Terumi Mei gave Uehara a packet of cookies as charity, which made Uehara feel frustrated but he couldn't say much; but then someone snatched the cookies from his hands, making his mood even worse.
Uehara Naraku walked towards the street kid who had taken the cookies. Perhaps because he was extremely hungry, he chewed a few times and swallowed them quickly.
"Hey..."
Uehara Naraku frowned, wanting to say something but unsure how to begin. After all, he wasn't short of cookies, being a multimillionaire with paper bombs at his disposal.
"I'm finished."
The street kid hurriedly stuffed the cookie crumbs into his mouth, crouched down carefully, and looked up at Uehara, "Sorry, I've been hungry for three days, and the cookies are gone. If you want to beat me or kill me, do as you please!"
"You..."
Uehara Naraku noticed the somewhat delicate and attractive face beneath the grime, and the phrase 'a budding beauty' instinctively surfaced in his mind.
Are the people in the Ninja World all this good-looking?
Even a roadside kid is so cute?
Seeing the street kid lower her head again, Uehara Naraku decided to forgive her. He stood beside her and asked softly, "Hey, what's your name? Are you still hungry?"
"My name is Haku."
The street kid shivered and shook her head, hugging her knees tightly. Maybe this little one was really scared of being hit?
"..."
Uehara Naraku looked up at the sky.
What luck today!
He had been searching for three days in the Land of Water without any trace of Haku, and now, by sheer chance, Terumi Mei's act of charity had drawn out the hungry Haku.
In fact, Haku had been hiding here all along, afraid of being discovered by the ninjas. Only when she saw Terumi Mei and the two ninjas leave did she dare to come out.
Looking at the crouching street kid before him, Uehara Naraku wanted to confirm, "Um, do you have the Ice Release Bloodline? It's the ability to create ice or something like that..."
"..."
Haku's body trembled slightly, then she staggered to her feet and quickly dashed into a small alley in the town.
She knew that in this country, those with a bloodline limit were considered evil, and Uehara Naraku might be one of those who wanted to eliminate such people.
"Hey, don't run!"
Uehara Naraku was now sure of Haku's identity. He quickly chased after her, grabbed her collar, and frowned as he spoke softly, "Are you just going to keep running?"
Haku hesitated for a moment with her head lowered, then spoke softly, "Well... if I find something to eat tomorrow, can I give it back to you? It might be the day after tomorrow or the day after that before I find food. It would take me around three days to find something to eat..."
"I don't want food!"
Uehara Naraku's expression turned a bit displeased.
Haku cautiously glanced at him and whispered, "But I saw you secretly looking for food near the garbage dump for a day..."
"I wasn't looking for food at the garbage dump."
Uehara Naraku felt a bit helpless and, looking at the dirty Haku in front of him, he said seriously, "I was looking for you. I need your Ice Release Ninjutsu... that ability of yours to create ice and snow."
Haku curiously tilted her head, furrowing her brow, and asked softly, "But I don't know what I can do?"
"Let me think."
Uehara Naraku rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, and made a suggestion, "Well, in the summer, you could help me make iced juice."
"Huh?"
A gleam of light flashed in Haku's eyes as she grasped Uehara's sleeve and asked softly, "Then will we look for food together at the garbage dump?"
Uehara Naraku: "..."
Damn, is this about the food from the garbage dump?
Suppressing his internal frustration, Uehara Naraku patted Haku's shoulder, sighed, and said, "We won't search for food in the garbage dump... No, we don't need to search for food there. From now on, you can follow me, and you'll have your fill of good food!"
"Okay."
Haku nodded earnestly, tugged at Uehara's clothes again, and asked softly, "Then... where do we go to find food now?"
Uehara Naraku rubbed his face, putting on a gentle expression, "In any case... just follow me and talk less!"
"Ah?"
Haku instinctively covered her mouth.
Though both were of similar age, Uehara Naraku felt that communicating with Haku was somewhat awkward, possibly because of the cookies he received earlier from Terumi Mei, making Haku think Uehara was like her.
Haku was surprised when she saw Uehara Naraku sitting on a rock by the sea, holding a newly made fishing rod, fishing leisurely. She exclaimed with admiration, "You know how to fish? That's amazing!"
"...Basic skills, no need for praise."
Uehara Naraku's face was blank, slightly bewildered. Bringing the current Haku to meet Momochi Zabuza felt a bit odd.
Suddenly, the fishing line shook violently!
Haku gently pushed Uehara's shoulder, urging him repeatedly, "Uehara, there's a bite!"
"A bit slower, let's wait a while."
Uehara Naraku smiled and shook his head, just about to talk about the little fishing knowledge he learned from Konan, when a flash of cold light caught his eye!
Clang!
A shuriken shot through the fishing line, and with unabated momentum, embedded deeply into the rock beside it!
The shuriken's appearance threw Haku into a panic, making her instinctively step back. However, out of concern for her companion, she tightly clung to Uehara's sleeve and whispered, "Uehara, it's the ninjas from The Hidden Mist Village, we need to go!"
"No need, he's looking for me."
After patting Haku's arm to calm him down, Uehara Naraku looked regretfully at the broken fishing line. In a low voice, he said, "Zabuza, letting my catch get away will come with a cost!"
"Hmph!"
Someone let out a muffled grunt from behind a rock and tossed a scroll in Uehara Naraku's direction!
Uehara Naraku caught it, opened it, and glanced at the water map of the Land of Water drawn on it. A hasty red line marked a route, with a red circle at the end, presumably the destination of this route.
Momochi Zabuza emerged from behind a rock, coldly saying to Uehara Naraku, "Here's the information you wanted... Tomorrow morning, the person you're looking for will lead a Pursuing Ninja Squad and set out for the northern outpost in the Land of Water."
Uehara Naraku nodded and asked his question, "Is this their route? Can you confirm it?"
With disdain, Momochi Zabuza explained, "This is our territory in the Land of Water. The Pursuing Ninja Squad will definitely choose the fastest route."
That's basic knowledge in the Ninja World.
If a local ninja has to choose the safest route in their own country, wouldn't that mean the ninja village is pretty much useless?
As Uehara Naraku put away the scroll, Momochi Zabuza glanced at Haku beside him and coldly accused Uehara, "Kid, our agreed meeting place and secret exchange, you brought this little girl here? Aren't you worried she'll leak the information?"