The waves on the lake gradually subsided.
Covered in blood, Zabuza leaned against a tree trunk. His signature Kubikiribōchō had slipped from his grasp and stood embedded in the mud some distance away.
Kakashi stood opposite him, gripping a kunai and breathing hard.
"It's over, Zabuza."
Kakashi spoke coldly, about to step forward and deliver the finishing blow to this formidable enemy.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two extremely faint whistles cut through the air.
Two slender senbon struck Zabuza squarely in the neck.
Without so much as a grunt, Zabuza's eyes rolled back, and he toppled over stiffly.
Kakashi stopped short and immediately looked up at a nearby branch.
A masked boy stood there.
His mask bore the markings of Kirigakure's Anbu. He was slender and looked quite young.
"Who are you?"
Kakashi asked warily.
"I'm a member of Kirigakure's hunter-nin unit."
The boy's voice was cool, his tone flat.
"I've been looking for an opportunity to kill Zabuza."
Kakashi walked over and checked Zabuza's carotid artery.
He wasn't breathing.
He really was dead.
"Now that my mission is complete, I'll take the body."
The boy leaped down from the tree, landing lightly beside Zabuza's body, and bent down to hoist it onto his back.
Everything looked perfectly normal.
Except for Son Goten, who stood nearby, his nose twitching furiously.
Son Goten stared at the masked boy, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.
That faint fragrance from earlier had now become much stronger.
It was a subtle scent that mingled an icy coolness with some kind of medicinal herb, far more refined than the shampoo Sakura used.
"That smell..."
Son Goten swallowed.
Absolutely top-tier!
Just as the masked boy shouldered Zabuza and prepared to leave using the Body Flicker Technique-
"Don't leave so soon, pretty lady!"
A dark blur silently pressed against the boy's back.
Haku felt warmth against his back and found himself unable to move.
How was that possible?
That brat had clearly been more than ten meters away just a moment ago!
Before Haku could react, a head nestled into the crook of his neck.
"Sniff-ahh-"
Son Goten took a deep breath, making a sound like a creep.
"So it really was your scent! You smell so good!"
Everyone froze.
The kunai in Naruto's hand fell to the ground. He didn't even feel it hit his toes.
Sakura covered her face, watching through her fingers, utterly mortified.
Sasuke's mouth twitched. Was this the monster who had shattered granite with one punch?
Was this the powerhouse who had filled him with despair?
He just looked like a pervert!
Goosebumps rose all over Haku, and his face flushed bright red beneath his mask.
Even in the brutal Kirigakure, even on blood-soaked battlefields, he had never encountered this kind of... this kind of harassment!
"Y-you... what are you doing?!"
Haku's voice finally wavered, carrying a hint of panic.
"Hehe, don't be shy, pretty lady."
Son Goten rested one hand on Haku's shoulder while the other wandered brazenly toward his mask.
"It must be so stuffy under that mask. Take it off and let me have a look."
"I bet there's an absolutely stunning face under there."
Haku tried to break free, only to discover that the hand on his shoulder weighed like a mountain, pinning him in place.
This brat's strength was ridiculous!
"Let go!"
Haku snapped in a low voice.
"Nope."
Son Goten shook his head shamelessly and leaned closer, his face almost touching Haku's mask.
"What future do you have following this dead bandaged weirdo?"
"Why not come back to Konoha with me?"
"My family runs a noodle shop. You can eat your fill!"
"And I'm Konoha's strongest genin. Someday, I'm sure to become the Hokage... 's husband. Stick with me, and you'll live the good life. How about it?"
Haku was about to lose his mind.
What kind of outrageous talk was this?!
Seeing that wicked hand about to touch his mask, Haku could no longer worry about hiding his strength.
He rapidly formed hand seals with one hand.
Several senbon appeared out of thin air, radiating cold as they shot toward Son Goten's face.
At this distance, there was nowhere to dodge.
"Oh, you've got quite a temper."
Son Goten gave a startled cry, released his grip, and leaned backward.
The senbon skimmed past the tip of his nose and embedded themselves deep in the tree trunk behind him.
Seizing the opening, Haku hoisted Zabuza onto his back, chakra surging beneath his feet.
"Until we meet again!"
Leaving those slightly panicked words behind, Haku turned into a gust of wind and swiftly vanished into the thick mist.
He moved more than twice as fast as before, looking rather like he was fleeing in disarray.
Son Goten remained where he was, smacking his lips regretfully as he watched the direction Haku had disappeared in.
"She sure runs fast."
He raised his hand beneath his nose and sniffed the lingering fragrance.
"What a shame. I didn't get to see her face."
"But judging by that scent and figure alone, she's definitely a real beauty. No question."
Sakura stormed over and punched Son Goten on the head.
"You pervert! Can't you pick a better time?!"
Son Goten clutched his head, looking at Sakura with an aggrieved expression.
"Are you jealous, wifey?"
"Who's jealous?! I'm worried you'll get yourself killed over a woman!"
Sakura shouted.
Just then, Kakashi, who had been forcing himself to stay upright, swayed.
The Sharingan's side effects had kicked in.
Combined with the intense battle earlier, his chakra had been depleted to the limit.
Thud.
Kakashi fell stiffly to the ground and passed out.
"Sensei!"
Startled, Naruto and Sakura hurried over to him.
Son Goten walked over, picked Kakashi up with one hand, and slung him onto his back like a sack of rice.
"He's fine. Just worn out."
Son Goten shifted Kakashi on his back, looking completely relaxed.
"This is what happens when you don't exercise. One fight, and he's already done."
He turned to Tazuna, who was still standing there in a daze.
"Hey, you old drunk, where's your house? Hurry up and lead the way."
"I'm hungry. That fart earlier took too much out of me. I want meat."
The group set off again.
Although they had driven back a powerful enemy, the mood had not lightened.
Sasuke remained silent, replaying the battle in his mind.
Both Kakashi's ninjutsu and Son Goten's terrifying strength and speed had left him feeling deeply powerless.
And then there was that masked boy...
Although Sasuke had only caught a fleeting glimpse, he could tell that the boy was definitely no weakling.
He might even be stronger than Sasuke.
They arrived at Tazuna's house.
After getting Kakashi settled, Son Goten sat on the floor, crunching noisily on an apple.
Naruto sidled up to him and asked, his face brimming with curiosity.
"Boss Goten, that masked person earlier... was that really a girl?"
"Obviously!"
Son Goten tossed away the apple core and thumped his chest confidently.
"When has my nose ever been wrong?"
"Only the most gorgeous girls have a fragrance like that!"
He stood, walked to the window, and gazed out over the vast sea, determination shining in his eyes.
He looked as though he had made a decision about a major event in his life.
"I've decided."
Son Goten clenched his fist and shouted toward the sea.
"That masked lady-I, Son Goten, am going to marry her!"
"Not even Jesus can keep her from me! You heard me!"
Before you continue