Finally, Naruto looked down at Zabuza and added, almost too casually, "If you do the job right… You can go back to Kiri. Live your life."
Zabuza blinked, momentarily thrown. His expression twisted—not with anger, but something harder to place. Confusion, maybe. Hope. Fear. All of them crashing together.
Naruto caught the look and smirked faintly. "Surprised?"
Zabuza didn't answer.
"Don't worry," Naruto said, his voice softer now, yet still edged with truth. "No one in this world betrays their village for no reason."
Then, under his breath, barely audible, he muttered, "Except for a few…"
Zabuza's eyes sharpened at that, but Naruto didn't elaborate. Instead, he went on.
"I'm guessing you turned your back on Kiri because of the Blood Mist era. Because of the betrayals from the top… the cruelty. You got tired of all that filth choking your home."
Zabuza didn't deny it. He couldn't.
"But," Naruto continued, his tone now firm with conviction, "Kiri has changed. There's a new Mizukage now. She's not like Yagura… she's cleaning up the mess. She's trying to build something better."
Naruto tilted his head, watching Zabuza carefully. "You probably already know that, don't you?"
Zabuza slowly nodded. No sarcasm. No smart remarks. Just… silence. The silence of a man who hadn't allowed himself to hope in a long time—but just maybe… was starting to.
"That's it, anyway. Let's leave. I need to rest," Naruto said, stretching his arms before strolling over to Karin.
He leaned his weight onto her shoulder lazily and poked her cheek with a finger."Karin~"
She sighed, already anticipating trouble. "What now, Nii-san?"
Naruto gave her a dramatic pout. "Don't your beloved brother deserve at least one kiss? Look at me—wounded, bleeding, and you haven't even spared a glance!"
Karin scrunched her face and shoved him lightly. "Ugh, now you want a kiss? You're so dramatic. Go bother someone else."
Without missing a beat, Naruto spun around and threw his arms around Haku instead.
"See, Haku! Karin's being mean to me again!"
Karin crossed her arms and looked away with a huff. "Yeah, yeah. Go cry to someone who'll care."
But there was a tiny, unmistakable smirk tugging at her lips.
Naruto looked like a younger brother who'd just tattled on his sister, hugging Haku with all the drama of a five-year-old running to his mom.
Haku blinked—then finally laughed. A soft, genuine sound, like snow melting in spring.
"Yeah!" Naruto threw his fists in the air, beaming like he'd just won a war.
"That's how you should be," he said with a grin. "With a smile, you look even more beautiful."
Haku blinked again, this time caught off guard by the compliment. A gentle blush dusted her cheeks. For a brief moment, the weight of her guilt lifted—fading into the background, just like the mist that used to surround her.
The rest of the group couldn't help but smile at the sight, warmth spreading across their faces like morning sunlight.
Well—everyone except Gato, who was still groaning in pain on the ground.
With a grunt, Zabuza hoisted the man up like a sack of grain, his hands and legs bound tightly in ropes. Gato whimpered, but no one paid him much attention.
And just like that, the group began their walk back to Tazuna's house—tired, battered, but no longer carrying the same weight they did that morning.
The villagers didn't spare even a glance for Gato. Their eyes were fixed on the real stars—the heroes who had saved their home.
Cheers erupted. People waved, clapped, and some even shed tears of gratitude. Joy hung in the air like confetti on the wind.
Invitations flew in left and right—"Come to my house for dinner!" "We've got sweets!" "My daughter bakes the best rice cakes!" It was a flood of heartfelt hospitality.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi were the clear crowd favorites. Some of the local girls were practically orbiting them—giggling, blushing, swaying around like butterflies to flowers.
But alas, their enthusiasm was short-lived.
Karin, with the speed of a jealous guardian spirit, began clearing them out like a bouncer at a VIP club. One glare, one shove, and poof—Naruto's personal fanclub disappeared into the mist.
Meanwhile, Sasuke's icy stare worked even better than Karin's hands. The second he turned those Uchiha eyes on the crowd, the air dropped a few degrees and the admirers scattered like leaves in the wind.
Kakashi, though? Poor man was doomed.
He was swarmed—an endless sea of adoring villagers surrounding him from all sides, pelting him with compliments, questions, and food offers. There was no route of escape. His only visible eye widened slightly, perhaps for the first time all day.
After what felt like wading through a festival in their honor, the group finally managed to break away from the chaos and made their way—exhausted but amused—back to Tazuna's house.
