Encounter with Zabuza

"How could that be? So many people are waiting here."

"I, Kakashi, swear on my name as a Jonin of Konoha that no one would dare lay a hand on your treasure!"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly, carrying an unquestionable air of authority.

The captain shuddered and could only quietly step aside.

Sakura took a deep breath and slowly laid the suitcase flat.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the room was exceptionally tense. The heartbeats of many people could faintly be heard.

"Click."

One clasp opened.

The captain slowly lowered his head, the wrinkles on his face nearly bunching together.

He did not dare look at the suitcase again.

"Click."

The other clasp opened.

Then, with a bang, the case sprang open.

The things inside flew out in an instant.

Sakura failed to dodge in time and was directly blinded by them.

The expressions of the onlooking passersby had nearly frozen.

When Sakura pulled down the thing blocking her eyes and looked at it, her face immediately turned red.

"Th-this... I never thought the captain had such a hobby. Let's all go!"

Kakashi looked at the women's underwear scattered across the ground and gave an awkward laugh.

The crew members beside him were already covering their mouths tightly with their hands, afraid that even the slightest laugh might escape.

Sakura held the full, soft bra in her hand and lowered her head to glance at her own flat chest, her face turning even redder.

"You old pervert!" She glared viciously at the captain, then quickly pushed through the crowd and rushed out.

Seeing Sakura leave, these passersby also lost interest one after another.

After giving the captain sympathetic looks, they all dispersed.

After returning to the cabin, the topic of Konoha's Invincible Scratch-off was brought up.

Quite a few people were already eager to try their luck and show off their skills at the Scratch-off ticket shop.

When the ship docked at the pier, the dark, burly man was taken away by the patrol.

The passengers aboard also bid farewell to Kakashi and the others.

Afterward, they switched to a small boat.

Raditz, who had issued the mission, had come to pick them up.

After they boarded, Raditz sighed the whole way.

Kakashi felt that something was off and asked.

"Is something wrong?"

Raditz considered it from all sides, then sighed and told Kakashi the truth.

"Your main task this time is to protect my personal safety."

"Someone named Gato wants to kill me."

Kakashi froze and frowned. "Gato? That incredibly rich tycoon Gato?"

"That's right!" Raditz sighed again.

"He hired people to kill me. Without your protection, I might be killed before I even get home!"

Naruto leaned against the Flying broom beside them and laughed. "No way. With us protecting you, no one can kill you!"

Raditz turned to look at him, his expression becoming far more grave.

"What if that person is Momochi Zabuza?"

"Momochi Zabuza?" Kakashi was shocked.

Seeing his reaction, Naruto and the others hurriedly asked, "Kakashi-sensei, who is Momochi Zabuza?"

Kakashi took a deep breath, his expression growing more solemn.

"Momochi Zabuza is a rogue Mist Ninja. He specializes in the Silent Killing Technique and is an exceptionally powerful ninja."

As he spoke, he turned and glanced at Raditz.

"We accepted a C-rank mission, but judging from the current situation, this seems to have gone beyond the scope of a C-rank mission!"

Raditz lowered his head, looking deeply distressed.

"I really don't have enough money to pay for a higher-ranked mission."

As he spoke, he let out a long breath, a trace of sorrow appearing on his face.

"If you think there's something wrong with the mission, then go back once we reach shore!"

Kakashi said nothing and merely sighed along with him.

Only Naruto laughed carelessly.

"Kakashi-sensei, whether he's Momochi Zabuza or Kikuchi Zabuza, there are four of us. That's more than enough to deal with him!"

Seeing him like this, Kakashi seemed to feel a little better as well.

After traveling through the mist for a while, they finally reached the shore.

Raditz asked nervously.

"Are you planning to go back? If you are, I'll have the boatman take you."

Kakashi waved his hand. "Let's follow you in and take a look first!"

Under normal circumstances, he might have chosen to return.

But just as Naruto had said, they had four people now.

And they had powerful items in their hands. Killing Momochi Zabuza should not be too troublesome.

They walked into the woods for a short while.

Suddenly, a giant blade flew through the air and struck the tree beside them.

Then, a man in gray leaped out of the woods and crouched atop the massive sword.

His face was also wrapped in a white mask, making him look quite similar to Kakashi at the moment.

"Hand that old man over to me!" Zabuza crossed his arms and declared in an unquestionable tone.

Kakashi's nerves instantly tensed. He spread his arms and shielded Naruto and the others behind him.

However, Naruto, that dead last, sometimes did things ordinary people simply could not understand.

He rode his broom and slowly flew into the air, arriving before Zabuza right under Kakashi's nose.

Imitating Zabuza, he crossed his arms and said, "You're Zabuza, you..."

He awkwardly drew out the last word. All the imposing words he had thought of earlier vanished from his mind in that instant.

After thinking for a while, his eyes suddenly lit up. Smiling, he asked, "Your arm warmers look pretty good. Where did you buy them?"

Behind him, Kakashi and the others were utterly alarmed.

Idiot, that's a Jonin!

Chatting casually in front of a Jonin? Are you trying to get yourself killed?

Momochi Zabuza seemed to feel humiliated. His already pitch-black face became utterly devoid of luster.

He directly lifted the massive blade beneath his feet and slashed at Naruto.

Naruto rode his broom and vanished in a flash.

Zabuza landed on the ground, already furious beyond measure. He raised an arm, and in an instant, thick mist rose through the forest.

Kakashi spoke to those behind him.

"Be careful. This is his signature technique, the Silent Killing Technique!"

"Got it!" Sasuke and Sakura simultaneously drew their kunai and stood on either side of Raditz.

The thick mist quickly obscured their vision.

Even at close range, they could no longer see anyone's silhouette.

A trace of panic rose in Sakura and Sasuke's hearts.

Naruto had already disappeared somewhere.

Kakashi raised his vigilance to the utmost and anxiously watched his surroundings.

At this point, there was no time for him to unwrap the bandages and reveal his Sharingan.

So, he thought of the bottle of perfume from the Scratch-off ticket shop.

"It's time to show some real skill!" He calmly took out the perfume and sprayed it all over himself.

The next moment, Zabuza suddenly appeared and raised his massive sword to bring it down.

But when he smelled the extremely alluring scent lingering in the air, he could not help taking two more sniffs.

A beautiful woman with a curvaceous figure instantly appeared where Kakashi had been standing.