Chapter 19
May 21, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Sitting in his room, Neji was thinking hard about the third stage of the archery competition. He hadn't taken his eyes off Akina's performance for a single moment. She had examined all the targets, then pulled her cap down slightly to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight, and confirmed her readiness to shoot. When the starting signal was given, she seemed to transform into a different person, as if she were someone else entirely. Gone was the timid and hesitant demeanor. Her movements were precise and swift. It was as if there was a shinobi in the arena instead of her. He knew that substitution was out of the question. There were medical ninjas and ANBU near the registration tables, and they would have recognized the deception if someone had taken her form. These thoughts made him uneasy. He quickly left his room, the main house, and then the main branch of the Hyuga clan. There was only one person in the village who could clarify the situation.
Soon, he entered the competition headquarters.
"Good evening, Ibiki-san," Neji greeted.
"Hyuga, what brings you here at this hour?" the manager was surprised, apparently preparing to leave.
"I would like to see the recordings of the third stage of the archery competition from the surveillance cameras," he said, trying to hide his excitement.
"It is possible. Are you interested in the whole competition or an individual participant?" asked the man, who clearly didn't want to stay any longer than he was supposed to.
"Akina Tibo," Neji replied.
"That's it. Surprising, really. Don't tell me you suspect her of something," Ibiki guessed.
"No, I just want to clarify something," the guy replied, although vague doubts were beginning to bother him.
"Okay," he said, pressing a few keys on the keyboard of the control panel.
The competition was captured by cameras in three projections. After watching Akina's performance from all the cameras, he didn't notice anything unusual at first. It wasn't until the third time he watched her that he caught a glimpse of a golden glint in her amber eyes for just a second.
"Did you find anything?" Ibiki asked impatiently.
"No, I must have made a mistake. I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Ibiki," Neji said, bowing before leaving the building.
He walked through the streets of Konoha as the streetlights began to come on. The night was settling in. The glimmer was bothering him. Had they managed to replace her after all? Perhaps Itachi had cast a genjutsu on the registrars. As he reached his home, he resolved to keep a closer eye on the Uchihas.
During dinner, everyone noticed that the boy seemed a bit tense.
"It's okay," he replied to Hiashi Hyuga's questioning gaze.
However, he couldn't fall asleep for a long time, tossing and turning in bed. Perhaps this is why he had such a strange dream.
* * *
He was lying on a field bathed in sunlight. It was so vast that it stretched as far as the eye could see. Directly in front of him was the sky. But not the sky with its glittering placer of stars. This was something much larger and more majestic. Before him were the spirals of galaxies and the clouds of nebulae, their tranquility occasionally broken by the occasional glimpse of a tail-bearing comet or a slow-moving asteroid. He couldn't take his eyes off this mesmerizing sight. A pervasive peacefulness was felt throughout the space. But as soon as the guy tried to get up, he realized that he couldn't move. His body seemed to be out of his control. And looking at himself, Hyuga realized why. His body and the glowing field around him were riddled with narrow, long wooden stakes. They seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He wasn't in pain, and he wasn't afraid. He tried to pull one out, but it was firmly embedded in his body. Blood circles began to spread around the entrance holes, staining his white clothes with scarlet. He felt a trickle of hot blood trickle from the corner of his mouth. "I'm dying... Maybe I'm already dead. Well, that's the fate of Shinobi," he thought without fear, surprised at his own indifference to his fate. "Calm down, darling, everything will be fine," he heard a pleasant female voice in his thoughts, and he wanted to believe him so much. The next moment, darkness enveloped him.* * *
The fourth stage of the archer competition was the most difficult, as the archer had to hit fifteen targets at different heights while standing on a moving platform. This time, the archer competition was the first, followed by the other competitions. At the end of the stage, only Akina remained among the civilians. All the others were eliminated without reaching the required minimum score. Although they could have used straps to secure themselves to the platform, they chose not to. The shinobi refused this privilege, as maintaining their balance was not a challenge for them. When it was Akina's turn, Neji didn't take his intense gaze off her, and she felt uneasy. He greeted her curtly at the registration desk and didn't take his eyes off her. She fastened the safety straps that prevented her from falling off the moving platform and pulled her baseball cap down over her eyes. As the platform began