If Zabuza's attempted assassination of the Fourth Mizukage demonstrated his devotion to Kirigakure, then his actions when Haku's body was disrespected by their employer Gatō revealed his true character. Despite his paralyzed arms, Zabuza seized a kunai between his teeth—borrowed from Naruto—to avenge Haku, proving himself a man of profound loyalty.
Though his actions frequently transgressed conventional morality, Zabuza never embodied the heartless villainy often attributed to him. The scene where he wielded the kunai with only his teeth to kill Gatō had left an indelible impression on Richard.
Perhaps I should visit the Land of Waves?
This thought emerged unbidden as Richard soared toward Kirigakure.
The Land of Waves occupied an archipelago between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. Though initially unfamiliar with its precise location, Richard's half-month residence in Otogakure had provided ample opportunity to supplement his geographical knowledge. He now understood not only the Land of Waves' exact coordinates but the positions of all major Hidden Villages as well.
After brief consideration, Richard made his decision.
Since it's along my route, I might as well investigate. If Zabuza and Haku still live, I could save them.
Having resolved this course of action, Richard adjusted his flight trajectory slightly—redirecting from a direct approach to Kirigakure toward the Land of Waves instead.
The Land of Waves constituted a minor island nation with virtually no shinobi presence. With only a single bridge connecting it to the mainland, the country possessed minimal military and economic strength.
This vulnerability stemmed partially from the nation's insular geography, but Gatō's influence represented an equally significant factor.
Gatō ranked among the few genuine tycoons in the Naruto world, serving as president of the Gatō Company shipping conglomerate.
Though presenting himself as a legitimate businessman, Gatō embodied ruthless ambition. Beyond employing thugs and rogue shinobi for smuggling operations, he harbored expansionist aspirations toward other nations and corporations.
The Land of Waves represented one such target. Through his hired forces, Gatō controlled all maritime traffic surrounding the island nation.
For an isolated archipelago like the Land of Waves, domination of sea routes effectively meant total economic control.
To secure perpetual dominance over the nation, Gatō specifically recruited Zabuza's team to eliminate Tazuna—a master bridge builder attempting to liberate the Land of Waves through construction of a bridge.
By preventing the bridge's completion, Gatō could ensure indefinite control over the isolated country.
Had any team other than Kakashi's Squad Seven accepted the Land of Waves mission, Tazuna would have inevitably perished at Zabuza's hands.
On the nearly completed bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the mainland, combat had already commenced.
Zabuza and Haku engaged Kakashi and his genin in pitched battle.
Haku fought two opponents simultaneously—Naruto and Sasuke—while Zabuza and Kakashi conducted a focused duel.
Sakura and Tazuna remained on the sidelines, observing the conflict—much like Richard himself.
Richard had initially doubted he would witness the confrontation between Zabuza and Kakashi, but his concerns proved unfounded.
Despite spending half a month in Otogakure, he'd arrived before the decisive battle reached its conclusion.
Shortly after departing Konoha, Kakashi's team had first encountered two chūnin subordinates of Zabuza. After defeating these intermediaries, they'd confronted Zabuza himself.
Following Zabuza's initial defeat, he and Haku had regrouped for a week before launching this second assault.
Richard had assumed this sequence of events would transpire within ten days, potentially causing him to miss the climactic battle between Zabuza and Kakashi and Naruto's first manifestation of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
His assumption had proven incorrect.
Now hovering thousands of meters above the conflict, Richard observed the combatants with his super vision.
Just as he recalled from the storyline, Haku employed the Secret Technique: Crystal Ice Mirrors against Naruto and Sasuke, while Zabuza executed his Silent Killing technique—concealing himself within dense mist to engage Kakashi.
Though fully capable of intervening immediately to prevent Zabuza and Haku's deaths, Richard refrained. While determined to save them, his timing required precision.
The critical moment would arrive just before Kakashi impaled Haku with the Lightning Blade.
Until then, Richard elected to maintain his observation alongside the non-combatants Sakura and Tazuna.
Without his intervention, events unfolded precisely as established in the original storyline.
Against Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors, both Naruto and Sasuke struggled significantly.
Naruto, repeatedly struck by Haku's senbon, resembled a human pincushion as he collapsed in agony.
Sasuke, meanwhile, devoted his full concentration to evading Haku's projectiles.
Barring unexpected developments, Sasuke would soon "awaken" his two-tomoe Sharingan through sheer emotional pressure.
