[The Land of Waves mission was a crucial journey for Naruto and Sasuke—and the first battle where the two truly became "locked in" with each other.]
[Sasuke awakened his first tomoe to save Naruto. And after seeing Sasuke's dire condition, Naruto also let the Nine-Tails go berserk for the first time, losing control completely.]
[Both unlocked their "cheat abilities" in that moment.]
[It was also here that Naruto famously declared: "I never go back on my word. That's my ninja way." It sounded a bit chuunibyou, but Naruto shouted it from that broken bridge all the way to the Hokage's office—and carried it through for over twenty years without ever changing.]
[This was likely where his character surpassed Senju Hashirama's, which is why he was able to bring Sasuke back.]
---
[Konoha, Year One. The familiar cliffside vantage point]
Hashirama looked at Madara and spoke solemnly, word by word, "Madara! Rest assured, I will not lose sight of the goal again. Our ideal is peace in the Shinobi World—and that will never change!"
His voice carried far in the wind, unwavering and resolute.
Madara's expression remained unchanged, but he gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Tobirama stood not far away, taking in the entire scene. He sighed inwardly. 'War with the other hidden villages seems inevitable.'
But he was a shinobi who had come through the Warring States period—he had been on the battlefield since childhood, so he didn't fear war.
He had seen rivers of blood many times; one more time made no difference.
As long as his brother had decided, Tobirama only needed to handle the execution: tactics, logistics, intelligence were all his strengths.
And as long as the Ōtsutsuki on the moon didn't intervene, his brother and Madara could easily crush the other villages.
The only real trouble was how to divide the spoils after the war.
If the division of interests didn't work out, his brother and Madara would probably spend their whole lives suppressing rebellions—quelling one uprising only for another to flare up elsewhere, never knowing peace.
And after their deaths, the situation in the the Shinobi World would fall apart again, returning to square one.
He needed to think carefully and clean up after these two.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Tazuna's house]
"AAAHHH! That's right, that's exactly what I've always thought! But I haven't even said it yet—how could the screen say it first… so annoying!!"
Naruto was a little devastated, holding his head and pacing in circles in the room. His nindō creed had been spoken by the screen—it felt like his lines had been stolen.
Kakashi gently patted Naruto's head and comforted him: "Naruto, that was always your ninja way, and now the whole world knows it. But what matters isn't saying it—it's living it, consistently."
This kid was truly remarkable. "I never go back on my word"—easy to say, almost impossible to do.
But according to the Sky Screen, Naruto would uphold that conviction from now all the way until he became a Six Paths-level powerhouse. Something even the God of Shinobi hadn't managed to do.
Sasuke looked at Naruto with complex eyes. 'This idiot really is an idiot.'
Still, he currently had a two-tomoe Sharingan—stronger than his counterpart on the screen at the same time. So these enemies would no longer be a threat.
[The Land of Waves mission was also the first time Naruto's Talk-no-Jutsu showed its power—even a cold-blooded killer like Zabuza was moved to tears!]
[This was the "Demon of the Hidden Mist," who had been killing since childhood and wouldn't even flinch in the face of death—yet he was talked into crying. It was honestly a bit absurd.]
[Of course, looking at it another way, it also shows that beneath Zabuza's ruthless exterior, he was actually someone who valued bonds. Also, there's no need to keep agonizing over whether Haku is male or female—after all, the series never explicitly said Zabuza couldn't be a woman, right?]
On the screen, the scene continued after Haku was pierced through the heart by Kakashi.
Zabuza showed no grief and even had time to say "You did great, Haku." Then, he picked up his kubikiribōchō and swung it at both Kakashi and Haku's body.
However, by this point, Zabuza was already severely wounded, so Kakashi easily dodged the attack.
The two continued their fight, but with Zabuza's strength already inferior to Kakashi's—and now heavily injured—he was easily beaten.
Kakashi's Taijutsu flowed like water—every punch and kick landed precisely on Zabuza's weak points. Soon, Zabuza's arms were completely disabled.
His arms hung limply at his sides, unable to even be lifted, and the kubikiribōchō slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground.
Just then, Gatō arrived on the scene with his gang, and when he saw Haku lying on the ground, he immediately remembered the time Haku had crushed his arm.
Enraged, he walked over to Haku and, under Naruto's furious gaze, raised his foot and kicked Haku in the face.
Naruto, who was held back by Kakashi, couldn't act against Gato. And so, he began his Talk-no-Jutsu on Zabuza.
The screen didn't reveal exactly what Naruto said—only that his mouth kept moving, and at the emotional peaks, tears streamed down his face.
"Don't say anything… anymore," Zabuza's voice came through the screen.
When the camera turned to him, two streams of tears were flowing down his bloodstained face.
"Haku was… He wasn't just thinking of me. He was feeling pain inside for you while he battled you guys too…"
"I know. He was too kind…"
"Yes, little punk, it's as you say, after all… Shinobi are human too… Maybe it's impossible to become an emotionless tools…"
"I've lost."
"Kid! Lend me your kunai."
Under Gatō's astonished gaze, Zabuza bit off the bandages covering half his face, caught the kunai Naruto tossed to him with his mouth, and charged fearlessly at Gatō and his men.
To a sorrowful soundtrack, Zabuza's movements seemed to slow—kill, get stabbed—kill, get stabbed. Each charge took a life, but his body also accumulated new wounds. By the time he reached Gatō, his back was riddled with swords and blades.
Even so, Zabuza used the last of his strength to bite down on the kunai, plunge it deep into Gatō's chest, and kick him into the water.
When Zabuza turned back to look at Haku's body, Gatō's men, scared by his ferocity didn't dare to move and cleared a path for him.
Zabuza staggered toward Haku, each step unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment.
In a daze, he saw once more that snow-white, pure youth.
At the end of the scene, amidst the falling snow, Kakashi carried Zabuza—who had only a silver of life left—and laid him beside Haku's body.
Snowflakes drifted down, covering the two of them.
As Zabuza tremblingly reached out and touched Haku's face, sunlight broke through the clouds and shone on Haku.
---
[Land of Waves, a hidden room]
The screen's teasing about his gender didn't bother him. But seeing Haku insulted even after death by Gatō made Zabuza laugh—a broken, bitter laugh.
By the time the scene ended, he already had the kubikiribōchō in hand, dashing toward the most luxurious mansion in the Land of Waves.
Starting now, the mission was canceled. Momochi Zabuza of Kirigakure—the Demon of the Hidden Mist—was back.
---
[At Tazuna's house]
Kakashi watched the tragic scene on the screen, then turned to the three visibly moved kids and said softly, "Our mission this time is to protect Tazuna while he builds the bridge. As long as Zabuza and his team don't attack first, we won't engage them."
The three nodded vigorously. "Mm!"
Naruto clenched his fists, still indignant. "That Gatō is the worst! Zabuza did the right thing killing him!"
Sasuke said nothing, but a glint of approval flashed in his eyes. Still… what had Naruto said to move Zabuza that much?
Sakura's eyes were still red. "Haku… he was so kind."
---
[Land of Water, Kirigakure]
Countless villagers watching the screen were moved to tears—some wiping their eyes with the backs of their hands, others openly sobbing.
"Zabuza is a real man! As expected of someone from our Kirigakure!"
"Exactly! That Gatō bastard deserved what he got!"
"Haku was a good kid too…"
"Zabuza's last words—'Shinobi are human too'—he said it well."
The villagers chattered among themselves. There was no scorn for a rogue-nin in their voices now—only pride for one of their own.
At the Mizukage's office, Mei finally let out a soft sigh. 'Zabuza… that man really is something.'
*****
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/ReduxMagister