Day broke the next morning.
Inside a new cave.
No light reached inside, leaving the cave so dim that it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night.
Zabuza had fled here to rest.
He had just woken from sleep, the cold sweat on his forehead proof of a nightmare, and instinctively called out,
"Haku."
Zabuza's voice sounded softly, still heavy with sleep.
After calling twice without a response, he grew annoyed and shouted.
"Haku, where did you go?"
Had Haku gone to gather medicinal herbs?
Silence...
Utter silence.
Thump, thump! Thump, thump!
After shouting inside the cave, Zabuza could hear only his own breathing and his heart pounding with anger.
"That's right..."
It took him a while to calm down before Zabuza remembered that he had used Haku to cover his retreat. How could Haku still be here?
The cave remained silent, and Zabuza fell quiet as well.
Dim surroundings and sorrow always had a way of stirring up memories.
Especially now, in the wake of his loss, that once-familiar voice rose unbidden in his mind.
"Mr. Zabuza..."
"Mr. Zabuza, please let me become your tool!"
"..."
All kinds of memories and experiences surfaced in Zabuza's mind.
Zabuza, who had not shed a tear in years, now found his eyes growing wet again.
"Haku..."
People only regretted things after losing them...
But he had already sold Haku out. What could he do now? Kakashi and his group were no pushovers. Why would they show mercy to an enemy? Zabuza could not imagine Haku surviving.
Outside Tazuna's house.
Since they had already covered the instructions yesterday, there was naturally no need for everyone to guard the bridge today.
Today, it was Luo Mang's turn to go. Kakashi sent a clone to give him instructions, then return