"Let's go," Naruto calmly said after getting closer to his group.
Tazuna stared at Naruto in bewilderment, especially after seeing Naruto let Zabuza escape despite knowing the latter's objectives.
"What the hell did you do that for?!" Satsuki screams out loud while staring angrily at Naruto.
"What?" Naruto asks back.
"Why the hell did you let him escape?!" Satsuki responded angrily, "You should know that he will definitely attack us in the future."
"So?" Naruto raised his eyebrow.
"You!"
"Naruto, why did you let Zabuza go?" Hinata chimed in and asked in a soft voice.
"It should be clear to you that he will definitely try to attack the group, more specifically Tazuna, once again in order to complete his mission, so why did you let him escape?"
"Why would I end something that brings me joy?" Naruto calmly response.
The group stared at Naruto in disbelief, yet before they could fully digest what they heard, Naruto continued.
"It's not like he was going to succeed anyway," Naruto said in a low voice with a small smile on his face.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Everyone didn't think that Naruto was joking, especially after what they previously saw. The problem everyone sees is the fact that Naruto doesn't think about the mission they are currently taking and how they should complete it but thinks to entertain himself even if it's at the cost of his mission.
Tazuna started to blame his luck for the fact that Team 13 was the one tasked with taking on his request, but Tazuna also understood that he was lucky that they were the ones tasked with completing his request because if it were others, then there's no doubt that he would die before he returned home.
Satsuki is about to open her mouth and speak with her anger barely contained, while Hinata, who notices Satsuki's mood, is thinking of ways to ease the situation. Even Tazuna, currently frozen, is still thinking about Naruto and his previous actions.
"That's enough," Fugaku's voice cut through the heavy silence between them like a hot knife through butter.
Fugaku's eyes sweep over the group, lingering briefly on Naruto before moving on.
Naruto notices this but acts oblivious.
"We need to move out now," Fugaku continued with his authoritative voice. "Standing around here only makes us easier targets, especially if Zabuza's accomplice tries to attack us."
Fugaku's eyes then landed on Tazuna. "Which way to your home?"
Tazuna flinched slightly, snapping out from his thought, and quickly raised his arm and pointed to a specific direction. "T-That's the way," he said with a little shake.
"Move out," Fugaku said calmly.
Without another word, the group resumes walking, making their way towards Tazuna's home. While moving, there is thick tension in the group as they all secretly glance at Naruto, who walks close to the middle with his hands in his pockets and an unreadable expression.
After walking for several dozen minutes, they finally see a house on the horizon. The house is a two-story that overlooks the ocean.
"There it is," Tazuna said with relief in his voice as he pointed to the house.
After they got closer, they came to see a woman with black hair with bangs that frame her face. As soon as she sees Tazuna, she immediately runs towards him and jumps on him, hugging Tazuna as tightly as she can.
"Father you're back!" The woman said while looking at his father face "You said that you only takes three days to get back! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Tazuna chuckles lightly. "I'm fine, Tsunami. Thanks to these four." Tazuna points out Team 13, who are currently behind him.
"This is the ninja who saved my life," Tazuna's head slightly turned towards Team 13. "Guys, this is my daughter Tsunami," he added.
Tsunami removed herself from his father and stared at Team 13. "Thank you for protecting my father," she said with a somewhat happy and sad look on her face.
Fugaku and Naruto notice this but don't voice out anything.
"Right Tsunami we have guest. Let's make them feel at home and settle in" Tazuna said before his daughter had chances to immerse herself in thoughts of the terrible memories.
"Oh... Forgive me, everyone," Tsunami said with an apologetic smile on her face. "This is our home. It's not the largest, but it's home," she added with a smile.
"Inari!" Tsunami calls out.
Out of another room comes a little boy.
"This is my son, Inari," Tsunami introduces her son and turns her head to Inari. "Inari, your grandfather is back. These ninjas protected him on his way back. Come say hi to them," she says, smiling adoringly.
