Good god! You guys still at chap 160's?, jeez you guys are behind man, tsk tsk! Alright alright I'll drop 20 chaps.......in your imagination WHAHAHAHAHA anyway check out my Patreon for a discount
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Chapter 161: A Drowning Man Grasps at Straws
Momochi Zabuza still stood like a stone statue beside Haku, his vacant gaze fixed on the boy's pale, silent face.
A transaction? Everything he had was already flowing away through that gaping wound in his chest. What was left in this broken shell worth trading? Nothing but this worthless life that would soon follow Haku into death.
However, Menma's next words suddenly cleaved through his consciousness wrapped in layers of despair and deathly silence—
"Listen carefully. This child... though his heart has stopped, his life has not completely faded."
"I can revive him, let him open his eyes again and breathe the air of this world. And there's only one condition—from now on, both you and Haku, Momochi Zabuza and Haku, will become members of our Ember organization."
"What...?!"
Zabuza's head snapped up, those eyes that had been dead as ash now trembling violently, nearly bursting from their sockets! His chaotic thoughts were shattered by this sudden, almost absurd declaration! Revive... Haku?
For Zabuza, who had just recognized his own heart but lost everything, Haku's "death" had already drained all his will to fight and desire to live.
His earlier intention to fight Gato's thugs to the death wasn't so much about revenge as it was complete self-exile, desperate venting. He prayed, secretly hoping that after one final bloody battle, he might reunite with Haku in that other world.
But... resurrection? Bringing the dead back to life?
Such things existed only in ethereal legends. For Zabuza, who had crawled out of the Blood Mist and witnessed countless lives snuffed out like grass, this was utterly fantastical! More cruel than the worst joke!
The violent emotional impact made his broken body tremble slightly. A surge of anger at being mocked suddenly flared, overwhelming that instant of instinctive hope.
He practically ground out a hoarse growl through his teeth: "Shut up... Haku is dead! Don't... don't you dare make such a vile joke using his name!"
"Otherwise... even if it costs me my last breath, I'll tear a piece of flesh from your body!"
Faced with Zabuza's almost instinctive resistance and rage born from common sense and countless painful experiences, Menma offered no explanation, nor did he become angry at the threat.
He simply tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over Zabuza to casually raise his right hand toward the nearby area—the chaotic ground scattered with the headless corpses of Gato and his subordinates.
In the next moment, precisely controlled Wind Style chakra rapidly condensed before his palm, emitting a low hum and forming a small whirlwind. The whirlwind lifted up the most complete and horrifying "object"—
A headless thug's corpse in wanderer's clothing, with a gaping neck wound.
Under Zabuza's uncertain gaze, the headless remains were carried by the whirlwind, swaying and floating through the air in defiance of natural law.
The scene was so bizarre it made one's scalp crawl. What the hell is this guy trying to do? Zabuza couldn't understand what Menma was planning.
"Crazy Diamond"
A figure only Menma could see materialized behind him. It slowly raised both hands, targeting the floating headless corpse—that power to restore all things to their origin activated!
"What... what?!"
The scene before him made Zabuza's pupils contract to their absolute limit, nearly tearing his eye sockets! He witnessed something beyond all his understanding, something truly fantastical!
The wanderer's cold remains, at the gaping wound on the neck, began to see flesh writhe, multiply, and extend as if possessed by autonomous life consciousness!
Meanwhile, the head that had rolled away was drawn by an invisible force, floating steadily against gravity toward the severed neck!
Under Zabuza's nearly suffocating gaze, head and torso connected precisely! The terrible wound was completely encompassed! Skin, blood vessels, bones, nerves... everything regenerated at visible speed, mending wildly!
In just a few breaths, the light faded—the corpse that had been decapitated moments before was now perfectly intact.
"Hah... hah..."
Zabuza's breathing suddenly became extremely rough and rapid, his chest heaving violently. His brain went blank from the shocking scene, almost unable to process the information before his eyes.
"Unfortunately, this person's soul was already completely taken by the god of death." Menma's calm voice broke the silence as he released his hand. The restored but still cold, silent body fell to the bridge surface with a "thud."
"So he cannot wake again."
Changing his tone, Menma's gaze returned to Haku's side.
"But haven't you noticed yet, Zabuza? This child... Haku, he hasn't died. His soul still lingers here, hasn't departed. Such injuries would be fatal to ordinary people, but for me..."
Menma's tone carried an almost arrogant confidence.
"As long as there's still a breath remaining, as long as the soul hasn't been claimed by death, I can pull him back from death's door!"
Not far away, Kakashi, still covering Sakura's eyes, clearly caught this incredible scene! Restoring corpses?! Bringing the dead back to life?! Such an ability... unheard of! As long as there's still breath, he can save them?!
The same life-and-death edge, the same helpless despair... if only... if only back then...
Violent anguish and indescribable shock suddenly gripped Kakashi's heart. Sealed painful memories surged like a tide once more, making even his hand covering Sakura's eyes tremble slightly.
For Zabuza, deep in the abyss of despair, this miraculous scene was like a ray of dawn splitting the darkness!
His heart, already frozen by grief and deathly silence, was violently clenched then suddenly released, beginning to beat wildly and uncontrollably!
Haku... isn't dead yet?!
He suddenly threw himself down, his trembling fingers carefully reaching toward Haku's nose and neck.
Very weak... so weak it was almost imperceptible, like a candle in the wind... but it was there! Really there!
That barely detectable breath, that extremely faint pulse! Though it seemed it might completely disappear the next second, they truly existed!
If only... if only Menma used that power to restore all things, to reverse life and death!
The desire to live, the longing to save Haku erupted like a volcano, instantly burning away all his previous death wish and despair!
He suddenly turned toward Menma. Under the other's perhaps slightly surprised gaze, his previously kneeling position instantly changed to an extremely standard, humbly pleading—dogeza!
His forehead pressed firmly against the hard bridge surface with a dull thud.
"I am... deeply sorry! For my earlier rudeness and offense... please... forgive me!"
Zabuza's voice was filled with unprecedented urgency and pleading.
"Please! Save him! Save Haku! He shouldn't... he shouldn't die so meaninglessly in such a place! As long as you can let Haku live..."
He suddenly raised his head, tears mixed with blood and dust crisscrossing that face which once only showed cold killing intent.
All pride, all pretense, all the "Demon's" masks were completely torn away, revealing the most primitive, most vulnerable, and most real weakness beneath.
"I'll do anything! My strength! My jutsu! Everything I have! Even my soul... you can take it all anytime!"
"Please!!!"
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