Part One: Chat with Zabuza.
...
"Mah. Mah. No need to curse at me. Let's be civilized, eh?" Shun waved his hands at the enraged Zabuza.
"YOU-!!"
"Hmm?"
"Nothing..." Zabuza snarled quietly as the previous pressure seemed to appear once more.
"I thought as much." Shun nodded with a smile. "You see, people these days prefer violence to just having a simple conversation. How low the world as fallen, wouldn't you agree?"
Shun posed the question at the glaring Jounin.
"What do you want?"
"What do you mean 'what do I want?' I just told you. Let's have a civilized conversation. You see, people who know me, know that I'm a very civilized person."
"That's not what I have heard about you." Zabuza said.
"Oh? Is that so? That's weird. I only kill those who show intent In killing me, and I always make it swift and painless... Where did you hear that from?" Shun asked in a contemplating tone.
"I was in the Anbu. We hear and see a lot of things."
"Ah... That's true... I nearly forgot, considering your... unique show of strength."
Zabuza frowned at the tone Shun used. From his pause, anyone could infer that Shun was choosing a rather tame word to insult him.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh nothing much. It's just... You spent so much time talking to Kakashi, when you could've just offed Tazuna as soon as you arrived..." Shun began.
"It almost seemed to me like you felt a sort of inferiority to him, considering your last duel." Shun finished.
"I'm not inferior to anyone." Zabuza growled.
"Oh, yeah. That's true. No one is inferior to anyone... But you know, inferiority is not a state, it's a feeling." Shun said causing Zabuza's glare to intensify.
"Now. Now, no need for that. You can't kill me by just looking at me. You're not that type of Genius." Shun said with a chuckle.
"What do you want to talk about?" Zabuza asked.
"Oh come now. We have all the time in the world in here." Shun replied. "By the time we're done in here, not even a second would've passed outside."
Zabuza eyes widened before he squinted it once again to hide his shock.
"Don't bother. In here, you're like an open book. All those Training you did to control your facial muscles don't apply to your mind. You're only strong, but in front of a mind manipulator like me, you're nothing but a bug to be squashed in here."
As Shun spoke, the entire world trembled as the previous pressure appeared once again, but this time, Zabuza only felt it. Shun didn't allow it to affect him too much.
"Now, let's change this scene, it's not very conducive for having conversations, right?" Shun asked and snapped his fingers.
Immediately, they appeared in a rather modern office with Zabuza seated in front of Shun whose attire had changed to that of a businessman.
"Now. For the conversation... Do you know who I am?"
"Yea-"
"No, not the monicker, but me, as a person..." Shun interuppted him as he was about to talk.
Not waiting for him to answe, Shun continued. "You see, a couple years back, our previous Kage felt that there was a need to unite the Shinobi world in some sort of form."
"He thought, instead of you five Elemental nations waging unnecessary wars all over the world, why not send you skilled Chunins to Hanagakure to have a rather small competition."
"Like wars, competitions are staged so that various parties could showcase their wits, strengths, and all what nots... It was basically a small staged war between all willing villages."
"I didn't know about this." Zabuza said.
"Of course. I'm aware. We're aware actually. The message was sent to your Kage, Yagura, was it?"
"Hmm."
"Yeah. You see, he received it, but didn't give us a reply. That was odd."
"How so?" Zabuza asked with a frown. He felt that Shun was looking down on him and his Village. From Shun's words, it seemed as though it was compulsory for the Mist village to answer to them.
"That's why I said you have a rather unique level of strength." Shun shook his head. "When it comes to hierarchy, you five villages all seem to think you're on top. This notion became prominent after the third generation Kages died out."
"But you see, there are Nations that could Level yours within a day, No, calling them Nations would be overestimating them a little bit too much."
"There are individuals that could do that with nothing but a Jutsu." Shun corrected with a smile.
"Amegakure being one, Nadeshiko being the other and Hanagakure being the third... These countries possess so much fighting strength that the five villages, despite their level of influence, are just like children in their eyes."
"I believe the term "Paper Tiger" would be an apt description."
"I find it hard to believe...Wait!" Zabuza said before slamming his hand on the table in anger. "WHY THE HELL AM I CALM!?"
"No need for violence, young Zabuza. I thought we've already established that."
"Who do you think you're calling young you brat?!"
"Be calm. Be calm. Calmness is a virtue... I think. Anyways, my point is, Yagura didn't reply despite our earnest request. This raised some questions, but we attributed it to the mist being in the midst of a civil war."
"Why do you keep saying we as if you were a decision maker back then?" Zabuza interuppted with a question that made Shun look at him incredulously.
"You... I was kid back then. But the village is my village so 'we' made the decision." Shun told the man.
"Continuing on, we sent a squad to go ascertain what's actually going on... For you see, war is never a good thing, especially when it came to civilians."
"It's like the adage that says: When two elephants fight, it's the earth that bears the most damage... So when Shinobi fight, it's the civilians that stand to suffer the most."
"And we are always on the side of the civilians, something the Shinobi kind is supposed to be a symbol of. I heard you little protégé say that, as a Shinobi, you had to kill your heart with your blade to become the strongest Weapon."
"That's true. That's the way of the Mist." Zabuza nodded with a smug smile.
"No. No it's not. That's lie implanted in the mind of the Third Mizukage by a certain war monger. And as humans, we tend to follow the Strong."
"Eh? What does that have to do with the Shinobi principle you just said?" Zabuza asked confused.
"Everything. As the Mizukage, all he had to do, was subtly change the ways of the academy. In so doing, the next generation will take up his motto and pass it over to the next generation."
Zabuza squinted his eyes and Shun but Shun continued. "Unfortunately, it all got worse when the current manipulator Found out that it was your Village that killed his beloved."