to move at speed, Akina felt a slight jolt. The targets didn't appear immediately. Her precise, measured movements and amazing shooting accuracy brought tangible results. She finished in fifth place, which caused a surprised murmur. After she unbuckled her straps, a ninja medic approached her and asked her to undergo a medical examination. Akina hesitated noticeably. "Don't worry, it's just a medical checkup," the man assured her, and handed her over to the meticulous Sakura. After a thorough examination, she left the medical tent, realizing that they had suspicions that were apparently unfounded. Neji was waiting for her outside the tent. "Are you okay?" he asked her warily. "I'm fine, I don't know why they did that," she replied indignantly. He looked into her eyes carefully. There was no golden glow in them. "Maybe I imagined it," he said, beginning to calm down. After the games, everyone returned home in the afternoon, a little tired but quite content. Akina couldn't feel her arms or legs, and she fell asleep as soon as she lay down on her bed, without even bothering to change her clothes. Itachi was sitting in his room, sorting through his mail. He set aside a few anonymous letters with hearts and kisses. He briefly glanced at a couple of promotional flyers. As he unfolded the pages of the latest issue of "Konoha Herald," he froze. On the front page was a photo of a beautiful couple. Neji was slightly hugging Akinu, and the headline below read, "Rivalry Doesn't Hinder Friendship." Itachi angrily crumpled the newspaper and threw it in the middle of the room. Suddenly, the door to his room opened, and Sasuke entered. "I see you've already checked your mail," he said, noticing the crumpled newspaper on the floor. He picked it up and unfolded it as best he could, seeing what had angered his brother. «Who would have thought that the head of the Hyuga team and the girl from the Uchiha clan team would be friends? Is it easy for them to compete against each other? Will this lead to gossip and speculation? After all, who's stopping Neji from playing along with Akina? This could seriously undermine his authority as a leader. They are often seen together on the shooting range during archery competitions, and who knows if their relationship is just friendship and mutual support or something more.» Sasuke read aloud, watching his older brother's expression change. Suddenly, he stood up from the table and made a move to leave, but Sasuke blocked his path. "Don't even think about causing a scene. She'll think you're just finding another reason to criticize her, and she won't realize that you're actually insanely jealous," said Uchiha Jr., placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I had no intention of..." Itachi began to explain. "I see, I see. You're burning with righteous anger," Sasuke chuckled. Itachi sighed heavily and returned to his desk. "That article, damn it. It could lead to unnecessary gossip," Itachi replied angrily. "I understand that it's unpleasant to read such things about your girlfriend, but the article doesn't mention anything about love. By the way, I wonder if you would admit that you love her if someone asked you how you feel about her?" Sasuke said, looking at his brother intently. "I doubt that what I feel can be described in the same way you do," Itachi replied without looking up. "My God, Itachi, you're even afraid to say the word. What's wrong with you, I don't recognize you anymore. You've never been afraid of anything before," Sasuke said in surprise. "That's not true," Itachi said softly. Evening came imperceptibly. Haku came down from the second floor, heading for the exit. This was noticed by Akina, who was sitting in the living room and decided to read a book. "Where are you going?" she asked. "I'm going to go home and water the garden and the flowers," the guy explained. "Can I help you?" the girl asked. "No, I can handle it myself. You've got enough to worry about here," he said with a smile, and left. Akina continued reading. When he finished watering the garden and went inside to tend to the houseplants, it was already dark. He picked up a watering can with a narrow spout and headed to the kitchen to fill it with water. The houseplants were arranged in multi-tiered shelves near each of the large windows on the first floor. They were rare medicinal plants that were sensitive to the changing climate. Haku took great care of them, and in his absence, Akina was happy to take over, following his instructions closely. As he was finishing up with the watering, something made him alert and his senses heightened. Haku turned around and slowly looked around the room to make sure it was empty. "Must have been my imagination," he thought, surprised, as he had relied on his instincts all his life, and they had never failed him. Yuki finished watering and, taking a narrow trowel, decided to loosen up some plants that didn't need watering yet. As soon as he got down to business, he felt a chill run down his spine. Every muscle in his body tensed. He clearly realized that he was not alone in the room, and as proof, he heard a quiet voice right next to his ear.: "Hello, ice boy. Don't you think that your performance that you've been putting on has gone on