Chapter 28

---

"Sensei!" Sakura suddenly remembered Kakashi, and when she turned around, she only saw a pile of scattered wooden blocks where he had been.

Naruto smirked and called out to the nearby trees, "Alright, Kakashi-sensei, you can come out now. It's over."

With a poof, Kakashi appeared in an instant, looking at Naruto and the others approvingly before turning to Tazuna. "Now then, Mr. Tazuna, care to explain?"

However, his tone became serious as he looked at Naruto. "That being said, next time, make sure you keep your enemies alive long enough to interrogate them. We need to know who they were targeting."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Ugh, what a hassle. Does it even matter? Either way, it's not our problem anymore."

Kakashi sighed deeply. "Alright, fine. Mr. Tazuna, we have the right to terminate the mission and re-evaluate its difficulty. If this is more dangerous than what you told us, we need to go back and request backup."

"Please, I beg you!" Tazuna suddenly dropped to his knees in desperation. "I didn't mean to deceive you, but our village simply has no money! The rich and corrupt Gato controls all the sea trade routes, using his rogue gangs and hired ninjas to take over the Land of Waves. The only thing stopping him is the bridge we've been trying to build, so he's sending assassins to eliminate me before it's completed!"

Kakashi turned to his team. "So, what do you all think?"

Sakura hesitated before speaking up. "Um… shouldn't we go back and send someone stronger? I mean… we're just fresh graduates. This is already B-rank at least!"

"I don't care," Sasuke said coolly, his hands in his pockets.

"Eh, let's just keep going. Not like there's much fun back in the village anyway," Naruto added with a grin.

"Naruto! Sasuke! This is a B-rank mission! There could be more enemy shinobi!" Sakura protested.

Naruto raised an eyebrow and casually pointed at the two dead bodies on the ground. "You mean like… them?"

Sakura: "…I don't care anymore!"

With that, she stormed ahead, officially giving up on arguing with them.

---

Using the cover of the sea mist, Tazuna guided them onto a boat and secretly ferried them toward the Land of Waves.

"You must protect me!" Tazuna pleaded.

Then, pausing dramatically, he added, "Not that it matters… If you abandon me now, I'll be killed before I reach home. My poor eight-year-old granddaughter will be left all alone, crying herself to sleep every night, her life filled with misery and hatred toward Konoha shinobi. But hey, it's not your fault, right? You could just turn around and leave me to die."

Naruto, not missing a beat, shrugged. "Alright then, guess we're leaving."

Tazuna: "…Wait, what?"

Naruto turned on his heel, waving to Sasuke. "Let's go, bro. The client doesn't need us anymore."

"NO! If you leave, the Land of Waves is doomed!" Tazuna wailed, suddenly clinging to Naruto's leg. "Please! I was just guilt-tripping you! Don't actually leave!"

Naruto sighed dramatically. "Tch, fine. But next time, try a different tactic. Emotional blackmail just pisses me off."

Just as he finished speaking, a massive blade spun through the air, slicing toward them.

"GET DOWN!" Kakashi shouted.

Everyone immediately hit the dirt—everyone except Naruto, who had Tazuna still latched onto his leg.

The Executioner's Blade whizzed past Naruto's face before embedding itself into a tree. A tall, heavily bandaged shinobi with a menacing aura appeared, standing on the handle of the giant sword.

"Hmm… I was expecting more of a challenge from Konoha's so-called Copy Ninja," the man sneered.

"Isn't this Momochi Zabuza?" Kakashi said, eyes narrowing. "Looks like you've resorted to being Gato's hired thug."

Zabuza's eyes glinted. "And isn't this the Sharingan-wielding Kakashi? Hand over the old man, and I might let you live."

Kakashi tensed. "I know all about you from my time in ANBU. You're the Demon of the Hidden Mist. A ruthless killer who slaughtered an entire class of academy graduates before they could even become Genin."

Naruto scoffed internally. "Pfft, 'Copy Ninja Kakashi'? More like 'One-Trick-Chidori-Wonder Kakashi'…"

Meanwhile, Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. "Wait… Sharingan? But that's only inherited within the Uchiha Clan… What the hell is going on?"

Zabuza's hands formed a seal. "Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

A thick fog engulfed the area, shrouding Zabuza from sight.

Suddenly, the missing-nin reappeared right next to Tazuna, his sword raised high.

CLANG!

Kakashi blocked the strike with a kunai.

"You underestimate the power of the Sharingan," he said calmly.

Zabuza smirked. "Do I?"

His body suddenly turned into a pool of water. A Water Clone!

Before Kakashi could react, the real Zabuza appeared behind him and kicked him straight into the lake.

Kakashi struggled to resurface, but Zabuza's hands were already forming a Water Prison Jutsu, trapping him inside a floating sphere of water.

"Damn it!" Kakashi cursed.

Zabuza smirked. "Now, let's take care of the brats."

Forming another seal, he created multiple Water Clones that advanced toward Team 7.

"RUN, NARUTO!" Kakashi shouted. "You can't beat him! This man is a monster! He killed over a hundred people in the Chunin Exams!"

Naruto sighed loudly. "Tch… Guess there's no helping it."

Then, turning to Sasuke, he called out:

"Big bro, it's happening again! Sensei got captured by a monster! Hurry up and save him!"

Everyone: "…???"

Kakashi: "…What the hell did you just say?!"

Zabuza: "The fuck…?"

Sasuke: "Why are you like this?"

Sakura: "He's not even taking this seriously…"

Tazuna: "Did I hire a bunch of lunatics?!"

Naruto just grinned. "Alright then, time to get serious. Sasuke, you with me?"

Sasuke cracked his knuckles. "Tch. Let's finish this quickly."

The Battle Against Zabuza Begins!

---

Check out other novels

Naruto: Reborn in his younger self

To Get This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power Stones

Dear Readers

For 120 Advance Chapters Join My Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/NF25