Chapter 27: Battling ZabuzaNaruto packed baozi for his team in the system space; vegetables weren't convenient to carry on the road, and they could just cook them once they reached Tazuna's home.For Hinata and Hanabi, besides baozi, he also packed plenty of vegetables. After all, eating only baozi gets boring. Besides functional dishes, there were also many ordinary ones. Some had special effects, but some were time-sensitive, so those were specifically for satisfying their appetites.Early the next morning, Team 7 and Tazuna arrived at the Konoha gate.However, their attire left Kakashi speechless; they looked nothing like Ninja.Sasuke wore a white kimono with an open chest, his forehead protector tied around his waist like a belt, and black cropped pants. A long sword was slung diagonally across his back. His overall look was somewhat similar to his appearance with Orochimaru in the original work.Naruto wore a fitted combat outfit, his forehead protector tied on his forehead, and he wore a white cloak he'd gotten from somewhere, with the word "Justice" written on the back. A long sword hung from his waist.Sakura wore a red jacket vest with a black mesh short-sleeved undershirt, black cropped pants, her signature arm guards on her arms, and her forehead protector tied on top of her head.As for their luggage, it had long since been tossed into Naruto's system space.Those who knew were aware they were leaving the Village for a mission; those who didn't might think the three of them were going to a cosplay convention—though people in the Naruto world probably didn't know what a cosplay convention was."I say, we're going on a mission. Is it really okay to dress like this?" Kakashi asked, carrying a bag and giving them a dead-fish eye."Don't worry, don't worry, there won't be any problems," Naruto waved his hand, saying quite casually."...Say, is it really okay for them to be like this?" Tazuna pointed at the three and turned to ask Kakashi."Ahaha, don't worry, with a Jonin like me here, nothing will happen," Kakashi said with an awkward smile.Just like that, the group began their first mission outside the Village.Naruto was somewhat excited about leaving the Village.After all, having stayed in Konoha for twelve years, he was a bit bored.Although he didn't mind being a shut-in, since he had come to the Naruto world, he couldn't just stay inside."I say, is there a need to be that excited?" Sasukeasked, feeling speechless as he watched Narutolooking around everywhere the moment they left the Village."You wouldn't understand my mood." Thinking about meeting that legendary person this time, Naruto felt exceptionally excited.After all, that was the peerless powerhouse who had Ashura on his left foot, Indra on his right, the Seventh Hokage on his left hand, the Sixth Hokageon his right, and who made Sakura tremble in fear and unable to fight back.However, Naruto hadn't been excited for long before he sensed two malicious auras.This made him unable to help but turn and glance at the Konoha gate, which was still clearly visible behind them.'Is their courage too big? We've just left the Village, and those two idiots are already targeting us?' Naruto couldn't help but complain internally.The group walked along. Sakura asked Kakashiabout other countries on the way. Soon, they crossed a small stream and entered a forest.When they passed a small puddle, all four of them had complicated expressions. Were they being treated as blind or fools?It hadn't rained all day; wasn't it a bit excessive to have a puddle on the ground?Naruto made gestures to Sakura and Sasuke, and the three communicated using a set of special sign language Naruto had created.In the end, Sakura excitedly made a 'Yeah' gesture, then moved to the middle of the group without changing her expression. Naruto and Sasukeretreated in front of Tazuna with expressions of unwillingness.Watching the three communicate, Kakashi was completely numb. He knew this sign language too, but it was precisely because he knew it that he was speechless.These three clearly didn't take the attackers seriously; they were actually unscrupulously playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who would make the move. This was, more or less, disrespectful to their opponents.However, with opponents whose flaws were so obvious, it really was hard to respect them.Just as he was thinking this, Kakashi suddenly felt something wrapping around him. He looked down and saw a bundle of chains."The first one." Two low voices sounded, and then the chains tightened, cutting Kakashi into pieces instantly.The two didn't hesitate to turn and charge at Sakura. However, Sakura's expression was somewhat strange right now. It wasn't for anything else, but because these two were simply too slow.She slapped each of them without hesitation, driving their heads directly into the ground. The two pairs of feet sticking out twitched, and then there was no movement."Kakashi-sensei, come out and clean up the mess," Naruto said to the right, looking at the two holes that were already starting to bleed."You guys, really, not cute at all." Kakashi's voice came from the tree, sounding somewhat helpless. He then used a Body Flicker technique to appear in front of the two and began to inspect them.Tazuna, meanwhile, had collapsed on the ground in fear. He wasn't scared by the attackers; he was scared by Sakura's terrifying strength."I say, Mr. Tazuna.""Stop!"Kakashi had just started to speak when he was interrupted by Naruto."Sensei, I know what you're going to say, but my original intention was to come out and play. It's absolutely impossible for me to go back now. I've only just come out, okay!""Ah, this, then..." Kakashi then looked at the other two."We're the same," Sasuke and Sakura said together."Sigh, alright, alright. You're all problem children; none of you are easy to worry about." Kakashi put a hand to his forehead, saying helplessly."You, what is this?" Tazuna asked, confused."Oh, according to the rules, Mr. Tazuna, you lied about the difficulty of the mission. For a mission where Ninja attack, it should be at least a B-rank mission. The normal procedure would be to return to Konoha, raise the mission level and reward, and then have another team accept it. But these three little ones are kind-hearted and can't bear to see you get investigated by Konoha because of this, so they chose to continue completing the mission according to the C-rank reward. You should thank them properly." Kakashi clapped his hands, casually tossed the two corpses aside, and made a mark. Anbu would come to handle it later."This, thank, thank you all." Tazuna bowed to them, feeling a bit embarrassed. The moral kidnapping he had planned to play didn't even get said, as Kakashihad used it first.It could only be said that Kakashi had also learned to be bad during this period.The group continued on their way. On the road, Tazuna explained the actual situation in detail. Upon learning that the opponent was the wealthy tycoon Gato, Kakashi wasn't too worried. After all, he knew the strength of these three little ones all too well.Plus, with Naruto already able to use the power of the Nine-Tailed, unless a Kage-level powerhouse came, it wouldn't pose a threat.There were no other attacks on the road. The group traveled during the day and rested wherever they could at night, finally reaching the seaside.On the shore, a small boat was docked, with a person wearing a straw hat sitting on it."Thank you for your hard work." Tazuna walked over and patted the person on the shoulder."It's nothing, hurry up and get on. While the fog is thick, we won't be discovered."After that, the boatman used a hand-rowing mode to take the group into the territory of the Land of Waves. Soon, they saw a huge, unfinished bridge spanning the sea.When dropping them off at the shore, the boatman started the engine and left. Naruto and the others followed Tazuna toward his home.But soon, Naruto sensed two different Chakra. He signaled the other three without changing his expression, and the three became vigilant.Just as they were about to walk to a lakeside, a large blade flew spinning toward Kakashi and the others."Get down!" Kakashi shouted, reaching out to press Tazuna to the ground. Sasuke and Sakurasubconsciously followed suit and got down. Only Naruto stood in place, licking his lips with an excited expression.He drew his long sword, which was covered in violent thunder, and slashed down at the executioners blade.The executioners blade was knocked flying directly, and then it was steadily caught by a hand.Zabuza looked at the obvious notch on the blade, then looked at Naruto, who was staring at him with an excited expression. Veins popped out on his forehead involuntarily."Brat, state your name." Zabuza stood on a tree, pointing at Naruto with the executioners blade, his voice low and dangerous."When asking for someone else's name, report your own first. That's the most basic etiquette." Narutotwirled his sword and looked at Zabuza."Naruto, stand down. This guy is an S-rank rogue Ninja from the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi. He's not someone you...""Sensei, you should just rest. This is a fighting opportunity we worked so hard to get; how could we give it to you just because of one word from you?" Naruto interrupted Kakashi, casually pulling off his cloak and throwing it to Kakashi. As for the weights, he had taken them off before getting on the boat; otherwise, that small boat probably couldn't have carried them across the sea.Kakashi caught it subconsciously, looked up, and found that Sasuke and Sakura had already arrived beside Naruto at some point."I say, you guys!" Kakashi rubbed his forehead, feeling helpless."Hahahaha, to think that the legendary Copy Ninja, Sharingan Kakashi, has actually been reduced to a babysitter for a bunch of brats. It's hilarious." Zabuzastood on a tree, mercilessly mocking Kakashi.Kakashi shot Zabuza a deadpan look, silently thinking to himself, 'I hope you can still laugh in a moment. These three brats are not to be trifled with.'"Brats, hand that old man over to me, or you will all die." As Zabuza spoke, a wave of intense killing intent erupted from his body.However, none of those present, except for Tazuna, were affected.Naruto would have them experience the killing intent emitted by the Nine-Tailed from time to time to temper their resolve. Compared to the Nine-Tailed's killing intent, Zabuza's was completely child's play."Oh? Not bad. To think you can remain calm under my killing intent." Zabuza looked at the three of them with interest, then glanced at Tazuna out of the corner of his eye.He then used a Body Flicker technique, coming to a stop on the surface of the lake, one hand raised high and the other held in front of his mouth."Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Technique."A dense fog instantly shrouded the surroundings, and Zabuza's voice echoed from within the mist."Eight points: throat, spine, lungs, liver, carotid artery, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Now, which vital point should I choose?""We aren't choosing any of them," Naruto said, creating a bunch of Shadow Clones."Wind Release: Great Breakthrough." All the Shadow Clones aimed at Zabuza's position and released the Ninjutsu simultaneously.The violent hurricane generated by more than a dozen Shadow Clones blew the fog away, instantly exposing Zabuza to everyone's sight."To think you'd use this method to break my Hidden Mist Technique?" Zabuza looked at the Shadow Clones with some surprise."You'll pay a heavy price for looking down on us." Sasuke's voice suddenly appeared to Zabuza's right."Nani??" Zabuza turned his head sharply and saw Sasuke already slashing at him with his blade, which was imbued with violent thunder. The speed was so fast that he couldn't react in time.A sound of a blade slicing into flesh rang out, and Zabuza was instantly cut in two at the waist by Sasuke.However, there was no joy on Sasuke's face; the feel of that strike hadn't been right.Sure enough, the Zabuza who had been split in two turned into a puddle of water and scattered on the ground."Arrogant brat." Zabuza's voice came from behind Sasuke, his executioners blade slashing directly at Sasuke's neck.Sasuke just smirked, not making a counterattack."Shanaroo!"A roar erupted above Zabuza, and Sakura's fist slammed hard into his face. Zabuza once again turned into a puddle of water on the ground."Not bad brats, but it's over." In an instant, four identical Zabuzas surrounded Sasuke and Sakura, their executioners blades slashing straight at them."Hey, hey, hey, have you forgotten about me?" Naruto's voice instantly appeared beside the four Zabuzas."Thunderclap and Flash, Sixfold." The four Zabuzas were instantly cut in two by Naruto, yet he didn't stop, charging straight toward a tree where Zabuza's true body was located."To think you could find me, brat. Your sensory abilities are quite strong." Zabuza parried Naruto's strike and couldn't help but speak."It's not just my sensory abilities that are strong." Naruto smirked, the lightning-natured Chakra in his hand instantly shifting to wind-natured. He parried the executioners blade, swung his own, and sent three wind blades flying straight at Zabuza's face.Zabuza swung his blade to intercept two of the wind blades. Although he dodged part of the third one, it still left a wound on his body and cheek."Brat, you've angered me!" Zabuza's eyes were bloodshot, and his sharp teeth gnashed audibly. A heavy, powerful slash instantly sent Naruto flying, and Zabuza jumped down from the tree, chasing after him."Don't even think about it!" Sasuke's voice appeared to Zabuza's right again, a flash of red light passing through his eyes as he thrust his long sword directly at Zabuza's kidney."Damn brat! You're courting death!" Zabuza was furious. He blocked Sasuke's attack with his blade while kicking Sasuke in the abdomen, sending him flying. Sasuke rolled on the ground a few times, gagged, wiped his mouth, and stood back up.Before Zabuza could even retract his leg, Sakura's powerful fist was already above his head. Zabuzajumped backward into mid-air. Just as he was about to weave hand signs, he saw a barrel-shaped object flying toward him. He instinctively slashed at it with his blade, and immediately afterward, an explosion sent him flying.That thing was a gas canister Naruto had taken from his system; he had long wanted to see what it felt like to throw gas canisters during a fight.Zabuza rolled on the ground a few times to extinguish the flames on his body before standing up. He looked extremely disheveled; not only was his hair singed and curled, but the bandages on his face were burned away, and there were obvious burn marks on his hands."Brat, I will kill you!" Zabuza looked like a demon descending as he charged toward Naruto.Naruto didn't dodge or evade, clashing blades directly with Zabuza. His strength at that moment was even greater than Zabuza's, and with a burst of force, he deflected the executioners blade. However, before he could make his next move, Zabuza kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into the tree behind him.Then, Sasuke appeared, engaging Zabuza again to prevent him from having the chance to use Ninjutsu. The three of them fought Zabuza in waves, and even though they couldn't take him down after a long fight, they weren't anxious.While attacking, Naruto used hand signals to communicate with the other two. Their attacks always landed near the notch on the executioners blade. Since they weren't attacking the notch directly, Zabuza didn't notice anything unusual. Furthermore, although they had been fighting for a long time, the executioners blade hadn't managed to strike any of them even once, causing the cracks at the notch to slowly widen.Soon, Naruto gave the signal to attack. Sasukecharged in first; although his attack was dodged, he used his legs to clamp onto one of Zabuza's legs. Just as Zabuza tried to shake Sasuke off, Narutofollowed closely behind, restraining Zabuza's other leg. Sakura had jumped before Naruto even charged out, and she was now right above Zabuza, slamming her fist down onto his head.Seeing the attack almost upon his face, Zabuzacould only raise his blade to block. However, he had overestimated the durability of the executioners blade at this point.The spot Sakura struck was exactly where Narutohad previously created the notch. She channeled nearly a third of her Chakra, put all her strength into it, and smashed her fist down hard.Zabuza's legs sank, and he almost couldn't withstand it, spitting out a mouthful of blood from the impact. The executioners blade in his hand only lasted for two seconds before Sakura shattered it. Her fist then slammed directly into Zabuza's face. Although the executioners blade had absorbed much of the force, the remaining power sent him rolling dozens of times on the ground before he fell into the water. Naruto and Sasuke had quickly retreated the moment Sakura struck the executioners blade; they didn't want to end up rolling around on the ground themselves.Watching Zabuza roll all the way into the lake, Naruto and the others followed immediately, not intending to give him any time to catch his breath. After all, the opponent was a Jonin, and since they had finally managed to cripple him, they certainly couldn't let him recover. The traditional virtue of beating a drowning dog had to be upheld.At this moment, Kakashi, watching from the side, couldn't help but click his tongue at Zabuza's miserable state. Zabuza had been too careless and had been outplayed by the three brats. Sakura's punch was something Naruto had carefully trained, something even he wouldn't dare to take head-on.Zabuza had tried to block it with his blade, and he had been beaten half to death, his blade broken. This was entirely the consequence of him not taking Naruto and the others seriously, and it was also something they had intended all along.During the initial attacks, the three of them hadn't used their full strength. It wasn't until Naruto stoked Zabuza's anger, and then had Sasuke fiercely attack Zabuza's kidney to add fuel to the fire, that Zabuzafinally lost his cool. The gas canister Naruto used last finally made him lose his composure and become agitated, which led to flaws in his attacks. When he was subsequently immobilized by Narutoand Sasuke, he instinctively tried to block Sakura's attack, which resulted in him being severely injured.Zabuza had been completely played by the three of them.As a bystander and the one who knew the three of them best, Kakashi saw everything most clearly. Moreover, the three of them were significantly stronger than when they had fought him last time. At this point, there was no possibility of victory for Zabuza; his defeat was only a matter of time.
