Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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When Zabuza stepped onto the island, his plan was straightforward: eliminate the leader and drive the rest out. But as he ventured deeper into the thick mist blanketing the area, he quickly realized something was wrong.

"Stay sharp," he warned his team, his voice low but firm. "Our enemies aren't amateurs. They're hiding something."

In Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Jutsu was a common technique—not particularly difficult to execute. However, the fact that this mist engulfed the entire island and remained active for such a prolonged period meant two things:

One, an unusually large group of shinobi was working together to sustain it.

Or two, a single, highly skilled ninja was behind it—someone with power comparable to Kisame Hoshigaki.

Either possibility spelled danger for Zabuza.

What Zabuza didn't know was that the mist wasn't the work of shinobi at all. It was a product of technology—an invention of Muzan, the mastermind behind the Twelve Kizuki. Lacking the manpower of traditional ninja villages, Muzan compensated with machines that simulated ninjutsu.

The mist was infused with chakra, impairing visibility and sensory abilities. However, floating in the skies above were countless Byakugan, granting Muzan and his forces unparalleled surveillance. Hyūga Hizashi, a former heir of the Hyūga Clan, oversaw the operation from above. While the mist could obscure ordinary sight, it was no match for the all-seeing Byakugan.

"A group of rogue shinobi from Kirigakure has arrived," Muzan noted, his voice calm yet filled with interest.

It was Zabuza Momochi. Muzan had always admired Zabuza's strength and unyielding resolve. The rogue swordsman wasn't alone—Haku, his loyal protégé, was by his side.

Haku piqued Muzan's curiosity. With his mastery of the rare Ice Release kekkei genkai, Haku reminded Muzan of the abilities of Doma, the Upper Moon Two, whose Blood Demon Art revolved around ice. Haku, Muzan thought, might hold the key to surpassing even that.

"Let them come," Muzan said with a faint smile. "If Zabuza is willing to cooperate, I'll consider his terms."

"And if he refuses?" one of Muzan's subordinates asked.

Muzan's gaze shifted to Pakura, the kunoichi who had joined him after the destruction of Sunagakure. Her face remained impassive.

"Then we ensure Haku remains unharmed. He has value to me," Muzan replied coldly.

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Zabuza's instincts screamed that they were being watched. He scanned the dense mist but found no clear sign of an enemy.

"Bai," he said, using Haku's alias, "stay close. This mission isn't as simple as it seems. Be prepared for anything."

Before he could finish, a sudden wave of murderous intent surged through the air, suffocating and familiar. Zabuza's grip on the Kubikiribōchō tightened.

"Who's there?" he barked, his voice echoing into the fog. "Show yourself!"

The mist parted slightly as he swung his massive blade, revealing a figure bathed in a faint, fiery glow.

"Pakura of Sunagakure," Zabuza muttered under his breath, recognizing the legendary kunoichi. His mind raced, recalling her ferocious battle against the Mizukage and the Three-Tails.

He gritted his teeth. This is the base of the Twelve Kizuki.

"Retreat!" he ordered his men. "I'll hold her off. Focus on getting Haku to safety!"

But before anyone could move, a voice cut through the mist—a voice that sent chills down Zabuza's spine.

"Going somewhere, Zabuza?"

Another figure stepped forward, his presence commanding and menacing.

Muzan.

Pakura turned, startled by her leader's sudden appearance. "My Lord," she began, "shouldn't you be in the lab?"

"I'm here to test the Ice Release user myself," Muzan replied, his tone casual but laced with intent.

Zabuza cursed under his breath. Facing Pakura alone was already a nightmare, but now Muzan stood before them. The rogue shinobi positioned themselves defensively around Haku, ready to fight to the death.

"You can either join me and be of use," Muzan said, his gaze piercing through them, "or you can stay here and die."

One of Zabuza's men spat on the ground. "You think we're afraid of you? Even if you destroyed Kirigakure, we'll make you pay!"

"Protect Haku!" Zabuza commanded. "No matter what happens, keep him away from them!"

Before they could act, Muzan moved. His speed was unreal—one moment, he stood before Zabuza, and the next, he was inches from Haku.

The air grew colder, and Muzan's expression shifted to one of intrigue. He could sense Haku's latent power stirring, a dormant potential he was eager to unlock.

"If Ice Release is activated under extreme cold, paired with the right enhancements…" Muzan murmured, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

Zabuza lunged, swinging his blade with all his might, but Pakura intercepted him. Her Scorch Release scorched his shoulder, and although his Kubikiribōchō tore through her, her body regenerated almost instantly.

"This… this ability…" Zabuza thought, blood dripping from his wound. Pakura's regeneration made her an unstoppable force, a living nightmare for any opponent.

As Muzan loomed over Haku, the rogue shinobi realized they were facing an impossible foe. Survival seemed a distant hope, and the price of failure was steep.

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In the palm of Muzan's hand, a grotesque mouth opened, its razor-sharp teeth poised to tear through human flesh.

"Why are you so interested in this boy?" Muzan questioned, his voice calm yet brimming with menace.

