After Haku disappeared, Kakashi finally sighed in relief, pulling down his forehead protector to cover his left eye's Sharingan. Then… he collapsed onto the ground.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto and the others hurried over to help him up and walk toward Tazuna's home.
"Has the Sharingan been overused…?" Furen murmured, standing at the back. He quickly formed hand seals, creating an identical shadow clone of himself.
Leaving the shadow clone behind, Furen's main body moved away unnoticed.
…
After carrying Zabuza's corpse for a long distance, Haku found a secluded area and set the body down, retrieving various tools from her waist.
"First, I need to remove the cloth from his mouth… to let the blood flow out…" Haku murmured as she picked up a small knife, just as Zabuza's eyes suddenly snapped open.
At that moment, Zabuza was no longer himself; Furen's Mind Body Chaos Technique had taken over his body, leaving Zabuza's spirit still in slumber.
"Zabuza-san, it seems you're alive again." Seeing this, Haku put down the scissors.
"Take off your mask," Furen commanded, controlling Zabuza's body.
"This is a mask I used to wear, and it happens to be useful," Haku replied, complying as she removed the mask, revealing her face beneath.
As Haku unveiled her face, Furen momentarily lost focus.
"She's beautiful," he thought to himself.
Just as Furen prepared to act through Zabuza's body, he suddenly felt Zabuza's dormant spirit awaken. Furen quickly hid his own presence.
Fortunately, Zabuza's awakening was still very weak and didn't notice Furen within him.
Zabuza, now in control of his body, scanned Haku with his cold, fish-like eyes, then looked around and spoke in a chilling tone, "Where's my decapitating sword?"
Haku's smile faltered. "Zabuza-san, your decapitating sword is broken. I didn't retrieve it, so I can't forge a new one…"
Before Haku could finish, Zabuza, still with needles in his neck, tightly grasped her throat, his voice icy: "You useless thing, bring back my sword, or you'll have no value!"
Haku, choked, offered no resistance, simply nodding repeatedly.
Knowing she was close to suffocating, Zabuza finally tossed her aside, disregarding her as he pulled the needles from his own neck and walked away.
"Zabuza-san…" Watching his retreating figure, Haku's reddened throat showed disappointment, and suddenly a figure flashed through her mind.
The one with a gentle smile, like the wind—Furen.
Haku's favorability towards you: 10%
"Furen-kun? Why did he come to mind?" Haku shook her head and returned toward the battle site, wanting to see if the decapitating sword was still there.
Hiding within Zabuza's body, Furen revealed a cold smile.
…
At the riverbank where the battle had taken place, Furen's main body sat eating grilled fish he had caught from the water.
Seeing Furen's figure, Haku, now wearing her mask again, was momentarily stunned, not expecting to see the Furen-kun she had just thought about.
Looking at Furen, Haku hesitated for a moment before approaching.
"Furen-kun?"
"Hmm?" Furen turned, recognizing her with a smile. "It's you, Haku. What's up?"
"Furen-kun, did you notice where that long broken sword went during the battle?" Haku asked.
"That sword…" Furen stood up, smiling at her. "That sword is with me."
"Really? Furen-kun, can I have it? It's very important to me," Haku exclaimed, excitement rising.
Furen nodded. "Of course, but…"
"But what?" Haku quickly asked.
"But I want to see your face beneath the mask," Furen replied.
"W-Why?" Haku suddenly felt a bit flustered; this was the first time someone other than Zabuza had asked her to remove her mask in all her years.
"Because I think you must be very beautiful," Furen said, flashing a sunny smile at her.
Haku's face, under the mask, flushed a delicate red at Furen's words.
So there was someone who cared for her besides Zabuza… If only Zabuza-san could be as gentle as Furen-kun…
Haku's favorability towards you: 10%
Ding!
Haku's favorability has reached 30%. You can draw 25% favorability reward. Would you like to draw?
"Draw!"
Furen commanded the system.
Drawing!
Drawn Haku's 25% favorability reward: Water Body Flicker!
----------
A/N:
Get 40 advanced chapters at p@treon.com/Ashborn69. Your support helps me so much Thank you!