Ryōsuke was quite pleased with Haku's response; a single meal was all it took to win her over.
Looking at Haku's filthy state, it was high time he got her some new clothes and a proper bath.
He walked up to the counter first.
"Shopkeeper, how much for the three fish and two bowls of rice?"
The owner replied with a smile.
"No charge for the rice. The three fish come to 300 ryo. Since you mentioned double the price, that makes it 600 ryo."
Ryōsuke placed 600 ryo on the counter.
Then, he led Haku away.
He'd get her some clothes first, then find an inn for a bath—and he could finally check for himself whether she was a boy or a girl.
Haku followed him obediently.
The feeling of having someone to follow filled her heart with happiness; she was no longer alone.
They soon arrived at a clothing store.
It sold both children's and adult clothing.
Ryōsuke looked at the owner.
"Shopkeeper, prepare a few sets of high-quality clothes for this child."
The shop owner was initially a bit dismissive—one customer was a masked man in black hiding his face, and the other looked like a little beggar.
However, since the man was asking for merchandise, he couldn't exactly give him the cold shoulder.
"Certainly, I'll get them ready at once."
He pulled several outfits from the display case, including both tops and bottoms.
"Sir, what do you think of these? These are the finest clothes in the shop."
Ryōsuke looked at the clothes; the style was quite good, reflecting the distinct style of the Land of Water.
He looked at Haku and asked, "What do you think? If you like them, I'll buy them for you."
Haku carefully examined the beautiful clothes; even her mother had never bought her anything like them.
She spoke in a soft voice.
"I like them."
The owner quickly added, "These are the most beautiful clothes in the shop. A full set is 500 ryo, so three sets come to 1,500 ryo."
Ryōsuke immediately thought it was a bit pricey.
A delicious grilled fish was only 100 ryo, yet these clothes were this expensive?
"Shopkeeper, your prices are too high. 200 ryo per set."
The owner's expression soured at the aggressive haggling.
"These are quality goods! Look at the material, look at the craftsmanship."
Ryōsuke examined them closely.
"They're average. 250 ryo per set. Any more and I'll go elsewhere."
He turned to lead Haku away.
Seeing the customer about to walk out, the shopkeeper finally spoke up.
Since business had been slow lately, he couldn't let a customer walk away.
"Sir, 300 ryo per set. That's my cost; I'm not making any profit at all!"
Hearing this, Ryōsuke stopped. 'Not making any profit? Who is he trying to fool?'
"Fine, 300 ryo it is. That's 900 ryo total."
He pulled out the money and paid.
He would save what he could, but as long as it wasn't too excessive, he didn't mind letting the man earn a little.
The owner hadn't expected the customer to pay so readily.
He felt a hint of regret, wondering if he could have made more if he'd stood his ground.
But the words were spoken, so he packed the items and handed them over.
"Please come again!"
"All right," Ryōsuke replied, letting Haku carry her things as they left.
Haku clutched the clothes, her heart brimming with joy. She could hardly believe someone had given her grilled fish and hot rice, and even bought her such beautiful clothes.
It all felt so surreal.
She couldn't help but walk closer to Ryōsuke, fearing it was all a dream.
As the two left the clothing store and walked down the road looking for an inn...
A man happened to be walking toward them from the opposite direction.
He was in a rush, his body bearing clear signs of battle.
He had short black hair, with bandages wrapping the lower half of his face and neck.
This was Zabuza, who had just fled from the Mist Village.
Currently, his heart was heavy; Hōzuki Mangetsu had been killed in action.
He hadn't expected the Fourth Mizukage to be so powerful. With Mangetsu taking the lead and him handling the surprise attack, they still couldn't do anything to the Fourth.
The Fourth Mizukage had simply entered his Tailed Beast state and killed Mangetsu, forcing Zabuza to take the opportunity to flee.
Since the assassination attempt had failed, he knew his direct strength would never be enough to defeat the Fourth Mizukage.
At this point, staying in the Land of Water was no longer possible; pursuers would surely arrive soon.
He had to leave this country immediately; there was no hope left here.
Not only did they persecute those with Kekkei Genkai, but even the Ninja Academy was an oppressive environment where students were forced to slaughter one another.
He once thought that proved his courage, but as he grew older, he realized it was just inhumane.
It had nothing to do with courage.
Ryōsuke, of course, recognized him. Wasn't this Zabuza Momochi?
His luck was truly impressive. This guy was sure to know the way to the Mist Village.
He stepped directly into the man's path.
Seeing someone blocking his way, Zabuza stopped instantly, his irritation obvious.
"Move, or I'll cut you down."
Ryōsuke didn't get angry; instead, he smiled.
"Zabuza, would you mind leading me to the Mist Village?"
He didn't want to bother investigating anymore. Since the Mist Village was hidden in deep mountains and shrouded in thick fog, he'd likely waste a lot of time without a guide.
Zabuza's heart skipped a beat. This guy actually knew who he was.
Had the news of his betrayal already reached this place?
"Get lost. I'm in no mood to play guide right now."
He had barely escaped with his life; going back would be suicide.
This wasn't the answer Ryōsuke wanted, so he didn't move an inch.
Zabuza truly lost his patience. He pulled a short sword from his pouch and slashed at the black-clad man with incredible speed.
He didn't have time to waste on nonsense.
Ryōsuke simply reached out and caught the strike—a bare-handed blade catch.
With his current physical capabilities, doing this was effortless.
At this point, Zabuza was only a Jōnin, nothing too formidable.
Zabuza's expression shifted. He tried to force the blade through to cut off the man's fingers, but found he couldn't push forward or pull back.
His face darkened. This man was powerful—likely stronger than himself. Now was not the time for a head-on fight.
"I don't have time to take you to the Mist Village. Let go!"
Ryōsuke asked with a smirk.
"Are you in such a hurry to leave this country?"
"In that case, how about joining my organization?"
If Ryōsuke hadn't intervened, Zabuza would likely have encountered Haku, who would have been too starved to move.
Then Zabuza would have taken her out of the Land of Water and into the Land of Waves.
Since Ryōsuke called himself the God King, he naturally needed to establish his own organization, much like the Akatsuki.
Moreover, he needed people to scout for information on the Jinchūriki.
Once their locations were found, he could simply steamroll through.