Subduing Zabuza

"Understood, Young Clan Leader."

The Uchiha Clan members answered in unison, gripping their kunai as they pursued the warriors.

In an instant, shrill screams rose one after another.

Though most of them fled in different directions, they could hardly escape the ninjas' pursuit.

Moreover, most Uchiha Clan members possessed the Sharingan, giving them far superior vision to ordinary people.

Zabuza gripped the Kubikiribōchō. Though covered in blood, he had not forgotten his wager with Mingyou.

"Hey, brat! Our agreement still stands, right?"

"Of course." Mingyou nodded slightly, then leaped over in a few bounds and landed before Zabuza.

"Good. I'll be taking your Sharingan, then."

Zabuza smiled and planted the Kubikiribōchō into the ground before him.

"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Technique!"

He formed several hand seals. As a light breeze swept past, a thin mist began to spread through the previously well-lit street.

Before long, the fog grew denser and denser, until they could see only half a meter ahead.

You copied a portion of overflowing jonin Chakra. Chakra amount +35

You copied a secret technique: Hidden Mist Technique.

"How could this happen? Grandpa, Mingyou won't lose, will he?"

Nami stared at the thick fog, unable to stop herself from worrying about Mingyou.

After all, most of the Uchiha Clan's abilities were reflected in their eyes.

This kind of ninjutsu that created dense fog could be said to strongly counter ocular techniques, reducing the Sharingan's effectiveness to less than a third.

"Girl, have faith in Brother Mingyou. He's one of the strongest members of our Uchiha Clan."

Elder Soki gently patted the back of Nami's hand in comfort.

Having witnessed the abilities of Mingyou's Mangekyō Sharingan, he clearly understood that Mingyou possessed the strength of a Kage-level expert. There was no way he could lose to a mere mist technique.

Mingyou stood quietly where he was, waiting for Zabuza to attack.

About a minute later, Zabuza silently appeared behind Mingyou and swung his Kubikiribōchō at him.

"You were far too careless!"

The Kubikiribōchō was only half a foot from Mingyou's legs, and a smile curled across Zabuza's lips.

Cutting off this guy's legs wouldn't count as breaking the terms of the wager, would it?

"What?!"

Zabuza cried out. The Kubikiribōchō passed straight through Mingyou's legs without meeting any resistance.

It was as if those legs had never existed at all; the Kubikiribōchō had merely sliced through empty air.

"Zabuza, if I wanted to kill you, I'd only need one second. Do you believe that?"

Mingyou turned around and looked at Zabuza with a smile, but he made no move to attack.

"What exactly is going on? Is this genjutsu?"

Zabuza's face was full of confusion. He had thought the figure before him was merely an illusion, yet it could actually speak.

He swung the Kubikiribōchō again, slashing at Mingyou's head.

Unfortunately, the result was exactly the same as before. The Kubikiribōchō met no resistance whatsoever.

The kunai in Mingyou's hand spun rapidly, and in the next instant, it was pressed against Zabuza's throat.

"I told you, I only need one second to kill you."

"Either submit to me and obey my orders from now on."

"Or die, and return to the underworld from this day onward."

Zabuza swallowed hard. The kunai's sharp edge cut through the skin of his neck, and thin streams of blood slowly trickled down toward his chest.

Judging by that real killing intent and the sensation of pain, everything before him was real. It was not an illusion.

"I... I'm willing to submit to you."

Only now did Zabuza, a man who killed without blinking, truly understand the suppression brought by absolute strength.

Before this young man, his little bit of strength was utterly insignificant.

If he dared say no, he believed this youth would slit his throat without hesitation.

"Very good. Don't worry, the treatment for joining my Uchiha Clan won't be bad."

"And we're in urgent need of manpower right now. As long as you help me wholeheartedly, I naturally won't treat you unfairly."

"Starting today, I'll gradually build a ninja village in the Land of Waves and make this country strong and prosperous."

"I'll gradually expand beyond the Land of Waves and carry out a plan to unify the entire ninja world. When that time comes, you, a founding contributor, certainly won't be shortchanged."

Mingyou lightly patted Zabuza on the shoulder and began selling him a grand dream.

This method of giving a slap before offering a sweet date worked astonishingly well on a homeless stray like the defected Zabuza.

Zabuza had already been hunted by Kirigakure's ninjas and forced to flee everywhere. Now that he had found someone as powerful as Mingyou to rely on, he was naturally even more delighted.

He clasped his hands and bowed slightly to Mingyou. "Zabuza is willing to heed Master's commands."

"Mr. Zabuza, are you all right?"

At that moment, the young Haku ran over with a worried expression and grabbed Zabuza's arm as he asked.

"Haku, I'm fine."

Zabuza shook his head, remaining as cold toward Haku as ever.

Mingyou asked, "Zabuza, do you know where Gato lives?"

Zabuza nodded slightly. "Of course. What are your orders, Master?"

"Good. Take us there shortly. From now on, Gato's residence will be the new home of our Uchiha Clan."

A smile appeared at the corner of Mingyou's lips. Gato was already dead, so the properties and money he had left behind naturally became ownerless.

Aside from its more than two hundred members, the Uchiha Clan did not even have a decent change of clothes.

They could make use of the wealth Gato had plundered as startup capital for building their ninja village in the future.

"Father, what do you think?"

Mingyou returned to his clansmen and presented his idea to Fugaku.

"Hahahaha."

"Good, Mingyou. You really do have a fine head on your shoulders. We'll do as you say."

Fugaku burst into hearty laughter. He had not expected his son to be thinking so far ahead for the sake of the clan.

What reason did he, as clan leader, have to refuse?

Thus, under Zabuza's lead, more than two hundred members of the Uchiha Clan marched grandly toward Gato's residence.

Gato's home was located in the central region of the Land of Waves, a luxurious estate covering a vast area.

Tall walls had been built around the entire estate.

Once they passed through the main gate, they could see artificial hills and flowing water.

Crossing the pond by a small bridge, they found three connected European-style mansions behind it.

Though the estate was not built with gold bricks and jade tiles, judging from the construction materials alone, none of them could have been cheap.

Who knew how much ill-gotten money Gato had extorted from the villagers to build such a beautiful home?

There were also quite a few thugs and servants kept by Gato within the estate. Without exception, Zabuza drove every last one of them away.