Mist Village: Two Living Dads!!

"Ah! It's Lord Sora!"

Haku's dark eyes instantly lit up as he saw Kou walking towards him and Zabuza.

He quickly and carefully placed the rabbit cage in his arms by his feet, then bowed respectfully.

Kou looked at Haku before him and responded with a smile:

"Long time no see, Haku. You look well. How have you been lately?"

His smile was gentle, and his tone of voice was light, lacking the condescension common to important figures. It was more like a big brother from next door chatting with a child.

Haku looked up at the kind young man before him, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards.

His cheeks flushed slightly, whether from excitement or nervousness, but the light in his eyes was real and bright.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Sora! I'm doing very well!"

His voice was clear and carried the youthful energy unique to boys, yet it was more restrained and polite than that of his peers.

"Lord Zabuza treats me very well! He looks after me in both my daily life and my training!"

As he spoke, he naturally moved a little closer to Zabuza, reaching out his small hand as if to take Zabuza's.

Zabuza turned his head and let out a "Tch," subtly shifting his body to avoid Haku's outstretched hand.

He turned his face away, feigning impatience.

Haku paid no mind to this, not even letting the smile on his lips falter.

He simply looked up, his clear eyes gazing at Zabuza beside him with deep affection.

Kou couldn't help but laugh as he watched Zabuza acting petulant.

Having known Zabuza for so many years, this was the first time he had ever seen the bloodthirsty Demon of the Mist display such an awkward expression.

"Lord Sora..."

Zabuza looked at Kou, who was smiling before him, and was momentarily speechless.

The corner of his mouth twitched, and a rare, unnatural blush appeared on his angular face.

If anyone else had dared to laugh at him like this, he would have drawn the Kubikiribōchō from his back and shown them what "my blade has never been dull" truly meant.

But before him stood Shiina Sora.

The first Mizukage Aide in the history of Kirigakure, the man who had changed Kirigakure single-handedly!

Furthermore, he was the benefactor who had approached him when he was planning to assassinate the Mizukage, convinced him with his strength and actions, and shown him a new future for Kirigakure.

It was precisely because of his efforts that he now lived a peaceful and tranquil life, something he had never even dared to imagine, no longer having to struggle for survival in a sea of blood.

Facing this benefactor who had changed his life, Zabuza could only choose to remain silent, to conceal his true feelings.

Kou stopped laughing as he looked at the somewhat embarrassed Zabuza before him and said with novelty:

"It seems this child Haku likes you a lot. You've become a good teacher, Zabuza."

He paused, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up again:

"However... I really didn't expect you to accompany this child shopping."

Facing Kou's teasing words, Zabuza couldn't help but retort:

"It's just because I made a promise with this brat."

He glanced at Haku beside him, his tone carrying a hint of disdain, but if one listened closely, beneath that disdain lay a trace of imperceptible guilt:

"We agreed that once he completed the tasks I assigned him for training, I would grant him one request.

Who would have thought his request would be to go shopping?"

He shook his head, as if seeing something utterly unreasonable:

"Tch... He's just a kid after all."

Haku, standing beside him, lowered his head slightly in disappointment upon hearing Zabuza's words.

Zabuza looked at Haku's lowered head beside him, his mouth opened as if to say something.

But the words turned several times in his throat, yet none could come out.

His lips moved a few times, and in the end, he could only utter a dry:

"That's enough for today. Go home to your mother first, and we'll continue training as planned tomorrow."

Haku's body stiffened slightly. He nodded and said softly:

"Yes, Teacher Zabuza."

He turned around, preparing to leave.

"Wait!"

Zabuza's voice suddenly rang out from behind him, with a sense of urgency that even he himself hadn't noticed.

Haku turned his head in confusion, his large eyes filled with bewilderment.

"You forgot this."

Zabuza's expression was stiff, and he bent down quite reluctantly to lift the snow-white rabbit from the cage placed by his feet.

He held the rabbit by the scruff of its neck; his movements were not gentle, even bordering on rough, yet his hand remained steady, ensuring the rabbit suffered no harm.

He handed the rabbit to Haku.

Haku's eyes lit up in an instant.

That radiance rose from the depths of his gaze, illuminating his entire face like the bursting of fireworks.

"Thank you, Master Zabuza!"

He took the rabbit, cradling it carefully in his arms with movements so light it was as if he were holding a fragile treasure.

He bowed deeply to Kou and Zabuza, then turned around, waving back at them as he walked away.

Kou waved back at Haku with a smile, only withdrawing his gaze once that small figure had vanished into the mist.

Haku and Zabuza were among the few things he felt he had truly changed.

He recalled the time when he had first arrived in Kirigakure.

Back then, he was still operating under the identity of a Kirigakure Anbu, with no intentions of revealing his true self.

