Chapter 156: The Kind-hearted Kitagawa Gen
"Tch. Ran off fast, didn't he."
In the forests of the Land of Waves, Kitagawa Gen casually flicked the blood off his White Fang short blade. Then, he turned to glance at Kakashi beside him.
"Kakashi-sensei, you really dropped the ball. How'd you let Uchiha Obito get away with another rescue?"
"…I didn't have much choice."
Kakashi looked a little exasperated. Being teased by your own student was hardly a pleasant experience—especially when it was true.
"There's no way I can use the Sharingan like he can. After all, it is his original eye. All I can do is try my best to stall him."
He sighed before adding, "But whatever. My very first mission back then wasn't much better."
Kitagawa Gen, kind-hearted as ever, didn't push the matter further.
"Well, it's already come to this. We might as well go all the way with this 'good guy' routine. Gatō colluding with the Akatsuki to obstruct a mission—wiping him out should be fair game, right?"
"…"
Kakashi didn't respond right away. He was beginning to suspect his student's sense of justice had its own… unique logic. He tested the waters with a question.
"Why are you so hung up on Gatō anyway? He never wronged you, did he?"
"Of course not. That's not the point, Kakashi-sensei. You're lacking vision here."
"…?"
"As elite jonin, we carry the weight of the entire Hidden Leaf Village on our shoulders. Tens of thousands of lives!"
"…Right."
"So how about we split the bounty—half for the village, half for us?"
"…"
Kakashi understood now. Kitagawa Gen hadn't changed a bit. Still the same guy with that eternal 'never forget your original intention' attitude.
For a moment, he almost saw the silhouette of a certain one-eyed old man in Gen's demeanor—and that was not a good sign.
Before Kakashi could say more, Naruto and the others arrived.
"Kakashi-sensei, Gen-senpai, we've finished checking everything," Sakura reported, glancing nervously between Naruto and Sasuke before continuing.
"Everyone on our side is safe. Mr. Tazuna's fine too. The people Gen-senpai captured are still alive, though they're in pretty bad shape."
"As long as you're all safe."
Kakashi nodded, his eyes briefly lingering on Sasuke. That was the one he was most worried about.
He noticed Sasuke's gaze was locked onto Kitagawa Gen the entire time, which made Kakashi rub the back of his head thoughtfully.
"Gen, we can take Kisame back to the village for interrogation. But Zabuza and Haku probably won't give us anything useful, right?"
"Yeah. Seems like the Akatsuki were trying to recruit them. Unfortunately for them, they ran into us."
Gen stroked his chin before chuckling.
"But that's fine. It just gives me a reason to have a chat with him—after all, he was working for Gatō."
"I get the feeling you're up to something shady…"
Kakashi shrugged. He couldn't be bothered to stop Gen's schemes. Besides, there was something he'd noticed.
His student… might already have a bigger reputation than him.
"Hey, Sasuke. Why do you keep staring at Gen-senpai like that?"
As Gen and Kakashi walked toward Zabuza and Haku, Naruto couldn't help but whisper his question. He was careful to keep his voice down. Despite his usual brashness, he was still shaken by Gen's terrifying combat prowess.
"…Idiot."
Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts and muttered quietly. But before Naruto could flare up, Sasuke spoke again.
"Was Gen-senpai always this strong?"
The question stunned Naruto into silence. After hesitating, he finally muttered:
"I dunno. He's always seemed pretty strong, I guess… just kind of a jerk sometimes. Yeah."
"…You should be grateful he didn't kill you."
"Hey! What kind of thing is that to say?!"
Naruto barked back, but Sasuke ignored him and quickly followed after Gen and Kakashi.
In Sasuke's mind, one moment kept replaying—the instant when Uchiha Itachi was about to kill their parents in an illusion… and Gen appeared out of nowhere, shattering it and severely injuring Itachi.
"Is this… true strength? Power even Itachi couldn't withstand…"
Sasuke clenched his fists, lost in thought.
---
"Still alive?"
Kitagawa Gen now stood before Zabuza and Haku. The White Fang blade he had run through both of them had already been withdrawn.
After being ruthlessly beaten and shocked by his Purple Lightning, neither of them could move.
Still, Zabuza managed to lift his head with a defiant glare.
"Didn't think that brat from two years ago would turn into this."
"Wait—you guys met two years ago?"
Naruto asked, surprised. Gen had just graduated two years ago, hadn't he?
Sakura and Sasuke looked equally curious. Even the trembling Tazuna couldn't help but peek over.
"Hmph. Kid, you don't know anything about the two standing next to you," Zabuza sneered, sparing a glance at the silent Haku beside him.
"Two years ago… they pulled off something most shinobi in the entire ninja world wouldn't even dare to attempt."
"Alright, that's enough storytelling."
Kakashi raised a brow and cut him off, and Gen nodded.
"Still, I didn't expect you to end up working for Gatō."
"Just a job for the money. You wouldn't understand my dream."
Zabuza lifted his chin defiantly, despite the pain racking his body.
"So? Gonna kill us now? Figures. Konoha and Kirigakure are on friendly terms these days. Pretty ironic, huh? After all that war…"
"Zabuza-sama…"
Haku finally spoke, worry in his voice. But Gen shook his head.
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead. Actually, there's something I don't understand."
"…What is it?"
Zabuza frowned. Gen smiled.
"You're strong. Why waste time working for a scumbag like Gatō?"
"…What's that supposed to mean?"
"If it were me, I'd just kill Gatō and take all his money."
