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I had a heart attack in the middle of the market—or at least, it felt like one. Half a second later, the sensation resolved into a sudden, overwhelming swell of chakra, only for it to rush back in a somatic flash. I stumbled, catching myself before hitting the cobblestones.
Karin, mid-bite into a flaky pastry, froze. Her sharp eyes darted to me as if I'd set myself on fire. "What the hell just happened?!" she demanded, brushing a brown curl from her face.
"...Relax." I forced a deep breath, trying to steady my pounding heart. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?" she repeated, her voice pitching higher. "You nearly face-planted in the middle of the street, Naruto! And—wait." Her fingers twitched like she was plucking an invisible string. "Your chakra! Earlier, it dipped—no, plunged—like halfway gone. What did you do?!"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu," I said quickly, glancing over her head at the milling crowd, looking for any sign of Haku. "It creates a tangible, sentient clone. When they dispel, the chakra returns along with the memories."
Karin stared at me like I'd suggested eating raw pufferfish. "That's… honestly terrifying."
"Right," I said, already cutting through the throng of villagers. "Follow me."
"Naruto!" she snapped, hurrying to keep up. "You can't just say something that insane and walk off! What's going on? Why are we rushing? Why are you dragging me through alleys?"
"Quiet down a moment," I muttered, stepping into a shadowed side street. Haku was gone, but she couldn't have gone far—not with Fuu still in the area. She wouldn't leave her behind, not when Fuu trusted her so openly.
I summoned another shadow clone, making Karin jump.
"Okay, no!" she said, waving her hands frantically. "I'm not getting dragged into some weird mission without knowing what's going on!"
"It's not a mission and I can't tell you," I said bluntly. "It's important, though. I need you to pinpoint Fuu's chakra."
Her glare could've cut steel. "Excuse me? What am I, your attack dog?"
"More like a bloodhound," my clone quipped.
"...I know you can talk," Karin said, her voice tight with barely contained nerves, "but I'd prefer if you didn't."
The clone smirked, transforming into an unassuming, dark-haired teenager. "This better?"
"No, but I don't have time to unpack why." She closed her eyes and exhaled sharply, her fingers twitching again. "Fuu's chakra is thirty metres that way. She's happy—weirdly happy."
"And Rukia's?"
"Cold," Karin said, frowning. "But still warm—like two conflicting things mashed together."
I frowned. "What do you mean, "still?"
She opened her eyes. "I touched their chakra earlier. It's… a thing I do. Helps me get a sense of people."
"Is that sense permanent?"
"Thankfully not," she said with a shudder. "If I had to keep every impression…"
I shared a glance with my clone, who nodded and took off, scaling the wall in a flash.
Karin flinched, her head snapping up to track its movement. "Where's it going?" she asked, the nervous edge creeping back into her voice. "It's not going to hurt them, is it?"
"Relax," I said, raising my hands. "It's not an attack. Just reconnaissance." Her narrowed eyes lingered on me for a moment longer before she let out a sharp breath. "Is there anything you want to do here? Because if not, I've got somewhere I want to take you."
She sniffed, shoving her hands into her pockets as we walked out of the alley. "So long as you're buying more snacks."
I smiled, but my mind was racing. The clone would find Fuu and Haku soon. I just hoped it wouldn't bring back worse news than what I was already imagining. If Haku was here, Zabuza wouldn't be far behind—and whatever they were planning, it couldn't be good for Fuu, the village, or anyone else. The very idea that they planned on taking advantage of Fuu's loneliness for their gain pissed me off.
I was surprisingly less angry that Haku had hidden her identity from me. I'd done the same, if not for some grand purpose like hers. But that only made me wonder what she was sneaking into the Leaf for. Was it to restock? The last time I'd run into her, she was picking up senbon, supposedly for acupuncture.
Karin tilted her head, watching me closely. "You're too tense for simple reconnaisence. What's going on?"
The sound of someone haggling over fresh fish nearby filled the silence between us as I debated what, if anything, I could tell Karin. Trusting her was easy—she had no stake in the village yet, no reason to double-cross me, but burdening her with this? Dragging her into something deeper when she was still adjusting to life here felt… unfair. But if lied to her, she'd know.
