The air over the bridge seemed to freeze at that moment.
The scalding steam gradually dispersed, revealing the devastated battlefield.
Haku struggled to push himself up with both hands, kneeling on one knee on the searing bridge deck.
He gasped for breath, every breath making his lungs feel as though they were being scorched by flames.
His once fair, delicate face was now covered in soot and several minor burns, leaving him utterly bedraggled.
He raised his head. The cold resolve in his clear eyes was gone, replaced by a profound, indescribable shock and the emptiness left by shattered faith.
He had lost.
Lost completely!
The Kekkei Genkai he took such pride in and the killing techniques he had painstakingly honed to protect Mr. Zabuza were like folded paper toys before this black-haired boy, torn to shreds without the slightest effort.
His opponent had not even used any ninjutsu or formed any hand seals. He had merely glanced at him.
Just what was that power?
Was he a god?
Looking at the same careless smile on Shengu Xuan's face, Haku felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness rise within him.
He knew he had no trump cards left.
Haku's voice was hoarse and trembling.
"Why didn't you kill me?"
He looked at Shengu Xuan, a trace of pleading in his eyes.
"I've already lost."
"As Mr. Zabuza's tool, I've lost my value."
"Please, kill me!"
To Haku, if he could not protect Zabuza or serve his purpose as a tool, he did not deserve to live in this world.
Shengu Xuan looked down at Haku, the corner of his mouth curving into a mocking smile.
"Kill you?"
"Where's the fun in that?"
Shengu Xuan strolled leisurely up to Haku.
"I told you just now. I was only clearing away some unsightly chunks of ice."
"As for an insect like you..."
He reached out a finger and tipped Haku's chin up, forcing him to look straight into his eyes.
"You think your life belongs to you?"
"Just because you want to die, I have to oblige?"
Shengu Xuan's eyes were cold and fathomless, as though they could see through Haku's soul.
"A pathetic wretch like you, who treats himself as a tool and depends on someone else for even his reason to live, isn't even worth killing."
Shengu Xuan released him and flicked his hand in disgust.
"Keep your life and watch closely."
"See what a pitiful face that master you're so desperate to protect makes when he faces true despair!"
Haku shuddered all over and whipped his head toward a spot nearby.
"Mr. Zabuza!"
Haku let out a piercing cry.
Elsewhere lay Kakashi and Zabuza's battlefield.
Zabuza's body shook violently. His gaze was fixed on Haku, who lay on the ground, while the Kubikiribōchō hung limply at his side.
He had seen it.
He had seen Haku's prized Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals evaporate in an instant.
He had seen Haku hit the ground like a rag doll, no longer able to fight.
More than that, he had seen the boy named Shengu Xuan and those eyes that fired beams of destruction!
Zabuza's lips trembled as he forced a few words through his teeth.
"A monster..."
"That's a monster..."
He had once thought himself a demon, an asura who could reap lives in the darkness.
Only now did he understand that before this true monster, he was nothing but a clown brandishing scrap metal before a master swordsman.
An icy voice sounded beside Zabuza's ear.
"Zabuza, getting distracted in battle is a fatal mistake."
At some point, Kakashi had appeared beside Zabuza. He had not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by.
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"
Bang!
A cloud of white smoke burst out.
Eight ferocious Ninken shot out of the ground, instantly sinking their teeth into Zabuza's limbs and body and pinning him firmly in place!
Zabuza struggled wildly.
"Damn it!"
"Let go of me!"
But he had already exhausted his strength in the earlier battle. With his composure now shattered as well, he could not break free of the Ninken's restraints.
Standing less than five meters from Zabuza, Kakashi slowly raised his right hand.
"It's over, Zabuza."
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
The piercing sound of chirping birds instantly rang through the sky!
Violent lightning release chakra gathered in Kakashi's palm, forming a dazzling mass of blue lightning that seemed capable of cutting through anything!
Chidori!
Also known as Lightning Blade!
Kakashi's signature technique!
Kakashi's Sharingan locked onto Zabuza's heart as he lowered himself slightly, ready to charge.
"This time, I won't let you escape!"
Looking at that dazzling lightning, Zabuza stopped struggling.
He did not look at Kakashi. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Haku in the distance.
Zabuza spoke hoarsely, his voice carrying a tremor even he did not notice.
"Haku..."