Chapter 28: Repelled, Meeting Zabuza AgainAt this moment, Zabuza was dodging the trio's attacks in a disheveled state. The three of them were no longer holding back, their coordination was incredibly tacit, and their attacks were continuous, leaving Zabuza with absolutely no opening to counterattack.Soon, several more wounds appeared on Zabuza's body. This filled him with immense frustration. Was he, the dignified Demon, really about to die at the hands of these three Genin who had just left the village?Just then, three senbon flew toward Naruto and the others, interrupting their offensive and giving Zabuza a chance to catch his breath.Just as he was about to counterattack, someone wrapped their arms around his waist and whisked him away from the scene."Let go of me, Haku!" Zabuza struggled, trying to break free from Haku's restraint."Zabuza-sama, please calm down." Haku held onto Zabuza tightly, not daring to pause even for a second.By the time Naruto and the others knocked down the senbon, Haku had already carried Zabuza far away."Damn it, I didn't expect him to have a helper." Sasuke said with some unwillingness."That person's ability to hide their presence is truly impressive." Naruto sheathed his sword and glanced in the direction where Haku had left.In fact, he had sensed it long ago, but he didn't intend to finish off Zabuza here. Putting aside the fact that in his past life these two had made him, a grown man, shed a few tears, simply eliminating Zabuza now would only mean getting rid of one of Gato's underlings.Keeping Zabuza alive to draw Gato out and eliminating Gato directly was the best choice. If Gato didn't die, the Land of Waves would never be stable."That was such a satisfying fight." Sakura tapped her fists together, a flush of excitement still on her face."Sakura, do you still remember that you're a girl? Try to restrain yourself a bit, don't be so violent." Kakashi, having arrived with Tazuna, said with some helplessness.Sakura's appearance at this moment looked exceptionally like someone from his memories."Sakura, don't listen to Kakashi-sensei's nonsense. Who says girls can't be violent? Besides, as a Ninja, the stronger you are, the better." Naruto walked over to Sakura and started stoking the fire. Anyway, he wasn't the one marrying her; the one who would suffer in the future was Sasuke, so what did that have to do with him?Sasuke inexplicably shivered, feeling like someone was targeting him.The battle had been extremely satisfying for the three of them. Although the enemies had escaped in the end, their practical combat experience had increased significantly.The three of them discussed the battle as they traveled. Kakashi, watching them from behind, couldn't help but feel a wave of relief and, at the same time, a sense of emotion.Sometimes, it's not a good thing for students to be too strong. He hadn't taught them anything yet, and these three were already capable of repelling an elite Jonin like Zabuza.Thinking of this, Kakashi decided to fulfill some of his responsibilities as a teacher.Soon, they arrived at Tazuna's house. Tazuna's daughter prepared a relatively hearty dinner to treat them, while Tazuna's grandson, Inari, ate in silence.Naruto glanced at Inari but didn't say anything. He didn't intend to say any impassioned words. In his view, this kid was simply looking at the sky from the bottom of a well, always thinking Gato was strong. Anyway, he couldn't see where the strength was, especially the people Gato hired; except for Zabuza, they were all just a rabble.However, because Kakashi had appeared completely unscathed this time, Inari didn't say anything like "You can't win."After dinner, Kakashi brought the three of them to a forest, intending to teach them something."Sakura, you should have chosen the path you want to take by now, right?" Kakashi looked at Sakura and asked."Yes, I intend to learn Medical Ninjutsu and become a Medical Ninja." Sakura nodded and said."Mm, wait a second, you just said Medical Ninja? You?" Kakashi had just nodded, but suddenly felt something was wrong and hurriedly looked up at Sakura."Sensei, what kind of look is that? Is there a problem with me becoming a Medical Ninja?" Sakura said with a sullen face, looking at Kakashi with displeasure."No, nothing. A Medical Ninja suits you very well, really." Kakashi thought of a certain blonde figure with twin tails and involuntarily swallowed hard."By the way, how is your medical level right now?" Seeing Sakura's unfriendly gaze, Kakashiimmediately changed the subject."It's alright, I've already learned basic Mystical Palm Technique." As she spoke, a layer of Chakraappeared on Sakura's hands, glowing with a faint green light."Hmm, in that case, there isn't much I can teach you. How about this: when we return, I'll give you this recommendation letter. I have an acquaintance at Konoha Hospital; I'll have her be responsible for teaching you." Kakashi stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and said."Okay, thank you, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura bowed and thanked him very obediently."By the way, take this. These are some of my notes on defending against Genjutsu, as well as two relatively powerful Genjutsu. You have a talent for Genjutsu, so you can study this more. Try not to have any weaknesses." As he spoke, Kakashi threw a book to Sakura and then turned to look at Sasuke."Sasuke, you have Lightning and Fire style Chakra, right? How about I teach you that Ninjutsu I demonstrated to you before?""Sure, thank you, Sensei." To be honest, Sasukedidn't have much interest in that technique, but since it was one of Kakashi's trump cards and he was willing to teach him, he had to give him some face. So, he agreed directly and, like Sakura, bowed to thank him."Wait a second, Sensei, you should teach Sasukemore about how to use the Sharingan and Genjutsu. He's starting to not look like an Uchiha anymore. He's turned a perfectly good Sharingan into a firewall." Naruto raised his hand and said to Kakashi."Naruto, you jerk, do you want to fight?" Sasuke's face turned red, and he roared in exasperation."Haha, what Naruto said makes sense. In our last battle, your use of the Sharingan was too rough. I'll teach you properly later." Kakashi smiled and ruffled Sasuke's hair, then looked at Naruto."As for you, Naruto..." Kakashi was in a bit of a dilemma. Naruto had all nature transformations, so logically he could learn Chidori. However, given Naruto's combat style, a technique like Chidori that required charging up probably wasn't suitable for him."Sensei, are there any cool skills?" Naruto asked curiously."...Let me think. It seems like besides Chidori, there's nothing else." Kakashi racked his brains and finally reached a conclusion."...Then is there any Ninjutsu suitable for showing off?" Naruto held his forehead and asked again, feeling somewhat helpless."As for that, it seems there really is one." Kakashithought for a while, his eyes lit up, and he said."Quick, quick, quick, show me." Naruto urged impatiently, and Sasuke and Sakura also looked over with curiosity."Wind Release: Hurricane." As Kakashi's voice fell, a small whirlwind appeared around his body, enveloping him."...That's it?" Naruto looked at Kakashi speechless, and Sasuke and Sakura were also greatly disappointed."This technique isn't supposed to be like this. I only got this effect because I don't have enough Chakra. With your amount of Chakra, Naruto, the hurricane produced could directly blow everyone around you away. It fits your requirements perfectly." Kakashishrugged and said."Really? Then let me try?" Naruto said skeptically. He was just about to try when he seemed to remember something.He crossed his arms, then pressed his right index and middle fingers together and raised them. Chakra began to flow within his body. Immediately, an incredibly violent hurricane appeared around Naruto, instantly blowing Kakashi and the others away, and even the surrounding trees were swept into the sky."Holy crap, does this move consume that much Chakra?" Naruto asked in astonishment, feeling the quarter of his Chakra reserves that had vanished.Kakashi, who had managed to land and steady himself with some difficulty, said helplessly: "This is because you aren't skilled yet, and you released too much Chakra at once. This technique is meant to surround the body with a layer of hurricane to block long-range attacks like shuriken from the shadows. You've almost turned it into an active offensive Ninjutsu.""Ah, is that so?" Naruto scratched his head, then asked Kakashi about some points to watch out for, and then ran to the side to practice diligently.Sakura found a quiet place to sit down and began to carefully study the book Kakashi had given her.Sasuke followed Kakashi to a relatively wide area to begin training.On the other side, after being saved by Haku and brought back to Gato's stronghold, Zabuza was lying on the bed recuperating, while his broken executioner's blade was placed to the side.Gato had previously come to cause trouble, but Haku had directly broken one of his hands. After dropping a harsh threat, Gato scrambled away."Haku, as a Ninja, attacking an employer is a major taboo." Zabuza said, lying on the bed with his eyes closed."I am not a Ninja, just Zabuza-san's tool, so it doesn't count as breaking a taboo." Haku said softly while helping Zabuza wipe his body.Seeing this, Zabuza didn't say anything more, and before long, he fell into a deep sleep."Zabuza-san, next time, let me go with you." Haku's voice was very soft, as if afraid to disturb Zabuza's rest.At this moment, Zabuza, whether he wasn't really asleep or just muttering in his sleep, let out a faint "Hmm."Soon, a week passed. Under Haku's meticulous care, Zabuza finally fully recovered.During this week, Naruto and the others went to the bridge every day to protect Tazuna as he built it. At the same time, to prevent Gato from sending people to attack Inari and his mother as in the original story, Naruto left two Shadow Clones to guard the area every day.During this time, he tried to see if he could catch Haku when he came out to gather herbs. If he could capture him first, Zabuza would be much easier to deal with. After all, having been careless last time, Zabuza would definitely go all out when he came this time.Unfortunately, it was a pity. He didn't know if it was because the place Kakashi chose was wrong, or if he hadn't found the right place himself. In any case, Naruto didn't encounter Haku during this time, and didn't even see a single rabbit."The fog is quite thick today." Kakashi looked around the bridge with a meaningful tone."It should be that guy arriving." Sasuke said, one hand in his pocket and the other on his sword hilt."You're very sharp, kid." Zabuza's voice rang out at the end of the bridge, and immediately, two figures