"Since you've admitted it," Kakashi said flatly, his single visible eye narrowing, "you should understand that once shinobi are involved, the level of danger changes completely. These two attackers were clearly ninjas from Kirigakure — the Village Hidden in the Mist. That already raises the mission to at least a B-rank assignment."
His tone hardened.
"And judging by the risk ahead, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it A-rank. But the reward you paid the Hidden Leaf was only for a C-rank escort. You understand what that means, don't you, Dazna-san? Under the rules of the mission system… I have every right to call this off."
Kakashi's words carried no anger — only the sharp weight of a professional judgment. In the world of shinobi, deception about mission rank wasn't a simple lie. It was a crime that could cost lives.
A lower-ranked assignment meant unprepared ninja — and an ambush like this could easily lead to the entire team's annihilation.
Dazna, his old face pale, understood perfectly well.
"I know… I know it's unforgivable," he muttered, voice trembling. "But, ninja-sama, I had no other choice."
He lifted his head slowly, his voice quivering with desperation. "You must know by now that our Land of Waves is small — the smallest, and the poorest of all nations. Ever since Gato, that cursed tycoon, took over our trade routes, everything fell under his control. The economy, the food, even our freedom. The villagers gathered what little money we had just to hire you…"
He clenched his fists. "But to afford a B-rank mission? Impossible. And an A-rank—" he shook his head, "—it's beyond imagination. So yes, I lied… because I had no other choice."
His words trembled with sincerity.
"I understand if you must abandon me," Dazna continued, bowing deeply. "But please… I only wanted to build this bridge. A bridge of courage — for my people, for the Land of Waves. I'm not afraid to die for that dream. What terrifies me is leaving my daughter and my grandson behind… in a country ruled by fear."
His voice cracked slightly at the end.
Sakura and Naruto both fell silent.
The emotion in Dazna's words tugged at their hearts instantly.
After all, the new generation of Konoha shinobi had grown up in peace. Many of them still carried compassion — something often considered a weakness for true ninja.
That kind of sentiment, while noble, could be deadly.
Menma's expression hardened.
Because of one man's desperation — a lie had endangered his entire team. It didn't matter how noble the cause was; deceiving the village meant gambling their lives for someone else's dream.
Perhaps Dazna's intentions were good — courage, justice, and love for his people — but that didn't erase the risk he had created for Team 7.
In Menma's eyes, that kind of choice was unforgivable.
"Since Dazna-san has admitted to lying," Menma said coldly, "then according to protocol, Kakashi-sensei, we should withdraw. It's within the mission regulations — we won't bear responsibility for abandoning a falsified contract."
Even knowing the enemies ahead — Momochi Zabuza and Haku — Menma showed no hesitation.
He understood their strength. With his power, Naruto's, Sasuke's, and Kakashi's, they could likely win if it came to battle.
But that wasn't the point.
Why risk their lives for someone who had deceived them from the start?
Menma wasn't naive. He could help those in need, yes — but never someone who manipulated others through guilt and desperation.
"…You're right," Kakashi said finally, nodding slightly. "Abandoning the mission would be the most logical decision."
His tone was calm, but his words carried weight.
Team 7 wasn't made up of ordinary genin.
There was Sasuke Uchiha — the last survivor of the Uchiha clan.
Naruto Namikaze — the son of the Fourth Hokage.
And Menma Uzumaki — bearer of the Nine-Tails' power, a living weapon of the Leaf.
If this mission escalated into something beyond its rank, they couldn't afford unnecessary risks.
Sasuke remained silent, but the flicker of agreement in his eyes said everything. He had no interest in playing savior — only in surviving and growing stronger.
Dazna's shoulders trembled. His heart sank like a stone.
He'd expected this. He had even prepared for it. But now that it was happening, panic flooded him.
Without their protection, he would die — and everything he dreamed of would crumble.
He wasn't afraid of dying if it meant saving his country… but dying now, without finishing the bridge, would make his sacrifice meaningless.
And then there was his daughter… and his little grandson, Inari.
Dazna's hands clenched tightly at his sides, his heart pounding.
"Wait—! You're giving up? Just like that?!"
Naruto's voice broke through the silence, full of disbelief. "Kakashi-sensei, come on! Look at this old man! He's risking everything for his country! We can't just walk away!"
Typical Naruto — impulsive, loud, and full of empathy.
Even now, Menma couldn't help but frown slightly.
No matter what changed in this life, his brother's heart was the same — stubborn and impossibly soft. The same heart that, in another lifetime, forgave Nagato and even Obito.
"Brother Kakashi," Naruto said again, his tone determined now. "I think we should help him! Gato sounds like a monster, and Dazna-san's just trying to stand up for his people! Protecting him until the bridge is done isn't too much for us!"
"Yeah!" Sakura added quickly, nodding in agreement. "He's right, sensei. Gato's horrible! We can't just abandon Dazna-san now. If we work together, we can handle it!"
Her words were full of earnest belief — pure, uncalculated, and naive.
To Dazna, however, they sounded like salvation itself.
Hope returned to his eyes.
He looked up, trembling slightly, staring at Kakashi — the man who would decide his fate.
Because in the end, whether this mission continued or not… depended entirely on his judgment.