The training began at sunrise.
Kakashi still couldn't fight—but he could teach. And his voice carried more weight than any blade.
"You won't beat Zabuza with strength," he told us. "You'll beat him by thinking faster than he does."
That's when the real pain began.
---
Sasuke trained in silence—his shuriken skills slicing through leaves like a machine. His eyes burned with something more than anger now.
Purpose.
Naruto tried to copy him at first, then gave up halfway and started climbing trees—with his hands.
"Focus your chakra to your feet!" Kakashi shouted from his seat.
"I am!" Naruto yelled back, then promptly slammed into the dirt.
I watched. Then joined him.
Because chakra control wasn't my strong suit either.
> System Alert:
New Training Objective Detected: "Tree-Walking Challenge"
Reward: +10 Agility, +2 Chakra Control, Bonus Skill Unlock
Alright, bet.
---
We fell. A lot.
But we got up.
Over. And over.
And over.
---
That night, I returned to the river.
Haku was there again.
This time, he was skipping stones. Perfect skips—seven, eight, nine.
"I thought I wouldn't see you again," he said softly.
"You followed me," I replied.
He didn't deny it.
Instead, he looked at the sky.
"The moon's waxing. Three days."
"Three days until Zabuza attacks?"
A faint smile. "Three days until the bridge decides whether to stand or fall."
---
I sat beside him.
We didn't speak for a long time.
Just listened to the wind, the hush of water, the distant croak of frogs.
Then he asked, "If your dream required you to hurt someone you care about… would you still chase it?"
I looked down at my hands. Calloused. Scarred already. Getting stronger every day.
"I don't know," I said.
"Then you're lucky," Haku whispered. "Because I already had to choose."
He stood.
"This kindness… I hope you don't hate me for it later."
Then he was gone again.
---
The next morning, Naruto collapsed on the grass, sweating and smiling.
"I DID IT! I WALKED UP A TREE!"
Sasuke scowled. "Took you long enough."
"You've been doing it upside down, showoff!"
I leaned against the bark, catching my breath.
Kakashi gave a rare smile.
"Good. You're getting there."
But in his eyes… there was worry.
Because the mist was returning.
And with it… death.