Chapter 24: An Unexpected Alliance
Zabuza stared at the shattered fragments of the Executioner's Blade scattered across the branch and forest floor. His mouth hung open beneath his bandages. His eyes—those cold, predatory eyes that had seen countless deaths—were wide with shock.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the whisper of the thick mist swirling around them.
In all his years as a shinobi, Zabuza had seen the Executioner's Blade damaged before. It had been chipped, cracked, even bent in past battles. But never—never—had he seen it shattered into dozens of pieces.
And certainly not by a child. Not by a genin. Not by someone who had used nothing but his fist.
One punch. One single, devastating punch had reduced his legendary blade—one of the seven treasured swords of the Mist—to scrap metal.
If Zabuza knew that Naruto had only been testing his own strength—that he hadn't even used his full power—he might have vomited blood from sheer rage.
My sword, Zabuza thought numbly. The blade that has accompanied me through a hundred battles… destroyed by a child.
He stared at the fragments of the Executioner's Blade, unable to look away. His pride, his identity, his legend—so much of it was tied to that weapon. And now it lay in pieces at his feet.
Naruto, meanwhile, was also thinking about the sword. It was far tougher than he had expected. Last night, with less than half his strength, he had shattered a standard-issue kunai. Today, against the Executioner's Blade, he had needed to use nearly seventy percent of his power to break it.
Impressive, Naruto admitted silently. The swords of the Seven Swordsmen really are something special. And I've heard they can even repair themselves when bathed in blood…
But those thoughts would have to wait. Zabuza had finally snapped out of his stupor.
The Demon of the Mist's gaze lifted from the broken blade and fixed on Naruto. His eyes—still wide, still disbelieving—now burned with something else. Caution. Wariness. And a grudging, growing respect.
Could it be true? Zabuza wondered. Could this brat really have thickened my Mist Shinobi Technique? And now he's destroyed my sword… with his fist…
He took a slow, deep breath, forcing his shock down. When he spoke again, his voice was measured—no longer the arrogant growl of a predator toying with prey.
"Boy," Zabuza said, his tone serious. "Who are you, really?"
Naruto smiled faintly. After one exchange, Zabuza had stopped treating him like a child. Good.
"Uzumaki Naruto. Genin of Konohagakure." A pause. "And someone who wants to help you."
Zabuza's brows drew together. "Help me?"
"That's right." Naruto's smile didn't waver. "Do you really think you can hide in the Land of Waves forever? Safe and sound?"
"What are you getting at?"
Naruto's voice was calm, almost conversational. "You've already been seen by Kakashi. You're exposed. Do you really think you can kill him? He's not some ordinary Jōnin. And even if you somehow managed to kill him… Konoha will notice when one of their elite shinobi doesn't return. They'll send hunters. Maybe ANBU. And once they start digging, your little hiding spot here won't stay hidden for long."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Naruto pressed on. "And even if you kill Kakashi and his students and Tazuna… you still lose. Because then Konoha will send more ninja. Stronger ones. And don't forget—the Hidden Mist is still hunting you. You'd have two villages gunning for your head."
Zabuza's jaw tightened beneath his bandages. The boy was right. He hated it, but he was right. From the moment he had shown his face to Kakashi, his cover had been compromised. There was no undoing that.
"Then what do you suggest?" Zabuza asked, his voice low.
Naruto's smile widened slightly. "Cooperation."
"Cooperation?"
"Work with me. I'll make sure you can stay in the Land of Waves, safe and undiscovered."
Zabuza stared at him. "Why would you help me?"
"Because you're not our real target," Naruto said simply. "The man we're here to deal with is Gatō. Tazuna's enemy. The one who hired you."
"Gatō hired me to kill the old man. You want me to betray my employer?"
"I want you to survive," Naruto corrected. "Here's what you do: withdraw for now. Leave the Land of Waves. Let us complete our mission. We'll kill Gatō—he's a parasite, and the world won't miss him. Once he's dead and our mission is complete, my team will leave. And when we're gone… you can come back. Take over Gatō's operations. Continue hiding here. Everyone wins."
Zabuza was silent for a long moment. The gears turned behind his eyes. He was a killer, yes, but not a stupid one. He could see the logic in Naruto's words.
This plan is… sound, Zabuza admitted. Impressively so. This child thinks like a Kage.
His grudging respect grew.
But his pride wouldn't let him agree so easily.
Zabuza's lips curled into a bloodthirsty smile beneath his bandages. "A fine plan, boy. But I don't take orders from children. So here's what I propose instead: I kill you first. Then I follow your plan. That way, it's my choice—not yours."
He lunged.
Naruto didn't flinch. His expression didn't change. If anything, he looked amused.
"You think you can kill me?" Naruto asked softly, even as Zabuza closed the distance between them in a blur of motion.
Zabuza's hand shot toward Naruto's throat. "I don't know how you destroyed my sword, brat. Maybe you used some trick. Maybe you have some hidden power. But you're still a child. And I am the Demon of the Mist. You're out of your league."
Naruto didn't move.
And yet…
Zabuza's fingers closed on empty air. He blinked. Naruto was no longer where he had been standing. Zabuza spun, searching—
Naruto stood exactly three feet to the left, hands in his pockets, looking at Zabuza like a teacher watching a slow student.
"Your plan has a flaw," Naruto said calmly. "It relies on you being able to kill me."
Zabuza's eye twitched. He hadn't seen the boy move. Hadn't seen him move at all.
He attacked again—faster this time, his full Jōnin speed unleashed. His fist aimed for Naruto's chest.
Naruto swayed. The punch missed by a millimeter.
Again. A kick. Naruto stepped back. The blow whistled past his face.
Again. A flurry of strikes—too fast for a normal eye to follow. Naruto weaved through them like water flowing around stones, never touched, never even seeming to try.
Zabuza stepped back, breathing hard—not from exertion, but from shock. He hadn't landed a single hit. Not one.
What IS this child?
Naruto tilted his head. "You can't kill me, Zabuza. You can't even touch me. So why don't we stop playing and talk seriously?"
Zabuza's hands dropped to his sides. His eyes, still wide, stared at Naruto with something close to awe.
He had fought Kage-level opponents before. He had faced down hunter-nin from the Mist. He had survived assassination attempts that would have killed lesser men.
But he had never—never—felt so utterly outclassed by anyone.
And this was just a genin.
"Who… are you?" Zabuza whispered. He had asked before, but now the question had new weight.
Naruto smiled. "I told you. Uzumaki Naruto. Genin of Konoha." He paused. "And your best chance at staying alive."
Zabuza stared at him for a long, silent moment.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
"Fine," Zabuza said, his voice rough. "We'll do it your way."
Naruto's smile widened just a fraction. "Good choice."