a bit? It's amazing what people will do for their own benefit, how much they are willing to hide for it, and how many they are willing to deceive." Haku turned around abruptly. The hall was still empty. "Genjutsu, the technique of invisibility," his thoughts raced quickly. — Who are you and what do you need? Haku asked, instinctively clutching the spatula in his hand. He wasn't afraid of being attacked. If they wanted to kill him, they would have already done it and would not have talked to him. But Haku had no doubt that this was a skilled, experienced Shinobi. It was necessary to find out the location of the enemy, and for this it was necessary to continue the dialogue. "The same thing you probably need. I admire how easily you managed to deceive the gullible Thibault family. Although, in a way, it wasn't that difficult. The story of a poor orphan who lost his parents at a young age easily melted the heart of the kind and trusting Fumi, and she treats you like her own son. I wonder if it's a coincidence that you had a hand in your father's death, especially at such a young age, and later became an apprentice to one of the most brutal assassins and the Seven Swordsmen of the Blood Mist, who was feared by his own village. It's not hard to guess that you weren't picking flowers. Of course, you delicately kept silent about this. As for Yasuharu, it was probably more difficult with him. However, here you have exceeded all my expectations. It helped that you look too young for your age and could pass for Haru's age. Is that what helped you become his partner, and you seem to have really attached yourself to him, or is it just an oinin mask too? I wonder if you feel anything more than friendship for him. But even if Haru were your lover, I don't think it would stop you from stepping over him. Nothing can stop you from achieving your goals. Your purpose is more important than anyone's feelings, even the beautiful and vulnerable Akina. Behind your gentle and kind exterior lies the cold-blooded and determined assassin that Zabuza has raised you to be. As soon as I found out that you were in this village, I immediately realized that your goal was the Shinju seed. However, our goals are the same. As for the reason, I'm not sure. Perhaps you want to revive your beloved teacher and mentor... Very beloved... And travel with him again. You were happy back then, weren't you? Perhaps you've grown bored with your routine life in Konoha. It would be a fitting tribute to the man who saved your life and taught you so much, who cared for you and loved you in his own way." There was a hint of irony in his voice, but Haku couldn't place where it was coming from. Each phrase seemed to come from a different location than the previous one. "It's definitely a genjutsu. He's using it as a disguise," Haku thought with a sense of unease. However, the words he was hearing left a chilling feeling in his heart. The guy seemed to see his entire past life before him: things that made him smile warmly, and things he wanted to forget forever. "What do you want?" There was a steely edge to his voice. It wasn't hard to see that this whole monologue was aimed at demoralizing him, and so far it had succeeded. The floor around him was rapidly becoming covered with ice. The room had grown noticeably colder. His breath turned into steam, as if in a severe frost. His body was tense, like a compressed spring, ready to fight at any second. "Don't worry so much. I have no intention of harming you. In fact, I admire you immensely. You've taken a longer but more effective route, as no one would suspect that someone they trusted and loved would steal from them. Zabuza would be proud of you," the mysterious voice continued. "And if I refuse?" Haku replied, realizing what was being asked of him. This insinuating voice penetrated straight into the subconscious, convincing in the rightness of their judgments, and the strength to fight it was all the less. "Just think what will happen if Thibault find out about everything. They won't want to know you, they'll throw you out like a lousy dog, and you'll be unwanted again. But I don't know who to present this good news to: Akine — she will most likely keep silent, because even if we assume that this is true, she will hide it out of pity for you; Fumi — most likely, she will not believe, thinking that you have been slandered; Takeshi — will be wary, of course, and will He will keep an eye on you, but he will behave casually in front of everyone so as not to frighten others; and finally, our favorite Yasuharu — having assumed the duties of a family defender, his reaction to your betrayal will be akin to an exploding bomb. The guy will not only hate you with every fiber of his being, but he will also be able to turn the others against you, convincing them that you are evil and treacherous. As your worst enemy, he will never forgive or trust you. Is that what you want?" The invisible man asked with feigned regret. "No," the guy replied quietly, imagining the horrors that awaited him. "Good. Get me Shinju's seed after the competition, and you'll live a long and happy life. And of course, it won't be free. Although your dream won't come true, I can compensate for it. Once you leave the