"More money?"
Son Goten's words made Tazuna choke out a hiccup, his breath reeking of alcohol.
Kakashi helplessly pulled his forehead protector down over his Sharingan and turned to the old man who stank of booze.
"Mr. Tazuna, this isn't a problem that more money can solve."
Kakashi's tone was serious.
"Missions ranked B or higher involve combat between ninja. That's already beyond the scope of what genin can handle."
"We have the right to abandon the mission and return straight to the village."
At those words, Tazuna's legs went weak. He plopped down on the ground and began playing for sympathy.
"I don't have any money... The Land of Waves is dirt-poor."
"That tycoon named Gato controls sea transport. If the bridge isn't finished, everyone in our country will starve."
"Of course, it's fine if you go back. At worst, my adorable grandson will cry, 'Grandpa was killed,' and my daughter will hate Konoha ninja for the rest of her life..."
Hearing that, Naruto immediately brimmed with righteous indignation.
"How can we let that happen? We have to help him!"
Naruto clenched his fists and shouted.
"It's just a few ninja, right? Sasuke, Boss Goten, and I can definitely handle them!"
Sasuke snorted. Though he said nothing, his eyes also showed that he didn't want to back down.
Having just fought a battle, he didn't want to admit he couldn't handle it.
Kakashi looked at Son Goten.
He was the real wild card in the team.
Son Goten rubbed his chin, seemingly pondering some profound philosophical question.
"That guy named Gato-is he rich?"
Son Goten suddenly asked.
Tazuna froze for a moment, then nodded furiously.
"As rich as a nation! He's one of the wealthiest people in the world!"
Son Goten's eyes lit up.
Rich people usually valued their lives.
And the bodyguards around rich people usually had pretty good equipment.
If he could pick up a little something along the way...
"Then let's go."
Son Goten clapped his hands, his face the very picture of righteousness.
"As Konoha ninja, how could we stand by and watch innocent civilians suffer?"
"This has absolutely nothing to do with that Gato guy's wallet. I'm doing it for justice."
Kakashi rolled his listless eyes.
Like hell I believe you.
Having decided to continue, the group took a boat across the mist-shrouded strait.
The Land of Waves was indeed desolate.
Dead trees and dilapidated houses were everywhere.
A damp, moldy smell hung in the air.
Son Goten walked at the rear of the group, kicking pebbles along the roadside in utter boredom.
"This is so boring. There isn't even any game."
He complained.
"Even a rabbit would do. This place is so poor that even the rats must've moved out."
Sakura stayed tensely beside Tazuna to protect him. Hearing that, she couldn't help turning to glare at him.
"All you think about is eating! Pay attention and stay alert!"
Before she had finished speaking, it happened.
The sound of air being torn apart suddenly rang out.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
That heavy rush of wind was nothing a shuriken or kunai could produce.
"Get down!"
Kakashi roared, pressing Tazuna's head toward the ground.
Naruto and Sasuke reacted quickly too, immediately diving to the ground.
Son Goten lazily stepped aside and crouched in one fluid motion.
An enormous sword spun over everyone's heads.
Its blade was as broad as a door, gleaming with a chilling light that made hearts tremble.
Crack!
The sword embedded itself deep in the trunk of a large tree.
The whole tree shook violently, showering dead leaves through the air.
A figure landed soundlessly on the sword's hilt.
The man was bare-chested, his face wrapped in bandages. With his back to them, he exuded a powerful stench of blood.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi.
Kakashi stood up, his expression grave.
"I was wondering who would come after the Demon Brothers failed. So it's a rogue ninja from Kirigakure."
"Zabuza Momochi."
Zabuza turned his head, his gaze cold and sinister.
"I didn't expect to run into the Copy Ninja Kakashi here either."
"Could you hand over that old man? I'd rather not go to too much trouble."
Kakashi reached up and gripped his forehead protector.
"I can't do that. He's the person I'm assigned to protect."
