A Flawed Plan

"I'm so full!"

After eating his fill, Karot leaned against a tree and rubbed his stomach.

Are you going back to the village now?

Kakashi asked after seeing that Karot had finished eating.

"It's time to go home; we've been out for quite a while now."

"You still remember? Your father misses you very much."

Kakashi remembered that his father would go to Karot's room every night, hoping to see Karot.

"I'm back now! I'm never leaving again."

"By the way, Kakashi, you're married, right?"

"This..., this..."

Kakashi's face instantly turned bright red.

"Kakashi-sensei isn't married!"

At this moment Naruto spoke up.

"Hmm. You're so single? Kakashi, what's going on between you and Shizune? You haven't gotten married yet after all this time."

Karot was exasperated; his younger brother was excellent in every way, except for being too shy.

"Could it be?"

Karot couldn't help but look at Kakashi's lower body.

"What kind of look is that? I just feel I'm still young and don't want to get married so soon."

Kakashi was no innocent fool; he knew the look in Karot's eyes. This was a matter of a man's dignity, Kakashi couldn't bear to suffer this injustice for no reason.

"That's good, that's good."

Taiseki was finally lifted from Karot's shoulders. With Kakashi Hatake Clan to marry, that was enough; Karot could finally do whatever he wanted. Being free and independent was wonderful; he didn't want anyone to control him. Look at Son Goku— he was constantly being nagged after marrying Chi-Chi. Karot definitely didn't want to get involved in that mess.

"And what about you? You've disappeared for so many years, haven't you found me a sister-in-law yet?"

Naruto Sasuke both pricked up their ears, eager to hear the gossip; their gossip-loving spirits were burning brightly.

Only Kakuzu knew that Karot had been either fighting or training all these years. Karot had no interest in women; he wouldn't even ask for special services when he went for massages. This infuriated Kakuzu. "You don't want it, but don't stop me!" he thought. If he could resist, Kakuzu have already shown Karot the fury of a man.

"The Hatake Clan has you all they need."

Karot patted Kakashi on the shoulder and said.

Kakashi didn't want to talk to this man. Just because of this reason, you can be so shameless as to betray your own brother.

"Ouch... that hurts."

Zabuza unconscious for a long time, woke up.

"Kakashi."

Zabuza cried out. He only remembered that Kakashi had hit him before he passed out.

"I'm right here, you don't need to shout that loud for me to hear you."

Kakashi picked at his ear, as if Zabuza's voice had bothered him.

Zabuza had time to assess his situation. He felt his Chakra being sealed, his hands and feet bound with ropes, and two unfamiliar people standing in the way.

"What do you want to do? Why don't you kill me?"

"I'm keeping you alive because I want to get information from you. I Zabuza, would you?"

Kakashi said to Zabuza with a smile.

Zabuza saw through the meaning behind Kakashi's smile, "If you don't cooperate, I have plenty of ways to make you." Interrogation is one of the essential skills of a qualified ninja. And Kakashi, as an elite Jonin, must be proficient in this. Zabuza of Kakashi's strength was still based on their previous encounter.

Zabuza didn't want to suffer any physical harm. If Kakashi asked him, he would tell him everything he knew, since it was his employer's faulty information that led him to Zabuza into enemy hands. He felt it was his duty to take revenge on his employer. Zabuza wouldn't blame the outcome on his own carelessness.

"Who sent you?"

"Gato, because what your employer is doing is hindering my employer from making money, my employer sent me here to solve the problem."

"Gato? That name sounds familiar."

After thinking for a moment, Kakashi suddenly realized that Gato was a very wealthy man, and Kakashi knew some information about him. As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Konoha had a wide range of businesses, and as a wealthy man, Gato would naturally have had employment dealings with Konoha.

"You're not being honest, Mr. Tazuna."

Kakashi turned to his employer and said, "While this mission was intended to train my disciple, the reward you've given me isn't this much."

"I was forced into this situation. My country is under blockade by Gato, and all our money has been used to build bridges. I had no other choice but to resort to this measure. I'm truly sorry."

Tazuna apologized sincerely, saying that if Kakashi hadn't led the team this time, he probably wouldn't have been able to return.

"Well."

Kakashi sighed. This was the tragedy of small countries; their fate was in the hands of others.

"Does Gato have any other tricks up his sleeve?"

"That's it. He sent me too, but I didn't expect the idea to be so difficult; even I failed."

Zabuza looked utterly dejected. He knew he was going to die here today.

"Brush."

Several silver needles flew out of nowhere and Zabuza's neck.

"Forehead."

Zabuza collapsed to the ground.

"Who?"

Kakashi glanced around warily. A masked Mist appeared beside Zabuza.

"Greetings, we are from the Mist assassination squad, ordered to hunt down the missing-nin Zabuza."

Kakashi approached Zabuza and checked with his hand to see if Zabuza breathing.

At this moment, Haku was extremely nervous. He was afraid that Kakashi would realize that Zabuza only faking his death, and he was also afraid that the man named Karot would see through the deception, since Haku had come up with this plan in a hurry.

He's dead.

Kakashi confirmed that Zabuza was indeed dead. Kakashi didn't pursue the matter of the ninja who had suddenly appeared Zabuza, since the man was there on a mission, and Konoha and the Mist were currently cooperating; he didn't want to create an awkward situation for either side.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, I'll leave now."

Haku Zabuza Zabuza's "corpse" onto his back, preparing to leave. Every minute he lingered there increased the risk. Haku needed to get out of this dangerous place as soon as possible.

"Um."

Kakashi watched Haku's actions without interfering. Kakuzu, however, noticed something amiss. He glanced subtly at Karot, but Karot shook his head at him. Kakuzu understood Karot's intentions and remained silent.

"Brush."

Haku left with Zabuza.