On the other side, Team Kakashi had quickly reached the Land of Waves without the Demon Brothers getting in their way.
Their mission was to protect the bridge builder, Tazuna, until the bridge was finished. It should have been a B-rank mission or higher.
Gato didn't want the completed bridge to threaten his profits, so he had hired powerful rogue ninja like Zabuza to assassinate Tazuna.
But the Land of Waves was so poor that it couldn't afford much, so the mission had been registered as C-rank.
Fortunately, Team Kakashi had been assigned. If it had been an ordinary Chunin team, they would have been doomed.
The scene shifted to Zabuza. He had caught up with Team Kakashi and was watching his target and the Konoha Ninja beside him. He first hid off to the side with Haku.
As a professional assassin, he gathered plenty of information before making a move.
Suddenly, Naruto narrowed his eyes, raised a Kunai in his right hand, and flung it toward the nearby bushes.
"Over there!"
The people around him were startled by his sudden attack. Even Zabuza, hiding in the shadows, thought he'd been discovered. In truth, Naruto was only trying to look cool.
But by sheer coincidence, the startled Zabuza let a little of his presence slip. Kakashi's keen senses picked up that someone was nearby.
He gave Naruto and Sasuke a look. Sasuke realized something was wrong and slowly reached for a Kunai, while Naruto... didn't even notice Kakashi's signal.
"So you've spotted me. As expected of Kakashi. Sorry about this!"
Since there was no point staying hidden after being discovered, Zabuza hurled the Kubikiribōchō sideways, aiming straight for Tazuna.
He wasn't at his peak and didn't want to get bogged down fighting Kakashi. He planned to finish things quickly and leave.
"Get down!"
After shouting, Kakashi ducked first to avoid the Kubikiribōchō. Sakura tackled Naruto and Tazuna to the ground, while Sasuke, second only to Kakashi in reaction speed, leaned back and let the blade sail past.
Zabuza's first attack failed, but he pressed on and ordered Haku to join the fight.
"Haku, look for a chance to kill Tazuna. I'll deal with these Konoha Ninja. Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"
Under the effect of Zabuza's jutsu, their vision was soon swallowed by the mist. The situation was extremely dire.
From the Kubikiribōchō he'd just seen, Kakashi had already figured out that the enemy was Zabuza Momochi, a rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist.
But he had no time to wonder why a ninja like him would appear on a C-rank mission. He could only devise a plan as he gave Naruto and Sasuke their instructions.
"Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, stand back-to-back and don't wander off. This ninja is dangerous. Protect Tazuna and watch out for his partner. I'll handle the rest."
As he spoke, Kakashi raised his right hand to his Forehead Protector, revealing the Sharingan he usually kept hidden. Three Tomoe revolved in his eye.
"Tsk, tsk. The Sharingan really is something to envy."
The one who said this was Feng Yao, who had been following Zabuza all along. His presence had caused quite a few changes to the clash between Kakashi and Zabuza.
First, Zabuza was injured and not at his peak, making it even harder for him to beat Kakashi. Second, Haku had joined the battle early this time and hadn't met Naruto.
"This system can also let its host master and use the ocular techniques of the Sharingan. However, the host must obtain the corresponding eyes."
Feng Yao was taken aback by that. He couldn't help grumbling inwardly that the system was just as useless as ever. The powerful Sharingan in the Naruto world were all in the hands of terrifying people.
Uchiha Itachi and Obito Uchiha, for example. Although Feng Yao had mastered Sage Mode, he still stood no chance against people like them.
"Then I won't rush it. It hasn't even been half a year yet, and who knows what this lousy system will give me?"
As they spoke, the battle between Team Kakashi and Zabuza had reached a fever pitch.
Zabuza was already injured, and with Kakashi's Sharingan activated, he struggled to keep up. Kakashi copied his jutsu and defeated him.
Meanwhile, when Haku saw Zabuza injured, he used the Ice Release secret technique, Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, and attacked Naruto and Sasuke with Senbon Needles. But this time, things went differently.
Sasuke wasn't badly hurt and easily dodged the attack. Naruto, who hadn't gotten to train against the Demon Brothers, froze in place and was badly wounded. Sensing that his life was in danger, the Nine-Tails ran wild inside him.
