Chapter 50: Zabuza and Haku
"Lord Zabuza, we're almost there."
On a forested trail in the Land of Waves, Zabuza and Haku made their way deeper into the territory, heading straight toward their target—Gato.
After the failed assassination attempt on the Mizukage, the two took advantage of the Kaguya clan's uprising and escaped from Kirigakure, becoming rogue ninjas.
They had been taking assassination jobs ever since, but life hadn't been particularly kind or stable.
To secure a steady source of income and someday return to the Land of Water in strength, Zabuza had set his sights on Gato—a wealthy man who was currently hiring shinobi.
Gato may have been a scumbag, but money was money.
And perhaps due to his training in the Mist's elite assassin corps, Zabuza, like Kisame, maintained a certain professional code. He didn't immediately consider killing Gato to take over.
"We should move faster," Haku suggested softly.
Zabuza gave a small nod. His voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
"The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can make a trip back to the Mist. That place..."
Zabuza was ambitious. Like Kisame, he still held a twisted fondness for Kirigakure.
If he didn't, he wouldn't have tried to assassinate the Mizukage in a bid to change the system.
Even now, though he had left the village, something in his heart still lingered.
"Lord Zabuza will definitely succeed," Haku said with quiet certainty.
To Haku, who saw himself as a tool, Zabuza's will was absolute. No matter what it was, he would follow without hesitation.
As the two walked forward, their expressions suddenly shifted.
They had sensed it—three chakra signatures approaching from the path ahead. Judging by their appearance...
"Ninja… From the Leaf Village?"
Zabuza's gaze swept across the trio. The older man with white hair looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place him right away.
He ignored the younger boy, but the man with the silver hair and forehead protector covering one eye caught his attention.
"The Copy Ninja of the Leaf… Hatake Kakashi?"
"Huh? Wait, is that...?"
Kitagawa Gen and his companions also froze in surprise. Gen's expression in particular turned strangely complicated.
Zabuza and Haku?
The timing lined up. This should be around the time they started working for Gato...
But one thing struck him—Zabuza wasn't carrying his executioner's blade.
The Naruto timeline was always a little messy in his head. He remembered Zabuza having the blade during the Kaguya clan's extermination. That was also when he had encountered Kimimaro, nearly clashing with him.
But Itachi hadn't massacred the Uchiha clan yet, and Biwa Juzo hadn't been killed by the Fourth Mizukage either.
It was all a bit… chaotic.
Still, Gen didn't dwell on the inconsistencies. The moment he saw Zabuza, he knew this was the guy he needed.
Especially Haku. His Ice Release could be a major asset...
"That guy... I think he's a rogue Mist ninja," Jiraiya muttered, raising a brow.
Kakashi nodded. "Momochi Zabuza. Known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist. Reportedly fled the village after leading a failed coup. Didn't expect to run into him here."
"A coup d'état?" Gen blinked, then murmured thoughtfully,
"If he escaped Mist after trying to overthrow the system… he must know the place inside and out."
Kakashi and Jiraiya had already started to think along the same lines.
After hearing Gen's plan, they'd decided to head toward Gato in hopes of finding a Mist rogue to guide them.
They never expected to hit the jackpot this quickly.
"A pleasure to meet you," Zabuza said calmly. Though cautious, he saw no reason to assume he had offended Konoha. Not realizing the severity of the situation, he spoke first.
"To think I'd encounter the famous Copy Ninja Kakashi in such a remote place as the Land of Waves."
"Ah, and I didn't expect to see the infamous rogue of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi replied, glancing around warily.
"I wonder where you're heading. You're quite dangerous, after all."
"Where I go has nothing to do with you," Zabuza said coolly, frowning.
"I'd prefer we leave each other alone. Whatever happened between our villages… I'm no longer part of Kirigakure."
"We know," Jiraiya replied with a chuckle. "That's why we have a bit of an unusual request."
"A request?"
Zabuza let out a low scoff. These Leaf shinobi were acting strange.
"A request, huh? Let's hear it then."
"Let me handle this, Lord Jiraiya," Gen suddenly stepped forward.
The name made Zabuza freeze.
Jiraiya?
One of the Legendary Sannin?
As a former assassin of the Mist, he had naturally heard of Jiraiya. His name was in their classified files.
But Jiraiya had been out of the public eye for a while. With the Land of Water being so isolated, information had become scarce.
No wonder that old guy looked familiar...
"Hatake Kakashi… Jiraiya of the Sannin… What the hell are these guys doing here?"
Zabuza gulped inwardly. This situation was quickly turning serious—but he kept a calm exterior.
"You want to talk?" Jiraiya asked, curious, but soon nodded. "Go ahead, then."
"Right," Gen smiled, then looked directly at Zabuza.
"Simply put, we need to get to Kirigakure. And you know it well. We'd like to hire you as our guide."
"Hire me? To go to Mist?"
Now Zabuza fully understood the gravity of the situation.
He never imagined he'd run into these people in the Land of Waves.
Even if they hadn't said too much, his instincts as a former ANBU told him this was no ordinary mission.
If Konoha was heading to Mist… that could mean serious political stakes. And with people like them involved?
Worse still, given Mist's usual protocols—anyone with knowledge of sensitive matters would eventually be… silenced.
If Konoha operated the same way, once they got what they wanted, they'd likely cut him loose.
Zabuza's gaze darkened as his hand slowly tightened around the short blade at his waist.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said in a low, guarded voice.
"I don't understand your intentions either. So let's just go our separate ways."
"..."
Gen paused, blinking in surprise at Zabuza's sudden change in tone.
"So… you're saying there's no deal?"
"Brat, I suggest you don't push me."
Zabuza's voice grew heavier. His fingers clenched the hilt of his blade.
Even Haku picked up on the tension, silently gathering chakra and slipping into a defensive stance.
Jiraiya and Kakashi exchanged glances—negotiations had clearly broken down. Both began preparing for a possible fight.
The atmosphere turned thick with killing intent.
Leaves fluttered down in the distance, and the air around them seemed to grow colder.
Gen let out a pretentious sigh, and in an instant, chakra burst from his entire body as purple lightning spread across him.
"Then let's settle this with our fists!"
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