After the little incident, we decided to continue the journey arriving at the river covered in the mist. we took a boat that was already prepared by the old man and soon they sailed in the thick mist, sailing silently, we arrived near the bridge upon reaching it. The boatman talks." when we cross the side of the bridge, we'll be in the land of the waves."
he tells them, that soon upon reaching the side of the bridge, the bridge becomes even more clear. it was huge, abandoned, and still in the middle of the construction. " Woooh! it's huge! naruto shouts.
"Hey, be quiet"
" We're using this boat and hiding in the mist. that's why I'm rowing instead of using the engine, in other words, if we get caught, we'll be in trouble."
Boatman says to naruto reminding everyone of the risk, they were taking while crossing the bridge. everyone stays silent but then Kakashi takes this chance to ask questions to the old man.
" Tazuna san, before the boat gets to the pier, there's something, I need to ask you."
"The identity of the ones who are after you, and the reason they are after you, or we can call this mission off, when you get ashore, Tazuna-san."
*
Kakashi questions the old man. he stays silent closing his eyes and deeply thinking about it, during the silents. Everyone looks at him waiting for the answers then the old man takes a long breath and opens his eyes willing to tell everything.
"...Sigh!"
" It looks like, I have to tell you the real story. I mean, I would like for you to hear my story. As you said, this mission is most likely out of your job description. An extremely terrible man is after my life."
"An extremely terrible man?" Kakashi replies.
"...Yes!"
" Who is it?"
" You should have all at least heard of the name. The Marine transportation billionaire Gatoh. "
" Gatoh? The one from the Gatoh company? He's one of the richest men in this world." Kakashi answers in shock revealing a bit of information about the person." Who's that? What? Naruto chips in the conversation. The old man continues. "Yes, he is the president of a marine transportation company on the outside...! but underground, he uses gangs and ninjas to smuggle drugs and contraband goods."
" He also does nasty jobs like takeovers of other companies and countries. A year ago, he set his sights on the country of the wave. he entered this country using violence and wealth as his shield, and he quickly took over the island's sea traffic and transportation."
"On an island like the country of the wave, controlling the sea means ruling over the wealth, politics, and people of this island, And the one thing that Gatoh is afraid of..."
"Is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for quite some time." the old man tells his story to the team.
" I see, so you as the one building the bridge, became an obstacle to him." Sakura talks to herself understanding the situation and giving a thoughtful look. Meanwhile, Sasuke looks at the mist thinking in his head."
'He is the perfect pawn. Rich, greedy, ruthless, corrupt, and most important he is a coward. The easiest people to manipulate, if I get him, I don't have to start from scratch. I will already hold enough power to influence this world to some degree, I must have him.'
while Sasuke thinks in his head thinking of a plan. Kakashi again questions the old man. " But I don't understand. he's a dangerous man that uses ninjas. Why did you hide that fact, when you came at us?"
" The country of the wave is really poor, even the feudal lord does not have much money, and we do not have much either. we don't have the money to request an expensive B rank or above mission. If you quit your mission, After I land, I'll be killed for sure... while I go home. But there's no need for you to blame yourselves."
"Only my cute eight-year-old grandson will cry and cry some more. And my daughter will just hold a grudge against Konoha ninja and live a lonely life."
" But, it's not your fault" everyone stays silent thinking, Kakashi scratches his headband thinking then speaks. " I guess it can't be helped. we will continue escorting you."
" That's good to hear."
" I won "the old man gives a peace sign looking back.
After the conversation, everyone stays silent sailing in the river finally after a few minutes. the boat reaches the tunnel. upon reaching the tunnel, the boatman speaks to Oldman. " Tazuna, it looks like we haven't been noticed yet."
"Thanks." The old man replies.
The boat enters the dark tunnel soon reaching the other end. the bright light covers the boat and its people, revealing the place unlike the tunnel and river it didn't have a mist nor it was dark it was a bright clear sunny day, with houses built on top of the water and people traveling through boats, soon after few minutes of rowing, the groups reached their destination.
" This is as far as I go. later."
" sure. Thanks a lot"
" take care," the boatman says to the old man ending their conversation. he starts the engine and leaves the place on his boat. everyone watches as the boatman leaves then the old man turns around.
"All right, take me home safely."
" Okay," Kakashi replies with an unenthusiastic tone. everyone walks leaving the place, they enter the forest and Kakashi took the lead in the group thinking ' If they are to attack now, they will send jounin level ninja instead of chunin level ones.'
'Oh well...' Kakashi sigh thinking about their current situation at hand. The whole group keeps walking in the forest then naruto suddenly starts to walk faster taking the lead in the group. everyone looks at naruto. "what is he doing" but naruto just keeps moving.
