"People must learn to admit their insignificance."
"If you don't kill my lord, you have finally appeared! I've been unable to contact you before," Haku exclaimed, his voice carrying a rare hint of urgency.
The sight of Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, filled him with relief, but his gaze quickly shifted to the figure beside him—Ghost Lantern Mangetsu, the prodigious wielder of all seven swords. "Who is this, Lord Zabuza? Are you not going to attack Master's friend again?"
Zabuza narrowed his sharp eyes, irritation flickering across his scarred face. Just as he was about to respond, a thought struck him, and he barked, "Why are you asking? Don't forget your place. You're just a tool I picked up! Deliver your report and leave."
"...Lord Zabuza…"
Haku hesitated, nodding slightly, disappointment shadowing his delicate features as he reluctantly stepped back.
Zabuza let out a quiet sigh, watching Haku's reaction. He never enjoyed scolding the boy, but he had little choice. Though Haku had been a discarded orphan, Zabuza had taken him in upon realizing his latent ability—the Ice Release kekkei genkai of the Yuki Clan. Over time, their relationship had evolved beyond mere utility; it was something closer to a master and disciple, even if Zabuza refused to acknowledge it.
Returning to Kirigakure to challenge the Masked Man's control over the Fourth Mizukage was a suicide mission. Zabuza didn't want Haku caught up in the bloodshed.
Mangetsu, reading Zabuza's intent, smirked. "If it's decided, Zabuza, don't push him away on purpose. This boy, a Yuki Clan survivor, could have fled long ago. But he didn't. That means he deserves to know our plan."
With that, Mangetsu gestured toward Haku and said with a knowing smile, "Young specter of the Yuki Clan, Zabuza and I are returning to assassinate the Mizukage. Even knowing this… are you still willing to follow?"
Haku's breath hitched. Assassinate the Mizukage? The words lingered in his mind, but his answer was firm. "I will follow."
Years ago, Zabuza had saved his life. Without him, Haku would have perished in the slums. Even if it meant facing the Mizukage, he would not abandon the man who gave him purpose.
Zabuza growled, masking his emotions. "I told you to leave, yet here you are. Fine! Now there's no turning back—you'll come with us to assassinate the Mizukage. Why don't you ever listen?"
Mangetsu chuckled. "One more fighter increases our odds. And tell me, Zabuza—if we left him behind, do you think he'd have a future in this broken village? He'd be worse off than before."
Zabuza fell silent, fists clenching.
Mangetsu changed the subject. "Enough of this. We need a strategy. Even if we get past the Fourth, we still have the Masked Man to deal with."
His sharp gaze flickered toward the opposite street, where a blond-haired figure ate seafood porridge with calculated ease. "Zabuza, don't you see? With him here, no matter what plans we make, the outcome hinges on his whims…"
Zabuza's face twitched, but he forced himself to respond, "Once we reach the village, we should be able to rally others against Menma. No matter how strong he is, he can't stand against all of Kirigakure."
Mangetsu shook his head. "No ninja can defeat an entire village. But Kirigakure has never been united. They don't need to face the whole Mist. They just need to manipulate the right pieces from the shadows."
Zabuza's jaw tightened. "Can we really just stand by and let our village become a battleground for others?"
Mangetsu gave him a knowing smile before walking toward Naruto.
---
Naruto, calmly sipping his soup, glanced up as the group approached. His gaze lingered on Haku.
This is unexpected…
The worldline was always shifting. If it were truly fixed, he would still be in Konoha, dismissed as the dead-last loser. Assuming fate remained static was a fool's delusion.
Mangetsu, ever the opportunist, grinned. "Menma-senpai, there's news from the village. Hoshigaki Kisame killed Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish and attempted to assassinate the Daimyo of the Land of Water. He defected, which means this isn't the Masked Man's conspiracy… Do we proceed with our Kirigakure plan?"
Naruto stayed silent, his gaze shifting to Haku.
Mangetsu immediately explained, "This is Haku, Zabuza's right hand. He possesses the Yuki Clan's Ice Release. He's the one who brought the intel."
Naruto's voice remained indifferent. "Assassinating the Mizukage is your business. I'm just a spectator. The plan is yours to decide."
Mangetsu's grin widened. "I know Senpai doesn't concern himself with mere Jōnin, but what if I overthrow the Fourth Mizukage and take his place? You'd need a Mizukage in your pocket, wouldn't you?"
Naruto regarded him with a cold smirk. "You're offering me a deal? With your level of power, do you really think you can become Mizukage?"
Mangetsu thumped his chest. "That's why I need your help. If you support me, I swear that once I'm Mizukage, I will sign an alliance with Uzushiogakure, recognize the Uzumaki Clan's sovereignty, and restart trade relations."
His voice was steady, his ambition laid bare.
Zabuza's frown deepened. Wasn't the plan to free the Mizukage from control, not replace him?
But Mangetsu's intent was clear—if they assassinated the Fourth, the village would still be vulnerable. Someone else would seize control, and it might as well be someone willing to cooperate with Uzushio.
Kirigakure would still be a chessboard. And they… just chess pieces.
Even if Zabuza hated it, Mangetsu's logic was sound. Their current strength wasn't enough to challenge the Masked Man and the Fourth simultaneously. This was the only viable move.
Mangetsu sighed.
He hated bending to outside forces. But at least this was better than the alternative—under the Masked Man's influence, Kirigakure had become a graveyard of bloodlines.
At least this way, they had a chance to reclaim control.
Naruto, weighing the proposition, turned his gaze to the distant ocean. "Save the negotiations. First, you need to prove yourself worthy of the title. Show me your resolve."
Mangetsu smirked. "I will."
Naruto studied him, then vanished from the street.
The Land of Water was Obito's domain, where White Zetsu lurked in the shadows. Moving carelessly would expose his presence. He needed to infiltrate Kirigakure quietly, locate the remaining bloodline clans, and perhaps—just perhaps—find a way to artificially recreate bloodline limits.
After all, if Hashirama's Wood Release could be artificially replicated, then so could others. And if that was possible… then creating artificial Sage Bodies—or even an artificial Ōtsutsuki—was within reach.
Zabuza watched Naruto disappear, exhaling deeply. "Mangetsu… looks like we can never escape being chess pieces. The best we can do is play the game."
Mangetsu chuckled darkly. "Zabuza… People must learn to admit their insignificance. We were never chess pieces before. We were just dust, crushed under the weight of the board itself."
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