Chapter 55 55: Gatō

"Well! Your strength is really something!" Seeing that the threat had been handled, Kakashi slowly pulled his forehead protector back over his Sharingan. "Now that the fight's over, let's get moving. But—Zabuza is a rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist Village. We need to seal his body and the Executioner's Blade, then turn them in to the Hokage." Kakashi pulled out a sealing scroll and prepared to store Zabuza's body. Just then, a masked figure appeared silently before them. Kaito, who had anticipated this moment, remained calm. Here we go... Haku, Zabuza's loyal follower. A tragic soul playing the role of a tool. The masked ninja wore a Mist Village forehead protector and spoke evenly. "Thanks for helping me capture Zabuza, the missing-nin from the Hidden Mist. We've been tracking him for a long time." He walked up to Zabuza's body and checked his pulse. The calm on his face vanished in an instant. "He's... he's dead! Zabuza-sama is actually dead..." His voice cracked with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes. "You—You actually killed Zabuza-sama!" His face twisted with grief and guilt. If only I had stepped in when he was fighting that Konoha shinobi... maybe he would still be alive! "So what? You want revenge for Zabuza?" Kaito asked flatly. Haku pulled out a few senbon needles, body trembling, face devoid of expression. "I was Zabuza-sama's tool. Now that he's gone... there's no reason for a tool like me to continue existing." "So you want us to kill you too? So you can follow him into death?" Kakashi's voice wavered slightly. "The bond between you two must've run deep..." "Yes. I hope you'll help me. There's no meaning in life for me anymore." Haku's voice was calm, as if already at peace with his fate. "Oi! What's going on? Isn't he an Anbu from the Mist Village? Why is he turning on us now?" Naruto asked, still not grasping the situation. "Idiot!" Sakura snapped. "That's not a real Anbu! He's working with Zabuza. Didn't you hear him calling him 'Zabuza-sama'?" Kaito stepped forward, not wanting to stay in this heavy atmosphere. "I'll go on ahead. He's yours, Kakashi-sensei." "If talking doesn't work and it really comes down to it... then let this master and follower rest together." A trace of pity flickered in his eyes. "Thank you," came a faint voice behind him. Kaito paused, then replied, "You don't have to live for someone else. Live for yourself." "No. I've lived with Zabuza-sama for nearly ten years. He saved me from the cold and gave me purpose. He was everything to me. Now that he's gone... my world has gone dark." Haku removed his mask, revealing a face as delicate as a girl's. His eyes held nothing but memories. "...Take care," Kaito said softly, then turned and walked away. The further he spoke, the more it felt like he was the villain in this story. One hour passed. Then two. As the golden sun began to dip behind the horizon, Kakashi and the others finally caught up to Kaito. Tazuna led the way ahead, and the group walked in silence, the air thick with sadness. Even Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet. At the edge of the forest, a modest seaside house appeared before them. "This is my home," Tazuna announced. "Dad! You're back!" A graceful woman stepped out to greet them. "These must be the Konoha shinobi here to protect you?" "Tsunami! Our guests from Konoha will be staying here until the bridge is completed. We'll count on you for food and lodging!" Tazuna said with a grin. "Of course, Father," Tsunami replied warmly. That evening, Tsunami prepared a lavish dinner to welcome Kaito and the others. Despite the Wave Country's poverty, she did her best. While it wouldn't be much in Konoha, it was a rare feast here. Later that night, everyone was given a room to rest in. But Naruto and the others still carried heavy hearts, unable to shake off the weight of what happened between Zabuza and Haku. Kaito understood. Naruto was the protagonist of this story—he would move past it soon. Turn sorrow into strength. Grow from it. Quietly, Kaito created a shadow clone to stay behind while his real body slipped away. Elsewhere, in a large, lavish villa in the Wave Country... A short man wearing sunglasses paced furiously. This was Gato—the true power behind the Wave Country's sea trade. "Where the hell are Zabuza and his little sidekick? They said this job would be over quickly!" He had been all talk, boasting how fast he'd get the job done—and now? Still nothing. "Boss! I've got news!" A hired thug entered, bowing. "Tazuna and the Konoha ninja are at his house now!" "What? Damn that Zabuza! Bastard!" Gato slammed a hand on the table. "Go find him and his brat! Tell them they've got one day. ONE!" "Yes, Boss!" the subordinate shouted, running off. --- Caught up? There's 60 more chapters on Patreon (≧〈≦) [email protected]/Zphyr_ Change @ to a.