The newcomers were none other than Akihara Kagura and his Root Ninjas.
"Are you a ninja from The Hidden Mist Village chasing us?"
Akihara Kagura approached them, looked down at the corpse on the ground: "Isn't this Momochi Zabuza? How did this fellow die? Are you dealing with his body?"
"Yes..."
The masked pursuer from The Hidden Mist Village was frightened.
Akihara Kagura looked at him sincerely: "The Hidden Mist Village and Konoha are allies, after all. You can't handle this alone, shall we help you chop him up a bit?"
"No... no need..."
"You're too polite."
Akihara Kagura waved his hand, chuckled: "Looking for some information from you, have you seen Kakashi Hatake from Konoha? I'm looking for him."
"Just ahead."
"Thanks."
Akihara Kagura nodded, and left with his subordinates: "Then we'll be going first, see you next time..."
After Akihara Kagura and the group of Root Ninjas left, Momochi Zabuza's body suddenly sat up, quickly removing the senbon from his neck!
The pursuer from The Hidden Mist Village was an imposter, an ally of Momochi Zabuza, who had used senbon to fake Zabuza's death, rescuing him.
"Don't be so rough..."
The imposter pursuer tried to persuade Momochi Zabuza.
"Quickly, let's go!"
Momochi Zabuza's eyes widened, he said sternly: "We must leave here at once, that guy actually came to the Land of Waves..."
"Who is that guy?"
The imposter pursuer removed his mask, revealing an exceptionally cute face, with gentle brow and eyes: "Is there anyone that Lord Zabuza is afraid of?"
The imposter's name was Haku, seemingly only fifteen or sixteen years old.
A long-time companion of Momochi Zabuza, found when Zabuza was collecting bloodline ninjas after losing to Wood Release Bloodline.
"I won't be afraid of that guy!"
Momochi Zabuza retorted angrily.
Although Momochi Zabuza never believed he feared Akihara Kagura, he knew he was not a match for Kagura, but he didn't want to lose face either!
Momochi Zabuza struggled to move his body, but the symptoms of the fake death left him unable to control it temporarily. As he moved, he spoke in a deep voice: "That guy is a troublesome fellow. Six years ago, I once fought him, and due to the unfavorable combat environment, I lost one move..."
Momochi Zabuza blushed slightly, showing a rare hint of embarrassment: "Though I've now obtained the Decapitating Carving Knife, now is not the time to face him, especially since he has many allies around..."
"That's true."
Haku did not deny the other's danger, remembering the group he just saw: "I saw his followers all bore Sharingan like Kakashi Hatake..."
"Help me up."
Momochi Zabuza reached his hand towards Haku, said in a deep voice: "We must leave quickly, lest that guy notices..."
"Lord Zabuza's face is so red..."
Haku held him up, unable to resist smiling: "I never imagined there was someone who could make Lord Zabuza admit losing a move!"
Momochi Zabuza's face turned even redder, he gritted his teeth: "Take me away quickly, it's just one move lost, next time I meet him, I'll definitely reclaim the win!"
"Cough cough cough..."
A series of coughs echoed.
A familiar voice appeared near Momochi Zabuza and Haku, somewhat helplessly asking: "I remember using just one jutsu at the time?"
"..."
Momochi Zabuza's heart trembled.
Even fear couldn't override his sense of embarrassment, nothing was more humiliating for him than having his boasts dismantled.
Haku's gaze shifted, slowly turned around, seeing Akihara Kagura and the group of Konoha ninjas who had just departed standing behind them, his expression immediately turned tense.
"Two."
Momochi Zabuza glanced back at the familiar Wood Release Ninja, gritted his teeth and revealed the truth he hadn't forgotten each day: "At the time, you used only two jutsus, one to protect Yagura, and one to defeat me."
"..."
A hint of amusement flickered in Haku's eyes.
It's truly unexpected, that the person called a demon, Momochi Zabuza, always cold and ruthless, would show a stubborn side!
However, the hint of a smile quickly vanished from Haku's face, as the situation before them meant he and Momochi Zabuza were unlikely to escape alive...
"Did I use two jutsus back then?"
Akihara Kagura looked at Momochi Zabuza, shook his head, and sighed: "Forget it, too much time has passed, I can't remember clearly. After all, you're not a big deal; defeating you isn't anything to brag about..."
"You bastard!"
Momochi Zabuza's heart was filled with rage!
"Master Zabuza!"
Haku quickly supported him, afraid that he'd let his anger overcome him.
"Alright, we have no friendship between us; let's end the reminiscing here!"
Akihara Kagura coldly gestured and reminded them: "Now you can choose to resist and be captured, or get beaten up and then be captured. It's best not to choose suicide..."
As Akihara Kagura spoke, he kindly explained: "Because if you die here, cleaning up your bodies will be quite troublesome..."
"..."
Momochi Zabuza gritted his teeth hatefully.
Momochi Zabuza deeply regretted Akihara Kagura's timing; at this moment, he was powerless to fight, and even with Haku's strength, there was no chance to change the outcome.
Yet...
Haku's eyes flashed, suddenly raising his fingers and flinging a shower of water droplets!
"Water Release: Thousand Water Soaring!"
Countless water-transformed senbon flew towards Akihara Kagura!
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Karin leaped in front of Akihara Kagura, pressing her hand to the ground, causing a solid wall to rise, with a statue of Akihara Kagura's figure embossed on it!
The senbon all embedded into the Earth Flow Wall!
"Secret Technique: Mirror Ice Crystal!"
The air's temperature suddenly dropped!
Haku raised his fingers, and walls of ice appeared around Akihara Kagura and Karin, directly enclosing them!
If possible...
Haku wanted to use his abilities to envelop all the enemies, but his strength wasn't sufficient; he could only manage this extent, yet it was enough!
Akihara Kagura, the man without a mask, was evidently the leader. If he could defeat and capture him, maybe he could escape with Zabuza!
"Is this... Ice Release? Kekkeigenkai?"
Karin frowned at the ice walls surrounding her and Akihara Kagura, each wall forming a closed area like mirrors!
"Interesting bloodline ability..."
Akihara Kagura earnestly praised.
In the next moment!
Haku's figure suddenly vanished!
"Don't stop my resolve to protect Master Zabuza."
Haku's voice echoed in their ears; his figure was reflected in the icy mirrors, rapidly shuttling through them at a speed that was dizzying, making it impossible to discern which mirror he was in, nor trace his movements!
"All show and no substance."
From Karin's back, golden chains sprang forth, directly sealing all the mirror movement paths. The chains drilled into the mirrors, grabbing Haku's real body, and yanked him out!
All the ice walls quickly cracked!
Haku's Ice Release bloodline secret technique was directly shattered!
Karin gripped Haku by the neck and slammed him to the ground: "So please don't stop my resolve to protect Lord Kagura!"
"It's two jutsus, too."
Akihara Kagura didn't praise Karin but instead glanced at Momochi Zabuza, chuckling: "Karin used the first jutsu to protect me, and the second jutsu to defeat your companion..."
"..."
Momochi Zabuza glared hatefully at Akihara Kagura, unable to speak.
Because he himself was caught by Akihara Kagura with two moves back in the day. No matter how angry he was at Haku's failure now, he couldn't call Haku useless!
"Take them away."
Akihara Kagura raised his palm, signaling his subordinates to capture them, while his main concern was still the mission: "Their business in the Land of Waves is finished. Find a quiet place to interrogate them, and find out how many people from the Hidden Mist Village and the Land of Water were involved in smuggling."