Regarding Sasuke's delayed Sharingan activation, Richard had always considered the timing somewhat inconsistent. Given Sasuke's prodigious talent, he should have mastered not only the two-tomoe but the complete three-tomoe Sharingan long before this encounter.
Considerable time had elapsed since the Uchiha clan massacre. On that traumatic night, Sasuke had successfully activated the single-tomoe Sharingan.
The fact that he required Haku's intervention to progress to the two-tomoe stage years later seemed implausible. If Sasuke truly possessed such limited potential, his later ascension to become one of the shinobi world's two strongest individuals within mere years would have been impossible.
Though the disconnect between Sasuke's current capabilities and his future accomplishments created narrative dissonance, Richard avoided excessive analysis.
Such inconsistencies were entirely expected.
After all, manga creator Masashi Kishimoto likely never anticipated that Naruto would continue serialization for so many years.
Time advanced incrementally.
Under lethal threat and driven by his determination to protect Naruto, Sasuke "awakened" his two-tomoe Sharingan exactly as depicted in the manga. With his enhanced visual perception, he barely matched Haku's velocity.
Nevertheless, Sasuke ultimately succumbed to Haku's senbon barrage, his body riddled with needles despite his valiant effort to shield Naruto.
Elsewhere on the bridge, Kakashi suffered a slash from Zabuza's Executioner's Blade while protecting Sakura and Tazuna.
Witnessing these developments, Richard's expression shifted to one of anticipation.
Here it comes—Naruto's first manifestation of the Nine-Tails' chakra!
Disregarding the others, Richard focused exclusively on Naruto.
As grievously injured Sasuke collapsed, crimson chakra immediately erupted from Naruto's body.
Though Naruto couldn't consciously control the Nine-Tails' power, the leaked chakra enveloped him like living flame.
Above Naruto's head, the Nine-Tails' chakra coalesced into an enormous fox visage.
Across the bridge, both Kakashi and Zabuza immediately registered the Nine-Tails' chakra signature.
With the demonic energy's emergence, Naruto's eyes transformed into bestial golden slits, while his teeth elongated into pronounced fangs.
Though uncertain about Naruto's metamorphosis, Haku responded without hesitation, launching another senbon assault.
These needles—previously unstoppable—now proved ineffectual.
Nothing had changed about Haku's technique; the senbon maintained their deadly accuracy.
However, before reaching Naruto, the projectiles simply deflected off the Nine-Tails' chakra shield.
Beyond defensive capabilities, the Nine-Tails' leaked chakra began actively degrading Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors.
Recognizing his senbon attacks had become ineffective, Haku abandoned this approach and prepared to leverage his superior speed within the mirror construct to overwhelm Naruto.
Naruto, however, had transformed into an entirely different opponent.
Though Haku's velocity remained constant, Naruto's speed and reaction time had multiplied exponentially.
Before Haku could strike, Naruto evaded fluidly.
Moreover, when Haku attempted to retreat into another mirror, Naruto anticipated his trajectory, intercepting and seizing Haku's left wrist.
WHAM!
Naruto first slammed the captured Haku forcefully to the ground.
Then, with lightning speed, he delivered a devastating right hook to Haku's face, immediately rendering him unconscious.
Naruto's strike not only shattered Haku's mask but sent him flying backward through one of his own ice mirrors.
After incapacitating Haku, Naruto immediately pursued, intent on continuing his assault.
Upon seeing Haku's exposed face, however, Naruto's fist—poised to deliver another blow—hesitated.
After several seconds of internal conflict, Naruto's fist still connected with Haku's head, knocking him unconscious once more.
Having subdued Haku a second time, Naruto ceased his attack, instead initiating the first "wake-up call" of his young career.
While Naruto attempted to revive the unconscious Haku, the confrontation between Kakashi and Zabuza reached its conclusion.
After detecting the Nine-Tails' chakra emanating from Naruto, Kakashi quickly retrieved several scrolls and formed hand seals.
"Summoning: Earth Style: Fang Pursuit Jutsu!"
The eight summoned ninken not only pinpointed Zabuza's location through blood residue on the Executioner's Blade but immobilized him completely.
With Zabuza restrained by the ninja hounds, Kakashi formed additional seals.
"Chidori!"
Witnessing Kakashi prepare his Chidori, Richard recognized his moment had arrived.
Without intervention, Haku would sacrifice himself, intercepting Kakashi's technique through the heart.