"You're not a Leaf ninja," I said, smiling while I passed a few coins over. "I can't exactly tell you what might end up becoming sensitive information—but just know they might not be as friendly as I once thought. Can I buy your silence instead?"
"You're lucky I'm such a patient person," she brushed past a vendor, scooping a dumpling off a stick before tossing the coins onto their counter, "but you'd better tell me if this looks like it'll blow up in your face. For all I know, I might end up caught in the crossfire because of this tour."
"Noted." I steered us down another side street, one that smelled faintly of soy sauce and fried dough. "You like sweets, right? Ayame's got this cinnamon thing she's been working on—thought you might want to try it."
She perked up at that, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Cinnamon? Now we're talking."
I grinned, keeping my pace light and easy. "You don't know the half of it."
But beneath the smile, my thoughts churned. The clone would find Fuu and Haku, and hopefully, it'd bring back answers. If Zabuza had sent her here—if she had some angle I hadn't considered yet—then things could explode in my face like Karin had predicted, perhaps faster than I could manage on my own.
I shoved the thought aside as Teuchi's stand came into view, the comforting smell of ramen wafting through the air. For now, I'd focus on what I could control: keeping Karin comfortable and selling the Leaf Village to her.
The ramen shop came into view, its weathered banner fluttering in the light breeze. Teuchi stood behind the counter, his sleeves rolled up as he prepared a fresh batch of broth. Ayame worked next to him, tucked behind the stove with a sweat-soaked bandana around her head.
Karin wrinkled her nose as the scent of soy and miso reached us. "Ramen? Really?"
"Not just any ramen." I grinned, stepping up to the counter and giving Teuchi a wave. "This is the best ramen you'll ever eat. Believe me, it's worth it."
Teuchi glanced up, his face breaking into a wide smile when he saw me. "Naruto! You're back. And you've brought a friend, eh? Who's this?"
"Yeah!" I said, pulling Karin forward by the wrist. She stiffened but didn't pull away. "This is Karin. She's… new to the village. I thought I'd introduce her to the best food place in the village."
"Hi. U-Um, nice to meet you?" Karin shot me a look that practically screamed that I could've warned her, but she managed a tight, nervous smile for Teuchi.
Ayame leaned over the counter, her smile just as warm as her father's. "Nice to meet you too, Karin! Naruto's told us a lot about you."
Karin's eyes widened in alarm. "He—what? What did he say?"
"Relax," I said quickly, waving off her panic. "I just said you've got good taste in food. All the ramen I brought was the old man's recipes—which is why you've got to try Ayame's cinnamon rolls. They're amazing."
Karin blinked, clearly thrown by the shift in conversation. "Cinnamon rolls? You said this was a ramen place."
"Yep, the best ramen ever, but Ayame's been branching out. Trust me, you'll love them."
Ayame beamed. "I'll get one ready for you! And Naruto, the usual?"
"You know it." I slid onto a stool, motioning for Karin to do the same.
She hesitated, glancing at the stools and past the counter, and then back at me like she was expecting some kind of trap. "This isn't some… weird village initiation thing, is it?"
"What?" I laughed. "No! This is just good food. Chill out, will you?"
Karin mumbled something under her breath but climbed onto the stool next to mine. Teuchi handed her a cinnamon roll on a small plate, and she stared at it for a moment before taking a cautious bite.
Her eyes widened. "Oh." She took another bite, more enthusiastic this time. "Okay, fine. This is really good."
Teuchi laughed as he set a steaming bowl of ramen in front of me. "That's high praise from someone who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else a second ago."
Karin flushed, muttering something about not expecting cinnamon rolls at a ramen stand before taking another bite.
"So, Karin, what brings you to Leaf Village?" Ayame asked.
Karin stiffened slightly, her fingers tightening around the plate. I jumped in before she could say anything that might make her uncomfortable.
"She's just checking things out," I said casually, slurping down the noodles. "Getting a feel for the place."
Ayame nodded. "Well, you're in good hands with Naruto. He knows the village like the back of his hand."
"Yeah," Karin said, her voice softening as she looked down at her plate. "He's… been helpful."
The words were simple, but the way she said them made something in my chest tighten. I smiled at her, ignoring the way my mind wanted to wander back to Haku, Fuu, and all the things I couldn't deal with right now—for now, this moment was enough.