Though Naruto had only entered the one-tailed Tailed Beast state, even Haku couldn't withstand it. In an instant, Naruto broke through Haku's secret technique.
Sasuke felt the destructive aura of the Nine-Tails coming from Naruto. He was shocked, but also envious and eager.
He needed power. And this dead last, whom he'd always looked down on, had such tremendous power inside him.
Influenced by the Nine-Tails, Naruto was unstable. He wanted to kill the person who had hurt him. Crouching low like an animal, he charged at Haku, intent on finishing him with one strike.
Seeing Naruto go berserk, Kakashi prepared to stop him. Just then, a fair hand seized Naruto's wrist. A masked boy appeared, smiling faintly.
"These two are my comrades. Would you mind stopping for now?"
Naruto didn't bother answering. He snorted angrily, making his position clear through his actions. He grabbed Feng Yao's left arm with his free hand and stomped hard against the ground, trying to throw him off.
Naruto's powerful stomp left two craters in the ground, but Feng Yao didn't budge.
He had activated Sage Mode before coming out. In Naruto's current one-tailed state, there was nothing he could do to him.
Seeing that Naruto wouldn't listen, Feng Yao felt helpless. He put one hand on Naruto's head and used his powerful mental energy to force him to come to his senses.
Naruto hadn't completely lost control. He was only being driven by the Nine-Tails' emotions. Under the influence of Feng Yao's mental energy, he gradually calmed down, and his Tailed Beast Transformation faded away.
Kakashi looked at the boy, who seemed to be about the same age as Naruto, in surprise. The mask hid his face, but he looked no older than twelve or thirteen.
He suppressed the Nine-Tails' power without using a Sealing Technique? Are kids these days really this strong? And from the looks of it, he's on Zabuza's side.
Kakashi felt the situation had become even more difficult. At the same time, he cursed their client. The mission could easily have been A-rank, yet the client had falsely registered it as C-rank to save money.
But this wasn't the time to think about that. Kakashi dashed forward, swinging a Kunai at the boy's arm with his left hand while reaching with the other to pull Naruto back.
Feng Yao didn't try to stop Kakashi when he charged over. He simply tossed Naruto toward him. Naruto cried out in pain, but wasn't hurt.
Lying on the ground, Zabuza saw Feng Yao. He knew Feng Yao must have followed him, but didn't say anything. If Feng Yao had waited any longer to step in, Haku would have died.
"Heh... Boss, sorry you had to see me in such a sorry state."
Looking at Zabuza's many wounds, Feng Yao chuckled.
"Don't worry. You'll be fine soon. Sage Art: Life Dew." As he spoke, he began forming Hand Seals.
Life Dew was a Senjutsu unique to Shikkotsu Forest. Katsuyu Sage had taught it, and with the system's help, Feng Yao had quickly mastered it.
A phantom white butterfly appeared. A drop of Life Dew fell from its mouth, and Zabuza's wounds healed at a visible speed until he was completely recovered.
Feng Yao did the same for Haku, giving him a drop and restoring him as well.
This Senjutsu required some time between uses. It could only be used once every half month, and only three drops could be produced each time. But it was extremely powerful, able to heal any physical injury in an instant.
Zabuza couldn't help praising the jutsu's wonders. He walked over and stood beside Feng Yao with Haku.
"Boss, it seems I underestimated you... Thank you for saving Haku."
Haku lowered his head in thanks, though he was thanking Feng Yao for saving Zabuza. Haku had never cared about his own life.
With his Sharingan still active and little chakra left, Kakashi was in a difficult position. The two enemy fighters had recovered completely, and there was also a boy whose strength was unknown.
On his side, Naruto might lose control at any moment and was unpredictable. Sasuke was somewhat reliable, Sakura had little ability, and Kakashi himself was running low on chakra. There was no way they could win.
Zabuza could clearly see Kakashi wavering. He snorted, pulled out the Kubikiribōchō again, and prepared to form Hand Seals and attack once more.
"Wait, Zabuza. You've already lost. As an assassin, now that you've failed for the first time, you've lost your chance. The mission is over."
Feng Yao turned to Zabuza and spoke.
