Zabuza appeared, with his arms crossed, looking down at the Sunagakure siblings with an imposing presence.
He didn't hold back his killing intent, releasing it freely.
The three Sunagakure struggled under Zabuza's gaze, each with their own thoughts.
Kankuro couldn't help but think, 'Damn it... who is this guy? Why is he so strong?'
He wanted to control his puppet, but he found that, in this state, he couldn't even resist Zabuza's killing intent.
This killing intent was the result of Zabuza's countless battles and years of slaughter, the aura of a true hunter.
Just the mental pressure alone was enough to suffocate the three Sunagakure siblings.
Temari and Kankuro were naturally no match...
Even Gaara's face showed signs of cracking, with fragments of sand peeling off.
But he himself remained unfazed.
Until a sand shield formed in front of him...
"Sand Waterfall Funeral!"
At such a close distance, in an instant, countless grains of sand surged toward Zabuza.
"Ice Release."
This time, Haku didn't use the Ice Mirror technique.
Instead, he used simple Ice Release to slow down or freeze the sand.
Even though Gaara tried to break free or gather more sand, under the influence of Ice Release, his Jutsu was difficult to execute.
At that moment... a tall figure appeared behind the three Sunagakure siblings, standing at eye level with Zabuza.
"Demon of the Hidden Mist, how dare you show yourself here?"
Zabuza sneered, "Me? I'm an envoy from Kirigakure. Aren't you the same, Baki?"
Baki is a Jonin from Sunagakure and the current instructor of these siblings.
"Gaara, stand down."
Baki said softly. He was here on a special mission, so he didn't want any unnecessary complications.
Gaara snorted coldly before finally dispersing the sand.
Seeing Gaara withdraw his sand, Haku slowly emerged from the shadows.
Whether out of habit or something else... Haku, at this moment, was nothing like the gentle and kind person he was in Yuto's shop.
Instead, he wore a mask that symbolized cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness. Just standing there was enough to instill fear.
Kankuro and Temari exchanged glances, realizing that this person seemed to be around their age.
'But he was able to withstand Gaara's attack? And... his Ninjutsu seemed unusual too!'
Baki's gaze was calm, but his expression grew increasingly solemn.
"An Anbu from Kirigakure? Why are you here?"
When Baki first saw this Ice Release Ninja, he was already quite surprised.
The power of a Kekkei Genkai, representing a hereditary ability...
Its potential far surpassed that of an ordinary Ninja.
Moreover, this Ice Release Ninja from Kirigakure... at least had the strength of a Special Jonin, which was normal for an Anbu.
Baki quickly assessed Haku based on his earlier actions.
However, there was one thing that still puzzled him.
'Why would an Ice Release Ninja from the Land of Snow appear in Kirigakure?'
This question might seem absurd, like asking why a cake would be in a kitchen.
But...what kind of policies Kirigakure had? It was a common knowledge across the Ninja World.
The Kekkei Genkai users in the Land of Water had almost been wiped out by Kirigakure.
For an Ice Release Ninja goes to Kirigakure... wasn't that like a lamb walking into a lion's den?
---
At this moment, the slight sense of security that Temari and Kankuro had regained after Baki's arrival suddenly vanished.
It wasn't that they were worried about their own safety...
However, this person, who seemed to be their age, was not only a Kekkei Genkai user but also an Anbu?!
'How... is that possible? Is this person also here to participate in the Chunin Exams?'
As soon as this thought came to mind, it was quickly dismissed.
'No, impossible. How can an Anbu not be a Chunin yet?'
The two sides were at a stalemate when Kakashi, a Jonin from Konoha, arrived.
With a stern expression, he said, "This is Konoha. Please refrain from causing any conflicts here."
After seeing Kakashi, Baki snorted coldly and led the Sunagakure siblings away.
Only after the Sunagakure Ninjas were out of sight did Zabuza sit down in the shop, taking the seat where Gaara had been.
"Boss, give me three plates of dango."
Zabuza called out casually.
The shop owner didn't dare to delay and immediately went to the kitchen.
Kakashi also found a seat, "By the way, why did you get into a conflict with them? That doesn't seem like your style."
Zabuza sneered, "Haha, the Jinchuriki of Sunagakure appeared in your village, and you're not worried? What if the Tailed Beast gets unleashed here..."
Hearing about the Tailed Beast going berserk, Kakashi's expression froze for a moment before he firmly replied: "No, that's impossible. Unless they want to start a war and declare war on Konoha."
Zabuza retorted sharply, "Oh? Are you looking down on Sunagakure? Don't forget, no matter what, it's still one of the Five Great Ninja Villages!"
Since the death of Hanzo, the Demigod leader of Amegakure, the newly risen Amegakure had no chance to compete for the title of the 'Sixth Great Ninja Village.'
And the Five Great Shinobi Villages remained the same five that had been established after the Warring States Period.
Kakashi crossed his arms in front of him and calmly said, "Not really... it's just that Sunagakure alone can't pull that off."
In truth, after considering the consequences, Kakashi broke out in a cold sweat.
The current Konoha... was far from what it used to be. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the 'weakest period in history.'
The older generation of Ninjas was aging, while the new generation hadn't yet matured. The Hokage, Konoha's strongest Ninja, was also getting older.
Add to that the departure of the Sannin, the Uchiha massacre, the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice, and the Nine-Tails Attack...
So many major events had occurred in the decade since the end of the Third Ninja World War.
In fact, they accounted for more than half of Konoha's history!
Although Konoha had made a name for itself in the Third Ninja World War...
After so much time, who could guarantee that other villages wouldn't covet Konoha's prosperous land?
Though these thoughts ran through his mind, Kakashi maintained a resolute demeanor.
Perhaps sensing Kakashi's bravado or bluff, Zabuza continued to sneer, "Hmph... what if Kirigakure and Sunagakure joined forces?"
At this, Kakashi fell silent.
Zabuza pressed on, "Using the Chunin Exams as a cover, they could send the Jinchuriki and some elite forces into Konoha, then coordinate with their main forces outside... Could Konoha handle that?"
Kakashi remained silent...
In fact, if it came to that, Konoha would be doomed!
Even if the Ninjas from the great clans stepped forward, they might not be able to hold out until the Sannin returned.
The current Konoha was just that weak...
It was really just relying on a few secret technique clans and the Hyuga Clan to keep up appearances.
Just a few years ago, the Hyuga Clan, the strongest clan in Konoha...
Their heiress had been kidnapped, and they had to sacrifice the branch family's head to settle the matter.