Chapter 21: I Usually Don't Laugh Unless I Can't Help It  

"You! Let go of Lord Zabuza quickly!"

Haku's face instantly became extremely gloomy, and his eyes flashed with icy cold light.

In his hands, a large number of ice senbon were quickly condensed, exuding a biting coldness, as if they could launch a fatal attack at any moment. At the same time, Haku's body leaned forward slightly, ready for battle. His eyes were firm and resolute, ready to fight to the death.

However, at this moment, Kakashi appeared behind Haku like a ghost. Kakashi held a kunai, the sharp blade pressed tightly against Haku's neck. With a little force, he could easily cut Haku's throat.

Faced with this sudden change, Haku showed a trace of astonishment but soon regained his composure.

"Hey, hey, hey, have you forgotten that Sasuke isn't the only one here?"

Kakashi's voice was teasing, and his eyes revealed confidence and calmness. It was obvious he had already planned the outcome of this battle.

Then, Sasuke and Sakura assisted Kakashi in tying Haku firmly to a nearby tree with a rope. As for Zabuza, he was thrown casually on the ground nearby. At this time, Zabuza was already seriously injured, his left leg severely hurt by Sasuke, rendering him immobile. Despite this, his eyes still flashed with an unyielding light, as if telling everyone he would not give in easily.

Kakashi looked at Sasuke, who was unharmed, and a feeling of emotion surged in his heart. He thought to himself, "I didn't expect Sasuke to be so outstanding. He could do this the first time facing a jonin-level opponent. If it were me, I would not be able to catch Zabuza so easily." Sasuke's performance impressed Kakashi.

"How do you plan to deal with them?" Kakashi turned to look at Sasuke and asked. After all, it was Sasuke who caught Zabuza, so he had the power to decide their fate, even if the other party was his student. Sasuke's current strength allowed him to treat them as equals.

"It depends on whether they want to live." Sasuke's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a faint smile. His voice was calm and firm, as if declaring an unshakable obedience. After speaking, Sasuke cast his eyes on Zabuza, with a sense of majesty in his gaze. He looked down at Zabuza condescendingly, as if examining his heart.

"Hey, do you want to live? Give me a reason not to kill you." Sasuke's words were as cold as the wind, sending chills down the spine. His eyes were full of oppression, as if they could penetrate people's souls.

Hearing Sasuke's question, Zabuza's face showed a trace of despair and helplessness. Being easily defeated by a Konoha genin was a shame for him. He was the famous Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza, but he ended up like this. The pride and self-esteem in his heart made him unable to accept such a failure, so he only wanted to die now.

"Kill me!" Zabuza said weakly, with deep frustration and despair in his tone. His eyes became empty and dull, as if he had lost all hope.

However, Sasuke did not immediately meet Zabuza's request. As he spoke, he touched his chin, as if contemplating something.

"Oh, really? Then I'll kill your men first. However, I think your men are pretty good-looking, so it would be a pity to kill them. Why not sell them to some rich people as servants? They should fetch a good price."

"Okay! As long as you can release Lord Zabuza, I will do whatever you want with no complaints!" Haku, who was standing by, said hurriedly when he saw that Zabuza was going to be killed.

"This boy has the long-lost Ice Release Bloodline Limit of the Hidden Mist... A bloodline ninja with strength close to that of a jonin, bringing him back to Konoha would just add a subordinate to the Third Hokage!"

"This condition is not enough." Sasuke said expressionlessly.

"Haku, don't ask him, just let him kill me!" Zabuza growled.

"No, Master Zabuza!" Haku's mind was racing, and suddenly he thought of something. "Money! Master Zabuza, we can use money to redeem you!"

Sasuke's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh? How much money do you have? Let me hear it."

Zabuza was shocked and shouted, "No, Haku, that's the important funds we use to recruit a team and fight back to the Hidden Mist!"

Hearing this, Sasuke couldn't hold it back anymore and laughed. "No, it's too funny! Hahaha... With your little strength, Zabuza, you still want to fight back to the Hidden Mist Village? It's just a foolish dream! Moreover, you want to recruit subordinates with just this little money? I think you're dreaming! Zabuza, how much money do you have? If you're really as rich as you say, why would you accept the task of killing such an ordinary little character like Tazuna? Look at the kind of people you have under your command. Can a rubbish ninja like the Demon Brothers be called a 'team'? It's ridiculous!"

Sasuke's sarcasm was like a sharp sword, piercing directly into Zabuza's heart. His face flushed red instantly, and he couldn't tell whether it was because of shame or anger. Sasuke didn't stop there and continued to speak with a smile:

"Let me do the math for you. You, plus this ninja who can use Ice Release, plus that beheading sword that looks pretty good, a total of 50 million ryo, how about it? This deal is a good one for you!"