The next day, just after daybreak, Tazuna came to round everyone up.
"Come on! All of you, follow me! Let me show you our bridge!"
The bridge was quite a distance from the village.
Tazuna led the way, talking nonstop-how much timber the bridge had consumed, how much labor had gone into it, which beam he had personally supervised, which stretch of cable he had helped his men haul into place.
The others followed him over the last rise-
And there was the bridge.
Steel cables stretched taut, one after another, and the level bridge deck extended toward the far side of the sea, its end beyond sight.
Only one short gap remained, its framework still exposed, with several workers clambering up and down around it.
"Just that last section left. We can finish it today." Tazuna pointed at the gap, his voice brimming with energy. "Drive in the rivets, tighten the cables, and we're done!"
The sea breeze blew past, carrying a salty tang.
"See that?" Tazuna thumped his chest. "Once we've done the final inspection today, it'll be open tomorrow!"
"Whoa-" Naruto leaned over the railing to look down. "It's so high!"
"Don't fall off." Sakura pulled him back.
Sasuke said nothing, his gaze following the bridge deck all the way toward the opposite shore.
Hayashi sat in his wheelchair, looking at the bridge from a distance.
As he watched, a crowd suddenly swarmed over from the other end.
They carried short swords and iron rods, every one of them swaggering.
Their leader hefted an iron rod and sauntered up to Tazuna.
"Tazuna."
"I'd say you should stop building this bridge." He tapped the railing with his rod. "Lord Gato says you should tear it down yourself. Save us the trouble."
Tazuna's face went pale.
"You... you wouldn't