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The trail led him to a bridge in the Land of Waves, far from the Mist, where he could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. As he approached, he saw a group of young shinobi engaged in combat against two fearsome opponents.

One of the fighters, a man with a shock of white hair and an eyepatch covering his left eye, was a familiar face. It was Kakashi Hatake of the Hidden Leaf Village, someone Kai had worked with before. He was preparing a lightning jutsu, his hand crackling with electricity as he was about to strike down the man bound by his ninja hounds. The other opponent was a young, androgynous figure with an icy demeanor, locked in combat with a a young boy with spiky, blonde hair and whisker-like markings on his face and an ink-wielding shinobi. A pink-haired kunoichi was standing close to a civilian, seemed like she was protecting him.

Kai watched as Kakashi man lunged forward with his electrified hand, ready to strike the bound man through the heart. But before the attack could land, androgynous figure appeared in front of the bound man, seemingly willing to die for him.

Without hesitation, Kai appeared between Kakashi and the bound man. He grabbed Kakashi's forearm, deflecting the Chidori just in time to save the androgynous figure and the bound man.

Kakashi's Sharingan blazed with surprise and anger as he looked at Kai. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, his voice cold and harsh. "You've never gone against Konoha before. This is not a good time to make an enemy of us."

Kai didn't allow any emotion to cross his face as he met Kakashi's gaze. "The new Mizukage wants the man you're fighting," he said calmly, never breaking eye contact. "If your mission is not to kill him, I will take him away."

Kakashi eyed Kai warily, his Sharingan still blazing. "You're telling me there's a new Mizukage?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What happened to the Fourth?"

Kai remained impassive, his expression never wavering. "The Fourth Mizukage was assassinated," he replied calmly. "Mei Terumi is now in power. She wants Zabuza Momochi returned to her."

Kakashi's gaze flickered to Zabuza, who was still bound and immobilized by his ninja hounds. "We were hired to protect the bridge builder," he said slowly, clearly considering the situation. "If Zabuza ceases his attack, there's no reason for us to continue fighting."

Kai nodded, grateful for Kakashi's willingness to avoid unnecessary conflict. With swift, practiced movements, he disabled both Zabuza and the androgynous figure, placing powerful seals on their bodies to ensure they wouldn't cause further harm.

As he turned to leave, Kai inclined his head toward Kakashi in a rare show of respect. "Thank you for not making things more difficult," he said quietly.

Before Kakashi could respond, a short man surrounded by a small army of bandits approached the group. He sneered at the defeated Zabuza and the terrified bridge builder. "Well, well, if it isn't the mighty Zabuza Momochi," he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "And you," he said, turning his attention to the bridge builder, "are Tazuna, the man who dared to defy me, Gato."

Kakashi tensed, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. The young genin of his team, the spiky-haired blonde boy, the ink-wielding shinobi, and the pink-haired kunoichi, looked both shocked and fearful.

Kai, however, remained calm and composed. "Since I interfered with your mission," he said, addressing Kakashi, "allow me to apologize by resolving this situation."

Without waiting for a response, Kai disappeared from sight, reappearing in an instant among Gato and his bandits. In a matter of seconds, they all dropped dead, their eyes wide with shock and fear.

The genin and bridge builder watched in awe as Kai returned to them, his face as emotionless as ever. Kakashi nodded his thanks, though his eyes betrayed a hint of wariness.

As the group prepared to leave the battlefield, the pink-haired kunoichi approached Kai hesitantly. "Thank you for your help," she said softly, her eyes filled with gratitude. "You saved us all."

Kai merely nodded in response, his face giving nothing away. He knew that he was an outsider in this world, and he refused to allow himself to be swayed by the kindness or gratitude of others.

The blonde-haired boy, however, scowled at Kai, his blue eyes flashing with anger. "You didn't have to kill them all," he snapped, his fists clenched at his sides. "You just murdered them like they mean nothing."

Kai's expression remained unchanged, his gaze never wavering from the boy's face. "I did what was necessary," he replied calmly. "I had a mission to complete."

The boy's scowl deepened, but before he could say anything more, Kakashi stepped in. "Enough, Naruto," he said firmly, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We should be grateful for the assistance we received, even if it was a little brutal."

Kai nodded, grateful for Kakashi's willingness to avoid unnecessary conflict. With swift, practiced movements, he placed powerful seals on their bodies to ensure they wouldn't cause ruckus on the way.

As he turned to leave, Kai inclined his head toward Kakashi in a rare show of respect. "Thank you for not making things more difficult," he said quietly, once again. Kakashi was strong, and if he wanted to make things difficult, Kai would have to get serious. His relationship with Konoha would be strained too.

After Kai disappeared from the battlefield, the group remained in stunned silence for a few moments. Naruto's fists were still clenched at his sides, his blue eyes flashing with anger and sadness. "He didn't have to kill them all," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.

Sakura, on the other hand, was struck by Kai's handsomeness and cold demeanor. She had never seen someone so emotionless and yet so powerful at the same time. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of life he must have led to become such a skilled and distant warrior.

Kakashi broke the silence with a sigh. "That's just how Kai is," he said, his voice tinged with sadness. "He's a free shinobi who takes missions from all villages. He's strong, yet a lone wolf. He never makes connections with people."

Naruto scowled at Kakashi's words. "That's stupid," he spat out. "How can someone be so strong and not care about anyone?"

Sakura punched Naruto's head. "Everyone has their own way of dealing with things," she said with a snort. "We don't know what kind of life Kai has had. Maybe he's had to be strong and distant to survive."

Naruto looked up at Sakura, his eyes still filled with anger and sadness. "But he took away Haku," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "He was my friend. And Kai just killed those bandits like he was nothing."

Sai, who had been watching the group from a distance, approached them silently. 'I should report this,' He thought.

"Kai is a powerful warrior," Sai said, his voice almost monotone. "He is willing to do what is necessary to complete his mission, even if it means taking lives."

Naruto turned to Sai, his eyes blazing with anger. "That's not right," he yelled. "Taking lives like that is never right."

Sai looked at Naruto with a hint of confusion. "But we are shinobi," he said calmly. "Our job is to take lives, to protect our village and our people."

Naruto shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "That's not what it means to be a shinobi," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It means protecting the people you care about, even if it means risking your own life."

Kakashi remained quiet, his mind lost in thought. He had known Kai for a long time, and he had always respected his skill and his dedication to completing his mission. But seeing him like that reminded him his old self.

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