Sakata Masazo was the only intermediary capable of contacting him through the bounty guild. Over the years, he had handled matters efficiently and earned Ash's trust. Unfortunately, he lacked any talent for ninjutsu and could never become a shinobi.
After the Nine-Tails' attack, Ash sent him to Konoha as an undercover agent. Naturally, his role was kept completely discreet. In the period following the disaster, Konoha was still busy rebuilding damaged houses and infrastructure, and security checks on outsiders were unusually lax.
Taking advantage of this, Ash arranged for Sakata Masazo to enter Konoha under the guise of a civilian. He opened a small ramen shop and quietly gathered intelligence. With Masazo's limited abilities, he was never expected to collect anything of real value—and Ash never needed him to.
His sole task was simple: keep an eye on Uzumaki Naruto and help him if necessary.
Years passed, and Sakata Masazo's ramen shop gradually became well-known throughout Konoha. It became one of the earliest and most beloved local establishments—eventually known as Leda Ramen.
As time went on, Masazo grew accustomed to his peaceful life as a ramen shop owner. He even adopted a young girl named Sakata Sakai. Because he possessed no chakra and deliberately avoided forming close ties with shinobi, his civilian identity in Konoha was flawless. Even Danzo Shimura never suspected that he was an undercover agent sent by Ash.
Moreover, thanks to Sakata Masazo's quiet care, Naruto's childhood was noticeably better than it might have been otherwise. Since Masazo had shown no ill intent toward Naruto after the Nine-Tails' attack, the Third Hokage and others felt reassured about his presence.
Due to Danzo's influence, Naruto was branded by the villagers as the incarnation of Kurama, and most people refused to sell him even basic necessities. Among the few exceptions was Sakata Masazo, whose ramen shop always welcomed Naruto with warmth.
When Ash rushed toward the Land of Waves, Kakashi Hatake and his team—already on the island—encountered a dangerous enemy: one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, a missing-nin from Kirigakure.
Momochi Zabuza stood silently ahead, his killing intent pressing down like a blade.
"So this is the treachery of Kirigakure," Kakashi said calmly. "Momochi Zabuza… the Demon of the Mist."
Despite his relaxed tone, Kakashi was extremely alert.
Kakashi and Zabuza were both elite shinobi. If it were a one-on-one fight, Kakashi was confident he could win. However, with three genin behind him, his movements would inevitably be restricted.
"Betrayal?" Naruto muttered beside him. He didn't fully understand the word, but the anger in his chest burned fiercely. His body instinctively surged forward—only to be stopped midway by Kakashi.
"Naruto, don't interfere," Kakashi said firmly. "Go with Sasuke and Sakura. Protect Mr. Dazuna."
"What?! I want to fight too!" Naruto protested immediately.
"This opponent is nothing like the ones before," Kakashi replied gravely. "Even for me, this battle won't be easy. One mistake, and I could die."
Compared to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Naruto still had a long way to go—whether in talent, judgment, or composure. Much of that gap was the result of his isolated upbringing.
"I never thought I'd meet the famous Copy Ninja," Zabuza said, his gaze sharp. "Hatake Kakashi… the man with the Sharingan. Hand the old man over, and I might let you die quickly."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed.
The Sharingan was no joke—especially to someone like Zabuza, who had once suffered because of it. He remained on full guard.
"Sharingan?" Sasuke muttered in shock from beside Dazuna. His eyes widened as he stared at Kakashi's uncovered left eye.
Kakashi lifted his headband slightly, revealing the crimson tomoe spinning calmly beneath.
"How can Kakashi have the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan…?" Sasuke whispered.
Naruto stared blankly at Kakashi's eye, completely confused.
"Hey, Kakashi-sensei," he asked, "what's wrong with your eye?"
"The Sharingan is a type of dōjutsu," Sasuke Uchiha explained in a low voice. "It allows the user to perceive chakra flow, see through genjutsu, copy ninjutsu and taijutsu, and respond with perfect counterattacks. But the Sharingan is far more than just enhanced vision—it is one of the most powerful dōjutsu in the shinobi world."
Hearing Sasuke's explanation, Zabuza let out a short chuckle and nodded.
"Not bad. That's a fairly accurate description," he said coldly. "Of course, the Sharingan's abilities don't stop there. In today's shinobi world, there are only three people truly famous for possessing it… and Hatake Kakashi, you are one of them."
"Three?" Sasuke stiffened instantly.
His eyes widened, and hatred surged through them.
"You—have you seen Uchiha Itachi?!" Sasuke shouted, his voice trembling with suppressed rage.
Zabuza raised an eyebrow. His gaze shifted to the fan-shaped emblem on Sasuke's clothes.
"…So that's it. You're a survivor of the Uchiha clan."
"Answer me!" Sasuke demanded, his composure completely shattered. "Have you seen Itachi?!"
Before Zabuza could reply, Kakashi stepped forward and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder.
"Sasuke, calm down," Kakashi said sharply. "Now is not the time for this."
Sasuke's breathing was heavy, his fists clenched tight, but he stopped himself from charging forward.
Zabuza snorted.
"Kid, with your current strength, you want to hunt Uchiha Itachi?" he said disdainfully. "That man is an S-rank missing-nin. You don't even know what real chakra control is yet—don't make me laugh."
As his words fell, Zabuza swiftly formed hand seals.
In an instant, thick mist surged out in all directions, swallowing the surroundings completely.
Visibility dropped to almost nothing.
"Everyone, be careful," Kakashi said calmly, his tone turning serious. He lowered his headband completely, revealing the crimson Sharingan in his left eye.
"This is the Hidden Mist Jutsu. The fog is infused with chakra and blocks vision entirely," Kakashi explained. "Momochi Zabuza is famous for his Silent Killing Technique. This mist marks the beginning of his hunt."
Kakashi closed his right eye and focused entirely on the Sharingan, carefully observing every fluctuation in the fog around them.
...
TN:
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