We're Already Here, So Let's Finish the Mission

It was moving, of course. Stirring, even.

But that was how it looked from Naruto Uzumaki's perspective.

Zuo Hao wasn't Naruto.

The truth was that a C-rank mission had suddenly become a life-or-death fight worthy of at least B-rank, perhaps even A-rank.

Their enemies had gone from bandits to an elite Kirigakure Jōnin and someone with the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai. Team 7 had nearly been wiped out.

Haku's Senbon had almost riddled Naruto with holes, and Sasuke had nearly died.

If Naruto hadn't found a sudden surge of power, if Sasuke hadn't taken the blow, all four of them would have died on this mission.

Zuo Hao looked at Tazuna's aged face, anger rising in his chest.

"Mr. Tazuna."

Zuo Hao took his foot off the unconscious rogue ninja and walked up to the old man, stopping less than half a meter away.

"Do you know how many people your lie could have killed?"

Tazuna's shoulders jerked.

He kept his head down, his graying hair hiding most of his face. His shoulders trembled faintly.

"I'm sorry."

Tazuna's voice was as hoarse as if it had been forced through a rusty pipe. Every word came with a labored breath.

"I know... I know that lie could have gotten you killed. But I had no other choice."

He raised his head. Tears streaked his wrinkled face, and his eyes were red and raw. His lips quivered, but he forced the words out one by one.

"The Land of Waves... is so poor that people can barely afford to eat."

"That bastard Gato controls all the shipping. He's driven prices sky-high, and he kills anyone who resists."

"We don't have a ninja village in the Land of Waves. No samurai. We have nothing."

Tazuna clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. Blood dripped between his fingers onto the ground.

"My old life isn't worth much. Whether I die on the road or on the bridge, it doesn't matter. But that bridge... that bridge is the Land of Waves' only hope."

"If we can't finish it, the Land of Waves is done for. Everyone—the old, the children—they'll starve to death."

His voice choked. Tears ran down the furrows of his face and fell onto the dirt road, leaving small dark patches beneath his feet.

"I know I lied to you. I know I deserve to die. But please... please help the Land of Waves. Once this is over, you can do whatever you want with my life."

With that, he bent deeply at the waist, his forehead almost touching the ground.

That was no ordinary bow from an old man.

It was a desperate man trading the last of his dignity for a sliver of hope.

Sakura slowly lowered the hand holding her Kunai. Her eyes had reddened, and she pressed her lips into a thin line as her gaze moved between Tazuna and Zuo Hao.

Naruto stood rooted to the spot, fists clenched so tight his teeth ground together. Something churned in his bright blue eyes, impossible to tell whether it was anger or pain.

Sasuke remained expressionless. Tazuna's hunched figure was reflected in his dark eyes, giving no clue what he was thinking.

Silence stretched on.

Then Zuo Hao spoke.

"So you dragged us into it?"

His voice was less cold than before, but it held no warmth. It was as still as a frozen lake.

"Dying alone wasn't enough for you? You had to take four Konoha ninja down with you? You think that makes you noble?"

Tazuna flinched as though someone had punched him in the chest. He did not raise his head, though. He stayed bent so low his spine looked ready to snap.

"I'm sorry..."

"Shut up."

Zuo Hao's voice rose sharply.

"What good is sorry? If we hadn't been strong enough today, there would be four corpses lying here! Four twelve-year-old Genin, dead because you lied!"

"You think a few apologies make that all right?!"

Zuo Hao's voice echoed through the thick fog, rattling the leaves along the roadside.

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Sakura caught hold of him.

Tazuna shook like a leaf in the wind. He said nothing, only bowed his head lower.

Zuo Hao stared at him for a long time, his chest heaving. The Three Tomoe in his crimson Sharingan slowly revolved.

Just then, a hand settled on his shoulder.

"That's enough, Zuo Hao."

It was Kakashi.

"You're right about all of it," Kakashi said in his usual lazy drawl. "The real difficulty of this mission is at least B-rank. Under the ninja code, we should end it immediately and take Tazuna back to Konoha."

He paused, his gaze passing over every member of Team 7.

"But there's something else you should know."

"Article Twelve of the ninja code: if a client is found to have concealed important information that would affect a mission's ranking, the ninja carrying out that mission have the right to terminate it without returning any payment."

Kakashi looked at Zuo Hao, a hint of amusement appearing in his weary eye.

"So, are we going back?"

Zuo Hao turned to Kakashi with a frown.

"You're asking me?"

"Of course." Kakashi took his hand off Zuo Hao's shoulder and slipped it back into his pocket. "You're a member of Team 7. You get a say in this decision. So what do you think?"

Zuo Hao fell silent.

"I thought you'd say a ninja's first priority was completing the mission."

"That's one ninja rule." Kakashi shrugged. "But another says your comrades' lives matter more than the mission."

"What's your decision?"

Zuo Hao stood there, looking at Tazuna's graying hair and his calloused hands, with sawdust still caught beneath his nails.

He had given the old man a piece of his mind.

And with the system mission still to complete, he couldn't go back now.

Zuo Hao took a deep breath.

"We're already here. We might as well finish the mission."

Tazuna jolted and looked up. Tears still clung to his clouded eyes as he stared in disbelief at the hand Zuo Hao held out to him.

"You..."

"Th-thank you..."

"Don't thank me." Zuo Hao let go and turned toward the Land of Waves. "Thank that blond kid. Without him, I'd already be hauling you back to Konoha."

Naruto blinked. Then he realized who Zuo Hao meant, and his face went bright red. "Hey! Zuo Hao! Who are you calling a blond kid?"

Sakura finally burst out laughing, though the tears from earlier still glistened at the corners of her eyes.

Sasuke walked past Zuo Hao and muttered, "You're terrible at persuading people."

"It worked." Zuo Hao answered without looking back.

But just then, something unexpected happened!

"Ah!"