The two faced off, their killing intent clashing in the air. The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Naruto and Sasuke were both cowed by their presence, their bodies stiff.
Only Son Goten remained crouched on the ground, his eyes shining as he stared at the sword beneath Zabuza's feet.
What a huge chunk of iron!
That must weigh dozens of pounds, right?
If I melted it down and sold it to the ninja tool shop Tenten's family runs, at the current scrap iron price...
No, this looks like a famous sword. Shouldn't it fetch an antique price?
Son Goten rapidly punched numbers into a mental calculator.
Selling this should buy at least a year's worth of deluxe Ichiraku Ramen vouchers, plus two braised eggs with every meal!
"Hey."
Son Goten suddenly spoke, breaking the murderous atmosphere.
Zabuza and Kakashi both looked at him.
"You, the weirdo in bandages."
Son Goten pointed at the Kubikiribōchō and swallowed.
"Is that sword for sale?"
Silence fell over everyone.
The corner of Zabuza's eye twitched.
Was there something wrong with this brat's head?
"Brat, are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Zabuza sneered and formed hand seals with one hand.
"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Technique!"
The surrounding mist suddenly thickened.
Zabuza vanished into the dense mist, taking the enormous sword with him.
Their vision was obscured. They could only see a few meters around them.
"Eight places..."
Zabuza's sinister voice came from every direction, shifting left and right, making his location impossible to pinpoint.
"The throat, spine, lungs, liver, carotid artery, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart..."
"Which vital point would you like me to attack?"
This kind of psychological warfare was devastating to genin.
Sasuke's hand trembled around his kunai, cold sweat running down his forehead.
He felt as though a blade's tip was pressed against every one of his vital points.
Kakashi stood in front of Tazuna, unleashing a burst of chakra that dispersed a little of the surrounding mist.
"Sasuke, calm down."
"I won't let him kill my comrades."
At that moment of extreme tension, it happened.
Pinching his nose with a disgusted expression, Son Goten walked away from Tazuna.
"Old man, that mix of booze stink and old-person smell on you is practically a biological weapon."
"The fog's already thick enough. Smelling that on top of it is going to make me throw up my breakfast."
He strolled leisurely through the dense mist without the slightest hint of tension.
He even reached out and swiped at the mist a couple of times, as though shooing away flies.
"Hey, you hiding in the mist."
Son Goten called out into the air.
"You still haven't answered my question."
"Are you selling that sword or not? I can offer a good price. Like... treating you to a bowl of ramen?"
A cold snort filled with killing intent came from the mist.
"You brat. You have no idea what you're dealing with."
"Since you're in such a hurry to be reincarnated, I'll start with you!"
There was a splash.
It came not from far away, but from right in the middle of Team 7!
Water Clone!
A figure identical to Zabuza sprang from the water pooled on the ground, the Kubikiribōchō in hand. With overwhelming force, he swung straight at Naruto, who was closest.
"Die!"
Naruto's eyes widened. He had no time to react.
The enormous sword grew larger and larger in his vision, the breath of death rushing toward his face.
"Too slow."
A lazy voice sounded beside Naruto's ear.
Thud!
A dull impact rang out.
The enormous sword, powerful enough to split rock, stopped just centimeters above Naruto's head.
There was no earth-shattering clash of ninjutsu.
There was only a hand.
At some point, Son Goten had appeared in front of Naruto and caught the edge of the Kubikiribōchō with one hand.
His bare hand, at that.
He hadn't even used chakra.
He had caught it casually, as easily as taking a pair of chopsticks someone handed him.
Zabuza's water clone froze.
The real Zabuza, hidden in the shadows, froze as well.
That sword weighed dozens of pounds. With the momentum of the swing behind it, its force was immense!
Was this brat's hand made of iron?
Son Goten looked at the water clone before him and grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
"Since you won't sell it."
His fingers tightened slightly, clamping down on the blade with a piercing screech of scraping metal.
"I'll just have to take it."
"This chunk of iron is mine."
Before you continue