'That time I wasn't able to do anything but this time, I'm gonna show everybody, What I'm made of...' naruto thinks while moving ahead and looking around for the enemy then he hears a noise in the bushes. he quickly takes a kunai and throws it at it, both the old man and sakura get stunned by naruto's action.
" what are you doing, naruto "
" I sense something just now in the bush" naruto replies to sakura. Kakashi goes near the brush to check and founds a rabbit. Everyone follows Kakashi and sees it was a " white " rabbit. Sakura quickly yells at naruto seeing the rabbit.
" Naruto! Look what you've done!"
"Rabbit" Naruto shouts running at it. he pickups up the rabbit hugging it tightly.
" Sorry, I didn't mean it." naruto says to the rabbit.
" It was just a rabbit. " the old man says taking a deep breath thinking it was an ambush by an enemy.
'That's a snow rabbit, but what's with the color of its fur? They only have white fur during winter, when the days are short. That means it is a rabbit that was raised inside a place where the sun isn't a factor.'
'And, No one has appeared immediately.' Kakashi thinks in his head. while there was a man in the tree hiding, named " Zabuza" near the group hiding, on the branches of the tree, thinking and analyzing them.
'Ninja that is the same level as the demon brothers can't handle this. The HIdden village of Konoha's copy ninja Kakashi the Sharingan user is there.'
After analyzing them Zabuza jumps from the tree and throws his blade at them.
"Everyone, duck" Kakashi senses the attack and quickly alerts them, everyone ducks avoiding a huge blade. The blade gets stuck in the tree then a figure jumps on it, it was " Zabuza " he stands at the blade looking cooly, staring down at everyone.
' He's...' Kakashi thinks.
'Someone's here, here! This time. I'll handle the situation. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke.' Naruto thinks looking at Sasuke. Meanwhile, Kakashi walks near " Zabuza ! " (JOJO STYLE )
" Oh, My, My, You are Momochi Zabuza, The Exiled ninja of the Hidden Village of Mist, " Kakashi says to Zabuza in an exaggerated tone.
'Exiled ninja, who cares, I just need to defeat him, on your... Go!' Naruto thinks while running at "Zabuza" but gets stopped by Kakashi.
"You're in the way. Stay back, everyone." Kakashi says to the group in a serious tone." why" naruto replies, " He's way different from the guys we met before. If he's our enemy... I can't win like this." Kakashi says to naruto and grabs his headband.
"I'm guessing you are Kakashi, the Sharingan user. I'm sorry, but I'll need you to hand over the geezer." Zabuza says to Kakashi.
'huh... Sharingan, whats, that'
'what..what is he saying? He's strong?
Both Sakura and Naruto think in their head not realizing, that they had already witnessed it once on the bell test even if it was briefly.
" Everyone, the swastika formation, Protect Tazuna-san, and Sasuke you will act as temporary captain of this group also don't join the battle."
" what? " Both Sakura and Naruto reply.
" To not interfere with the battle is teamwork," Kakashi replies.
"Now, fight me..."Kakashi says it revealing his sharingen.
'It's those eyes' Naruto remembers it looking at the eyes, seeing them again. the eyes Kakashi brings out when dodging the attack in the bell test.
"I'm honored that, I can see the Sharingan that I've heard about," Zabuza says to Kakashi turning around.
"You guys have been saying Sharingan, but what is it?" naruto shout getting irritated.
" Sharingan... is the doujutsu that uchiha clan processes, Naruto" sasuke explaines to naruto.
" let's cut the chit-chat, I have to kill that geezer right away. but, Kakashi, it seems, I have to defeat you first." Zabuza tells Kakashi and takes his blade from the tree and jumps landing on the water. Zabuza starts to prepare a jutsu.
'He's embedding a lot of chakra into the water.' Kakashi thinks in his head looking at Zabuza then he activates the jutsu. A thick layer of mist starts to form out of Zabuza surrounding the whole area.
" Mist concealment "
Seeing Zabuza hiding in the mist Kakashi starts walking away from the group. " SENSEI " Sakura shouts at Kakashi.
" He'll try to eliminate me first, but..."
" What is... he, " sakura asked Kakashi.
" Momochi Zabuza. he was in the hidden village of mist's ANBU, and was known for his "Silent killing" techniques."
"Silent" Naruto asks Kakashi.
" Just as the name implies, it's a killing technique that's executed in a flash and carried out in absolute silence. You may be dead before you realize it. And I can't use my Sharingan to its fullest potential. so, don't let your guard down."
" But if you fail, you're only going to die."
"you're so carefree" sakura shouts to Kakashi.
Everybody stays silent without talking afraid of making any noise. meanwhile, Sasuke was quite relaxed observing this like an outsider, with his Sharingan.
