No one could have imagined someone was eavesdropping from outside the window, listening in on their business secrets—especially their plan to seize the Land of Hot Water, the most renowned peaceful nation in the ninja world.
Gato stumbled back a few steps in panic. Just as he was about to signal the rogue ninja he'd hired, the sharp edge of a kunai flashed into his vision.
Naruto Uzumaki burst in right after. He pressed one hand to his throbbing forehead and grabbed one of Gato's men with the other. "I heard you. Who were you just talking about, the person in the Land of Hot Water?"
"Ji… Jiraiya," the sleazy-looking man answered, his voice trembling. "Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin!"
Jiraiya!
That was the name. A name etched deep in his memory.
Every time he thought of it, he couldn't help but feel an endless sadness, mixed with an imperceptible warmth. What kind of person was this Jiraiya, that his name could feel as important as Teacher Iruka's and Teacher Kakashi's? Perhaps even more important than both of them.
Naruto wanted to chase the sealed memory, but the sharp pain in his brow forced him to give up. His hand tightened instinctively, nearly suffocating the man in his grip.
"Naruto, are you alright?"
Sasuke Uchiha, having subdued his own opponent, noticed what was happening and hurried over, looking at his companion with concern. He thought it might be a side effect from the demon fox's power.
Naruto shook his head, loosened his grip, and forced a smile at Sasuke. "I'm fine."
Fortunately, Sasuke was right here. He didn't need to trace his memories of Sasuke; they were nothing more than their battles in the Ninja Academy.
After seeing that his two subordinates were fine, Kakashi Hatake crouched down beside Gato, playing with his kunai. "Hey, tell me. How does your company travel to the Land of Hot Water?"
"By... by sea vessel."
Gato looked up blankly. From the corner of his eye, he could see that the rogue ninjas and thugs in the room had been powerless, all subdued by the three boys. His eyes darted around and landed on the handsome boy who had been with Zabuza. "Hey, that kid, aren't you with Zabuza…"
Swish!
A senbon needle grazed Gato's ear.
Haku turned and stood beside Kakashi, looking down at him. "We have decided to terminate your request."
"..."
Gato cowered for a moment. He was about to shout something, but when he saw Kakashi waving a kunai back and forth, he swallowed his words and said in a low voice, "Sir, we can talk about anything. I have a lot of money..."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Give me a sea chart from the Land of Waves to the Land of Hot Water, and while you're at it, help us pick a suitable ship. No problem, right?"
"Of... of course, no problem!" Gato gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully. A flash of hatred appeared in his eyes before he quickly concealed it, his face remaining fearful.
The world-class tycoon secretly swore that as soon as he was out of danger, he would immediately hire more ninjas and thugs to hunt down these people who dared to threaten him. No, he would capture them alive. He wanted to watch them being beaten to death with his own eyes.
However, after Kakashi got the sea chart and saw the shipping company's vessel, the jonin leader suddenly turned to the handsome boy. "Hey, kid, you wouldn't want him to leak our intelligence, would you?"
Haku suddenly clenched the senbon in his hand. "..."
The meaning of that sentence couldn't be more obvious. Neither Zabuza Momochi nor Kakashi Hatake wanted their information falling into the hands of others, especially a man with no integrity like Gato.
Kakashi left with his two subordinates. Only Naruto paused as he passed Haku and said in a low voice, "Zabuza has protected you too well. So much so that you're unwilling to act, even against someone like Gato?"
The handsome boy was silent for a moment. He looked up at the departing blond ninja, his expression gradually becoming resolute as senbon needles floated between his fingers.
For myself and Lord Zabuza to survive!
A cold aura began to emanate from Haku's body.
-----
The next morning, the temporarily formed squad finally parted ways.
Zabuza Momochi still looked displeased because his plan to use Gato's shipping company to acquire money had failed. To avoid the Mist Village's hunter-nin corps, he had to leave the Land of Waves with Haku.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist didn't want to give up on his dream. To get inside information from the Mist Village, he had to find a country very close to the Land of Water. He decided to take Haku on a sea vessel and escape to the Land of the Sea or the ruins of the former Land of Whirlpools.
As for Kosuke Maruboshi, his mission was basically complete. After Gato and his gang mysteriously disappeared last night, Tazuna's family was as happy as if it were New Year's. The civilians of the Land of Waves also proactively started helping to build the bridge.
Kakashi had already boarded a sea vessel with Team 7 last night. They would depart from the Land of Waves and travel by sea to the Land of Hot Water. According to Kakashi's guess, based on his understanding of the legendary ninja, Jiraiya was most likely in the Land of Hot Water gathering material for the sequel to Icha Icha Paradise. After all, there were many hot spring baths there.
-----
After they left the Land of Waves, another group of ninjas set foot on its soil. The leader was still Fu Yamanaka, but this time, many more ninjas followed him.
A masked ninja with a huge scroll on his back said to Fu, "Lord Danzo is not angry. He is very pleased that the village's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki can use the power of the Tailed Beast, so he has specially dispatched our Sealing Team..."
"Understood." Fu Yamanaka's brow was tightly furrowed as he waited for his subordinates to return and report.
-----
The result was that they only found information about an elderly genin from the village still carrying out a mission in the Land of Waves. They found nothing about Team Kakashi's arrival.
This was a complete disaster. They had lost them.
When Danzo Shimura received the report, he flew into a rage. He had arranged three tasks, and not a single one was completed. He finally had to order his subordinates to give up the pursuit of Team 7. After they returned to Konoha, they were to continue blending into the ANBU and wait for intelligence on Team Kakashi.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki in Team 7 was a matter of great importance. If he did not return to Konoha for a long time, the Third Hokage would inevitably have ANBU members investigate their whereabouts. At that time, Danzo could pull his own subordinates out in advance to intercept them.
As for the danger of being exposed… he, Danzo Shimura, had plotted to assassinate the Third Hokage, conducted illegal human experiments, and had done many other dirty things in private. A compliant Nine-Tails Jinchuriki would be enough for Hiruzen Sarutobi to erase all the mistakes he had ever made.
-----
Bonus:
What do you think about Jiraiya's research?
Hiruzen Sarutobi: As Hokage, in a public setting, I will not make any comments.
Kakashi Hatake: Great! It's all for the sake of art!
Tsunade: I'll have someone prepare a hospital room and a grave. It depends on his luck.
Orochimaru: Heh heh, it seems he has forgotten our promise...
Jiraiya: What promise? Is it the one where... someone turned into... hehehe... (^▽^)