Third-Person POV

Zabuza was exhausted, feeling as though he couldn't move a single muscle. Yet, when he learned how long Sukuna had kept him under the genjutsu, his eyebrows shot up in shock.

"That can't be," he said weakly.

Sukuna chuckled. "Oh, but it can. The tiresome journey you experienced wasn't real. I'm pretty skilled at genjutsu, wouldn't you say? Making one suffer for days inside a genjutsu without them realizing it... it's a feat that most shinobi in the world can't achieve."

Normally, hearing that would have made Zabuza seethe with rage. However, he was far too exhausted to even be angry.

"Water..." he whispered before collapsing.

Sukuna stared at Zabuza's fallen form and shook his head, disappointed.

He then grabbed Zabuza by the collar, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and made his way back to the forest clearing.

Kimimaro and Haku, who were fighting like dogs, immediately separated when they heard a rustle from the direction Sukuna had left. And Sukuna arrived to see them in a perfectly normal position.

"Give me 10 push-ups," said Sukuna out of nowhere.

Haku and Kimimaro cringed as they realized that Sukuna knew what they were doing.

Instantly, Haku and Kimimaro completed 10 push-ups, the latter finishing first by quite a big margin. Haku huffed while Kimimaro shot a fist in the air in victory. They totally ignored Zabuza.

Sukuna rolled his eyes at their antics and laid Zabuza down.

He made a hand sign and immediately flooded Zabuza's face with water. "Gurgurruru!" This made Zabuza wake up, gurgling the water and coughing.

"What? What?" Zabuza raised his hand and looked left and right, trying to assess his surroundings until his eyes finally landed on Sukuna. He narrowed his eyes for a second, unable to recognize who was in front of him. Finally, a few moments later, his eyes widened.

"Sukuna!" he bellowed, shooting straight up and immediately pouncing on Sukuna. The confusion of just waking up made him act in such a way.

BAM!

A punch landed straight on Zabuza's stomach, making Zabuza puke.

Sukuna's face turned into a scowl of disgust as he waved his hand in front of his nose. "You are a shinobi, Zabuza. Use your brain. Now, tell me what you want."

Zabuza seethed and stared daggers at Sukuna but relented nonetheless. With a sigh, he said, "I'm here to ask for help. Since you know my name, you probably know I am a revolutionary. My group and I are trying to overthrow the Mizukage."

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"And?" Sukuna queried.

"We want your help," pleaded Zabuza.

"Why should I?" asked Sukuna, disinterest evident in his voice. He didn't think much of Zabuza. Sure, he didn't know what position Zabuza held, but he didn't think negotiations could take place just like this. Well, he was one of the Seven Swordsmen, but that was it. If negotiations were to take place, he would rather have it with Mei, who was rumored to be the leader of the revolutionary group.

Zabuza wasn't known for being an idiot. He recognized the reason behind Sukuna's disinterest and the answer he wanted to hear. But still, the reply Sukuna gave was enough confirmation that, if conditions were met, he would help the revolutionaries.

Reaching into his kunai pouch, Zabuza brought out a scroll and, with a hand sign, a seal stored in the scroll came out with a puff of smoke.

Presenting the seal to Sukuna, Zabuza clarified, "This is the seal of the leader of the revolutionary group, Mei Terumi. This has her chakra. I think you...are a sensor ninja; you should be able to sense her unique chakra."

Sukuna grabbed the seal and examined it. 'Hm... I do sense the chakra, and this is both Lava and Boil Release present in it. Considering the rather strong yin property, it can be determined that the owner of this chakra is a woman. There is a good chance it is Mei, but I can't leave it to chance.'

While Sukuna analyzed the seal, Zabuza proposed, "That is the seal of her trust. I have been given the right to negotitate on the behalf of the revolutionary group."

"Take me to her," Sukuna said with a tone of finality.

Zabuza nodded and got up. He looked down at his still shaking feet. 'Damn, it was only a genjutsu, but my legs are shaking as if I went through that journey for real.'

He glanced at Sukuna for just a second before averting his eyes. 'He really is a monster.'

Sukuna turned and called out to the kids, "You two, come here. We're going somewhere."

The two kids, who were in a silent glaring battle with each other, perked up hearing those words and immediately ran to him.

"Where are we going?"

"Where? Where?"

Sukuna ruffled their hair. "We are going to... Ah... where will we be going?" He turned and asked Zabuza.

"Our closest base is a few miles from here."

Sukuna nodded and carried both Haku and Kimimaro. "Well, let's get going."

....

Mei's POV

In the dimly lit room deep within the base on a remote island, Mei sat at her wooden desk. The only sound was the gentle scratching of her pen against the paper. She liked the peace that the room provided; a lot was going on, and she needed to plan to ensure their victory. A silent room was a great thing to have.

Her green eyes were focused intently on the documents before her. The door creaked open, and Ao stepped inside, his one visible eye scanning the room before settling on her. He approached her desk, his expression grave.

"Mei-sama," Ao began, his voice steady but laced with urgency, "Zabuza has returned. He brought someone with him."

She looked up from her papers, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "Who?"

"A man named Sukuna," Ao replied. Mei raised a brow in question, and Ao just shrugged his shoulders. "He supposedly killed Tatsumaro."

"The Kaguya Clan Leader?" she questioned.

"Yes."

Mei's surprise deepened, and she set her pen down. "Zabuza went to recruit Tatsumaro, and instead he brings his killer?"

Ao nodded. "It appears that Zabuza made a calculated decision. Given the circumstances, I think we need all the strength we can muster."

Mei leaned back in her chair, her hand running through her auburn hair. She understood the reasoning. They were about to confront one of the most powerful shinobi in the world. Any advantage, no matter how unorthodox, could tip the scales in their favor.

"Interesting," she murmured, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. He must have brought the man back for negotiations. Considering the seal Zabuza has, the man must not trust Zabuza's words.

Ao stepped closer, his voice dropping slightly. "We need to assess him carefully. The scrolls describing Sukuna's actions didn't exactly show him as a saint."

Mei chuckled, "We are shinobi, Ao. None of us are saints. But you are right; we do need to assess him carefully."

She stood, her decision made. "Let's see who this Sukuna is and what he wants in return."

Ao handed her a scroll detailing everything Zabuza saw Sukuna do with the Kaguya Clan as they made their way to them.