After seeing Haku’s past, people throughout the shinobi world couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him.
Haku’s loss was especially cruel because he knew exactly what a loving family felt like.
Then, in a single night, he lost everything.
That kind of loneliness was difficult to imagine.
Soon, the screen continued showing his story.
[Land of Waves — Forest]
Haku walked through the trees in a pink kimono, his long hair resting over his shoulders.
A basket hung from one arm as he gathered medicinal herbs.
By coincidence, he came across one of Zabuza’s enemies.
Naruto.
The boy was sprawled across the grass, sleeping without a care in the world.
Haku could have killed him easily.
Instead, he gently woke him.
“You shouldn’t sleep out here like this.”
“You’ll catch a cold.”
Naruto rubbed his eyes and sat up.
As they talked, Haku learned about Naruto’s dream.
Naruto wanted to become stronger.
Strong enough to become the greatest shinobi in his village.
Strong enough that everyone would finally acknowledge him.
Haku listened quietly.
Then he said,
“People become truly strong when they have something precious they want to protect.”
Naruto paused.
Images of Iruka and Kakashi came to mind.
He remembered the way strength seemed to surge through him whenever someone important to him was threatened.
Naruto grinned.
“Yeah.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
When it was finally time to leave, Haku waved goodbye.
Somehow, he felt certain that the two of them would meet again.
…
The scene changed.
The bridge in the Land of Waves.
Zabuza and Haku stood in Team 7’s path, determined to eliminate the bridge builder, Tazuna.
The battle began.
Wearing his hunter-nin mask, Haku quickly overwhelmed Sasuke.
The young Uchiha had talent.
But compared to Haku, he was still inexperienced.
Yet something was strange.
Haku had several perfect chances to kill him.
He never took them.
His senbon only left shallow wounds.
He seemed to be deliberately avoiding fatal strikes.
Then—
Naruto arrived.
Loudly.
Dramatically.
And with absolutely no sense of timing.
Zabuza immediately hurled several shuriken at him.
Kakashi’s eye widened.
“Naruto!
Move!”
But Naruto was too slow.
The shuriken were already flying toward him.
At the last second—
clang!
clang!
clang!
Several senbon shot through the air and knocked the shuriken aside.
Naruto stared in shock.
Haku had saved him.
Zabuza frowned.
“Haku.”
“What are you doing?”
Haku turned toward him.
“Zabuza-san…”
“Please leave this boy to me.”
Then he glanced toward Sasuke.
“And this battle too.”
“Would you allow me to handle them my way?”
Zabuza understood immediately.
He sighed.
“So you want Kakashi and me to stay out of it.”
His voice turned cold.
“You’re still too soft.”
Haku lowered his head slightly.
“I’m sorry.”
Then he turned back toward Naruto and Sasuke.
The battle resumed.
Even while fighting two-on-one, Haku dominated them.
Under the pressure, Sasuke’s Sharingan evolved further.
Two tomoe appeared in his eyes.
Naruto, meanwhile, was pushed far enough that the Nine-Tails’ chakra began leaking out.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Red chakra surged around him.
Naruto charged.
Haku tried to respond—
but Naruto’s fist smashed directly into his face.
Crack!
Haku’s mask shattered.
Fragments scattered across the bridge.
Haku staggered back.
Then slowly rose again.
But this time…
he didn’t defend himself.
He simply stood there and waited for Naruto to attack.
Inside, only one thought remained.
Zabuza…
I’m sorry.
I couldn’t defeat this boy.
]
…
The moment Haku’s face was revealed, everyone finally understood why his profile had included his sex.
He looked almost exactly like a girl.
The clothes.
The long hair.
The delicate face.
Even his calm, gentle personality.
But Haku’s appearance wasn’t the only thing that stood out.
His kindness was impossible to ignore.
In the forest, he could have killed Naruto without difficulty.
Instead, he warned him not to get sick and even shared his thoughts about strength.
On the bridge, he had multiple opportunities to kill Sasuke.
He deliberately held back.
When Zabuza attacked Naruto, Haku even went against his partner’s intent and saved Naruto himself.
Then, rather than allowing Zabuza to finish the boys, he chose to defeat them in his own way.
A gentler way.
And even after Naruto overwhelmed him with the Nine-Tails’ chakra—
Haku accepted defeat without rage or bitterness.
…
[Live Chat Group One]
Naruto’s first reaction had nothing to do with the battle.
[Naruto Uzumaki: WHAT?!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Someone cuter than Sakura is actually a guy?!]
Sakura immediately glared at him.
Sasuke, however, was focused on something completely different.
[Sasuke Uchiha: No way.]
[Sasuke Uchiha: He’s stronger than me even with my Sharingan?]
Neji studied the fight carefully.
[Neji Hyuga: That’s what real combat experience looks like.]
[Neji Hyuga: Haku is extremely skilled.]
Then his expression hardened.
[Neji Hyuga: But he’s also far too merciful.]
[Neji Hyuga: If he were truly ruthless, both Naruto and Sasuke would’ve died on that bridge.]
Rock Lee’s eyes practically lit up.
[Rock Lee: There is no doubt about it!
Haku is a genius!]
Kakashi, meanwhile, looked increasingly troubled.
[Kakashi Hatake: So that’s what awaits us in the Land of Waves…]
[Kakashi Hatake: Zabuza Momochi, Haku, and a mission far beyond what three newly graduated genin should be facing.]
He sighed.
[Kakashi Hatake: At that point, this is practically an S-rank mission.]
Then his tone became firm.
[Kakashi Hatake: But if that’s what happens, I’ll protect them.]
[Kakashi Hatake: Even if it costs me my life.]
Zabuza immediately responded.
[Zabuza Momochi: I’ve told you before, Haku.]
[Zabuza Momochi: Showing mercy to an enemy will get you killed.]
[Zabuza Momochi: Hesitation in battle is weakness.]
Haku’s answer came quickly.
[Haku: I’m sorry, Zabuza-san.]
…
[Live Chat Group Two]
Fugaku stared at the older Sasuke shown on the screen.
[Fugaku Uchiha: Sasuke…]
[Fugaku Uchiha: So that’s what you look like now.]
Mikoto’s reaction was far warmer.
[Mikoto Uchiha: He’s grown so much.]
Then she smiled.
[Mikoto Uchiha: And look at him fighting beside Naruto.]
[Mikoto Uchiha: We once joked about how nice it would be if our families became even closer someday.
Seeing those two side by side still makes me happy.]
Kushina laughed softly.
[Kushina Uzumaki: Naruto definitely got Minato’s hair.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: His personality is much more like mine, though.]
She paused.
[Kushina Uzumaki: As for that reckless, ridiculous side of him…]
Minato smiled.
[Minato Namikaze: Jiraiya-sensei?]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Exactly.]
Hashirama’s attention was on something else.
[Hashirama Senju: So Naruto is the Nine-Tails’ new jinchūriki.]
He studied the boy carefully.
[Hashirama Senju: And that chakra…]
[Hashirama Senju: I can sense the same bloodline Mito carried.]
Tobirama looked toward Minato.
[Tobirama Senju: Fourth Hokage.]
[Tobirama Senju: Sealing the Nine-Tails into your own son was an extraordinary gamble.]
Minato didn’t hesitate.
[Minato Namikaze: I trusted him.]
[Minato Namikaze: I believed Naruto would eventually overcome the Nine-Tails.]