Meeting Again

After lunch, Naruto thought it was about time to check in with Zabuza about their current progress.

But...

He could use the same Shadow Clone trick as before, but Kakashi was still quietly observing from behind the scenes this time.

And across the table, Kakashi...

Sure enough, he looked ready to spend the whole afternoon relaxing in some comfortable corner, watching Team 7's three members while reading a novel.

Seeing Kakashi's lazy attitude, Naruto got an idea and spoke up. "Teacher Kakashi, don't you think you're being a little too irresponsible? You spend every day relaxing like this."

"Well... you can't really blame me." Kakashi kept his eyes on the book in his hand, his voice languid. "You're already so strong, and Sasuke trains with you every day, so his skills are improving rapidly. As for Sakura... she probably isn't in the mood to think about training right now. So naturally, there's nothing for me to do as your Jonin Instructor."

"Besides, you heard what's going on with Gato. His company is too busy dealing with its own problems to interfere with the bridge construction, so... it's perfectly reasonable for me to take it easy."

He said it with complete confidence, but inwardly he was on guard.

Was Naruto about to lecture him again, like he had during the survival exercise?

"That may be true, but I heard that you're known as Konoha's best technician and have mastered some powerful Ninjutsu. Like Chidori, for example. I think that technique would suit Sasuke."

Naruto said this quietly, then glanced at Sasuke, who was just about to head out.

Naruto knew those techniques himself, but what he needed right now was to distract Kakashi.

Sasuke paused mid-step.

Kakashi finally looked up from his book. He gave Naruto a thoughtful look, then turned to Sasuke, who had clearly been drawn in by Naruto's words.

Remembering the Third Hokage's instructions to keep an eye on both the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the last Uchiha...

Kakashi sighed inwardly. It looked like he couldn't avoid this trouble.

"Chidori isn't an easy technique to master." Kakashi closed his book, his voice turning more serious. "It demands a high level of control over Chakra, Taijutsu, and many other things."

"Can't Sasuke do it?"

Naruto asked, his tone calm, but the question came across as a challenge.

"Hmph." Sasuke stared straight at Kakashi. "I want to try."

Watching the two of them play off each other, Kakashi scratched his head and gave in. "All right, all right... I am at a bit of a loose end right now, and things aren't too dangerous at the bridge."

"Let's find an open area. I'll demonstrate it once, but I'll warn you in advance: this technique is difficult. You won't learn it in a short time."

"I know." Sasuke's gaze sharpened. He was clearly hooked.

Sakura looked like she wanted to come along, but Kakashi stopped her. "Sakura, this technique isn't suited to you right now. Stay here with Naruto and protect Mr. Tazuna."

"O-okay..." Sakura agreed, looking disappointed.

Naruto watched Kakashi leave Tazuna's house with Sasuke and head toward the woods in the distance.

For at least a while, Kakashi's attention would be focused on teaching Sasuke.

With Kakashi out of the way, Naruto and Sakura accompanied Tazuna to the bridge, just as they had that morning.

The construction site was much livelier than before, just as Tsunami had said at lunchtime.

Many of the workers who had left out of fear of Gato's retaliation were gradually returning and getting back to work.

The blockade had made everyone realize that they couldn't place all their hopes for a better life in the kindness or mercy of others.

As a result, construction of the bridge was progressing several times faster.

While carrying out his duty as a guard, Naruto made sure no one was watching, then slipped silently into a secluded corner.

He used Shadow Clone Jutsu again, leaving a clone to continue his work while his real body used Flying Thunder God Technique to reach Zabuza's hideout in an instant.

When Naruto appeared at the hideout,

Zabuza and Haku seemed to have been expecting him. They were waiting quietly.

"You're here."

Zabuza looked at Naruto, his voice more cautious than before, with an unmistakable hint of awe.

Haku stood quietly at Zabuza's side and nodded respectfully to Naruto.

"How are things?" Naruto skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

"Most of the region is stable now." As Zabuza gave his report, he handed Naruto a scroll detailing the situation. "Following the list you gave me, we've dealt with nearly all the hardliners."

"We've temporarily brought some others in line with money and threats. The rest are the sort who go with the flow. As long as they're paid on time, they'll work without trouble."

"The compensation has also been distributed according to your instructions. The people of the Land of Waves are still doubtful, but at least they haven't shown any obvious hostility."

Naruto quickly scanned the information in the scroll and nodded. "Good work."

"However," Zabuza added, "something unexpected has come up."

"One of the former Gato Corporation executives, a man named Ueno, was also on your list. He's related to Gato, and until recently, he was away inspecting the company's operations in other countries. He only returned yesterday."

"He's putting up fierce resistance and refuses to believe that Gato is really dead. He's now secretly gathering a group of samurai and wandering shinobi, seemingly planning a counterattack. I haven't been able to find where he is."

Without looking up, Naruto replied blandly, "Ueno... He should be hiding in the old shipyard east of the Land of Waves."

"He has twenty samurai with him, five hired from the Land of Iron and the other fifteen ronin. Even if he's gathering people to fight back, he doesn't have many. Just go and lie in wait there. He has nowhere else to go."

Zabuza and Haku both froze.

Several seconds passed before Zabuza seemed to find his voice again. It sounded a little hoarse. "Is he really there?"

"Just take care of it," Naruto said, his tone still calm. "Make sure you clean up properly. Don't leave any trouble behind."

Then Zabuza hesitated before handing the list back to Naruto. "I've executed all the targets you told me to eliminate."

"But I don't think we need to kill another executive named Kuroki, even though he's on your list. He was the quickest to pledge loyalty publicly, but I've watched him closely, and his eyes are always shifting. He definitely doesn't seem like the type to keep his head down. Also, the executives still overseas haven't made a move yet..."

"I know." Naruto cut him off. "Kuroki is greedy, but he's even more afraid of death. On top of that, his youngest son is gravely ill, and he urgently needs a large sum of money for treatment. His loyalty right now is barely held in place by money and fear, which makes him the easiest to control."

Zabuza was still shocked by Naruto's almost all-knowing intelligence-gathering ability.

But he was beginning to get used to it.