"Ugh…"
The mist covered hand clamped firmly around Zabuza's throat. A terrifying suction force dragged him in, his face twisted in horror, unable to speak, unable to resist, as his body was pulled into the refining space of the mysterious pearl.
In an instant, unnameable power shattered Zabuza's body into countless particles, dissolving him into streaks of black and blue. From body to soul, inside and out, all of it surged into Haruma, strengthening him completely.
"This energy… Is this what it means to maximize devouring!?"
Warmth flooded his body, yet for once Haruma's face showed genuine shock. He could clearly feel it, the energy gained from refining Zabuza was greater than from beasts, greater than the rogue ninjas of the market town, greater than the Demon Brothers, and even… greater than from Shisui himself!
Yes, greater even than Shisui!
When Haruma devoured Shisui's corpse, the body energy and mental energy he obtained were at the level of an elite jonin. But there had been no soul force at all.
If Shisui had still been alive at that moment, if his body had not lost vitality, if his chakra had not vanished with his soul, then what Haruma gained would have been kage-level and if both of Shisui's eyes had remained, Haruma would have also acquired one of the most powerful illusions of all.
Kotoamatsukami.
That was how tremendous the loss had been. Or rather, that was the difference between devouring the dead versus devouring the living.
At least Shisui's brain had been intact. By devouring it, Haruma had inherited part of his memories, his kekkei genkai, the Phantom Body Flicker, and skills in genjutsu and Fire Release.
But now, by devouring Zabuza, what had he gained?
Elite jonin level physical and mental energy. Then, refined once again through Zabuza's own chakra, that same energy doubled like a critical strike. On top of that, he received Zabuza's life-long techniques, his battle experience, everything.
Had Zabuza possessed a kekkei genkai, Haruma would also have gained it, along with its unique techniques.
In fact, that was what had happened with Haku. By devouring him, Haruma inherited the Ice Release kekkei genkai, along with all of Haku's ice techniques Now, Haruma was one of the exceedingly rare ninja with two kekkei genkai.
Once Haruma absorbed the physical and spiritual energy from both Zabuza and Haku into his own chakra, his reserves would surpass Kakashi's. His chakra could now be measured formally in "Kakashi units."
Just like after devouring Shisui as a child, Haruma was now entering another period of rapid growth.
"So this is Ice Release?"
Casually, he condensed moisture in the air into ice senbon and appraised them. "A convenient ability."
Ice Release was the fusion of Wind and Water nature transformations. With Haku devoured, Haruma not only gained the kekkei genkai, but his training in Wind and Water chakra would progress at accelerated speed. To be precise, only Wind would accelerate, since Water transformation he had already obtained.
By devouring Zabuza, he had directly inherited his Water nature.
This was the true advantage of devouring a living, complete being.
When someone dies, their chakra fades along with their soul. Which was why, when Haruma devoured Shisui's corpse, he could not gain his chakra nature transformations. Even though he later mastered Fire Release quickly, thanks to Shisui's memories and his heightened insight, the difference was clear compared to inheriting directly from the living.
As for why devouring Haku hadn't given him Wind and Water nature changes, it was simple. Haku himself had never mastered them. His Ice Release was awakened as a standalone kekkei genkai, not self-synthesized. Once a kekkei genkai manifests, it becomes an inheritable trait, not something requiring its base elements to exist. Haku had Ice Release, but no Wind or Water mastery, so Haruma gained only what Haku truly possessed.
The only drawback of devouring the living, in Haruma's eyes, was that the physical and mental energies still needed to be reintroduced into his own chakra system. But this "filtering" was necessary. Without it, he wouldn't dare to use the power.
Back to the point…
Though Ice Release was remarkable, for Haruma at this stage it was of limited use. Haku's strongest technique, the Demonic Ice Mirrors, allowed rapid movement within a field. But for Haruma, who already wielded the Phantom Body Flicker, it was nothing more than a flashy gimmick.
Right now, its greatest utility was in condensing moisture to craft senbon or other tools, saving Haruma the expense of buying shuriken. Only once he developed his own powerful ice techniques would this bloodline's true value emerge.
For now, he set it aside. Turning to Tazuna, he ordered the man to return home alone.
Having devoured Zabuza and Haku, Tazuna no longer had any use. Once Haruma plundered Gato, his purpose in this mission would be complete.
Forming a single seal, Haruma transformed into Zabuza. Sinking himself deep into Zabuza's memories, he uncovered Gato's location and the structure of his forces.
Even a mosquito is food.
Just as he had devoured the rogue ninjas of the market town, Haruma would not spare Gato's mercenaries and wandering shinobi.
Armed with this intelligence, he picked up the massive Kubikiribocho and flickered away into the mist.
Moments later, a gluttonous beast descended upon Gato's compound.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Thousands of ice senbon poured like rain, pinning men like helpless hedgehogs. Gato's men lost control of their bodies as if ensnared in a binding illusion, forced to watch as "Zabuza," with a pitch black hand, twisted and devoured each of them.
In no time, the compound was littered only with discarded weapons.
Inside the lavish residence, Haruma's sensing technique quickly pinpointed Gato cowering in a hidden chamber. He gave him no chance to beg, one genjutsu was enough to put the crime lord under, allowing Haruma to plunder his assets.
Publicly, Gato was the head of Wave's shipping company. In truth, he was a kingpin, smuggling drugs and contraband through gangs and rogue ninja. His fortune was vast, scattered across the ninja world, much of it tied up in real estate and factories. Unless Haruma seized his entire network, he could never take it all.
But Haruma didn't care for such things. He only took the cash and deeds stored in Wave.
Then, setting the compound ablaze, he flickered away across the sea, heading back toward the Land of Fire.
From leaving Konoha to now, only a day and a half had passed.
Yet instead of returning straight to the village, Haruma disguised as an ordinary man, traveled through various Fire Country cities, liquidating the deeds stolen from Gato. Finally, he returned to the market town from the escort mission, withdrew all the cash he had deposited, and sealed it away in scrolls.
Only after this did he hypnotize Konoha's gate guards with his sharingan and slip quietly back into his home.
This trip had brought him true wealth.
Not only in fortune, but in strength, he now stood poised to become one of the five great nations' trump cards.
Once his three tomoe evolved into the mangekyo sharingan or once he mastered S-rank techniques and forbidden jutsu, or gained another powerful kekkei genkai, Haruma would ascend to the level of a kage-level shinobi.