'Ai, you recording this'
[ yes, host ]
'Good, Zabuza is quite a strong opponent, so this will be valuable data' Sasuke thinks in his head. The mist consumes the surrounding area, getting thicker. Everyones in edge looking around in the mist. "THE MIST GETTING THICKER! " Nervous Naruto shouts.
"The country of the wave is surrounded by the ocean, so a mist often emerges." the old man tells naruto then Kakashi suddenly gets consumes by the mist. " SENSEI " sakura shouts seeing Kakashi disappear. she gets even on edge losing her sense of comfort. everyone is on more alert after the Kakashi's disappearance, they hear a voice.
"Eight points."
"what was that?" sakura asks.
" The larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, vein, collarbone, kidney, and heart. Now, which vital organ do you get stuck at? Zabuza asks the group in a menacing voice. Then he jumps fast at the group using mist to conceal himself from Kakashi but a figure comes in front of him stopping him at his track.
' That eyes...The Uchiha kid!' Zabuza's thoughts in his head.
"Your fight is with Kakashi sensei," Sasuke tells Zabuza pointing a finger at his sensei. Kakashi on the hand quickly moves at Zabuza, seeing the chance, he tackles him and stabs a kunai but only water comes from it. everyone looks at the water clone in surprise.
Then Zabuza quickly appears from behind Kakashi. " SENSEI! Behind you!" Naruto yells at Kakashi. "Die!"Zabuza yells and swings his giant sword at Kakashi cutting him in half but upon closely looking at it, it was only a water clone of Kakashi.
"The water clone technique...did he?" Zabuza thinks and connects the dot concluding that Kakashi copy his technique in this mist, while he was using it, but just as this realization came he felt a knife on his neck.
" don't move, it's over"
"it's over, you don't understand, do you?"
" you won't be able to beat me just by making like a monkey. No chance." Zabuza says to Kakashi then another one appears behind Kakashi.
Kakashi quickly slices the throat of the clone and leans down just in time to dodge the Zabuza attack. Zabuza misses the attack but he continues his swing digging his sword into the ground. he uses that as support and kicks Kakashi sending him a few meters away, Kakashi takes that as a chance and runs in the water.
Zabuza quickly follows Kakashi but gets stopped by makizushi spikes! ( Makibishi is small, sharp objects that are mainly used to inhibit someone from walking in a certain direction or area since they would injure the ninja's feet if they tried to walk over them.) laid out by Kakashi before jumping in the water. Zabuza laughs at Kakashi's attempts and jumps in the water.
after a few seconds, Kakashi comes out of the water. ' what's with this water...? it's awfully heavy.' Kakashi thinks in his head then Zabuza appears behind him. ' Humph...Fool!' Zabuza thinks in his head performing, numerous hand seals upon completing it. Zabuza yells at Kakashi.
" It's water prison jutsu! "
"Darn it" Kakashi shouts getting trapped in the prison made of water.
'My temporary escape into the water... was a huge mistake!' Kakashi yells in his mind. " you're caught, Kakashi. It's a special prison that makes it impossible for you to escape! Now... Kakashi."
"I'll have to settle things with you later. First, I will finish those guys off," Zabuza tells Kakashi forming a hand seal. he summons the water clone jutsu.
' I didn't expect this level of skill, I have been lately really underestimating people.' Kakashi thinks, that meanwhile, the Zabuza clone arrives near the group.
"You're acting big wearing a headband like a ninja but a real ninja is one, who has hovered between life and death numerous times. In words, only those who are worth being listed in my bingo book deserve to be called ninjas. Guys like you can't be called real ninjas."
Zabuza clone yells at the young genin and makes a hand seal, instantly mist appears covering the clone's body. he moves at naruto and kicks him but a figure comes just in time and stops it from landing on naruto.
"That was quite a speech Zabuza," Sasuke tells him. the clone quickly steps back from Sasuke. 'This kid again' clone thinks.
" Kakashi sensei that was very careless of you, but don't worry, I'll get you out of you there. "
" Don't be reckless Sasuke, go run away and take the Tazuna san with you. he won't able to move from here using this jutsu and the clone shouldn't able to away far from the real body."
Kakashi shouts at Sasuke but he dismissed the option of running rather he looks at Zabuza's clone and thoughts. 'The fights have pretty much gone exactly like in the serious, I guess, I expect too much from Kakashi, Sasuke thinks looking at the Zabuza clone assessing his ability from the original, he walks in front of the Zabuza clone grabbing his katana from his back. he shouts at naruto.
"naruto make clones and protect Tazuna san, sakura stays there, and you guys, don't interfere in this fight," Sasuke says to the group.
"But!"
"What?"
Both Sakura and naruto shout at Sasuke in retaliation." If you guys wanna live then follow my order" Sasuke says to them giving them a scary look.
