"Tch, they ran away so quickly."
In the forests of the Land of Waves, Kitagawa Minamoto casually flicked the blood off his White Fang short blade, then turned to Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei, you really dropped the ball again. How could you let Obito Uchiha snatch them away?"
"...I didn't have a choice."
Kakashi felt a bit frustrated; being teased by his own student was hardly a pleasant experience.
But he truly didn't have much of an option, as Obito was the one he was tasked with confronting.
"I can't fully match his mastery of the Sharingan. After all, it's his own eye. I can only try my best to stop him."
"But it doesn't matter now. My first mission back then ended up like this too."
Minamoto, ever kind-hearted, didn't make things difficult for Kakashi.
"Anyway, now that it's come to this, we should finish the job. Gato colluding with Akatsuki to obstruct the mission—eliminating him shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"..."
Kakashi wasn't particularly inclined to respond. He felt his student was overly fixated, so he cautiously asked,
"Why are you so obsessed with him? He hasn't wronged you, has he?"
"Of course not, Kakashi-sensei. You're just not enlightened enough."
"...?"
"As Jōnin, we must shoulder the burden of all the thousands of ninja in Konohagakure!"
"..."
"So, part of the money goes to us, and part to the village?"
"..."
Kakashi understood now. Minamoto hadn't changed at all—his guiding principle remained "never forget your original intention!"
For a moment, Kakashi almost saw the shadow of a certain one-eyed elder in Minamoto, which was far from desirable.
But he chose not to say anything, as Naruto and the others were already approaching.
"Kakashi-sensei, Minamoto-senpai, we've finished the count."
Sakura glanced at Sasuke and Naruto before cautiously and nervously reporting.
"Everything's fine on our end. Mr. Tazuna is safe, and the people captured by Minamoto-senpai are still alive, though the situation is somewhat grim."
"As long as you're safe."
Kakashi nodded, his gaze lingering on Sasuke, as he was the one he worried about most.
But he noticed Sasuke's eyes were fixed on Minamoto, prompting him to scratch his head.
"Minamoto, Kisame can be taken back to Konoha for interrogation, but Zabuza and Haku probably won't yield any useful information, right?"
"True, Akatsuki likely intended to recruit them. They just happened to run into us."
Minamoto nodded, stroking his chin before smiling.
"But it doesn't matter. We might as well chat with them, since Zabuza works for Gato."
"I feel like you're up to something sinister."
Kakashi shrugged, too lazy to interfere, though he couldn't help but notice one thing:
His student's reputation seemed to have surpassed his own...
"Hey, Sasuke, why are you staring at Minamoto?"
As Minamoto and Kakashi headed toward Zabuza and Haku, Naruto couldn't help but whisper.
Though his personality was usually carefree, he couldn't speak loudly now. He was still somewhat shaken by Minamoto's combat prowess!
"Idiot."
Sasuke snapped out of his daze, quietly muttering the insult, though before Naruto could explode, Sasuke suddenly spoke.
"Has Minamoto-senpai always been this strong?"
The question left Naruto stunned, and after some hesitation, he couldn't help but reply,
"I don't know either. But, he's always seemed strong, though his personality is a bit nasty. Yeah, definitely nasty!"
"...I think you should be grateful he didn't kill you."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
Naruto grumbled, but Sasuke ignored him, quickly catching up to Minamoto and Kakashi.
In Sasuke's mind, the image of Itachi about to kill his parents, shattered by Minamoto's intervention, replayed endlessly.
"Is this true power, a strength even Itachi Uchiha cannot match..."
Sasuke clenched his fists, his thoughts a mystery.
"Still alive, I hope?"
By now, Minamoto had reached Zabuza and Haku. He pulled his White Fang short blade from their bodies, which had incapacitated them with lightning-infused strikes.
Despite the beating and the paralysis, Zabuza stubbornly lifted his head.
"Didn't expect the brat from two years ago to become this."
"Wait, you met two years ago?"
Naruto, curious as ever, couldn't help but ask. Two years ago, Minamoto had just graduated, hadn't he?
His question made Sasuke, Sakura, and even the trembling Tazuna curious enough to lean in.
"Hmph, brat, you have no idea about the two people beside you."
Zabuza glanced at the silent Haku beside him, sneering coldly.
"Two years ago, they did something most people in the ninja world wouldn't dare attempt."
"Alright, now's not the time for that."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, cutting Zabuza off. Minamoto nodded in agreement.
"I didn't expect you'd end up working for Gato."
"It's just for money. My dreams are beyond your comprehension."
Zabuza stiffened his neck, his body aching, but his spirit remained unyielding.
"So, what's your plan now? Kill us? Typical. Konoha and Kirigakure seem so chummy now, despite years of fighting. It's ridiculous."
"Zabuza-sama..."
Haku broke his silence, speaking worriedly, but Minamoto shook his head.
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead. Actually, there's something I don't understand."
"What?"
Zabuza frowned, while Minamoto asked with a smirk.
"With your abilities, why work for Gato?"
"What do you mean?"
"If I were you, I'd take Gato out myself. That way, you could have all his money."
