novelhk Chapter 251 Snow Dye
Chapter 251 Snow Dye
Zabuza was awakened by a bone-chilling chill—not the snowstorm of the Water Country's tundra, nor the chill of the Otogakure dungeons, but a chill that seeped deep into his bones, a chill reminiscent of Shiro's Ice Release, but shrouded in a sickening, greasy smell. He jerked upright, his beheading blade still slanted across the bed, the blood grooves of the blade still stained with the dark red of last night's mission, but his palms were wet with sweat, as if he had just emerged from a nightmare of drowning.
The moonlight filtered through the iron bars, casting tiny shadows on the ground, reminiscent of the colorful silk wrapped around Bai in his dreams. He rubbed his swollen temples, trying to clear the chaotic images from his mind. But the moment he closed his eyes, Bai's always clear eyes emerged in the darkness again—those eyes, red-rimmed, tears hanging on his eyelashes, yet the corners of his mouth were forced to bend as he said "Welcome" to the strange man. It was like a rusty knife, repeatedly cutting his heart.
He remembered the dream beginning in the meeting hall of Otogakure. Otogaku sat on an obsidian chair, fingertips toying with a chakra crystal that glowed green. Shiro stood before him, still wearing the familiar white haori, but bound by Otogaku's system seal. His icy chakra, suppressed by the seal, could only condense into tiny ice crystals at his fingertips, like dying fireflies.
"Your Ice Release is useless." In the dream, Yin Zhu's voice was soft, but it was filled with unquestionable indifference. He was completely unlike the leader who would improve the curse seal for them. He was more like a businessman who only cared about profit. "A wealthy businessman in Sunagakure is willing to exchange ten boxes of chakra ore for a 'clean Ice Release Kekkei'. Bai, you should know what to do."
Shiro's lips trembled, but he said nothing. He simply looked up at the doorway to the meeting room—Zabuza remembered where he usually stood, but in his dream, he felt nailed to the spot, his throat unable to utter a single sound. The beheading blade felt as heavy as lead, and he didn't even have the strength to lift his hands. He could only watch helplessly as Shiro was carried away by two men in black suits. The white haori flitted through the shadows of the doorway like a piece of snow torn by a gust of wind.
The scene then shifted to "Zuichunlou," the most famous brothel on the ninja black market. Red lanterns hung at the entrance, and in the shadows swayed heavily made-up women, accompanied by men embracing and flirting with them. Zabuza, tucked away in the shadows at the alley entrance, his heart pounding as he watched Shiro being hustled into the shop. His haori had been replaced with a pink kimono with a low-cut neckline, revealing a lavender mark on his collarbone—a system seal cast by Ototake to prevent his escape.
"Sir, this is the new 'Snow Princess'. She has Ice Release Kekkei (bloodline), and you can feel the coolness if you touch her." The shop's madam, wearing a red cheongsam, her nails painted bright red, as if stained with blood, pushed Bai by the shoulders and led him to a wealthy, fleshy-faced Sunagakure businessman. The businessman's hands were plump, adorned with gold rings. He grasped Bai's wrist, his rough fingertips tracing across his skin. Bai visibly flinched, but he forced a smile. "Welcome..."
Zabuza's teeth were chattering as he finally managed to move. However, just as he rushed out of the alley, he was stopped by two clerks from the ninja tool shop. They held Ontake's token, which was engraved with "Ontake Village Prohibition." "Sir Zabuza, Sir Ontake said you can't interfere with this transaction, otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" Zabuza's voice was as hoarse as sandpaper, and the blade of his beheading sword began to glow with a cold light. "If he dares to move a finger, I will dismantle his system!"
But resistance in dreams is always futile. He had just swung his sword to split his buddy's ninja tools when he found himself unable to move again. Yin Zhu had unknowingly stood behind him, the system crystal in his hand glowing a faint blue light. "Zabuza, you should know that I saved Bai. His life is mine. I can do whatever I want with him."
Otozuki's words were like an icicle, piercing Zabuza's heart. He recalled how, a year ago, Haku had been pierced through the heart while trying to block Kakashi's Raikiri in Wave Country, and it was Otozuki who had saved Haku's life with the system's "Chakra Reconstruction Technique." He recalled how when Haku's Ice Style went haywire, Otozuki had used crystals to stabilize his Kekkei Genkai. He recalled how when his Water Style cursed seal backfired, it was Otozuki who had given him the potion to suppress it... These images, intertwined with Haku's tragic plight before him, made his mind explode.
He could only watch helplessly as the wealthy Sand Village businessman carried Bai into the private room. The moment the door closed, he heard Bai groan, as if struck by something. Then there was the sound of shattering porcelain, and then Bai's tearful plea, "Don't touch my Ice Release... Please..."
"Ice Release? I paid you so I could see how it could be used in a place like this!" The rich businessman's shrill laughter came through the crack in the door. "If you don't obey, I'll sell you to a lower place and let those ninjas extract your bloodline to make medicine!"
