Chapter 12 Haku: Don't You Come Near Me!
The Land of Waves is a country famous for its thick fog; currently, the fog is so dense that one cannot see their own hand in front of them. The atmosphere on the boat was stifling. Even Naruto, usually the loudest, had fallen uncharacteristically quiet, leaning against the gunwale and idly tracing the water with a small twig.
"Be careful."
The old man rowing the boat lowered his voice, as if he were avoiding some invisible monster.
"Once we pass through this bridge, we'll have arrived."
As soon as he finished speaking, the outline of an unfinished bridge appeared in the fog, looking like a steel monster crouching on the sea.
As the small boat was about to reach the shore, Kakashi, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open.
"Everyone, get down!"
Whoosh!
A sharp sound of breaking air tore through the thick fog as an extraordinarily large executioners blade came whistling toward them. It flew past, nearly grazing their scalps, before finally embedding itself into a nearby tree with a loud 'clang'.
A man wrapped in bandages stood ghost-like on the handle of the blade, revealing only a pair of cold eyes as he looked down upon the group of Konoha Ninja.
"Hidden Mist rogue Ninja, Zabuza Momochi."
Kakashi slowly pushed up his forehead protector, revealing that crimson Sharingan.
That killing intent was like countless needles of ice pricking the skin of Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke's muscles were tense, and he instinctively gripped his Kunai, but his arm wouldn't stop shaking.
Sakura was even more terrified, her face turning deathly pale; the little bit of courage she had managed to build up vanished instantly in the face of this pressure.
"Your mission is only to protect the client," Kakashi's voice came from ahead. "This is my battle."
The Water Prison Jutsu was activated instantly, and the battle was on the verge of erupting.
But just as everyone's attention was drawn to Zabuza, Naruto, at the back of the team, did not look at the conspicuous executioners blade with his blue eyes. His gaze pierced through the thick fog and landed on a high branch in the distance.
There, a slender figure wearing a Hidden MistHunter-nin mask stood quietly, like a hawk preparing to hunt.
[Oh ho? The main target is finally here. Zabuza Momochi... hmph, he's just an appetizer.]
Inside Naruto's inner world, he was enthusiastically critiquing the current situation.
[The real high-quality goods should be that one over there...]
His "gaze" focused on the masked figure, making no attempt to hide his scrutiny.
[Tsk tsk tsk... although the face is hidden by a mask, look at that slender waist, those smooth-lined calves, and that collarbone that's practically a work of art... with this figure, if someone told me this was a guy, I wouldn't believe them even if you killed me!]
On the distant branch, Haku was calmly observing the battle. Zabuza-sama had successfully trapped that troublesome Konoha Jonin; everything was going according to plan. As a "tool," he only needed to deliver the fatal blow to the enemy at the most critical moment.
His heart had always been as calm as still water.
Until...
Buzz!
A golden ninja world sky screen unfolded in his mind with unreasonable force!
On it, lines of scrolling text emitted a piercing light. A lazy and somewhat playful unfamiliar male voice seemed to ring out directly from his soul!
[ninja world sky screen · Activated]
[Current Linked Target: Uzumaki Naruto]
[...with this figure, if someone told me this was a guy, I wouldn't believe them even if you killed me!]
Boom!
It was like a bolt of lightning exploding in his brain.
Haku's face behind the mask froze, and for the first time, a look of disbelief appeared in his usually calm black eyes.
What... is this?
Genjutsu? But his mental world had been forged like steel by Zabuza-sama; how could it be invaded by such a silent and invisible Genjutsu?
And... that Blond Kid, how did he find me? From so far away, and in such thick fog!
Before he could recover from the shock, the inner thoughts on the heavenly curtain continued.
[Damn Kishimoto, insisted on saying in the settings that this fellow is a cute boy. Psh! With such a beautiful face and such silky long hair, how could it possibly be a man?]
[Imagine if I stripped off those bothersome Ninjaclothes and replaced them with a black-and-white maid outfit, the kind with lace on the hem. Then add a pair of cat ears...]
[He... no, she would carry a cup of black tea, timidly walk up to me, and call me 'Master' in that cool, clear voice...]
[Hiss—! That image, just thinking about it is overwhelming! Why even bother fighting! The world would be at peace, okay?]
Clang.
If he hadn't been gripping them tightly, the senbonin Haku's hand would probably have fallen to the ground.
Maid outfit? Lace? Cat ears? Master?
He didn't understand any of these terms, but they felt both foreign and shameful. Behind the mask, that face—more delicate than a young girl's—was turning so red it looked like it might bleed.
He was Zabuza-sama's sharpest "tool"! He was a weapon who would sacrifice his life for Zabuza-sama without hesitation!
But in this Blond Kid's head, he... had actually become some kind of object used to please others?
His breathing suddenly became rapid, and he had only one thought: to rush down immediately and use senbon to seal that Blond Kid's mouth!
But then, a chill rose from the bottom of his heart, leaving him unable to move.
Why... would he have these kinds of thoughts about me?
How dare he?!
While Haku's inner world was in upheaval, the golden heavenly curtain flashed again, and a cold notification voice rang out with unquestionable authority.
[Detected that host 'Haku's' sky screen has been activated for the first time, and has endured a double fantasy shock of 'gender perception subversion' and 'dress-up Cosplay' from the protagonist.]
[Emotion determination: Extreme shame, shock, confusion, and a trace of unspeakable panic after being'seen through'.]
[In return, rewards are being distributed...]
A massive, cold torrent of knowledge instantly overwhelmed his already chaotic thoughts.
It was a deeper understanding of 'Ice,' the ultimate secret of his own Bloodline Limit. The 'Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals' he had already mastered seemed to be infused with a soul at this moment; every detail and variation automatically played out in his mind countless times.
[Reward obtained: S-rank Bloodline Ninjutsu · Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals (Instant Cast)]
[Bonus ability: Absolute Perception · Killing Intent Radar (Can lock onto any target harboring killing intent toward you or those you care about)]
Haku suddenly snapped back to his senses and found that everything in the world around him had changed. He could even'see' every suspended water droplet in the mist, 'feel' the violent Chakraon Zabuza-sama, and... the weak Chakrafluctuations on those three Genin.
Especially that Blond Kid; the Chakra on him was as vast as an ocean, far exceeding the level he should have at his age!
[Ding!]
Almost at the same time, a blue panel that only he could see popped up in front of Naruto, who was 'watching the battle' with great interest on the bridge.
[Detected host successfully triggered the intense shame of S-rank hidden character 'Haku']
[Evaluation: Congratulations. Without even meeting face-to-face, you have used your lewd but creative thoughts to leave an indelible mark on the heart of a pure youth.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining reward: Ice Release Bloodline Limit (Weak Affinity)!]
A cool breath circulated through Naruto's meridians, and he felt himself become exceptionally sensitive to the moisture in the surrounding air.
"Strange, why does it suddenly feel chilly? Is this fog too thick?"
Naruto rubbed his arms, completely unaware that his shocking inner monologue had already plunged the distant Ice Release user into the greatest crisis of his life.
He glanced at Kakashi trapped in the water prison, then at Sasuke and Sakura who were working together to deal with Zabuza's Water Clone, and finally, his gaze turned toward that distant figure again, a wicked smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
[Hehe, looks like Kakashi will have to be trapped for a bit longer. While no one's paying attention to me, why don't I... go have a 'chat about life' with that 'cutie'?]
On the treetop, Haku suddenly shuddered.
Upon hearing the words 'chat about life,' the hairs on his back stood on end.