i Terumi gazed out at the Mist Village, cloaked in a thin layer of fog, and after a brief silence, she turned to the figure resting under the shade of a tree. “No one has shown up yet… Are you sure your plan hasn’t hit a snag?”
Without opening his eyes, Zabuza Momochi responded lazily, “Mind your words, i Terumi. Even though you haven’t officially joined Yang Guang, the plan isn’t just ‘yours,’ it’s ‘ours.’ And besides, we never expected those in the Mist’s noble clans to openly support us.”
“My failed assassination attempt on Yagura? That happened because the Tsuchigumo Clan ninjas sold out. Did you really think those who hold power would turn on themselves so easily?” Zabuza sneered.
i cast him a sideways glance, her tone tinged with mockery. “From what I hear, that assassination was full of holes. Even if that Tsuchigumo ninja hadn’t betrayed you, you wouldn’t have succeeded…”
“In fact, from what I’ve heard, there were just as many people who noticed your plan but kept it quiet. But, as they say, even one rat can spoil the pot. You can’t bla everyone else for your failure, nor accuse them of not helping you.”
i had expected Zabuza to beco angry. After all, she knew him well—Zabuza was infamous in the Mist for his violent, unpredictable nature. Before his rebellion, Zabuza was a dangerous individual, known for his ruthless tendencies.
i, being a few years older, had avoided the worst of Yagura’s bloody policies, but Zabuza hadn’t been as fortunate. He had been active during the height of Yagura’s bloody reign over the Mist, and while i still had comrades from her ti, Zabuza had none—he had killed every one of his classmates to graduate from the Ninja Academy. Zabuza was cold, ruthless, and naturally born for killing. Even i, despite her strength and position, knew to tread carefully around him.
After all, no matter how powerful soone was or how many kekkei genkai they possessed, if their head was severed, they were dead.
But to i’s surprise, Zabuza didn’t react at all to her taunts. He didn’t even bother to open his eyes. Only the bandages around his mouth stirred as he spoke, his tone calm, almost indifferent.
“Yeah, you’re right. That assassination was flawed. But that’s because I was focused entirely on Yagura. I didn’t realize back then that he was just a puppet, controlled by soone else. Yagura may not have noticed , but soone else—soone with Sharingan—was watching,” Zabuza said, pausing before adding, “Do you think those noble clans knew that Yagura was being controlled by a pair of Sharingan eyes?”
i, slightly surprised, glanced at Zabuza. Had working with Hashirama Senju softened him? Nevertheless, she picked up on his question and replied, “There’s no way they could’ve known. Even we only learned about it from Hashirama-sama.”
Zabuza’s instincts kicked in. “Are you saying you think Hashirama-sama lied to us?”
“No, of course not.” i shook her head, pulling out a compact mirror to check her appearance, touching up her lipstick. “We’re not worth lying to. I know my place—I’m just a prisoner, and you’re just a slave.”
Zabuza finally opened his eyes, clearly displeased by her words.
“Besides, thinking back, Yagura did change a lot after that one ti he returned to the village years ago. We never suspected anything because Yagura was a perfect Jinchuriki. We thought it was impossible for him to be controlled, so no one ever considered that option,” she added, stretching out her lips to apply more color.
Zabuza’s frustration flared. “That’s the fault of the Mist’s leadership! To let the Mizukage—the leader of an entire village—be controlled for so long without anyone noticing? It just shows how incompetent you all are. Once this revolution is complete, we should kill every last one of them!”
Ah, there he is. That’s the Zabuza I know, i thought, her forehead twitching as she smiled, her expression a blend of seduction and frustration. After Zabuza finished his rant, she sighed dramatically and said, “Yes, we made mistakes, and it led to tragedies like you. I’m sorry you had such an unpleasant childhood, Zabuza.”
“You could start by offering your neck in apology,” Zabuza said, gripping the handle of his Kubikiribocho (Executioner’s Blade).
“Looking for a kiss, are you?” i teased, giggling. “But you’re not my type. Sorry, I’ll have to pass.”
“It’s been too long since I’ve killed anyone, you old hag,” Zabuza said, standing up.
“Who are you calling an old hag, you bandage-wrapped mummy!” i’s patience finally broke, and they locked eyes, tension rising.
They were polar opposites in almost every way—age, personality, and even status. Zabuza, a rogue ninja from the Mist, and i, a forr leader of the village, were destined to clash. Even though they now fought for the sa cause, their pasts and personalities made it inevitable that they’d butt heads.
During the Land of Waves incident, Hashirama Senju had kept them in check, forcing them to work together. But now that they were far from his supervision, their tempers had begun to flare.
