Momochi Zabuza

"As a ninja, what salary is there to speak of? Just take on more missions and save up more money. Still, looking after two classes of students really is a bit of a hassle."

"They're only four people. Besides, Kakashi-sensei, you're a master at hiding. I clearly handled that B-Rank Mission to wipe out the bandits all by myself, yet the mission reward I got was only half of yours."

"You really hold a grudge, kid. I did that to test your abilities. Even if I didn't do much on the mission, I was protecting you from the shadows."

The two chatted a little longer before going their separate ways.

At the Konoha Gate, six people stood ready to depart.

"Yoshi! Time to go."

"What are you so excited about, Naruto?"

"This is my first time leaving Konoha, and I'm going with Big Brother Yi Xiang, Sasuke, and you, Sakura. Hehe..."

"Is it really all right to send kids like these? They don't look reliable at all."

Tazuna looked at Kakashi doubtfully, deeply worried that these few kids could really defeat the group of powerful men protecting Gato.

While the others chatted, Yi Xiang, standing at the back, suddenly smiled faintly. From the corner of his eye, he glanced toward the treetops on the left, where a slight sound had come from.

After walking along the main road for a while, they spotted a stream and a low, flat wooden bridge.

Yi Xiang deliberately took the left side of the formation, a faint smile still on his face. When he spotted a small puddle ahead, his smile grew even wider.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

While the others focused on the road, Yi Xiang spat out a huge crimson fireball.

Because they were so close, the fireball completely engulfed the puddle, and Yi Xiang had struck without warning. Two ninjas wearing cloaks and Mist Village Forehead Protectors were left sprawled in the crater blasted out by the Fire Release Ninjutsu, looking utterly miserable.

Only then did everyone except Kakashi notice the two Mist Village ninjas.

"You... How did you find us?! Cough, cough..."

In response to the enemy's question, Yi Xiang smiled calmly and said with an easygoing expression,

"The weather's been clear these past few days. How could there be a puddle on the road? Idiots."

He even used a jutsu. That kid's as cautious as ever. Was he really so certain someone was hiding in that puddle?

Though Kakashi was a little puzzled, he wasn't about to pass up a chance to lecture Team 7.

"Good work, Yi Xiang. What are you three standing around for? Go tie them up and question them about their motives."

"Checking the surroundings for danger is a basic habit for ninjas. None of you even suspected or stayed wary of that puddle. That shows you still haven't fully grasped the ninja code."

"Maybe they weren't after us..."

Naruto objected uncertainly.

"That's easy enough to find out. They don't look like good people anyway. We can just question them."

Since Yi Xiang knew this part of the story very well, he was absolutely certain these two ninjas were working for either Gato or the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza.

After Kakashi interrogated them and confirmed their target was to assassinate Tazuna, the group discussed the matter and continued escorting him to the Land of Waves.

Aboard a wooden boat equipped with an engine, they sped across a sea shrouded in thick, gray fog and quickly reached their destination.

Right, I forgot that Gato's one of the richest men in the world. Looks like I can make a huge profit from this mission.

Just as Yi Xiang made up his mind, Tazuna explained the whole situation and guilt-tripped everyone by bringing up his grandson and daughter. Since they had already intended to help, the group readily promised Tazuna they would deal with Gato.

Before long, the boat pulled up beside a house built over the shallow sea.

Yi Xiang looked around. Numerous oddly constructed wooden houses stood over the water, while the blue horizon and deep sea formed a breathtaking picture. In the scorching summer heat, the sea breeze here felt especially cool and peaceful to him.

If this place developed a tourist industry, its economy would surely flourish, and the residents' incomes would rise considerably. But someone would need to protect it to keep ill-intentioned people like Gato away.

After all, getting rid of one Gato didn't mean another, even stronger one wouldn't appear.

As they continued onward, Yi Xiang grew increasingly alert.

They hadn't gone far when they heard a rustling sound. Naruto was the first to throw a Kunai, then stepped forward and pushed aside the bushes to check whether it had hit its target.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

This time, Yi Xiang made the first move, hurling eight or nine Shuriken toward a treetop. A clanging sound rang out from above, and a bare-chested man flipped backward and landed on the ground.

"I never expected a kid your age to have awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. And you even found my position so accurately. Impressive."

"Who are you?"

Yi Xiang looked at Zabuza with feigned confusion.

"I remember this guy. He's Momochi Zabuza, a missing-nin from the Mist Village."

"Sharingan Kakashi, and a Uchiha kid with the Three-Tomoe. This is going to be exciting."

Zabuza suddenly used the Body Flicker Technique to move onto the water. As he formed Hand Seals, the surroundings quickly turned gray-white, and a dense white mist that blocked their vision engulfed the area.

Whoosh!

Yi Xiang threw a Kunai at Zabuza, trying to stop him from using the Hidden Mist Technique, but he was a step too late. Zabuza vanished.

"Eight places. The throat, spine, lungs, liver, carotid artery and subclavian artery, kidneys, and heart. So which vital point should I choose?"

Zabuza's cold voice, edged with amusement, echoed from above.

"Simple. If I kill you, I won't have to choose, right?" Yi Xiang said calmly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of killing intent accompanied his Hand Seals and slightly dispersed the surrounding mist. Kakashi cleared the mist within a ten-meter radius, but it quickly gathered again in the open space.

"Hahahaha! What an interesting kid. Your killing intent isn't as strong as Kakashi's, but the murderous intent in those blood-red eyes is truly terrifying."

Zabuza's laughter sounded from all around them again, making it impossible to pinpoint his location.

His laughter still echoed in the sky when, the next instant, Zabuza suddenly appeared in front of Tazuna.

Already prepared for this, Yi Xiang charged forward. His Kunai pierced straight through Zabuza's heart, but the wound turned into water that dripped to the ground.

The three members of Team 7 were all startled. Naruto and Sasuke reacted before Sakura.

Naruto immediately formed Hand Seals, and seven or eight Shadow Clones surrounded Yi Xiang and Zabuza. Sasuke, who had already activated his One-Tomoe Sharingan, followed close behind Yi Xiang. After the first Water Clone dissolved into water, Sasuke accurately threw a Shuriken at the vital point of another Zabuza who appeared behind Yi Xiang.

With a few clangs, Zabuza blocked every Shuriken with Kubikiribōchō. Sasuke simultaneously charged right up to him and raised his hand, striking forcefully toward his heart once more.