The Hero's Bridge was slowly swallowed by mist, the warm golden light still struggling to pierce through the haze.
Waves crashed against the jagged rocks, sending sprays of saltwater and foam two meters high, the bitter scent carried by the wind.
On the return journey, their formation had changed.
Sasuke, now carrying a nodachi, took the lead. Kakashi and Hikari walked leisurely in the middle, while Naruto—usually the most energetic—lagged at the back, hunched over, head drooping. Every now and then, he glanced back at Wave Country, his expression full of reluctance.
"Naruto, even though the mission's canceled, the advance payment for an A-rank is still over a hundred thousand ryo. We took out some thugs, got paid, and even got extra compensation from Tazuna. We're not losing out here."
Kakashi sighed, trying to console him. Unlike typical genin teams, their squad didn't have a lively girl to lighten the mood—so the job fell to him.
"I know… I'm just worried about Tazuna."
Naruto looked back again at the bridge, now completely obscured by fog. He didn't care about the money—he just knew Tazuna was walking into danger. He hoped the old man would change his mind before it was too late.
But it was precisely this concern that made him the first to notice the anomaly approaching.
A dense, unnatural mist, its center a swirling gray, was silently condensing into a humanoid shape—and it was closing in fast.
"ENEMY ATTACK!"
Naruto roared, instantly snapping into battle mode. Knuckle-dusters slid onto his fists, and the sharp whine of Wind Release chakra coated his hands.
This was his imitation of Hikari's Lightning Release Chakra Mode—a self-developed Wind Release Nin-Taijutsu he called "Wind Release Chakra Mode."
(Of course, that was just wishful thinking. The real Lightning Chakra Mode was a secret technique of the Yotsuki clan—not something easily replicated.)
Wind was far more destructive to the human body than lightning. Naruto couldn't yet withstand its cutting edge barehanded, so he relied on weapons—making his version much weaker.
The moment Naruto shouted, Sasuke and Kakashi's Sharingan spun, scanning the mist. But even their enhanced vision couldn't pierce through—they only saw chakra glow, not the figure inside.
Hikari didn't bother.
If her Byakugan couldn't see through it, the Sharingan wouldn't either.
Then—
The mist contracted, as if being absorbed by the figure within. When it finally dissipated, a towering man stepped forward, a massive cleaver-like sword strapped to his back.
Pale skin. No eyebrows. A missing-nin forehead protector. And—
Bandages covering the lower half of his face.
Just like Kakashi.
Hikari recognized him instantly.
Momochi Zabuza.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist.
---
"I mean no harm. I just need to speak with her."
Zabuza raised his hands, his gaze locked onto the silver-haired blind girl in the group.
Memories of their last encounter came flooding back—and none of them were pleasant.
"Relax. This is Zabuza—the one Tazuna mentioned."
Hikari stepped forward, stopping the others from attacking. She'd sensed him following them since the bridge, skulking in the shadows. She just hadn't known why.
At the name "Zabuza," Naruto's eyes lit up with admiration.
This was the hero who'd protected Wave Country!
"What do you want?"
Up close, Zabuza was certain. This was the same monster he'd met in Water Country—the one who'd sprouted bone blades from her arms.
"You're from Konoha?"
"You followed us all the way from the bridge just to ask that?" Hikari's voice was icy. Their first meeting hadn't been friendly—he'd slashed her and stabbed needles into her eyes. (Not that it did much, but she remembered.)
Kakashi was stunned.
Zabuza had been tracking them since the bridge—and he hadn't noticed at all. The mist had helped, but this level of stealth was worthy of the "Demon" title.
Zabuza wasn't surprised she'd detected him. He studied her youthful face and said, "I've been following you since you left Konoha. I just didn't expect… a survivor of the Kaguya clan to join the Leaf."
"Kaguya?!"
"The Kaguya clan? From the Warring States era? Rivals of the Hyūga, Uchiha, and Senju?!"
Kakashi's eye widened. According to Shimura clan records, the Kaguya were a legendary bloodline, as prominent in Kirigakure as the Hyūga were in Konoha.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged confused glances. They'd never heard of the Kaguya—but the Uchiha and Senju were household names.
No wonder Hikari was so ridiculously strong.
"Get to the point."
At the mention of her clan, Hikari's voice turned deadly cold. Her red barrier flickered, and an oppressive aura seeped out uncontrollably.
Zabuza's throat locked up.
Every muscle in his body tensed. His instincts screamed at him to run.
She was even stronger than five years ago.
"I—I'm just a Mist Clone," he forced out, voice strained. "I didn't expose you to threaten you. I want to make a deal."
Hikari didn't speak. She just watched him, the pressure mounting. Even the insects nearby fell silent.
Finally—
The red barrier stillened.
The suffocating aura lifted.
Kakashi and the others let out a collective breath. They'd felt the terror too—but since they weren't the target, they could endure it.
"What deal?"
Hikari's mood had soured. The Kaguya's massacre wasn't a topic she liked revisiting.
---
"Raiga's a monster. He'll kill anyone who defies him—Tazuna's whole family will be buried. I want you to kill him."
