For Tazuna, the conditions Senju Haruto set out this time were without a doubt an astronomical price.
Even if the bridge were to be completed, there was no way he could possibly afford such an outrageous payment.
Haruto knew this perfectly well, which was why he had told Tazuna that regarding the reward, he could take it up with the Daimyō of the Land of Waves.
This was, after all, the only real chance the country had of shaking off Gatō's stranglehold.
Tazuna couldn't quite understand Haruto's motives for acting this way.
Yet after wrestling with hesitation, he decided he couldn't let this precious opportunity slip away.
In the end, he nodded his head, accepting the commission.
As for what came after… best to let the Daimyō worry about that.
But the truth was, Haruto had another reason for doing this.
The Land of Waves had a peculiar geography. Though technically an island nation, its landmass was far from small. And the bridge Tazuna was building connected directly with the Land of Fire.
In other words, once the Great Naruto Bridge was completed, the shinobi forces of the Fire Country could cross with ease, stepping right into Wave's territory.
At the same time, the Land of Fire would become Wave's only neighboring country by land.
And with the Land of Waves having no shinobi village of its own, the imbalance in military strength was obvious.
That so-called S-rank mission was nothing but a smokescreen.
It wasn't that a minor Daimyō couldn't possibly muster such a fortune in one go — but even if he could, he'd simply end up a puppet in Haruto's hands.
The plan was simple: wait for the right time, let the Root organization seep into the Land of Waves, and seize control.
Of course, Haruto was nothing like Gatō.
He had no obsession with wealth, nor did he intend to exploit the people of Wave.
On the contrary, he could give them a more prosperous life, turning the nation into an unsinkable warship — a foundation for eventually uniting the Land of Water.
After all, the Land of Waves lay right between Fire and Water. Its location held undeniable strategic value.
Once he reached consensus with Tazuna, Haruto declared the mission would continue.
After some days of travel, the group crossed the sea to the Land of Waves, slipping through the fog aboard a small boat. They stopped briefly in a coastal village before moving on through a deserted forest path.
Now that they understood the truth, Team 7 kept themselves sharp and alert. Tazuna's mood, meanwhile, was complicated beyond words.
And this time, Naruto was no longer the same foolhardy genin he had once been. Having returned from his training at Mount Myōboku, he now stood well above Sasuke in ability. He didn't need to bluff or show off just to keep up.
Before long, the forest grew thick with mist, cutting their visibility down to mere meters.
"Zabuza…"
Haruto couldn't help but recall the image: bandage-wrapped, browless, with that massive blade across his back.
Momochi Zabuza.
Not only the first true threat Team 7 would face, but also a villain who had left a deep mark on countless shinobi fans.
Some even joked that Zabuza was the real strongest in the ninja world:
Kicking around the reincarnation of Ashura, the so-called prince Naruto.
Smashing fists with the reincarnation of Indra, the brooding Sasuke.
Pinning down Kakashi, the Sixth Hokage-to-be.
Scaring the wits out of Tsunade's personal disciple.
That record was nothing short of legendary — enough to brag about for a lifetime.
After all, aside from Zabuza, the only other opponent to face this exact lineup was none other than the mother of the Sage of Six Paths himself, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Haruto smirked at the thought. But just then, a wave of killing intent rushed in, sharp and undeniable.
"Get down!"
Kakashi's voice barked from behind.
"They're here," Haruto murmured, pushing off the ground lightly, sliding two or three meters back to steady his stance.
Sasuke, reacting swiftly, shoved Tazuna to safety.
Naruto, his power far above that of a normal genin now, had already thrown Sakura to the ground even before Kakashi's shout finished.
A faint floral scent brushed Naruto's nose. He couldn't help inhaling twice more.
And then it came into view — the massive Executioner's Blade, spinning like a saw, cleaving past Team 7 before slamming into the trunk of a giant tree with a resonant thunk.
Kakashi barely avoided the first strike, rolling to his feet and scanning the trees.
He had suspected this ever since they entered Wave territory.
After the Demon Brothers had failed, the enemy would not send another squad of mere chūnin.
They'd send a jōnin.
But he hadn't expected it to be this man — the infamous rogue-nin himself.
"Of all places… I didn't think we'd cross paths here," Kakashi muttered, cutting off Naruto as he tried to charge forward.
"The rogue shinobi of the Hidden Mist… the Demon of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza."
"Stay back, all of you," Kakashi warned, his tone grave. "This one is nothing like those two before. His strength is on an entirely different level."
Right now, with his chakra drained, Kakashi couldn't even use his Sharingan. He wasn't Zabuza's equal.
Part of him was almost relieved — that this time, Senju Haruto was with them.
"No wonder the Demon Brothers failed," Zabuza said from above, looking down on Team 7 with cold disdain. His gaze quickly locked on Kakashi.
A famed elite jōnin of the Leaf.
No wonder those fools hadn't stood a chance. Even Zabuza knew better than to underestimate such a man.
"Well, well… Sharingan Kakashi, of all people. What an honor to meet you here."
His tone dripped with mock respect.
"I served in the Hidden Mist's Anbu assassination unit once. I carried dossiers on shinobi like you."
"Graduated from the Academy at five. Became a chūnin at six. At twelve, already an elite jōnin of the Leaf. Took part in the Third Great Ninja War — and at Kannabi Bridge, became a hero whose name spread across the entire shinobi world."
"Truly… no shinobi, however great, could stand shoulder to shoulder with such a record."
"The man who copied over a thousand jutsu. The Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi."
Zabuza listed it all without pause, his one visible eye gleaming with the thrill of facing such a legend.
A man like this — unforgettable at a glance.
If possible, Zabuza wanted to see for himself the fabled power of the Sharingan.
And yet…
"Kakashi," Zabuza said plainly, "that old man is my target. Hand him over to me."
Though Kakashi was famous, he wasn't so intimidating that Zabuza would abandon his mission.
No — Zabuza didn't believe he was any less than Kakashi.
If Kakashi chose to step aside, he'd let them live.
"Sorry, Zabuza," Kakashi replied with a smirk. "Your strength may be impressive, but Tazuna is our client. There's no way we'll hand him over."
"And besides… compared to ordinary shinobi, I was once called a prodigy. But when it comes to true geniuses, I pale in comparison."
"A thousand copied jutsu, the Sharingan… none of that really means much."
Kakashi spoke evenly, but his gaze shifted to the side.
Zabuza frowned, following his line of sight.
And the moment his eyes fell upon what lay there — his breath caught.
He froze on the spot.