"I'm fine... Who are you?"
Naruto, still shaken, released his hand seals and brushed the sand off his clothes. He looked at the figure who had turned his head to look at him with concern. A sense of familiarity washed over him.
"This jutsu... Haven't we seen it somewhere before?"
Staring at the boy's beautiful, alluring face, Naruto's cheeks flushed, and he quickly waved his hands.
"It must be my imagination. A beauty like you—I wouldn't forget you after seeing you even once!"
Hearing Naruto's lecherous tone and recalling Menma's imposing, dangerous aura, Haku found the contrast amusing. He covered his mouth and chuckled softly.
"I'm not a girl. I'm a boy."
"Besides, we've met once. You look a lot like someone I know."
He and Zabuza both knew about Menma and Naruto sharing a body. That's why, seeing Naruto under attack, Haku's body reacted before his mind could, and he immediately rushed over to block the strike.
"A boy?!"
Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his flushed face instantly turning pale.
Just moments ago, he had been imagining the classic storyline: his beautiful upperclassman arriving just in time. But now he was being told his "upperclassman" was actually a guy, and their favorite pastime was fencing?
Behind him, Sasuke and Sakura rushed over.
"Naruto, are you hurt?"
Sakura asked, concern etched on her face. Her palm glowed with the blue chakra of Mystical Palm Technique, ready to heal him.
Naruto quickly waved her off and pointed to Haku. "I'm not hurt. He saved me."
Following Naruto's gesture, Sakura and Sasuke both stared at the boy. He looked familiar.
Especially to Sasuke, whose face turned deathly pale as he recognized the surrounding ice wall. He stepped forward, his expression full of vigilance.
"I remember this Ice Release kekkei genkai. I didn't expect you to survive that attack in the Land of Waves."
"'When a Wind Style user attacks, the enemy dies.' That was a rule Sasuke had learned over the past few months. Seeing Haku alive was enough to demonstrate his terrifying strength.
Haku didn't refute the statement, offering only a gentle smile.
Naruto flushed again, then turned pale, too overwhelmed to even consider the meaning behind Sasuke's words. Sakura, however, understood. She drew her kunai, her eyes wary.
Across from them, Temari and Kankuro stared at the unharmed Naruto and the ice-wielding boy who had blocked the attack, their expressions incredulous.
"He actually blocked Gaara's Sand Burial!"
"Which village's genin is this? How is he so strong?"
"He looks about the same age as us!"
Gaara had regained his composure, frowning as he warily watched Haku. A torrent of sand poured from the gourd behind him, swirling around him as he prepared for another attack.
"You're strong. Dangerous. But your ice shards just splashed onto my gourd."
Before he could finish speaking—or make a move—a figure suddenly appeared beside Gaara. An arm draped casually over his shoulder.
A flippant male voice rang out.
"Sand Bro, the Jashin Cult... how about checking out Four Star Village?"
Hidan, his hair slicked back, grinned and leaned in close to Gaara's cheek, hunching over.
"Extremely dangerous!"
The terrifying aura radiating from the man sent a chill down Gaara's spine. The surrounding sand immediately attacked, instantly tearing apart the arm draped over his shoulder.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't be so brutal! That hurts!"
Hidan caught his severed arm, then lightly stepped back in front of Haku.
"Haku, I can't resist preaching my doctrines to them! Could you pretend you didn't see anything later? Don't tell Menma."
Hidan's face was bloodthirsty as he casually reattached his arm to the stump. A crimson chakra glowed faintly, and the cut healed rapidly.
"The severed arm reattached and healed instantly!"
The scene stunned everyone nearby, who took several steps back in fear. Opposite them, Temari and Kankuro drew their puppets and enormous fans from their backs, ready to attack at any moment.
"Menma will know even without me telling him."
Haku glanced imperceptibly at Naruto, then looked at Hidan with disgust.
"If you don't want to suffer those punishments again, don't forget Menma's orders."
Haku truly loathed this kind of cult-like madman who killed for pleasure. If it weren't for Menma restraining him, Haku would have killed him already. Of course, he might have been the one killed instead.
"If I don't attack first, I should be fine if I retaliate, right?"
Hearing about the punishment, Hidan shrank back. He quickly banished the miserable memory of his head being thrown into a cesspool and soaking for a day. Then, he drew his triple-bladed scythe from behind him, pointed it at Gaara, and taunted him.
"Sand, this gourd of yours is quite nice. It'd be perfect for me to use as a chamber pot from now on. Why don't you part with it?"
"A chamber pot?!"
Gaara's expression twisted in horror at the words. Sand leaped into the air in a frenzy. The gourd was his mother's keepsake and a curse—his most precious possession. He couldn't afford to insult it.
"Hehehe! That's it! Make your move, and you'll soon experience that ultimate pleasure!"
Hidan beamed with excitement. He hadn't killed anyone for days and was incredibly thirsty.
But just as the battle was about to erupt, a figure wearing a headscarf appeared, blocking Gaara's path.
"Gaara, that's enough. Don't forget our purpose. Are you prepared to disappoint the Kazekage once again?"
Maki's words were effective. Gaara instantly calmed down. He gave Haku and Hidan a deep look, then turned and disappeared with a cold face. Temari and Kankuro immediately followed, leaving the area.
Maki didn't leave immediately. Instead, he stared coldly at Hidan.
"That heretical cult killer from the Land of Hot Springs?"
"What Land of Hot Springs? I'm a Four Star ninja from Four Star Village!"
Hidan immediately retorted, pointing to the headband with four small stars on his neck.
"Just a small ninja village that might disappear at any moment. You should be worried about yourself."
Maki's face was full of threat. "You might be sent to the exchange market tomorrow and become someone else's silver!"
"If you want to fight me, then come at me. Stop talking nonsense." Hidan was getting impatient.
"Hmph. I hope you won't regret it later."
Maki left with a harsh remark, then turned and disappeared.