His initial plan was actually quite simple:

Use the excuse of carrying out missions for Kirigakure to stay far away from that guy Obito, and while it was convenient to act, he would incidentally absorb the foundation of ninjutsu and secret arts that Kirigakure had accumulated over the years to strengthen his own power.

Changing Kirigakure was never really part of his plan to begin with.

After all, he wasn't genuinely interested in joining that guy Obito's Infinite Tsukuyomi project.

Joining the Akatsuki and becoming his lackey was purely a matter of being forced by the situation.

Firing off a couple of Great Fireball Techniques while working was enough to justify the payment from Obito.

Working seriously? Impossible!

However, this mindset changed instantly the moment he learned that Obito intended to wipe out all the major Kekkei Genkai clans of Kirigakure.

Are you kidding me? How could you come up with such a brain-dead idea?!

Every one of these Kekkei Genkai clans had a history spanning nearly a thousand years; not to mention their inherited bloodlines and secret arts, their very bodies alone were a massive fortune.

Do you have any idea what a waste that is! Orochimaru next door would be crying with envy!

To protect his own assets... ah, no, as an emissary of love and justice, he absolutely had to stop this horrific, anti-human act!

In the end, after much persuasion, Obito abandoned the idea of weakening Kirigakure's strength and adopted his strategic policy of "high concealment, broad accumulation of talent, and slow action."

They hit it off immediately, and after Kou staged a "desperate remonstration" in front of all of Kirigakure, followed by a coordinated act of "good cop, bad cop" with Obito—who was controlling the Fourth Mizukage—they successfully brought the hidden opposition of Kirigakure under their wing.

Kirigakure had ushered in an era of two suns in the sky.

As the representative of those extremely dissatisfied with the cruel policies during the Fourth Mizukage's (Obito's) reign, Zabuza—along with survivors of the Yuki Clan like Haku, who had been persecuted by those policies, as well as the Shikotsumyaku-wielding Kaguya Clan and the Hozuki Clan—were now all factions under Kou, standing in opposition to the forces represented by the Fourth Mizukage, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.

Kou pulled his thoughts back from the past, watching Haku's back gradually disappear into the mist, and couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental.

"Time flies so fast."

He turned his head to look at Zabuza, a hint of seriousness appearing in his gentle eyes:

"Haku has left; now that it's just the two of us, we can speak openly."

"You... have something you want to tell me, don't you?"

Zabuza watched Haku's receding figure, confirming that the small silhouette had completely merged into the mist before slowly shaking his head.

His expression turned serious, and that face, usually carrying a hint of malice, now held only the coldness and caution expected of a ninja.

"Although this brat truly has excellent talent and has already reached the strength of a Chunin at such a young age, but..."

He paused, his tone filled with a touch of regret:

"He is not suited to be a ninja."

Kou did not respond immediately.

He simply watched Zabuza quietly, his eyes devoid of surprise or skepticism, showing only a silent permission to "continue."

"Lord Kou, you should understand as well."

Zabuza's voice dropped, as if he were stating a fact he was unwilling to admit, yet had to acknowledge:

"His heart is too soft; he cannot bring himself to strike hard against enemies, he has no guard against strangers, and he still holds onto those naive fantasies about this world."

"A person like that wouldn't survive a single day on the battlefield."

His fingers tightened involuntarily around the hilt of the blade behind his back:

"He learns the ninjutsu I teach him quickly, and he trains very hard at the taijutsu I give him."

"But those things related to killing... he is not suited to learn them."

"He is different from that brat from the Kaguya clan you keep by your side."

Kou nodded in agreement.

"I know."

His voice was calm, as if he were stating a fact long since confirmed:

"This child is truly not suited to be a ninja."

Zabuza's brows furrowed slightly, as if he were waiting for him to say "but."

Kou did not say "but."

He simply looked at Zabuza and said meaningfully:

"Therefore, this is where you, as his teacher, come in, is it not?"

Zabuza froze, then fell silent for a moment.

His gaze drifted into the depths of the mist, toward the direction where Haku had disappeared, and the hand gripping his sword hilt had loosened at some point.

"...I am not suited to get along with a guy like that."

His voice was somewhat stiff, as if he were making excuses or trying to convince himself.

Kou looked at him and chuckled.

Seeing that he could not convince his superior, Zabuza gave up the struggle.

He took a deep breath, as if recalling something important, and lowered his voice further:

"Lord Sora, when I was coming over just now, I ran into Mei Terumi."

Kou's gaze tightened slightly.

"She seems to be heading toward your residence, saying she has something she wants to discuss with you."

"Mei Terumi..."

Listening to Zabuza's words, the smile on Kou's face gradually faded, replaced by a look of contemplation.

Isn't that woman busy dodging the arranged blind dates her clan keeps setting up? What could she possibly want with him...