Chapter 8 The Sharp-Tongued TaznaTeam 7 was officially formed. For the next month, Kakashi led Naruto and the others on a mission-packed spree, completing each one flawlessly.
Of course, all their missions were E-rank, like finding cats, walking dogs, planting vegetables, and weeding. While the tasks were somewhat tedious due to their simplicity, Naruto thoroughly enjoyed them.
With Sakura and Sasuke by his side, and Kakashi-sensei always there to protect him, the loneliness of his childhood was gone, along with the bloody and brutal battles. He wished it could stay this way forever!
Of course, Naruto wasn't idle either. Aside from missions and sleeping, he devoted all his remaining time to training chakra control and ninjutsu. Within a month, he could walk on trees with ease, and even his ability to walk on water was beginning to show promise. Furthermore, he successfully mastered five new ninjutsu, all originating from the Scroll of Seals.
Yes, including the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Rasengan, Naruto has mastered five new ninjutsu. Although their mastery is still uneven, they are all usable. If the Third Hokage knew, he would probably be astonished.
Despite his rapid progress in ninjutsu, Naruto remains complacent. He knows what Team 7 will face next: in their mission in the Land of Waves, they will encounter the Hidden Mist Demon—Zabuza Momochi.
Naruto doesn't underestimate Zabuza's strength just because he lost to Kakashi twice in the manga. Zabuza's greatest strengths are his silent killing technique and his ability to pinpoint enemy locations by sound. In dense fog, opponents often become lost in the mist, but Zabuza can accurately locate them using his ears, approaching silently and killing them when they are least expecting it. It is with this skill that Zabuza earned his formidable reputation in the Hidden Mist.
Unfortunately, Kakashi, possessing the Sharingan, was unaffected by the mist. Even so, Kakashi's two victories were hard-fought, as he had used all his trump cards.
It's more accurate to say that Zabuza lost to Kakashi than to the Sharingan itself. Zabuza's advantages were completely countered. Without the Sharingan, it's hard to say who would have survived.
Naruto's next goal, besides rescuing the Land of Waves, is to prevent Haku's tragedy and save that pure-hearted boy. If the opportunity arises, he hopes to find out about Zabuza's ability to locate objects by sound, as it's essentially a second pair of eyes.
That day, it was time to receive the mission again.
Kakashi led Team 7 to the mission location, where the Third Hokage was present.
Sarutobi's gaze towards Naruto was complex, yet filled with satisfaction. He often used his telescope technique to spy on Naruto, so he had a clear view of Naruto's training. From initial shock to now being used to it, he found Naruto's talent almost incompatible. Both had blond hair, both were exceptionally gifted, both had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Rasengan—perhaps this was the next Yellow Flash of Konoha.
Minato, can you see? Without realizing it, Naruto has become quite remarkable.
"Hmm, Team 7's next mission is either to help an old lady take care of her child, or run errands in the next village, and help dig sweet potatoes."
"No! Don't give us these kinds of missions again! Please, give us something higher-level!"
Naruto quickly interjected.
Iruka roared anxiously, "Idiot! You're just a beginner. You need to do basic missions to gain experience first!"
This was a case of concern clouding judgment. Regardless of whether Naruto had changed, Iruka still saw him as that mischievous boy who caused trouble everywhere, worried that his strength was insufficient and he would encounter danger on missions.
Sarutobi patiently explained the mission levels, their corresponding difficulties, and the risks to Team 7. Seeing that none of them showed any fear, he finally presented the test he had prepared beforehand.
"Since you insist, I'll give you a C-rank mission. You'll be protecting someone."
Actually, even if Naruto hadn't cheated, Sarutobi would have given this mission to Team 7 today. Seeing Naruto's rapid improvement in strength, it was time for him to get some real training. But Sarutobi never dreamed that this C-rank mission would actually be a hidden S-rank that almost killed Kakashi.
"Please come in."
As Yuan Fei's voice faded, a drunken old man carrying a bottle of liquor walked in, muttering from afar, "What? A bunch of brats! Especially the shortest one in the middle, the one who looks incredibly stupid. Are you really a ninja?"
"I'm a famous bridge-building expert! Tazuna is talking about me! While I'm back in Konoha completing the bridge, you all have to protect me with your lives!"
Naruto was utterly speechless, barely suppressing the urge to teach the old man a lesson. This old man Tazuna was really something else. He clearly needed Konoha's help, but to avoid revealing his true intentions, he put on a haughty act. It was infuriating!
And so, Team 7 and Tazuna set off, each with their own thoughts. Naruto, on his first mission, found everything fascinating, looking around curiously, often eliciting complaints from Tazuna. Kakashi, on the other hand, was good-natured with his client, always offering polite explanations with a smile.
Upon learning that Naruto aspired to become Hokage, Tazuna mercilessly refuted him, saying, "I don't believe someone like you can become Hokage."
"I will definitely become Hokage, and then you'll have no choice but to acknowledge me," Naruto retorted angrily.
Tazuna replied, "Even if you become Hokage, I won't acknowledge you."
This infuriated Naruto, while the other three were speechless at Tazuna's antics, hoping this unpleasant journey would end soon.
Looking at a water stain appearing in the bright sunlight, Kakashi subtly raised an eyebrow. They hadn't expected to be targeted so soon after leaving for less than half a day; they wondered who their pursuers were after.
After walking for about another hour, the pursuers finally made their move. The instant they appeared, two thick, long iron chains completely bound Kakashi. With a combined pull, Kakashi's body was instantly dismembered into pieces. A ninja!!!
"The first one."