Though Haku wasn't female, the principle remained: saving a life outweighed all other considerations.
Additionally, as Zabuza represented a defector from Kirigakure, bringing both him and Haku to meet Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi promised intriguing potential.
Without further deliberation, Richard descended toward Zabuza and Kakashi.
Having completed his Chidori, Kakashi exchanged brief, respectful words with Zabuza before charging forward, intent on delivering the killing blow.
Simultaneously, Haku—having escaped Naruto's supervision—rushed toward the confrontation, prepared to intercept Kakashi's attack with his own body.
Haku moved with extraordinary speed.
Before Kakashi could reach Zabuza, Haku successfully positioned himself between them, creating a human shield before his master.
Kakashi, committed to his attack, failed to register Haku's intervention.
Just as Kakashi's electrified hand would have impaled Haku, a figure descended from above, interposing between Kakashi and his target.
Kakashi's outstretched arm found itself seized firmly by Richard, halting mere inches from Haku's chest.
"Your fight ends here," Richard declared.
Both Haku's sacrifice and Richard's intervention had blindsided Kakashi completely.
Kakashi realized that Richard had appeared with ghost-like suddenness, effortlessly intercepting and neutralizing the Chidori. Immediately, wariness suffused his demeanor.
Though uncertain of Richard's identity, one fact established itself with absolute clarity: this stranger possessed formidable strength.
Beyond Richard's superhuman speed, his casual neutralization of the Chidori—one of Kakashi's most powerful techniques—demonstrated overwhelming capability.
"Who are you?" Kakashi inquired, his posture radiating caution.
"A passerby who happened to be in the vicinity," Richard replied calmly, releasing Kakashi's arm.
Despite detecting neither killing intent nor overt hostility from Richard, Kakashi maintained his vigilance.
Under the collective gaze of Kakashi, Haku, and Zabuza, Richard continued: "Further conflict is unnecessary. Gatō has arrived with reinforcements."
What?
Upon hearing Richard's statement, Kakashi and the others immediately scanned their surroundings.
Without difficulty, they spotted Gatō approaching, flanked by numerous thugs.
Zabuza quickly retreated, bringing Haku and Richard to a safer distance.
"Gatō," he called out, "what's the meaning of this? Why have you brought so many men?"
"The meaning?" Gatō's voice dripped with condescension. "Isn't it obvious enough?"
"I never intended to pay you. I approached you specifically because hiring legitimate shinobi costs significantly more, and they might refuse my commission outright."
"Recruiting missing-nin like yourself eliminates such complications."
"I'd hoped you could dispose of these Konoha shinobi, but evidently I overestimated your abilities."
"No matter. You and these Leaf ninja will all perish here today."
Gatō regarded Zabuza and Kakashi with open contempt.
When his gaze settled on Richard, a slight frown creased his features.
Who is this newcomer?
Konoha reinforcements?
Upon first glimpsing Richard, Gatō instinctively assumed he represented additional support from Konoha.
This assumption quickly dissolved when Gatō failed to identify any Leaf Village forehead protector on Richard's person.
Irrelevant!
Whoever this stranger might be, he'll share the others' fate!
Just as Gatō prepared to signal his assembled thugs to attack, Richard raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
Aeroga!
Dancing Wind Blades!
Though now possessing chakra and having mastered numerous conventional ninjutsu, Richard reflexively defaulted to his template abilities.
Accompanying the snap of Richard's fingers, hundreds of translucent wind blades—each approximately half a meter long—materialized instantaneously.
After forming, these blades immediately accelerated toward Gatō and his entourage with devastating velocity.
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice!
Against wind blades capable of slicing through steel, Gatō and his thugs possessed no more resistance than parchment.
Within three seconds, Gatō and his entire contingent had been reduced to unrecognizable remains.
Done.
Having effortlessly eliminated Gatō and his forces, Richard immediately dispelled the remaining wind blades and approached Zabuza directly.
"Become my subordinate," Richard stated. "I can ensure your official reinstatement to Kirigakure."
Though Zabuza remained a missing-nin from Kirigakure, facilitating his return posed minimal challenge for Richard.
The current Mizukage, Mei Terumi, would likely prove amenable to such arrangements.
Even if Kirigakure remained under the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's ostensible control—or more accurately, under Obito's influence through Yagura—Richard maintained absolute confidence in his ability to secure Zabuza's rehabilitation within the village.
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