Zabuza's eyes blazed red as he violently broke free from the system's restraints, his beheading blade slashing towards the door of the private room with a whistling sound. Amidst the flying sawdust, he saw Shiro pinned to the ground, his pink kimono ripped open, revealing a fresh wound on his back, blood streaming down his skin. The wealthy businessman held a blood-stained dagger in his hand—he was forcing Shiro to use his ice escape technique to create a "beautiful ice sculpture" to add to the fun.
"Let him go!" Zabuza's sword slashed towards the rich businessman's shoulder, but the blade passed through his body, as if it was slashing into the air. He was stunned and turned to look at Bai, but found that Bai's figure began to become transparent, as if it was about to disappear into the air.
"Mr. Zabuza..." Bai's voice was very soft, with tears in it, "I'm so scared... Why didn't you come to save me..."
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Zabuza rushed over, trying to hug Bai, but he only grabbed a piece of cold air. Bai's figure became fainter and fainter, and finally turned into a pile of broken ice, which scattered on the ground and was crushed by the rich man's feet with a crisp sound.
"No --!"
Zabuza suddenly sprang up from the bed, his beheading sword slashing against the wall, leaving a deep groove. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, soaking the bandages on his back. He gasped for breath, his old chest wound aching slightly from the violent movement.
"Mr. Zabuza?" There was a soft knock on the door. It was Shiro's voice, with a hint of worry. "I heard some noise from your end. Is something wrong?"
Zabuza's body froze, and he stared at the door, unable to utter a single word. After a long moment, he finally recovered, his voice hoarse from sleep, "It's okay, I just had a nightmare."
The door opened, and Shiro walked in, carrying a bowl of steaming medicine. He was wearing his familiar white haori, his hair tied up with a headband. His eyes were as clear as ever, without traces of tears or a forced smile, only worry. He placed the medicine on the bedside table and reached out to touch Zabuza's forehead. "You're sweating. Is the curse backfiring again? I'll get you an ice pack."
"No need." Zabuza grasped Shiro's wrist, his fingers trembling slightly from the force. Shiro's wrist was thin, and the skin was cool, yet real, not the greasy touch he'd felt in his dreams. He looked into Shiro's eyes, confirming there was no fear, no despair, only concern, and his heart slowly calmed down.
"What nightmare did you have?" Bai sat on the chair beside the bed, not trying to break free from his hand. He just asked softly, "You were shouting so loudly just now, as if you were... saving someone."
Zabuza fell silent. He didn't want to share the images in his dream—they were too dirty, too cruel. He didn't want Bai to know that he'd even dreamed of such a thing, that he was afraid of losing him. He simply gripped Bai's wrist tightly, pressing his hand against his chest, letting him feel his heartbeat. "Nothing. I just dreamed you were captured by the enemy and I couldn't catch up."
Bai's eyes lit up. He took Zabuza's hand in his, and a few tiny ice crystals condensed on his fingertips. He gently placed them on the back of his hand, bringing a hint of coolness. "No, Mr. Zabuza. I am very strong now. I can fight with you. I won't be captured as easily as before. Besides, Lord Yinzhu won't..."
"I know," Zabuza interrupted. He knew the Ontake in his dream wasn't real. The cold merchant was merely a reflection of his deepest fear—the fear that he couldn't protect Shiro, the fear that one day his incompetence would put Shiro in danger again. He looked Shiro in the eye and said earnestly, "No matter what happens, I will protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you, not even Ontake."
A blush appeared on Bai's cheeks. He lowered his head, and the ice crystals on his fingertips melted into water droplets, dripping onto the back of Zabuza's hand: "I believe you, Mr. Zabuza."
Zabuza released Shiro's hand, picked up the medicine on the table, and drank it. Shiro had brewed it specifically for him, adding herbs that could suppress the curse, as well as a little of the Uzumaki clan's life force crystal, which Karin had sent him yesterday. The warm medicine slid down his throat, dispelling the chill from his body and the lingering fear from his dream.
When Bai cleaned up the dishes and was about to leave, Zabuza called out to him, "Bai."
"Hmm?" Bai turned around and looked at him.
"Tonight... you sleep here." Zabuza's voice was a little unnatural. He turned his head away and looked at the knife marks on the wall. "I'm afraid... you will have nightmares again."
Bai was stunned for a moment, then smiled, his eyes curved into crescents: "Okay."
He lay down on the outside of the bed, keeping a slight distance from Zabuza, yet allowing him to easily see him if he turned over. Zabuza watched Shiro's back, listening to his even breathing. The pain from the old wound on his chest seemed to fade. He gripped the beheading sword at his side and vowed to himself—regardless of the terrors of his dreams or the enemies of reality, as long as he was there, he would never let anyone harm Shiro, and would never let the scenes in his dreams become reality.
The moonlight outside the window was still bright, filtering through the iron bars, casting a soft shadow on the two of them. Zabuza closed his eyes. This time, his dream contained no red lanterns from Zuichunlou, no smirking smirks from the wealthy businessman. Instead, it contained only snowflakes condensed from Bai's Ice Escape technique, drifting down into his palm, bringing a touch of coolness and a sense of peace.
He knew that as long as Shiro was by his side, even the most terrifying nightmare would turn into a warm dream. Because they were companions, each other's support, the most tacit "Snow and Shadow" in the Otogakure Village.
Whether life or death, whether dreams or reality, we will be together side by side.