Zabuza and Haku

"Lord Zabuza, we're almost there."

On a path in the Land of Waves, Haku and Zabuza were heading toward the country's interior. Their target was, of course, Gato.

After Zabuza's failed assassination of the Mizukage, they had taken advantage of the Kaguya Clan's rebellion to leave Kirigakure and become rogue ninja.

It was just that over the years, they had taken assassination jobs everywhere, and their days could hardly be called good.

To secure more stability and scrape together more funds so he could return to the Land of Water, Zabuza had naturally set his sights on Gato, who was recruiting ninja.

Gato might have been a scoundrel, but he was loaded.

And Zabuza had probably undergone Kirigakure's professional training. Like Kisame, he possessed a decent sense of professional ethics, and had not thought of simply cutting Gato down.

"Mm. Let's move faster."

Zabuza nodded, his voice icy and devoid of emotion.

"The sooner we settle this, the more time we'll have to go back to Kirigakure and take a look over there."

Zabuza was an extremely ambitious man. At the same time, like Kisame, he did care about Kirigakure in his heart.

Otherwise, seeing the chaos in Kirigakure, he would not have thought of assassinating the Mizukage in an attempt to change everything.

Even after leaving, he still had some lingering attachment in his heart.

"Mm. Lord Zabuza will definitely succeed."

Haku nodded at the side. As Zabuza's tool, no matter what ideas Zabuza had, he would support him unconditionally!

The two traveled onward. Before long, both of them suddenly frowned.

Because they noticed that not far ahead, three figures were also walking toward them. And judging from their attire...

"They're all ninja. From Konoha?"

Zabuza swept a glance over them. The middle-aged white-haired old geezer looked familiar to him, but he could not recognize him for the moment.

He ignored the other brat, but the man with white hair and a forehead protector covering half his eye caught his attention.

"Konoha's Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake?"

"Huh? This is?"

Kitagawa Gen and the other two also looked at Zabuza and Haku in confusion. Kitagawa Gen in particular had an especially odd expression.

Wasn't this Zabuza and Haku?

Counting the time, it did seem like they should have come to Gato's place to work for him.

And he also noticed that Zabuza did not have Kubikiribōchō on his back.

In truth, he really could not quite make sense of Naruto's timeline. He seemed to remember that when the Kaguya Clan was wiped out, Zabuza had already had Kubikiribōchō, and at that time he had even run into Kimimaro and nearly fought him.

But back then Itachi Uchiha had not even wiped out his clan yet, and Biwa Juzo had not been killed by the lucid Fourth Mizukage either. It could only be called a bit chaotic.

However, Kitagawa Gen did not care that much. The moment he saw Zabuza, he knew he had waited for the person he wanted!

Especially Haku. That Ice Release of his might even be able to help him.

"This guy seems to be a rogue ninja from Kirigakure?"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and spoke in confusion, while Kakashi nodded.

"Mm. Zabuza Momochi, known as the Demon. It's said he launched a rebellion in Kirigakure and left the village because of it. I didn't expect to run into him here."

"Huh, launched a coup?"

Kitagawa Gen blinked and spoke in a low voice.

"If he could leave Kirigakure safely after that, doesn't that mean he's very familiar with Kirigakure?"

In truth, without Kitagawa Gen needing to say much, both Kakashi and Jiraiya had already had ideas.

After listening to Kitagawa Gen's words, they had already planned to go try their luck at Gato's place, to see if they could find a rogue ninja from Kirigakure to act as a guide.

They had not expected to run into a big fish here.

"What an honor."

Although Zabuza was somewhat cautious, he did not think he had done anything to offend Konoha. Completely unaware of the severity of the problem, he took the initiative to speak.

"I didn't expect that in a small place like the Land of Waves, I'd have the honor of running into Konoha's famous Sharingan Kakashi."

"Ah, I didn't expect to run into Zabuza Momochi, a fugitive ninja from Kirigakure, either."

Kakashi looked left and right, then nodded and spoke.

"I just wonder where you are headed, sir. After all, you are still rather dangerous."

"Where I'm going doesn't seem to have anything to do with you."

Zabuza frowned, then snorted coldly and spoke.

"I think it would be better if we minded our own business. Although in the past, for various reasons, Kirigakure and Konoha indeed had a poor relationship, I'm no longer a Kirigakure ninja now."

"We know you aren't anymore."

Jiraiya thought for a moment, then smiled and said,

"So, we have a presumptuous request."

"A presumptuous request?"

Zabuza snorted coldly. He felt that these Konoha people before him were rather strange.

"What presumptuous request? You might as well say it outright."

"Lord Jiraiya, let me say it."

Just then, Kitagawa Gen suddenly spoke, and his words made Zabuza's eyes widen.

Jiraiya?

One of Konoha's Sannin?

As a former member of Kirigakure's assassination unit, there was no way he had not heard of Jiraiya's great name. Naturally, the information in his hands included him too!

It was just that Jiraiya seemed to have left Konoha for some time, and coupled with the Land of Water being relatively closed off, information had also begun to dwindle, so naturally he had not paid much attention to this old geezer.

He had not expected to run into him now. No wonder he had felt the man looked somewhat familiar earlier!

"Sharingan Kakashi, Jiraiya of Konoha's Sannin... what do these guys want?"

Zabuza swallowed. He felt that things seemed to have gotten rather serious, but he still maintained his composure.

"You'll say it?"

Jiraiya glanced at Kitagawa Gen in confusion, but quickly nodded.

"Fine, I'll leave it to you."

"Okay."

Kitagawa Gen smiled, then looked at Zabuza.

"Sir Zabuza, to put it simply, we have important business that requires us to go to Kirigakure. And since you are quite familiar with Kirigakure, I wonder if we might hire you?"

"Hire me? To go to Kirigakure?"

Zabuza now realized the severity of the problem, and even more clearly realized that he was in trouble!

No matter what, he had never imagined that by coming to the Land of Waves, he would run into this bunch.

Even though they had not said too much, as a former Anbu ninja, how could he not know what it meant for Konoha ninja to go to Kirigakure?

Especially when this lineup was not to be underestimated!

Moreover, according to some of Kirigakure's practices, once personnel were involved in secrets, they would inevitably be cleaned up.

That also meant that if Konoha did the same, he would most likely be discarded the moment he was no longer useful!

Thinking this, Zabuza's gaze changed somewhat. His hand slowly gripped the short blade on his back, and his voice turned a little low.

"Everyone, I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't understand what you mean either. I think it would be better if we parted here and each went our own way."

"."

Zabuza's caution made even Kitagawa Gen freeze for a moment. Then his expression turned somewhat strange as he asked,

"So that means there's no room to talk?"

"Brat, I advise you not to push me."

Zabuza's voice grew solemn, and the grip on his blade tightened further.

Even Haku at his side sensed that something was wrong. He also quietly gathered Chakra and assumed a combat stance.

Jiraiya and Kakashi also knew that this matter probably could not be settled through talk, so they both prepared for battle.

For a moment, the atmosphere seemed to congeal. As fallen leaves drifted in the distance, a trace of killing intent seeped into the air.

"Looks like there really is no room to talk."

Kitagawa Gen sighed insincerely. In an instant, Chakra erupted from his entire body, and purple lightning spread across him.

"Then let's see the truth with our hands!"

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