For Sasuke Uchiha, death was a familiar shadow; the sight of it barely stirred him. What truly unsettled him was Naruto Uzumaki. He had long suspected the boy was hiding his strength, but to witness a Chunin-level assassin be dispatched without any resistance was something else entirely. The question burned in his mind: If that had been me... would the outcome have been the same? After a moment of grim consideration, his gaze towards Naruto grew increasingly complicated.
Kakashi Hatake's mind, however, was a storm of tactical analysis. Without a doubt, Naruto's strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Chunin. His physical prowess was astonishing—he could shatter tempered steel with his bare hands. That, combined with the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu... could it be the influence of the Nine-Tails? But more pressing was the intent. Naruto had killed the man with a cold, deliberate purpose. Was this a warning? Kakashi wondered. Is he baring his fangs... not just at me, but at Konoha itself?
For Sakura Haruno and Tazuna, the reaction was far more visceral. The bloody aftermath sent a primal wave of nausea through them. Looking at Naruto's broad back, Sakura tried to steady herself. It's okay, she told herself, her voice a faint whisper in her mind. Naruto killed an enemy ninja. This is normal for a shinobi.
Tazuna, on the other hand, had gone silent, his bravado drowned in terror. He didn't dare say another word.
"Ahem. Mr. Tazuna." Kakashi's voice cut through the heavy air, sharp and cold.
"Ah? Y-yes, go on." Hearing his name, the bridge builder flinched.
"Your request was for protection from common bandits," Kakashi stated, his single eye piercing Tazuna with its intensity. "But now Chunin-level assassins have appeared. This is no longer within the scope of a C-rank mission. I believe you may have hidden some crucial information from us?"
The weight of the Jonin's gaze was crushing. After the shock of the attack, Tazuna was at a complete loss for words.
"A mission of this level requires at least a B-rank designation," Kakashi continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We cannot continue. Let's pack up and head back to the village."
The last sentence was directed at the three Genin. As Kakashi made a move to leave, Tazuna felt his heart sink. He couldn't ask them to stay. He was the one who had lied, and the fee he'd paid was nowhere near enough to cover this level of risk.
Is this as far as I can go? Despair, cold and absolute, enveloped him. He could see the future of his homeland, choked and exploited by the tyrant Gato. The thought was a knife twisting in his gut.
Then, he did something that silenced everyone. The man, well over fifty, folded his body until his forehead pressed firmly against the dirt in a formal, desperate bow.
"I am truly sorry," his voice cracked. "I concealed the details of the request."
"The Land of Waves is poor. Because of Gato and his thugs, we have nothing left. We can't afford to hire a stronger ninja."
"I know my actions are despicable, but I beg you... please help me." He raised his head slightly, his eyes wet with tears. "Please save the Land of Waves. Its future cannot be destroyed by a man like Gato."
His plea was met with a heavy silence. What Tazuna had done was terrible; he had knowingly put the lives of these Genin on the line. But his desperation was just as real.
Seeing that no one was speaking, Sakura steeled herself. "There's no other way," she said, her voice soft but resolved. "This mission is beyond our abilities. Let's go, Naruto, Sasuke..."
Honestly, a part of her was devastated to give up on their first real mission, and she couldn't bring herself to ignore Tazuna's heartfelt plea. But she was keenly aware of her own limitations. If she stayed, she would only be a burden.
Sasuke stood motionless, lost in his own thoughts.
Just then, Naruto walked up to Tazuna and, without a word, took the bottle of cheap sake from the old man's pack.
Glug, glug, glug.
He downed the entire bottle in a few deep gulps. Sasuke and Sakura could only stare, dumbfounded. Seriously? Even if you want a drink, now is not the time, and you're stealing it from the client!
But Kakashi's gaze hardened. He had a feeling he knew what Naruto was about to do.
"Ahhh—doesn't taste very good..." Wiping his mouth, Naruto casually set the empty bottle on the ground. Then he grabbed Tazuna by the scruff of his neck, hauling him effortlessly to his feet.
"I can't just stand by and watch a man's knees get dirty," he said, his voice steady. He looked the stunned bridge builder in the eye.
"Your payment, I, Naruto Uzumaki, have already accepted."
"Now, let's get moving."
With that, he turned his back on them and began walking forward, his path set.
Behind him, Sasuke seemed to come to a decision. A soft, uncharacteristic chuckle escaped him. The internal conflict over Naruto's strength seemed to melt away, replaced by a grudging respect. He picked up the empty bottle, turned it over, and then followed Naruto without a word.
Tazuna and Sakura stared in astonishment. As the Jonin leader, Kakashi spoke, a hint of resignation in his voice. "Naruto, Sasuke, have you made up your minds?"
Naruto's only reply was a casual wave over his shoulder.
Suddenly, as if she had made up her own mind, Sakura also strode forward, picked up a smaller bottle of sake from Tazuna's pack, and took a large swig. Her face instantly wrinkled in disgust, but she turned to Kakashi, her eyes shining with new resolve.
"Kakashi Sensei, we'll be in your care!"
Hearing this, Kakashi offered a helpless, eye-crinkling smile and took the bottle from her. "Honestly," he sighed, "you're all underage. You really shouldn't be drinking."
Tazuna stared blankly at the three young ninja who had just pledged their lives for his cause, then slowly lowered his head, his shoulders shaking. "Thank you... thank you so much..."
The rest of the journey was smooth, as if Gato had only arranged for that one assassination attempt. But they all knew it was merely the calm before the storm. Along the way, Tazuna explained the dire situation in the Land of Waves: the Gato Company's iron-fisted control over shipping, their exploitation of the people, and the contraband trade that lined their pockets. The bridge was the people's only hope.
As he spoke, their small boat cut through the thick mist, and they finally arrived in the Land of Waves.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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