" Are you ready to die, kid?" Zabuza clone says to Sasuke arriving close, he swings his giant sword above and attacks him. Sasuke moves to the side dodging the attack, he thrust his sword fast targeting the clone's neck but the clone sees the attack and shifts his neck avoiding the attack. he quickly retaliates by throwing a sharp punch from the right.
[ from the right, host! ]
'I know'
Sasuke quickly steps back creating a distance from the Zabuza and makes a quick hand seal, realizing several fireballs at the Zabuza clone. the Zabuza clone quickly makes a mist to block the sight but it didn't help him as several fireballs follow after him accurately.
he dodges them one by one, meticulously, but just as he dodges the one fireball, another one comes fast not having the time to dodge it. he uses his sword as a shield to block the attack but he loses sight of Sasuke while blocking then a dark figure comes from his back.
he quickly turns around tightening his grip, he swings at the figure but his attack doesn't hit it, then a bright light comes from the figure's hand. " Fire Release: Veil Technique " the light temporarily blinds him, then a splash sound comes from Zabuza clone, water spilling from the stomach, the clone disperses and the mist started to clear revealing the figure, it was Sasuke.
"DAMN, KID" the real Zabuza shouts seeing his clone get destroyed. he didn't expect the kid to be this strong. " What are you gonna do, now Zabuza? " Sasuke taunts him looking at him with a smirk.
" Sasuke looks so cool! "
" Was this kid that strong? he quickly dispatches the clone."
" Sasuke... he, he did it again, When its gonna be my turn.? "
Everybody had very different reactions and emotions looking at Sasuke but the ones with particularly strong were a little further away, feeling anger and helpless from not doing anything, they were feeling strong emotions.
" Don't get ahead of yourself Just because you destroyed one clone, KID! " Zabuza shout at Sasuke forming a hand seal and making two clones made of water. " Go " he orders them. They quickly run at Sasuke arriving in front of him.
Facing two clones Sasuke uses lightning release and covers his katana in electricity. the two clone goes on full alert, they look at each other and nods, grabbing their sword. they jump at Sasuke from each side. Sasuke too dashes at them putting all his chakra in his legs but he doesn't attack, he slips between them and throws his katana at the water.
the real Zabuza quickly realized Sasuke's plan and jumps avoiding the electricity but Sasuke wasn't finished yet, he runs at Zabuza performing numerous hand seals. he releases a giant fireball at him, seeing the attack Zabuza instantly thinks ups and down of his option and decides to release the Kakashi.
he releases the water prison jutsu on Kakashi and jumps disappearing in thin air, Kakashi free from the jutsu also jumps to the side avoiding the attack.
[He's escaping, host anymore and we'll lose him.]
'...I know! Is Haku still watching us?'
[...Yes!]
'Then forget about it nows is not the right time.'
"Kakashi, Sasuke"
Both Sakura and naruto shout at them. everyone gathers in one place after the fight to rest especially Kakashi to recover the lost chakra, while sakura sees this as an opportunity and she starts to praise Sasuke." That fight was so, cool Sasuke, and that fireball you created, you look so cool doing that" sakura endlessly praise him then naruto comes near them, not able content the jealousy, he speaks.
" Wasn't that risky, you could have hit Kakashi sensei"
"Yeah, it could have but I know Kakashi-sensei would dodge it in time, right after Zabuza would release the jutsu."
"kid, you know?" Oldman asks Sasuke.
"Yeah, I know that Zabuza would avoid the jutsu because I know his option"
"option?" naruto interuppts.
"just like I said, he had two options either block the attack and continue the fight, or escape and try next time. so, the question is how I know he would choose the latter one"
"it's very simple. if you look at it from his perceptive. fighting me and Kakashi sensei made him cost him a lot of chakras, The strong mist jutsu, he cast at first, making him produce 5 water clones, and finally the water prison jutsu, he used on Kakashi sensei. On top of that seeing my ability. he chooses to retreat instead of fighting. if he had chosen to fight then every second would put him at disadvantage, since it takes a while for a ninja to run out of breath especially. if we are talking about Kakashi sensei."
"so, he wisely chose to retreat and try next time. when he has better odds. honestly, it would make more sense, if you study his fighting style and the way he approach us from the beginning."
"Sasuke that's awesome, you were thinking all of that" sakura says to Sasuke giving naruto a blaming look for doubting Sasuke.
' of course, that wasn't all, there was also Haku, his trump card. That's why he easily retreats. because after analyzing our fight. he could come up with a better strategy and odds. On top of that, he still had his trump card that's why he abandoned this fight but I'm not gonna tell them this' Sasuke thinks in his head then he gets pulled out of his thoughts by Kakashi's voice.
" That's, a very good analysis of your enemy, Sasuke," Kakashi says to Sasuke, getting up after resting for a while. he looks at everyone. " we have rest plenty so, let's continue the journey" Kakashi tell everybody to get up, then they head to their destination, the old man's house.
