The Kirigakure leader had a distinctive appearance that commanded attention. Half his face was concealed behind a stark white mask, while his forehead protector was worn at an unusual angle, tilted slightly to one side. His exposed eye radiated an unsettling intensity—the gaze of someone intimately familiar with bloodshed.
Slung across his broad back was a weapon of extraordinary proportions—an enormous sword whose dimensions seemed to defy practicality, its blade nearly as wide as a man's torso.
When his piercing gaze swept over the Konoha genin, Naruto and his companions couldn't help but tense instinctively. Though the man projected no explicit hostility, the inherent ferocity in his eyes was impossible to suppress—a predator's instinct that years of disciplined control could mask but never fully extinguish.
As the young shinobi froze momentarily under that intimidating scrutiny, Shisui remained perfectly composed, meeting the man's stare with a calm smile.
"Let's go," Shisui instructed his team quietly, his voice breaking the momentary spell that had fallen over them.
"Right," Naruto and the others responded, forcing themselves to continue walking past the Kirigakure contingent.
Only after they had moved beyond the immediate presence of the fierce-eyed swordsman did the three genin exhale in collective relief. The tension that had gripped their bodies gradually began to dissipate with each step of distance they placed between themselves and the imposing figure.
As they continued down the corridor, Naruto couldn't resist glancing back at the Kirigakure shinobi once more. As he did so, his eyes widened slightly at what—or rather who—he noticed among them.
"What a beautiful girl," he murmured under his breath, genuinely impressed.
Standing beside the intimidating swordsman was a Kirigakure shinobi who appeared to be approximately thirteen or fourteen years old. The young ninja possessed skin as pale and flawless as fine porcelain, with eyes of deep obsidian that shimmered with quiet intelligence. Delicate features were framed by long, silken hair, and the slender figure moved with a fluid grace that spoke of extensive physical training.
Naruto's admiration was fleeting—he had never been one to dwell overlong on physical appearances. Yet the young Kirigakure shinobi radiated such striking beauty that he couldn't help but verbalize his observation.
What truly captured Naruto's attention, however, was the emblem displayed prominently on the young ninja's attire. During the past two weeks of assisting with Chūnin Exam preparations, Naruto had familiarized himself with Kirigakure's rank insignias. The symbol he now recognized indicated something remarkable.
This youthful shinobi, who appeared barely a few years older than Naruto himself, held the rank of Tokubetsu Jōnin—a specialized jōnin with expertise in a particular field.
Naruto wasn't the only one to notice this anomaly. Both Chiharu and Shin had also registered the young shinobi's rank with similar surprise. The disparity between the ninja's apparent age and elevated rank raised immediate questions in all their minds.
After exiting the Hokage Building, the curiosity that had been building finally prompted Naruto to voice his questions.
"Shisui-sensei," he began, looking up at their mentor with undisguised interest, "who was that Kirigakure shinobi we just passed? I haven't seen him during any of our work with the Chūnin Exam preparations these past weeks."
His voice dropped slightly as he added, "His eyes were... intimidating."
Even in recollection, the memory of that predatory gaze sent an involuntary shiver through Naruto's body.
Shisui nodded in understanding. "The Chūnin Exams are nearing their conclusion. The Kirigakure contingent we encountered is likely here to escort their village's officials back home once the examinations are complete."
He paused briefly before continuing, "The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, couldn't attend this joint examination personally, so she sent her representatives instead."
Regarding Naruto's observation about the swordsman's unsettling gaze, Shisui's expression softened slightly. "As for the man whose eyes disturbed you—he wasn't intentionally trying to intimidate. That look is simply a habit ingrained through years of combat and assassination missions. Such things become difficult to unlearn."
A slight, knowing smile crossed Shisui's face. "That man was once an elite operative in Kirigakure's Assassination Unit. Currently, he holds membership in the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. His name is Momochi Zabuza."
"Momochi Zabuza?" Shin repeated, his eyes narrowing with sudden recognition. "Isn't he the one who attempted to assassinate the Third Mizukage, failed, and subsequently defected from Kirigakure?"
Unlike Naruto and Chiharu, whose ninja careers had thus far been confined to the boundaries of Konoha, Shin had participated in missions beyond the village's borders prior to joining their team. His knowledge of international affairs and notorious shinobi was consequently more extensive.
"He tried to assassinate a Kage?" Naruto and Chiharu exclaimed in unified shock.