He had raised an army for this one child. Stopping Zabuza Momochi was barely an inconvenience for him.

Instead of injecting his blood immediately, Muzan turned his gaze toward Zabuza, who was struggling to launch an attack. With a motion almost too swift to follow, Muzan extended his palm, enveloped in a sinister blue chakra, and struck Zabuza's chest.

Zabuza staggered, his heart gripped by an unnatural force. The abrupt cardiac arrest sent shockwaves through his body. Gasping for air, he clutched his chest.

"You…" Zabuza managed to rasp, his voice frail.

A wave of dizziness overcame him, and his body collapsed. Haku rushed to his side, desperation etched across his face, but Muzan's power was insurmountable.

"Don't bother," Muzan said coldly, staring down at Haku. "He won't die—yet. But if you want him to live, you'll cooperate with me. Obediently."

Adjusting his hat, Muzan's expression turned disdainful as he addressed Haku, who was trembling with frustration. "Don't hate me. I'm giving you power. Of course, whether you survive the process is another matter."

Muzan had already mastered the art of suppressing the insatiable bloodlust that plagued demons. But his newfound immortality would come at a cost.

Haku was taken to a chilling laboratory. The scene was horrifying. When Muzan first arrived in the Land of Waves, many had resisted him; their fates now sealed, they hung suspended in incubators.

As the cold room door hissed open, Haku looked up, noting the pipes overhead that released freezing air. Despite his affinity for Ice Release, the biting chill made him shiver uncontrollably, and he hugged himself for warmth.

The experiment began. Muzan's hand-mouth opened slowly, and Haku instinctively backed against the wall.

"Endure this trial," Muzan warned. "Or you'll die."

Even Muzan couldn't entirely predict the dangers of the transformation. For Haku to become a true demon, he would need to endure more of Muzan's blood than any subject before him. The reward, however, would be unparalleled power.

"For Zabuza-sama…" Haku resolved, his determination unwavering. Failure wasn't an option—not when Zabuza's life depended on him.

Muzan's teeth sank into Haku's neck, and searing pain erupted through Haku's body. But it wasn't just the bite—it was the torrent of demon blood surging through his veins that truly tormented him. The cold he had once known was nothing compared to the frigid agony now coursing through him.

Haku collapsed, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"The temperature in here is unbearable," Pakura muttered, her breath visible in the icy air. Even with her Scorch Release, the environment pushed her to her limits.

"Lower the temperature further!" Muzan commanded. "Maximum output!"

The room plunged to a deadly minus one hundred degrees. The extreme cold would kill an ordinary shinobi in seconds. Even Pakura was forced to channel her kekkei genkai to stave off frostbite.

Frost crept across Muzan's skin as he observed Haku, who was nearing the critical phase of his transformation. Muzan's expression darkened in anticipation.

Haku's skin turned pale, almost translucent, as intricate blue markings etched themselves onto his face. The blood coursing through his veins shifted to a deep, chilling blue. Muzan could feel the sub-zero aura radiating from the boy's body.

"This child… He truly has potential," Muzan murmured, almost admiringly.

Pakura watched the scene with a complicated expression. She had once hoped that combining demon blood with a kekkei genkai would grant unparalleled strength, but she hadn't experienced the right conditions to achieve such power.

Muzan glanced briefly at her and added dismissively, "Pakura, you had potential. But you lacked what this boy possesses."

Pakura frowned. "This boy? Are you sure he's not a girl?"

Muzan gave her a sideward glance, unamused. "He's a boy. He simply has a… delicate appearance."

Pakura blinked, startled by the revelation. "Nani?!" she exclaimed, struggling to reconcile Haku's androgynous beauty with Muzan's statement.

Ignoring her reaction, Muzan returned his focus to Haku. The boy's transformation was reaching its climax.

Under their watchful eyes, Haku's eyes suddenly opened.

Crack!

The thermometer shattered as the room's temperature plummeted even further. Muzan's gaze sharpened—Haku had awakened his power, and the environment itself seemed to respond.

Frost covered Muzan's skin, but Haku stood, unphased by the cold.

"Congratulations," Muzan said, pulling Haku to his feet. As they touched, a thin layer of frost formed where their hands met, freezing cells instantly.

"Your power exceeds my expectations," Muzan remarked. "Even a casual touch could kill most shinobi."

Haku, still disoriented, looked at his hands. His very existence now radiated an unnatural cold.

"Let's test your strength," Muzan said. "This lab won't hold for much longer."

Outside, the mist enshrouding the Land of Waves had transformed into fine ice crystals, a byproduct of Haku's unstable body temperature.

"Demon Art: Ice Rain!" Haku called out. A massive cloud formed overhead, and as rain fell, everything it touched froze instantly. The landscape transformed into a frozen wasteland.

Muzan nodded, his expression a mix of approval and expectation. "Impressive… but not enough."

"Demon Art: Ice Lotus Cold Strike!" Muzan commanded, urging Haku to unleash his full potential.

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