Chapter 37: Zabuza - My 100% Winning Rate
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'In the woods...'
Zabuza carried his massive sword, the Kubikiribōchō, on his back, clutching the stump where his left arm had been. His arm had been severed cleanly at the root. He had heard rumors of the black flames before.
'The Uchiha clan of Konoha possesses a unique bloodline limit called the "Sharingan,"' he recalled, 'and when the Sharingan evolves into the "Mangekyō," it unlocks powerful ocular techniques, including those never-extinguishing black flames—Amaterasu.'
Zabuza had made a swift, decisive move to cut off his own arm.
"I didn't expect that brat from the Uchiha clan to be so formidable!" Zabuza grumbled under his breath.
Suddenly, Sasuke appeared behind Zabuza, lightning crackling around his body. Zabuza's instincts kicked in as he swung his sword at Sasuke, but a purple skeletal form—a manifestation of Sasuke's Susanoo—emerged to block the attack.
"You can't defeat me, Zabuza," Sasuke declared, his voice calm but firm.
Zabuza remained silent for a moment, then spoke, "I know. I'm not afraid of death, but if you want to kill me, it's not going to be easy."
Sasuke sighed inwardly. At this range, there were countless ways he could end Zabuza's life. He could use his Mangekyō Sharingan to ignite Amaterasu directly on Zabuza. But killing Zabuza wasn't his goal.
After all, Zabuza was an S-rank rogue ninja, known for his strength and strategic mind. His combat prowess was undeniable.
"I don't want to kill you," Sasuke said. "I want to hire you. I can offer you a substantial amount of money."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You want to hire me, an enemy?"
Sasuke smirked. "Being a rogue ninja is nothing to be ashamed of. Even the Uchiha have their renegades, and I respect your strength."
Zabuza paused, contemplating Sasuke's words. "How much are you offering?"
Sasuke didn't hesitate. "I know your mission this time was to kill the master bridge builder. His head is worth 100,000 ryo, right?"
Zabuza nodded, still wary.
Sasuke continued, "I'm willing to pay you 500,000 ryo per month if you agree to work for me long-term."
Zabuza's eyes widened in surprise. The offer was more than tempting; it was practically irresistible.
"How do I contact you?" Zabuza asked, his voice laced with curiosity and newfound interest.
"Don't worry," Sasuke replied. "Someone will reach out to you when the time is right. For now, all you need to do is fulfill what you 'should' fulfill."
With those words, the Sasuke standing before Zabuza dissolved into white mist, leaving the rogue ninja alone in the forest. The real Sasuke reappeared beside Hinata.
"Your head is apparently worth 100,000 ryo," Sasuke joked.
The bridge builder, standing nearby, looked offended. "Only 100,000 ryo? That's insulting! I'm worth much more!"
Sasuke shrugged, "Well, we're only getting 5,000 ryo to escort you, and we still have to split that between the four of us."
The bridge builder fell silent, realizing the disparity.
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'Elsewhere in the forest...'
Naruto was still in shock from his recent encounter. He had been chatting with Haku, who had appeared so gentle and kind, almost like an older sister.
But now, Haku stood up, receiving some kind of signal. "Little guy, it's been nice chatting with you, but I have to go," Haku said with a soft smile. Before leaving, Haku turned back and added, "Oh, and by the way... I'm a boy."
Naruto was left utterly stunned, frozen in place. 'A boy...?' he thought in disbelief. 'How could someone so beautiful be a boy?'
When Naruto finally returned to the group, Sasuke asked, "Why did it take you so long?"
Naruto blushed furiously, unable to bring himself to admit that he had nearly fallen for a boy. Instead, he mumbled something incoherent.
Sasuke didn't press further, and they continued their mission, successfully escorting the bridge builder back to the Land of Waves.
Though originally deemed a C-rank mission, it had felt more like an S-rank ordeal.
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'Back in the woods...'
Haku found Zabuza, his heart sinking at the sight of his master's missing arm. "Zabuza-sama, what happened?"
"I underestimated that Uchiha brat," Zabuza admitted, his voice filled with a rare note of regret. "We need to find Gato."
Gato was the one who had hired Zabuza to kill the bridge builder. Despite the mission's failure, Zabuza knew they needed to report back. But before that, he had a plan.
"Meeting him directly might not go well," Zabuza explained. "Tell him we completed the mission. Take the head of a different corpse as proof and collect our commission."
"Yes, Zabuza-sama," Haku agreed.
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'That night, in a dimly lit room...'
Gato met with Zabuza, eagerly anticipating good news. "Hahaha! The Demon of the Mist lives up to his reputation! You completed the mission flawlessly, didn't you?"
Zabuza's expression was stoic as he corrected Gato. "I failed."
Gato's smile vanished, replaced by anger. "What?! You failed? Then why did you lie to me?"
Zabuza's voice remained calm, "Because my reputation as a mercenary depends on a 100% success rate. I couldn't allow my name to be tarnished. And since I failed... I'll kill the one who hired me."
As Gato's eyes widened in horror, the Kubikiribōchō swung down, and his head flew into the air, blood splattering the walls.
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'Meanwhile, near the Konoha barrier...'
Kakashi faced Orochimaru, his former superior, who had somehow drawn him to this isolated area.
"You didn't even say hello, Kakashi. How rude," Orochimaru taunted with a sly grin.
Kakashi remained wary, "We're not allies anymore. Why did you bring me here?"
Orochimaru chuckled, "The Yamanaka clan's Mind-Transfer Technique isn't difficult to learn. I led you here using your chakra mark. But let me tell you a little story... about Team 7 during the Third Great Ninja War."
Kakashi felt a chill run down his spine as Orochimaru spoke, recounting the tragic events that had befallen Team 7 at Kannabi Bridge—where Obito had died, Rin had died, and Kakashi was left as the sole survivor.
Realizing Orochimaru's intent, Kakashi's heart raced. He sprinted toward the Land of Waves, determined to reach his students in time.
'I won't let the same tragedy happen again!' Kakashi vowed silently. He was their teacher, and he had to protect them.
As Kakashi disappeared into the distance, Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile.
'Kakashi, you passed my test. Between an S-rank rogue ninja and your students, you chose them. With a teacher like you, I can proceed with my plans undisturbed.'
Orochimaru gazed up at the night sky, his thoughts turning to Sasuke. 'The ninja world has been stagnant for too long, but soon, the flames of chaos will reignite...'
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