Chapter 42: Haku and Zabuza's Defeat – Calling the Nine-Tailed Fox to Collect Payment~

"Heh, Kakashi..."

"Even if you defeat me, you can't beat Haku."

Zabuza's words echoed through the battlefield, mirroring the events of the original timeline.

Under the shade of a large tree, Naruto set Sakura down and started a fire to boil water. Nearby, Tazuna struggled to carry his luggage, his breath labored from the effort.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you? Don't worry, you'll recover after you eat."

Sakura rolled her eyes, then promptly collapsed against Naruto. He sighed, visibly annoyed, and ignored her antics, instead turning his attention back to the fight between Kakashi and Zabuza.

Was Zabuza just bluffing?

No. He understood Haku's true strength better than anyone.

Naruto had been able to repel Haku with sheer brute force, exposing the so-called "killing machine" as nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion.

So why would Zabuza make such a claim now? Was he trying to intimidate Kakashi? Distract him?

No, even a seasoned warrior like Zabuza knew his limits. After clashing with Kakashi, he understood that this battle wasn't in his favor. He was simply creating an opening for Haku to act.

Unfortunately for him, this wasn't the original story where a certain pink-haired kunoichi would be easily deceived.

Kakashi, with his acute senses, had already grasped the situation from the surrounding noises. And with Naruto still on the sidelines, there was no chance he would be fooled.

Then, Zabuza made a fatal mistake—he exposed his own concern.

Haku, despite his skill, had never used his Ice Release to its full potential in battle. Now at a disadvantage, Zabuza reacted instinctively, hurling a handful of senbon to disrupt Sasuke's rhythm.

Sasuke twisted mid-motion, blocking the incoming needles with a kunai.

"Haku! Do it now!" Zabuza commanded.

Kakashi, unfazed, calmly observed his opponent.

Zabuza sneered, regaining his composure. "Now, you'll see that child's true power."

Haku, ceasing his relentless attacks, met Sasuke's gaze. "To be honest, I don't want to kill anyone. But if it's for Zabuza-sama, I'll abandon my emotions without hesitation. You're strong—quick and precise—but let's see if you can keep up with my speed."

Sasuke smirked but remained silent.

Then, Haku formed a one-handed seal.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. A one-handed seal?!

A sense of unease crept into his chest.

Impossible! There's no way he can turn the situation around right before my eyes!

"Secret Technique: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"

Water from the river beneath Haku surged upwards, crystallizing into countless ice senbon. The sheer number of projectiles made Sasuke's scalp tingle.

"Tch!" He grit his teeth and braced himself.

But Haku wasn't done.

While Sasuke was busy deflecting the barrage, Haku formed another seal.

"Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals."

A low hum reverberated as dozens of ice mirrors materialized around Sasuke, trapping him in their reflective prison.

"A Kekkei Genkai?!" Kakashi exclaimed. "Naruto!"

Naruto waved dismissively. "Relax. Sasuke isn't that fragile. It's good for him to struggle a little."

He wasn't concerned. Haku's strength, in his eyes, wasn't all that impressive. A mere surge of Nine-Tails' chakra would be enough to break through it in an instant.

During the Chunin Exams, Neji had been leagues ahead of Haku in skill. Haku wasn't a genius—just a devoted follower of Zabuza. His Ice Release wasn't remarkable, and from the start, Zabuza had never treated him as a mere tool.

Sasuke was now locked in a difficult battle.

Meanwhile, seeing Naruto unfazed, Kakashi stopped holding back.

"Raikiri!"

The moment Zabuza saw Kakashi's chakra-infused lightning blade, he knew—his chances of victory had vanished.

And at that exact moment, Haku hesitated.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Sasuke's fire jutsu roared to life, its intense flames licking at Haku's robes, singing the hem.

Zabuza's chakra reserves were nearly depleted.

Sasuke, despite exhaustion, still had some strength left. Mustering the last of his energy, he poured everything into one final attack.

The flames forced Haku into a defensive position, and for the first time, his Ice Release faltered.

Crack!

One of the ice mirrors shattered.

Then another.

And another.

"I see you now!"

Sasuke lunged forward, delivering a powerful kick. Haku raised his arms in a desperate block, but the strain was evident.

With a final, resounding impact, Haku was sent flying, and the last of the mirrors collapsed into shards of ice.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zabuza... I can't beat him."

After all, he was the Second Pillar—personally trained by Naruto for two months. With an endless supply of chakra, he never had to worry about exhaustion.

His strength naturally surpassed his original self.

Especially with his limitless chakra reserves, Jiko could turn into a walking flamethrower at will. Such a wide-range attack was devastating for Haku, who was already distracted.

As for why Hashira didn't use his incomplete Chidori to pierce through Haku, that was also because of Naruto's silent hint.

He carried a seed of the Nine-Tails' chakra within him, and Naruto had told him—if you wish for it, it shall be.

Now, watching Haku stagger toward him, Zabuza slowly closed his eyes.

"That's enough... There's no need to fight anymore."

"We've lost. Completely."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zabuza... it's all my fault. I'm useless..."

"This isn't your fault. You're just my tool... and whether a tool is powerful or not depends on—" Zabuza paused, his gaze shifting as Naruto suddenly appeared before him.

"Let's continue the mission, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said. "I'll be gone for a bit, but I'll be back soon."

Without waiting for a response, Naruto turned his back to the group.

In an instant, his bright azure eyes transformed into a fully matured, three-tomoe Sharingan.

Haku and Zabuza's eyes widened in shock. But before they could react, Naruto's Sharingan spun—evolving into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Tsukuyomi.

A low hum resonated.

In the blink of an eye, both Haku and Zabuza collapsed unconscious.

No matter how much time passed in the illusion, in the real world, only a single second had gone by.

"Naruto!"

Kakashi reached out, but hesitated before pulling his hand back.

"...Be careful."

Naruto gave a small nod, then picked up Haku and Zabuza—one in each hand—and vanished.

As he turned away, his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan faded.

A little genjutsu for you two. You're still useful... no need for unnecessary deaths.

Zabuza, you're just missing a little push, aren't you?

Haku, a genius?

I'll turn you into one who can succeed purely through hard work.

After leaving the battlefield, Naruto's consciousness sank into his mindscape—into the depths of the sealed space.

There, the true form of the Nine-Tails loomed.

"Kurama, come to the Land of Waves. I have work for you!"

For a long moment, there was silence. Then, Kyuubi's massive eyes cracked open, filled with irritation.

"You better not be wasting my time!"

"Money," Naruto said simply. "A fortune beyond measure—enough to build a nation. Bring plenty of storage scrolls and hurry up."

"...Hmph."

The moment Kurama heard the word money, his ears twitched.

After confirming Naruto's location, the massive fox huffed, then rested his head back down. His consciousness returned to his physical form in the outside world.

Greedy fox...

Outside, Kurama's eyes slowly opened.

His pupils flickered, shifting from their usual slit-like fox eyes to—

(???)

"MAKE MONEY! MAKE MONEY!!"

Meanwhile, on Naruto's side—

Haku's mask had been removed.

Revealing a face even more delicate than a girl's.

She wore subtle, feminine makeup, accentuating her features—her pale complexion even more striking against her pink hair.

Her lips curled slightly as consciousness slowly returned.

Zabuza, eyes still shut, remained silent.

Yet his rapid breathing betrayed his turmoil, and the faint traces of tears clung to the corners of his eyes.

"...Thank you," Haku whispered.

Naruto sighed.

Look at me... already becoming a wage earner.

And he's even thanking me for it.