When they finally reached the house, Naruto called out with his usual energy, though a little hoarse this time.
"Sensei! We're back!"
Tazuna peeked out first, eyes squinting in the evening light. A moment later, Tsunami and Inari followed, curious about the commotion.
Their expressions shifted the instant they laid eyes on Naruto—his clothes torn, bandages barely clinging on, blood dried on parts of his shirt. Tsunami gasped. Inari's eyes widened.
"Naruto!" Tsunami rushed over, worry all over her face.
Zabuza, deadpan as ever, dropped Gato like a bag of rotten potatoes. The thug hit the ground with a dull thud, groaning in pain. Without missing a beat, Zabuza dragged him over to a tree and tied him up like unwanted garden trash.
Meanwhile, Tsunami knelt in front of Naruto, gently checking his injuries. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Naruto grinned, throwing his hands up like he hadn't almost been skewered multiple times today. "Just a little scratch here and there. You should see the other guy."
Inari stood nearby, visibly awestruck—Naruto looked like a battle-worn hero straight out of a legend. Covered in dirt and blood, but still standing tall with that same goofball smile.
And somehow… that made Inari smile too.
Inari stood there, eyes wide and heart full—his admiration for Naruto and the shinobi way had just hit new heights. The way Naruto smiled through pain, protected others, and turned enemies into allies… it was something beyond anything he'd ever imagined. A real-life hero.
But while the boy looked on in awe, Tazuna's gaze was locked elsewhere—fixed squarely on Haku.
He hadn't said a word yet, but his eyes spoke volumes. They weren't filled with anger or hatred—but something heavier. Hurt. Betrayal.
Haku felt it like a blade against her skin. That look. She'd seen it too many times in her life. Her shoulders tensed, head slowly lowering as guilt clawed its way back up her spine. The warmth she'd started to feel around Naruto and the others… flickered.
Naruto noticed instantly.
With the grace of someone far too young to carry this kind of emotional weight, he stepped in without hesitation.
"Sensei," he said, voice calm but firm, "let's go inside. We can talk things through later. But let's not make her more uncomfortable than she already is. If anyone had a reason to hold a grudge—it's me. And I've already forgiven her."
Tazuna clenched his jaw, his hands tightening into fists by his sides. "Even if you forgive her, I can't."
The words cut through the moment like a kunai through silence.
But Naruto didn't flinch.
He just looked at Tazuna with quiet conviction in his eyes. Not fighting. Not accusing. Just… asking him to understand.
The silence stretched.
Karin and Tsunami, not ones to let tempers simmer too long, exchanged a glance and each grabbed an arm of the grumbling old man.
"Alright, alright—enough glaring, let's go inside," Karin muttered, dragging Tazuna toward the house like a rebellious teen pulling her dad away from a street brawl.
Everyone filed in one by one. Even Zabuza, though he entered last and stood like a statue near the door, arms crossed, gaze quietly assessing.
The others took their seats. But Haku remained standing. So did Zabuza.
Haku's head was lowered, her fists clenched at her sides. Guilt weighed her down like a storm cloud pressing against her lungs.
Zabuza glanced around the room, occasionally locking eyes with someone before quickly looking away. His expression unreadable. Guarded. Like a wolf in unfamiliar woods.
The silence that filled the room was thick—awkward, tense, impossible to ignore.
Inside Haku's mind, a familiar battle raged.
"He gave you a chance, Haku," whispered a voice—soft, warm. The angel. "You can use this. Not just to live—but to become someone better."
"For once, I agree," came the sharper, colder voice—her devil side, oddly calm. "You owe them this. Apologize. Not because you're weak—but because you're strong enough to face it."
For the first time, both voices aligned.
Haku swallowed, took a shaky breath, then stepped forward.
Her voice trembled, but her resolve didn't.
"I'm… sorry."
Heads turned toward her.
"I know what I did can't be undone. I hurt people. I nearly killed someone precious to you. Naruto forgave me. Even Karin… she looked past it. But I… I haven't forgiven myself."
Tears fell, unrestrained, but her head remained bowed in deep respect.
"I'll do what I can to make up for it. I'll carry the weight of it. But please—please accept my apology."
The room was quiet again, but this time it wasn't cold. It was thoughtful. Reflective.
Even Zabuza shifted, looking almost… uncomfortable.
"I guess… I should apologize too," he muttered after a long pause. He gave the room a curt, almost awkward bow. "Tried to kill your old man. Guess that ain't something you just brush off. Sorry."