Naruto's Goal

Zabuza and Haku's every attack pattern, every coordinated tactic, had all been within Naruto's expectations.

This did not merely stem from the vast combat experience and foresight accumulated through countless cycles.

It also came from Naruto's familiarity with every combat habit and every way of thinking possessed by the two before him.

He knew them so well that merely seeing their opening stance allowed him to perfectly deduce every change that would occur over the next dozen seconds.

"Your coordination is flawless."

Only then did Naruto turn his gaze toward Haku, whose expression had subtly changed. His tone remained calm. "But you have no chance of defeating me."

"Haku, you are very strong. At such a young age, your potential in battle is even greater than Zabuza's."

"But you have always subconsciously restrained that immense power and hidden its edge."

Naruto paused before stating the core reason. "It is simply because you are not ruthless enough. You do not wish to truly kill. You are, by nature, a gentle person."

Haku suddenly froze, his already pale face instantly turning even whiter.

Even the hand clutching the Senbon began to tremble slightly.

This person...

This stranger from Konoha...

How could he know such things?

How could he see through the deepest struggle in my heart?

We have only met for the first time. We only exchanged one move, and I merely attacked him once with Senbon!

How could he be so certain that I was restraining my power and had not gone all out?

At that moment, it was not only Haku. Even Zabuza, who had survived countless battles, suffered an unprecedented shock.

He tightly gripped the handle of the Kubikiribōchō and demanded in a low, wary voice, "Who exactly are you?"

Naruto understood clearly that of the two before him, Zabuza had always been the true decision-maker.

Though Haku was formidable and thoughtful, he was more often the one who followed.

Therefore, the key to persuading them was breaking through Zabuza's psychological defenses.

Naruto knew that although Zabuza looked fierce and spoke sharply, he still possessed convictions and a bottom line. He was the typical sort whose bark was worse than his bite.

Against someone like that, he could neither be relentlessly forceful nor overly weak. He had to balance firmness with gentleness.

"For now, I am a Konoha ninja, Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto's tone was grave and calm, carrying a hint of matter-of-fact certainty. "I have only one goal: to bring about a thorough transformation of the entire Shinobi World. So... you need me."

"We need you?"

Zabuza let out a contemptuous sneer, as if he had just heard some absurd joke.

He neither accepted Naruto's explanation nor trusted Naruto himself.

What made Zabuza feel even stranger was Naruto's logic.

You want to transform the Shinobi World, yet you say we need you?

That did not sound like cooperation at all. It sounded more like a one-sided declaration.

Naruto did not immediately argue. Instead, he slightly raised his head, his gaze seeming to pierce through layers of leaves toward the sky, as though he had fallen into some distant memory.

Then he spoke lightly, his voice carrying a weariness utterly at odds with his appearance and age. "The Bloody Mist Village... what a lamentable story."

Zabuza's expression remained cold and hard. He did not respond, but neither did he interrupt Naruto.

He wanted to see what this mysterious Konoha ninja named Naruto Uzumaki could possibly say.

In truth, Zabuza's patience at that moment did not come from tolerance or curiosity, but from a clear understanding of reality.

Their brief clash had already proven that, whether in raw strength or intelligence gathering, both he and Haku were completely outclassed by their opponent.

There was no chance of winning through brute force. It was better to first hear what Naruto wanted to say.

"More than a decade ago, Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure, became a perfect Jinchuriki. At the time, Hidden Mist had Genji, Ao, Gonbei, and Ao above, and Hozuki Mangetsu, Suikazan Fuguki, and others below..."

Naruto slowly named one figure after another, each a household name in Hidden Mist. Finally, his gaze settled on Zabuza. "And you, Momochi Zabuza."

"All of you once worked for the village's future and wanted to make the Bloody Mist Village better. But all of that was completely changed by one person: the strongest ninja of that time, Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage."

"He turned Hidden Mist back into that despairing village of bloody mist, forcing everyone to live in fear."

"So you stepped forward and opposed him. You even tried to assassinate him. Though you failed, you never gave up. Even now, you are still trying to gather strength, hoping to return to Kirigakure and take revenge."

Naruto's words drew Zabuza into memories of the past as well.

Naruto paused again, then continued, "That is why I possess both the strength and determination to change the Shinobi World. Yet you can only remain trapped in a tiny place like the Land of Waves, living in shameful desperation while the dream that was already distant becomes increasingly out of reach. So..."

"You need me! Only I can help you return to the Bloody Mist Village, change every tragedy, and fulfill your dream!"

Naruto stared directly into Zabuza's eyes and said with absolute certainty, "If it were anyone else, I might have killed them already. But you, Zabuza, are different. You are a real man, one who dares to reject an unjust reality and stand against oppression. That is precisely why I am willing to reason with you here."

Every word Naruto spoke seemed to strike directly at Zabuza's heart.

Naruto knew all too well what kind of words could pierce Zabuza's hardened exterior and reach the deepest part of him, where his resentment and yearning lay hidden.

If not for the wrong place, the premature timing, and the final shred of pride he was forcing himself to maintain, Zabuza might have wavered long ago.

"You little brat..."

Zabuza's voice trembled slightly. The fighting spirit he had kept taut seemed to dissipate by more than half in an instant, and the hand holding his sword unconsciously loosened.

"Mr. Zabuza..."

Haku looked worriedly at the man beside him.

He had never seen Zabuza reveal such a shaken, almost vulnerable expression.

Seeing that the atmosphere had been built up sufficiently, Naruto abruptly changed course and delivered the final blow. "Gato is one of the world's wealthiest men. The gangs and samurai under his command possess a certain degree of military power. Most of his vast holdings were acquired through improper means, such as the predicament currently facing the Land of Waves."

"Therefore, if I am to thoroughly reform the Shinobi World, including bringing an end to the Bloody Mist Village, I need money—vast amounts of money—as well as influence and supporters. Gato's money happens to be the initial funding for reforming the Shinobi World."

Naruto then recited a string of extremely detailed intelligence without the slightest hesitation.

For example, the exact location of Gato's vault, the number of samurai guarding it, whether he had hired ninja, the identities of his most trusted accountant and butler, and where he himself currently was...

"Y-you... want to kill Gato?"

Zabuza was horrified. This time, he was completely convinced.

This boy named Naruto Uzumaki was not only terrifyingly strong.

His intelligence capabilities were equally horrifying. He had uncovered Gato's entire background with such clarity.