"Oh?"
Gato looked at the brat who was slightly taller than himself and actually dared to step forward and criticize him. A cold sneer curled across his lips.
"What I, Gato, hate most is when someone rushes to speak before I've finished talking..."
Before Gato could finish, a ninja behind him impatiently stepped forward.
"Lord Gato! Let me teach this ignorant little brat a lesson for you!"
Having his words interrupted, Gato's face instantly darkened. He leaped in front of the ninja and smashed a fist viciously into his head.
"Don't you know? What I hate most is when people rush to speak before I've finished..."
Before Gato could finish again, Sakura's face filled with worry. She hurriedly pulled Naruto back and shouted, "Naruto! Have you forgotten that your Chakra has been sealed? Get back here!"
Gato's face turned completely black.
"You... are unforgivable!"
His gaze swept over the group, then he suddenly spotted Zabuza, who looked as though his parents had died. Surprise first appeared on his face, followed by mockery.
He had left so arrogantly, yet now he had been captured by these people, even his sword confiscated.
And he had actually been intimidated by the title of one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!
"What a piece of trash. You actually got captured alive. No wonder the Land of Water has been declining year after year. A garbage traitor like you could even defect from there—I don't even dare imagine how miserable the Hidden Mist Village must be now!"
Zabuza did not care if he himself was insulted, but the moment he heard the Hidden Mist Village being dragged into it, his eyes immediately turned bloodshot.
"You bastard..."
Zabuza glared at Gato, the terrifying killing intent in his eyes nearly solidifying into something tangible.
Gato was startled, but after hearing his confidant behind him say that there was not the slightest trace of Chakra fluctuating from Zabuza, he calmed down again. A contemptuous smile spread across his lips.
"Hmph, so you're just a paper tiger. Who are you trying to scare?" Gato stepped forward again and provocatively looked at Zabuza.
Seeing that Zabuza still dared to act so arrogantly despite being captured alive, Gato wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and ordered one of his lackeys, who had no Chakra, "Looks like Lord Zabuza here is still quite dissatisfied, huh? Later, dig out his eyes for me. He keeps staring so wide-eyed all day—I'm worried his eyes will dry out. And cut out that tongue of his too, so he stops spouting nonsense."
As he spoke, Gato walked straight up to Zabuza as though no one else mattered and viciously slapped him across the face.
"Damn it!"
Naruto clenched his fists. The man's arrogant attitude was truly infuriating.
Gato merely glanced at Naruto. Looking at the Hidden Leaf Village forehead protectors they wore, he spoke disdainfully, "This is the Land of Waves' business. As far as I know, you only accepted an escort mission. Now that Tazuna has arrived, you can get lost!"
"Otherwise, hehehe..."
Gato walked over to Sakura with a lecherous grin.
"I'll never issue missions at your Hidden Leaf Village again. On top of that, I'll hire ninjas from other villages and issue assassination missions against you!"
This threat usually worked every time, especially against ninjas who had ties to their villages.
Zabuza had long been trembling with rage when he suddenly felt the restraint on his Chakra being released. That familiar power had returned!
Although it was far less than before, with only the little bit remaining after the battle, it was still more than enough to slaughter this rabble.
A puzzled look appeared on Zabuza's face as he looked toward Obito and Kakashi.
Kakashi withdrew the hand he had used to release Zabuza's restraint and said calmly, "Article 112 of Imperial Law: when a victim suffers a physical attack, the victim has the right to defend himself and retaliate against the attacker."
"Although you are currently a prisoner of our Empire, you are still under the protection of Imperial Law."
After saying that, Kakashi crossed his arms and assumed the posture of someone watching a show.
Zabuza had already resigned himself to his fate, but seeing them actually undo the seal on his Chakra, he would be lying if he said he was not moved.
"Fine... thank you!"
He suddenly became curious about the Empire they spoke of, but first, he needed to...
"Swish!"
A black shadow flashed past. A Kunai glinted with a sharp cold light as it slashed toward Gato with lightning speed.
As a ninja, Kunai were one of their essential weapons, and Zabuza was no exception.
No one knew when he had gripped the Kunai in his hand, but he did not hesitate to slash it at Gato.
The sharp whistle of the Kunai slicing through the air rang out.
The arm Gato had used to slap Zabuza traced an arc through the air before falling to the ground with a dull thud.
Only then did scarlet blood gush out like a fountain, staining the ground red.
Gato's miserable scream echoed through the air, sending chills down everyone's spine.
This strike was enough to display Zabuza's superb blade skills.
Unfortunately, the opponent he had faced earlier had been Kakashi, a genius ninja from the Empire—the sole heir of the Hatake Clan and the foremost inheritor of its swordsmanship.
"Aaaah! Hidden Leaf Village ninjas! I'll remember this!"
Gato no longer dared to threaten Zabuza. Zabuza was a rogue ninja with no children, no parents, and no weaknesses to exploit.
But these Hidden Leaf Village ninjas were different!
Seeing Zabuza prepare to attack again, Gato shouted in terror, "Save me! Hidden Leaf Village ninjas! Save me, and I'll let bygones be bygones over losing one arm!"
Unfortunately, the only response was the sound of his other arm hitting the ground.
"No!"
Gato's face was full of despair.
"I've removed those two hands of yours, stained with sin."
"Next, let's settle the personal grudge between us!"
Zabuza's voice was like an evil spirit in the night, its hoarseness making Gato shudder.
"What are you standing around for? Get over here and chop him to death!"
Gato called for his lackeys to support him.
Everything Zabuza had done just now happened in the blink of an eye, leaving no one time to react.
Now, after that brief moment of stunned silence, a Jonin Gato had hired as a confidant used Genjutsu to restrain Zabuza. Then another ninja used Earth Release to reach Zabuza from below and carry Gato away.
By the time Zabuza broke free of the Genjutsu, Gato was already standing behind his group of lackeys. The fear in Gato's eyes had vanished, replaced by fury.
"Brothers! Chop him to death!"
"Chop these Hidden Leaf Village ninjas to death too! I'll pay you more! Whoever kills Zabuza, I, Gato, will give him half my assets!"
At those words, quite a few thugs hoping to profit amid the chaos had their eyes light up.
A heavy reward always drew reckless fools!
They immediately forgot that they were Genin, forgot that they were merely thugs, and charged at Zabuza and the Hidden Leaf Village ninjas with blades in hand.
"Sasuke, my dear disciple, now is the perfect chance for training! Let's go, Sasuke!"
Obito excitedly pointed at Sasuke as he gave orders.
The breath Kakashi had just let out immediately caught in his throat again.
He hurriedly stood in front of Sasuke and Obito.
"Wait! Sasuke can't go!"
Before you continue