Chapter 18: The Clash of Water Dragons
"What an arrogant bastard." Zabuza sneered, his earlier gloom replaced by fierce determination, the gleam of fury in his eyes. "You think you're 'The Strongest'? Ha! Don't make me laugh. If I were holding Kubikiribōchō, I'd have finished this already!"
Gojo, ever the playful annoyance, casually swung the Executioner's Blade with a nonchalant flick of his wrist, the massive weapon gleaming in the sunlight. "You want it?" he asked, mocking, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Zabuza's frustration mounted like a rising storm cloud. "Give me my sword, and I'll wipe all of you out with a single strike!" He clenched his fists, desperate to unleash his power.
"Oh, how terrifying!" Gojo feigned a dramatic shiver, his expression overly exaggerated. He turned to Team 7, stifling a laugh, his amusement impossible to hide. "Look at his face—ain't it funny?" he added, gesturing to Zabuza as though he were an amusing side-show.
Sakura groaned in exasperation, her grip tightening on her kunai as she scanned the area nervously. "Sensei, the enemy's still out there!" She could hardly focus with Gojo's antics distracting her.
Naruto and Sasuke remained vigilant, their eyes locked on Zabuza, waiting for any sign of movement. Tension rippled through the air as the atmosphere grew heavier with anticipation.
Gojo, seemingly unfazed by the imminent threat, smirked. "Zabuza, just say the word and I'll give it to you." he said, raising his voice as if addressing an old friend at a casual gathering.
Zabuza, his anger bubbling over, narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious?"
Gojo raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "Well, if you really want it, I'll give it to you." With a flourish, he lifted the Executioner's Blade mock-seriously. Then, with a sudden twist of his wrist, he broke the sword in half, snapping off the tip and tossing it in front of Zabuza, as though handing over a broken toy. "There, happy now?"
Naruto burst out laughing, his voice echoing across the field. "Pfft, hahahaha!"
"Sensei, please!" Sakura shot Gojo a frustrated look, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
"Hmph, boring." Sasuke muttered, folding his arms, now looking completely uninterested in the scene unfolding before him.
Zabuza's patience snapped like a brittle twig. His rage exploded. "You dare mock me?! You've sealed your fate!" His eyes blazed with fury as he quickly formed hand seals. "Water Style: Water Ripple!"
Gojo raised his hand, a strange black substance forming at his fingertips. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the mysterious energy forward. It tore through the ground with a deafening roar, scattering Zabuza's water blades as though they were nothing more than droplets in the wind.
Boom!
The force of the attack sent Zabuza flying backward, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud.
"Ahem." Zabuza wheezed, struggling to stand, his body aching from the impact. "What kind of jutsu was that?" he gasped, disoriented and confused.
Gojo vanished in the blink of an eye, reappearing in front of him with a casual grin on his face. "Feeling lucky? Let's see how you fare in your element." In a smooth, effortless motion, he grabbed Zabuza's wrist and teleported them both to the lake, standing on the water's surface like it was solid ground.
"You're going to fight me here?" Gojo asked, his posture relaxed and almost bored, as if this was nothing more than a casual stroll.
Zabuza sneered, his mind racing as he realized the disadvantage he was in. The calm surface of the lake only added to his frustration. "You'll regret this!" he growled, but even his words felt empty against the growing pressure Gojo was exuding.
Gojo merely shrugged, unfazed. "You're weak."
"Weak?! I'm one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!" Zabuza roared, summoning a massive chakra wave that surged from his body like a storm. "I'll crush you!"
Gojo casually shoved his hands in his pockets, the epitome of nonchalance. "Weak." he repeated, his voice carrying the weight of complete disinterest.
Zabuza, now furious, summoned a giant water dragon with a deep breath, his chakra flaring. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!" The dragon roared to life, surging forward with unstoppable force.
Gojo raised his hand, his voice dripping with indifference. "Water Dragon Bullet." he said with a yawn.
In an instant, five colossal water dragons emerged from the lake, surging toward Zabuza's attack and obliterating it with overwhelming force.
Zabuza's eyes widened in disbelief. "How... is this possible?" he muttered, his confidence now crumbling as he watched his dragon vanish into nothingness.
Before he could react, the five dragons slammed into him with devastating power, their impact sending him crashing into the water with a thunderous splash.
Boom!
The earth beneath Zabuza's body cracked as he hit the water, unconscious, his attack powerless against Gojo's overwhelming strength.