"How much does it pay?"
Shengu Xuan's thoroughly pragmatic question brought Naruto and Sakura up short, snapping them out of their excitement and nerves over their first C-rank mission.
Tazuna froze as well. He studied the black-haired boy before him, who seemed utterly indifferent to the mission itself and interested only in money, and couldn't help wondering.
Why did Konoha's ninja send such an unreliable bunch of brats to protect me?
This boy in particular looks even more laid-back than that blond kid.
Kakashi cleared his throat and came to Tazuna's rescue. "Ahem, Shengu Xuan, this is a C-rank mission, so of course the pay is much better than for a D-rank mission. Besides, it's an escort mission. This is our first time leaving the village, so we can see the outside world."
"Oh, a sightseeing trip outside the village. That's fine, then." Shengu Xuan nodded, giving his approval.
Seeing how he took this for granted, Tazuna's mouth twitched, and his distrust deepened.
The next day, Team 7 and Tazuna gathered at Konoha's main gate and officially set off for the Land of Waves.
Along the way, Naruto was unusually excited, looking this way and that, curious about everything outside the village.
"Whoa! Look! Is that the ocean?!" Naruto pointed at the water and shouted in amazement as they passed a small river.
"Idiot! That's just a river!" Sakura retorted mercilessly.
"What did you say?! You big forehead, Sakura!"
"You're the dead last!"
Watching the two start arguing again, Kakashi pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly, while Tazuna sighed, full of worry.
Only Sasuke and Shengu Xuan remained silent throughout, walking one ahead of the other.
Sasuke's gaze occasionally drifted toward Shengu Xuan at the rear. He was observing, thinking. He tried to glean secrets about "absolute control" from Shengu Xuan's every movement and glance.
Shengu Xuan, meanwhile, was simply spacing out.
To him, this sort of countryside trek was utterly boring. If the system hadn't required various "triggers" to unlock new talismans, he would rather have found somewhere in Konoha to sleep.
"Speaking of which, Mr. Tazuna," Kakashi asked with seeming casualness as they walked, "the Land of Waves is a country without ninja. Logically, the threats you face should only be bandits or thugs. Why would rogue ninja from Kirigakure come after you?"
Tazuna stiffened abruptly. His grip tightened around his liquor bottle, and his eyes darted away. "I... how would I know?! Maybe they thought I was rich and wanted to kidnap me for ransom! Haha..."
He gave a few dry laughs, trying to bluff his way through.
Kakashi's lone visible eye narrowed slightly. He had already seen from Tazuna's reaction that something was wrong.
Important information had been withheld from this commission.
C-rank missions involved dealing with bandits and thugs. Once combat between ninja was involved, the mission was at least B-rank!
Tazuna had misrepresented the mission's rank because he had no money.
Kakashi sighed but did not expose him on the spot. Since they had already accepted the mission, and the Third Hokage had tacitly approved it, they could only keep going.
Just then, the group reached a woodland path surrounded by puddles.
The weather was clear, and it had not rained in a long time, yet a pool of water lay incongruously on the ground.
Kakashi stopped abruptly, his gaze instantly sharpening.
Shengu Xuan stopped too. He raised his head, glanced at the surrounding woods, and curled his lips into an amused smile.
"Here we go again... this one smells a little better than those two bugs from before."
"Hm?" Hearing Shengu Xuan's murmur, Kakashi grew alert.
Before he could react.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two dark figures suddenly shot out of the seemingly still puddle!
Like the Demon Brothers before them, they were ninja from Kirigakure. Wielding weapons fitted with claws and chains, they attacked Kakashi in the middle of the group from both sides with lightning speed!
"What?!" Naruto and Sakura went pale with shock.
Water Clone Technique? Kakashi's gaze sharpened as he instantly identified the enemies' true nature.
He did not even raise his hands, letting the two figures wrap their chains around him.
Squelch!
The next instant, the chains tore Kakashi's body into countless pieces!
"Got him!" The two Kirigakure ninja were overjoyed.
But the shredded Kakashi turned into clear water and splashed onto the ground.
"What?!"
"Behind you."
Kakashi's icy voice sounded behind them like a ghost.
At some point, he had appeared there, his hands pressed against the two water clones' heads.
Bang! Bang!
The two water clones burst apart instantly, scattering into splashes.
"Nice work, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted excitedly.
But Kakashi's expression remained grave. He looked at the road ahead and said solemnly, "That was only a probe."
The moment he finished speaking.
Whoosh-!
A piercing sound tore through the air from the woods!
