Chapter 30: Schemes and a Silent Pursuit
After a brief, tense exchange, the masked ninja—Haku—shouldered Momochi Zabuza's seemingly lifeless form and vanished into the thick mist, but not before casting one last, lingering glance in Kamikawa Hiraoka's direction. The message in that look was clear: This isn't over.
Kakashi let out a long, weary breath and lowered his forehead protector, concealing the Sharingan once more. "Let's keep moving," he instructed, his voice regaining its usual lazy cadence, though the underlying tension remained.
As they continued their journey, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't tear his eyes away from Hiraoka. While he had been paralyzed by Zabuza's killing intent, Hiraoka had not only remained functional but had also moved to intercept a Water Clone with startling speed. The chasm between them, which Sasuke had desperately tried to ignore, was now a gaping void before him. His fists clenched until his knuckles were white, the fire of his ambition burning hotter and more desperate than ever.
They eventually arrived at Tazuna's modest, weather-beaten home. The relief of reaching safety was short-lived, replaced by the grim reality of their situation.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit, sparsely furnished room on the other side of the country, Momochi Zabuza lay on a simple cot, his massive body weak from chakra exhaustion and his "injuries." The door creaked open, and a short, obese man in a garishly expensive suit swaggered in, flanked by two thuggish bodyguards. This was Gato.
Gato took a long drag from his cigar, blowing the smoke directly into the room's stale air. "Heh. So the great Demon of the Mist can't even handle a simple bridge builder," he sneered, his voice a nasally whine. "Some legendary ninja you are. You and your whole village are a joke."
Zabuza remained silent, his eyes closed, but a vein throbbed on his bandaged forehead.
Haku, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, rose to his feet. "You will show Zabuza-sama the proper respect," he stated, his voice soft but edged with frost.
Gato's bodyguards instinctively reached for their weapons, but Gato waved a dismissive hand. He sauntered over to Zabuza's bedside, a contemptuous smirk on his face. "What's the matter, Zabuza? Cat got your tongue?" He reached out a pudgy, ring-laden hand to pat Zabuza's head.
That was a step too far.
In a movement too fast to see, Haku seized Gato's wrist, his grip like iron. "Do not touch him," Haku whispered, the threat palpable.
"Ah! You're breaking my arm! Let go!" Gato squealed, his bravado evaporating.
His guards moved to intervene, but Haku's free hand flicked, and two senbon embedded themselves in the floor between their feet, a silent and deadly warning. They froze.
Gato yanked his hand back the moment Haku released him, scrambling toward the door. "You have one last chance!" he shrieked, his voice cracking with fear and rage. "Kill the old man, or you won't get a single ryo from me, and you'll be hunted like the dogs you are!" He and his lackeys fled the room.
"Shiro," Zabuza growled, a kunai now visible in his hand. "You should have let me kill him."
Haku's expression softened as he looked at his master. "A creature like that isn't worth staining your hands, Zabuza-sama. His blood is too dirty."
Zabuza grunted, saying nothing more, but the look he gave Haku was complex, a mixture of annoyance and something akin to gratitude.
Back at Tazuna's home, Kakashi learned the full extent of their predicament. Gato wasn't just a nuisance; he was a ruthless businessman with a small army, determined to keep the Land of Waves in poverty.
The next day, Hiraoka put his plan into motion. He had spent the night devising two strategies to recruit the rogue mist-nin. The first was diplomatic and had a low chance of success. The second was far more brutal, a high-stakes gamble that could end in death, but its success would be absolute.
Knowing Haku would likely be scouting, Hiraoka slipped away from the group. As expected, he soon found Haku, having just finished a conversation with a bewildered Uzumaki Naruto. Hiraoka followed him at a distance, his movements silent.
Haku led him to a secluded clearing before stopping, his back still turned. "You can come out now. You've been following me for some time."
Hiraoka stepped from the shadows, a casual smile on his face. "Impressive awareness."
He observed Haku closely. The boy's beauty was ethereal, his features so delicate they blurred the lines of gender. 'Miss Haku' feels wrong, but 'Mister Haku' doesn't fit either, Hiraoka mused, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. Zabuza is one lucky bastard to have found such a loyal and... aesthetically pleasing tool.
Haku watched the strange series of expressions flit across Hiraoka's face with mild confusion. This boy, who had seemed so dangerous and perceptive during the fight, now appeared... eccentric.
"Ahem," Hiraoka cleared his throat, realizing he'd been staring. "Let's get to the point."
"First, you will answer a question for me," Haku interjected, his tone turning cold and serious. The air around them grew chill. "You know my name. Are you a hunter-nin from Kirigakure, sent to finish what we started?"
His chakra flared, ready for a fight. The peaceful clearing was now a potential battlefield.
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If Kakashi said: There are people younger than you yet stronger than me to Naruto. How tf did he loose? To just a like 2 tail Naruto and why didn't he fight Kakashi?
My Pockets feel empty. Can you put some stones in them?