The next morning found me seated cross-legged across from Lord Third after another session. I'd mostly been experimenting with what I could do with Water-Release ninjutsu; my favourite was using the water from one jutsu to create a completely different jutsu. And because I didn't have to take the time to create the chakra-based water, it was a good way of putting pressure on the opponent.
The air between us was thick with the lingering scent of incense and the quiet hum of birds beyond the open shoji doors. The training ground, nestled behind the Sarutobi compound, was quiet save for the occasional rustle of wind brushing through the trees.
Lord Third tilted his head slightly. "Something on your mind, Naruto?"
"Why'd you ask?"
"You haven't touched your tea."
I looked down, having completely it was there and then hesitated, Rukia—or rather Haku's face flashing through my mind. She'd been a mystery then, and the reveal of everything that she was had… complicated things. Had me question each interaction I'd had with her—whether anything she said was genuine.
"...I've recently become aware of something," I said, taking a tentative sip of what was now lukewarm tea. "I took Karin and a few friends from the Hidden Waterfall on a tour around the village the other day."
"I vaguely remember you telling me about it, yes," Lord Third replied.
After a final sigh, I explained everything about Haku that I knew: her disguise as Rukia the Peasant Girl and her newer disguise as Rukia of the Waterfall. My teacher took the information in slowly, nodding me along each time I paused and refilling our teacups when we inevitably emptied them while I spoke.
"I had my suspicions, but I couldn't have known anything until I had a shadow clone confront her. And when I pushed her on it, she got nervous and created an icicle—and that's when I knew."
"Be that as it may, there isn't much I can do without tangible evidence." I frowned, ready to interject until he raised his hand. "I do not believe you are lying, but I cannot haul her in for questioning without reasonable doubt. Imagine how it would look if I were to imprison our ally's genin without an appropriate reason. Worse still, they are guests in our village, Naruto."
I clenched my jaw. "So, we can't do anything but watch as she uses her friendship with Fuu for Zabuza's end?"
"I didn't say we couldn't do anything." Lord Third smiled before clearing his throat. "Saru."
The moment Lord Third spoke, I sat up, scanning the area, my senses straining to catch something—anything—that betrayed the presence of another. Nothing. Not a whisper of displaced air, nor the faintest shift in shadow.
And then he was there. A kneeling figure draped in the dark, seamless armour of the ANBU, with a porcelain mask with an apelike snout and mouth covering his features. The soft thud of his knee hitting the wooden floor was the first sound I heard, and even that was so quiet it could have been my imagination.
"Saru," Lord Third said, his tone calm and composed, as though he'd expected nothing less. "I trust you've been listening."
Saru inclined his head in my direction. The motion was so slight it might have been missed if I wasn't staring. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure if addressing him was even appropriate. Saru didn't so much as glance my way, his entire focus on Lord Third.
"Zabuza's subordinate is in the village operating under a false identity," the Hokage continued. "Through it, she is developing a rapport with our allies from the Hidden Waterfall. Naruto here believes she is manipulating their jinchūriki, Fuu, for purposes that remain unclear. You are to confirm her presence and keep watch over her for the duration of the exams. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary."
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Saru's reply was immediate and without hesitation.
Lord Third's sharp eyes softened ever so slightly. "Discretion is paramount. Do not allow this matter to draw unnecessary attention."
Saru bowed his head deeper before rising in a single fluid motion. His movements were so quiet, so seamless, that it felt as though he were one with the shadows themselves. Without another word, he stepped back toward the shoji door, his presence dimming until it all but disappeared.
And then he was gone.
I exhaled sharply, not realising I'd been holding my breath. "How does he do that?" I muttered, glancing at the spot where Saru had just been.
Lord Third chuckled softly, the sound as warm as it was knowing. "Saru is among the best of my personal ANBU guard. His skill in remaining undetected is second to none." He sipped his tea, as serene as ever. "You may learn something from him, should you pay attention."
"Yeah…" I trailed off, my thoughts racing. Saru's presence—or lack thereof—was unsettling. If someone that skilled was tracking Haku, did she even stand a chance of slipping away?
"You're conflicted." Lord Third's voice pulled me back to the present. "Speak your mind."