If Shin's information was accurate, by all conventional standards, Zabuza should have been classified as an S-rank criminal in the bingo book—a fugitive to be captured or eliminated on sight. Yet Shisui had just indicated that this same man was now serving as a protector for Kirigakure's officials. The contradiction seemed incomprehensible.
"Indeed," Shisui confirmed, "Zabuza did spend several years as a rogue ninja, pursued by hunter-nin from his own village."
As they walked, Shisui elaborated on the complex political backdrop. "The Third Mizukage instituted a reign of brutality that earned Kirigakure the nickname 'Village of the Bloody Mist.' It appears that Zabuza's assassination attempt was motivated, at least in part, by opposition to these policies."
Shisui's pace slowed slightly as he continued his explanation. "When Mei Terumi became the Fifth Mizukage, she systematically dismantled the oppressive systems her predecessor had established. Once she consolidated her position, she halted the pursuit of Zabuza. Approximately six months ago, he returned to Kirigakure and has since been accorded considerable status by the Mizukage."
A thoughtful expression crossed Shisui's face. "It takes remarkable courage for a Kage to welcome back someone who once attempted to assassinate the village's leadership. Yet Mei Terumi has demonstrated exceptional judgment in this regard."
The revelation provided Naruto and his teammates with a deeper insight into why the Fourth Hokage had maintained a supportive stance toward Kirigakure despite objections from Konoha's Council of Elders. Under Mei Terumi's progressive leadership, the Hidden Mist Village was experiencing a period of rapid growth and reformation.
The strategic value of this alliance had already become evident. In recent years, numerous Konoha shinobi on foreign missions had received crucial assistance from Kirigakure ninjas—a cooperative dynamic that would have been unthinkable in previous generations of the ninja world.
"It sounds like you've encountered Zabuza personally, Shisui-sensei," Chiharu observed perceptively.
Shisui nodded in affirmation. "We crossed paths during a mission years ago. At that time, Konoha and Kirigakure had minimal diplomatic relations, so my team and I paid little attention to the fact that he was a defector from the Hidden Mist. Our objectives didn't intersect with his status."
"I see," Naruto said, processing this information before another thought struck him. "But what about that young shinobi with him? The one who can't be more than a few years older than us but is already a Tokubetsu Jōnin?"
Shisui's expression shifted subtly. "You mean Haku?"
"Haku? So that's the beautiful kunoichi's name," Chiharu murmured appreciatively.
At this, Shisui's lips curved into an amused smile. "While Haku is indeed beautiful, you should know that he is male."
"No way!" The three genin exclaimed in perfect synchronization, their expressions morphing into identical masks of disbelief. Naruto's jaw quite literally dropped, his eyes widening to comical proportions.
"Haha!" Shisui laughed openly at their reaction. "When I first discovered Haku was a boy, my expression wasn't much different from yours."
"Before?" Naruto questioned, confusion evident in his voice. "You knew him from before today?"
"Yes," Shisui confirmed. "Haku was an orphan when I first encountered him years ago, during a confrontation with Zabuza."
His expression grew more contemplative. "Considering his abilities, his advancement to Tokubetsu Jōnin status isn't particularly surprising, even at his young age."
Noting the continued astonishment on his students' faces, Shisui elaborated further. "The three of you possess remarkable potential as well, but Haku's situation is unique. He possesses a kekkei genkai—the Ice Release."
"Kekkei genkai... Ice Release," Naruto repeated slowly.
Even Naruto, whose theoretical knowledge of ninja arts was notoriously spotty, understood the significance of bloodline limits. Within Konoha, only the Uchiha and Hyūga clans possessed true kekkei genkai—the Sharingan and Byakugan, respectively. These hereditary abilities had contributed significantly to both clans' prominence and the extraordinary capabilities of their members.
For Haku to possess a kekkei genkai as powerful as Ice Release explained his accelerated advancement through the ninja ranks. The ability to combine water and wind chakra natures to create ice techniques gave him access to jutsu of extraordinary versatility and power.
After sharing this information about Zabuza and Haku, Shisui determined that they had accomplished enough for one day. "That's all for today's duties. You're dismissed until further notice."
As the team dispersed and the Namikaze siblings headed home together, Shisui remained behind, watching their retreating forms with a thoughtful expression.
"Kekkei genkai?" he mused silently to himself, his eyes lingering particularly on Naruto's bright orange back. "You two possess something far more potent than what the world calls bloodline limits."
A knowing smile played across his lips as he considered the latent potential within the Hokage's children—power that had yet to fully manifest, but which would one day reshape the very foundations of the ninja world.
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