A hint of surprise showed in Zabuza's eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he tried to persuade Feng Yao.
"Boss, if we let them go after this attack, Konoha will certainly retaliate. I say we silence them. And failing the mission will hurt our reputation as assassins. With you here, Kakashi won't be our match."
Feng Yao had been thinking about how to let Team Kakashi go without a fuss. He nearly turned around and slapped Zabuza. If you're trying to get yourself killed, I won't stop you.
You want to kill off the main cast? What were you thinking? Never mind Sakura—Naruto had only gone one-tailed just now. If he were pushed too far and let the Nine-Tails out, this wouldn't be so easy to handle.
And Sasuke might be weak now, but do you know who's behind him? Uchiha Itachi, a man practically on the level of a demigod. If he found out I'd killed his little brother, he'd come after me from a thousand miles away and smash me with Susanoo.
Orochimaru coveted Sasuke's body, and look what Itachi did to him.
And Kakashi can go toe-to-toe with Kaguya. I have no grudge against the main cast, so why invite trouble? Just as Feng Yao was about to scold Zabuza, Naruto on the other side spoke first.
Although Feng Yao was wearing a mask, Naruto recognized him by his voice and build.
"Feng Yao... You're Feng Yao, aren't you? You can wear a mask, but I'd never mistake your voice. Why did you leave the village? Why didn't you tell me anything?"
Hearing Naruto recognize him, Feng Yao's brow furrowed slightly. But he didn't rush to deny it. Instead, he slowly took off his mask and smiled at Naruto.
"I think you've mistaken me for someone else. Take a good look. Am I the person you're looking for?"
Feng Yao's unmasked face stunned everyone present once again. Team Kakashi all lost focus for a moment. Even Zabuza, who had seen Feng Yao's face before, couldn't help being captivated.
Sakura murmured to herself, "That man is so beautiful, and there's something so familiar about him."
Kakashi glanced at Sakura, whose face was full of fascination, but said nothing. Feng Yao's appearance really was otherworldly. Even Kakashi felt as though he'd been bewitched.
After hearing Naruto's words, Kakashi had been somewhat suspicious. Feng Yao's information had been recorded in the Anbu field handbook, and Kakashi had seen the profile of the foreign spy who had infiltrated Konoha. But he didn't know him well.
If Naruto said so, there was an eighty percent chance he was right, since the two had known each other well since childhood. But when Feng Yao removed his mask, Kakashi's suspicions faded.
He had seen Feng Yao's photograph. It showed a very ordinary face, the kind you'd forget after one glance. It looked nothing like the person in front of him.
Naruto was stunned too. The other man's voice and build were exactly like Feng Yao's, but his appearance was nothing like that of his good friend. Before Naruto could react, Feng Yao put his mask back on, and the people around them finally looked away.
Kakashi stood where he was. He had become a Jonin at twelve and completed nearly a thousand missions. He knew the mission was beyond what his team could handle. But completing missions was a ninja's duty, so he decided to step forward and negotiate.
"You're all very strong, but we have a mission to carry out. I doubt you want to fight to the death, either. That jutsu that healed your wounds can't be used continuously, can it? How about a contest instead?"
Feng Yao was intrigued. He hadn't known how to let Kakashi and the others go without making it seem suspicious.
His subordinates valued their pride. If he insisted too forcefully from the start, they might be difficult to manage later. As for the contest, he could just lose on purpose, whatever they decided.
"Oh? Let's hear it. What kind of contest did you have in mind?"
Kakashi was relieved that Feng Yao had agreed. If he refused, the only option left would be to fight for their lives.
But the future hopes of Konoha behind him would probably perish here. Kakashi took two bells from his pouch.
"Here are two bells. You and I will each take one. Whoever takes the other's bell within the time limit wins. If we win, you can't attack Tazuna again until the mission is over. If we lose, Tazuna is yours to do with as you please."
Feng Yao gave the bells a strange look. Kakashi had used this method before to test Naruto and the others, and now he wanted to make a bet with it.
But Feng Yao knew Kakashi's character. Even if Kakashi lost, he wouldn't obediently hand over Tazuna.
That didn't matter to Feng Yao. He didn't care whether Tazuna lived or died.
