing of his staff—
Bang!
A sound like shattering glass swept the entire space, the whole world.
Then, under disbelieving gazes…
The unfinished bridge twisted, spun, and morphed in a dreamlike dance.
Mirror Dimension magic from Doctor Strange.
The bridge's ends broke from the shore with creaking groans, weaving, stretching, spinning, defying physics. In moments, it formed two semicircular platforms, split in the sea's center.
"Whoa, what is this?!" Naruto was floored by the surreal scene.
Not just him—Kakashi and Zabuza's eyes bulged at the unbelievable miracle.
They even wondered if it was genjutsu, but it felt real.
Dazuna, an ordinary man…
Faced with this inexplicable, godlike power reshaping the world, he collapsed, muttering helplessly.
"It's a stage! The fate stage for Chamber members!"
Shen Mo's voice echoed through the dreamlike scene.
He floated slowly into the air.
With a wave of his hand…
The sea on both sides rose, drawn upward, merging into a massive hemispherical dome, blotting out the sky.
Shen Mo, like a creator god, toyed with and rewrote the world.
Yes, this was the stage.
The PVP stage.
"For each world, the first true clash of fates among Chamber members will have a stage provided free by the world overseer!" Shen Mo's voice rained down, carrying an enigmatic weight. "Congratulations, you've earned this honor!"
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