A Brief Alliance

Faced with Zabuza's question.

Naruto held up two fingers, his gaze as calm as still water. "First, Gato has to die."

"His wealth should be put to better use, like rebuilding the country he's ravaged, or... funding meaningful change. After all, that money wasn't earned honestly."

"Second, the two of you will become my subordinates."

A brief silence fell. Only the wind rustling through the leaves could be heard.

Naruto looked at the two ninjas before him. He had fought them in some of his cycles, and in most of the others they had been brief allies or strangers. He felt nothing in particular.

Naruto knew one thing all too well.

Words were often empty in the ninja world. Only strength and self-interest could truly sway people.

At last, Zabuza slowly raised his head, a hint of reluctance mingling with helplessness. He looked at Naruto and said in a low voice, "I recognize your strength, and your terrifying ability to gather information, but I still find it hard to trust you."

Naruto replied coldly, "I don't need words to convince you. You have only two choices."

"Either keep being Gato's dog and let me take you out here, or seize this chance to join me, bring change to this rotten ninja world, and make your dream come true."

"..."

"Interesting... Looks like we have no choice..."

Zabuza reluctantly tossed aside the Kubikiribōchō, signaling his submission. Then he added, "I hope you won't forget what you promised me."

"My only goal, both before and now, is to turn the Bloody Mist Village back into an open, peaceful Kirigakure. Nothing more."

Naruto watched Zabuza's outward show of submission in silence, understanding perfectly.

Zabuza wasn't sincerely pledging himself just yet. He was mostly weighing his options and bowing to the circumstances.

But Naruto didn't mind. This was only the first step.

He would find a way to handle the rest.

Through his actions and results, Naruto would make Zabuza and Haku genuinely accept him and follow him of their own free will.

"Then you and Haku should head back for now." Naruto began laying out the next steps. "Tell Gato you ran into Konoha's Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake, and failed the mission."

"But say it was an accident, that you were unlucky, and ask him for another chance. Given that Gato currently has no one else to turn to, he'll agree."

"What do we do after that?" Zabuza asked, surprised once again.

Besides the unfathomable Naruto Uzumaki standing before him, there was apparently another renowned veteran in Naruto's group: Kakashi Hatake.

No wonder the Demon Brothers had lost.

Naruto spoke as if it were obvious. "Didn't I say? Take his money."

"After that, tell him you need time to recover and plan again. Stay put for now and wait for me to come find you so we can continue. Once the time is right, we'll strike, kill Gato, and take all his assets."

"Oh... right."

Zabuza nodded, still somewhat bewildered.

Naruto had laid out every detail with such clarity and control that he seemed to have been plotting Gato's assassination and the seizure of his wealth for a long time.

"Now, get going. I should head back too. If I'm gone too long, Kakashi might get suspicious."

Naruto waved casually and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Seeing Naruto go, Zabuza hurriedly called out, "I haven't told you where my hideout is. How will you contact us?"

"No need."

Without turning around, Naruto replied flatly, "I know every secret hideout you have—not just the one here in the Land of Waves, but every one you've established in other countries, too."

"Take Haku back with you. And make sure you sell the act—pretend your injuries are serious..."

With that, Naruto leaped lightly onto a branch in the distance.

Then he vanished into the dense woods, leaving no trace.

But his parting words sent a chill down Zabuza's spine.

He knew about our hideout in the Land of Waves, and all our other hideouts, too?

That was even more terrifying than the Kirigakure Anbu.

Naruto disappeared into the depths of the forest, leaving only a gently swaying branch behind. The tension finally eased a little.

Haku couldn't help asking, his voice filled with doubt. "Mr. Zabuza... Can we really trust that Konoha ninja named Naruto?"

Zabuza bent down and picked up the Kubikiribōchō he had thrown to the ground. After heaving it back onto his back, he gave a bitter smile.

"What difference does it make whether we trust him or not?" Zabuza's voice was even lower than before, with a hint of self-mockery. "Haven't you seen it yet?"

"He's far stronger than either of us. And that's not all... He knows every hideout we have in the Land of Waves and even in other countries."

Zabuza paused and looked toward the direction Naruto had vanished. "There's nowhere we can run, and nowhere we can hide."

Haku lowered his head in silence, still clutching several Senbon he hadn't managed to throw.

It was true.

Naruto had seen through his deliberate restraint in a single exchange.

Even someone as powerful as Mr. Zabuza had only realized it after watching him for a long time.

Zabuza let out a long sigh, as if trying to breathe out years of pent-up frustration. "Haku, you know my dream is to change Kirigakure and end the 'Bloody Mist.' But do you know how difficult that really is?"

Haku nodded at once, his gaze gentle but firm. "I know. But no matter what, I'll stay by your side, Mr. Zabuza."

"No, that's not what I mean."

Zabuza shook his head. "I mean that if we keep hiding away in a small place like the Land of Waves, working as mercenary ninjas for people like Gato and doing their dirty work..."

"We'll never build up the strength and resources to fight our way back into Kirigakure. We're just wasting time and drifting further from our real goal."

"So Naruto Uzumaki's appearance may be our only chance for change. Maybe even... hope. Do you understand what I mean?"

As he spoke, Zabuza turned to look Haku in the eye.

Haku didn't fully understand, but he answered obediently, "I understand. We're at a dead end, and Naruto's arrival might help us break out of it."

"Exactly!"

Zabuza's voice grew firm again. "I hope he doesn't disappoint me..."

Before leaving, Zabuza took one last look toward the direction Naruto had gone and said coldly, "Let's go. We'll do as Naruto said and keep Gato in the dark for now."