Zabuza's heart was still pounding, but he pushed through.
"What's in it for me?"
Hikari remained indifferent.
To Wave Country, Raiga was a calamity. To her? He was fodder—something she could handle with a Shadow Clone.
She only cared about what Zabuza could offer.
"You're looking for Haku, right?"
Zabuza's gaze was wary… but also hopeful.
Hikari's eyes narrowed.
So he had been spying on their interrogation. He probably even helped Tazuna reach Konoha safely.
His stealth had improved—but his combat skills? Unclear.
In short: He'd gotten cowardly.
"Haku's the last survivor of the Yuki clan. After Kirigakure captured them for experiments, the Ice Release bloodline vanished. She might be the only one left."
Zabuza added this to sweeten the deal.
"Experiments?"
That word piqued Hikari's interest.
She'd always wondered—where had the Ice Release chakra in the Three-Tails' flesh come from?
Rōshi and the Four-Tails could use Lava Release. Gaara and Shukaku could use Magnet Release. If the Three-Tails had Ice Release, then the Fourth Mizukage (its jinchūriki) should've been able to use it too.
But he never had.
And after absorbing the Nine-Tails' chakra, Hikari had inherited most of its abilities—except for the Tailed Beast Ball.
Yet the Ice Release from the Three-Tails' flesh? Nothing.
Even her Wind Release was self-taught—nowhere near as natural as her Water Release.
This didn't add up.
Zabuza's words lit a spark.
That abnormally potent Ice chakra might not have been the Three-Tails' power at all—but a Yuki clan experiment's remnants.
Or worse…
Had the Three-Tails' chakra been implanted into a Yuki clansman?
She didn't dare think further.
The Three-Tails had been sealed inside the Fourth Mizukage for years, then controlled by Obito. Extracting chakra was one thing—but cutting off its flesh for experiments? Unlikely.
…Maybe she shouldn't eat random things anymore.
---
Zabuza watched Hikari's shifting expression, his own anxiety hidden behind a cold mask.
But the emotional flickers above his head betrayed him.
Hikari snapped out of her thoughts.
If her theory was right, then Haku might be the only Ice Release user left.
And Zabuza was the only one who knew where she was.
"Where is she?"
No point hiding her interest now.
"Kill Raiga, and I'll tell you."
Zabuza's eyes darkened with something unreadable at the mention of Haku.
"Why not do it yourself?"
Hikari's question made Zabuza relax slightly—she was interested.
"There's someone hunting me. If I show myself, they'll come—and this whole country will burn."
"Hunting you?"
"So you faked your disappearance because of this?" Kakashi recalled Tazuna's words.
Zabuza's sudden vanishing act was why Tazuna had gone to Konoha in the first place.
And why Motonui and his men had surrendered to Raiga's Black Lightning Gang—thinking him invincible.
Now, it made sense.
"Yes."
Zabuza's voice was tense.
"I stayed too long. They found me. When I sensed that chakra… I ran."
Hikari's eyes narrowed.
So that was why he'd been hiding.
But another question arose:
Zabuza was an elite jōnin. To scare him this badly, his pursuer had to be at least Kage-level.
Her real body hadn't yet reached Super Kage tier. This was just a Shadow Clone. If they ran into a Kage-level enemy, it'd be a hard fight.
This mission just got a lot more complicated.
She glanced at Kakashi and the others—still processing everything.
Originally, the Wave mission had gone from C-rank to B-rank. Now? It was escalating from A-rank to S-rank.
Did Team 7 just attract trouble?!
---
"Tazuna's in danger! Let's go save him!"
Naruto's eyes shone with determination, oblivious to the real threat. Sasuke gripped his nodachi, eager for a fight. Only Kakashi understood the gravity of Zabuza's warning.
"Your mission's over. Return to Konoha. This is my problem—no need to risk yourselves."
Hikari decided to go alone.
She was a Shadow Clone—death meant nothing. Naruto had the Nine-Tails as a safety net. But Sasuke and Kakashi?
Too squishy.
Naruto and Sasuke's faces fell.
They knew Hikari's decisions were final. This mission was really over.
"No. We're coming with you."
To their shock, Kakashi spoke up.
"You'll be in danger."
Hikari frowned. Since when was lazy, cautious Kakashi so reckless?
"I hate to admit it, but you're the strongest here. If we split up and get ambushed on the way back, it's worse."
Kakashi's logic was sound.
"Yeah! Let's go together!"
Naruto bounced in agreement. Sasuke nodded vigorously.
They were stronger than in the original timeline. If they only had to fight Raiga, it'd be manageable.
After a long pause, Hikari relented.
"Fine. Let's plan."
"YES!"
Naruto jumped for joy.
As the group huddled to strategize, Zabuza sat with them, explaining Raiga's abilities in detail.
Watching Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Zabuza—enemies turned allies—discussing how to save Wave Country, Hikari wondered if she'd been hit by Infinite Tsukuyomi.
She looked up at the sky.
The morning mist parted.
Sunlight flooded the Hero's Bridge, turning the sea into liquid gold.
Wave Country was no longer in shadow.
It was time.
---