"Fine, I agree. But I want all four of you to come at me together. You alone can't beat me."
Haku stepped forward as if to speak, but Feng Yao stopped him.
"You've already lost. There's no need for you two to fight again. I'll avenge you. Just watch from the side."
Zabuza smiled. His newly acquired boss seemed pretty decent after all. Following him wasn't beneath the Demon.
He pulled Haku back to a safe distance. Team Kakashi, meanwhile, was delighted. Four against one would greatly improve their odds, especially since they had trained for this kind of contest.
There was one exception: Naruto. He pointed straight at Feng Yao and yelled,
"You masked jerk, don't get so cocky! You look about my age. I'll beat you up!"
The battlefield fell into an eerie silence for a few seconds. Sakura punched Naruto from behind and snapped, "You idiot! We finally have a little advantage. What if you make them angry and all three of them attack us? Do you have any brains?"
Sasuke and Kakashi shook their heads helplessly. Kakashi tossed one of the bells to Feng Yao, then quietly said a few words to Naruto and the others. They began getting ready to fight.
Feng Yao had just fastened the bell to himself when Kakashi finished forming his Hand Seals.
"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"
The ground rippled like waves. Three earthen walls, each two meters high, rose to Feng Yao's left, right, and behind him. The jutsu was very effective against attacks from the front, but its weakness was at the rear. Kakashi was using it to limit Feng Yao's room to move.
Naruto was the first to charge. He formed Hand Seals as he ran.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant, he created nearly a thousand clones, completely blocking the only path ahead.
Feng Yao couldn't help marveling at Naruto's incredible chakra. His Sage Mode was about to end, so he had to finish the fight quickly—and make it convincing. He spread his legs and stomped against the ground.
"Moonwalk!"
He shot up into the air, escaping the range of Kakashi's jutsu and the charging Naruto.
Sasuke seized his chance. People had a hard time dodging while in the air, so he aimed at Feng Yao's limbs and threw nearly twenty Kunai at once.
Seeing their enemy airborne, Naruto's clones paired up. One stood on top of the other's hands and launched him into the air.
But Feng Yao could change direction in midair with Moonwalk. He dodged the incoming Kunai one after another.
As for Naruto, Feng Yao kicked the clones one by one, turning them into smoke. Just then, Sasuke yanked both hands through the air and shouted at Naruto,
"Now! Grab my Kunai!"
Feng Yao glanced over and realized that a few of Naruto's clones had somehow slipped above him.
They held the Kunai Sasuke had thrown. Strong wires were attached to their ends, and Naruto used them to wrap Feng Yao up.
Feng Yao snorted. "You think you can beat me with a trick like this?"
He tensed his whole body, breaking all the wires wrapped around him. But he'd lost some time, and as he landed, Kakashi was ready with his next jutsu.
"Summoning: Earth Release: Fang Pursuit Jutsu!"
Several Ninja Dogs burst out of the earth, varying in size. Each bit one of Feng Yao's limbs, pinning him in place. Meanwhile, Naruto approached, intent on taking the bell from Feng Yao.
Looks like I'll have to show them something real, or they'll finish me off without breaking a sweat.
Feng Yao activated Iron Body first, flinging off the dog that had pinned one of his arms.
The moment he broke free, he unleashed one of his most powerful Senjutsu techniques.
"Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"
As the earth trembled, a majestic Buddha statue emerged from the ground, its back lined with countless arms. It was far smaller than the one Hashirama had summoned.
It was about the size of the Nine-Tails. The Buddha summoned by the God of Shinobi, Hashirama, had been more than ten times larger than the Nine-Tails, with a single hand large enough to grab it.
Even so, everyone around was shocked. Sasuke especially felt an even stronger desire to grow powerful. Kakashi's eyes widened.
"How is this possible? How can he use the Wood Release secret technique? Is he seriously trying to kill us?"
Zabuza was even more horrified. He remembered how he'd foolishly thought of killing Feng Yao. If he unleashed this jutsu, there wouldn't be enough left of him to scrape off the ground.
Standing on the Buddha's head, Feng Yao smiled faintly. "Then I'll begin my counterattack."