I stared into my tea, the faint reflection of my face distorted by ripples. "It's just… Haku. When we fought back in Tenka Village, she was holding back to not kill me. Maybe it was because she knew my so-called father, but she doesn't seem like the kind of person who'd… manipulate someone like Fuu."
Lord Third studied me for a long moment. "Sometimes, good people do bad things for those they care about. And sometimes, what we see as manipulation is nothing more than persuasion to an end we don't approve of." He leaned forward with a steady. "Cast her from your mind, for now. The tournament is almost upon us; leave the matter of Zabuza's associate to me."
I nodded. "Alright, sensei."
It wasn't like there was much else I could do anyway. That was part of the reason I'd told Lord Third in the first place: to take the issue out of my hands. That said, my clone would be back with some information soon if only to give me peace of mind.
"Going back to my training," I said. "I was thinking of a way to upgrade my chakra enhancement. I think… I think I want to add wind chakra to it."
"...Not that I am against the idea," Lord Third began. "But it's entirely too early for you to attempt such a thing—especially with your current technique. Your chakra enhancement, if I am correct, involves overloading chakra adhesion, no?"
"Is it not possible to do?" I asked.
"It's quite possible, but I believe you understand how uncontrollable wind chakra can be."
I frowned. "Are you saying I should put a pin in the idea?"
"Yes." Lord Third smiled. "In fact, I believe you already know the perfect person to help you."
"Who?"
"My son."
It took a while to click, but once it did, I damn near sprinted out of the garden with the promise I'd return for our next lesson.
Sheer excitement propelled me across rooftops despite my lack of knowledge as to where my teacher and teammate were. I checked Asuma's place first before moving to Choji's. Beyond a slightly awkward apology to Choji's mother for disturbing her, I'd come up empty.
But that only left one place where they could be—and as I descended the hill's crest, I was proven right. The training ground lacked the random craters that I'd grown used to. I couldn't find Asuma and Choji near our usual spot and had to round to the river near the ground's boundary.
The midday sun cast a warm, lazy light across the training grounds. As I approached, I spotted Choji struggling to keep a flickering flame steady on each of his fingertips while Asuma watched with crossed arms, his usual cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Not bad," Asuma said with a nod, though Choji's flames sputtered and shrank. "Focus on the core of the flame—keep it stable before you try anything fancy."
Choji let out a frustrated huff, but he nodded, trying again. I couldn't resist a little jab as I strolled up. "If this is what you've been working on all day, I'm surprised the field hasn't burned down yet."
"What are you even doing here, Naruto? Come to give me lessons on standing around?" Despite Choji's words, I could see the surprise on his face. He glanced at me with a raised brow quickly masked by a smirk.
"Hey, I've got my reasons," I said, hands in my pockets. My grin widened when I looked at Asuma. "How long have you been torturing him with this?"
"Long enough for him to start asking himself that same question," Asuma replied.
"As things should be." I tilted my head at Choji's flame. "Don't let me stop you, man. Looked like it was going places for a second."
Choji rolled his eyes but turned back to his training, muttering something under his breath as his fingertips caught aflame. Asuma focused on me now, raised an eyebrow. "So, what brings you out here, Naruto?"
"Didn't you say that I'm welcome here whenever?"
He only stared at me for that.
I dropped the cocky grin, just a little, and straightened up. "Okay, Lord Third sent me. He said you might be able to help me figure out this wind chakra thing. Adding it to my enhancement and all that."
"You say that like it's easy," he replied, snorting.
"He said that too—can you help me out?"
He pulled a sleek pair of trench knives from his coat and handed one to me. The steel gleamed in the sunlight, a promise of something more than just a simple weapon.
"Inject wind chakra into it," Asuma said, nodding toward the knife.
I took the knife in hand, feeling its weight settle against my palm. Focus. Wind chakra. I took a deep breath, letting the chakra swirl through my system and into the blade. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a sharp buzz, the knife came to life, crackling with wind-infused chakra.
A faint blue glow wrapped around the blade, swirling like smoke caught in a breeze. My eyes followed the narrowing trail as the knuckleduster part narrowed into a sharp blade. Perhaps I didn't have to give it a cutting property. It wasn't like I intended to use it to cut in the first place.
