2. Sakura as a Burden in the Tazuna Escort Mission

During Team 7’s mission to escort Tazuna and ensure the smooth construction of the bridge in the Land of Waves, their primary task was to protect Tazuna from threats posed by Gato’s hired shinobi, particularly Zabuza and Haku.

One day, Tazuna and Team 7 were shocked to find the bridge workers severely injured due to Zabuza and Haku’s actions. The two shinobi arrived to challenge Team 7 in battle while also attempting to eliminate Tazuna. In this encounter, each member of Team 7 had a designated role: Kakashi faced Zabuza, Naruto and Sasuke fought Haku, and Sakura was tasked with guarding Tazuna.

At one point, Kakashi considered helping Naruto and Sasuke escape from Haku’s Demonic Ice Mirrors Jutsu to give them a fighting chance against Haku’s overwhelming Kekkei Genkai. Kakashi was also concerned about Naruto and Sasuke’s inexperience, fearing that their lack of the necessary ruthlessness to defeat an opponent would leave them at a disadvantage. In contrast, Haku, as a seasoned shinobi, was capable of acting with calculated cruelty.

However, Kakashi had to abandon the idea of assisting Naruto and Sasuke because he doubted Sakura’s reliability in protecting Tazuna. Kakashi’s worries proved justified when Sakura’s incompetence nearly cost Tazuna his life—Zabuza came dangerously close to striking Tazuna with his sword. Fortunately, Kakashi intervened in time, blocking the attack with his body and saving Tazuna’s life at the cost of sustaining an injury himself.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke’s battle against Haku posed a monumental challenge. Haku, having been trained by Zabuza since childhood, had become a formidable shinobi who mastered all his mentor’s combat techniques. He had also perfected his unique Kekkei Genkai, making him an exceptionally dangerous opponent.

In this intense fight, Sasuke nearly lost his life while protecting Naruto from Haku’s relentless barrage of senbon needles. Naruto, consumed by the rage of the Kyubi Chakra, unleashed enough power to rival Haku, eventually breaking through the Demonic Ice Mirrors Jutsu.

Facing Zabuza, one of the Seven Legendary Swordsmen of Kirigakure, was no small feat. Zabuza, also known as the “Demon of the Hidden Mist,” earned his infamous title due to his dark history at the Kirigakure Academy. During his time there, students were required to battle each other to the death, with only one survivor deemed worthy of graduating as a Genin. In this blood-soaked exam, a young Zabuza emerged victorious by killing all 100 of his fellow students, showcasing his unparalleled brutality.

Despite his title as a “demon” for his merciless nature, Zabuza revealed a more human side when Haku sacrificed himself to protect him from Kakashi’s Chidori. Though Zabuza tried to maintain a stoic façade, claiming to be a true shinobi devoid of emotions, Haku’s death shattered him emotionally, exposing his vulnerability.

This emotional turmoil became Zabuza’s fatal weakness, and Kakashi easily defeated him in his diminished state. Haku’s death dealt a devastating blow to Zabuza, robbing him of the strength and will to fight effectively, ultimately leading to his defeat.

# Reasons Why Sakura Was a Burden During the Tazuna Escort Mission

While Naruto and Sasuke successfully carried out their roles in facing Haku, and Kakashi fought Zabuza with all his might, Sakura’s situation was quite different. She nearly failed in her task of protecting Tazuna.

Zabuza came dangerously close to striking Tazuna with his sword, forcing Kakashi to step in to save him. Due to Sakura’s inability to guard Tazuna effectively, Kakashi had to intervene, taking Zabuza’s sword strike in Tazuna’s place and sustaining an injury as a result.

When Sakura mistakenly believed that Sasuke had died after his battle with Haku, she broke down in hysterical tears in the middle of the fight. Her loud sobbing even caused Naruto distress, as he realized that Sasuke had been gravely injured while protecting him.

Fortunately, Sasuke turned out to be alive. However, if Sasuke had truly died, Sakura would have been partly to blame. Kakashi had initially intended to help Naruto and Sasuke escape from Haku’s Demonic Ice Mirrors Jutsu. However, he was forced to abandon that plan due to concerns that Zabuza might attack Tazuna, knowing full well that Sakura could not fend off Zabuza’s assault.

If Sakura had been dependable in guarding Tazuna, Kakashi could have assisted Naruto and Sasuke in breaking free from Haku’s jutsu. This would have given them a much better chance of fighting Haku on equal footing without being trapped or subjected to Haku’s relentless attacks. Moreover, Kakashi would not have had to suffer an injury while protecting Tazuna from Zabuza’s sword.

Had Sakura taken effective action—similar to what Naruto and Sasuke did during their first encounter with Zabuza, when they managed to free Kakashi from the Water Prison Jutsu—the outcome of the mission could have been vastly different.

Sasuke would not have been pushed to a critical state while shielding Naruto from Haku’s attacks, and Naruto would not have been battered by Haku’s relentless barrage of ice needles. This would have allowed both of them to face Haku with greater strength and resolve, particularly if the fight had taken place outside the confines of the Demonic Ice Mirrors Jutsu.