After settling the matter with Gato, Senju Haruto went straight to meet the Daimyō of the Land of Waves.
Through a calculated proposal of "cooperation," he effectively seized control of the country's maritime transport.
Although the Daimyō resented Haruto's audacity and the forced nature of his terms, he had no choice but to yield—Haruto's power left no room for refusal.
Not only that, Haruto mobilized operatives from the Root organization, taking over the businesses that had once belonged to Gato. In just a few short days, he dismantled and rebuilt the underground order of the Land of Waves.
On the surface, the Daimyō remained the official ruler of the nation. In reality, his title was little more than empty words.
With Gato and his network removed, nothing stood in the way of the "Great Naruto Bridge." Construction proceeded swiftly. But this time, when Dazna completed his life's proudest work, he chose to name it The Haruto Bridge—a gesture of gratitude toward the man who had liberated his homeland.
Meanwhile, Haruto completed his mission here as well. He signed in and received the chakra of the Two-Tails along with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. From now on, he no longer had to fear the toll that Susanoo would take on his eyes.
And so, with everything settled, Haruto and his companions prepared to return to the village.
"Lord Haruto."
Zabuza appeared before him once more. After days of recovery, Haku's body had healed enough to move about again.
Zabuza had originally intended to speak with Haruto upon returning from the forest, but Haruto had been overwhelmed with matters to handle. So Zabuza had waited—until now.
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura—let's step outside," Kakashi said, recognizing the gravity of Zabuza's approach. He immediately gathered Team 7 to give Haruto and Zabuza a chance for a private talk.
But to Kakashi's surprise, Haruto merely waved his hand, signaling that they could stay and listen if they wished.
That, however, only tightened the knot in Zabuza's chest.
Though Haruto had saved both him and Haku, the truth remained: he had once raised his blade against Team 7. And beyond that, he was still a missing-nin from Kirigakure.
To stand before Haruto now, face to face… his heart was not at ease.
It wasn't just Zabuza who felt the weight of the moment. Kakashi, Sasuke, and Haku all wondered the same thing: how would Haruto deal with Zabuza?
Haku, after a moment's hesitation, made his choice. He knelt firmly at Zabuza's side, his expression resolute.
No matter what judgment was passed, he would share in Zabuza-sensei's fate.
"Haku…" Zabuza's gaze softened as he looked at the boy. For the first time in days, he felt something like peace.
"What I wish to speak of," Haruto said slowly, his eyes fixed on Zabuza, "concerns the Village of the Bloody Mist."
"The Bloody Mist? What's that?" Naruto blurted, his curiosity immediately piqued. If there was something he didn't know, he had to ask.
"Kirigakure lies deep within the mountains," Zabuza began after drawing a long breath. "Its territory is shrouded in fog year-round, cutting it off from the outside world."
"Years ago, the Hidden Mist waged war against Konoha. At that time, the Fourth Mizukage led thousands of shinobi in a direct assault. But the operation failed—utterly. Their forces were annihilated."
"From then on, Kirigakure never recovered. In the aftermath, a woman named Terumi Mei was chosen as the Fifth Mizukage, and under her leadership, the village began to show signs of new life."
His voice grew heavy.
"But one day… everything changed. Her policies turned cruel. She decreed that academy graduates must fight one another to the death, severing bonds, shaping shinobi into merciless killers. Worse still, she began persecuting shinobi who possessed Kekkei Genkai."
"She turned Kirigakure into a living hell."
Zabuza's jaw clenched as he recalled it.
"To become a shinobi, I slaughtered a hundred of my peers with my own hands, earning the title of Demon of the Mist. I thought such bloodshed would awaken the Mizukage to the folly of her rule. But no… the next exams were even more brutal."
By the time he finished, Sakura and Naruto were pale, shivering at the imagery.
It was just as Zabuza said.
A hell on earth.
To invent such a system—such a "policy"—only a devil could.
Hell was empty, and the demons walked among men.
Haruto, however, knew the truth.
The Bloody Mist was never Mei's doing. It was the work of Obito, controlling the Fourth Mizukage Yagura through the Sharingan.
Terumi Mei should have been the very one to end that nightmare.
"Perhaps because of my existence, the butterfly effect altered things," Haruto thought to himself. "When Obito went to Kirigakure, he didn't encounter Yagura. He met Mei instead."
So then… was Terumi Mei now caught in Obito's genjutsu?
The theory fit. After all, Obito's eye had been powerful enough to bend even Yagura, a perfect Jinchūriki, to his will. Why not Mei?
And since Ao's Byakugan had already been reclaimed by Haruto, no one remained in the Mist who could perceive the truth.
"To end the Bloody Mist, I attempted to assassinate the Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei," Zabuza admitted, his voice grim. "I failed. And so I fled, branded a rogue."
He hesitated, then added:
"The only reason I worked under Gato was to amass strength, waiting for the day I could stage another coup."
When his tale was finished, Kakashi and the others could not help but draw sharp breaths.
Even Dazna, a simple craftsman with no grasp of shinobi affairs, found himself looking at Zabuza with newfound respect.
"I thought you were nothing but a butcher, blind to right and wrong," Dazna said with a sigh. "But in truth… you carry such a burden. Perhaps the saying is true—those who seem most hateful often have the deepest scars."
"…So that's why you became a missing-nin," Kakashi murmured. His expression softened, and respect flickered in his eyes. Their paths were different, their choices shaped by circumstance. But on one thing they were the same: Zabuza cherished his comrades. And that was enough for Kakashi to recognize him.
Zabuza let out a short grunt of acknowledgment. He clenched a fist, shook his head, and managed a bitter smile.
He wanted to end the Bloody Mist. But his strength alone had never been enough.
"The Fifth Mizukage is unforgivable!" Naruto suddenly exploded, leaping up from the tatami mats. His fists trembled with anger as he turned to Haruto.
"If that's how it is, then let's march to Kirigakure and give her a real beating!"
"Naruto."
Kakashi's voice was sharp as a whip. He cut the boy down instantly.
"No matter what you think, she is still the Mizukage of Kirigakure. If we infiltrate their village without sanction, it could spark open war."
He fixed Naruto with a firm stare.
"If it's only Zabuza striking at the Mizukage, that's a coup. But if Konoha intervenes, it becomes war. Do you understand? Do you want to start a war?"
The word hit Naruto like a bucket of cold water. His anger faltered, and after a moment's silence, he sat back down, shaking his head.
"War, huh?"
Haruto's lips curved slightly. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous thought.
"Perhaps… war isn't such a bad option."