Conflict Brewing

Perhaps only Lord Sen had such nerve. After all, not just anyone could face the Root shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village so directly, especially a Root squad led by a jonin.

Haku thought to himself. Though he found it somewhat amusing, he did his best to hold it in.

Zabuza Momochi, on the other hand, looked as though he could barely suppress his laughter, making him rather hard to read.

"Hahaha, to toy with Root shinobi like this... As expected of someone acknowledged by me, Zabuza Momochi."

Tenzō could not help questioning his own judgment. Judging by their demeanor, they did not seem to have the tension of people surrounded by Root shinobi.

Could he really have mistaken them for someone else?

Tenzō could not help opening the ninja scroll Shimura Danzō had given him before leaving, carefully checking every highly conspicuous characteristic.

"Wearing a striped cloak... Uh, this one doesn't seem to match..."

In the portrait, Uchiha Sen was completely wrapped in a striped cloak, making him look terribly mismatched. The man before him was not nearly so exaggerated; he merely had a striped scarf tied around his neck.

As for the rest... Lord Danzo's drawing really was rather...

Yes, Shimura Danzō had been somewhat careless with Uchiha Sen's portrait. The striped blanket covered most of his face, leaving Tenzō unable to confirm his identity for the moment. However, Root had always operated by the principle of killing by mistake rather than letting anyone go.

His mind was perfectly clear, and he silently made up his mind.

Very few shinobi had been able to leave the Hidden Leaf Village during this period. Since that was the case, the identity of the person before him was irrelevant. There could not possibly have been any mistake in his pursuit all the way here.

A battle was on the verge of breaking out.

"May I ask what business you have with us, sir?"

Zabuza knew that no matter how much Uchiha Sen fooled around, it would be pointless. That face was simply too recognizable. Besides, even if they denied everything, given the Hidden Leaf Village's current situation, the only ninja squad that could have left through the gates during this time, aside from the Root, could only be theirs.

"Hehe, so you are Zabuza Momochi and Yuki Haku."

Tenzō also felt that things had become much simpler and immediately asked.

"Yes. May I ask, sir, we were ordered by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to travel to the Land of Iron for a reconnaissance mission. Why have you come to stop us? If the Third Hokage has made other arrangements, please inform us."

Zabuza Momochi kept his posture humble. He did not dare offend the people before him lightly. After all, he was now considered a surrendered enemy. On the surface, all he had going for him was his strength, and he had no intention of offending the local shinobi—especially ANBU shinobi, who could be considered directly under the Hokage.

Clearly, having arrived at the Hidden Leaf Village not long ago, they did not know that besides the ANBU under the Hokage, there was another organization: Root, which belonged solely to Shimura Danzō.

Tenzō did not waste any words and said bluntly:

"There is nothing else. I merely need you to come back to the Hidden Leaf Village with me."

From Tenzō's words, Zabuza Momochi detected something unusual.

The fact that these people had approached them quietly was already intrusive. What was more, after talking for so long, he had yet to see any official document from the Third Hokage. Zabuza had only recently arrived in the Hidden Leaf Village, but the systems of the various ninja villages were broadly similar. Such unruly conduct only made the identities of these people even more suspicious.

"Lord Sen, these people have hostile intentions. I can barely handle one or two of them, but I ask that you step in."

Zabuza tactfully expressed that he could not handle this, waiting only for Uchiha Sen's final response.

"Uh, what a pain. I'm not going back. Grilling meat outside is pretty comfortable too!"

Uchiha Sen planted his hands on his hips, gripped his right hand with his left, raised his middle finger at the people ahead, and shouted:

"Come at me!"

[I should've known... I shouldn't have played Never Say Die...]