He had always treated Haku as a tool, a useful weapon.
But now, as death truly descended and he saw Haku lying in a pool of blood for his sake, a crack seemed to appear in his frozen heart.
He had lost.
Lost to Kakashi.
And even more so to that incomprehensible monster of a boy.
Zabuza closed his eyes and gave up resisting.
"Do it, Kakashi."
"For a ninja, dying on the battlefield isn't such a bad end."
Kakashi's gaze sharpened, and he pushed off hard!
"Lightning Blade!"
The blue light became a streak of lightning, heading straight for Zabuza's chest!
Haku screamed in despair, desperately trying to crawl over.
"No!!!"
But his body no longer obeyed him at all.
At that critical instant.
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
A sudden, brazen round of applause came from the other end of the bridge.
The applause was accompanied by a dense jumble of footsteps and all manner of vulgar curses.
Kakashi's brow furrowed sharply, and he forcibly twisted his body.
Lightning Blade grazed Zabuza's shoulder and blasted a large crater into the bridge deck.
He warily turned toward the source of the sound.
At the end of the bridge, where the thick fog had completely dispersed, a dark mass of figures surged forward like a tide.
At their head was a short, sleazy-looking man wearing an expensive suit and sunglasses.
He leaned on a gold-inlaid cane, a nauseatingly smug smile on his face.
It was Gato, the Land of Waves' tyrant and the crime boss who controlled its shipping!
Behind Gato followed a full two or three hundred heavily armed thugs!
They carried machetes and iron bars, and even a few guns.
Every one of them looked vicious, and they blocked the bridge's exit completely.
Gato stopped, pushed his sunglasses up his nose, and spoke in a tone that begged for a beating.
"Well, well, what a wonderful performance."
"The Demon of Kirigakure?"
"Konoha's elite?"
"Hahaha! Look at what a sorry state you're in. You're killing me!"
Gato walked up to Zabuza and poked his cane at his face as the Ninken held him down.
Gato berated him arrogantly.
"Zabuza, Zabuza. I paid all that money to hire you, and this is how you do your job?"
"You couldn't even deal with a few Konoha Genin and one lousy old bridge builder. You're utterly useless!"
Zabuza's eyes snapped open, blazing with murderous intent.
"Gato, you bastard! What are you trying to do?"
Gato burst out laughing.
"What am I trying to do?"
"Can't you tell?"
"I'm a businessman. Costs matter more than anything to a businessman."
"Since a useless fool like you failed, I had no choice but to bring my own men to clean up the mess."
"And while I'm at it..."
Gato's gaze swept over Kakashi and Sasuke before finally settling on Shengu Xuan.
A trace of greed and cruelty flashed in his eyes.
"I'll throw you meddlesome ninja into the sea along with that old bridge builder and feed you to the sharks!"
"That way, I won't even have to pay your fee!"
"Hahahaha!"
As Gato finished speaking, the two or three hundred thugs behind him raised their weapons and let out deafening shouts.
"Cut them down!"
"Chop that cocky black-haired brat into mincemeat!"
"Boss, that masked kid looks pretty cute. Can you let us have some fun with him afterward?"
Filthy language rang across the bridge.
Kakashi's expression darkened to the extreme.
He had never expected Gato to show up at a time like this with so many men to double-cross his own hire.
He had already used up most of his chakra.
Sasuke had only just recovered from serious injuries, and Naruto was absent. Facing these hundreds of desperate criminals, the situation was grim.
Kakashi turned to discuss a plan with Shengu Xuan.
"Shengu Xuan, the situation has changed..."
But when he saw Shengu Xuan's expression, the words caught in his throat.
Shengu Xuan was not looking at the shouting thugs or at Gato.
He merely kept his head lowered, his shoulders shaking slightly.
"Heh..."
"Hehehe..."
A low, eerie laugh spilled from Shengu Xuan's throat.
It grew louder and louder, finally turning into unrestrained, wild laughter!
"Hahahahaha!"
Shengu Xuan threw back his head and laughed until tears nearly came to his eyes.
He pointed at Gato as though looking at the most ridiculous comedian in the world.
Shengu Xuan's smile vanished, and his gaze instantly became colder than a polar glacier.
Cruel savagery flickered in those pitch-black eyes.
"You pieces of trash..."
"Who gave you the courage to spout such nonsense before a god?"
Before you continue