As he spoke, the hundreds of arms behind the statue swung wildly toward Team Kakashi.
Kakashi roared, "Scatter! Don't try to block it!"
In an instant, Naruto's many Shadow Clones turned into clouds of smoke. Under the tremendous impact of the countless arms, Kakashi and the others could barely keep their footing.
They dodged amid the swirling dust and flying stones kicked up by the arms. Feng Yao had deliberately controlled them so they wouldn't hit anyone directly.
The arms only smashed into the ground around them, wrecking the terrain. It took a full half minute before the attack finally stopped.
The area was now a wasteland dotted with huge craters of all sizes. Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura lay on the ground, groaning.
It looked like no one had died. Feng Yao slowly descended to the ground and was just about to retrieve the bell when Kakashi struggled to lift his head and smiled at him.
"That was an incredible jutsu, but unfortunately, you lost."
As he spoke, the Ninja Dog biting Feng Yao suddenly turned into Naruto. Naruto already had the bell from Feng Yao's waist between his teeth. The Shadow Clones, Kunai, and everything else had been a feint. The real aim was to let Naruto disguise himself as a Ninja Dog and approach Feng Yao.
Feng Yao fell silent for a moment, then said quietly, "That was excellent teamwork. I lost. I'll make sure Zabuza stops hunting you."
Only then did Kakashi let out a breath of relief. Naruto quickly ran over to check Sasuke and Sakura's injuries. Once he saw they weren't serious, he finally relaxed.
After ending Sage Mode, Feng Yao walked over to Zabuza and Haku. He had actually sensed that one of the Ninja Dogs was different when Kakashi summoned them.
And knowing that, early on, Naruto liked to hide among his Shadow Clones and use the Transformation Technique, Feng Yao had been eighty percent sure it was Naruto.
But he hadn't called it out. He didn't want to turn the main cast against him, so he'd deliberately left the opening.
If Zabuza hadn't been there, Feng Yao wouldn't have bothered using True Several Thousand Hands. He could have simply lost without putting on a show. But he needed to establish his authority before his subordinates, so he'd reluctantly put on an act.
When he reached Zabuza, he coughed twice. "Ahem. I was careless. Let's forget this mission. I'll take care of Gato for you. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"
After seeing that Senjutsu, Zabuza wouldn't dare object. In the ninja world, strength was everything.
"I have no objections. You've worked hard, Chief. I'll take care of Gato."
Seeing how readily Zabuza had fallen in line, Feng Yao nodded in satisfaction.
"Teaching subordinates is like raising pets. It takes strategy and skill. Too slow, and they won't behave; too fast, and they'll lose their spark."
Just as Feng Yao was feeling thoroughly satisfied and the three were about to leave, Naruto jumped out once again to grab everyone's attention.
"You over there! Just you wait! One day, I'll beat you fair and square and become the strongest Ho— in the village! Mmph!"
Before he could finish, Kakashi clamped a hand over his mouth. With an awkward grin, Kakashi apologized. "Don't mind him, don't mind him. He just likes to talk nonsense."
Feng Yao was used to Naruto acting like this, but he still found it astonishing. An ordinary person who attracted this much hostility would've been killed long ago. Maybe that was the power of the protagonist's halo.
"I'll be waiting."
With that, he left with Zabuza.
Only then did Team Kakashi let out a long sigh of relief. Then they gave Naruto a sharp rap on the head.
"You idiot! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? That masked kid's strength is unfathomable. Even at my peak, I couldn't beat him."
Wincing, Naruto rubbed his head. His eyes were brimming with tears, but he still stubbornly argued, "But he looks about the same age as us."
Sasuke fell silent. Kakashi glanced at him and spoke, though it wasn't clear who he was addressing.
"There are plenty of people in this world who are stronger than me and younger than you. But your potential is limitless, too. As long as you train hard, you'll achieve your dreams someday."
After that, he sat down and promptly fell into a dead faint. He'd forced himself to use the Sharingan, and the battle had drained a huge amount of chakra from him. He was already at the end of his strength.
Although the mission had indeed been perilous, it had also brought about a tremendous change in Sasuke, Naruto, and even Sakura.
Sasuke in particular had become even more determined to grow stronger and take revenge.
Before you continue