No one wanted to believe that Zabuza Momochi truly cared about Haku.
But the screen had already confirmed that B was the correct answer.
So there had to be more to their relationship than what everyone had seen so far.
Then the footage continued from after Haku’s death.
[On the bridge—
Kakashi kicked Zabuza hard enough to send him stumbling backward.
Before Zabuza could recover, Kakashi hurled two kunai.
Thud!
Thud!
Both pierced Zabuza’s left arm.
Zabuza gritted his teeth.
Why?
Why can’t I keep up with him anymore?
“Damn it!”
Refusing to accept defeat, Zabuza charged again.
Kakashi met him head-on.
Bam!
One punch smashed into Zabuza.
Then another.
Zabuza was sent crashing backward.
Before he could regain his footing, Kakashi vanished.
He reappeared behind him and seized Zabuza by the neck.
“In your current condition, you can’t defeat me.”
Zabuza glared at him.
“What did you say?”
Kakashi’s voice remained cold.
“You still haven’t understood what true strength is.”
He raised two more kunai.
“Goodbye, Demon of the Hidden Mist.”
The kunai drove into Zabuza’s right arm.
With both arms badly injured, Zabuza could no longer form hand seals or properly wield his sword.
The battle appeared to be over.
Then— slow applause echoed across the bridge.
A large group approached from the far end.
At their head was Gato.
Dozens of armed thugs followed behind him.
Gato wore an irritating smile.
“I’m disappointed in you, Zabuza.”
Zabuza’s expression darkened.
“Gato?”
“Why are you here?”
“And who are all these men?”
Gato laughed.
“Well…
there’s been a slight change of plans.”
He spread his arms.
“Sorry, Zabuza, but this is where you die.”
Zabuza’s killing intent immediately surged.
“What?”
Gato continued smugly.
“Hiring legitimate shinobi costs far too much money.”
“That’s why I hired missing-nin like you instead.”
“And if you shinobi kill each other…”
He grinned.
“Then I don’t have to pay anyone.”
“I save money.”
“I save time.”
“And the problem solves itself.”
Gato sneered at him.
“And here everyone calls you the Demon of the Hidden Mist.”
“How terrifying.”
He laughed.
“To me, you just look like another fool.”
Zabuza stared at him in silence.
Then he turned toward Kakashi.
“Kakashi.”
“Our fight ends here.”
Kakashi understood immediately.
“Yeah.”
Zabuza continued,
“If Gato no longer wants Tazuna dead, then I have no reason to keep fighting you.”
Kakashi glanced toward the mob of thugs.
“Agreed.”
Then Gato noticed Haku’s body.
His expression twisted.
“Oh, right.”
He walked toward the corpse.
“This brat…”
He suddenly kicked Haku in the face.
“He broke my wrist!”
Then kicked him again.
“Damn little bastard!”
Naruto’s eyes widened.
“You bastard!”
He started forward.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Kakashi immediately grabbed him and held him back.
“Naruto!”
“Don’t move.”
Naruto struggled in his arms.
Then he looked toward Zabuza.
“Say something!”
His voice rose.
“Haku was your comrade, wasn’t he?!”
Zabuza didn’t move.
“Shut up, kid.”
“Haku is already dead.”
Naruto stared at him.
“His body is being treated like that and you don’t care?!”
“You were together all this time!”
Zabuza answered without emotion.
“Gato used me.”
“And I used Haku.”
“That’s all.”
Naruto froze.
Zabuza continued.
“I already told you.”
“Shinobi are tools.”
“I needed Haku’s abilities.”
“Not Haku himself.”
His voice remained cold.
“I have no regrets.”
“And no attachment.”]
…
Watching Kakashi completely overpower Zabuza, many viewers could imagine how angry Kakashi must have been at that moment.
Kakashi had watched too many comrades die before his eyes.
That was exactly why he valued them so much.
Zabuza’s insistence that comrades were nothing more than tools must have struck directly at something Kakashi could never accept.
No wonder he told Zabuza that he didn’t understand true strength.
Most people had assumed Kakashi would finish Zabuza right there.
Instead—
Gato appeared.
And somehow managed to make himself even more hated than Zabuza.
…
[Live Chat Group One]
Tazuna’s expression darkened immediately.
[Tazuna: Gato…]
[Tazuna: He’s the reason the people of the Land of Waves can barely feed themselves!]
Kakashi understood the scheme instantly.
[Kakashi Hatake: So he planned to let Zabuza and me kill each other, then avoid paying Zabuza entirely.]
[Kakashi Hatake: Despicable.]
Shikamaru sighed.
[Shikamaru Nara: So that’s his plan.]
[Shikamaru Nara: Hire desperate people cheaply, make them destroy each other, then pocket the money.]
[Shikamaru Nara: What a pain.]
Naruto was far less interested in Gato’s business strategy.
[Naruto Uzumaki: That bastard is kicking Haku’s body!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I want to beat him into the ground!]
Sakura was just as disgusted.
[Sakura Haruno: Zabuza may be a criminal, but Gato is somehow even worse.]
Choji looked confused.
[Choji Akimichi: Wait…]
[Choji Akimichi: If Kakashi-sensei and Zabuza stop fighting here…]
[Choji Akimichi: Then what did Haku die for?]
The question left several people silent.
Ino finally responded.
[Ino Yamanaka: And Zabuza really isn’t reacting at all.]
[Ino Yamanaka: Haku died for him, and now Gato is disrespecting his body right in front of him.]
[Ino Yamanaka: That’s awful.]
Kankuro couldn’t understand it either.
[Kankuro: Seriously?]
[Kankuro: Not even a little anger?]
[Kankuro: Is Zabuza really that cold?]
Temari’s disappointment was even sharper.
[Temari: Pathetic.]
[Temari: Haku gave his life for you, and you’re standing there while someone like Gato kicks his corpse?]
[Temari: Zabuza, you’re letting a man like that humiliate both of you.]
Kurotsuchi frowned.
[Kurotsuchi: If this is really how Zabuza feels, then how was the correct answer B?]
[Kurotsuchi: Everything he’s doing screams C.]
Chojuro focused on Zabuza’s words.
[Chojuro: Zabuza-senpai…]
[Chojuro: Do you really feel nothing?]
[Chojuro: You can lie to us if you want.]
[Chojuro: But don’t lie to yourself.]
Ao gave a quieter response.
[Ao: Zabuza’s view isn’t uncommon among shinobi.]
[Ao: A shinobi suppresses emotion, completes the mission, and treats people as resources when necessary.]
[Ao: He simply took that philosophy farther than most.]
And yet— everyone already knew the answer.
Zabuza cared about Haku.
The screen itself had confirmed it.
Which meant one thing.
Whatever Zabuza was saying now…
wasn’t the whole truth.