"Useless! Every last one of you! You're only fucking eager when it's time to collect your pay or ask for money. How can finding a few people be this damn hard?!"
At Gato's temporary base, the short merchant listened to his subordinate's report, then angrily hurled a vase at one of the men.
The subordinate didn't even dare dodge. He let the vase strike his leg before it fell to the floor and shattered.
Looking at his men, who didn't dare defy him, Gato angrily pointed at Zabuza, who sat on a nearby sofa with a huge sword on his back and bandages wrapped around his entire body, and demanded:
"Didn't you say those two Konoha ninjas were badly injured after fighting you and couldn't have gotten far? How many days has it been now? You still haven't found them!"
"Quit your whining. Isn't that your men's problem? What's it got to do with me? I even introduced you to some skilled fighters who used to be in Kirigakure, but you wouldn't use them. You insisted on using this worthless trash."
Zabuza's words drew hostile looks from the subordinates being scolded, but none dared lash out at this vicious man.
Zabuza sprawled on the sofa, utterly indifferent to their looks. Then, as though something had occurred to him, he added, "Oh, and those two Genin brats who escaped. Judging by how long it's been, if no one managed to hunt them down, they're probably almost back in Konoha."
"What? Then how the fuck do you have time to sit here..."
Gato was about to fly into a rage, but Zabuza merely gave him a cold glance. His almost tangible killing intent frightened Gato into shutting his mouth and retreating a few steps.
But Gato soon noticed Haku behind Zabuza, and