village, you'll have everything you desire: wealth, fame, women... men, whatever your heart desires. By the way, you did well in the competition. I've made a decent amount of money from you, as have many wealthy individuals who have followed my example, so keep up the good work. And don't disappoint me. I'm not saying goodbye, ice boy. You're my tool now," he said. As soon as the voice faded, the next moment the young man's body was rapidly enveloped by streams of chakra, and in the blink of an eye, giant ice spikes began to grow out of the floor, piercing the ceiling, knocking over the plant pots on the shelves, and shattering the windows. His thoughts were in turmoil. He had been certain that his intentions were not driven by self-interest, but after this conversation, that certainty was shaken. It seemed that his opponent had the ability to influence his subconscious. Another minute of conversation, and he would have been completely convinced that he had come to Konoha specifically to rob the Tobi family. "Resurrect Zabuza," he said silently. As he reflected on his past life and compared it to his current situation, he realized that Zabuza had appeared during the most difficult period of his life. If it hadn't been for him, Haku would have likely died as a child. Zabuza had made him a skilled shinobi and a master assassin, teaching him to exploit others' fears and weaknesses, turning him into an excellent tool. And Tiba... They had surrounded him with warmth and care, gradually healing his wounded soul. They didn't need him for his skills and abilities; they saw him as a kindred spirit. He remembered the first time he met Yasuharu. Naruto had recently brought him to the village, and after talking to Morino Ibiki and receiving official permission to stay in the village, with Uchiha Itachi's consent to live on his clan's territory, the young man walked down a wide street until he reached Chibou's house. There, he saw a young man with dark brown short hair repairing a fence. As the son of a carpenter, he was easily able to handle this task. Haku observed his precise movements for a while, unsure of how to initiate a conversation. As it seemed the guy had noticed him, irritation began to glide in his movements. “Do you need help?” Haku finally asked. The guy turned around. There was a hint of disdain in his cold, bright green eyes, which made Haku shudder slightly. Yuki had never seen anyone as beautiful as this man before. There was also an incredible sense of attraction coming from the brown-haired man. The man gave him a scrutinizing look. "It's not necessary," he replied and returned to his work. Haku slowly approached him and held up the board that he was nailing, not afraid that he would be kicked away. The guy didn't even react to the help he didn't ask for. "Well, look at that. Just when I turned my back, you made friends," said a middle-aged man with dark hair and a few gray streaks, who had just arrived with the boards for the fence. "He's not my friend, and I don't even know him," the guy muttered as he continued hammering the nails. "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Haku... Haku Yuki, and I'm your neighbor," he said. "That's great. Neighbors are always a good thing. So you're also a refugee who's been allowed to stay in the clan's territory by Itachi. My name is Takeshi Tibo, and this is my son," he said, nodding towards the brown-haired boy. "Yasuharu," he introduced himself briefly. With Haku's assistance, they completed the task much faster, but the work was conducted in complete silence, as Haru made it clear that he did not wish to engage in conversation with his new acquaintance. As the day progressed, it began to grow dark. "I think that's enough for today. It's time for dinner," said Takeshi. Haru hammered the last nail and, collecting his tools, headed back to the house. "I think Haku would like to have dinner with us," the head of the Tibo family continued. "I don't want to inconvenience you," Haku said quietly, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Don't argue, the workers need to be fed," Takeshi smiled, patting the young man on the shoulder and gently pushing him towards the house. Haru was standing on the porch, arms crossed, glaring at the guest with a skeptical expression. He seemed unwelcoming, at least to Haru. As Haku entered the small living room, he felt a bit awkward, feeling like an unwanted guest, at least for Haru. "Wash your hands and come to the table," a pleasant female voice called from the kitchen. A beautiful dark-haired woman with emerald eyes like Yasuharu's appeared in the doorway. "Come in, dear, don't be shy," she said with a warm smile for Haku. "Haru, don't just stand there, show the guest to the table," she said sternly and disappeared into the kitchen. "Come on," Yasuharu muttered as he passed by Yuki. Tom had no choice but to follow him. Fumi, meanwhile, began setting the table. "Are we not going to wait for Akinu?" Yasuharu inquired. "She's going to be a little late at work, but she'll be here soon," Fumi replied. Soon, Takeshi appeared at the table, and the woman seated Haku next to Yasuharu, sitting across from them next to her husband. "Haku, have you been in the village for a long time?" Fumi