After Zabuza finished bathing and changed into a more presentable outfit, he and Haku arrived as well.
"Haku, Zabuza, you're here. Come in, take your seats. We've been waiting for you." Sensing Zabuza and Haku's arrival, Naruto immediately set aside what he was doing and went to the courtyard gate to greet them.
"Naruto-kun, you're too kind!" Haku said.
"That's right, Naruto-kun. You're far too kind. We truly can't thank you enough," Zabuza said sincerely.
He was genuinely grateful to Naruto. Here, Naruto often looked after him. Whenever there was something delicious, Naruto would usually invite Haku and him over to share it. Zabuza really liked that feeling—the feeling of having friends.
Moreover, Naruto had now agreed to help him, making them allies on the same side. This made Zabuza appreciate Naruto's kindness even more.
To be honest, Zabuza truly liked it here. If Sasuke did not keep using sparring as an excuse to beat him up, Zabuza would like it even more.
"Come in. We're all friends, so don't be reserved." Naruto led Zabuza and Haku inside.
The moment they entered, the two of them blended right into Naruto's circle of friends. After all, they were already extremely familiar with Naruto's friends. Still, the person they had the most to talk about with was Shikamaru, because Shikamaru was the one who had led them through the door—into the world of breeding techniques.
Once everyone had arrived, delicious dishes were brought to the table one after another. Seventeen people and one fox sat around the dining table. Akamaru was a dog and had no human rights, so he could only take a bowl on the floor and wait to be rewarded with a few bones later.
Naruto sat at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping across the group.