A dimly lit hall.
The scent of cheap cigars and stale alcohol hung heavy in the air, mixing with the faint metallic tang of blood. The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows across the stone walls, their distorted figures stretching ominously like lurking specters.
At the center of the room, a short, rat-faced man sat slouched in his chair, his stubby fingers gripping a walking stick so tightly his knuckles turned pale. His beady black eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, flickered with frustration and panic.
His name was Gato. He was a wealthy industrialist, a ruthless businessman, and a snake in human skin.
His foot tapped impatiently against the ground, his expensive tuxedo slightly wrinkled from his restless movements. His face twisted in a sneer as he slammed his fist against the wooden table before him.
"Did you say you failed?!" His voice was shrill with anger, a petulant child throwing a tantrum. "I paid a lot of money to hire you guys because you once said you were hot-shot ninjas!"
The two trembling figures before him, clad in dark ninja garb, flinched at his outburst, their heads bowed in shame. The so-called 'Demon Brothers' had returned with nothing but failure.
Before Gato could continue his rant, a metallic scrape echoed through the hall as a massive sword shifted, its gleaming edge catching the dim light.
Clank!
"Tch… Stop your damn grumbling."
The voice was deep, guttural, laced with irritation.
The air in the room grew thick, suffocating under an unseen weight.
Sitting across from Gato, a towering figure leaned forward, his muscular arms resting on his knees, fingers idly tapping against the handle of his monstrous blade.
It was Momochi Zabuza. The man who was famously known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist.
His dark, predatory eyes, partially hidden behind his bandaged lower face, gleamed with menace as he tilted the massive Kubikiribōchō toward Gato's throat.
The blade was stained from countless executions, a relic of the infamous Bloody Mist era.
A sinister smirk curled behind the wrappings covering his mouth.
"Next time, I'll kill him with this."
The cold steel of the blade hovered inches from Gato's throat, its presence alone making the room feel like it had dropped several degrees.
The businessman froze, his earlier arrogance evaporating into a cold sweat. He gulped audibly, his lips twitching as he tried to maintain composure.
For all his wealth and power, Gato was still a weak man.
And Zabuza?
He was a monster that money could only borrow, never own.
Yet, despite the threat, Gato's greed outweighed his fear.
He licked his lips, forcing a sneer back onto his face.
"Is it really all right?" He asked, though his voice had lost much of its earlier bravado. "It seems to me that the enemy has hired good ninjas. On top of that, a tightened guard on account of the Demon Brothers' failure means that it won't be easy..."
Before he could finish, Zabuza stood up.
Thud!
His sharp, shark-like eyes gleamed with amusement as he lifted his blade with a single hand as if it weighed nothing.
"Just who do you think I am?"
The sheer confidence in his voice sent a shiver down Gato's spine.
Zabuza took a step forward.
The floorboards creaked under his weight, his presence consuming the room like a suffocating fog.
A feral grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he spoke in a low voice.
"Just Who do you think I am? You are talking to Momochi Zabuza who was also called the Demon of the Hidden Mist!"
----
On the other side, the group boarded a small boat that was waiting for Tazuna.
"Let's go!" Tazuna commanded the boatman. The boatman then took his oar and started to row the boat.
The small wooden boat bobbed gently on the water, its surface smooth and misty, reflecting the dull gray sky above. The only sounds were the rhythmic splash of the oar dipping into the water and the occasional croak of a distant bird.
The group sat in silence, each member of Team 7 on high alert, scanning the fog-covered surroundings for any sign of danger.
While the others were busy checking the surroundings, Naruto kept staring at Tazuna.
And strangely enough, Kakashi was doing the same.
A faint breeze brushed against their faces, but the tension in the air was far heavier than the mist surrounding them.
Naruto leaned forward slightly, his gaze unwavering.
"Old man."
Tazuna glanced at him, blinking at the serious tone in Naruto's voice.
"You said you liked my guts, right?"
The bridge builder narrowed his eyes at the unexpected question but gave a nod. "Yeah…"
Naruto's expression remained unreadable.
"Then why did you request a C-Rank mission?"
Tazuna's fingers tightened around the edge of the boat. The simple question hit hard as if Naruto had pierced through his excuses with just one look.
Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly, his thoughts aligning with Naruto's. He had suspected something—but Naruto had been the first to call it out.
The boatman hesitated in his rowing, his grip stiffening for a brief second before continuing.
Sasuke, noticing the change in atmosphere, turned his attention toward them.
Sakura, who had been glancing at the water, lifted her head in curiosity.
Tazuna remained silent for a moment before releasing a sigh, his rough hands rubbing his face.
"Don't worry too much, old man," Naruto continued, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Since the mission has already been accepted, we will protect you."
Despite the confident reassurance, there was an underlying sharpness in Naruto's tone.
A warning that Tazuna wasn't off the hook yet.
Finally, the old man cracked under the pressure. His shoulders slumped as if a great burden had been exposed.
"The Land of Waves…" He began, his voice rough and tired, "is a very small country, where people barely have enough money to survive. Even our feudal lord is a poor man."
Kakashi narrowed his eye, his mind quickly piecing things together.
Sakura's brows knitted together in concern.
Sasuke simply listened, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Tazuna let out another deep sigh before continuing, his voice heavy with guilt.
"A small country like the Land of Waves could never afford a B-Rank mission—no matter how much we pitched in, we wouldn't have enough."
Naruto tilted his head slightly, his keen gaze never leaving Tazuna.
The bridge builder gave a weak, humorless chuckle, shaking his head.
"But don't worry," He continued, his words laced with bitter acceptance. "I won't blame you ninjas if something happens to me. If I die, my grandson will cry a lot, and my daughter…"
His voice faltered slightly.
"My daughter would probably hold a grudge against Konoha's ninjas."
A tense silence settled over the boat, broken only by the steady swish of the oar slicing through the water.
Kakashi exhaled softly, his tone now calmer but tinged with understanding.
"Tazuna."
The old man lifted his head.
Kakashi's voice was patient but firm. "C-Rank missions only involve threats like thieves or armed robbers. But B-Rank and above?"
He let the words sink in before finishing.
"They involve ninjas."
Tazuna remained quiet, guilt flashing in his eyes.
Sakura bit her lip, now realizing the full weight of the situation.
Sasuke's grip on his arm tightened slightly, irritation flickering across his face.
A lie. Their mission was built on a lie.
Naruto, however, simply leaned back, resting his arms behind his head, his smirk unchanged.
"You're pretty sly, old man," He mused, his tone teasing yet sharp. "You had us feeling bad for you before we even knew the full story."
Tazuna looked away, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
Kakashi exhaled again, his tone shifting slightly. "That being said… since we're already in the middle of this mission, I have one more question for you."
His visible eye locked onto Tazuna's.
"Who exactly is after your life?"
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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