My punch landed with a deafening boom, its force rippling with a barely visible shockwave. The trunk didn't just shake—it bowed, shuddering under the pressure before cracks webbed through the wood. A second later, the entire tree toppled backwards, roots groaning as they tore free from the earth.
Dust and loose dirt kicked up in a wide circle around the impact, stinging my face and filling the air with the sharp scent of splintered wood. I lowered my arm, staring at the crater-like dent left in the centre of the trunk, the edges compacted and caved inward like a giant's fist had struck it.
And to think I hadn't even swung as hard as I could.
Choji broke the silence first. "Uh… is it supposed to do that?"
I blinked, half in awe, half startled by how raw and heavy the force had felt. "Guess it packs more of a punch than I thought."
"'More of a punch'?" Asuma's voice came from behind, dry as sandpaper. "Kid, you just flattened a fully-grown tree like it owed you money."
I turned, scratching the back of my head, the buzz of expended wind chakra still tingling in my knuckles. "I mean, wind's got to blow something over, right?" I tried to play it cool, but couldn't help the grin tugging at my lips.
Asuma crouched by the fallen tree, running a hand over the crushed trunk. "No cutting here. Just pure concussive force," he murmured, then shot me a look. "You're not sharpening it—you're compacting it. Condensing all that energy into a single point. It's… efficient. Messy, but efficient. So, that's where you want to take your enhancement, huh?"
Efficient. I liked the sound of that. Efficient was better than wild, better than aimless—which is what I would've called it.
Choji stepped up, his eyes flicking between me and the fallen tree. "Imagine what happens if you miss."
"Then the poor guy behind it gets to count his blessings." I huffed, shaking my hand like I could wave off the adrenaline still surging through me.
Asuma chuckled, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Let's hope you don't miss, then." His tone shifted, more serious. "I think I realise why my old man sent you here. Having you figure this out on your own would lead to some gnarly injuries. To get anywhere with this technique, you'd need some trench knives of your own to start."
I nodded, my gaze lingering on the wreckage. He was right. This wasn't just about power—it was about control. "That'd be great and I'd be more than willing to pay for a pair."
"Good, because they can get pricey." Asuma cracked a grin. "I know a guy, but the knives won't be ready till after the exams."
"...Damn. Still, thanks, Asuma."
He nodded. "So, what else has my old man got you working on?"
"Water-Release stuff mostly," I said. "I've got a few jutsu down, working on the mechanics behind 'em to sharpen my foundation too. Now that you mention it, a spar would be the perfect way to help Choji. He could practise fighting with a ranged offensive tool—and against its counter to boot."
Asuma nodded thoughtfully, flicking the ash from his cigarette. "...You've got the right idea. Choji's good in close quarters, but he could use some work at range. What do you think, kid?"
"Huh?" Choji looked up, the movement diverting his focus and extinguishing the flames again. He huffed. "Uh… yeah, sure. Fighting you can get pretty demoralising, Asuma-sensei."
"...Somehow that feels like an insult," I replied, smiling to show I wasn't offended.
Asuma waved us toward the clearing by the riverbank. "Alright, let's keep this clean. Choji, stick to what you've been working on. Naruto, show him what the old man's taught you, but no overkill—we're not looking to flatten more trees."
Choji cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders. "Guess I'll get some revenge for that jab earlier."
I grinned, stepping into the clearing and cracking my neck. "You're welcome to try."
I formed a quick seal and summoned two shadow clones, spreading them out for good measure. Choji frowned, his fingers already weaving seals of his own.
Asuma raised a hand. "Start!"
The clearing was quiet for a moment, just the sound of the river beyond us. Choji's Fire-Release jutsu came first, a wave of flames bursting from his mouth in a controlled arc. The heat shimmered in the air as it raced toward me. I leapt back, my clones rushing to intercept. One formed the seals for Wild Water Wave, spewing a jet of water that hissed and evaporated on impact, leaving a blinding steam cloud in its wake.
I used the cover to close the gap, sending one clone wide while the other churned the steam with a quick Wind Release: Gale Palm. The gust swept through, pushing the cloud into Choji's face. He staggered, coughing, but recovered quickly, slamming his hands to the ground just in time to block another torrent of water.