"..."
"And didn't you stage a coup in Kirigakure? Surely you think you could do better than the Mizukage. Why not test your skills here in the Land of Waves?"
"Hiss..."
Zabuza gasped, looking incredulously at Minamoto and the equally stunned Kakashi.
"Is this how Konoha trains its students?"
"No, he's just... a bit extreme."
Kakashi quickly grabbed Minamoto, stopping him from spouting nonsense.
"Don't say such reckless things, Minamoto. Enough!"
"Okay."
Minamoto nodded in disappointment but didn't seem to mind.
"Here's the deal. Two years ago, Jiraiya-sama spared you. Now, I can spare you too, but you know the procedure."
"Procedure..."
Zabuza's gaze flickered, seemingly understanding.
"Your target..."
"Exactly."
Minamoto didn't bother hiding it, and Kakashi didn't stop him this time. After two years of pondering, it wouldn't be right to interfere now.
Besides, Kakashi understood Minamoto's intent: Konoha couldn't act directly, but rogue ninjas could serve as proxies.
"One more thing."
Minamoto stood up, pulling out a kunai and tossing it down. It landed before Zabuza and Haku.
"Kid, what's the meaning of this?"
Zabuza and Haku looked at the kunai in confusion, while Minamoto smiled and explained,
"For something like this, the fewer witnesses, the better. And since you're Kirigakure defectors, it could strain relations between Konoha and Kirigakure. So..."
"Sorry, but only one of you can leave today. You aspire to be Mizukage, right? Surely you understand my reasoning."
"Hey, Minamoto..."
This scene shocked Sasuke and Naruto, not to mention the already-threatened Tazuna!
"Quiet. Don't interrupt Minamoto; he has his reasons."
Kakashi stopped the kids firmly. After years of working with Minamoto, he knew his character.
Though abrasive, Minamoto was no villain. His actions always had purpose.
"You..."
Zabuza gritted his teeth, but Minamoto remained indifferent, continuing,
"I recall you saying he's just a tool. To become Mizukage, sacrificing necessary tools shouldn't be hard, right?"
Did I say that?
Zabuza wasn't sure, but it was certainly how he felt.
However, Haku suddenly smiled.
"Zabuza-sama, if not for you, I'd have frozen to death in that snowy night years ago. I'm honored to be your tool."
"Haku..."
Zabuza murmured, but Haku had already picked up the kunai, placing it in Zabuza's hand and guiding it toward his own throat.
"As your tool, I'm willing to give everything for you!"
Haku's sincere smile sent shivers through Zabuza, his body trembling inexplicably.
For some reason, he felt powerless, as if something inside him was breaking!
"Minamoto, what the hell are you doing, you bastard!"
Naruto couldn't hold back anymore. If not for Kakashi restraining him, he'd have charged forward recklessly.
Sasuke and Sakura remained silent, equally confused, but Minamoto ignored them entirely.
"Farewell, Zabuza-sama. Fulfill your dream!"
Haku's fragile hands tightened, pulling Zabuza's hand toward his throat!
However...
The kunai didn't move.
"Zabuza-sama?"
Haku was stunned, while Zabuza withdrew his hand, speaking softly.
"That's enough. That's enough."
Enough of what, he couldn't say, but he seemed to understand something.
Suddenly, his gaze turned fierce, glaring at Minamoto, kunai raised.
"If you want to kill us, don't use excuses or pretexts. You—"
"You've already proven you're not fit to be Mizukage."
Minamoto smiled, crossing his arms and speaking calmly.
"But, have you found what you were looking for?"
"...Bastard."
Zabuza's kunai trembled, the once-light weapon now feeling impossibly heavy.
"Life has many meanings. Instead of chasing unattainable fantasies, why not look at the people around you?"
Minamoto turned away, heading toward Kisame, speaking leisurely.
"Deal with Gato. After that, we'll know nothing. Beyond thanking nature's gifts, we'll wish you better luck than now."
"You..."
"And take this kunai as a memento. Consider it a witness."
Zabuza said nothing, staring blankly at Minamoto's back with Haku, their emotions mixed.
"Eh? Eh? Eh?"
Naruto finally reacted, still confused, but sensing Minamoto had done something good.
Sasuke and Sakura felt similarly, seeing Minamoto in a new light. Only Kakashi smiled, pulling out Make-Out Paradise.
Unlike the kids, Kakashi knew Zabuza and Haku's story well from the Kirigakure operation two years ago.
"Minamoto's always been kind-hearted."
He glanced at his book, muttering.
"Oh, I forgot one thing."
Suddenly, Minamoto turned to Zabuza.
"If possible, could you help me deal with this old man's family?"
"Hiss..."
"He tricked us, but he's my employer, so I can't act."
"..."
"And he keeps saying his family's miserable. I'm kind-hearted, so I don't want them to suffer anymore."
"..."
"So, could you help me out?"
"..."
Zabuza and Haku were dumbfounded, Tazuna collapsed, and the three kids were utterly shocked.
Only Kakashi facepalmed, realizing he'd spoken too soon.
(End of Chapter)
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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