"It was him."
The Third nodded.
Enma looked Zabuza up and down, then snorted through his nose.
"Hmph. I thought he'd be something special."
Naruto hid behind Haku, sneaking looks at the enormous monkey, taller than a man. His eyes went wide.
How did this monkey talk even bigger than Grandpa Third?
Zabuza's brows drew together.
The veins on the back of his sword hand twitched.
"Third." His voice came out low and heavy. "Are you declaring war?"
The air in the office tightened.
The Third shook his head.
"I have no intention of fighting you right now."
"Then why summon this monkey?"
Enma's eyelid twitched, but he held his temper.
"For one thing only."
"What thing?"
The Third did not answer immediately.
The office fell silent for two seconds.
Then anger began to rise, little by little, across Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkled face.
"That promise between you and Hayashi."
The Third spoke each word distinctly.
"Konoha can agree to it for now."
"Grandpa Third, but..."
Naruto grew anxious and took half a step forward.
The Third did not let him finish.
"But-"
The old man's voice suddenly sank.
"If the day truly comes when you intend to kill Hayashi..."
"You had better be ready."
Zabuza's Adam's apple bobbed.
He swallowed.
"Ready... for what?"
The anger on the Third's face suddenly vanished without a trace.
In its place came a stillness like stagnant water.
No ripples, no fluctuations. A calm so absolute it made their hearts quail.
"That would mean fighting Konoha-"
He paused.
"No, to be precise, Konoha under my leadership, Hiruzen Sarutobi's-"
"To the bitter end."
Those words struck the office floor with a weight none of them could have imagined.
"Not just you."
"Kirigakure, too, will pay a terrible price for Hayashi's death."
The office fell utterly silent.