An unimaginably huge Kubikiribōchō, broad as a door, came spinning out, aimed straight at the group's most important charge-Tazuna!
"Look out!" Sasuke and Naruto cried out together.
"Get down!" Kakashi roared, using the Body Flicker Technique to place himself in front of Tazuna. The kunai in his hand precisely caught the heavy, powerful strike of the Kubikiribōchō!
Clang-!
The tremendous force cracked even the ground beneath Kakashi's feet!
Just then, a tall figure appeared on the Kubikiribōchō's hilt like a ghost.
His upper body was bare, his muscles knotted, and bandages covered his face, leaving only a pair of cold, cruel eyes exposed. A rogue ninja's Kirigakure forehead protector hung around his neck.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi!
"Hehehe... Konoha's Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake." Standing on the hilt, Zabuza looked down at Kakashi, whom he had pinned beneath him, and gave a hoarse sneer. "Hand over that old man, and I can give you a quick death."
A terrifying, almost tangible killing intent, far beyond that of the Demon Brothers, instantly enveloped all of Team 7!
Sakura's and Tazuna's legs went weak with fear. Naruto held himself up, but his body was trembling involuntarily too.
Only Sasuke barely withstood the killing intent with the Sharingan's help, but his face turned deathly pale as well.
"Zabuza Momochi..." Kakashi gritted his teeth and forced the name out between them. "So it's you. Looks like this mission has become A-rank."
"Oh? You know me?" Zabuza was somewhat surprised.
"A former member of the Kirigakure ANBU, a demon skilled in the Silent Killing Technique. Your name is quite well known on wanted posters across the nations," Kakashi said gravely.
"What an honor to be remembered by the Copy Ninja." Zabuza sneered, his gaze sweeping over the brats behind Kakashi before finally settling on Shengu Xuan.
When he saw the black-haired boy, who showed no fear and had not taken a fighting stance, but instead looked as though he were watching a show, he couldn't help frowning.
This brat... is a little strange.
Still, he gave it no further thought. In his eyes, they were merely burdens for Kakashi.
"Kakashi, letting yourself get distracted by your students while talking to an enemy is a bad habit."
As soon as Zabuza finished speaking, he vanished from the hilt!
The next instant, he appeared on the water in front of Kakashi, his hands rapidly forming hand seals at a dizzying speed!
Tiger-Dog-Dragon-Bird-Dog-Ram-Bird-Horse-Snake-Tiger-Dog-Dragon-Bird-Dog-Ram-Bird-Horse-Snake-Tiger-Dog-Dragon-Bird-Dog-Ram-Bird-Horse-Snake-Tiger-Dog-Dragon-Bird-Dog-Ram-Bird-Horse-Snake-Tiger-Dog-Dragon-Bird-Dog-Ram-Bird!
A full forty-four hand seals!
Their complexity and the speed at which he formed them made even Sasuke dizzy as he watched with his Sharingan!
"Not good!" Kakashi's expression changed drastically. He immediately lifted his forehead protector, revealing his scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan!
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
With Zabuza's explosive shout, the river water beneath his feet surged skyward, forming a huge, ferocious, roaring water dragon. It opened its gaping maw and rushed to swallow Team 7!
The immense chakra and oppressive force left Naruto and the others barely able to breathe!
"The same move!" Kakashi's Sharingan spun furiously, and his hands began forming seals at the same speed, preparing to copy this powerful A-rank ninjutsu!
Yet, just before he completed the seals.
A languid voice interrupted everything.
"Playing with water dragons? How childish."
Shengu Xuan yawned and slowly raised his right hand.
He did not even look at the enormous water dragon roaring toward him, merely opening his palm casually toward it.
"Let me show you what a real 'dragon' is."
Boom-!
An explosive energy, hotter and more violent than when he had instantly killed the Demon Brothers just before, thundered into his palm!
A crimson divine dragon totem flashed wildly on his arm, as though about to burst out of his body!
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Shengu Xuan's voice was calm and casual, as though he were reciting the simplest of words.
The next instant, a gigantic fire dragon several times larger than Zabuza's Water Dragon Bullet roared out of his palm, its entire body burning with crimson flames, as though formed from lava!
This fire dragon had no chakra fluctuations, only pure, ultimate explosive force and destruction, enough to burn all things to ashes!
Water and fire!
The two enormous dragon-shaped masses of energy crossed through the air, about to meet in the most savage collision!
"What?!"
Zabuza's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints!
Ninjutsu without hand seals?!
This brat actually cast a Fire Release technique with such terrifying power instantly?!
How was that possible?!
Before you continue