"His beloved..? Wait, current manipulator?"
"Yeah. For you see, there is no effect without a cause. It's the principle of the Universe. The laws of Cause and Effect." Shun said and snapped his fingers.
Immediately, three parallel lines appeared in-between the two and stretched so far that Zabuza couldn't see it's end.
"In front of us are three parallel lines, if left alone, nothing in the known world would make them meet each other. Nothing. But what if I do this..." Shun said and flicked the Line in the middle.
The line vibrated so little that it didn't seem to even have moved, causing Zabuza to look at Shun. Shun merely smiled and pointed at the line at the end of the room.
Nearly 15 meters away from them, the line in the middle moved in a zigzag pattern, causing it to touch the other two lines. In so doing, the three lines began moving erratically, and before long, they all got entangled and stopped flowing.
"If these were three persons lives, the cause of their death was the little flick I gave the line in the middle." Shun stated and looked at Zabuza
Zabuza looked confused for a moment before turning to Shun and asking. "What are you trying to say?"
"Aren't you a Jounin? You should be able to surmise what I am trying to say.
Zabuza and Shun looked at eachother for a few minutes, and seeing that Zabuza wouldn't be giving him any answers soon, Shun said.
"In other to gain a willing pawn, the previous manipulator manipulated the current manipulator into seeing a scene where his beloved died at the hand of Shinobis from the Mist."
"....What?!"
"I can see you're a little too slow on the uptake." Shun said and the room changed once again to a normal Japanese styled room with the two of them seating in a seiza position while facing a setting sun.
"You see Zabuza, the very concept of war, wasn't even supposed to exist. It is all the machination of a very, very filial child."
"Wha-"
"Nu-huh. You just listen. No questions should be asked as I speak from now." Shun raised his finger to shut him up.
"At present, there are only four living beings on the planet who can change the world for the better. You love your Village, I can feel it, but you lack the strength to actually change anything."
"Systemizing your strength from Level 1-100 with 1 being a child just entering the academy and 100 being the strongest person on the planet right now, you're like level...52."
"Hmm?" Zabuza made to ask but his mouth was closed shut.
"Don't feel like I'm insulting you. Level 52 is already good considering I didn't add you're stupidity in talking with your enemies." Shun told the unwilling Jounin.
"Your Kage, as a perfect Jinchuriki, would rank at 70, the previous Kage would rank around 60. The previous manipulator would rank at 86 while the current manipulator would rank at 80, well, that depends considering he has one hell of a cheat ability."
"Kakashi that you fought would rank at 76 if he took you seriously and went all out. Haku would rank at 50, considering his Kekkai Genkai being this developed. His only disadvantage is his chakra Level."
"Ahm ghu!?" Zabuza asked with his mouth muffled.
"Me? Haha, actually I dunno, probably around... Level 1...21."
...
After his preposterous remark on his power level, Zabuza had simply rolled his eyes and thrown away all the seriousness he had had when Shun was attributing Levels to everyone.
After a minute of trying to make him listen again, Shun went on to explain to him why he had used such a leveling System.
He had attributed everything about the persons in question. Zabuza, in all Honesty, had nothing going for him other that his normal Jounin level Chakra and physical strength.
Other than that, he was just your average Jounin.
All others had things that made them unique. As for him, only his sword made him unique, and to make matters worse, he couldn't really use the sword properly.
Other than being a chakra conducive and blood drinking sword, it was basically useless.
If Kitsume, or any Chinoike clan Shinobi well trained in blood manipulation should weild the sword, they could probably bring out it's full potential.
This was a sword that could grow depending on the amount of blood it tastes.
That should also indicate that it could change shape with proper manipulation of the blood intake.
After spending sometime making Zabuza understand this, he finally calmed down but had a depressing air around him.
"Well, if it was back when chakra was newly introduced, you'd be a Chore Disciple." Shun muttered to himself.
And true to fact, the Jounin level chakra was so common place back then.
That was when chakra and Ninshu was actually at it's peak.
Now, now one would willingly allow ones chakra to enter his body without enough preparations made Incase of a betrayal.
After that, Shun also explained to Zabuza that he should return to the Mist and tell the Young man Harunagi that he sent him back.
'Does he think changing his name but leaving the Nagi would make me suspect him less or something?' Shun thought as he wondered what was actually going on with that son of his.
"You know Haru?" Zabuza asked in surprise.
"Of course, we go way back. Just tell him Shun sent him and wishes him a swift victory. The money I'll be confiscating from Gato will be handed over to you."
"Seriously? You'd do that for us? How about your superiors?" Zabuza asked
"Heh. Did you think I lied about my level? You see, when you're at a certain level of strength, you get to do whatever you wish without having to care about what others think."
"Wouldn't that be..."
"Psh... Zabuza, just go with the money. If there's something I don't lack, it's money. Also, tell Haru that he should ensure the Mist is strong enough to face the prophecy from years ago."
"Prophecy?"
"Just pass along my message."
"...Sigh. Whatever." Zabuza sighed. "And Haku?"
"Ah, I'll be taking him back. He has so much potential that he would t realize being with you."
"For some reason I feel insulted." Zabuza said.
"On the contrary, you should feel glad. Your Karma with the kid is strong. You're factually the boy's father. However he has been made to see himself as a weapon... You have to address that situation before you leave."
Shun states while releasing a little bloodlust causing Zabuza to pale and scramble back.
"Wha-What was that?"
"Ah. Forgive me. I tend to get a little bit...angry when I see a child being shackled by stupidity this world has bred." Shun replied and then stood up. "I think we should leave, you've been frozen for a little more than a half second."
Saying that, Shun snapped his finger causing the world they were in to crack and crumble on itself before exploding in a flash of bright light swallowing the two inhabitants of the world.
****