appeared before everyone."As expected, both of them came this time." Kakashi's hand was just about to lift his headband when he saw Naruto and the others start discussing as if no one else was there."How should we do this? It takes at least two people to deal with Zabuza." Naruto asked first."Then the old way: rock-paper-scissors. The winner gets to fight the one on the side alone." Sasuke said, eager to try."I have no objection." Sakura also nodded."I have an objection!" Kakashi's voice came from behind the three."Having an objection is useless. A teacher's duty is to back up their students, not hinder their growth." Naruto made a face at Kakashi, which directly made Kakashi laugh in annoyance."Fine, I'll see what kind of mess you can make." Kakashi walked over to Tazuna and sat down, waiting for the three to perform."Rock, paper, scissors!" As the words fell, Sakuraheld up her hand showing scissors and jumped up."Yeah! I won! That person is mine!"Naruto and Sasuke looked at the paper in their hands, feeling terrible."You brats! Don't go too far!" Zabuza's roar came from afar. Although there was fog, he and Haku had seen the behavior of Naruto and the others clearly.Especially those two brats, with their expressions of disdain; this was a complete insult to him, the Demon!Haku looked at Zabuza, and for some reason, he actually wanted to laugh. This wasn't mockery, but rather feeling that Zabuza at this moment was incredibly vivid, not the cold killing machine he had been before."I'm going to kill you!" Zabuza seemed to sense Haku's emotion, then roared, raised his repaired executioner's blade, and charged at the three."You're at that age, don't have such a temper. Learn from our teacher; it would be so much better." Naruto turned into a bolt of lightning, arrived before Zabuza, and his long sword directly blocked the descending executioner's blade.Sasuke also appeared behind Zabuza at this moment, his long sword stabbing directly at his kidney."Zabuza-san!" Haku was just about to go help when he was met with a massive fist."Your opponent is me." Sakura appeared in front of Haku, blocking him.Having seen the battle that day, Haku knew how terrifying Sakura's fists were. He immediately dodged to the side, but before he could counterattack, Sakura's whip kick came directly toward his head."So fast, I can't dodge it."Unable to dodge in time, Haku could only block with both hands. However, Sakura had put all her strength into this kick, directly sending Haku flying. Before Haku even landed, she had already darted out like an arrow released from a bow."If you think I only use my fists, you're going to suffer a big loss." Sakura engaged Haku in close-quarters combat, directly splitting the battlefield.On the other side, Zabuza twisted his body to dodge Sasuke's attack, then kicked toward Sasuke's face. Sasuke's eyes flashed red, but he forcibly suppressed the urge to activate his Sharingan. Leaning back to dodge Zabuza's attack, he used his hand on the ground for support, rotated his body, and kicked toward Zabuza's stomach.Before Zabuza could react, Naruto's sword slashed from bottom to top toward Zabuza's arm.Facing the pincer attack, Zabuza calmly raised his knee to block Sasuke's attack, while his executioner's blade intercepted Naruto's attack. Then, he performed a one-handed seal and spat two high-pressure water bullets from his mouth toward Naruto and Sasuke.Both of them retreated instantly, and the water bullets hit the bridge, creating two craters.After shaking off Naruto and Sasuke, Zabuza was just about to form seals when he felt his foot slip and nearly lost his balance. He looked down and discovered that the bridge under his feet had turned into a swamp."Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld. You're not the only one who knows Ninjutsu, old man." Naruto's Shadow Clone appeared behind Zabuza; this was the Ninjutsu he had released."Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation.""Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere.""Combined Ninjutsu: Wind-Fire Great Sphere."
Chapter 29: The Battle Ends"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame.""Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere.""Combination Ninjutsu: Wind-Fire Great Sphere."Scorching fire and violent wind were spat out from the mouths of Sasuke and Naruto, respectively.A massive projectile, consisting of Fire ReleaseChakra wrapped around Wind Release Chakra, flew straight toward Zabuza."Water Release: Water Formation Wall."Because his feet were trapped and he couldn't quickly break free, he had no choice but to use a defensive Ninjutsu to block it.The explosion caused by the collision of the projectile and the water wall covered more than half of the bridge. Fortunately, Naruto and Sasukecontrolled the power, causing only some damage to the bridge's surface without destroying its foundation; otherwise, Tazuna would likely have fought Naruto and Sasuke to the death."Cough, cough, pfft." As the dust cleared, Zabuza's figure reappeared. Although he had escaped the control of the Swamp of the Underworld, he was in a sorry state. Apart from traces of burns from the flames, there were many wounds cut by small wind blades, the bandages on his face were tattered, and he spat a mouthful of blood directly onto the ground."Tsk tsk, Zabuza looks a bit miserable." Kakashiwatched Zabuza's state and couldn't help but sigh; that brat Naruto was truly too devious.During their first meeting, apart from Shadow Cloneand Breakthrough, the three of them had never used a single Ninjutsu, relying entirely on Taijutsu throughout. This gave Zabuza a misconception that the three of them were weak in Ninjutsu, otherwise, it would have been impossible for them to only use Taijutsu attacks the whole time.This led to Zabuza being tricked by Naruto again this time. That kid probably sensed the presence of another person last time, so he had been hiding his true skills all along.Thinking of this, Kakashi couldn't help but look toward the other side of the battlefield. At this moment, Haku and Sakura were locked in an intense fight. Thanks to Sakura's childhood training and Naruto's feedings, her stamina was even better than Kakashi's. Haku was entangled by her, making it almost impossible to break free.Furthermore, Naruto had specifically warned Sakurathat she must absolutely not give this person any time to perform hand signs, not even the time to perform one-handed signs, otherwise, she would very likely be unable to defeat him.Although she didn't know where Naruto got the intelligence, growing up together meant Sakura had unconditional trust in Naruto. Therefore, her attacks at this moment had been non-stop. Every time Haku wanted to perform hand signs, he would be immediately interrupted by Sakura; every part of her body was a weapon for Sakura's attacks.Because Sakura held the initiative, Haku found the fight extremely uncomfortable. If he were to force hand signs, although he could release Ninjutsu, he estimated that after taking one of Sakura's punches head-on, he would likely be lying on the ground, unable to get up. Even his Bloodline Limit required hand signs to be cast, but looking at Sakura's stance, it was clear she would not give him that opportunity.However, there was one thing he didn't understand: how did they know his intelligence? Otherwise, without intelligence, they definitely wouldn't be so strictly guarding against him to prevent him from having the time to perform hand signs."Mister, why don't you just give up the mission? As long as you give up the mission, we won't have to fight to the death." Naruto looked at Zabuza and said in a serious tone."Brat, who do you think I am? I am the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza!" Naruto's words made the veins on Zabuza's forehead throb. He roared and threw the executioners blade at Naruto.The executioners blade came whistling toward Naruto. Naruto subconsciously wanted to dodge, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kakashi and Tazuna behind him. He gritted his teeth and swung the long sword in his hand forward violently.Accompanied by a loud bang, the executioners blade was knocked flying by Naruto, and his hands were left feeling somewhat numb from the impact."This is bad, this guy actually powered up. Seriously, who is the protagonist here anyway?" Narutowatched Zabuza jump into the air to catch the executioners blade and couldn't help but mutter."Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet." Zabuza, in mid-air, performed hand signs instantly, and a massive water dragon charged toward Naruto."Damn it! You think you're the only one who can do that?!" Naruto was getting angry now."Sasuke!" "Coming!" "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!" "Lightning Release: Lightning Dragon Bullet!" "Combination Ninjutsu: Lightning-Water Dragon Bullet!"A water dragon, wrapped in the power of violent thunder, soared into the sky and lunged at the water dragon created by Zabuza.The two dragons exploded in the air, and water streams carrying the power of thunder flew everywhere.Zabuza crossed through the water spray, appeared in front of Naruto, and slashed the executioners blade directly at Naruto's forehead.Naruto raised his sword to block, and his whole body was instantly pressed down into a half-kneeling position on the ground.Sasuke raised his sword and thrust it toward Zabuza's face. Zabuza dodged by tilting his head and kicked Sasuke in the abdomen, sending him flying.Naruto used strength in both hands to directly parry the executioners blade, turned his wrist, and slashed his long sword toward Zabuza's neck.A Kunai suddenly appeared in Zabuza's hand, directly blocking Naruto's attack. He then swung the executioners blade directly at Naruto, batting him toward where Sasuke was.Sasuke had just crawled up from the ground when he saw Naruto flying backward. Without thinking, he dodged to the side while reaching out to grab one of Naruto's hands. He spun his body to dissipate the force on Naruto, then exerted strength in his hand to throw Naruto directly in the direction of Zabuza.In the process, Sasuke even took the opportunity to use Naruto's hand to perform a hand sign."Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."Taking advantage of Sasuke's hand sign, Narutobegan to adjust his breathing. Thunder began to surge around him, and he pressed his body downward, landing on the ground early.After landing, he lowered his head slightly, and Sasuke's Great Fireball flew over his head."Thunder Breathing: Thunderclap and Flash, God Speed!"Naruto's legs were covered with a large amount of Chakra, which burst forth in an instant. With a violent kick against the ground, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap, he arrived directly in front of Zabuza at a speed invisible to the naked eye. His long sword split the Great Fireball in two and simultaneously struck the executioners blade that Zabuza was using to block.The violent power instantly sent Zabuza flying. Naruto's long sword pressed firmly against the executioners blade, and using the executioners blade, he pushed Zabuza backward at high speed. The two flew right off the bridge, circled over the sea, and flew back toward the bridge."Damn, damn it!!" Accompanied by Zabuza's roar, the executioners blade in his hand shattered directly. Naruto's long sword struck Zabuzasquarely, but Naruto held back on this strike, switching to the back of the blade before hitting Zabuza.However, because the power of God Speed was too great, even the back of the blade left a huge wound on Zabuza, and blood instantly sprayed all over Naruto.Naruto took the opportunity to withdraw his technique and landed steadily on the edge of the bridge, while Zabuza crashed directly onto the bridge deck, rolling dozens of times before stopping."Zabuza-sama!" Following an urgent cry, Haku, after taking one of Sakura's punches head-on, spat out a mouthful of blood. However, instead of wiping it, he struggled to run to Zabuza's side. At this moment, blood was still continuously spilling from the corner of his mouth; he was in no better shape than Zabuza."Zabuza, give up the mission. You have already lost." Naruto stood in place, pointed his sword at Zabuza, and said."Heh heh, lost. I actually lost. Hahahaha, to think that I, the dignified Demon of the Hidden Mist, actually lost to a Genin who just graduated from the academy. Hahahaha." Zabuza was lying on the ground, unable to move at all. Blood was still oozing from his wound, and his voice had become weak."Zabuza-sama." Haku's mask was already gone. He was struggling to climb up from the ground, reaching out to touch Zabuza's wound, but was afraid that his actions might worsen the injury, so he stood there, stunned and at a loss."Brat, you won. I admit defeat." After Zabuzafinished speaking, he passed out. Naruto gave a wink to Sakura, who had rushed over, and Sakuraunderstood immediately."Let me do it. I am a medical Ninja; if we don't treat him, he will really die." Sakura came to Zabuza's side and said."You, you are actually a medical Ninja?" Haku looked at Sakura in astonishment; he didn't expect that the person who had just beaten him into having no power to fight back was actually a medical Ninja.At this moment, Haku's face, which was exquisite to the extreme, paired with the blood on the corner of his mouth and tears in the corners of his eyes, was filled with a sense of brokenness. It made Sakuraunable to help but cover her chest, and two blushes quickly rushed onto her cheeks.Sasuke, who was on the side, was also somewhat stunned. Only Kakashi was sitting further away, and since Haku was facing away from him, he didn't see Haku's appearance, only feeling somewhat curious about Sasuke and Sakura's expressions."Please, save Zabuza-sama. We will give up the mission; I only hope you can save him." Haku reached out and grabbed Sakura's hand, his voice filled with urgency and pleading."Leave it to me!!" Sakura was completely excited at this moment. Being pleaded with by such an unbelievably beautiful big sister (Sakura did not know Haku was male) was a first for her. She, Sakura Haruno, would definitely save Zabuza; even Kakashi couldn't stop her, she said so!Soon, under Sakura's treatment, Zabuza's wounds had mostly healed, but due to excessive blood loss, he needed to rest quietly. Subsequently, Sakura also treated Haku. Haku's injuries were mainly caused by that punch from Sakura; she knew her own attacks better than anyone, so treating him was much easier than treating Zabuza."Thank you, thank you all very much." Haku performed a dogeza toward Sakura, Naruto, and the others, his tone filled with gratitude.Kakashi watched the whole process without saying a word or interfering. Just as Naruto had said before, teachers are responsible for covering for their students; whether to save or not was their business, and they would bear the consequences themselves. However, this mission report was going to be a bit difficult to handle. Thinking of this, Kakashi couldn't help but feel a headache."I'm asking, why are you still standing here? Aren't you leaving yet?" Sasuke came to Naruto and asked somewhat strangely."Um, could you please help call Sakura over?" Naruto said with a somewhat strange expression."No, what's going on with you?" Sasuke looked at Naruto's slightly trembling legs and asked curiously."It's my first time using it, not very skilled, I got injured and need treatment." Naruto said with some embarrassment."Just that one just now?" "Yes." "Alright, wait here." After saying this, Sasuke went to Sakura's side, explained the situation to her, and brought Sakurato Naruto."Naruto, how are you feeling?" Sakura asked with some worry."Not too good. Kurama said that if it's just him, the healing will be relatively slow, and he needs your help to do it together." As he spoke, he gently pulled up his pant legs, revealing the ghastly sight of his two lower legs.At this moment, Naruto's two lower legs had turned completely blue-purple, the blood had coagulated, and they were emitting a burnt, foul smell."Hiss! It's actually this serious?" Sakura hurriedly asked Sasuke to lay Naruto flat, letting him lie on the ground, and began to gather Chakra in her hands to treat Naruto."It's only because you have Kurama inside you helping you, plus your own constitution is strong enough; if this kind of injury happened to anyone else, they would have to be amputated directly." Sakura complained while treating him."Just developed it, haven't fully mastered it yet. Once I'm skilled, this kind of situation won't happen again." Naruto scratched his head and said with some embarrassment."Don't use these undeveloped moves randomly next time. If you damage your foundation, you won't be able to be a Ninja anymore." Sasuke said from the side, sounding annoyed."But remember to teach me after this move is fully developed; it looks quite powerful.""Sasuke-kun, you must not learn from Naruto and mess around like this; you don't have a Tailed Beastinside you to help you heal." As soon as Sasukefinished speaking, Sakura's voice rang out immediately."Don't worry, I know my limits." "Really?" Looking at Sasuke's assertive appearance, Sakura expressed doubt."Don't you trust me? Every time something happens, isn't it Naruto who causes it? I'm a victim too, you know." Looking at Sakura's suspicious gaze, Sasukeimmediately got anxious and started shifting the blame."Sasuke, you bastard, you eat my food, live in my place, use my things, and now you've even learned how to shift the blame." Naruto was so angry he just wanted to crawl up, but was ruthlessly suppressed by one of Sakura's hands."Don't move around!""Where did I shift the blame? Isn't what I said the truth?" Sasuke retorted, refusing to be outdone."Yeah right!""Both of you, shut up!" Sakura smacked both of them on the head, and the two finally quieted down."Yo, look who it is? The dignified Demon of the Hidden Mist, actually defeated by a bunch of brats?"
Chapter 30: Killing GatoJust as the group was messing around, an untimely voice rang out.They looked toward the sound and saw a short, fat, balding man dressed in a pretentious suit, appearing before the bridge with a group of ragtag thugs."Gato, what are you doing here?" Haku stood up, looking at the newcomer with cold eyes."Hmph, I spent so much money hiring you, and to think you couldn't even handle a few brats. What trash." Gato looked at Haku and spat with disdain."Is this guy Gato?" Sakura asked with some curiosity."Looks like it." Sasuke stood up, shielding Sakuraand Naruto behind him."Sasuke, come here for a second." Naruto raised his head and said to Sasuke."What's wrong?" Sasuke walked over to Naruto, puzzled."Go help me ask Kakashi-sensei...""Uh, and if it is allowed?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naruto with a strange expression."Do I even need to say? This is extra wealth coming in; aren't you tempted?" Naruto winked at Sasuke. Sasuke thought for a moment, then nodded and stood up, walking toward Kakashi."Kakashi-sensei, Naruto asked me to ask you if Konoha allows us to kill outside of the mission parameters." Sasuke approached Kakashi and asked in a low voice.Kakashi looked at Naruto, then at Gato, and instantly understood what Naruto meant. He then said: "As long as it doesn't affect the mission and doesn't affect relations between nations, Konohawon't interfere.""Then, do you think it would affect anything?" Sasuke asked Kakashi."Sigh, you guys... you should read the mission details more often. You haven't even figured out what our mission is yet." Kakashi said helplessly."