Chapter 164: Mission's End
After Gato was thoroughly dealt with by the long-resentful residents of the Land of Waves in the most primitive and satisfying manner, Team Seven's escort mission also reached its true conclusion.
Following Gato's death, the bridge construction site buzzed with activity and enthusiasm. All the workers who had been scared away by Gato's violence and threats, forced to abandon their posts, now returned to the worksite with their tools. Their faces no longer showed the worry and fear of the past, replaced instead by genuine smiles and eyes sparkling with hope and anticipation for the future.
Logically speaking, with Gato—the root cause of all the chaos—now dead, Team Seven's escort mission was more than complete. But the master and three students decided to follow proper procedure and stay until the bridge was fully finished before returning to Konoha.
"Following procedure" was just one official reason. The more practical reason was that Kakashi was in poor condition.
The intense battle with Momochi Zabuza, especially maintaining his Sharingan on high alert throughout the encounter with Menma, had brought unprecedented psychological pressure and massive chakra consumption that nearly emptied him completely.
He could barely stand, desperately needing several days of rest to recover his chakra and energy. He simply couldn't handle the rigors of a long journey back.
Naruto had originally planned to use these few days of rest to continue his training. However, this plan was interrupted by Satsuki's unusually firm attitude.
After seeing Naruto use that ominous crimson chakra earlier, Satsuki's heart had been constantly on edge, with Kakashi's warning about "that power being dangerous" echoing repeatedly in her mind.
She completely ignored Naruto's explanations that he was just a bit tired and otherwise fine, insisting he rest like Kakashi, completely relax, and absolutely forbidding any form of training.
"What if you develop undetectable internal injuries or hidden problems?!" Satsuki's tone was rarely so uncompromisingly stern. Her concern for Naruto's physical condition had reached an almost overprotective level.
Faced with Satsuki's overflowing care and the deep anxiety hidden beneath her firm attitude, Naruto ultimately chose to compromise.
He abandoned thoughts of secret training. After all, his Menma shadow clone was still out handling organizational affairs with Kakuzu, so training could indeed wait a few days. More importantly, he didn't want Satsuki to worry.
This compromise reflected, to some degree, a subtle but profound bond between them. Both Naruto and Satsuki were people who would "obey everything" the other asked.
Naruto was willing to accommodate and accept all of Satsuki's emotions and concerns, while Satsuki placed Naruto above everything else.
However, because Naruto had unconsciously raised Satsuki's affection to excessive levels early on—even somewhat abnormally—Satsuki's inner possessiveness, protective instincts, and passionate emotions had always been forcibly suppressed beneath a calm exterior.
If Naruto hadn't responded to her concern with this gentle, almost completely accommodating attitude, but instead shown impatience or rejection, Satsuki's suppressed emotions that had already become somewhat pathological would likely explode uncontrollably like a burst dam—a scene Naruto definitely didn't want to witness.
Therefore, during these rare days of rest, Naruto was happy to relax, obediently accompanying the recuperating Kakashi while enjoying—or rather, being forced to accept—Satsuki's meticulous but somewhat anxious "care," allowing both his body and spirit to fully relax.
Meanwhile, Sakura took on the responsibility of caring for the resting Kakashi. She also dutifully performed the procedural escort duties, keeping watch at Tazuna's house or near the bridge construction site. In her free time, she would accompany Tsunami to the market to buy food.
Walking through the streets of the Land of Waves, Sakura could clearly feel the country's atmosphere had undergone earth-shaking changes.
The gloom and fear that once shrouded everyone's faces had dissipated, replaced by a light and hope-filled atmosphere.
Even public safety had improved significantly. She remembered the last time she went out with Tazuna, they had to be extra careful about pickpockets, but this time, though people around them were still not wealthy, those unsettling predatory gazes had almost completely disappeared.
These obvious changes naturally relaxed Sakura's mood considerably.
At the same time, Kakashi, lying in bed recuperating, though physically unable to move, found his thoughts unusually heavy.
This mission had completely spiraled out of control, primarily due to Menma's appearance. Kakashi almost suspected he'd awakened some prophetic jinx ability—no, he hadn't even spoken it aloud, just briefly considered the possibility of Ember organization involvement... and then that terrifying figure actually descended with overwhelming power?!
