Gatō didn't want to die here.
Seeing the killing intent in Zabuza's eyes—
Haku immediately stepped forward to stop him.
If Gatō said one more word—
Zabuza would definitely kill him.
"Zabuza-sama… he is still the client."
Zabuza glanced at Haku—
Then said nothing more.
He lowered the Executioner's Blade.
But the chilling aura surrounding him—
Still made Gatō truly understand—
Just how terrifying one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was.
Gatō staggered back a few steps.
"If you don't kill that old man Tazuna before the bridge is completed—"
"Then forget about the rest of your payment!"
After throwing out his threat—
Gatō quickly ran out of the house.
Although he was a ruthless criminal—
Compared to someone like Zabuza—
Who slaughtered his entire class upon graduation—
He was nothing.
After Gatō left—
Zabuza looked at Haku.
"Why did you stop me?"
Haku calmly replied:
"If you kill him, it will cause chaos."
"And we'll be hunted by the Hidden Mist ANBU."
Zabuza said nothing further.
Training Begins — Forest Behind Tazuna's House
At the same time—
In the forest behind Tazuna's house—
Kakashi stood before Orion, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura.
"From now on, your training begins."
"The best way to improve chakra control—"
"Is tree climbing."
Naruto laughed immediately.
"Kakashi-sensei, who can't climb trees?"
"How is this training?"
Kakashi ignored him.
He walked to a tree—
Placed one foot on the trunk—
Then the other.
Soon—
His body was completely vertical—
Standing on the tree like it was flat ground.
Everyone froze.
"Kakashi-sensei… is sticking to the tree?!"
Naruto shouted in disbelief.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
Thinking.
Kakashi walked calmly all the way to the top—
Even hanging upside down at one point.
The scene stunned all three of them.
Kakashi explained while hanging:
"Focus chakra on your feet."
"The key is control."
"Too little or too much—"
"And you'll fall."
"If you can do this—"
"Your chakra control will improve significantly."
Then—
He dropped down lightly.
"Now try it yourselves."
Naruto rushed forward immediately.
"I've got this!"
Sasuke also stepped toward a tree.
Sakura chose one between them.
Orion—
Didn't move.
He already knew how.
Kakashi didn't say anything.
He had expected that.
First Attempts
Naruto—
Failed instantly.
He slipped on the first step—
And crashed to the ground.
Thud!
"Ow! That hurts!"
He rolled around, clutching his head.
Sasuke—
Did better.
He climbed several steps—
But lost control midway—
And fell.
Still—
Far less embarrassing than Naruto.
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
Sakura—
Succeeded on her first try.
She was already sitting on a branch—
Smiling down at them.
"Kakashi-sensei! I made it!"
Naruto stared in shock.
Then shouted:
"Sakura is amazing! As expected of the girl I like!"
But inside—
He felt jealous.
Sasuke frowned.
He wasn't jealous—
He already knew Sakura had excellent chakra control.
But—
He wanted to ask her how she did it.
Yet—
His pride stopped him.
Kakashi smiled.
"Looks like Sakura is the first to succeed."
"As expected—her chakra control is the best."
Then—
He glanced at Naruto.
"Wasn't someone saying he'd become Hokage?"
"Doesn't seem that impressive."
Then at Sasuke—
"And the Uchiha clan…"
"Not that outstanding either, huh?"
It was deliberate.
A provocation.
Kakashi knew exactly how to motivate them.
And it worked.
Naruto immediately jumped up.
"That was just a mistake!"
"I'll definitely do it next time!"
Sasuke said nothing.
But silently—
He walked back to the tree.
And tried again.
Orion's Situation
As Naruto prepared—
He noticed Orion still standing beside Kakashi.
"Aren't you training, Orion?"
Before Orion could answer—
Kakashi replied:
"He already mastered it."
"And he succeeded on his first try."
Naruto's face stiffened.
He shouldn't have asked.
Of course Orion already knew it.
Sasuke said nothing—
But his expression grew more serious.
Sakura, sitting above, looked at Orion.
"He definitely already knew how…"
"Of course… he's that strong."
She tilted her head slightly.
"He's really strange…"
"So talented…"
"Yet I barely noticed him in the academy…"
She remembered—
How Orion had saved her twice.
Her feelings toward him—
Were now different.
Not love—
But trust.
Gratitude.
Curiosity.
Special Training — Kakashi & Orion
While the others trained—
Kakashi turned to Orion.
"They train here."
"I'll train you separately."
Orion nodded.
The two moved several hundred meters away—
To a lakeside.
Standing by the water—
Kakashi sighed.
"This reminds me of that night."
"If your chakra hadn't gone out of control…"
"You would've succeeded back then."
Orion nodded.
"It was unexpected."
"But now…"
"I think I can control it."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"You've mastered it?"
Orion smiled slightly.
"Want me to try?"
Kakashi immediately stepped back.
"If your chakra goes berserk again…"
"The consequences will be serious."
Orion shook his head calmly.
"It won't happen."
"I'm confident this time."
Kakashi hesitated—
Then nodded.
"…Alright."
"I'll watch from here."
He retreated dozens of meters.
That night—
Orion's chakra had affected a massive area.
Kakashi wasn't taking any chances.
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