Chapter 10: Game Over
It was another serene morning in the Land of Waves. Renji stirred awake in Tazuna's modest home, the familiar creak of the wooden floor greeting him. Naruto and Sasuke were already gone—probably off in the forest, grinding away at their tree-climbing training. Those two are relentless, Renji thought, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Their dedication was admirable, even if it was fueled by stubborn rivalry.
Sakura, finishing her breakfast with deliberate slowness, prepared to escort Tazuna into town for supplies. Kakashi, predictably, lounged in his room, nose buried in that pervy book he never seemed to part with. Renji, bored out of his mind, decided to head to the forest. But he didn't join Naruto and Sasuke. Instead, he sought solitude, wandering to a secluded clearing where a sea of small, white wildflowers blanketed the ground.
The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled specks of light across the grass. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a soothing whoosh that mingled with the distant cries of seagulls. Renji lay back on the soft grass, closing his eyes, letting the tranquility wash over him. Perfect spot for a nap… or for someone to try something stupid.
A faint clack of wooden clogs broke the silence. A slender figure approached, the hem of a pink kimono fluttering in the breeze. Long black hair framed a pale face, and lifeless black eyes stared down at Renji.
His blue hair fanned out across the wildflowers like seaweed, his fair skin almost translucent in the dappled light, his breathing so shallow he could've passed for a corpse.
Haku crouched beside him, hand inching toward Renji's neck. Before it could make contact, Renji's heterochromatic eyes snapped open, locking onto Haku's with an unsettling, almost inhuman intensity. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Planning to kill me?"
His tone was casual, as if discussing the weather, his body relaxed despite the threat. Renji recognized Haku instantly. Zabuza's death had left a void, and Haku was here for revenge. The constant pings of Malice Value from his system since arriving in the Land of Waves had tipped him off—someone had been watching, waiting.
"Yes," Haku admitted, his voice soft but resolute, his nod slight.
Renji's smile widened, sharp and performative. "You can't kill me." It was a statement of fact, delivered with unshakable confidence. The Reaper Death Seal might do it, sealing my soul like the Nine-Tails. But you? You don't have that.
Haku studied him, his expression unreadable. "Either I kill you, or I die trying."
Renji's eyes gleamed. A suicidal revenge mission—how predictable. Without Zabuza, Haku's purpose was gone. Dying for his fallen master was his best-case scenario. He rose, stepping back to create distance, his movements deliberate. No ambush, just a direct confrontation. Honest, but foolish.
"Is there someone you want to protect?" Haku asked, his voice tinged with a fleeting longing, perhaps for Zabuza.
Renji tilted his head, his smile turning colder. "No. I live for myself."
"For yourself?" Haku murmured, as if the concept were foreign. "How do you do that? What's the meaning of living for oneself?"
Renji's grin sharpened, his words laced with calculated cruelty. "Living for yourself is normal. Living for others? That's a sickness." He meant it. Heaven knows I'm not insulting him—he's just broken. In the Ninja World, psychological issues were practically a prerequisite. Nine out of ten people here were walking trauma cases. Without them, this story wouldn't exist. A mental clinic in Konoha would be a goldmine.
Haku's lips pursed, his eyes flickering. "Is that so? Perhaps."
"I saw your fight with Mr. Zabuza," he continued, his tone steady despite facing his master's killer. "Your taijutsu is exceptional. A stalemate would be pointless. And I won't let you touch me."
"Secret Art: A Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
Whoosh!
Water droplets in the air froze into razor-sharp ice needles, hurtling toward Renji from every direction. He didn't retreat. Instead, he surged forward, his right hand crackling with a piercing screech as lightning gathered in his palm—a Chidori aimed straight at Haku's chest.
Haku's eyes widened. He's not dodging the needles? He darted back, his speed barely keeping up with the lightning-fast shadow that was Renji. His left hand shifted, his body morphing into a protective sphere via Idle Transfiguration. The ice needles struck the sphere's surface, shattering with crisp pings, leaving it unscathed.