asked him. "No, not long," the guy replied, knowing that he would be questioned, and already having a legend for himself. "And when will your family arrive? It is necessary to get acquainted with new neighbors. Now it will not be so deserted here," Fumi said. "I have no family, I am an orphan," Haku replied quietly, looking down. "I'm sorry, honey," the woman sighed sadly. "Maybe you'll give him something to eat, and then you'll ask questions," Takeshi admonished his wife. "Yes, yes, eat up, boys, eat up," she said, looking kindly at Haku. Then I heard the sound of a windcatcher and a pleasant girl's voice: "I'm home." The next moment, the sound of footsteps on the stairs leading to the second floor was heard. After a while, a short, pretty girl with dark green hair in a single braid and amber, mischievous eyes entered the kitchen. "Hello everyone," she said as she washed her hands, not noticing the stranger at the table right away. "Akina, we have guests," Fumi said. It wasn't until she sat down at the table that she noticed the guest, who happened to be sitting across from her. The guest calmly met her gaze. "This is my youngest daughter, Akina," Fumi introduced. "Haku Yuki," the guy said quietly. "Calm down, woman, we're going to eat today or whatever," Takeshi said without malice with feigned irritation. "Okay, okay," Fumi smiled. They started to eat, but Akina kept glaring at the guy sitting across from her. "Mom, is this a guy or a girl?" She asked Fumi in a whisper, thinking that they couldn't hear her. However, Haku blushed with embarrassment and almost choked on the rice he was eating when he heard this. The guy's peculiar appearance has repeatedly baffled others and has been a reason for misunderstandings that put him in an awkward position. "Yuki is a surname," the woman explained just as quietly, hinting at a slight confusion in the name. "Okay, Haku, let's go see your house," Takeshi said after dinner. Haku didn't think about which house to choose, so he picked a nearby one at random. — Well, the roof and door hinges should be put back in place with the most thorough repairs. The rest seems to be fine. Paint, replace the glass, and you can live. We need to look at other houses, maybe something that will be suitable for repair," the man said after inspecting the house Haku had chosen. — And while repairs are underway, you will stay with us. Keep Haru company. I think it would be good for him to communicate with a peer," Takeshi continued. It was not difficult to find out the age of his eldest son, because Haku directly asked Takeshi about it, realizing that Haru would not tell him about himself, and confirmed that they were the same age. "Why are you helping me, because you don't know me at all," Haku said quietly, surprised. "Neighbors should help each other. There's no way without it," the man replied, as if it were a matter of course. "Sorry to bother you," Haku said, spreading a futon not far from Tibo's futon near the window. It was already night, and the boys were getting ready for bed. Haru didn't answer, stubbornly ignoring his reluctant neighbor. There was plenty of room in Yasuharu's spacious attic, but the room wasn't bright because of the single window, but it was cozy enough, Yuki thought. The storm was gathering force outside the window. Sharp gusts of wind kept hitting the window. It started to rain heavily, dripping down the glass. The guys couldn't sleep for a long time, but eventually Haru fell asleep. Haku occasionally glanced at him. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind opened the loosely closed shutters. A cold breeze entered the room, ruffling the sleeping boy's dark brown hair. "He'll catch a cold," Haku thought worriedly as he got out of bed. He walked past the sleeping boy as quietly as possible and closed the window. But he was immediately flat on the floor, having been tripped, and he was in the grip of a manacle, and the next moment he felt the cold steel at his throat. He was looking into green eyes that were burning with cold anger. "Don't you dare walk around me, do you understand?" he said in a warning tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to disturb you," Haku said cautiously. "I hope I don't have to say it twice," the guy said threateningly. "You won't," Haku replied, not wanting to escalate the situation, and the guy finally let go of him. Haku couldn't sleep for a long time after that, wondering what kind of life this family had, what kind of life he had, if he was always expecting an attack and seeing everyone as an enemy. All these memories swirled in his mind. He was frantically searching for a way out of this situation, but he couldn't see it. For the first time in a long time, Haku felt fear and hopelessness, as if he were that scared little boy again, as if he had returned to his old house, scarred by ice spikes and filled with dead bodies. Akina was still sitting in the living room, having decided to wait for Haku's return, but something hurt her heart, and an incomprehensible feeling of anxiety was growing stronger. The girl put down the book she was reading and left the house. The closer she came to Haku's house, the more her concern grew. Seeing his house from afar and what had become of