"Are you saying that you got caught on purpose just to rescue us and bring us to the village you built? You're trying to undermine the Hidden Mist, aren't you?"
Zabuza took a long moment to process everything. He had to admit, he was genuinely shocked when Zixu outright said he got himself imprisoned just to break them out.
Zabuza had always been a cold and serious man. As an assassin, concealing emotions was a basic skill, which was why he had mastered the Silent Killing Technique. But this? This was something else. Just a second ago, he was convinced that Zixu had been captured by accident. Given Konoha's recent decisive actions, it wasn't impossible for conflict to have erupted between the villages, leading to Zixu's capture.
"Yes, but I wouldn't call it poaching. That sounds terrible," Zixu said with a smirk. "I'm simply gathering disillusioned and misguided youth from different villages and bringing them to my village. We inherit a new Will of Fire and stand by the belief that all people should be treated as equals."
He waved his hand dramatically before continuing.
"And based on your abilities, you'd be perfect as instructors. Why waste your time with the lowly entertainment of constant bloodshed? In my village, you can escape the chaos of the outside world and find a noble cause in teaching. Isn't that great?"
Zabuza narrowed his eyes, studying Zixu carefully. It was the first time he had ever heard someone describe a gathering of rogue ninjas in such a righteous manner. And did he just call us lost youth? This entire thing sounded like a glorified den of criminals.
"What's the difference between this and the Akatsuki organization that's been making waves lately?" Zabuza asked, suppressing his irritation. Something about this so-called teaching group just didn't sit right with him.
"That's a great question," Zixu said with an amused grin. "Akatsuki are warmongers. They'll kill anyone as long as they're paid. They're mercenaries. We're different. We don't interfere with village politics—unless they come after us first. And our village isn't limited to just one profession. You can do whatever you want."
Zixu gave an exaggerated shrug.
"Besides, we're a teaching corps. We focus on education. Of course, accidents might happen during the teaching process, and naturally, we'll take care of anyone who poses a threat to our employers…"
Zabuza felt a twitch in his eye. Teaching corps? This sounds exactly like Akatsuki. He kept his thoughts to himself, though. There was no point in arguing when the answer was obvious.
"You've talked big enough, but do you actually have a way to get us out?" Zabuza questioned, arms crossed. His impression of Zixu was still based on their last encounter, when Zixu had been on a mission with Yamato.
Back then, Zixu had been stronger than most, but not overwhelmingly so. His physical skills were impressive, but if that was all he had, Zabuza had plenty of ways to kill him. Even if he had improved over the years, it couldn't be by much.
"I believe in Lord Zixu," Haku said, his voice gentle but firm. His injuries had improved after Zixu's medical treatment, and he could now breathe easily.
Zixu felt a warmth spread in his chest at Haku's trusting gaze.
Haku didn't know Zixu's true strength—just like Zabuza, he only believed that his taijutsu and kenjutsu were decent. Yet, he still trusted him unconditionally. Maybe it was because he had no choice in this situation, but regardless, it felt nice to be relied on.
"Don't worry. I have a way. It'll only take a few minutes to open the cell," Zixu said casually. "But since I'm already in the Hidden Mist Village, it'd be a shame not to leave a mark before I go." He grinned mischievously. A thief never leaves empty-handed… No, no. Even if a good deed goes unnoticed, one should always leave something behind.
"I haven't asked yet—how did you even get captured? What happened after you left that day?" Zixu asked.
"Ahem, well… that day, a mysterious man with a crowbar rescued us… Wait." Haku's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered something. "Zixu, that mysterious man with the crowbar—was that you?"
Zixu chuckled awkwardly and scratched his nose. "Heh. Yeah, that was me. But let's move on. Continue your story."
Zabuza's expression darkened with suspicion. Zixu was the crowbar guy? That was absolute nonsense.
The mysterious man had displayed an absurd level of Raiton (Lightning Release) mastery. Only someone with an affinity bordering on perfection could wield lightning chakra to such an extreme.
If Zixu had been that strong back then, his current abilities should be unfathomable. Yet, Zabuza couldn't sense a single hint of danger from him. No matter how he looked at it, Zixu just seemed… normal.
Did this idiot really get caught by accident? And now, because his execution was imminent, was he just deluding himself into thinking he had some grand escape plan?
Zabuza glanced at Zixu with a bit of sympathy. Damn. This guy's seriously lost his mind.
Zixu noticed the ever-changing emotions in Zabuza's eyes—first suspicion, then contempt, then pity. Is this guy mentally unstable?
I can't recruit someone with a screw loose… Can Karin heal this kind of condition? Or should I ask Rosinante to smack him with a healing stick?
Haku continued speaking, his soft tone making it easy to listen to.
"After that, we encountered Kakashi and his team from Konoha. Kakashi was strong—on par with Lord Zabuza. Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were still inexperienced at the time, but it was clear they had great potential…"
Zixu stretched his arms, leaning back against the cell wall. "So you got captured while helping that guy, Hozuki Mangetsu? Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He should have escaped from the Hidden Mist Village. His health has always been poor, so I don't know how long he can hold out," Haku answered honestly.
"Hmm… if he's still around, maybe we can dig him out and invite him over when we get the chance…"
Zabuza couldn't take it anymore. His frustration boiled over as he marched up to the bars separating him from Zixu.
"Enough of your nonsense! You're making it sound like you actually have the power to pull this off!"
Zixu simply looked at him, confused.
Is he seriously insane? Zabuza clenched his fists. There has to be a limit to delusion.
If Zixu was bluffing, he'd be dead before sunrise. And if he wasn't…
No. There's no way this idiot actually has the ability to pull this off… right?
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