( THE LAND OF WAVES PART-9 )

deep inside a forest

a cocoon-shaped building was built on a tree, which is supported by a number of ropes.

inside the building.

zabuza was lying on a bed seemingly in deep sleep and haku was beside him taking care of him. at this time Haku's expression was calm on the other side of the room there were two rogue mist chunin sitting there while checking some information, they are the members of the Zabuza's mercenary group, each of them is a criminal or missing-nin.

KNOCK! KNOCK! BANG!

as haku was taking care of Zabuza there was a sudden knock on the door and before haku could ask chunin to open the door it was slammed open by the visitors. seeing this a frown appear on Haku's face and because of the sound Zabuza also seems to have woken up.

zabuza, ask haku in a weak voice.

zabuza: haku who dares to barge in.

just as haku was about to answer, gatou interrupt him while entering

gatou: my-my say Zabuza, even you have come back defeated, it looks like the mist country ninjas are pretty pathetic.

gatou continue to move toward Zabuza with a disgusted expression on his face.

gatou: you can not even take care of a jounin and you are planning to assassinate mizukage huh, pretty pathetic if you ask me.

zabuza: I will kill him next time.

by this time gatou and his henchmen have reached zabuza's side and seeing their boss's behaviour gatou's henchman put their hands on their swords. seeing this haku's eyes twitched.

gatou: next time huh! why do you think that you will get a next time ..... and what is with those bandages on your mouth?

saying this gatou reached out with his hand but before he could touch Zabuza a hand grabbed him and an intense killing came crashing down on him, he was scared shitless and look toward his left.

haku: do not touch Zabuza-san with your dirty hands.

seeing that their boss was in danger his henchman waraji and zouri attacked haku with their swords but before their swords could reach. haku moved with an inhuman speed, he grabbed their swords and place it on their necks, seeing this they were rooted on their position with cold sweat dripping from their backs.

what the heck! this fast ( zouri's thoughts )

h.. he is a monster ( waraji thoughts )

as haku was about to kill them he heard Zabuza's voice.

zabuza: haku rest your hand and you gatou do not ever dare to mess with me again, just one more chance and I will kill him.

zabuza said this with a cold look in his eyes, seeing the look gatou took some steps back and shouted with a tensed voice.

gatou: FINE!! ONE MORE TIME!! if you fail one more time than i will inform hidden mist village about your hideout.

saying this gatou hurriedly left with his henchmen. after they left Zabuza said.

zabuza: haku it is too early to kill gatou. if we cause a commotion at this time than they will come after us again.

haku: I know Zabuza-san but if anyone dares to harm you, they will have to go through me.

zabuza smiled after hearing this and released a sigh.

...............................

in front of the village head's residence.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

tazuna slowly knocked on the door and step back, not long after the door was opened by a middle age woman, looking at who it was she was a little surprised and ask.

aiko: tazuna what are you doing here and who are these brats.

tazuna: aiko-san they are the ninjas from the village hidden in the leaves, and we are here because we have something important to discuss with village head.

hearing tazuna a serious expression appear on aiko's face, from tazuna's expression she could tell that the situation is very serious. so she allows them to enter.

inside a courtyard, Akito ( village head ) was looking at some documents with a serious expression on his face. he was really worried about the village at the same time he was also feeling very guilty since it was him who allowed gatou to expand his business in this village. as he was thinking about all this he heard some footsteps approaching and not long after five people enter the courtyard. among them, there was aiko his wife, tazuna the expert bridge builder and also three brats. seeing the trio a frown appears on Akito's face.

seeing tazuna's serious expression, Akito knew that something bad has happened and before he could ask what it was tazuna interrupt him.

tazuna: Akito-san there is a good news and a bad news which one would you like to hear first.

hearing this that there is a bad news he instinctively knew that it is related to gatou, thinking this a serious expression appear on his face and he asks.

akito: what is the bad news.

tazuna: the bad news is, from tomorrow morning gatou is going to stop all food shipments to the village.

akito/aiko: WHAT!!!!

akito face suddenly become pale, now he was feeling even more guilty and angry at the same time. he forcefully calmed himself down and ask.

akito: and what is the good news.

a smile appears on tazuna's face and he said.

tazuna: we have enough food to support village for around two and a half month.

a frown appears on Akito face and he ask.

akito: tazuna if I am not wrong the emergency food storage is empty.

tazuna: yes, the food is with them, they are the ninjas from the village hidden in the leaves. the one with pink hair is sakura, the one with killing looks is sasuke and the one with a stupid looking face is naruto.

akito: Oh! is what tazuna said true, do you really have food.

hearing this a smile appear on Naruto's face and he took out the scroll and release the inside content, looking at the bundles of different colour scrolls Akito was a little shocked but being the head of the village he soon calmed himself down.

akito: naruto what are these scroll.

naruto: these are storage scrolls which contain food, Akito-san if you do not mind, I will be opening a distribution centre in the village.

hearing that these scrolls contain food Akito was finally relieved but hearing that naruto himself want to distribute the food he was a little confused and ask.

akito: naruto, you do not have to do it on your own, we can take care of the distribution.

naruto: Akito-san it is not that I do not trust you but it is for your own safety.

akito: what do you mean.

naruto: answer me Akito-san if am not wrong there should be a stronghold of gatou in the village.

hearing this Akito nodded.

naruto: than tell me what would happen if they come to know that you are distributing food to the masses, they will surely attack you, so in order to deal with such situations, I should be the one doing it okay.

a look of realization appeared on Akito's face and his expression became a lot softer than before and he said.

akito: fine naruto do as you wish but please save this village.

naruto nodded and his expression suddenly became serious and he ask.

naruto: Akito-san may I ask you a question.

akito: yes what it is

naruto: can you tell me why gatou wants to capture this land.

hearing this a ghastly look appear on his, seeing Akito's expression a frown appear on Naruto's face and he said.

naruto: Akito-san if my question is too much then please ignore it.

hearing this Akito sighed and finally, a resolved look appear on his face and he said.

akito: he is looking for something.

naruto: may I know what it is.

akito nodded and stood up, then he went inside a room after around ten minutes, he came back with a box in his hand, after coming back he sat down and open the box with a serious expression on his face, just as he open the box a strange black light sprinkle out from it and soon a piece of metal emerged. seeing the ordinary piece of metal a confused expression appear on everyone's faces.

sasuke: Akito-san what is it, even though it is radiating a strange energy I can not sense it.

akito: I do not know, it is been in this village for centuries, we have kept it a secret from the world, until one day a village elder betrayed us and leak the information about this to gatou and that is when all the trouble began.

just as sasuke was about to ask further, he saw that naruto was shaking intensely and before he could ask what was wrong,

PUCHI!!

naruto spout blood from his mouth.

to be continued.