Naruto: My Progress in Konoha.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Haruki's shadow clone clashed with Hozuki Zangetsu.

The clone launched a full-force assault, while Zangetsu, wary of Haruki's presence, remained primarily on the defensive. However, whenever he found an opening, he did not hesitate to strike back.

The intensity of their battle soared. Several times, the shadow clone nearly succumbed to Zangetsu's precise strikes and dissolved, while Zangetsu was forced to use his Hydrification Technique repeatedly to avoid being overwhelmed.

Seconds stretched into minutes.

Finally, Uchiha Haruki made his move.

Instead of rushing in, he waited for the perfect opportunity and performed a Wind Style jutsu—Wind Release: Blade of Wind!

A translucent wind blade, about a meter long, rapidly formed in front of him and shot straight toward Hozuki Zangetsu.

At that very moment, Zangetsu had just emerged from his liquefied state.

The wind blade struck.

To Haruki's disappointment, Zangetsu instantly reverted to his liquid form, letting the blade pass harmlessly through his body.

"So it really is a semi-passive ability?"

Up until now, Haruki had only speculated, but this incident confirmed it. That wind blade was a perfectly timed strike, coordinated using the Sharingan's enhanced perception and the Mind Link Technique to communicate with his shadow clone.

Judging by Zangetsu's reaction speed in previous exchanges, if his Hydrification Technique required conscious activation, he wouldn't have been able to react in time. But he did. This meant Haruki was right—the technique, once activated before combat, passively protected the user from lethal and non-lethal attacks to a significant extent.

That made Hydrification incredibly annoying.

Unfortunately, Haruki hadn't yet developed Lightning-nature chakra. If he had, this fight would've been much easier.

This reinforced his resolve to master all chakra natures—only then would he have no weaknesses.

Shaking the thought away, Haruki drew the long blade at his waist and walked steadily toward his opponent.

At first, his steps were slow. But after a few strides, a flash of blue light erupted—and he vanished.

Zangetsu, who had been watching intently, widened his eyes in alarm.

He ducked to avoid the clone's attack, then quickly raised his short sword to guard his right side.

Clang!

Haruki reappeared mid-swing, slashing at Zangetsu's sword with tremendous force. The impact made Zangetsu skid back half a step.

Haruki didn't hesitate—he immediately followed up with another swing.

From previous experience, Zangetsu knew that once caught in Haruki's rhythm, it would be nearly impossible to recover. So instead of blocking again, he used more chakra to liquefy his body and avoid the blow.

He even counterattacked while doing so.

Zangetsu's short sword shot toward Haruki's throat. But Haruki, anticipating the move, sidestepped it with ease.

Zangetsu wasn't about to give up. In the next moment, his stabbing motion shifted into a horizontal slash aimed at Haruki's neck, hoping to sever his carotid artery.

Haruki swiftly retracted his blade and blocked it head-on.

Screeech~!

The long sword and short blade scraped against each other with a shrill screech as both men exerted force.

Their faces were inches apart. Haruki's Sharingan narrowed slightly. Without hesitation, he prepared to cast Genjutsu: Sharingan.

"Hmm?!"

Zangetsu sensed something was wrong and quickly shut his eyes, retreating with his sword raised.

Haruki seized the chance, stepping in and swinging diagonally.

His blade cut across Zangetsu's chest—but instead of slicing flesh, it felt as though it had passed through something viscous.

Looking closely, Haruki realized Zangetsu had transformed his body into liquid again, trapping Haruki's blade partially inside him.

"Tch..."

Thinking fast, Haruki surged chakra into his sword, converting it into Fire Release.

Whoooosh!

Flames burst from the blade inside Zangetsu's body, engulfing him in fire.

Panicked, Zangetsu fully liquefied and jellied backward, putting distance between them.

Once he reformed into human shape, Haruki noticed a significant drop in his chakra reserves.

'Just as I thought—every ability has its limits.'

Hydrification may grant immunity to physical and many jutsu attacks, but it demands constant chakra. Without sufficient chakra, Zangetsu couldn't sustain it or defend effectively.

The most efficient way to beat him was to drain his chakra.

With that in mind, Haruki released his shadow clone, reclaiming its chakra into his main body.

Now operating at peak condition, Haruki launched a relentless offensive against Zangetsu.

This time, he held nothing back. Except for a few trump cards like the Mangekyō Sharingan, he used every technique in his arsenal.

In just a short span, Zangetsu's chakra visibly plummeted.

Haruki's storm of attacks gave Zangetsu no time to breathe, much less retaliate. He was either taking hits or dodging desperately.

Frustration welled up inside Zangetsu, but against overwhelming strength, frustration was useless.

...

Time ticked by.

Haruki's Sharingan turned slightly, scanning Zangetsu's chakra levels.

Once he confirmed Zangetsu was nearing exhaustion, he slowed his attack just enough to create an opening.

Zangetsu, having been suppressed for so long, couldn't afford to doubt this sudden opportunity. He struck instantly.

His blade darted toward Haruki's heart.

Haruki dodged back half a step, avoiding it.

Zangetsu took the chance to retreat, trying to fall back toward the Hidden Mist ranks, hoping they could protect him.

But Haruki had predicted this.

Zangetsu's moment of hope was nothing more than an illusion.

Just as he turned to flee, a flash of blue light streaked behind him—Haruki appeared like a ghost and pressed his left palm against Zangetsu's back.

Even though Zangetsu managed to use the last of his chakra to liquefy once more, it was too late.

Screeeech! WHOOOOSH!

A fierce wind erupted.

Zangetsu's body was enveloped in a violent energy sphere.

Agonized screams echoed from within.

Upon closer inspection, thousands of microscopic chakra needles swirled inside the vortex, piercing him at the cellular level.

It was none other than the S-rank Forbidden Jutsu—Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.

Hydrification might be a powerful defense, but without chakra to sustain it, Zangetsu couldn't withstand the Rasenshuriken's devastating cellular assault.

Within seconds, his chakra ran dry.

His liquefied state collapsed.

And in the next instant… Zangetsu breathed his last.