The boy simply looked at the group with a dark expression on his face before heading up the stairs. Tsunami sighs at this before turning around and flashing a smaller smile at the group.
"Alright, let me show you where each of you will be sleeping," Tsunami said.
Unknown location.
Zabuza can be seen lying down on the bed. He has bandages tied around the injured parts of his body, especially the deep sword cuts he received from Naruto, and the bandages are tainted red thanks to the fact that they are still bleeding.
"Don't bother trying to move, or your injuries will worsen," the accomplished swordsman said calmly.
She was wearing a mask with a blue pattern on the edges with the symbol of the Hidden Mist. She is wearing a light-colored kimono with wide sleeves tied neatly with a dark sash around her waist.
"Why bother wearing the mask, Haku?" Zabuza said while staring at the woman named Haku.
"It's just a habit." Haku slowly removed the mask, and what was revealed was the beautiful face of a teenage girl.
"Master, I'm sorry I didn't act sooner. Had I done so, you wouldn't have failed to kill that man," Haku added while unconsciously lowering her head.
"Forget it." Zabuza slightly shook his head. "One of them had the Byakugan, so they would definitely know you've been hiding and waiting."
"While I didn't know the skills of those two teenage girls, Naruto would definitely easily be able to defeat you," Zabuza added.
Haku didn't argue especially what she saw earlier. She didn't expect someone as renowned swordmen as her master easily defeated by a teenage boy.
Not only was Zabuza easily defeated, but he was defeated when his enemy was holding back in terms of strength and speed. Suppressing Zabuza with swordsmanship alone.
Haku believes that even if she and Zabuza team up together to defeat Naruto, they will never have a chance of winning.
Just as Haku is in her own thoughts, suddenly the door of the room is slammed wide open, snapping her back to reality, and she turns her head to see a short man wearing a suit and dark sunglasses.
This man is Gato, and he was being followed by two samurai named Zouri and Waraji.
"I'm surprised you have the nerve to show your face around here after being unable to accomplish your mission. Ninja from the Land of Water would appear to be vastly overrated," Gato said while slowly walking closer.
"You can't even clean up for your miserable subordinates. 'Demon'? Yeah, right! Don't make me laugh," Gato added.
Zouri and Waraji were about to unsheathe their katana while staring at Zabuza and Haku with malicious intent.
'Are they going to attack...? 'Haku thought to herself.
"Wait a minute, you two..." Gato raised one of his hands, stopping his henchmen.
"So... nothing to say for yourself?" Gato asks after getting closer, and his hands reach towards Zabuza's neck.
"No last words?" Gato added.
Just as Gato's hands are about to reach Zabuza's neck, suddenly Haku grabs Gato's wrist tightly.
"Don't touch Lord Zabuza with your hand," Haku said coldly, and the temperature in the room lowered instantly.
"How dare you?!" Gato stared at Haku, and behind his dark sunglasses, his eyes filled with fear.
Zouri and Waraji were about to take out their katana, which was something Haku noticed instantly. She instantly let go of holding Gato's wrist and vanished and reappeared between Zouri and Waraji and used their own katana to threaten with death.
'N-No...'
'W-We didn't even see her move...! '
"You don't want to do that... especially when I'm angry," Haku coldly whispered, yet everyone heard her thanks to the heavy silence in the room.
'She's some kind of monster,' Zouri thought to himself as sweat started to fall from his face.
Gato was also sweating bullets seeing Haku's action, but he gathered his courage since he knew the consequences if he didn't.
"There had better not be any more mistakes. I—if you fail again, don't think you can come back here!" Gato yelled out, trying to appear fearless, yet he was already behind his henchmen.
After seeing no response from Zabuza and Haku, Gato and his two henchmen immediately leave the room, slamming the door closed.
"Haku... There was no need for you to—" Zabuza, who had been silent all this time, started to talk, but before he could even finish, Haku cut him off.
"I know but its too soon to finish Gato off. If we cause commotion where we are we might find ourselves running once again. For now let's be patient" Haku said softly.