?" Sasuke tilted his head, confused."Actually, there's one thing you haven't grasped yet. He is technically a target within the scope of our mission, after all, he is the party obstructing us from completing it." Kakashi pointed his thumb at Gato and explained."Oh, I see. Then I can rest easy." Sasuke realized, then immediately drew his sword and walked up to Gato."Brat, are you in such a rush to die?" Seeing Sasukesuddenly appear, Gato sneered. These brats had defeated Zabuza and cost him a huge amount of money; how could he let them go?"Five seconds. Anyone still standing here dies." Sasuke held up five fingers and began to count down."Five, four.""Brat, since you're so eager to die, I'll send you on your way first.""Three, two.""Get him!""One!"As the words fell, Sasuke vanished from his spot. Immediately after, five heads flew into the air, and blood sprayed from their necks like fountains."H-how is this possible?" Gato was sprayed with the falling blood and collapsed to the ground in terror."I told you to leave, but you didn't. Since that's the case, stay here forever."As he spoke, Sasuke once again turned into a flash of lightning, vanishing before everyone's eyes. A constant series of thuds sounded from the crowd as heads flew into the sky. At this moment, Sasukelooked like an Asura demon crawling out of hell, his entire body covered in blood.Soon, all of Gato's underlings had been decapitated, leaving only Gato slumped on the ground. He had been so scared he lost control of his bowels, and excrement and urine kept leaking from his pants, making Sasuke frown."D-don't kill me, I have money, I have a lot of money, I can give it all to you." Gato begged incessantly, but Sasuke had no intention of listening and walked straight past him.A flash of white light, and then, Gato's head flew into the sky. His body slowly toppled over. With his head hitting the ground, his life of crime came to an end."I'm telling you, you just had to show off. Now look, the outfit I went through so much trouble to get you is ruined." Naruto said, looking at Sasuke as he approached, his face full of speechlessness."It's just clothes, I'll get more." Sasuke said nonchalantly."You think this stuff is easy to get? I spent a lot of money to have it custom-made." Naruto rolled his eyes at Sasuke."Fine, I'll pay for it, okay?" Sasuke scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed."No duh, it's your clothes, you think I'm paying for them? Go wash yourself off, you reek." Narutopointed behind him.Seeing this, Sasuke thought for a moment, then performed a leap of faith off the bridge, landing in the sea with a splash."My god, did he not know he could just go back to wash?" Naruto slapped his forehead, looking as if he'd aged ten years."Sakura, listen, if you two ever get married, definitely don't let Sasuke handle the money, or he'll blow it all in a minute." Naruto said with one hand on his forehead, sounding listless."W-w-what marriage? Naruto, what are you spouting? This, this, this, it hasn't even started yet, and you're talking about this now? It's way too early!" Sakura was so flustered by Naruto's words that her Chakra got scrambled, causing Naruto to wince in pain."Sakura! Sakura-bro! Calm down, my leg!" Naruto's wails pulled Sakura out of her fantasy. Seeing Naruto's bleeding leg, she hurriedly apologized and scrambled to treat him."These three brats, not a single one is easy to deal with." Kakashi watched the chaotic scene, feeling incredibly exhausted.By the time Zabuza woke up again, two days had passed. After dual treatment from Sakura and the fox, Naruto was back to his energetic self by that afternoon. He immediately dragged Sasuke, Sakura, and Haku to go find Gato's treasure, as Haku was the only one who knew the location of the hideout. As for the mission, he dumped it all on Kakashi.If Naruto hadn't promised to give Kakashi a share, Kakashi probably would have hung Naruto up and beaten him.After Naruto turned Gato's place upside down, he learned from Gato's secretary that Gato had quite a few assets in other locations.Naruto immediately created a bunch of Shadow Clones and had the secretary lead the way to raid—oh wait, it should be 'recovering his own property'.After verifying the amounts and investigating the secretary, he found that the man had done quite a few evil deeds for Gato, so Naruto promptly 'physically enlightened' him.Subsequently, Naruto divided the money into five shares: one for himself, one for Sasuke, one for Sakura, one for Kakashi, and one specifically for Zabuza and Haku.Haku initially didn't want it, as he hadn't participated in dealing with Gato, and it felt improper to take a share. But Naruto said this was a hiring fee, and since he might need their help in the future, this was a prepayment.Haku said he had to check with Zabuza first; if he didn't agree, Haku wouldn't take the money either.Sakura and Sasuke had no objections to this. Since they were young, Naruto had basically been the one making decisions, and his plans rarely went wrong.As for Kakashi, as long as it didn't endanger Konoha, he was actually quite easy to talk to."Easy to talk to my foot! Are you crazy, kid?" Kakashigrabbed the back of Naruto's collar and lifted him up, glaring at him with a menacing look."What's the problem? Even though Zabuza is a rogue Ninja, Haku isn't. He's not even considered a Ninja. Plus, the Land of Water has been isolationist for so long, what's the problem with hiring their rogue Ninja? No one will ever know." Naruto, now like a cat held by the scruff of its neck, struggled in Kakashi's grip."You know he's a rogue Ninja? Do you have any idea that hiring him could cause diplomatic issues between our nations!" Kakashi was actually angry this time.No matter how isolationist the Land of Water is, it's still a major power. If they used this as an excuse to cause trouble, the consequences could easily lead to war.After all, the current Mizukage is a bloodthirsty one."Wouldn't it be fine if we just don't let them find out? With how Zabuza used to dress, who would recognize him? Change his hairstyle, take off the bandages, throw away the executioners blade, and see if anyone recognizes him." Naruto pulled a wanted poster from his bag. It was Zabuza's wanted photo, where the bandages covering almost half his face were exceptionally conspicuous."Uh, this..." Kakashi was stunned by Naruto's logic. He hadn't thought of doing it that way. Zabuza's most iconic features were the executioners blade, his face full of bandages, and the headband on his head.If he really changed all of that, it wouldn't be certain that anyone who wasn't an acquaintance would recognize him."Then tell me first, what do you plan to hire him for?" Kakashi put Naruto down and crossed his arms, looking at him."How would I know? I just divided the money based on the principle that those who see it get a share. We'll talk about the future later. Besides, it's hard to say if I'll even be able to find those two again.Zabuza plans to find a place to live in seclusion; he's even planning on becoming a farmer. His strength definitely won't increase much. Even if we do find him later, it definitely won't be for anything major."Naruto's speech managed to convince Kakashi. In the end, the executioners blade became Naruto's trophy, and Naruto gave Zabuza two long swords he had forged himself for self-defense. Zabuza, with Haku, said goodbye to everyone and set off on their own journey."It's so nice, being able to fly away together with the person you love." Sakura watched Zabuza and Haku's retreating backs, her face full of envy."He was a decent opponent. I wish them a happy life together." Sasuke crossed his arms, his face showing little expression, though he still offered a blessing."They can't have children." Naruto's voice suddenly rang out."? What do you mean? Does Zabuza or Haku have some physical problem?" Sakura asked, looking at Naruto with curiosity."How can two men have kids?" Naruto shrugged, his expression nonchalant."Oh, I see..."Kakashi: "Wait a minute?"Sasuke: "Two?"Sakura: "Men??""Yeah, didn't Haku tell you? He's a guy." Narutolooked at the group with curiosity."Wait, wait, wait, you're telling me that person who was so beautiful they didn't look mortal is a guy??" Sakura screamed directly.Sasuke and Kakashi looked as if their souls had been sucked out, their faces full of disbelief, their mouths repeating the words "a guy" over and over."Yeah, I remember when he said that, weren't you guys there? Oh, I remember now, you weren't actually there, it was Tazuna's family who was there." Naruto patted his head, feeling a bit embarrassed."If that's the case, then they are..." Sakura stiffly turned her head to look in the direction Zabuza and Haku had left."Respect other people's kinks, don't think too much about it. If you have time to think about this, you'd be better off thinking about how to snag Sasuke." Naruto patted Sakura's shoulder, then turned and walked away."Let's go, time to head back and eat."Under the setting sun, the two groups took a new step toward their respective lives. (New knowledge counts too, heh.)
