If the Attack Is Not Stopped, Gato Suffers!
At the same time, outside a lavish mansion in the Land of Waves, Zabuza Momochi stood at the entrance, facing two guards stationed at the gate.
"Yo! Isn't this the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi? What brings you here?"
One of the guards eyed him curiously. Normally, it was Gato who sought out Zabuza, not the other way around.
"Huh? Don't tell me the mission failed. Where's your Executioner's Blade?"
The second guard, sharp-eyed, immediately noticed the absence of Zabuza's massive sword, which he was rarely seen without. A sneer formed on his lips.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! Why are you ignoring us?!"
Zabuza remained silent, his gaze cold and unreadable. Then, without a word, he reached for the short blade at his waist—one he had procured after losing his Executioner's Blade in battle.
Seeing Zabuza unsheathing a weapon, the guards instantly panicked, drawing their own and shouting:
"Zabuza! What do you think you're doing?! Are you betraying Gato?!"
Zabuza smirked in disdain.
"I'm here… to send you to hell."
The moment his words fell, he moved with terrifying speed, his blade flashing silver in the dim light. The guards didn't even have time to react before their throats were slit. Their lifeless bodies collapsed to the ground.
"Trash like you dares to stand in my way?"
Zabuza scoffed as he stepped over their corpses, entering the courtyard.
The commotion had already alerted the other guards within the mansion. They emerged in force, weapons drawn, surrounding the rogue shinobi.
"That's… Zabuza Momochi?!"
The head guard's eyes widened in shock.
"What?! The Demon of the Hidden Mist?!"
"It's really him! I saw him with Gato last time!"
"But wait—wasn't he working for the boss? Why would he kill Kimura and his men?!"
"He cut down the gate guards like they were nothing… We don't stand a chance against him!"
Panic spread among the mercenaries. Some immediately considered fleeing, realizing that Zabuza was far beyond their capabilities.
Seeing his team falter in fear, the leader's expression darkened with rage. His voice thundered through the air:
"Shut up! Anyone who dares to mention retreat—I'll kill them myself!"
His gaze swept over the trembling mercenaries. "What, you're afraid just because it's Zabuza Momochi? He's just one man! We have the numbers—what is there to fear?!"
He raised his weapon, preparing to rally his men, but before he could finish his sentence—
Schwick!
A silver arc flashed through the mist. The leader's world spun as his vision tilted unnaturally. In his final moments, he realized—he was looking at his own body, now missing a head.
"So... this is the Demon of the Hidden Mist..."
That was his last thought before everything went black.
The remaining mercenaries watched in horror as their leader crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The silence was shattered by panicked screams as they scattered, abandoning all thoughts of revenge.
Face Zabuza? Don't be ridiculous. They were nothing more than hired swords, men lured by Kado's money—not warriors with honor or loyalty. Their own survival was all that mattered.
Unlike true shinobi, who would die fulfilling a mission, these men fled the moment they faced an opponent beyond their abilities.
Zabuza didn't even bother chasing them. His only target was Kado.
With slow, deliberate steps, he approached the mansion. With a single, powerful kick, the door crashed open. Inside, the hall stood eerily empty.
Zabuza narrowed his eyes.
"Kado... hiding won't save you."
Forming a single-handed seal, he muttered, "Hidden Mist Jutsu."
Thick mist began rolling through the mansion, creeping into every corner, consuming every shadow. Within seconds, visibility dropped to nothing.
Then—
There you are.
His eyes snapped open, his honed instincts guiding him through the mist. The prey had been found.