NA: I apologize for not uploading any chapters last week, but my sleep schedule for the past few months has been a disaster.
During the day I've been busy with work and writing at night. It's a tough schedule, but I enjoyed writing. Besides, I didn't want to let my Patreon subscribers down.
But not sleeping properly has been affecting me, so I decided to get proper sleep last week and haven't written any chapters. I only managed to post chapters on Patreon that I had saved.
I don't know how long I can keep writing like this, but I'll keep trying.
If you'd like to support my work, you can do so on Patreon/GOATXXI or by sharing my stories in various groups to reach more readers.
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"It's likely that Zabuza is alive"
The next day during breakfast at Tazuna's house, the words of their teacher and team leader caught Team 7 off guard, who looked at him in surprise at what he had just said.
The powerful ninja who almost killed them and who had died yesterday, was he alive?!
Kakashi immediately told them his conjectures about his suspicions regarding that ninja hunter and about the possibility of Zabuza's fake death caused by the Senbon on the acupuncture points on the man's neck.
"If what I believe is true, Zabuza will need one week to recover from the side effects of the faked death and another week to recover from his injuries."
"In other words, it's possible that in two weeks we'll have to fight Zabuza again."
"But this time, that ninja hunter should join in too."
Kakashi's words caused Team 7 to have different reactions.
Sakura had a worried look on her face, while Naruto only had the same expression for a second before a confident smile filled his face, thinking that this time he would surely defeat the enemy and impress his pink-haired teammate.
Looking at the latter, Naruto noticed that Sakura was looking at Satsuki.
Recalling the conversation with his teacher Iruka about a woman's feelings for another woman, the blond man became convinced that his performance would definitely change the young woman's mind.
Although he himself sometimes didn't realize that he stared at the last Uchiha for a long time.
Meanwhile, Satsuki ignored the stares of her teammates.
In contrast, the young woman had a smile on her face at the prospect of fighting Zabuza again.
Although the man had demonstrated great power, Satsuki refused to feel fear and be a coward.
Like Naruto, the young woman also promised herself that this time the battle would be different.
"Whaaaaat?!"
Suddenly, a shout of surprise sounded in the kitchen and the group quickly looked in its direction.
Remembering that the customer was in the kitchen with his daughter, the group got up to go and ensure the customer's safety.
But nothing bad was happening.
The group found the client and his daughter, who appeared to be just talking, and it was the client who had let out the scream of surprise, if his open mouth and eyes were any indication.
The man turned around when he saw them arrive, and maintained an incredulous look as he told them what had happened.
Something he still couldn't quite believe, even though it was his daughter who told him.
Gato had been expelled from the country by the Daimyo.
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.
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At the same time, Zabuza also learned of Gato's expulsion from the country by his loyal subordinate and tool, Haku.
The man had woken up after hours of sleeping after suffering a fake death and could not move without the help of Haku, the young woman who brought a spoonful of rice to the man's mouth.
If Team 7 were here, they wouldn't recognize the ninja hunter.
Because in addition to wearing different clothing, there was a large bulge on the young woman's chest, very different from the ninja hunter who appeared and took Zabuza away, whom they believed was a man.
While Haku was helping the man eat in bed, Haku told him what he had heard when he went to the city to get more supplies.
Zabuza's mouth, chewing his food, stopped for a second upon hearing Gato's expulsion from the country, while frowning.
And it wasn't out of concern for the man.
But because the man still owed her money.
Although he had failed to kill his target, Zabuza was now confident that he would defeat Kakashi the next time they met and complete the mission.
But now that Gato had disappeared, who would pay him to complete the mission?
"Lord…"
As she continued chewing, the man said something and the young woman nodded in acceptance of the order.
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.
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Unbeknownst to both groups, their movements were being monitored at all times.
At sunset, after training with her girls and before joining them to go shower, Kozue contacted her shadow clones to find out the latest moves of the two groups.
Normally Kozue wouldn't be that interested in them and would only check their information at midnight.
But there were some differences in this world compared to the one he remembered, and he was interested to know what other changes there were.
In this world, the Uchiha avenger was a woman, as was Zabuza's protégé.
While Satsuki Uchiha was now the Uchiha avenger, Haku remained the name of the ice user.
Knowing the first thing made Kozue interested in learning about the interaction between the members of Team 7.
In the world he remembered, Naruto was in love with Sakura while she was in love with Sasuke.
And the two men in turn had a rivalry that later led them to become best friends.
Surprisingly, the gender change of the last Uchiha did not cause major changes.
Sakura was apparently a lesbian, who was still in love in this world with the last Uchiha.
And Naruto was still in love with Sakura and maintained a rivalry with Satsuki.
But Kozue could see that this rivalry could turn into something more if they continued like this.
His clones had noticed that the blond man seemed to sometimes look at the last Uchiha with different eyes.
Although the latter may not realize this and not do the same, this could change in the future.
After all, they are of opposite sexes.
This made Kozue feel sorry for Sakura and Hinata, if the latter was also in love with Naruto in this world.
If Naruto and Satsuki get involved, what will happen to both women?
Or will Naruto be lucky enough to have a harem?
Kozue could no longer dwell on Team 7's love problems because something else caught her attention.
Kozue and the 5 women had arrived at the baths, where they immediately took off their sweaty clothes and modeled their bodies in front of the young man, giving him a flirty smile before going to the showers.
Of course, Kozue wasn't going to refuse such an invitation.
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.
.
The next morning, a young woman could be seen walking through the city while accompanied by 3 young men behind her.
The woman's name was Tsunami, who was the daughter of a famous builder in the country and the one who was currently building a large bridge that would connect the small country with the land of fire, one of the 5 great countries.
As she walked and attracted some glances from the men, no one could guess that the beautiful woman was over 30 years old and the mother of a 13-year-old teenager.
Tsunami ignored the men's stares as she looked at the city.
Unlike in the past, when everyone walked cautiously for fear of attracting the attention of Gato's men, now most people went about their business with a more positive attitude.
The difference was obvious.
If previously the atmosphere of the city was that of a cloudy day, now it seemed like a sunny day with the sun's rays illuminating and brightening the city.
"Gato is truly gone," the woman said softly as she sighed and clasped her hands together in thanks to the gods.
Behind her, the three members of Team 7 looked curiously at the city, remembering what Tazuna and his daughter had told them about what it was like to live in this country under Gato's rule.
Upon hearing from his daughter that Gato had left, Tazuna had wanted to go and find his friends to ask around and check for himself.
But since Kakashi was injured and couldn't be optimally protected in that state if he went out, Tazuna could only believe his daughter and stay home for the next few days.
Even so, as if he had pulled a thorn out of his back, the old man began to drink again to celebrate.
And unlike before, this time Tsunami did not stop him as on previous occasions.
Instead, he joined his father as he began to recount the life of this country since Gato arrived.
And for the first time in their young lives, Team 7 learned about the tragedies that could occur outside the great walls of their village.
Naruto and Satsuki were able to escape the depressing atmosphere of the room because of their life experiences.
Growing up as an orphan amidst the hatred of almost the entire village in Naruto's case, and seeing his family exterminated, gave both young men greater mental strength.
Sakura, on the other hand, realized that the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.