it, the girl rushed to run. Flying into the living room, she slipped and fell. The entire floor was covered with ice. She didn't find the boy right away among the forest of icy thorns. He was sitting on his knees, staring ahead with a detached expression, like a statue. "Haku," she called, somehow getting up and heading towards him. But he didn't seem to hear her. Having barely reached him, Akina sat down in front of him, began to shake him by the shoulders. "Haku, you can hear me!" the girl said, looking fearfully into his empty eyes. "Haku!!!" Akina hugged him tightly, as if this was the last resort to bring him to his senses. The guy flinched, as if he had woken up. Recognition appeared in his eyes, and he hugged her back. After a while, Akina pulled away from him. "What happened?" she asked, breaking the embrace. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, and disappeared as quickly as only a ninja can. The girl sat in the icy room for a while, still unsure of what was happening. But the feeling that something terrible had happened didn't leave her. Her heart ached for some reason. She slowly left the house and ran towards the Uchiha residence. Fear and despair drove him away from Konoha. Once again, he was unwanted, but it was a small sacrifice to ensure the safety of those he cared about, including himself. He stopped in the forest, a good distance away from Konoha, and sat down under a tree. Akina's frightened eyes were still fresh in his mind. "They're probably looking for me," he thought, not really expecting it. Would they be safe if he left, or would those who wanted to steal the seed find another way and another accomplice? The more he thought about it, the more he realized that running away wouldn't solve anything. Maybe he could find a way out if he thought things through calmly. But no matter how hard he tried, he gradually came to the realization that he needed help. "It's impossible to run away from yourself," he thought, sighing in resignation and deciding that Tibo should never find out about what had happened. Akina burst into the living room, out of breath. The boys hadn't yet gone to their rooms. "Haku's in trouble," was all she could say as she sank to the floor. Yasuharu looked at his sister, his face pale, and quickly left the house. The Uchiha brothers followed suit. Akina followed them, arriving much later than the others. Upon seeing his friend's house, Yasuharu immediately rushed inside, but after a while, when he couldn't find Haku, he came outside. "Was he attacked?" Itachi suggested. "What happened here?" Haru asked his sister, who had just arrived. "I don't know. When I got here, everything was like this," she replied, still catching her breath. “What about Haku?Was he injured?” Haru continued. “No...He left afterwards,” Akina replied. "I'm all right. Sorry to bother you," they heard Haku's quiet voice behind them. Haru rushed over to him and grabbed his clothes, shaking him hard. "What the hell happened here?" Where have you been? Thibault bombarded him with questions. "I don't know how it happened. The chakra suddenly got out of control," Haku was saying, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. It was obvious that Yasuharu was worried and trying to hide it behind his anger. Akina called her mother, and they took out the remaining plants. The guys helped move them to Tibo's greenhouse. "Yes, there's a lot of work," Takeshi sighed, looking at what the house had become. "I'm sorry I scared you," Haku said softly to Akina as she carried the last flower out of the house. The plant was almost completely covered with ice. "It's a pity that when the ice melts, it will be destroyed," she sighed sadly, looking at the young man intently. "If something bad had happened, he wouldn't have hidden it," she thought confidently. Haku couldn't sleep that night. His thoughts and memories were unsettling, and the fear of losing everything was growing stronger in his heart. Early in the morning, as soon as dawn broke, he was kneeling in front of the Fifth Hokage, who was pacing around her office in frustration, after he had recounted the story, omitting certain details. "Those bastards. They couldn't get to me directly, so they decided to go around me," she said angrily. "I'm sorry, Lady Hokage. That man knew too much about me. And he's probably among the guests." I wanted to leave the village so as not to cause trouble," Haku replied. "Just try it." Now we're going to catch them on you. You'll have to be the bait," the woman said decisively. "I'm willing to be anything as long as no one from the Thibault family gets hurt," Haku replied fervently. "Commendable dedication, oinin of Hidden Mist Village," Tsunade said. The guy looked at her with a slightly worried expression. "You thought I didn't know who I was admitting to the village," the woman chuckled. " I don't know how you introduced yourself to the Thibault family. It's not that important right now. But now everything will depend on how loyal you are to the village that sheltered you, and how loyal you are to your friends." "I will not let you down, Lady Hokage," Haku said and left. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice, boy. You don't have a choice," she said after him.
