Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too arrogant

Chapter 162 The Courage to Associate with the Devil

"So, you've prepared yourself to have the courage to side with the devil?"

The sea breeze ruffled the hem of his dark robe, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and salt, along with a chilling pressure.

"...As long as it can save Haku." Zabuza's voice was unusually firm. He maintained his dogeza posture, his forehead still pressed against the cold ground. "If siding with demons is the only way to save him... I would do it willingly, without any regrets."

Menma stared at him quietly. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, the playfulness in his voice gone, replaced by a deeper, more questioning tone.

"Very well. Then, Zabuza Momochi, I need to confirm that you possess the 'courage' I require."

His words dissected the deepest recesses of the man's heart. "This courage doesn't stem from your clinging to what's important or your unwillingness to let go..."

"Instead, it must be born from your complete 'letting go' of your past obsessions and ideals."

Tell me, are you truly ready... to sacrifice the so-called 'dream' for which you once fought and bore everything, in exchange for the qualification to reach the other side?

This was no longer a simple transaction; it was more like a soul-searching ordeal. What he was being asked to deny was the very foundation upon which he had existed as the "Demon" Momochi Zabuza to this day.

Zabuza did not hesitate for a moment.

"This kind of resolve..." Zabuza suddenly raised his head, his face streaked with tears and blood, his eyes burning with unwavering determination.

"I'm ready! As long as I can save Bai, what I possess is far more than just the courage to side with demons!"

His voice suddenly rose, "If what you want is a demon... then that is me!"

For Haku, he could completely taint himself with darkness, transforming into an existence more terrifying than a demon. Past ambitions, the dream of dominating Kirigakure, even the pride of being a ninja… all could be abandoned before Haku's life!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the other side, Kakashi's Sharingan was operating at full speed, trying to analyze the incredible scene that had just occurred, but the immense shock and pressure made it almost impossible for him to remain calm and think clearly.

Restoration? Repairing a corpse? Bringing someone back to life?!

What kind of... gentle yet terrifying power is this?! But why would it appear in the hands of the leader of the [Jin] organization, the public enemy of the ninja world who possesses the destructive ninjutsu [Great Spiral Wheel Fear]?

What kind of ability is this? Is it a bloodline limit I've never heard of before? Or some kind of more forbidden secret technique?

However, the immense pressure Kakashi felt at this moment did not stem solely from his shock and fear of this unknown power.

A colder thought rushed into his mind, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

This power that can reverse life and death, enough to overturn the entire ninja world's understanding... Menma, would you allow those who know about it to leave so easily?

Could he choose to silence him in order to keep this secret?

This possibility almost froze Kakashi's blood! He instinctively held Sakura even tighter, his Sharingan fixed on Menma's back, his brain frantically calculating all possibilities and countermeasures at an unprecedented speed.

The disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves is enormous. The enemy has Kakuzu and that terrifying Nine-Faced Beast, while our side has three students who need protection, one of whom (Naruto) seems to be severely exhausted...

The desperate situation was almost suffocating.

But in any case... Kakashi's gaze swept over Naruto, Sakura, and Satsuki beside him.

No matter what happens... even if it costs me my life, I must make sure they live!

This belief quickly took hold in his mind. He was prepared to launch the most extreme defense at any time, even to fight to the death.

Menma was completely unaware of the immense psychological pressure her teacher was under, to the point of near collapse.

He nodded in satisfaction after hearing Zabuza's resolute and unwavering answer, which rejected everything.

"I have truly felt your resolve to abandon the past and transform into a demon. Now, I will fulfill this contract and complete this transaction."

As soon as he finished speaking, the [Crazy Diamond], radiating a soft glow and visible only by his numb face, quietly reappeared behind him. Its hands aimed at the faint white figure on the ground, and its power to heal all things began to surge silently once more.

Zabuza's breathing almost stopped, all his attention fixed on Haku, his heart pounding like a drum, the tension even surpassing the moment he single-handedly assassinated the Mizukage! Success or failure, whether Haku could return, all depended on this moment!

Under Zabuza's almost suffocating gaze, a miracle unfolded once again—

The shockingly large hole pierced through Bai's chest by the [Raikiri] sword began to emanate a warm and pure light from its edges. Broken bones, torn muscles, severed blood vessels... everything was precisely reconnected and reshaped by an invisible hand.

The devastating wound was healing at a visible speed, with granulation tissue spreading rapidly to fill the horrific hole. The skin also healed, eventually becoming smooth and clear, leaving only a slightly pale patch of skin.

For some reason, Zabuza seemed to see several butterflies fluttering out from Shiro's completely healed chest. He blinked hard, wondering if it was just a hallucination caused by his excessive tension and anticipation.

But none of that matters anymore!

All irrelevant thoughts were cast aside; he now had only one thing he needed to confirm!

After the treatment ended, an incredibly clear and steady breathing sound entered Zabuza's ears—no longer the faint breaths that required holding one's breath and listening intently to detect, but a real and tangible proof of life's resurgence!

To Zabuza, that breathing sounded like the most pleasant sound ever!

Bai didn't die! He didn't go to that cold, unreachable other side!

This realization instantly shattered the heavy shackles and despair that had been weighing him down. A surge of immense joy and indescribable sorrow overwhelmed him, making this "demon" who was used to ruthlessness and killing unable to maintain any composure.

He leaned down shakily and very carefully, and gently took Bai, who was still unconscious but whose vital signs were stable, into his arms.

Silent tears streamed down his face, mingling with the bloodstains from before, dripping large drops onto his white clothes and his pale yet revitalized cheeks. This was an outpouring of emotion from surviving a catastrophe, and a profound emotional shock from regaining what he had lost.

Menma's gaze shifted from the touching scene to the pile of headless corpses left behind by Gato's men not far away. This subtle movement made Kakashi, whose nerves were already on edge, suddenly feel a jolt in his heart.

However, the next moment, a precisely controlled and violent hurricane suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but instead of attacking anyone, it quickly swept up the pile of bloody and messy limbs and remains, along with the viscous blood that had been sprayed everywhere, and threw them over the bridge railings into the surging sea below.

However, the large patches of dark red bloodstains on the bridge that could not be completely blown away still silently told the story of the horrific massacre that had just taken place.

We can't let Zuo Yue see this bloody scene...

It was Menma… or rather, Naruto’s subconscious thought that drove him to complete this cleanup.

After finishing all this, Menma glanced in the direction where Kakuzu had dragged Gato away, and realized that Kakuzu's "financial audit" work probably wouldn't be finished anytime soon.

So he didn't linger, took a step forward, and placed his hand on Zabuza's shoulder, who was still immersed in immense emotions, holding Bai Wusheng and weeping.

As the Flying Thunder God Technique was activated, the three figures instantly blurred and disappeared from their original spot, leaving only the empty bridge surface, the still-dry bloodstains, and Kakashi and his group, who were dumbfounded, their pressure suddenly relieved, yet filled with shock and confusion.