' If that punch had landed, I would be dead!'
Haku stared at the fist hovering just in front of his face, feeling the gust it created sting his skin. He swallowed hard, then turned his head to glance at Zabuza, who lay nearby.
Zabuza, for his part, looked at Carl with a mixture of suspicion and confusion.
"What do you want to talk about?" he asked cautiously.
He hadn't expected that Haku—despite his incredible strength—would actually lose to this young monk whose background was still a mystery. More baffling was how calm and collected Carl had remained throughout the entire battle.
Had Carl not held back just now, Haku would have been dead on the spot. And once Haku was gone, Zabuza wouldn't have lasted long either.
What Zabuza didn't know, however, was that Carl was nearly out of chakra. His calm and effortless demeanor had been a bluff—backed by solid intel and a well-planned strategy tailored specifically to counter Haku.
If he hadn't known so much about Haku beforehand, a fair fight could've gone either way.
"Actually," Carl said, now seated cross-legged across from Zabuza, his expression relaxed, "I wanted to invite you to join my organization."
Zabuza raised a brow.
"What kind of organization?"
"The Avengers."
Carl cleared his throat and elaborated:
"It's simple, really. Think of it as a mutually beneficial alliance formed around a common goal—revenge. There are no strict rules. It's more about exchanging information, watching each other's backs, and helping out when needed."
The world of shinobi was far from peaceful. Carl knew that navigating it alone would be risky and limiting. He needed allies—powerful ones who understood the dangers and were willing to push back.
That was part of the reason he'd come to the Land of Waves in the first place. If all he wanted was to handle things after Gato was dead, there were far easier ways. But he had bigger plans in motion.
"Exchange information? Help each other? I don't believe in you, nor do I believe there's such a good thing in this world."
Hearing Carl's explanation, Zabuza's eyes were filled with disbelief and disdain.
Even within the same village, shinobi schemed against each other—how could anyone expect trust and cooperation between ninja from different villages? The idea of mutual support and open intel-sharing was, in his view, laughably naive.
Carl, however, had anticipated this reaction. And he had come prepared.
He knew that if he couldn't earn Zabuza's trust outright, forcing him to join would only backfire later. Loyalty based on threats never lasted.
"Alright," Carl said calmly. "If you're willing to join, I'll start by giving you a piece of information that I think is very important to you. And then—I'll return your Executioner's Blade."
"I will join!"
Zabuza didn't hesitate.
He had no real intention of being loyal. But getting his sword back and a valuable piece of intel? That was worth playing along for now. He even started thinking that this young monk might be a bit too soft, too trusting.
Carl simply smiled. He took out a sealing scroll, unrolled it, and summoned the massive Executioner's Blade. He handed it over to Haku, who was standing quietly beside Zabuza.
Then, he delivered the information:
"This is about your Fourth Mizukage—Yagura Karatachi. The blood mist tyranny he continued wasn't of his own will. He was under a powerful genjutsu."
"What?!"
Zabuza's eyes shot wide open. Veins bulged across his forehead as his grip on the Executioner's Blade tightened.
"Is that information reliable?"
"Yes," Carl nodded. "The genjutsu was eventually dispelled. It was your village's own ninja, Ao, who saw through it using his Byakugan. Leadership has now passed to Mei Terumi.
Because it's a sensitive issue that could damage Kirigakure's reputation, only the village elders know the truth. But if you manage to sneak back, you'll see it for yourself—Kirigakure is no longer following the blood mist policy."
Carl outlined the information in his memory.
His biggest advantages in this world came down to three points:
First was his initial status—he was the prince of the Land of Fire. Though he held no real political power, his title afforded him high status, numerous privileges, and immense wealth.
Second was intelligence. Carl knew the identities of nearly every known shinobi, as well as secret and hidden intel about the major ninja villages.
Third was knowledge of the plot. While his presence in this world would undoubtedly cause major deviations over time, in the early stages, he could still leverage his foreknowledge to extract great benefits.
And now, he was using these advantages to win Zabuza over as a valuable ally.
"No wonder... no wonder he ended up like that."
Zabuza clenched his fists so tightly that the wound Kakashi had inflicted earlier—where the kunai pierced his joint—began to bleed again, yet he didn't even flinch at the pain.
Piecing together his own memories, he was now almost certain that the intel Carl shared was true.
Back then, the Third Mizukage had implemented the brutal Blood Mist policy. Zabuza, who slaughtered all his academy classmates during the graduation exam, had supported Yagura's rise—alongside allies like the Pufferfish yagura of the Hoshigaki Clan and Mangetsu Hōzuki—hoping to end that tyranny.
But it hadn't lasted. Yagura had inexplicably shifted personality, reinstating the Blood Mist policy—worse than ever before.
The senior Pufferfish attempted to investigate quietly but was assassinated. Zabuza, along with Mangetsu and other comrades, attempted to kill Yagura in a coup that ultimately failed. Only Zabuza had managed to escape.
Since then, he had taken on assassination missions and collected funds for years, and he had taken in Haku, who possessed the rare Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, to help him eventually return and overthrow Yagura's rule.
"Please, take care of yourself!"
Seeing Zabuza's reopened wound bleed from rage, Haku hurried forward with a bandage, only to be gently stopped by Carl with a raised hand.
"I know some medical ninjutsu. Let me handle this."
"Thank you so much!"
Watching the gaping wound close under the effect of Carl's Mystical Palm Technique, Haku's eyes lit up. His trust in Carl grew stronger.
"Do you know who was behind the genjutsu that controlled Yagura?"
Zabuza looked up, hatred glowing in his eyes.
"That... my people are still investigating," Carl replied calmly. "But don't worry—since you're now a member of the Avengers, I'll make sure you get the info when we find it."
He smiled and extended his hand toward Zabuza.
(Changing the name of the prince to Ikkyū Carl from Ikkyū Isamu. )
"Name's Carl , Ikkyū Carl . I'm currently training under Chiriku at the Temple of Fire."
Carl wasn't stupid—he wouldn't hand over all his cards at once. Gaining someone's favor with intel didn't guarantee future loyalty. He had to play the long game.
"Momochi Zabuza. Wait... did you say your surname is Ikkyū?"
After being healed, Zabuza stood and extended his hand as well, but his expression showed surprise.
The surname Ikkyū wasn't just a random name—it was the royal family name of the Land of Fire.
"Oh, I forgot to mention—I'm also the prince of the Land of Fire."
Carl casually pulled his hand back and offered a soft shrug.
Zabuza and Haku both widened their eyes.
No wonder.
No wonder Carl had access to such highly classified intel—he wasn't just any monk. He was royalty.