After Haku's mask shattered, everyone stared at one another in bewilderment.
"Haku, why is it you? What's going on?" Naruto demanded, utterly confused.
But Haku ignored his questions and simply said, "This has nothing to do with you."
That really got Naruto fuming. Does he really think so little of me?
"If that's how you're going to be, I'll knock some sense into you!" With that, Naruto charged. Seeing him rush in, Sasuke had no choice but to follow-he couldn't just watch Naruto get beaten up. Meihui, meanwhile, opted to sit back and enjoy the show.
Over on Kakashi's side, he and Zabuza were trading blows. After all, his title of Konoha Technician wasn't just for show.
After a few combination attacks, Zabuza couldn't gain any ground at all. Kakashi was practically wiping the floor with him.
Meihui watched Zabuza's side of the battle. Unless something unexpected happened, Kakashi was about to unleash his big move.
Lightning Blade gathered in Kakashi's hand as he charged straight at Zabuza's chest. By now, Zabuza had been beaten senseless and had no way to dodge.
Zabuza felt the whole world slow down at that moment, his thoughts drifting far, far into the past.
It had been a snowy winter day. After escaping his pursuers, Zabuza had stopped to rest in a village, only to discover that not a single living soul remained there. All he could do was scrounge up some food to fill his stomach.
But by the bridge, Zabuza had found Haku. Back then, Haku had seemed to have lost all hope of living, his eyes vacant.
Seeing Haku like that had reminded Zabuza of himself. Upon graduating, he had killed every other student in his class. His hands were drenched in blood.
Yet that had earned him the Mizukage's favor. From then on, he had become one of the Mizukage's trusted subordinates. Still, he couldn't endure the Mizukage's twisted rule, so he had left the village and become a missing-nin, free to do as he pleased.
Haku was just like his former self, and the sight had stirred Zabuza's compassion.
"Hey, kid. If you don't know where to go, come with me."
And just like that, the two had forged a deep bond.
Recalling every little moment he had shared with Haku, Zabuza now felt reluctant to let go, bitter, and helpless.
I'm about to die. With all his remaining strength, he shouted, "Haku!"
Kakashi's Lightning Blade was already at Zabuza's chest. In that instant, Meihui used Flying Thunder God to teleport beside Zabuza and kick him away.
Haku had already heard Zabuza's cry, but this time, he chose to trust Meihui rather than rush forward to take the fatal blow for Zabuza.
Seeing his finishing move miss, Kakashi gave Meihui a puzzled look, waiting for an explanation.
"Meihui, what are you doing? Do you realize how dangerous that was? One little mistake, and the consequences would have been more than you could bear."
Listening to Kakashi's lecture, Meihui waved impatiently and went off to find Haku and Zabuza.
"Haku, you saw it yourself. Zabuza doesn't just think of you as a tool."
Even now, Zabuza stubbornly refused to admit it.
"I've always treated Haku as a tool. He's a ninja, and ninjas are tools. They're supposed to obey orders."
But Meihui wasn't buying it.
"Oh, give it a rest. You shouted so loudly just now. Who could've missed that?"
Zabuza felt a little embarrassed. So this whole bunch heard me shout just now?
Zabuza was mortified. Even beneath his bandages, his face had turned red. He was so embarrassed he could have dug out an entire three-bedroom apartment with his toes.
But one look at their expressions told him they had all heard it.
It's over. I can't face anyone now. Zabuza buried his face straight in Haku's chest.
"Ahem. Stop showing off, you two. Zabuza, Haku, when are you getting married?"
At the word "married," Zabuza raised his head again and gave Haku a look brimming with affection.
It nearly blinded Meihui's poor, twenty-four-karat titanium-alloy eyes.
"Stop, stop, stop! Stooop! Both of you, stop. I've got something to tell you. Come with me."
Meihui took the newlyweds-no, scratch that, the trusty partners-aside and told them what he had in mind.
"Thank you, Meihui. If it weren't for you, I might have lost what's most important to me. Haku told me he agreed to one condition of yours. Name it. Whether I have to climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of flames, I won't refuse."
Zabuza held Haku's hand tightly, their fingers interlaced. Tsk, tsk. They were showering everyone with their lovey-dovey antics. Meihui's eye kept twitching.
"Am I just a third wheel here?"
"All right, back to business. I want to establish a village of my own, and I hope you'll join me."
"A village of your own? Then we'll definitely be there."
Having received their answer, Meihui simply told them to stay in the Land of Water and await his orders.
"Oh, right. Go rob Gato. Building a village takes money, after all."
Once he had finished giving his instructions, Meihui headed back.
Before you continue