Chapter 374: Haku
Although he seemed like he was aimlessly wandering in the Land of Water, Naito was actually heading toward the Water Village. Since the Akatsuki organization was based in Land of Water, it should be related to the Village itself.
Like in the original, the Village may be manipulated by them behind the scene.
Continuously advancing, Naito gradually entered a snow-covered area. However, the snowflakes were bouncing off his shoulders or hair before reaching him.
The color of the snow was a little whiter than Naito’s hair color.
Last time he visited the Land of Iron, Naito encountered a similar scene, but at that time, Naito was in a rush. He had to deal with the Five Kage meeting; thus, he didn’t have time to enjoy the snow.
Naito didn’t want to speed up and cross the whole distance in a moment, he felt completely relaxed watching this scene; thus, he used his Ultra Perception to sense the snow for miles, which made the vision in his mind extremely clear.
He could sense every snowflake falling on the ground, which made him appreciate the god’s word on making this beautiful scene.
Wandering around in his perception, Naito reached the end of his perception range and saw a small town.
This town wasn’t on the road that Naito was traveling on. This town was in a different direction, so he just ignored it and moved on.
But when the small town got fully included in his perception, Naito suddenly widened his eyes, revealing an incredible look!
…….
In that small town, a child, about five or six years old, was sitting quietly in the snow on the side of the street.
The shirt on his body was very thin and worn. Apparently, he was a homeless orphan, begging for food in this cold weather, but the civilians were passing by totally ignoring him.
Although he looked a little dirty, he looked like a healthy kid. On a second look, he doesn’t look like a kid, but a bit more like a girl.
Even in this cold weather, he didn’t seem like he was cold, yet he was trembling.
He was just hungry.
Begging in such terrible weather was a difficult task in itself.
The snow didn’t take away the heat in his body, but the hunger he was feeling in his stomach was weakening him, taking the heat out of his body gradually; he was dying from starvation.
Just then, a piece of bread suddenly fell into the bowl in front of him.
His eyes sparkled; although his body was too weak, he immediately raised his head and looked at the man who gave him the food.
“Thanks… Thanks.”
Although he was dying from hunger and wanted to eat that bread, he still showed his gratitude first and said thank you.
The figure in front of him was wearing a white cloak and had a snow-colored hair, he looked as if he was completely integrated with the snow.
In this kind of weather, it’s rare to see people dressed like this.
After he thanked him, he took the bread then started eating it.
Naito looked at the boy in front of him, with an inexplicable color flashing in his eyes. It wasn’t completely out of pity, Naito actually knew the little kid.
The weather shouldn’t be bothering this kid because of his bloodline limit that it’s related to ice.
His situation, his bloodline limit, his age, the timeline, the place were all related to that kid, Hakuu.
Looking at Haku barely having the strength to eat that bread, Naito felt sad for the kid.
Haku, who was from the Yuki Clan, can be said that he was born with higher standards than ordinary people. After all, the Yuki Clan, had a strong Bloodline Limit, but not everyone could awaken it, just like the Uchiha Clan, not everyone, eventually awaken their Sharingan.
However, unlike the Land of Fire, where a bloodline limit is regarded as an excellent talent, the Land of Water, considered it as a cursed unknown power.
In the Village Hakuu was born in, the villagers hated that power, and were afraid of it. Haku’s mother had the same bloodline limit but kept as a secret even from her husband. However, when they knew about Haku, his father led the villagers to kill his mother. And just before they murdered Haku, he accidentally used his power and killed everyone.
Haku has been an orphan since then, wandering around the Land of Water.
Because of that accident, Haku grew afraid of his talent. Just like the villagers who got killed by him, he regarded this power as a curse.
Kimimaro was just afraid and has no goals, just like Haku. They’re innocent people who would have lived a different life if they didn’t encounter people like Zabuza and Orochimaru.
Naito didn’t expect to meet him in this town.
“what’s your name?”
Naito stood there quietly, looking at the boy who had finished eating his bread and asked softly.
“Haku…”
The boy’s answer didn’t surprise Naito. After all, there weren’t a lot of people in this world who have awakened the Ice Release and were of the same age as Haku.
Haku didn’t want to make eye contact with Naito. He didn’t know why Naito stayed here. Even when people gave him something to eat, they couldn’t bear looking at his face and left immediately. They didn’t care about him at all.
Haku, who finished eating the bread that Naito has given him, couldn’t help but ask weakly when he noticed that Naito didn’t leave yet.
“Is there anything I can do for you, mister?”
Naito smiled and said: “I want you to follow me.”
After that, Naito turned around and walked out of the town.
Haku froze there, shocked; he kept looking at Naito’s back, getting far and far away.
It was not until he completely disappeared into the vast snow that he finally woke up, struggling a bit, he stood up, and run to the direction that Naito has taken.
Someone has actually needed him in this world, a world that he felt like he didn’t have a place in it. It seemed as if a ray of light has appeared in this dark world, and he couldn’t help but to desperately grasp into it.
That ray of light was Naito’s back.