Zabuza's Sword

"Gato is the one who wants me dead."

Tazuna finally spoke up. "The Land of Waves, where I live, is a..."

After listening to Tazuna's account, Team 7 learned the details of the situation.

"I see. No wonder Grandpa Third sent us here."

Naruto looked at Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei, should we continue the mission?"

Kakashi didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura and asked, "What do you three think?"

Sakura thought for a moment, then said, "I can just about accept doing a B-Rank Mission for C-Rank pay. But because Uncle Tazuna hid information from us, we were almost killed. I can't forgive him for that, so I'd like to abandon the mission."

Sasuke spoke next. "I want to continue. We've been away from the village for many days already. If we don't finish what we came here to do, we'll have wasted our time."

"That's one vote each. The decision is up to you now."

Kakashi looked at Naruto. "Do you want to give up or continue?"

"I want to continue the mission, but I think Sakura's right."

Naruto thought it over briefly, then said to Tazuna, "So, Uncle Tazuna, I'd like you to compensate us."

Tazuna asked, "What do you mean by compensation?"

"Three conditions."

Naruto held up three fingers. "First, I know the Land of Waves is poor right now, but once the bridge is built, your lives will improve quickly, and you'll have money to spare. When that happens, I want you to compensate us twice the standard rate for a B-Rank Mission."

"No problem!"

Tazuna agreed without hesitation. "What are the other two conditions?"

"Second, if the Land of Waves has any missions in the future, you have to give Konoha first choice, unless we're unable to handle them."

Naruto continued, "Third, apologize to us until Sakura is willing to continue the mission."

"I'll do my best to apologize until this young... beautiful kunoichi is willing to continue the mission."

Tazuna looked a little troubled. "But I can't make any promises about missions from the Land of Waves. I'm just a bridge builder. I can't speak for everyone in the country."

"No, you can."

Naruto said, "The fact that you were able to come to Konoha, and that the people of the Land of Waves trusted you with the money for the mission, proves they have faith in you. If you ask them, they'll give Konoha first choice for their missions."

"All right."

Tazuna agreed, though he seemed a little uneasy. "When we get back to the Land of Waves, I'll ask the others to send their missions to Konoha whenever possible."

Naruto nodded and gestured for Tazuna to face Sakura. "Please start apologizing."

Tazuna apologized to Sakura with all the sincerity he could muster, almost prostrating himself. In the end, the girl's soft heart won out, and the mission continued.

Kakashi dragged the two attackers into a nearby forest and "dealt with" them himself. Then the group set out again.

To prepare for the possibility of another attack, the five of them changed their formation slightly:

Before, Tazuna had led the way, with Kakashi at the rear, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura guarded Tazuna from three directions.

Now, Kakashi took the lead, Sakura and Sasuke walked on either side, Naruto brought up the rear, and Tazuna walked in the middle.

However, no ninja appeared to attack them, not even after they entered the Land of Waves.

"Keep going a little farther, and we'll reach my house."

Tazuna looked excited. "Once we get there, I'll make sure my daughter gives you a proper welcome!"

"We might not get back until a little later."

Naruto suddenly turned to look at a patch of woods behind them. "The enemy's here."

Sasuke and Sakura immediately took out kunai and held them ready, shielding Tazuna behind them as they watched for attacks from any direction.

"I didn't sense a thing."

Kakashi lifted his Forehead Protector and followed Naruto's gaze. "How did you notice them?"

"I can sense hostility," Naruto replied.

Kakashi thought back briefly. Had his sensei once had that ability, too?

Suddenly, Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Look out!"

Before he could finish speaking, a long, broad sword came spinning out of the woods like a Shuriken.

Kakashi ducked to avoid it.

Sasuke and Sakura pulled Tazuna aside.

Naruto's eyes went wide. At the last possible moment, he grabbed the hilt of the rapidly spinning sword. The sword's momentum dragged him around, but after a single turn, he slammed it into the ground and forced it to a stop.

A bare-chested man with bandages covering his mouth landed in front of Naruto right after the sword. He grabbed its hilt and said in a low voice, "You've got some strength for a kid. But this Kubikirōchō isn't for someone like you."

As he spoke, he flexed his arm and tried to wrench the sword back.

"You won't know if I can use it until I try."

Naruto strained with both hands, holding the sword down with all his strength as two Golden Chains shot out from behind him.

The man realized he couldn't immediately reclaim the sword. When he saw the Golden Chains behind Naruto, he sensed something was wrong. "You little—!?"

Kakashi didn't just stand by and watch. The moment Naruto grabbed the sword, he rushed over. When the man failed to take it back, Kakashi seized the chance to thrust a kunai at his heart.

It struck and pierced him, but there was no blood.

The next moment, the man turned into a puddle of water that slowly seeped into the ground.

"Water Clone," Kakashi muttered. He turned to look at the nearest tree. "I never expected to see you in a place like this... Hidden Mist missing-nin, formerly one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the Demon, Zabuza Momochi."

"That's what I was going to say."

Zabuza stood on a thick branch, his voice fairly calm. "The Copy Ninja of Konoha, Hatake Kakashi. So you're the one assigned to guard that old man. No wonder the Demon Brothers never came back."

"Gato hired you, didn't he?"

Kakashi stared at Zabuza. "You're already a missing-nin, yet you still take missions like an ordinary ninja. Lord Zabuza, you really are a model ninja."

"Are you trying to provoke me?"

Zabuza said coldly, "Even you can't fight me while protecting that old man and three children."

"Ha..."

Kakashi scoffed. "The Kubikirōchō was just snatched away by the very child you were talking about, and you still have the nerve to say that?"

Zabuza's face twitched. He had no comeback. He quickly moved to the water nearby and formed Hand Seals. "I'll have it back in a moment."

"In a moment?"

Naruto immediately pulled a small scroll from the pouch at his waist, opened it, and pressed it against the blade of the Kubikirōchō. He formed a Hand Seal with one hand. "Seal!"

The Kubikirōchō disappeared.

Naruto quickly put the scroll away, formed Hand Seals, and shouted, "Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"

Hundreds of Narutos turned toward Zabuza and spoke in unison. "Now, let's see you get it back in a moment!"

Zabuza responded, "Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"

Kakashi saw the huge amount of chakra being consumed inside Zabuza. He was using that much chakra all at once. Was he planning to finish this quickly?

A thick fog rapidly filled the area. In the blink of an eye, it grew so dense that they couldn't see their hands in front of them...