The mist was thick over the forest, weaving between the trees like a living shroud. It was the kind of mist that had always comforted Zabuza Momochi—a veil that obscured his enemies and made their deaths swift and certain. Tonight, however, it felt heavier than usual, clinging to his skin like a weight he could not shake.
He sat beneath a large, twisted tree, sharpening the edge of his massive blade, Kubikiribōchō, the sound of the whetstone scraping against steel the only noise breaking the silence. Each stroke was precise, methodical—like everything he did. But his mind was not on his sword.
It was on Haku.
She knelt a few feet away, her hands resting lightly in her lap. She had returned from her errand nearly an hour ago, and though she tried to appear calm, Zabuza knew her too well.
Something was wrong.
He continued sharpening his blade, his gruff voice breaking the quiet. "Well? What did you find?"
Haku hesitated, her eyes lowering briefly. Then, she produced the scroll Raven had given her, holding it out with both hands.
"Read this, Zabuza-sama," she said softly.
Zabuza paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing before he set the blade aside and took the scroll. He unfurled it, his gaze sweeping over the lines of text and the official seals—details of Gato's smuggling routes, his bribes to Kirigakure officials, and the order to eliminate Zabuza and Haku after the bridge's completion.
His grip tightened, the paper crinkling beneath his fingers.
"That bastard…" he growled, his teeth bared.
For a moment, his fury surged, the instinct to march to Gato's estate and cleave him in two rising like a storm within him. But then, something else took hold—something colder, deeper.
He looked up at Haku.
Her face was as composed as ever, but he saw through it—the slight tremble in her fingers, the tension in her shoulders. She was afraid—not for herself, but for him.
That realization cooled his anger, replacing it with something far more painful.
Zabuza's thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the day he had found her.
A child with no home, no family—her bloodline feared and hated. She had been on the verge of death, her small frame shivering in the cold, eyes already resigned to a world that had abandoned her.
He had taken her in, not because he needed a tool, but because he could not bear to leave her there. He told himself it was for strength, that she would serve him as a weapon. But deep down, he had known the truth.
She had become his daughter.
Every battle they fought, every village they fled—it was never just for survival. It was to keep her safe.
But he had never told her that.
He couldn't.
Because the man known as the Demon of the Mist could not afford weakness.
Yet, here she was—the only person in the world he cared about, and his pride was putting her life in danger.
He looked back at the scroll, his mind racing.
He could kill Gato, take his money, and flee again.
But how long would that last?
A month? A year?
Kirigakure would never stop hunting him.
And Haku would always be caught in the crossfire.
His hand curled into a fist, nails digging into his palm.
"This… Uzu no Sato," he muttered. "Tell me more."
Haku's eyes brightened slightly, but she hid it well.
"The woman I met… Raven… She represents Uzu no Sato—a hidden village in the Land of Whirlpools. They're building a sanctuary for those like us—people cast aside by their homes."
Zabuza grunted, but listened.
"She said you would not have to run anymore. You could live in a sub-village along the coast. Train warriors. Protect their borders. You would still be a warrior, but… you would have peace."
He snorted, though it lacked his usual venom. "And you?"
Haku hesitated, then spoke carefully. "I would live within the main village. With the women. She… offered me a life, Zabuza-sama. A life where I am not just a tool."
The words struck him like a blade to the chest.
He had always known she wanted more.
He had just never let himself face it.
Zabuza closed his eyes briefly, taking in a slow, steady breath.
"She said all the right things," he muttered. "And what does she want in return?"
Haku lowered her gaze. "Loyalty. Strength. She is building something… bigger than a village. A revolution."
Zabuza was silent for a long time.
His instinct was to refuse.
He was a warrior, a killer.
He had dreamed of taking Kirigakure for himself, of carving his name into history with blood and steel.
But those dreams had already died—the day he fled with Haku.
The future he had now was not for himself—it was for her.
And this Raven… this Uzu no Sato… it was offering her everything he never could.
He glanced at Haku again, seeing the faint hope in her eyes.
She would never ask him to surrender his pride.
She would follow him to her death without hesitation.
But Zabuza was not blind.
He knew what he had to do.
Zabuza picked up Kubikiribōchō, running his fingers along its blade.
"We fight them," he said finally. "One last time."
Haku's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded.
"If they prove themselves… and if this Raven is everything you say she is…"
He met Haku's gaze, and for the first time in years, his expression softened—just a little.
"We will go with them."
Haku's lips trembled, but she bowed her head low. "Yes, Zabuza-sama."
Zabuza stood, lifting his blade over his shoulder, feeling its familiar weight.
"We finish this on our terms," he said. "Together."
Haku smiled faintly, relieved beyond words, though she hid it well.
As Zabuza gazed out into the mist, he felt something he had not in a long time—not just determination, but purpose.
This was not just a battle for survival.
It was a battle for their future.
And he would win it for her.
Join my patreon today to read up to chapter 235 in advance your support is my inspiration join for only 3 to 5$
patreon.com/everstone