What? Are you jealous?

The sun was already high in the sky. Before anyone knew it, the whole night had passed.

Sasuke exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly rose to his feet.

At the same time, with a thought, he silently put the system away.

"Are you here to gather herbs too?..."

Just as Sasuke was about to leave, a melodious female voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Someone's there?..."

Someone had managed to approach him from behind without making a sound or being noticed.

Sasuke instantly went on alert.

He stepped back, turned, and sprang aside in one fluid motion.

A lovely young woman in a pink kimono stood not far away. She was pure and charming, with a beauty beyond compare.

She carried a flower basket over her arm and smiled, her limpid eyes narrowing into slits. She was so lovely that just looking at her was a delight...

"You..."

This was the first time Sasuke had seen such an innocent-looking girl in the Shinobi World.

For a moment, he forgot the wariness he'd felt just seconds earlier. He stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly.

"Um... Hehe, are you here to gather herbs too?..."

Seeing Sasuke staring at her in a daze, the girl smiled and spoke again.

"Um... Hehe, I... I was training here. Sorry about that. I lost my composure..."

Sasuke scratched his head, blushing. He looked a little bashful.

"You seemed really afraid of me just now. Am I scary?..."

The girl asked again.

"N-no..."

Sasuke waved his hands hastily.

With a girl this pretty, he really didn't want to leave her thinking he was some creepy old man.

He hurriedly explained:

"It's just a professional habit. My name is Sasuke, and I'm a ninja. It's nice to meet you, pretty lady. Could I get your WeChat..."

"Would you mind getting to know each other?..."

Caught up in his excitement, Sasuke had nearly brought his old way of life from before his transmigration into the ninja world...

"Uh..."

Seeing how forward Sasuke was, the girl looked a little surprised. Then she smiled.

"My name is Haku. I came here to gather herbs. It's nice to meet you."

Haku?...

The moment Sasuke heard that, his expression froze.

The Land of Waves. Zabuza...

Could this pretty girl in front of him really be Haku, Zabuza's subordinate?...

The two fell silent again. Seeing this, Haku smiled faintly and changed the subject.

"I heard you say you're a ninja. You seem so impressive. But why do you train so hard?..."

It was a question with a lot of depth.

If anyone else had asked Sasuke that the first time they met, he would have turned around and walked away without giving them the time of day.

But this person was different. She had countless ties to Zabuza.

Though they each served their own side, Sasuke had come away from his last encounter with a good impression of Zabuza.

So after a pause, Sasuke replied in a low voice:

"You might laugh at me for saying this."

"But ever since the first day I started training, I've had only one goal: to become the greatest person in the Shinobi World!"

"To sweep away the Five Great Nations, crush the forces that carved up the world, end the turmoil in the Shinobi World, and bring peace for all eternity!..."

"The greatest person in the Shinobi World?..."

Haku asked thoughtfully:

"To bring peace for all eternity—is it for one person?..."

"One person?..."

The first person Sasuke thought of was Zabuza.

Then he smiled and said:

"Everyone has bonds they cherish, but I won't just sit around and accept my fate."

"Instead, I'll give everything I have to make this world shine because of me."

"One person? No. I want the whole world!..."

He raised his right fist and clenched it, looking every bit the part of a hero.

"The whole world?..."

Haku murmured the words, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.

Snow fell thickly, and the cold cut to the bone.

Beside a trash can,

a little girl sat curled up, hugging her knees. Dressed in thin clothes, she shivered uncontrollably.

People could be so cold-hearted.

A few passed right in front of her, but they all acted as if she weren't there.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. She was on the verge of falling asleep for good.

Just then, a tall figure slowly crouched down and asked in a calm, low voice:

"Would you like to come with me?..."

At that thought, a flash of light seemed to pass before her eyes. Haku came back to herself, emerging from the memories that had drifted through her mind.

"Perhaps when you have someone you want to protect, you'll find a way to become stronger..."

Her voice was even as she murmured to herself.

Sasuke, however, was stunned.

He thought, Those words...

Women may be weak, but mothers are strong...

For some reason, the phrase suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Then he thought in shock:

Could Haku already be pregnant with Zabuza's child?...

The more Sasuke thought along those lines, the more likely it seemed.

After all, for Zabuza, an elite Jonin, intercepting Kakashi was a tremendous risk, even for someone of equal rank.

But if he was saving up money for formula for his unborn child, it suddenly made perfect sense...

Thinking of this, Sasuke looked at Haku.

"I understand what you mean, but there's not much I can do to help. Since fate brought us together, take this token of my appreciation. Think of it as..."

Caught up in his emotions, Sasuke had nearly let Zabuza's name slip.

He hurriedly changed course.

"Think of it as a gift for meeting again. I have something to take care of. Remember to give my regards to big brother. See you."

With that, Sasuke turned and vanished from the scene in a few quick leaps.

He gave Haku all the money he'd taken from the four mercenary Chunin earlier.

He had a pretty good impression of Zabuza.

Since they were short on money, he might as well do them a favor.

It would also repay Zabuza for the day he'd taught him swordsmanship.

Besides, he didn't want Zabuza and Haku to keep getting mixed up with someone like Gato just for the money.

"Th-this guy's that rich?..."

"Or does he act like this whenever he meets a pretty girl?..."

Opening the bag, Haku saw a thick stack of bills.

She stared in surprise, then gazed toward the spot where Sasuke had disappeared and murmured softly.

In a house in one corner of the Land of Waves,

"I just ran into that kid."

Haku came in through the doorway, the drum-shaped knot behind her slender waist swaying with every graceful step. She was utterly enchanting.

"Oh? That kid's no ordinary one. Did you talk to him just now?..."

Zabuza's upper body was bare, wrapped in bandages.

He turned at the news and asked with keen interest.

"Yes, he's no ordinary kid."

"Do you know what he told me his training goal was?"

"He wants to become the greatest person in the Shinobi World, then unify it and bring peace for all eternity?"

"He really is a boy who moves like the wind..."

At the mention of Sasuke, Haku replied with evident interest.

"Heh... He's not just got a lot of personality. He's pretty good-looking, too!"

"You didn't fall for that pretty boy, did you?..."

"Well, well! I never thought that someone as cold as you would get jealous over a cheeky little brat!..."

At that, Haku set her flower basket aside, looked at Zabuza, and smiled.