Zabuza's body hit the ground with a wet thud, limbs spasming once before falling still. The mist swirled unnaturally, and from its depths emerged a figure clad in white, a hunter-nin mask hiding their face. They moved with eerie silence, each step precise and deliberate.
"I am a tracker-nin from the Hidden Mist," the masked figure said, voice soft but carrying authority. "Our duty is to dispose of missing-nin like Zabuza."
Kakashi narrowed his visible eye, cautious, but the situation seemed under control. Sakura looked between them, puzzled.
"Tracker-nin?" she whispered.
Meanwhile, Naruto stared sharply at the newcomer, keeping his expression blank. Inside, though, his mind raced.
'That's Haku. I remember thinking he was bad, turns out he a dude. Man was i mislead.' This wasn't just a recovery mission — it was a setup. They needed Zabuza alive.
The hunter-nin didn't waste time. In a quick, fluid motion, they launched a handful of senbon at Zabuza's neck and vital points. The needles struck with silent precision. Zabuza's body jerked once, then went completely limp.
Kakashi immediately stepped back, releasing the Water Clone Jutsu he had maintained around the broken battlefield. The water prison bubble surrounding the collapsed clone dissolved into puddles at their feet.
Naruto watched every move carefully.
'They're faking his death. That senbon attack wasn't lethal — just enough to make it look real.'
The masked nin walked over and, with practiced ease, hoisted Zabuza's limp form over their shoulder. Even through the mist and the mask, Naruto could feel it — the care, the familiarity. This was no cold assassin.
"Thank you for your help," Haku said politely. "I will dispose of the body."
Without waiting for permission, they vanished into the thick mist, their chakra masked expertly.
Naruto clenched his fists behind his back but forced a casual look on his face.
"Man, that was fast," he muttered.
Sasuke gave him a side glance. "You wanted it to last longer?"
Naruto shrugged, hiding his seething thoughts.
' Hope the next fight will be at least entertaining ' he thought.
Kakashi, meanwhile, sighed and lowered his forehead protector back over his Sharingan.
"Everyone, stay alert. Things aren't over yet."
The mist began to lift, revealing the battered trees and broken ground around them. Tazuna looked pale but determined.
The team gathered themselves and continued forward, every step heavy with the knowledge that a greater battle still loomed ahead.
The mist finally thinned as they moved deeper into the Land of Waves. The dirt path curved along quiet woods and shallow streams, winding through the bleak outskirts of the village. The mood was tense, but Naruto walked calmly, hands behind his head like he didn't have a care in the world.
Inside, he was still focused.
'Zabuza's alive. Haku's going to nurse him back. That gives us time — but not much. Kakashi's probably about to pass out too…'
Ahead of him, Kakashi stumbled.
"Sensei?" Sakura called out, concerned.
Kakashi raised a hand weakly. "I'm fine. Just… chakra fatigue. That Sharingan takes a toll."
Before he could finish, his knees buckled. Naruto moved fast, catching him under the shoulder just before he hit the ground.
"Called it," Naruto muttered under his breath.
Sasuke and Sakura helped carry Kakashi the rest of the way as Tazuna guided them toward his home — a modest wooden house near the coast. When they arrived, a woman greeted them at the door with a young boy hiding behind her. Naruto recognized them immediately — Tsunami and Inari.
"Please come in," Tsunami said quickly, alarmed by Kakashi's state. "Lay him down over here."
They moved Kakashi onto a futon. He was breathing steadily but clearly exhausted. Sakura hovered nearby, fussing.
"He'll be fine," Naruto said. "He just needs to rest."
Tazuna looked between them all, clearly shaken. "I didn't think... they'd go this far just for me."
"They won't stop," Naruto said, voice lower now. "Zabuza's not dead."
That earned him wide eyes from everyone — except Kakashi, who opened one eye and gave Naruto a faint, knowing look.
"Smart as always," the jonin murmured, then passed out completely.
Naruto looked out the window toward the mist-covered forest.
'What should I do while they train, I guess meditate since I have nothing else to do' he thought.
' I guess growing stronger made life boring in a way' Kurama said.
' Sure but I'm not bothered the least, that's been by plan from the start. Then again it's only for this time only. In the Chunin exam it's going to be different ' he said.
' Oh, how are you sure that Kakashi will allow you to take part in it, oh I forgot that you're the same Naruto. Well good luck, don't think you'll need it though '
' I won't, I definitely won't ' Naruto thought as he smirked.
The next morning, Kakashi had just enough energy to begin training Sasuke and Sakura in chakra control.
He led them to the forest, explaining the technique of tree walking, how to focus chakra to their feet and maintain it as they climb.
Naruto just stood nearby, arms folded, watching.
"Why aren't you trying, Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"I already know how," he replied casually.
"Yeah right," Sasuke muttered, "prove it."
Without a word, Naruto walked straight up the tallest tree, hands in his pockets. He stood upside down near the top, looking down at them with a smirk.
Sasuke gritted his teeth. Sakura just stared, stunned.
'He's even better than I thought,' Sasuke thought. 'How the hell is he so far ahead already?'
Kakashi, leaning against a tree with a cane for support, smiled softly.
' Natural Talent or hard work? I think it's both ' he thought.
Naruto dropped down from the tree and dusted his hands. "Alright. You two practice. I'll go patrol."
Sasuke watched him go, frustration boiling under the surface.
'I'm bored,' Naruto thought, arms behind his head as he stepped out of the house and stretched under the gray, mist-heavy sky. 'Let's walk around the village. Maybe I'll find something good to eat.'
He wandered down the worn, muddy path, past rotting docks and water-stained walls, the buildings leaning with age and disrepair. The whole place reeked of quiet suffering.
After a few minutes of aimless walking, the smell of something warm and savory hit his nose — broth and garlic, with a hint of soy. His stomach growled.
His eyes landed on a tiny stall with a faded red curtain hanging over the entrance. A cracked wooden sign read: "Minji's Noodles."
He stepped in. The place was small — three stools, a wooden counter, and one elderly man standing behind a pot of simmering broth. His clothes were patched, and his hands moved with the calm weariness of someone who'd done the same thing for years.
"Yo, old man," Naruto greeted, hopping onto a stool. "Smells great. What's on the menu?"
The man smiled faintly. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Just passing through on a mission." Naruto nodded. "I'll have whatever's hot."
A bowl of steaming noodles was soon placed in front of him. Naruto slurped hungrily, eyes lighting up. "Whoa, this is actually good!"
The old man chuckled softly. "Glad someone thinks so."
After a pause, Naruto glanced around the dim stall, then asked, "Why does this place look so run-down? Feels like everyone's just… surviving."
The owner's smile faded. His hands paused over the ladle.
"This village used to be full of life," he said quietly. "Fishermen, carpenters, farmers — all proud people. But years ago, Gatō moved in. At first, he funded the bridge project. Said he wanted to improve trade. Then he sent his men — thugs — to take control. Anyone who spoke out disappeared. Business dried up. Hope did too."
He looked Naruto in the eye.
"When the villagers can't pay, they're forced into labor. Or worse. Gatō owns this village now — and he bleeds it dry."
Naruto's chopsticks froze in his hand.
'That bastard…'
The man returned to his pot with a sigh. "But who's going to stop him? No one strong enough has cared."
Naruto stood up, setting a few coins on the counter. " Thanks for the grub Oldman "
He turned, the weight of resolve settling in his chest as he stepped back out into the mist.
' Yeah I want my name on that bridge ' he thought.
TO BE CONTINUED