The jet slammed into the wall's surfaces, sloshing up harmlessly. I formed another seal, sending a sharp burst of wind roaring from my palms to slam into the mud wall. The structure splintered under the relentless pressure, chunks of earth breaking free. Choji darted back before I could break through completely, half-obscured hands moving as he formed another set of seals.
A wave of flame burst around the cracked wall moments after Choji emerged. The heat pressed against my skin even from a distance while the fire roared toward me, eating up the space with a hot flash. My hands were already moving, a writhing arm rising from the river to form a rushing wave before me. Steam hissed violently as the two elements collided, the air between us thick with vapour once more; Choji was quick, though, slipping into its cover.
The two clones were on him immediately, one rushing left and the other darting right. He met the first with another wall of earth, cutting off its charge, and swiped at the second with a broad wave of fire. Both went down in moments, the feedback hitting me like a sharp jolt. The disorientation threw me off just enough for Choji to notice the opening.
He hurled yet another fireball at me without a moment to spare, but at this point, he'd established something of a habit that I was more than prepared for. I finished the seals for Great Breakthrough as the oncoming heat passed through my flak jacket. The fireball broke apart, sheared apart by a compressed, cutting draft.
My breathing was steady as I watched him take shelter behind a mud wall. Warmth flashed across my face at the realisation that he was constantly reinforcing the area he was hiding behind—which was a smart, if reckless way of defending.
"Not bad," I muttered, regaining my footing.
Wind chakra swirled in my palms as I formed another attack and thrust it forward, the sheer force of the gale destroying Choji's sanctuary, reinforcement and all, Scattered debris burst free, only for Choji to raise yet another wall. I cut it down again and pressed the advantage, shaping a wave of water and sending it barreling toward him.
The collision only sent the wave sloshing back towards me, but I'd counted on it. I made a hand seal and watched the water almost bubble, coalescing into a vaguely human-sized shape. A perfect copy of myself materialised from the gathered water and clambered over the wall, engaging him immediately with a kunai raised high.
Choji's eyes widened as I emerged from the other end of the wall, but he reacted quickly, slamming a fist into the ground. He was facing me, so I jumped but watched the ground behind him crack open to swallow my clone instead.
Still, I cleared the upheaval, and landed in a roll, not sparing an instant before a swirling chakra sphere hummed to life in my palm. Choji's eyes locked on to the Rasengan and he braced himself. His hands slammed to the ground to erect another wall between us—but it wouldn't be enough to stop me this time.
I planted my feet, crouched low, and, with a deep breath, threw my body forward with the Rasengan leading the way. The wall caved, then cracked, before it shattered. I drove through Choji's wall with relentless force, the Rasengan drilling into the stone like it was nothing more than sand. Choji barely had time to react.
He raised his hands to block, but I dispelled the chakra, cocking my arm back for a punch instead. Choji bore it at first but I turned the punch into a tackle and stood over him and the broken wall, breathing hard.
A satisfied, if tired grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Well, I guess I'm done for, huh?"
"I guess so, man. Good fight, though." I smiled, wiping the sweat from my brow.
He chuckled and pushed himself to his feet, his arms heavy from the fight. "Yeah, yeah, you're a pain in the ass, Naruto. Jeez, that was a damn good hit."
I looked at the cracked earth where Choji's wall had been, the aftermath of the Rasengan still settling. I could feel the energy still pulsing in my hand and the resulting adrenaline buzzing through me.
Asuma broke the silence. "Not bad, Choji. But relying on the Fireball Jutsu wasn't great once he started wrecking your walls. Fire beats wind, sure, but it's not almighty. Mixing it up would've kept you less predictable—and spared you from all that steam in your face."
I nodded, still catching my breath. "I'd have to agree—that, and using Mud Wall so much. It blinds you as much as it does me, you know. It stopped being a neat trick once I figured it out"
Choji slapped me on the back, a grin still plastered on his face. "Just don't get cocky in the meantime, alright? Believe me, I'll get you next time."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Next time, I'll be ready—but until then, sit tight."
He rolled his eyes, shoving me a little. "Yeah, yeah."
I let out another laugh, the satisfaction of a good spar still buzzing in my veins enough that I felt unburdened by the conundrum that was Haku.