Zabuza's expression twisted in disbelief as the blond man before him slowly stepped forward, the light breeze tugging at his cloak.
Namikaze Minato?
Why did that name sound so painfully familiar? The syllables echoed like ghosts from the past.
He tried to make sense of it. Namikaze... Minato...
Konoha Village... The Yellow Flash... The Fourth Hokage...!
His eyes widened. That golden hair, that teleportation just now—impossibly fast—and that spiraling sphere of chakra!
"You... You are the Fourth Hokage of Konoha Village... Namikaze Minato?!" Zabuza's voice cracked.
Minato raised his brow, lips curving into a faint smile. "Ah… I didn't expect that the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, would actually remember my name."
"You're supposed to be dead!"
Minato nodded slowly, the air around him chilling with the weight of reality. The air between them thickened, as if acknowledging the absurdity of a man long gone standing here, on a mission.
Zabuza's knees almost gave out. His mind spun.
Is this really okay?A dead man... just walking around like it's normal?What kind of terrifying force is this...?
He clenched his fists as cold sweat slid down his back. Everyone in the ninja world knew of Minato. Missions were canceled the moment his presence was suspected. His speed, his jutsu, his intelligence—none of them normal.
And now... this monster from the past stood right in front of him. And next to him...
An Uchiha...
But this wasn't just any Uchiha. The one standing at Minato's side was a giant wrapped in ethereal blue energy, wielding an enormous blade formed from chakra.
Was this even something humans could summon? What kind of world had Zabuza stumbled into?
"What... what do you want from us?" he asked hoarsely, trying to buy time, trying to think.
Minato shrugged with a mild chuckle. "Nothing much. Just here to complete our mission. Oh—and we'll be taking you back to Konoha Village with us."
Zabuza's face paled. He didn't even resist. What could he possibly do against these two?
Captured by Konoha shinobi... He already imagined the future: interrogation, torture, death—or worse, the endless spiral between life and suffering. Dying was sometimes a luxury.
Before he could spiral deeper into despair, a masked figure flickered into view, appearing before the group in silence. The ANBU-styled mask bore the symbol of the Hidden Mist.
"Konoha shinobi," the ninja said calmly, "Zabuza is a traitor to our Hidden Mist Village. His capture is our duty. May I take him from you?"
Minato's eyes narrowed with intrigue, and the corner of his lips curled upward.
"So the bloodline ninja emerges at last… the one hiding behind the mask."
The ninja flinched. His identity had been exposed in a single breath.
In the next instant, he launched several ice needles into the air, his hands weaving signs as he prepared to escape.
But it was too late.
Swish!
Minato appeared behind him with no sound—no warning. The hum of a spinning sphere filled the air.
Buzz!
The Rasengan was formed.
"I advise you not to move," Minato said coldly, his voice like iron. "My comrade's chakra construct might accidentally crush Zabuza."
Haku froze. The killing intent behind him was suffocating. Sweat beaded across his forehead.
"I… I'll trade my life for Mr. Zabuza's," Haku whispered. "You both know what I am… a bloodline bearer. I should be more useful to you alive—whether for experiments or other uses. Just… let him go. I'll do anything."
Zabuza's pupils shrank. "Shut up! What the hell are you doing?! You're just a tool. I don't need a tool's sacrifice to save me! Get lost! You're disposable!"
But Haku just smiled.
"Even if I'm just a tool... I was saved by you. You were the first to treat me like I had worth. I've always been called a monster. These moments with you… they were the happiest in my life."
He didn't cry. He didn't plead.
"If I can trade my life to save yours, I'll do it without regret. Live, Zabuza-san… even if I'm not with you anymore."
Minato and Fugaku exchanged glances—bemused and calm. Fugaku's Susanoo kept its grip firm on Zabuza.
Minato chuckled lightly. "He's a loyal follower. But this dramatic act... isn't it a bit early?"
Both of them looked at the pair in front of them.
"We never said we were going to kill you. And we didn't say we'd let either of you go either. Our orders are to escort you to Konoha Village. That's all."
He turned his eyes toward Haku, then Zabuza.
"There are no experiments. No tortures. If we wanted you dead, it would've happened already."
Zabuza's jaw tightened. "Are you really Namikaze Minato?"
Minato gave a relaxed nod. "Try me if I'm fake."
Silence fell.
Zabuza dropped his gaze and let out a long breath. "Alright... I believe you. We'll go with you. Just... don't hurt Haku."
"That's better," Minato said.
The Rasengan in his hand dissipated. The colossal Susanoo faded. Zabuza collapsed onto the grass, coughing slightly as the tension left his body.
Bang!
Minato casually tossed the decapitating sword in front of Zabuza.
"We still have missions to complete. For now, follow us."
Zabuza stared at the blade. His fingers curled around the hilt as if trying to ground himself in reality. Haku immediately rushed to his side.
"Zabuza-san, are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," Zabuza murmured.
He looked at Haku differently now. What once was a tool was now something else. The thought of someone willing to die for him—it unsettled him.
"Tch… Ridiculous," he muttered, turning away.
"I'll follow you no matter what happens next!" Haku said quietly. "Even if I die, I'll die by your side."
"Enough already," Zabuza grunted, embarrassed. "Shut your mouth."
He picked up his sword, facing Minato and Fugaku again.
"What do you intend to do next?"
Minato cracked his neck lazily.
"What else? It's time to collect the ryo owed to Konoha Village for this ridiculous escort mission."
Hahahahahaha…
His laugh echoed across the clearing as Zabuza stood speechless, still trying to comprehend how the dead had returned… and dragged him into their insane mission.