Late at night.
The bright moon hung high, its light cascading like a waterfall.
On a path through a dense, quiet forest, a teenage girl with long hair walked along carrying a suitcase.
She seemed to have just cried, for tear tracks still lingered at the corners of her eyes. Although she looked downcast, deep in her eyes lay hope for the future and longing for her family.
The girl's long hair hung loose, and she wore fairly modest clothes that seemed suited to concealing ninja tools. Her top looked somewhat bulky, while loose culottes covered her lower half, and a pair of small sandals adorned her feet.
Every so often, she could not help stopping and looking back toward a certain mountain peak, where her loved one lay at rest. "Sister Momochi... I'll find meaning in my life. I'll do my best to live happily."
Haku wiped away her tears and narrowed her eyes, the corners of her mouth lifting into a rather awkward smile.
Yet just as Haku was about to leave the forest, gusts of wind rushed toward her from every direction. The girl stopped with her suitcase in hand without turning around. Her experience told her that those approaching were not ninja.
"Well, if it isn't Zabuza's little tool. Hey, brat! Where's Zabuza?"
"Hmph, he took President Gato's three million silver taels. Don't tell me he was useless enough to die?"
"Hey, we're asking you a question!"
Since Zabuza had died ahead of time, the scene from the original story where Gato visited Zabuza and Haku broke his arm had never happened. Naturally, these samurai thugs working for Gato knew nothing of Haku's strength.
Hearing the taunts around her, Haku frowned slightly and said calmly, "Lord Zabuza died of illness, and the mission failed. But according