"Eh—?"
Haku jolted like a startled rabbit when Ayato appeared without warning, her slight frame trembling.
"You may take my life… but please spare Zabuza-san. He still has a dream he must accomplish."
Haku bent to pick up a kunai and forced herself upright, though even standing was a struggle. Her chakra was completely depleted—if she tried to force any more out, she risked collapsing for good.
It would take at least two days before she could fight again.
Right now, she had no ability to resist Ayato. Her only hope was persuading him to let Zabuza go.
"I see," Ayato murmured, touching his chin as he crouched to eye Haku. "Dying for someone important to you? Interesting idea, but dying is a nasty business."
To him, living always outweighed dying—no matter the sentiment behind it.
Haku lowered her gaze.
"Having no dreams… having no place in the world… being unwanted by anyone—that is what life was for me. But Zabuza-san needed my strength. He gave me purpose. For the sake of his dream, I can become a tool without emotion. So please… take my life, and spare him."
Ayato flicked away Haku's mask with a finger, then tilted her chin upward, examining her delicate features.
"Why would I need your life? Sell you off somewhere to earn money for me? Someone out there might enjoy that, I suppose—people have strange tastes."
Haku stumbled back, panicked.
S-sold off?
Ayato was a demon!
"Let's play a game instead," Ayato said pleasantly. "I'll give you two five days to recover. During that time, my students will train. After five days, you'll fight them."
He smiled like a teacher setting homework.
"As a responsible instructor, I should give my students a chance to shine."
"Of course," he added lightly, "if Zabuza loses, all of you die."
A pale blue light pulsed at Ayato's fingertip as he tapped Haku's neck.
A strange marking appeared on Haku's abdomen, glowing faintly.
Haku tensed. "What… is this?"
"Don't think about running." Ayato smiled dangerously beside her ear.
"That little mark lets me find you instantly, wherever you go."
Haku swallowed. "If Zabuza-san wins… will you let us go?"
Five days from now, they would fight Squad Seven?
Those children?
How could they possibly beat Zabuza?
But refusing meant instant death. Agreeing meant at least five more days of life.
"You think you have a choice?" Ayato asked flatly.
"…We accept," Haku said with resignation.
She slumped down, hugging her knees. "You truly are a good teacher. To do so much just to help your students grow… they must be very important to you."
Ayato waved a hand dismissively.
"Well, do your best. If I'm in a good mood, I might let you live."
His preparations were complete.
Now all that remained was for those three brats to work, earn him that side-quest reward, and advance his main mentor mission.
Five tools—er, five people—perfectly arranged to help him.
Haku tilted her head slightly.
"Tomorrow… may I see these important students of yours? Consider it reconnaissance."
Despite being Zabuza's tool, Haku still worried about those children.
"Go ahead," Ayato said, then dissolved into a streak of lightning.
Sunset — Land of Waves, Forest Edge
Squad Seven huddled around a small campfire.
Sasuke stared into the flames, brows tightly drawn.
"Tch."
How were they supposed to get stronger?
Five days to grow strong enough to defeat an elite jōnin?
Ridiculous… yet the alternative was watching their teacher abandon them.
Naruto folded his arms. "When Ayato-sensei finishes whatever he's doing, we should ask him to train us."
Sakura bit her lip. "But he hates trouble… will he really help?"
Naruto puffed out his chest and pulled out a frog wallet.
"Heheh, I saved some tuition money! My last emergency funds… my poor frog…"
Sakura showed her pink wallet.
"I brought money too. My family gave me some before the mission—just in case."
Sasuke checked his pockets.
A single soldier pill.
That was all.
He glanced at Naruto's frog wallet… then at Sakura's pink one… then sighed at the emptiness of his own.
He'd handed everything he owned to Ayato already.
Naruto smirked triumphantly.
"No money, Sasuke? Then just sit back and watch me get stronger!"
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