"…"
"Besides, didn't you try to overthrow the Mizukage once? That means you believe you can lead better than him. Why not use the Land of Waves as a trial run?"
"Tch—"
Zabuza sucked in a breath, visibly stunned. He looked at Kakashi, who seemed just as dumbfounded.
"…Is this really how you train your students in Konoha?"
"…No. He's just a little… extreme."
Kakashi quickly grabbed Gen, trying to shut him up.
"Stop spouting nonsense, Gen! Enough."
"Oh."
Gen gave a disappointed nod but didn't press further.
"How about this—two years ago, Jiraiya-sama let you off. Now, I can do the same. But you know the procedure, right?"
"…Procedure?"
Zabuza's eyes flickered. He seemed to be catching on.
"Your goal…"
"Exactly."
Gen didn't bother hiding it now, and Kakashi didn't try to stop him either. It was something they'd discussed for two years already—too late to back down.
After all, Konoha couldn't do certain things directly. But missing-nin? That was another matter.
"There's one more thing."
Gen stood up and suddenly threw a kunai, planting it right in front of Zabuza and Haku.
"…What's the meaning of this, brat?"
Staring at the kunai stuck in the ground before them, Haku and Zabuza were both puzzled. Kitagawa Gen, however, smiled as he spoke.
"The fewer people who know about what we're doing, the better. Besides, you two are rogue ninjas from Kirigakure. If this gets out, it could damage relations between Konoha and the Mist. So…"
He narrowed his eyes, his tone calm but sharp.
"Sorry, but only one of you gets to walk away today. You said you wanted to be the Mizukage, didn't you? So I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from, right?"
"Hey—Gen…"
Sasuke and Naruto paled, and even Tazuna—who had already been thoroughly intimidated by Gen earlier—began trembling.
"Quiet," Kakashi interrupted, blocking the younger ninja with his arm. "Don't interfere. Gen has his reasons."
Having worked with him for years, Kakashi understood his student well. Kitagawa Gen might be cruel and abrasive, but he was no villain—he never did anything without a purpose.
"You bastard…"
Zabuza clenched his jaw, glaring, but Gen remained unfazed.
"I remember you once said Haku was just a tool to you. To become Mizukage, discarding a tool or two shouldn't be that hard... right?"
Did I really say that?
Zabuza wasn't sure. Maybe he hadn't said it, but he had thought it.
Yet at that moment, Haku smiled gently.
"Zabuza-sama… if not for you, I would've died long ago, frozen in the snow as a child. I'm honored to be your tool."
"...Haku…"
Zabuza murmured the name, his voice trembling.
But Haku had already picked up the kunai, placed it in Zabuza's hand, and slowly guided the tip toward his own throat.
"As your tool, I will gladly give my life for you."
His expression was serene, his eyes sincere.
Zabuza's entire body shuddered. He couldn't understand why, but in that moment, he felt completely powerless. It was as if something deep inside him was beginning to crack.
"Gen, what the hell are you doing?!"
Naruto could no longer stay quiet. If Kakashi hadn't physically held him back, he would have charged in.
Sasuke and Sakura said nothing, too shaken to react. But Kitagawa Gen didn't spare them a glance.
"Goodbye, Zabuza-sama. Please… pursue your dream."
With those words, Haku thrust Zabuza's hand forward, aiming the kunai at his own throat—
But it didn't move.
"...Zabuza-sama?"
Haku looked up, confused.
Zabuza had pulled his hand back.
"That's enough," he said hoarsely. "It's already… enough."
He couldn't explain what exactly he meant. But somehow, he understood now—something within him had changed.
Then his expression turned grim. Eyes full of fury, he glared at Gen, lifting the kunai with a shaking hand.
"If you want to kill us, then do it yourself. Don't play mind games or dress it up with excuses—"
"You've already proven you're not Mizukage material," Gen interrupted calmly, arms crossed, smiling faintly. "But maybe you've found something more important."
"You bastard…"
Zabuza's grip on the kunai faltered. That simple blade now felt heavier than ever—like it was forged from lead instead of steel.
"Life can have many meanings," Gen said, turning away. "Instead of chasing pipe dreams, maybe it's better to look at the people around you."
He began walking toward Kisame, speaking over his shoulder with a lazy tone.
"Go clean up Gatō. As for the rest... well, let's just say we thank nature for its gifts, and I hope your luck improves."
"You…"
"Oh, and keep that kunai. Call it a memento."
Zabuza didn't reply. He and Haku just stood there, staring at Gen's retreating figure in silence—hearts conflicted, emotions tangled.
"Eh? Eh??"
Naruto finally started to catch on. Though he didn't fully understand what just happened, he had a feeling Gen had done something... good?
Sasuke and Sakura shared the same confusion but couldn't deny one thing—Gen seemed cooler than ever.
Kakashi, meanwhile, smiled and pulled out his beloved Icha Icha Paradise. Unlike the kids, he knew what Gen and Jiraiya had done two years ago during the Kirigakure mission.
"Gen's always been… kind," Kakashi murmured to himself.
But just then, Gen stopped and turned back toward Zabuza.
"Oh, right—almost forgot."
Everyone froze again.
"If possible, could you help me take care of that old man's family?"
"...What?"
"He lied to us—but he is my employer, so I can't do it myself."
"..."
"And he keeps going on about how miserable his family is. I've got a soft heart, you know? I don't want them to suffer anymore."
"..."
"So… will you help me?"
"..."
Zabuza and Haku were stunned. Tazuna collapsed to the ground. The three kids looked like they'd been struck by lightning.
Kakashi just buried his face in his palm.
"Spoke too soon," he muttered.
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