Zabuza stared at the wall of ice mirrors that had suddenly appeared before him. He understood immediately—this was Haku sacrificing himself to create an escape for him.
But given the overwhelming gap in strength between Haku and Kakuzu, even if Haku staked his life on this technique, he couldn't hold the enemy for long.
And that man's abilities…
Zabuza drew in a deep breath, forcing his mind to remain clear despite the burning pain in his body. He had seen it with his own eyes—Haku had used the cover of his Hidden Mist Jutsu to drive senbon needles straight into Kakuzu's heart. That should have been fatal.
Yet the man not only survived, he remained standing as if nothing had happened.
The only explanation Zabuza could think of was that Kakuzu possessed some forbidden secret art, one that defied ordinary logic.
But no matter what the truth was, if he rushed into Haku's Demonic Ice Mirrors now, he wouldn't be saving him—he'd only be throwing his own life away.
"In the end… he was only a tool…" Zabuza gritted his teeth, muttering the words like a bitter self-consolation. Without turning back, he pushed forward, staggering through the forest toward the harbor of the Land of Waves.
His ankle and abdomen were torn with grievous wounds, every movement agony, yet he was still the "Demon of the Hidden Mist," an elite jonin feared across nations. Even in this state, he wasn't someone an ordinary shinobi could stop.
Still…
Haku's final words kept echoing in his mind, unsettling his heart in a way he had never experienced before.
He couldn't even remember how long he had been running through the forest when his vision began to blur. His body felt heavier with every step, his strength draining away.
Perhaps… I won't even make it to the harbor. Perhaps… I'll die here, in these woods.
"Is this where it ends…?" Zabuza's throat rasped as he forced out the words, his voice weak and strained.
One by one, memories surfaced in his fading consciousness, flashing past like the flicker of lanterns in the dark.
He was just a boy when he entered Kirigakure's academy, hailed as a genius of his generation. Those days had been the happiest of his life—he was full of hope for the future, dreaming of becoming the greatest shinobi of the Hidden Mist… maybe even the Mizukage.
He had bonds. Friends. For the first time, people he wanted to protect.
But all of that ended on a single day.
The day of the infamous "Bloody Mist" graduation exam.
The proctors demanded that students kill their comrades—to sever ties, to sever the past, to sever every bond. Only by abandoning everything could one be deemed worthy of becoming a shinobi.
Zabuza had resisted. He couldn't accept such cruelty. He wanted to quit, to flee, to give up being a ninja entirely.
But just as he turned to walk away, the companion he cherished most raised his kunai with trembling hands… and without hesitation, lunged at him.
And he wasn't alone.
All around him, the other hundred graduates turned on each other like starving wolves, eyes filled with madness as they tore apart the bonds they once held dear.
Friendship, camaraderie—everything was obliterated in an instant.
That was the day Zabuza's world shattered.
His ideals, his beliefs, his entire sense of self collapsed. He dodged his comrade's desperate strike, struck back in fury, and killed him.
And from that day forward, he became what the world would name him—the Demon.
The boy who walked out of hell, the one who left no survivors.
Murder became his identity. Bloodshed, his beginning. Bonds? Emotions? Nothing but illusions.
Until now…
Haku's voice.
Haku's resolve.
Haku's innocent, unwavering face.
I just want… to see him once more.
Unbidden, tears welled at the corners of Zabuza's eyes. His body had reached its limit. He pitched forward, falling from the branch.
Thud!
With a heavy crash, he struck the ground below.
"Zabuza?!"
Sakura, who had been training nearby, flinched in shock, instinctively jumping back and raising her guard.
"How could Zabuza be here…?" Sasuke's brows knitted tightly.
Kakashi-sensei had warned them Zabuza might still be alive, but seeing him suddenly collapse in front of them left Sasuke unsettled.
Yet… this wasn't the entrance he had imagined.
In his mind, if Zabuza had survived, he would reappear with menace, blades raised, radiating killing intent.
But the man before them now was broken—more like a fugitive chased to the brink of death, stumbling helplessly before crashing to the ground.
"Zabuza…"
Senju Haruto, who had been resting with a teacup in hand, set it down at the sound of the commotion and walked over.
"This could be a trap!" Sakura quickly warned as she saw Haruto striding straight toward the fallen man.
"Trap? Something like that doesn't work on me," Haruto said dismissively, without breaking stride. If there truly was a trap capable of threatening him, he would almost welcome the challenge.
"This guy…" Sasuke muttered, narrowing his eyes as Haruto crouched beside Zabuza.
Activating his Sharingan, Haruto inspected carefully. There was no mistake—this was the real Zabuza, not a water clone or substitution. And his body was ravaged with severe injuries.
If nothing was done, he would die here.
With that in mind, Haruto extended his hand, green chakra beginning to glow at his palm as he initiated healing.
But before the technique touched him, Zabuza's eyes snapped open, and with the last of his strength, he clutched Haruto's wrist in a deathlike grip.
"You're… Senju Haruto… Please… save… Haku…"
Shock flickered in Zabuza's eyes as he recognized Haruto, but there was no time to dwell on it. Haku's life was in danger, and that overrode everything else. His voice was hoarse, barely audible, but desperate with pleading.
"Haku—the boy who rescued you before, right?" Haruto asked calmly, already knowing the answer. Pressing Zabuza's hand back down, he resumed channeling healing chakra into his body.
Emerald light poured into torn flesh, easing the agony. Zabuza's awareness steadied, clarity returning to his gaze.
"Tell me. What happened? Who pushed you this far?" Haruto demanded.
Meanwhile…
Haku still fought desperately within his Ice Mirrors.
But the gulf between him and Kakuzu was insurmountable. In only a few exchanges, the masked shinobi shattered every crystal panel. Haku's body was hurled through the air like a severed kite string, slamming to the ground.
Burns marred his skin. His breath came ragged.
"And where's Zabuza?"
At that moment, Hidan dropped from above, his scythe gleaming as his eyes swept the battlefield. But there was no trace of the Demon of the Mist.
"He escaped," Kakuzu rumbled. "But with wounds like that, he won't get far."
His stitched form loomed closer, eyes glinting. "Still… you possess a rare kekkei genkai. Hmph. Using your heart to replenish one of mine… would be a fine choice."