The offer received no response. Zabuza Momochi remained like a stone statue beside Haku, his unfocused gaze fixed on the boy's pale, silent profile.
An offer? Everything he had was already gone, drained away with the empty wound in his chest. What was left in this broken shell that was worth trading? Nothing but this worthless life, about to follow Haku into the beyond.
However, Menma's next words suddenly cleaved through his consciousness, which was enveloped by layers of despair and deathly silence—
"Listen carefully. This child… though his heart has stopped, his life has not completely faded away."
"I can save him, make him open his eyes again, and breathe the air of this world. And there is only one condition—from now on, you and Haku, Zabuza Momochi and Haku, will become members of our [Ash] organization."
"Wh-…?!",
Zabuza suddenly lifted his head, his once ashen eyes trembling violently, almost bursting from their sockets! His chaotic thoughts were shattered by this sudden, almost absurd declaration! Revive… Haku?
For Zabuza, who had just come to terms with his inner feelings but had already lost everything, Haku's "death" had long since drained all his will to fight and desire to live.
His previous desire to fight to the death with Gato's thugs was less about revenge and more about a complete self-exile, a desperate release. He prayed, vaguely hoping, that after one last bloody battle, he might be reunited with Haku in the next world.
But… resurrection? Bringing the dead back to life?
Such a thing, which only existed in vague legends, was utterly preposterous to Zabuza, who had crawled out of the Bloody Mist and witnessed countless lives vanish as easily as blades of grass! It was a mockery more cruel than the worst joke!
The intense emotional shock made his broken body tremble slightly, and a surge of anger at being toyed with suddenly flared up, overpowering that momentary flicker of instinctive hope.
He almost squeezed out a hoarse growl from between his teeth, "Shut up… Haku is dead! Don't… don't you dare make such a cruel joke with his name!"
"Otherwise… otherwise, even if I have to fight until my last breath, I will bite a piece of flesh from you!"
Facing Zabuza's almost instinctive resistance and rage, born from common sense and countless painful experiences, Menma did not offer much explanation, nor was he angered by the threat.
He merely tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping past Zabuza, and casually raised his right hand towards the messy area not far away—where Gato and his henchmen's headless body parts were scattered.
The next moment, precisely controlled Wind Release Chakra rapidly condensed in front of his palm, emitting a low hum and forming a small vortex. The vortex lifted the most intact and most gruesome "object"—
A thug's corpse, headless, with a gruesome cut at the neck, dressed in ronin attire.
Under Zabuza's bewildered gaze, the headless torso was held aloft by the vortex, floating erratically and unnaturally in the air.
The scene was eerily unsettling. What… what exactly did this guy want to do? Zabuza didn't understand what Menma was up to.
[Crazy Diamond]
A figure, visible only to Menma, solidified behind him. Its hands slowly rose, pointing at the floating headless corpse—the power to restore all things, activated!
"Wh-… what?!"
The sight before him made Zabuza's pupils contract to their extreme, almost tearing his eye sockets! He witnessed a scene that transcended all his understanding, something truly dreamlike!
He saw the cold, broken body of the ronin, and from the gruesome severed neck, flesh began to wildly squirm, proliferate, and extend as if possessing its own conscious life!
And not far away, the head that had rolled to the ground was also pulled by an invisible force, floating steadily and defying gravity, slowly flying towards the direction of the severed neck!
Under Zabuza's almost suffocating gaze, the head and torso precisely reconnected! The terrifying wound was completely sealed! Skin, blood vessels, bones, nerves… everything was regenerating and mending at a visible speed!
In just a few breaths, the light faded—the corpse that had been decapitated moments ago was now completely restored.
"Hoh… hoh…"
Zabuza's breathing suddenly became incredibly heavy and rapid, his chest heaving violently, his mind blank from the overwhelming sight, almost unable to process the information before him.
"It's regrettable, this person's soul has already been completely taken away by the Shinigami." Menma's calm voice broke the silence. He released his hand, and the body, though fully restored but still cold and silent, fell to the bridge with a thud.
"Therefore, he cannot wake up again."
Changing his tone, Menma's gaze returned to Haku.
"But, haven't you noticed, Zabuza? This child… Haku, he is not dead yet. His soul still lingers here, it has not departed. Such an injury would be fatal to an ordinary person, but for me…"
Menma's tone carried an almost arrogant confidence,
"As long as there is still a breath left, as long as the soul has not been taken by the Shinigami, I can pull him back from the brink of death!"
Not far away, Kakashi, still covering Sakura's eyes, clearly perceived all these unbelievable events! Restoring a corpse?! Bringing the dead back to life?! This ability… unheard of! Able to save someone as long as they have a single breath left?!
The same edge of life and death, the same helpless despair… If… if back then… A fierce pang of sorrow and an indescribable shock suddenly seized Kakashi's heart. Suppressed painful memories surged back like a tide, making his hand covering Sakura's eyes tremble slightly.
And this miraculous scene, for Zabuza, who was deeply mired in the abyss of despair, was nothing less than a ray of dawn piercing through the darkness!
His heart, which had long been frozen by sorrow and deathly silence, was violently squeezed and then suddenly released, beginning to pound frantically and uncontrollably!
Haku… isn't dead yet?!
He suddenly fell to his knees, his trembling fingers carefully reaching towards Haku's nose and neck.
Very faint… so faint it was almost imperceptible, like a candle in the wind… But! There was! There really was!
That faint, almost non-existent breath, that extremely weak pulse! Though it seemed like it would vanish completely the next second, they were truly there!
As long as… as long as Menma used that power that restores all things and reverses life and death!
The desire to live, the yearning to save Haku, erupted like a volcano, instantly incinerating all his previous suicidal thoughts and despair!
He suddenly turned to Menma, and under the other's perhaps slightly surprised gaze, his kneeling posture instantly changed into an incredibly standard, humble plea—a dogeza!
His forehead heavily struck the hard bridge, making a dull thud.
"My deepest… deepest apologies! Regarding my rudeness and offense just now… I earnestly beg you… please forgive me!"
Zabuza's voice was filled with an unprecedented urgency and plea.
"Please! Save him! Save Haku! He shouldn't… he shouldn't die so meaninglessly in a place like this! As long as you can bring Haku back to life…"
He suddenly looked up, tears mixed with blood and dirt crisscrossing his face, a face that had once only shown cold murderous intent.
All his pride, all his disguise, all the masks of the "Demon Man" were completely torn away, revealing the most primitive, most vulnerable, and most genuine soft spot beneath.
"I will do anything! My strength! My Ninjutsu! Everything I have! Even my soul… you can take it anytime!"
"Please!!!"