Just as the tension between them reached its peak, Zabuza suddenly paused, glancing at the ring shaped like an eye on his hand. Without a word, he shot i an annoyed look before dragging his sword away, heading for a quiet corner.
“Fine, fine, keep your secrets,” i scoffed, turning on her heel.
Only when i was out of sight did Zabuza complete a series of hand signs. The eye-shaped ring in his hand began to glow brightly, and in an instant, Zabuza’s surroundings shifted to a pure white world.
Even though he had used this ring many tis, Zabuza couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe each ti.
Where exactly was this place? How could such long-distance transportation happen? Was it a genjutsu or sothing else entirely?
As he scanned the area, a familiar face appeared next to him, smiling warmly.
It had been a long ti since Zabuza had seen Haku. Ever since joining Yang Guang to work for Hashirama Senju, Zabuza had been on countless missions, whether recruiting rogue Mist ninjas, executing assassinations, or overseeing operations. There had even been tis when he was sent to the Land of the Sea to escort a mber of the Uzumaki Clan.
Despite the hardships, Zabuza harbored no resentnt. Overthrowing the Mist Village had always been his dream. And once he learned that Hashirama had captured the man responsible for the Bloody Mist—Yagura—Zabuza knew he had made the right choice to ally with Hashirama.
Trying to break the silence, Zabuza finally muttered, “How are things on your end, Haku?”
The eye-shaped ring only allowed mbers of Yang Guang to communicate with Hashirama, aning Zabuza could only et Haku during the rare group etings called by Hashirama. Since Yang Guang was still small, consisting of only Hashirama, Zabuza, and Haku, these etings were few and far between.
Haku could easily sense Zabuza’s concern. With a soft smile, Haku reassured him, “Don’t worry, Zabuza. The Mist Village is heavily guarded right now, but thanks to the assassination techniques you taught and the stealth thods from Hashirama-sama, I’m managing just fine.”
“Hashirama-sama wants this revolution to be righteous. But how can killing be righteous?” Zabuza sighed. This was one point where he and Hashirama greatly differed.
Haku was about to respond when Hashirama’s figure appeared on a nearby platform, his face hidden behind a mask. His calm voice echoed in the white space. “To make people answer for their cris with their lives—how is that not justice?”
In this revolution against the Mist, Zabuza had repeatedly asked to take Haku’s place in the dangerous infiltration missions. However, Hashirama had insisted that Haku be the one to carry out the task. His reasoning was simple: this revolution needed to be sparked by soone from the Yuki Clan.
The Yuki Clan, victims of the Bloody Mist’s persecution, had been shattered and left in ruins. Their history of suffering under the old Mist regi made Haku the perfect candidate to deliver the decisive blow.
Haku’s role wasn’t just about revenge—it was about justice.
Zabuza, however, had a more straightforward view. To him, if Yagura was the problem, you killed Yagura. If his replacent didn’t do better, you killed them too. And if others resisted, you killed them all. But Zabuza didn’t understand that this approach would only lead to a never-ending cycle of bloodshed, like in the Hidden Rain Village.
Hashirama, unlike Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki, was ticulous about his thods. Where Pain ruled Rain Village through fear, Hashirama sought to establish lasting peace and order.
“Don’t underestimate what we’re doing,” Hashirama said firmly. “We are restoring justice, setting things right. Our work is noble and necessary. We, of Yang Guang, stand for righteousness and light.”
Zabuza and Haku stood in awe of Hashirama’s conviction. Zabuza may have cared only about the Mist Village, but Hashirama’s vision extended far beyond that—he sought to change the entire shinobi world.
“This eting has a purpose,” Hashirama continued. “I’ve brought you here to introduce a new mber. He will be assisting you in your missions.”
Zabuza’s eyes widened, half expecting the new mber to be i Terumi. Had she been officially recruited into Yang Guang?
He had thought the plan was to wait until after the revolution to consider bringing i fully into the fold. Preparing to voice his objections, Zabuza was startled when Hashirama raised his hand, revealing not i, but soone entirely different.
The newcor stood before them, pale-skinned with white hair and eyes. His entire appearance, from his hair to his clothing, was pure white.
Both Zabuza and Haku were taken aback. This man was unfamiliar to them, not soone they had ever seen before.
“From the Hyuga Clan?” Zabuza muttered, puzzled. The Hyuga Clan had been wiped out by the rogue ninja Neiki Hyuga, hadn’t they?
The man’s cold gaze swept across the room, seemingly more interested in the surroundings than the people in front of him.
Hashirama cleared his throat. “Go on, introduce yourself. These two will be helping you get what you want.”
The man’s eyes briefly flicked over Zabuza and Haku before he spoke in a low voice.
“My na is Hiruko.”
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