This coincidence left him feeling deeply helpless and shaken.
Analyzing calmly, Kakashi speculated Ember's intervention had two main purposes. First, likely recruiting powerful rogue ninja, especially Haku's nearly extinct Ice Style bloodline limit.
Now that they'd been saved by Menma, they'd presumably become new members of the Ember organization.
Second, probably for funding. Robbing the wealthy-as-a-nation Gato would undoubtedly provide enormous operational funds for their organization. The eager attitude of the other Ember member Menma brought said everything.
However, beyond these strategic speculations, what most disturbed Kakashi was that incredible "restoration" ability Menma had displayed.
That wasn't medical ninjutsu—absolutely not! Medical ninjutsu required process, precise chakra control, and treatment time.
What Menma did was instantaneous "restoration"! Forcibly pulling someone from death's door, repairing fatal injuries... once this ability was confirmed and spread, it could overturn the entire ninja world's balance and understanding! Its strategic value and psychological impact might be even more terrifying than the pure destructive power of the "Great Spiraling Ring of Ruin."
This intelligence had to be transmitted to Konoha immediately.
Despite his body still being weak and chakra far from recovered, he forced himself to sit up, bit his thumb, and formed seals with what little chakra had returned.
After the summoning jutsu, a ninja hound was called forth. Kakashi quickly and concisely relayed the crucial intelligence about Menma's instant restoration ability, recruitment of Zabuza and Haku, and Gato's elimination to the ninja hound, ordering it to deliver the message to the Third Hokage at maximum speed.
Watching the ninja hound disappear with the crucial scroll, Kakashi collapsed back down exhaustedly. He'd done what he could—he only hoped the village could respond to this promptly.
During the following days of rest, Naruto noticed something unusual. He discovered that even Kakashi's beloved "Make-Out Paradise" seemed to have lost its former appeal.
Though Kakashi still held that orange book, his gaze often lost focus, not turning a page for long periods, clearly preoccupied and lost in thought.
This absent-minded state was extremely rare for Kakashi.
This Land of Waves mission, especially the encounter with Menma, had brought Kakashi unprecedented shock. That feeling of helplessness before absolute power, that sense of insignificance with life and death completely controlled by others, had deeply pierced his heart.
He felt incredibly fortunate that Menma seemed to have no intention of attacking them, otherwise the consequences would have been unthinkable. But as a jonin, he understood one truth—ninja absolutely cannot entrust their own and their companions' safety to enemy mercy or luck!
This time they were lucky—what about next time?
If they encountered the same or even more dangerous situations next time, but he remained in this half-hearted state, unable even to cover his students' retreat, create a chance for survival, or even die together with the enemy...
What right would he have to face his teacher after death? What face would he have to meet Obito, who sacrificed himself to save him?
Just thinking of that possibility made intense self-loathing surge from Kakashi's heart. He felt deep anger and shame at his years of wallowing in the past, getting by carelessly, lazily numbing himself.
This emotion was so strong that he secretly resolved that after returning to Konoha, he must completely change! He had to make up double for all these wasted years and neglected training!
He even had the unprecedented thought of joining Might Guy for high-intensity taijutsu training—though just thinking about it made his muscles protest.
Thus, beneath the seemingly peaceful recuperation atmosphere, everyone had their own thoughts and plans quietly brewing.
Several days passed quietly, and the Land of Waves' great bridge—this structure embodying hope and sweat—was finally completely finished!
When the last bridge plank was securely fastened, deafening cheers erupted from the crowd! Gato's shadow had become completely past, and the bridge to the outside world and new life was now unobstructed! The Land of Waves had finally truly made it to dawn!
Afterward, Tazuna bid final farewell to Team Seven. He repeatedly expressed his inexpressible gratitude and solemnly promised that after settling the Land of Waves' internal affairs, he would immediately travel to Konoha and pay the full mission fee according to proper mission standards.
Thus, the Land of Waves mission finally came to a perfect conclusion, and the master and three students began their journey back to Konoha Village.
****
80+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces