Chapter 9: On the Pirate ShipBefore anyone could think, two ninjas flashed and appeared behind Naruto in a daze.
Naruto, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, didn't dodge; instead, he leaped backward, slamming his elbows into their noses.
"Ugh..."
Perhaps because their first target was so easily defeated, the two ninjas became careless. Naruto had broken their noses solidly. Although not fatal, blood flowed freely, and the pain was real.
"Ah... brat, I'll kill you!"
One of the ninjas, recovering from the pain, charged at Naruto again. Sasuke, seeing this, disregarded Tazuna and rushed to his aid. Having spent so many years together at the Ninja Academy, he knew Naruto's strength all too well. Ninja duels weren't drills; losing meant real death.
The other ninja, seeing this, changed position and charged towards Sakura, or more precisely, towards Tazuna behind Sakura.
"Mission objective is almost achieved."
He was almost at the target; he even saw the bounty beckoning him. Unfortunately, the next instant he felt a heavy blow to the abdomen. It was Kakashi who stopped him.
Kakashi was carrying two ninjas, one in each arm, who lay unconscious like dead dogs.
"Not bad, Naruto."
When the two ninjas awoke, they found themselves tied to a large tree. Resigned to their fate, they didn't struggle but calmly looked at Kakashi and asked, "Konoha ninja, who exactly are you?"
Kakashi didn't answer their question but calmly explained to everyone, "These two are Chunin from Kirigakure. These guys are known for fighting to the death, no matter the cost."
"Since you know all this, why did you let the children do it?" Tazuna asked intently.
"Ah, if I wanted to, I could kill those two guys in an instant."
Kakashi's eyes turned cold as he continued, "Before that, I need to figure out who the enemy's target is. The answer is obvious, isn't it?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Tazuna, sweat beading on his forehead, feigned ignorance.
Kakashi: "You're the one being targeted by ninjas, Mr. Tazuna. And you didn't tell us beforehand that your mission was simply to protect you from gangsters. A mission involving a ninja is way beyond C-rank; it's at least a high-level B-rank mission."
"Your mission objective was to protect you until the bridge was built, but if you knew it involved a ninja, we would have immediately classified it as a high-priced B-rank. You seem to have some unspoken reason. But this kind of mission is really a headache."
Literal meaning: You lied to me. Implied meaning: You need more money.
However, faced with Tazuna's feigned ignorance, Kakashi was helpless. He couldn't just leave the old man on the street.
Although Kakashi was a seasoned killer, he wasn't entirely cold-blooded. He ultimately led Team 7 to escort Tazuna on his journey.
As soon as they entered the Land of Waves, a boatman came to meet them in a small boat, presumably arranged by Tazuna beforehand.
Despite the thick fog at sea, drifting slowly in a small boat offered a unique kind of scenery, with the unfinished bridge visible in the distance, looking quite magnificent.
"Wow, it's huge!"
Naruto couldn't help but exclaim, exchanging a word with Sakura.
"Shh, keep your voice down," the boatman quickly whispered.
"I only dared to sail out because of the fog; if we were discovered, we'd be done for."
Naruto and Sakura immediately fell silent.
Kakashi's expression turned serious. "Mr. Tazuna," he said, "before we reach the bridge, there's something I must ask you clearly: who attacked you and why? Otherwise, our mission might be terminated immediately after you disembark."
Tazuna remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking to the group, "It seems I have to say it. As you all said, this mission is probably beyond your scope. My life is being targeted by an incredibly terrifying person."
Kakashi: "An incredibly terrifying person? Who is it?"
Tazuna: "You should all have heard of him. He's the tycoon of the shipping company, a man named Gato."
Kakashi was startled. Although he was prepared to make a losing deal for Konoha, the mission was more difficult than he had imagined. Gato was a world-renowned tycoon with immense wealth and his own armed forces. Facing him meant the mission would be at least A-rank.
Tazuna seemed lost in some unpleasant memories, closing his eyes as he continued, "On the surface, he's the owner of a shipping company, but behind the scenes, he uses ninjas and thugs to trade drugs and contraband, constantly annexing businesses and the country, doing nothing but shady dealings."
"About a year ago, that guy set his sights on the Land of Waves, using money and force to act recklessly there, instantly monopolizing maritime traffic and transportation. For an island nation like the Land of Waves, controlling the sea is equivalent to controlling all wealth, politics, and the people. Now, Gato's biggest worry is the completion of the bridge that's been under construction for a while."
Sakura: "That means the bridge-building guy has become a thorn in Gato's side."
Sasuke: "Then that ninja we encountered last time must have been Gato's henchman."
Naruto: [You've all said it, what am I supposed to say?]
Kakashi listened to Tazuna's explanation, his expression unchanged, but he asked with a puzzled look, "I really don't understand. The opponent is a dangerous individual that even ninjas would be willing to risk their lives for. Why hide the truth and entrust the mission to us?"
Missions are dangerous, and ninjas' lives matter. Life-threatening missions naturally deserve corresponding compensation.
Tazuna lowered his head somewhat guiltily and said in a deep voice, "The Land of Waves is an extremely poor country. Even the feudal lords are poor, so I'm naturally penniless. I can't afford the high rewards for a B-rank or higher mission. Never mind, if you want to cancel the mission after we land, I won't blame you."
Upon hearing this, Kakashi's impression of Tazuna immediately changed. He felt that this old man wasn't as annoying as he had initially thought. If that's the case...
Before Kakashi could speak, Tazuna continued, "Even if I'm killed before I get home, you don't need to blame yourselves. It has nothing to do with you, no need to take it to heart."
"Even if I die, only my eight-year-old granddaughter will cry all day long, it's nothing."
"Your rules can't change. Even if my daughter hates Konoha ninjas for the rest of her life because of my death, she'll still live a lonely life."
Good grief, so that's what he was waiting for. Tazuna had already risked his life to build the bridge, and after witnessing Team 7's strength, he considered them his last hope. Why would he let them go easily?
Kakashi glanced at Naruto and the others, seemingly wanting them to say something.
Sakura's face fell, speechless at Tazuna's shamelessness.
Sasuke was equally speechless, but to maintain his cool persona, he remained unsmiling.
Naruto, however, already knew the script and nodded calmly.
Sigh...
Kakashi touched his forehead bandage with his fingers, and after a long while, he managed to force a smile.
"Fine, there's really no other way. We'll continue protecting you."