The Determination Not to Cut Down the Land of Waves Again!
Facing Gatō before, Kaito had shown a greedy side when it came to money. Now, in front of Zabuza, the same attitude emerged.
"This is Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist. Are you really going to back down just because you got some money?"
"And that executioner's blade—it's one of the Seven Ninja Swords. Even if you don't want it, you could at least hand it over to Konoha, don't you think?"
Kakashi sighed as he listened to Kaito's words. A Chūnin acting so boldly, even taunting an opponent like Zabuza—it was almost too much. However, the Executioner's Blade was Kaito's rightful trophy.
Whatever Kaito decided to do with it, Kakashi had no authority to interfere. And in reality, without Kaito's help, defeating Zabuza would have been far from guaranteed.
After all, Zabuza was at least on Kakashi's level in combat, and with Haku assisting him, the battle would have been significantly harder.
So, when Kaito started extorting him, Kakashi chose to remain silent instead of stepping in.
"What? You don't want to cooperate? Then I'll just kill him!"
Kaito smirked slightly as he looked at the stunned Zabuza, his voice laced with amusement.
Kaito knew that Zabuza would never willingly abandon Haku, which made him suspect that his offer was too lenient.
But what Zabuza didn't realize was that Kaito wasn't demanding payment for greed—he wanted to ensure both of their survival.
"Zabuza-sama… don't worry about me. You should run while you still can!"
Haku's voice was calm, yet a hint of sadness lingered in his eyes as he saw Zabuza hesitate. Had his master truly given up on him?
"You… Are you saying that as long as I pay, you'll let Haku go?"
Snapped out of his thoughts by Haku's voice, Zabuza looked at Kaito in disbelief.
"Of course. As long as you give me enough money, I'll let him walk away."
Kaito's smirk widened as he met Zabuza's sharp gaze.
"Fine. Name your price."
Kaito didn't hesitate.
"I've heard of a wealthy businessman in the Land of Waves—Gatō. You know him, don't you?"
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. Of course, he knew Gatō. That man was his employer.
"…What are you getting at?"
Zabuza's voice was low, laced with suspicion, but a flicker of understanding flashed through his mind.
"I want all of Gatō's wealth. If you can deliver it, I'll let Haku go."
Zabuza took a deep breath. Gatō's fortune was an astronomical sum, and more importantly, his money wasn't unguarded. The businessman had other hired ninjas beyond just Zabuza.
Still, after a long pause, Zabuza finally spoke.
"…Fine. I'll do it. But you have to swear that Haku will be safe."
After thinking it over again and again, I still couldn't bear to leave Haku like this. Clenching my teeth, I nodded and made my decision.
"No more senseless bloodshed!"
Seeing that Zabuza agreed to the terms, Haku grew anxious. To him, Zabuza's life was far more important than his own.
"Zabuza-sama! You don't have to do this for me!"
"Shut up, Haku! We'll discuss this later."
Leaving those words behind, Zabuza turned without looking back, his expression unreadable.
"Are you sure about this?"
Kakashi, who had been silently observing, approached and addressed Kaito.
"For this mission, the profit is 82%, I take 80, and you take 2."
Leaning toward Kakashi, Kaito whispered his words with a smirk.
Kakashi frowned, puzzled. "Why are you so obsessed with money? If that's your concern, wouldn't it be easier to just take them out and claim the bounty?"
His logic was sound—if Kaito truly valued money, eliminating Zabuza and Haku would be the most profitable option.
But Kaito wasn't only after money. He wanted to change things—to alter the fate of Zabuza and Haku, to break the tragic cycle, and to honor something from his own past.
"You've got it wrong. It's not about loving money. You know Hinata's family, right? If I don't have resources, how am I supposed to support her?"
"Besides, do you even know how much Gato is worth? The man controls the entire economy of the Land of Waves. We're talking at least tens of billions of ryo!"
"And think about it—Zabuza and Haku's bond is strong. Why should we kill them when they could have a second chance? Maybe after this, they'll leave behind the life of a rogue ninja and find a place to settle down."
Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. "Did you just say… tens of billions of ryo?"
He hesitated, wondering if Kaito was making things up. But after a moment, he discarded the thought—there was no reason for Kaito to lie.
"Of course. Gato monopolized trade and shipping in the Land of Waves. Where do you think all that money went?" Kaito scoffed.
"Tens of billions…" Kakashi swallowed hard. If even 20% of that money was up for grabs, he could take home billions. That was more than Konoha's entire annual budget.
Kakashi coughed to regain his composure. "Ahem! Money aside, I see your point."
"Zabuza and Haku—both of them are willing to sacrifice everything for each other. They aren't just mercenaries; they have a bond built on loyalty and devotion."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe, if given the chance, they'd leave this life behind."
With a serious expression, Kakashi nodded, as if his decision had nothing to do with the ridiculous amount of money involved.