Chapter 31: Return to KonohaAfter Gato died, Tazuna started building the bridge with peace of mind. By the way, Gato had indeed sent people to capture Inari and his mother, but they were taken care of by Naruto's Shadow Clone.Although Naruto's "Talk no Jutsu" didn't bestow courage upon the Land of Waves, Gato's death allowed everyone to see the strength of Naruto and his team, and many people began to join the bridge-building work one after another."Old man, your speed is a bit slow, isn't it? It's been over a month, and it's still not finished?" Naruto was sitting on the bridge railing, saying this with some boredom."You actually say I'm slow? You should know that many famous bridges were built by me. Do you know the Kannabi Bridge? That was built by me when I was young, and it was completed in less than two months!" Tazuna said, lifting his head with some pride.Naruto was dumbfounded. Good grief, the Kannabi Bridge was actually the work of this old guy, and it took less than two months? So Obito was screwed over by your shoddy construction work?So, the biggest mastermind behind the entire Hokage world is actually you, Tazuna?"How about that? Shocked into silence, right?" Looking at Naruto's expression, Tazuna said triumphantly.When Kakashi heard this, he gave Tazuna a strange look, the emotions in his eyes more exaggerated than a pie chart."You're the best. But why is it so slow this time? This seems to be only about half the workload, right?" Naruto pulled back his thoughts, gave Tazuna a thumbs up, and then asked with some confusion."Are you talking nonsense? You fought so intensely on this bridge before that many places had to be repaired. In the end, your problems are also part of why it's slow." Tazuna rolled his eyes at Naruto in annoyance."Ah, this… there was no other way, you saw the situation at the time." Naruto scratched his head and said, feeling a bit embarrassed."Hmph, fine, I won't waste my breath on you. There are more and more people lately, and I believe it will be finished in about half a month." After saying that, Tazuna walked away without looking back."Big Brother Naruto." Not long after Tazuna left, Inari came running over, holding a small jar."What's wrong? What is that in your hand?" Narutolooked at the jar with some curiosity."Hehe, didn't you say before that our fishing industry is relatively developed and we can rely on it to make money? So we were thinking about how we could catch more fish.""Later, when we saw many fish floating to the surface after your training, we wondered if we could make something with similar power, something that we could just throw into the water to get a lot of fish." Inari smiled innocently, but Naruto's expression became somewhat strange."So, so you guys made this thing?" Naruto pointed to the jar in Inari's arms, having roughly understood what it was."Yes, just light the fuse and throw it into the water, and you can blast up a lot of fish." Inari's little face was flushed, his expression extremely excited."Heh, hehe, so this thing is just a homemade bomb, right? You're just holding it like this, aren't you afraid it'll explode?" Naruto's mouth twitched uncontrollably; he felt that Inari was rushing headlong into something very wrong."It won't. After everyone's experiments, as long as the fuse isn't lit, it won't explode no matter how you drop it. Plus, the fuse has been specially treated so it won't go out in the water." Inari tilted his head up with a bit of pride."So you're saying, once this thing is lit, it can't be put out and will definitely explode?""Yes.""Inhale—exhale—Tazuna!" Naruto took a deep breath and then roared loudly."What are you doing? I'm busy." Tazuna walked over, annoyed."Are you crazy? Letting your grandson run around holding something like this—what if it accidentally gets lit?" Naruto shouted, pointing at Tazuna in exasperation."Oh this? Just throw it after lighting it. The fuse is so long, it won't hurt anyone. Why are you, a Ninja, making such a big fuss?" Seeing this, Tazuna waved his hand dismissively and then turned and walked away."Heh, hehe." Naruto was choked by these words and couldn't say a single thing."Good boy, go play, and be careful." Afterward, Naruto ruffled Inari's hair and said, feeling powerless.Inari nodded, greeted everyone, and ran off.Soon, half a month passed, the bridge was finally completed, and it was time for the three of them to leave.The bridge wasn't named the Naruto Bridge as in the original story, but was named the Seventh Bridge by Tazuna, symbolizing the help everyone in Team 7 had given them.After saying goodbye to everyone, the three of them rushed back at top speed without stopping. As for the reason, Kakashi had received a letter from a Ninja hawk two days ago: the Chunin Exams were about to begin.This was a joint exam for multiple countries, so the Third Hokage urged them to return as soon as possible. As for why, if a certain blond guy didn't make it back in time, he would definitely cause trouble, so the Third Hokage had sent them a message in advance.The four of them traveled swiftly, and with the aid of Nine-Tailed's Chakra, they appeared at the gates of Konoha in less than a day.The two gatekeepers, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki, were startled when the four of them suddenly appeared, thinking it was an enemy attack..."Thank you for your hard work on the mission, and welcome back to the village." The two greeted them, checked them, and after registering, let them enter Konoha."Finally back." Naruto stretched, his whole body relaxing."I'm going to submit the mission report. You guys get some rest, and we'll meet at the usual place tomorrow." Kakashi instructed them and then headed to the Hokage Building alone.The three of them also planned to go back and get a good rest; they were truly tired after traveling for a day. Plus, it was already night, so even if Narutowanted to go see Hinata, he would have to wait until the next day.Back home, Naruto and Sasuke put away their luggage and immediately started heating water to prepare for a bath."Naruto, do you have any thoughts about this Chunin Exams?" Sasuke asked while lying on the sofa, looking at Naruto beside him."Hmm, how much longer until you can use your Sharingan?" Naruto took out two steamed buns, threw one to Sasuke, and asked."I can use the Three Tomoe at any time, but for the Mangekyo, if I continue to suppress it and not use the Sharingan, it will take about half a year. If I use the Three Tomoe, I estimate the time will extend to a year and a half." Sasuke felt his own state and said."Then just keep suppressing it for now. Anyway, it's all Genin in the Chunin Exams, so it shouldn't be a big problem." Naruto took a bite of his bun and said."You're acting weird." Sasuke was eating his bun when he suddenly looked up at Naruto."Huh? What is it?" Naruto stopped eating his bun and turned his head to look at Sasuke."Didn't you always tell me to keep a low profile and not get cocky? Why are you the one getting cocky now?" Sasuke looked at Naruto with suspicion."Yo, not bad. I thought you had gotten cocky too, but it seems you're still quite calm." Naruto sat up, tossed another bun over, and said with a smile."So, what are you planning to do this time?" Sasukecaught the bun and took a bite."Do you want the truth or a lie?" Naruto looked at Sasuke with a playful expression."Duh, the truth, of course." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto in annoyance."Among the people coming this time, there is a Jinchuriki from the Hidden Sand Village." Narutosaid to Sasuke with a serious expression."Plop." The bun in Sasuke's hand slipped and fell onto the floor."You're not joking, right?""Don't you know my source of intelligence by now?"Hearing this, Sasuke fell silent. If it really was a Jinchuriki coming, then the Hidden Sand Village's visit this time probably wasn't just for the simple purpose of taking the Chunin Exams."How strong is the opponent?" Sasuke asked with a serious expression."His own strength should be about the same as yours, but his mental state is very unstable. Overall, you should be a bit stronger than him." Narutorubbed his chin, thought carefully for a moment, and said."Then how does the one inside him compare to Kurama?" Sasuke pointed to Naruto's stomach."No comparison. Kurama could take on eight of them by himself." Naruto waved his hand, saying it quite nonchalantly."Brat, that's well said. I like hearing that." Kurama's voice rang out in Naruto's mind."Kurama is that strong?" Sasuke asked with some surprise."Of course, don't you understand the value of the strongest Tailed Beast?" Naruto tilted his head up proudly, his expression very smug."Then besides the Jinchuriki, is there anyone else?""The other two people in their group are also quite strong. Besides them, there's only some people from our village left. The others are at most at the Chuninlevel and don't pose a threat to us." Naruto waved his hand.As for Orochimaru, he definitely couldn't talk about him; after all, the source of information would be really hard to explain. He could at least claim the Jinchuriki was sensed by Kurama, especially since they were the last to return and others had already arrived in Konoha.Immediately, Naruto seemed to think of something else and said: "Oh right, the biggest threat to us will probably be the first exam.""Huh? The first exam? Is it hard?" Sasuke asked, not understanding."Hehe, the first exam is a written test." Narutochuckled and said, looking at Sasuke."...And you can still laugh? Why aren't you thinking of a solution quickly!" Sasuke roared at Naruto, feeling a bit crazed."I've already got a solution for this. After we assemble tomorrow, we just need to test Sakura
