AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-liteChapter 102: Zabuza Momochi is about to submit.
Naruto's investigation would take a long time, but it couldn't take too long because Hiruzen Sarutobiwas pressing him urgently.
Uchiha Sasuke's training would normally take a long time, but thanks to the instruction of Kakashi Hatake, who had suddenly taken an interest, his progress was encouraging. Now, he no longer suffered from having his palms burned by the violent lightning.
However, the Chidori was indeed difficult to master. Although Uchiha Sasuke was very talented, he was still quite a distance away from fully learning it.
After Jiraiya returned to the village, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been acting very impatient. The reason for his impatience was naturally that he wanted to abdicate, and he wanted to do something for Jiraiya before doing so.
"Old man... at this critical juncture..."
"I know your concerns." Hiruzen Sarutobi never failed to smoke whenever he discussed matters. "But now, Konoha must flex its muscles, and it is time to give the fence-sitters in the Hidden Sand Village a wake-up call."
"Only by letting them see the excellence of Konoha's new generation will their restless hearts calm down. Besides, with you here in Konoha, the concern about a gap between generations is significantly reduced."
"Sensei, I've already said that I'm not interested in the position of Hokage at all!" Jiraiya refused. "We don't need to take such a big risk..."
"This isn't a question of whether you want the Hokage position or not, but a matter of what Konoha must do now!" After Jiraiya returned, Hiruzen Sarutobi, having a successor, began to become firm. "Other Ninja villages are also restless now, and the volume of missions is trending downward. Displaying Konoha's power will let the feudal lords, who are gradually losing faith in Konoha, take notice. While increasing mission volume, it will also help lay a foundation for you."
"Sensei, I..."
"It's settled." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, making the final decision. "I won't stop you if you don't want to be Hokage, but until Naruto's generation of young Ninjas grows up, you must stay in Konoha for me!"
"I understand..." Jiraiya could only agree. For now, he had to make do with this. After Konoha had transitioned smoothly for a few years, he would think of other solutions.
"I will never be anyone's tool again. This was the decision I made after defecting from the Hidden Mist Village!"
Zabuza Momochi's attitude remained extremely tough, with no signs of softening, which only made Naruto more interested in him.
Because once a person with such persistence switches sides, they are bound to be loyal. For Naruto, this was exactly the kind of subordinate he was lacking.
Although there was a suspicion of using someone else's resources to build his own, Naruto had already listed the Sound Village as his own territory. Joining now or joining later made no difference to Naruto.
Moreover, Naruto believed that no matter how reluctant Orochimaru was, he would have to helplessly swallow this bitter pill and watch as Naruto planted his own people in the Sound Village.
He couldn't win in a fight, and while he could run, Orochimaru couldn't bear to part with Naruto, the perfect subject who could perfectly fuse with the Sharingan. This indirectly kept Orochimarutemporarily confined to the small territory of the Sound Village.
"What about him?" Naruto pointed at Haku. "He is not old, yet you have used him as a tool for years. Have you never thought about giving him a peaceful life?!"
"Hah! Tools don't need comfort, otherwise they lose their meaning!"
Seeing Zabuza Momochi still being stubborn, Naruto suddenly enveloped himself in the second stage of Susanoo. The materialized skeletal right arm grabbed Haku from the cage and brought him in front of Zabuza Momochi.
"I ask you again, is he a tool or your family?"
"A tool!" Zabuza Momochi answered without hesitation.
"Crack..." The sound of bones breaking came, and Naruto did not hesitate at all.
"I will kill you! I promise!" Zabuza Momochi was stunned. Looking at Haku, whose head had slumped down, he fell into a frenzy after regaining his senses.
"This is not the reaction you should have after a tool dies..." Naruto threw Haku's body to Zabuza Momochi. "Regardless of whether he was a tool or not, you didn't use him well, and even less did you protect him well!"
"Haku... Haku... Haku!"
Zabuza Momochi held Haku's corpse, tears streaming down his face. His heart-wrenching roar echoed throughout the dungeon where the two were being held.
"Since you cherish him so much, why didn't you fight for a bright future for him?" Naruto dispelled the second stage of Susanoo, and his Mangekyo Sharingan closed as well. The scene before Zabuza Momochi shattered and returned to what it originally looked like.
"Genjutsu...?"
"After all, in front of these eyes, too many people cannot resist the genjutsu enhanced by them!" Naruto squatted down with a smile, raised an eyebrow as he looked at Zabuza Momochi, who finally understood. "Pledge your loyalty to me, and fight for a bright future for the Haku you value so much. After all, rogue Ninjas will eventually die an unnatural death one day."
"What's the difference between joining you and being a rogue Ninja!" Zabuza Momochi's attitude had softened quite a bit. "Both are just stray dogs, struggling before death..."
"Don't be discouraged." Naruto shook his finger. "It doesn't matter if you don't know about my strength; it will be proven in the future. But since you've arrived here, you've seen a lot, so you should understand where this is, right?"
"The secret base of the Legendary Sannin Orochimaru!"
"This is also the base of a Ninja village!" After saying this, Naruto added, "A proper medium-sized Ninja village, and with a complete structure."
"What exactly are you trying to say!"
"Didn't you dream of building a perfect force that belongs to you?!" Naruto snapped his fingers. "Then the opportunity has arrived. As long as you join, all of this will no longer be a dream!"
"You..."
Naruto shook his finger again, interrupting Zabuza Momochi's question. "Don't ask me how I know. In front of these eyes, with just a tiny bit of genjutsu, you have no secrets in my eyes. Although it's a bit of an exaggeration, it is the truth. After all, Haku is too kind; he can't hide secrets in his heart."
"Will there really be a day when my dream comes true?"
Naruto smiled without saying a word, stood up, and prepared to leave. Giving a rough promise was enough; going too far would only be counterproductive. After all, Zabuza Momochi was mentally sound and clearly not a fool.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have a subordinate like Haku.
"Think about it carefully. I'll wait for your good news..."
"No need!" Zabuza Momochi suddenly called out to Naruto, who was about to leave. "I'll join! But I also have requirements. Do you want to hear them?"
"I'm all ears."
"I was born in the Hidden Mist Village and went through the 'Bloody Mist' education..."
Although Naruto was not interested in Zabuza Momochi's story, when a person is willing to tell someone about past events they are unwilling to recall, their heart is almost half open.
What Naruto needed to do now was to listen, understand, find the flaws in human nature, and finally deliver a fatal blow to Zabuza Momochi!
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