Chapter 62 — Zabuza's Return
There was no scream, no spray of blood. Yuto stood calmly, a single finger effortlessly halting Zabuza's full-force strike.
No matter how much strength Zabuza poured into his swing, the Executioner's Blade didn't budge — not even an inch.
With a flick of his finger, Yuto sent a sharp wave of force forward. Zabuza's body jolted violently, blood bursting from his mouth as he stumbled backward several steps and collapsed to the floor.
"Zabuza-sama!"
Haku cried out, voice trembling with worry as she rushed forward.
Yuto lightly released his hand from her shoulder, letting her dart past him to Zabuza's side. She knelt beside him, her face pale with concern.
"You bastard," Zabuza growled hoarsely, chakra flaring despite his battered state. "I'm the Demon of the Mist!"
In an instant, a flash of lightning streaked across the room — Ameyuri appeared before him, her Thunder Blades gleaming.
"How dare you speak so rudely to Lord Yuto? Have you decided how you want to die?"
Her sharp teeth glinted in the dim light as one blade pressed against Zabuza's throat and the other pointed at his heart. One wrong move, and he'd be dead on the spot.
Haku's eyes widened, but before she could move, Suigetsu appeared behind her, pressing a kunai gently to her neck.
"Don't move, pretty one," he said lazily.
"I'm a boy!"
Suigetsu blinked, pausing, then casually stepped a few inches back. "Ah. My mistake."
Yuto's calm voice filled the silence. "So, have you made your choice?"
Zabuza looked up, blood on his lips, meeting Yuto's gaze. From just a brief clash, he already understood the truth — he was utterly outmatched.
No amount of rage, strategy, or killing intent could bridge that kind of gap.
"The new wielder of the Thunder Blade… and a brat from the Hōzuki clan. You're not ANBU from Kirigakure. Who are you people?"
"I once tried to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage. If you make me your tool, are you ready to be hunted by the Mist?" Zabuza sneered, his defiance still alive.
"Watch your tone," Ameyuri hissed, fingers twitching slightly. A thin line of blood appeared on Zabuza's neck where her blade grazed the skin. "Insult him again, and I'll cut your head off."
"If you really need to know…" Yuto rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his voice soft but steady. "My name is Yuto. That's all."
Zabuza froze, eyes widening. The name struck something deep in his memory.
"Yuto… you're the First Mizukage, Yuto?!"
Yuto shrugged casually. "Unless there's another man with my name, then yes — that's me."
For a long moment, Zabuza said nothing. Then, suddenly, he laughed — loud, unrestrained laughter echoing through the room.
"I knew it… the legends of the Mist are real! If it's you, Lord Yuto, then being your tool isn't such a bad thing after all!"
In the original tale, Zabuza had tried to end the Bloody Mist by assassinating the Fourth Mizukage. He failed, fled the village, and became a rogue ninja — but he never gave up.
He kept fighting, plotting rebellion even while hunted, until his death in the Land of Waves.
Yuto watched the grin on Zabuza's face, recalling Kakashi's words at the man's death: He was simply a man trying to live, no matter what it took.
Such men were too rare to waste.
Besides, if Zabuza joined him, the matter of Haku would be resolved without effort.
As Zabuza finally lowered his head, Ameyuri exhaled softly and sheathed her twin blades. The tension in the room faded — for now.
Suigetsu finally lowered his kunai from Haku's neck.
Haku immediately rushed to Zabuza's side, helping him up with trembling hands.
"Well, that settles one matter," Yuto said with a faint smile, his tone softening as his gaze fell on Haku. "And as of today, Haku, you're officially a shinobi of Kirigakure."
Haku blinked in surprise. He didn't fully understand why this man treated him so differently from the others, but after a brief hesitation, he nodded respectfully.
"Lord Yuto seems to have quite the soft spot for that one," Suigetsu whispered under his breath to Ameyuri.
Ameyuri turned her head sharply, pretending not to hear him. "Oh? Suigetsu, are you saying you want to challenge Zabuza for the Executioner's Blade?"
The room went still.
Zabuza's cold aura flared, his killing intent flooding the space. "You think you can take my blade, brat from the Hōzuki clan? Are you ready to die for it?"
Suigetsu froze, his grin stiffening. "Heh… I'm not interested in fighting an injured man."
"Is that so?" Ameyuri smiled wickedly. "You always swore you'd reclaim that sword. When Zabuza recovers, I'd love to see how you plan to do that."
Yuto folded his arms, smirking slightly. "Zabuza, if you happen to kill Suigetsu by accident, you won't be held responsible."
Suigetsu's expression stiffened even more. He had no doubts that both Yuto and Ameyuri would stand by those words.
To be fair, Yuto knew Suigetsu's potential well — a genius not inferior to Uchiha Sasuke.
In the original timeline, Suigetsu had spent years trapped in Orochimaru's containment tanks, with almost no opportunity to train. Sasuke, on the other hand, had received personal tutelage from Orochimaru himself.
At a glance, Suigetsu seemed weaker, but during the battle against the Eight-Tails, he'd endured a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Bomb — something even veteran jonin wouldn't survive.
Sasuke's strength came from his bloodline. If both had grown under the same conditions, Suigetsu's power would likely have far surpassed what history remembered.
Ameyuri's grin widened mischievously, while Zabuza stared at Suigetsu with a cold, predatory glint.
Suigetsu forced out a stiff laugh. "Heh… I'll pass for now."
Zabuza turned toward Yuto, eyes narrowing. "Lord Yuto, about Konoha — I assume you're aware of what happened with Kakashi and his team. Do you want me to deal with them?"
A faint bloodlust flickered behind his gaze.
He hadn't forgotten Kakashi's trickery back on the bridge — and this time, he fully intended to repay it.
(End of Chapter)
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