Renji's cursed technique allowed him to reshape his soul, and thus his body, at will. Human souls crumbled under such changes, but as a cursed spirit, Renji could morph freely—shrinking, expanding, creating clones, or launching unpredictable attacks. The sphere was just one trick in his arsenal.
Blood dripped onto the grass. Haku gasped, clutching his pierced right shoulder. The pain was sharp, but his face remained stoic, his breathing ragged but controlled. The forest wind whipped his long hair, his pale face bearing a faint, almost serene smile.
Renji stood opposite, the Chidori's screech fading. He's a genius, Renji thought, impressed. Even at that speed, he'd dodged a fatal blow. His mastery of Idle Transfiguration was sharpening, each fight honing his control.
White mirrors unfolded behind him, glinting in the dappled light. Here it comes. Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, Haku's Ice Release jutsu that had tormented Sasuke and Naruto in the original story. His reflection shimmered in every mirror, his movements now impossibly fast as he darted between them.
To kill him, Renji needed to shatter every mirror to force his true body out.
Splat!
Countless senbon sliced across his skin, leaving tiny blood marks. He didn't dodge or block. The wounds healed instantly, his cursed physique shrugging off the damage. More senbon pierced him, shredding his clothes, leaving vivid red marks and tiny holes across his body.
In the mirrors, Haku's hand trembled slightly. Why isn't he moving? His eyes narrowed, senbon flying relentlessly. He avoided clones, knowing Renji's touch had destroyed Zabuza's clone and, through it, his real body. But Renji stood still, his body a crimson canvas of blood and healing wounds.
"I guess I've finally reached that level…" Renji said, his pupils glowing with exhilaration, a twisted thrill coursing through him. Haku's gaze locked onto him, a suffocating pressure tightening his chest. His body trembled, instincts screaming danger, yet his eyes remained clear, resolute.
Renji spread his arms, embracing the pain. The agony sharpened his mind, his body humming with an intoxicating pleasure. This is it, he thought, savoring the moment like Mahito reveling in chaos. The thrill of reshaping a soul, of breaking an opponent, was electric.
"Domain Expansion—Self-Embodiment of Perfection!"
Countless gigantic hands unfurled behind him, dark and ominous. The ice mirrors shattered instantly under their crushing force. Haku's vision plunged into darkness, save for the dark purple glow emanating from Renji's position.
He didn't move. Neither did Haku.
"I touched your soul," Renji said, his voice low, a wicked grin curling his lips. "Game over, Zabuza's little femboy girlfriend."
An Innate Domain consumed immense Cursed Energy, enveloping the user in a space imbued with their technique. Within it, Renji's abilities were amplified, and any cursed technique—like Idle Transfiguration—gained an absolute hit effect. He didn't need to touch Haku physically; the domain ensured his soul was his to reshape. Victory was assured the moment he was trapped.
Haku felt it—an invisible hand seizing his soul. So this is how Mr. Zabuza died. His expression remained calm, devoid of fear or regret.
Renji's mind drifted to Sakura's earlier question about reading memories. Let's see your soul. He peered into Haku's essence—a desolate gray world, snow falling endlessly. A ragged child huddled by a trash can, scavenging for scraps, chasing off wild dogs. Day after day, the same bleak routine. Until Zabuza appeared, their paths crossing like two solitary lines converging. Everything changed.
Renji saw it all—Haku's memories, his training, his devotion. His grin softened, but only for a moment. A tragic story. But that's the Ninja World.
"Goodbye," he said, releasing his soul. He didn't alter his appearance, but crushed his heart from within.
Blood spilled from Haku's lips as he collapsed, light as a falling leaf, landing softly among the wildflowers. His body lay still, serene, as if weightless.
Renji's domain shattered, the effort draining him. He swayed, steadying himself. Too much chakra for now. His blood-stained clothes clung to him as he turned toward Tazuna's house, leaving Haku's body behind in the sea of flowers.
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