Chapter 46: Dual Preparations

Chapter 46: Dual Preparations

Time rewinds to twenty-four hours earlier.

Izayoi had just stepped out of the Black Market when he spotted Momochi Zabuza and White, bound by Shadow Clones. Both had already regained consciousness.

"Nice work waking up so quickly", Izayoi remarked, smirking. "No wonder they call you 'Demon of the Mist,' Zabuza—one of Kirigakure's Seven Swordsmen."

"You didn’t kill us", Zabuza rasped, his voice weak. "Are you planning to hand me over to my village or sell us out to the Black Market?"

Before Izayoi could reply, White interjected urgently, "Please don’t turn Zabuza-sama in anywhere. I’ll work for you—repay his bounty with money I earn!"

"You shinobi really think weirdly", Izayoi scoffed. "I already killed Kado. His treasure’s mine now. Do I look like I need your petty coins?"

Pausing, he suddenly asked Zabuza, "How much is your bounty anyway?"

"Seventeen million ryō", Zabuza muttered.

Izayoi pulled a face. "Elites like you and Konoha’s Asuma Sarutobi should be in the same league. How’d you end up half his price?"

Zabuza stared blankly. Compare yourself to a Hokage’s son? he thought. If not for Kubikiribōchō, Kirigakure wouldn’t even offer this.

"You two are oddly likable", Izayoi continued. "If you hadn’t followed your code of honor, Kado’s fortune wouldn’t have fallen into my lap so easily."

He released the Shadow Clones, grinning. "So here’s the deal—do something for me, and I’ll let you go."

"Anything", White said immediately, "just spare Zabuza-sama!"

Zabuza felt a rare warmth at the words. "I specialize in assassination", he added, eyeing Izayoi.

"Not looking for killers", Izayoi interrupted, gesturing to White. "What’s your name? Any bounties on you?"

"I’m White. I’m Zabuza-sama’s tool", White answered, tearing off his shattered mask despite agonizing pain. Beneath it lay a face of delicate, unearthly beauty. "No one hunts me."

"Perfect", Izayoi said, tossing a scroll to the ground. "Go to Sunagakure. Buy the materials listed here, and I’ll let you both live."

Rolling up his sleeve, he bared his pale forearm, then paused. "Wait—male or female?"

"Male."

"Pity", Izayoi muttered, lowering his sleeve and pulling up his robe to expose a calf. "Bite this. It’ll heal your wounds instantly."

Zabuza’s eyes narrowed. "Physical Healing? Are you a Uzumaki survivor?"

"Kiri’s good at research", Izayoi shot back. "After all, you did help destroy Uzushiogakure."

White, understanding now, leaned forward gently—his teeth grazing Izayoi’s skin.

A sensation like plunging into a hot spring engulfed him, melting away every bruise, fracture, and internal bleed as though time reversed. Moments later, he stood fully healed.

"If I could regenerate with a bite", Izayoi joked, wiping his calf on White’s cloak, "you’d be a fool not to bite. Take this money, buy what you can in Suna. Ten days—come back sooner, and maybe Zabuza survives."

White prostrated himself. "I’ll return!"

"Better", Izayoi said, slinging Zabuza over a new Shadow Clone’s shoulder. "No need to meet White here—anyone in Fire Country’s in my sight."

Zabuza raised an eyebrow. "Kuraigakure’s Heart Eye? Or your info network’s that vast?"

And why white hair? he wondered. Transformation Technique? Uzumaki descendant?

Later, in a cave a hundred kilometers from the Black Market, Izayoi watched Fire Country through his Rinnegan.

Would Sasori tell Pain about losing to me? He sighed. Repulsive Force and Gravity Release aren’t common. Pain’ll notice. Obito too.

White Zetsu’s abilities—Yin-Yang Release, Spore Technique, Mimicry, and the near-invisible Mayfly Technique—made him a ghost. Even Hagoromo couldn’t track him underground.

If White Zetsu learns about me… Izayoi grimaced. He’ll dig up the planet to find me.

That’s why White and Zabuza lived. Two plans: one for Suna, one for contingency.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end