Naruto clutched his head and hissed, "News on Gato?"
Kakashi nodded. "He was spotted at the Wave Country border. Looks like he's trying to slip into another nation and start over."
After wiping out Zabuza's group, Team 7 spent several more days clearing hidden bases. Inari ran around rallying terrified workers back to the bridge.
But Gato had been one of the richest men in the world. He still had the means to rise again.
Naruto thought for a moment, then smiled at Kakashi. "Boss, I've got an idea."
"Oh?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it."
…
Wave Country border.
Sea wind salted the air, blowing past rows of masts. Warehouses stood lined up neatly. The harbor water was a bright blue shimmer, waves tapping softly at the pier.
Gato had changed into a worker's outfit and wore a wide conical hat. He scanned the crowd along the shoreline anxiously.
One step more and he could escape this mess, move somewhere unfamiliar, and begin again.
Honestly, when he first transmigrated into this world, he'd collapsed inside.
Back in his old life, he wasn't exactly Gong Yoo—but he was still a very fine specimen. Long legs, handsome face; his chingu all said he was basically a Lee Kwang-soo stand-in… well, okay, Lee Kwang-soo isn't bad-looking either.
His biography had nothing to do with Kwang-soo though. He'd failed the civil-service exam five years straight. Ended up a supermarket cashier while cramming desperately.
He told himself he was working hard: every morning copying all yesterday's notes, filling notebooks that piled up in the tiny spare room; borrowing money from his mom for classes—borrowed, yes, he'd pay it back after he passed.
But his mom didn't understand. She said the notebooks took up too much space and wanted to throw them out as junk.
Ssibal! How could she? Those were proof of his effort!
His stress spiraled until a friend invited him to a group sharing session. People poured their hearts out, licked each other's wounds, and he finally felt warmth for the first time in ages.
After that, things "naturally progressed." The leader began to value him, recommended him to more training, teaching "sacred doctrine," "spiritual awakening," and other lofty concepts.
At first he doubted it. But the leader said these teachings could solve all of humanity's problems.
Chingu, you have the potential to become mankind's savior.
No one had ever valued him like that before. Those words smashed his mental defenses to dust.
He started spreading doctrine to everyone around him.
Eventually he stopped studying for exams entirely—saving the world was obviously more important.
Only his mom resisted from start to finish. She even threatened to report the organization.
He exploded. You never supported me when I studied, and now you're blocking me from saving the world too? You just hate seeing me succeed! Fine—don't expect your tuition money back!
Somehow, he overdid it, died, and woke up in a brand-new world in this short, fat, ugly body.
Ssibal, Mom! How did I end up so ugly— wait, I'm a rich tycoon? Never mind, we're good.
Why did I transmigrate? Because I worked so hard to save people, so God rewarded me—now it's my turn to enjoy.
Koreans can't escape the chaebol as long as they live… so I'll just become the chaebol!
But I mustn't get arrogant. I need to keep preaching God's truth so His light shines across the earth.
Huh. This world has "ninja." Sounds familiar—maybe I heard of it before?
Whatever. First I'll preach in Wave Country. This must be the beginner village. My grand journey begins here.
Ssibal, how useless are these guys? They couldn't even kill three escorts?
We built a new gathering site and it got raided. The expensive assassin crew got wiped. What the hell—I'm the protagonist!
That damn Tazuna hid. Fine, I'll have my chingu search the mountains.
…Crap, they're coming. I need to run.
It was those ninjas again. Everything comes back to ninjas. Why is there always a roadblock the moment I try to do something big? I did nothing wrong!
You Konoha dogs are as stupid as my mom… wait until I recover. I'll be a hero again. Like Chow Yun-fat said: A Better Tomorrow. "True Colors of a Hero!"
Gato finally spotted a few suspicious smugglers. He approached one by one, watching and probing.
"Ch— friend, you offering a water route?"
The man turned, pushed his hat down, and held up five fingers.
Gato understood. But the price was insane. "Friend, I didn't bring much cash. Cut me a deal. I'll introduce more clients later."
The man revealed one blue eye. "Introduce clients? Are you stupid?"
Rage surged into Gato. He was about to argue—
A taller man yanked him away hard.
"Are you insane? That guy's a Konoha ninja fishing for targets!"
Gato jolted, but tried to stay calm. "How do you know he's Konoha?"
"Look at his eyes, idiot. That's one of Tazuna's escorts. Uzumaki Naruto. Look at the hair."
Gato stared. Sure enough, a bit of blond hair showed around the hat brim!
"Holy crap… good thing he didn't recognize me…" Gato hurried after the tall man.
In a dark corner, the tall man quoted another price.
"What? Even more expensive than before?!" Gato gaped. Was he being scammed?
"You wanna go or not? This is premium service. We feed you, land you, and give you a map. You understand?"
Another man approached, brim low. The tall man stiffened.
"Yamashita, can we not step on each other's toes? I brought this customer."
Yamashita grinned at Gato. "Hey chingu, I've been watching you. You want a water route, right?"
"My price is half his, and I cover food and lodging."
The tall man got furious and reached into his pocket.
Gato grabbed him fast and slipped him a piece of silver to send him off. Then he asked Yamashita a few questions and confirmed the deal.
He followed Yamashita through winding paths until they reached a hidden shore. A sealed, windowless houseboat waited there.
"This it?"
"Yep."
Gato entered cautiously. There was no one inside.
He was still confused when several more people filed in behind him.
"Yo, chingu." A blue-eyed blond teen lifted his hat, staring at Gato without expression.
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