Haku.
Senju Haruto turned his head and saw clearly—the one who had launched the silver senbon was none other than Momochi Zabuza's sole companion.
In the original sequence of events, Haku had used this very method to spirit Zabuza away right in front of Team Seven.
It was worth noting: although Haku looked and sounded feminine, he was, in truth, a boy. Because of his Kekkei Genkai, he had been branded a monster since childhood. Forced to flee his village, he eventually crossed paths with Zabuza, who at the time was also living as a fugitive.
Being a seasoned shinobi, Zabuza instantly recognized that Haku's ability was no mere witchcraft, but a true bloodline limit—a gift passed down through his clan. From that day forward, he took Haku with him, not as a partner, but as a tool to be wielded.
And yet, for Haku, being acknowledged at all brought joy. Through Zabuza, he discovered his own worth, and from that bond sprouted something far deeper than loyalty.
The tragedy, however, was that even at the moment of death, Haku never knew—Zabuza no longer saw him as a tool. What bound them together had long since grown into something stronger.
This was why Senju Haruto did not despise Zabuza.
Yes, Zabuza was the "Demon of the Hidden Mist," ruthless and unflinching, a killing machine without mercy. But Haruto understood all too well: Zabuza's cruelty was born of hatred for Kirigakure's Blood Mist Policy. He had wanted, with his own hands, to carve a different destiny for his village.
It was that very resolve that led him to defect, plotting the assassination of the Mizukage to ignite a coup d'état and wipe out the Blood Mist system once and for all.
In a way, he and Uchiha Itachi had walked opposite paths but toward the same horizon. Both had sacrificed everything for the sake of their village.
And yet, fate was cruel. On the Land of Waves mission, Zabuza and Haku both fell at the Great Naruto Bridge. His grand ambition dissolved into nothing, replaced at the end by only one wish: to see Haku's face once more.
Zabuza embodied both cruelty and tenderness.
"That mask…" Kakashi's single eye narrowed as he studied Haku from head to toe. His voice was low. "You're with the Mist's Hunter-nin corps, aren't you?"
Haku did not deny it. He spoke plainly, without hesitation.
"This conversation ends here. I still have to deal with Zabuza's body."
In a blur, Haku darted to Zabuza's side. From the very beginning of the fight, he had watched every exchange between Zabuza and the Konoha shinobi. Had he removed his mask just then, Kakashi and the others would have seen the fear hidden in his gaze—the fear directed at Senju Haruto.
To avoid betraying himself, Haku quickly hefted Zabuza's body and, before anyone could react, vanished into the mist.
Only then did Naruto snap back to his senses.
"I'm the one who beat Zabuza! And that guy just swoops in and steals the finish?!" He clenched his fists, grumbling at the thought that Haku had snatched away his victory.
But deep down, he knew the truth. When he unleashed the Rasengan, he could have aimed straight at Zabuza's heart and ended it in an instant. Yet in that decisive moment, his hand shifted upward on its own, sparing Zabuza's life.
"Let it go, Naruto." Kakashi walked up, resting a firm hand atop his student's head. "So long as Master Tazuna is unharmed, that's all that matters."
In the shinobi world, geniuses were everywhere. Some even younger than Naruto, yet with power that far eclipsed his own.
"Come on. We still need to get Tazuna home safely."
Kakashi's gaze flicked toward Haruto. When he saw Haruto give a small nod, only then did the Copy Ninja exhale, tension easing from his shoulders.
Haruto, meanwhile, cast one last glance in the direction Haku had gone.
Zabuza had taken a Rasengan head-on. Even with Haku masking his life signs, it would be at least a week before the so-called Demon of the Mist could recover. Until then, he would be little more than a broken man.
When he recovers, I'll seek him out again.
With that quiet thought, Haruto left it behind and followed Tazuna toward his home.
Elsewhere…
Haku sprinted through the forest with Zabuza's limp body slung over his shoulder. For half an hour he ran without pause, until finally he slowed.
Even Hatake Kakashi alone had been formidable enough. But never—not in his darkest fears—had he expected a monster like Senju Haruto to appear here of all places.
"What incredible luck…" Haku exhaled sharply, kneeling as he set Zabuza down. He opened his tools, ready to perform the ritual disposal of a fallen comrade's body.
"At least that man—Senju Haruto—didn't notice anything amiss."
But just as his hand reached for the bandages across Zabuza's face, the corpse's arm shot up and clamped down on his wrist.
"You underestimate him."
Zabuza's eyes snapped open, blazing with fury. His voice was rough, ragged. "This kind of trick might fool someone like Kakashi… but Haruto? If I'm right, he let me live on purpose."
"What?!" Haku's eyes widened, his voice soft with disbelief. "Is… is Senju Haruto truly that powerful?"
Unlike Zabuza, Haku had never trained as a shinobi from birth. All his knowledge and combat skill came from Zabuza's own teaching. Everything he knew of Haruto he had only pieced together from Zabuza's wary glances during the battle.
"Yes…" Zabuza gave a heavy nod. His throat worked as he spoke, voice low with grim certainty. "He's the one who killed the Fourth Mizukage. He's the one who shifted the balance of the Fire Country… and in doing so, shook the very Daimyō of the Land of Water. Those ripples collided until the Mist was consumed by the Blood Mist era… and I was made into the Demon I am today.
Call him the root of it all, and it wouldn't be wrong."
Haku tilted his head, his tone quiet, almost innocent. "How unexpected."
Zabuza scowled. "What do you mean?"
"I just find it strange," Haku answered, "that you didn't attack him. Knowing your hatred for the Blood Mist… and for the Mizukage, I thought you would seize any chance to strike down the man responsible."
Zabuza's glare darkened, his voice edged with a growl. "Are you mocking me, boy?"
But in his heart, he knew the truth. Between himself and Senju Haruto, the gap in strength was far too great. If he had gone for Haruto, neither he nor Haku would have left that field alive.
"No, not mocking…" Haku said softly, eyes downcast. "Only surprised. Then… what now, Zabuza-sama? What's our next move?"
Zabuza's eyes narrowed, thoughtful. If his instincts were right, Haruto had spared him deliberately—hoping he would turn his blade against Gatō instead.
"…First, we leave this place," he said at last.
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