Chapter 32: My Name is KuramaEarly the next morning, the three of them arrived on time at the place they had agreed upon with Kakashi-sensei, yet Kakashi-sensei was late again.Naruto held a stopwatch, timing him; it took a full three hours and fifteen minutes before Kakashi-sensei finally appeared."Yo, good morning everyone." Kakashi-senseisquatted on the bridge railing, greeting the three of them."So? Did you go off playing with a black cat again today, old man?" Naruto glanced at Kakashi-senseiand said, sounding annoyed."Don't say that, Naruto. I just got lost on the path of life today." Kakashi-sensei waved his hand and said with a smile."Heh, it's a wonder you were still able to find your way back.""Well, well, let's skip the small talk. The reason for this meeting is the Chunin Exams. I've mentioned it to you before; these are the application forms." As he spoke, Kakashi-sensei pulled three application forms out of his small pouch and handed them to the three."I've already asked for your opinions, so I won't say much more. Once you've signed, go to Classroom 301 at 3:00 PM three days from now. That is all. Dismissed." With that, Kakashi-sensei ran off, leaving the three of them staring at each other on the bridge."What do you think?" Sasuke looked at Naruto."Sign them, hand them in, and then head to the base to gather." Naruto flicked the application form in his hand, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.The three of them signed the forms and headed toward the Hokage Building.As they turned a corner, they suddenly discovered a person dressed all in black holding a small child. Behind him stood a girl carrying a giant fan, and beside them were two trembling children.Naruto looked closely, and good grief, wasn't that Konohamaru Sarutobi? He hadn't gone out of his way to find him, so he didn't expect to run into him like this."Sigh, what's meant to happen can't be avoided." Naruto sighed, and then his entire figure vanished from the spot instantly."Bang!"A loud noise rang out; the man in black was kicked flying by Naruto, sliding several meters across the ground before crashing headfirst into a wall."Who's there?" Temari abruptly unslung the fan from her back, assumed a fighting stance, and glared at the suddenly appearing Naruto.Naruto ignored her, casually catching Konohamaru Sarutobi while his eyes remained fixed on the sand wall in front of him that he had just kicked a hole through."You up in the tree, take back your sand. It's a lot of hard work for the janitors to clean up." Narutoturned his head to look at the tree nearby, where a figure carrying a gourd was hanging upside down."Gaara." It was only then that Temari noticed the sand wall with the hole in front of Naruto.'He actually broke through Gaara's sand wall directly. Who on earth is this guy?' Temari looked at Naruto, her eyes filled with vigilance."I'm interested in you. What's your name?" Gaaradescended from the tree, and the pile of sand slowly flowed back into the gourd on his back."Uzumaki Naruto. That guy is with you, right? Take him with you. Remember for next time: don't be too presumptuous in someone else's Village." Narutopatted Gaara on the shoulder, then walked over to Ise Udon and Moegi, setting Konohamaru Sarutobidown in front of them."Be more careful when walking next time. With the Chunin Exams happening, there are a lot of outsiders around. Watch out for your own safety." Naruto ruffled the three children's hair, waved his hand, and walked toward Sasuke and SakuraHaruno."Wow, so cool!" Konohamaru Sarutobi and the others watched Naruto's retreating back, stars in their eyes.Gaara glanced at the departing Naruto, then looked at the shoulder that had been patted, before turning to Temari and saying, "Take Kankuro, we're going back."After speaking, he left without looking back. Seeing that Gaara hadn't lost his temper, Temari breathed a sigh of relief. Then, realizing that Kankuro hadn't come over yet, she hurried over to him.When she saw Kankuro's current state, her pupils shrank. The Crow that should have been on Kankuro's back was lying to the side, and Kankurohimself was rolling his eyes, knocked unconscious."To be defeated without even being able to use Crow? That guy..."Temari looked worriedly in the direction Gaara had left, then hoisted Kankuro onto her back and walked quickly toward their resting place.The three of them arrived at the Hokage Buildingand, after asking around, learned that the application forms were only to be handed in on the day of the exam.The three recalled carefully; it seemed Kakashi-sensei really hadn't said that these things were to be handed in today. The three exchanged glances and left the Hokage Building, feeling a bit awkward, before heading to Naruto's villa."Kakashi-sensei is really something, leaving without explaining things clearly." Sakura Haruno plopped down onto the sofa and complained."Alright, it's not like you've only known him for a day. That's just how he is—he's absolutely reliable with big things but super unreliable with small ones." Naruto sat down next to Sakura Haruno and patted her shoulder.Sasuke came over and sat down next to Naruto. Since they were having a discussion meeting, Naruto was usually in the middle during these times."Regarding this exam, Sakura, the first round is all up to you." Naruto looked at Sakura Haruno. On the way, he had explained a little bit of the situation, and she now knew that the first exam was a written test."What do you need me to do?" Sakura Haruno asked Naruto."It's like this: Kurama and I created something similar to a Chakra seed. I plan to place it on you and Sasuke. Besides containing some of Kurama's Chakra, it can also connect us. Through Kurama's transmission, it allows our movements to be synchronized."As he spoke, Naruto opened his palm, revealing two small red Chakra seeds.He had thought of this back when he first got the permit to learn the Flying Thunder God. When he watched the Fourth Great Ninja War, the scene of thousands of people unleashing Earth Releasesimultaneously had been quite shocking.Afterwards, he thought that since Ino Yamanaka could synchronize everyone, why couldn't he try it too? Although Ino Yamanaka's method was a secret technique, he could also try experimenting with Kurama's Chakra."How do you use this thing?" Sasuke picked up one and examined it carefully."Just eat it. Besides connecting us, it can also replenish your Chakra when it runs out. You could consider it a small energy supply device." Narutotossed the other one to Sakura Haruno.The two exchanged a look and then swallowed the seeds directly."What's next? What do we do?" Sakura Haruno felt the seed inside her body and then looked at Narutoto ask."Next, it's up to Kurama." As he said this, Narutotook out three sets of paper and pens, one for each."Brats, it's about to start." The voice of Kuramaechoed in their minds, and immediately, the three felt their bodies stiffen, unable to move."Little girl, start writing now." As Kurama's voice faded, Sakura Haruno felt her previously stiff body relax again.She took the pen and began writing her name on the paper. Immediately after, she saw Naruto and Sasuke's movements perfectly synchronized with hers, as they also wrote her name on their papers, the handwriting identical in every way."This—this is just too amazing." Sakura Haruno couldn't help but blurt out, and Naruto and Sasukesaid the exact same words."Looks like the effect is not bad." With that, Kuramadeactivated the synchronization mode for the three."But if the handwriting is exactly the same, won't that be a problem?" Sakura Haruno looked at the three papers and asked, feeling a bit worried."Don't worry. Imitating handwriting is also a required course for Ninjas; no one will say anything about it. Besides, the seating will definitely be random, and we won't be in the same place, so they won't be able to find any evidence of us cheating." Naruto looked at the result he had created, very satisfied."Can this thing be useful in battle?" Sasuke asked Naruto."It's hard to say. Synchronization is possible, but switching the lead person frequently requires long-term training. However, if it's for position sensing and information transmission, it's absolutely no problem within a hundred kilometers." Narutothought for a moment and then said."The range is that big? It's much further than a radio." Sasuke couldn't help but have his pupils shrink; such an ability was a bit terrifying."That's true, but it requires Kurama to act as a relay station. Large-scale promotion is definitely out of the question, and Kurama wouldn't be willing either. Plus, these Chakra seeds aren't easy to make; it took Kurama nearly a year to create two of them." Narutonodded, then added with some helplessness."Is that so? Wait, you were researching this a year ago?""Yeah, more or less. At the time, I made this mainly to make it easier to keep in touch with Hinata after becoming a Ninja. But after this period of research, I came up with this synchronization effect, which happens to be useful for this exam." Naruto rubbed his nose and said, feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, he couldn't exactly say that he had cooked this up just to deal with the Chunin Exams, could he?However, he had also thought about the aspect of chatting on the phone with Hinata while researching it. It was just that after finishing the device, he realized there was no way to chat on the phone with Hinata because it required Kurama to act as the transmission hub, so the words were basically spoken through Kurama. Just thinking about using Kurama's voice to speak Hinata's tender, delicate words gave Naruto a chill."Brat, I sense your malice." Kurama's voice suddenly echoed in Naruto's mind."Not at all. You should eat more." Naruto shook his head and denied it directly."Hmph, I won't lower myself to your level, brat." As he said this, Kurama grabbed a cup and chugged a glass of cola."By the way, Naruto, we keep calling him Kurama, but it seems we've never asked for his real name, have we?" Sakura Haruno seemed to have thought of something and suddenly asked.Naruto, Sasuke, and Kurama, who was snacking on skewers, all froze and turned their heads in unison to look at Sakura Haruno."Wh-what? Did I say something wrong?" SakuraHaruno felt a bit unnerved by their stares and asked cautiously."Hahahaha, no, you didn't say anything wrong. Little girl, you're good." Kurama's loud laughter echoed in their minds."Uh, I..." Naruto scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. He actually knew the names of all the Tailed Beasts, and he had even mentioned Kurama's name in front of Kurama, but he had never formally asked for the name. Originally, neither of them cared about this, but Sakura Haruno's words made Narutorealize that knowing was one thing, but as a basic courtesy, he still needed to ask."Brats, I've watched you grow up, so it's fine to tell you my name. Listen well: my name is Kurama."