I ,Sasuke , Why Should I Defect To Konoha

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"Sharingan? Isn't that Sasuke's eye? Why does Kakashi-sensei have it? Is it some sort of secret technique?" Naruto's voice rang out in confusion as he looked at Kakashi's left eye with shock.

Without realizing it, Naruto had let slip sensitive information about Sasuke!

"The Uchiha kid, huh? There's talk that the tragic Uchiha clan still has living descendants," Zabuza muttered, his eyes narrowing with a deadly gleam directed at Sasuke.

The Sharingan is a treasure more valuable than any A-rank mission. While stealing it from Kakashi would be near impossible, taking it from a genin seemed feasible—a tempting prospect, whether for his personal use or resale.

"Naruto, do you realize what you just did?" Kakashi growled, seeing Zabuza's interest flare dangerously. "You don't share ninja secrets! You just put Sasuke at risk. This kind of recklessness can be more harmful than not having a teammate at all!"

Naruto hesitated, his face falling as Kakashi's reprimand sank in. "No, I didn't mean…" Naruto's voice trailed off.

"If anything happens to Sasuke-kun, I'll never forgive you!" Sakura's voice, shaking with anger, interrupted. She sprinted to Sasuke's side, her fists clenched, her gaze fixed defiantly on Zabuza.

"I won't let anyone harm you, Sasuke-kun!" Despite her trembling, Sakura gritted her teeth, standing firm in her resolve.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at this unexpected show of courage. For the first time, he saw Sakura differently—not through the lens of a teammate, but through a genuine, personal bond.

Facing danger exposes true feelings, and it was clear that Sakura cared deeply for him.

"Sakura, I won't let you take this on alone! That creepy guy doesn't scare me," Naruto yelled, throwing his own determination into the fray. He gathered chakra, using his Shadow Clone Technique to create a dozen clones, which charged at Zabuza.

"Wait, Naruto! Don't rush in!" Kakashi called, darting after him to keep any accidents from happening.

"Sakura, guard Tazuna!" Sasuke instructed, giving a rare, approving smile as he formed hand signs to back up Sakura.

As Naruto's clones advanced, Zabuza was ready, easily swinging his massive blade to scatter them in a flurry of destroyed clones.

With that, Sasuke took his own chance, casting a fierce fireball that roared toward Zabuza in a blaze of red-orange flames.

"Not bad for a Uchiha brat!" Zabuza sneered as he sidestepped the fireball, then quickly wove his hands into seals. "Warm-up's over. It's time for the real fight. Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu…"

With that, the clear forest filled with an impenetrable fog. The sudden change caused Kakashi's expression to darken. He dashed to position himself in front of his students.

"Form a four-cornered defense around Tazuna," he ordered. Sasuke and Sakura took up guard beside each other, while Naruto followed Kakashi's lead, bracing himself.

"Who is this guy, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, her voice tense as she tried to glean as much information as possible from the thickening fog.

"He's Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. He's an expert in silent killing techniques—a formidable opponent."

The mist grew denser, reducing visibility to zero, intensifying their unease.

As if sensing their fear, Zabuza's voice echoed from all directions, icy and menacing, "The throat, the jugular, the lungs, liver, spine, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart… Eight vital points. So many options—where should I strike first?"

The group froze, trapped in a state of unending terror. They could feel the killing intent thick in the mist, pressing down on them like a suffocating weight. Naruto and Sakura shook uncontrollably, their bodies betraying their mounting fear.

[Elite Jounin Killing Intent Detected: Effects - Movement Restriction, Panic, Suppressed Spirit.]

"Is this… a Jounin's killing intent?" Sasuke thought, feeling his own body stiffen under the pressure.

Sasuke's thoughts turned briefly to the terrifyingly powerful beings he might face in the future. Elite Jounin, like Orochimaru, the tailed beasts, and the Otsutsuki clan—how much more intense would their presence feel?

This revelation caused his tension to ease as he resolved himself. "This is it—the essence of killing intent. The struggle between mind and spirit…"

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, feeling a surge of clarity and control return to his limbs.

"Sakura, Naruto, I won't let anything happen to you here!" he shouted, his red, single-magatama Sharingan blazing.

Seeing Naruto and Sakura's frightened faces, Sasuke clenched his kunai tighter, his resolve growing.

When you protect others, you protect yourself. In this strange, deadly world, that resolve was the key to survival.

"Sasuke's right. I won't let my comrades be killed—not on my watch!" Kakashi's voice rang out as he clashed his killing intent with Zabuza's, reducing the pressure on his team.

Suddenly, Zabuza's chilling voice cut through again, "You call yourselves ninja, yet you tremble in the face of death?"

His mocking voice echoed around them as he continued, "Being a ninja means facing death without fear, with unwavering resolve and a willingness to sacrifice. The three of you—none of you are worthy of being ninja!"

As Zabuza lectured, a system message flashed in Sasuke's mind.

[System Alert: Zabuza's malicious provocations detected. Triggering C-Rank reward multiplier.]

Mission Triggered: "Slap Zabuza Across the Face"

Reward: Silent Killing Technique from Kirigakure

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End of Chapter

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