Wen Lan, Kisame, Ibiki, and Cailing didn't rush back to Konoha.
Instead, they wandered through the Land of Water for a few days.
They moved through narrow alleys beneath a fine drizzle. Rain fell like silk threads, brushing lightly across blue stone streets. Lanterns along the roadside glowed softly through the rain curtain, reflecting off droplets sliding down the eaves, as if time itself had slowed.
Over the past few days, they passed through several villages—
each time watching Wen Lan ask around for information before leaving again.
Kisame and the others knew what he was looking for:
someone from the so-called "Snow Clan."
(In truth, Haku never officially had the surname "Yuki." According to canon records, his name was simply Haku.)
"Let's rest for a bit," Wen Lan said, glancing at a hot spring inn not far away.
No one objected, and the group entered together.
Steam billowed upward. Wen Lan lay submerged in the hot spring, a towel covering his face, savoring a rare moment of calm.
Mist swirled around him as he closed his eyes in thought, fingers unconsciously tapping against the edge of the pool, as if tracing the cracks of memory.
Ibiki and Kisame sat by the pool, speaking quietly, their voices swallowed by the warm steam.
Wen Lan had been searching for Haku and Zabuza these past few days.
Kimimaro was out of the question.
The Kaguya Clan hadn't rebelled yet, so there was no chance of turning them now.
After soaking for a while, they changed and sat down at a nearby table to eat.
Wen Lan ordered a pot of sake.
Ibiki and Kisame didn't drink—habits formed from years as shinobi.
Cailing lifted her ramen carefully, blowing on it before taking small bites.
Wen Lan raised his cup and took a light sip, his gaze drifting past the window toward the hazy night beyond.
Suddenly, his hand paused.
Outside the window, a thinly dressed child was leaning over a garbage bin taller than himself, stretching his arms inside, desperately searching for food.
After rummaging for a long time, the child finally pulled out half a spoiled rice ball from the rotting trash. His dirty fingers trembled, yet he clutched it as if it were a treasure.
He curled up beside the trash bin, eating the spoiled rice ball in small bites. Rain dripped from the eaves, splashing softly against the stone pavement.
Kisame glanced over and said slowly,
"There are children like this everywhere in the Land of Water now. We can't help them all."
Wen Lan didn't respond.
He simply stared at the small, frail figure.
He stood up, picked up a fresh rice ball from the table, and walked out of the inn.
Squatting in front of the child, Wen Lan held out the rice ball and spoke softly but firmly:
"Take this."
The child looked up, fear and wariness flashing in his eyes. Rain, dirt, and faint tear tracks streaked across his face.
Wen Lan didn't withdraw his hand. He kept offering the food, his gaze calm and steady.
After a moment of silence, the child hesitantly released the spoiled rice ball and accepted the warm one.
The instant their fingers touched, Wen Lan felt the cracked frostbite wounds and deep grime embedded in the child's palm. His heart clenched.
"What's your name?" Wen Lan asked gently.
The child's lips moved.
"…Haku."
Wen Lan's pupils tightened slightly.
So Haku had already met his misfortune by this time.
He looked at the thin, fragile boy and asked,
"Do you want to come with me? At the very least, you won't have to worry about food or warmth."
"Do you… need me?"
Haku didn't agree immediately. Instead, he asked in return.
Months of wandering had taught him one truth:
there was no such thing as a free meal.
If someone needed him, then he had to prove his worth.
"Yes," Wen Lan nodded. "I need you. Are you willing to come with me?"
Haku stared straight into Wen Lan's eyes, as if trying to confirm whether those words were real.
After a brief pause, he slowly placed the spoiled rice ball back into the trash bin—
a quiet farewell to his past.
When he stood, his small body swayed slightly, but he straightened his back.
"I'm willing," he said softly, yet clearly.
Wen Lan gently patted Haku's shoulder, then turned back toward the inn.
"Boss," he said, "have someone clean him up and give him a new set of clothes. Money's not an issue."
The owner had initially shown disgust when Haku entered, but upon hearing Wen Lan's words, his face immediately lit up with a smile and eager nods.
After all, you could offend anyone—
except someone paying.
Wen Lan returned to his seat.
Cailing's eyes flickered slightly.
In her mind, Wen Lan was a man who killed without blinking—yet she hadn't expected him to show such compassion toward a child.
"We're returning to Konoha tomorrow," Wen Lan said calmly.
The three of them froze for a moment—then understood at once.
The child Wen Lan had brought in was exactly the person he had been searching for.
No one said anything.
No one mentioned Zabuza.
Zabuza lived like a drifting ghost—finding him was never easy.
Before long, Haku finished bathing and changed into clean clothes.
He stood quietly in the corner, wet hair clinging to his forehead, the clothes slightly oversized on his thin frame.
Wen Lan handed him a bowl of hot noodles.
"Eat."
Haku immediately began devouring it, not caring as hot broth spilled from the corners of his mouth. He hissed from the heat but never slowed his chopsticks.
Only when the bowl was completely empty did he stop.
His eyes shimmered with moisture, but he stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.
Wen Lan handed him a dry cloth.
"From now on, you don't need to live with your head lowered."
Haku clenched the hem of his clothes, knuckles whitening—
as if afraid this was all a dream.
Early the next morning, the group left the Land of Water and headed for Konoha.
After several days of travel, they finally reached the village gates.
The five of them entered the Hokage's office, where Namikaze Minato and Nara Shikaku were reviewing documents.
Minato looked up and smiled when he saw Wen Lan.
"Good work."
"Not bad," Wen Lan replied, then introduced them.
"This is Konoha's Fourth Hokage. Beside him is our strategist, Nara Shikaku.
This is Kisame Hoshigaki, this is Cailing, and this is Haku—brought back from Kirigakure."
Minato's gentle gaze passed over them, lingering briefly on Haku before he nodded.
"Welcome to Konoha."
Haku lowered his head.
"Th-thank you, Hokage-sama."
Kisame gave a slight nod.
Cailing bowed respectfully.
Minato took out two forehead protectors from a drawer and handed them to Kisame and Cailing.
"From today onward, you are shinobi of Konoha.
Don't worry—we won't place you under surveillance.
As for Haku…" Minato smiled softly,
"Let him attend the Ninja Academy for a while."
No one objected.
After Minato had Ibiki take them away, he kept Wen Lan behind.
Minato handed Wen Lan three documents, his expression serious.
"There are two major problems right now."
Wen Lan looked puzzled as he took them and skimmed the contents.
First document:
Kirigakure is willing to exchange resources for five of the Seven Ninja Swords.
Second document:
The daimyo's funds have not arrived.
Konoha's finances are running dry.
Third document:
The Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado families were originally assigned to guard the front lines.
However, three days ago, all three withdrew their forces from the border and refused to carry out any further missions—
claiming that if the village could not guarantee their clan interests, they would no longer shoulder any obligations.
Apart from the first issue—
every single one of these was a headache.
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