"Wait a moment."
Just as Naruto was about to make his move, Yuzuru appeared and stopped him.
Seeing him, Naruto asked in confusion, "Dad, didn't you say we should be ruthless with enemies?"
"So… you're letting him go?"
Yuzuru nodded. "He still has some use to me, so there's no need to kill him."
Hearing this, Naruto and Sasuke said nothing more.
Tazuna, on the other hand, looked like he had expected this all along.
He had long been certain that with Yuzuru here, no matter how famous Zabuza was, he wouldn't be able to lay a finger on him.
Zabuza had already prepared himself to face death, yet things had suddenly taken a turn.
He immediately looked at Yuzuru and asked in confusion, "You said I still have value. What do you mean?"
Yuzuru replied calmly, "I've already learned some of the inside story behind your defection from Kirigakure through Mei."
"Who would have thought that Yagura, the Mizukage, was actually being controlled by genjutsu?"
At these words, a trace of loneliness flashed through Zabuza's eyes.
He sighed. "The truth doesn't matter anymore. Yagura is awake now, but isn't he still carrying out the Bloody Mist policy?"
Back then, he had been full of confidence, always believing he could accomplish anything.
Only after being beaten down by reality did he realize how ridiculous that thinking was.
With his strength alone, he could change nothing.
Now reduced to a missing-nin, he could only blame himself.
Seeing his expression, Yuzuru smiled. "Don't look like that. Come work under me."
Zabuza was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Yuzuru spoke slowly. "I intend to conquer Kirigakure and overthrow Yagura's rule."
"Hah?!"
Even someone as composed as Zabuza was startled by those words.
"Infiltrate… no, conquer Kirigakure?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Yuzuru spread his arms. "Once I conquer Kirigakure, the entire ninja world will fall under my rule."
A sudden thought struck Zabuza, and he couldn't help but ask, "Is Mei one of your people too?"
"That's right."
Zabuza sucked in a sharp breath.
Mei was a wielder of two kekkei genkai, incredibly powerful, and highly respected in Kirigakure.
And yet… she was actually working under Yuzuru?
It was unbelievable.
"Since you also oppose the Bloody Mist policy and are a well-known ninja, I'm inviting you to work for me."
"With people like you rallying others, once I conquer Kirigakure, the people of the Land of Water will accept it more easily."
Zabuza fell silent for a moment before asking, "Why do you think I'd help you?"
Yuzuru countered, "You're a missing-nin. You've been hiding across the ninja world for years. You've seen many places, haven't you?"
"In the lands under my rule, people live in peace and prosperity. No one worries about food or clothing, and no one fears war…"
"Compared to Kirigakure's current state, what's so bad about submitting to me?"
Zabuza opened his mouth, but couldn't think of anything to refute.
Yuzuru was right.
Kirigakure was closed off and still enforcing the Bloody Mist policy.
People lived in constant fear, and resources were scarce.
Compared to the lands under Yuzuru's rule, it was like heaven and earth.
Seeing the shifting look in Zabuza's eyes, Yuzuru continued, "Zabuza, I've said all I need to. If you still refuse, then I'll have no choice but to kill you."
As the first boss of the original story, Yuzuru held a certain fondness for him.
Not because he particularly liked his character, but because if he could avoid killing him, he would.
After all, watching someone who once fought the Sixth Hokage, crushed the Seventh, and even kicked Indra into the air working under him… that would be quite interesting.
Zabuza had never felt much loyalty toward Kirigakure to begin with. Without hesitation, he knelt down.
"Zabuza greets Lord Yuzuru!"
"Good."
Yuzuru nodded in satisfaction. "Now… let's go find Gato."
At the mention of Gato, a vicious glint flashed through Zabuza's eyes.
He grinned. "Even if you hadn't said it, I was planning to settle the score with that bastard."
It would've been one thing if Gato had only insulted him—but he had nearly cost him his life.
If he didn't make that man experience his methods firsthand, the anger in his chest wouldn't subside.
The two quickly reached an agreement. After having Naruto, Sasuke, and Gaara escort Tazuna to his village, Yuzuru disappeared from the spot together with Zabuza.
————
Land of Waves.
Inside a massive seaside estate, Gato was reclining on a lounge chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun.
A cigar hung from his mouth as he silently calculated his plans.
He had already stationed over a hundred men in ambush around the estate. As long as Zabuza showed up, they would kill that arrogant bastard!
As Gato's thoughts wandered, a gust of wind blew past.
He turned his head—and only then did he realize that, at some unknown moment, Zabuza and a somewhat familiar-looking man had already appeared beside him.
"Zabuza, when did you get here? Did you complete the job I hired you for?"
Zabuza snorted coldly. "You still dare bring that up? Do you know I almost died because of it?"
"I'm going to kill you right now!"
Gato was startled and immediately leapt back, shouting, "Men! Kill these two!"
"Anyone who kills them will be heavily rewarded!"
As soon as his voice fell, more than a hundred men who had already been lying in wait rushed out, weapons in hand, surrounding Zabuza and Yuzuru.
"What an idiot…"
Zabuza couldn't help but sneer.
Did this fool really think a hundred ordinary people could kill an elite jonin like him?
"Lord Yuzuru?"
"Go ahead. Leave Gato alive."
"Yes!"
Seeing Yuzuru disappear, Zabuza gripped the Executioner's Blade.
"Come! My blade has long been thirsty!"
With that, he took the initiative and charged straight into Gato's men.
Those men, faces twisted with ferocity, raised their swords and rushed toward him as well.
Though they were all seasoned thugs trained by Gato, they were nothing compared to a ninja.
And Zabuza was an elite jonin with his own unique weapon.
The moment the two sides clashed, screams rang out one after another.
Zabuza was like a wolf among sheep, swinging the Executioner's Blade as he unleashed a one-sided massacre.