Chapter 41: Morkel Bridge! Ino's Fangirl! Great Talent!

"Well, boy, I'll send you on a journey with Bai!"

Zabuza's sword came crashing down!

The blade struck a piece of wood on the ground, splitting it cleanly in two. The force behind the swing was so great that the sword would have continued downward, injuring Bai's already lifeless body. Realizing this, Zabuza quickly adjusted his wrist to halt the momentum of the blade.

On the other side, Morkel had used the Body Replacement Technique just in time, appearing several meters away. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling the lingering fear of what had almost happened.

Now, with Morkel safely out of Zabuza's reach and Bai dead, the rogue ninja had no chance of winning.

At that moment, a group of figures appeared at the bridgehead.

It was Cardo and his men.

Cardo's plan was simple: let Zabuza weaken the ninja protecting Dazna, and when both sides were exhausted, he would step in and eliminate everyone. This way, he could avoid paying Zabuza and still prevent the completion of the bridge.

Looking at Zabuza, who was covered in wounds and visibly struggling, Cardo laughed mockingly. "How pitiful, Zabuza. You're really a waste."

Zabuza had suspected Cardo's betrayal the moment he arrived, but he still asked, "Why are you here? What do you want?"

Cardo sneered, his eyes glinting with malice behind his sunglasses. "What am I here for? Obviously, to kill you!"

"Did you really think I'd pay that ridiculous commission? Now that you're weakened, I'll just clean up the mess myself."

A cold light flashed in Zabuza's eyes.

He had nearly lost his life and had sacrificed Bai, the only person who had ever cared about him, all for this mission. And now, Cardo had the audacity to betray him.

Kakashi, standing nearby, remained wary. "Zabuza, we don't have to continue this fight. If the mission is over, there's no reason to battle."

"You're right," Zabuza replied, gripping his sword. "But first, I need to take care of some unfinished business."

Without another word, Zabuza lunged at Cardo and his men!

While charging, his body became engulfed in a red chakra aura.

Cardo panicked and shrieked, "Protect me! Kill him now!"

But his mercenaries hesitated. Zabuza's sheer presence was terrifying.

"He's coming!" one of them shouted in horror.

In the next instant, Zabuza's massive blade swung down.

"Swish!!"

The mercenaries fell like leaves in a storm, unable to match his overwhelming strength.

Within moments, Zabuza stood before Cardo.

With a single diagonal slash, he cut the greedy businessman in half.

The remaining mercenaries fled in terror, leaving Zabuza alone on the bridge.

Morkel, who had just returned using the Body Replacement Technique, remained cautious, knowing Zabuza was still dangerous.

Kakashi also tensed. "Zabuza..."

But instead of attacking, Zabuza turned and walked toward Bai's lifeless body.

His voice was hoarse. "I want to bury Bai. Don't stop me."

No one moved to stop him.

He picked up Bai's body, but before leaving, he turned to Morkel.

"Hey, red-haired boy. You're full of surprises."

His eyes darkened. "But don't think this is over. We'll meet again."

With those final words, Zabuza walked away, disappearing into the mist.

Everyone exhaled in relief.

Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke were taken back to the village for medical treatment.

With Cardo gone, there was no longer any opposition to the bridge's completion.

Two weeks later, the bridge in the Land of Waves was finally finished!

As Team 7 prepared to return to the Hidden Leaf Village, Dazna stood on the bridge and turned to the villagers.

"The bridge is complete, but we need a name."

Inari smiled. "Why not call it Morkel Bridge?"

---

On a distant hill, a new grave stood adorned with a mask and a wreath.

Zabuza stood beside it, resting his sword against his shoulder. He silently watched as Team 7 disappeared into the horizon.

---

Upon their return to the Hidden Leaf Village, Team 7 was greeted with excitement.

One particular girl had been eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Sakura, who had always admired Sasuke, rushed to the village entrance the moment she heard they were back. She wanted to invite Sasuke to dinner.

However, she was surprised to see someone else already waiting there.

"Ino? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, confused.

She immediately suspected the worst.

Could Ino also be here to ask Sasuke out?

Sakura narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Forget it! Sasuke only likes me!"

Ino rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You're delusional. Do you think everyone is obsessed with Sasuke like you?"

She flipped her blonde hair back with a smirk. "I'm waiting for Morkel!"

Sakura's jaw dropped. "What?! Morkel?"

She scoffed. "Just because Morkel got lucky and was placed on the same team as Sasuke doesn't mean they're on the same level. Sasuke is a true genius!"

Ino smirked confidently. "Oh? Is that so?"

She had always believed Morkel was special. Though he hadn't shown off his skills much, she was convinced he had immense potential.

After all, how could someone who mastered almost every variation of the Clone Technique be weak?

As the two girls argued, Team 7 finally arrived.

Sakura's demeanor changed instantly. Her irritation vanished, replaced by pure joy.

"Sasuke-kun! You're back! You must be exhausted. Want to grab some dinner together?" she asked eagerly.

Sasuke, as usual, remained indifferent. "Sorry, I don't have time."

His mind was elsewhere.

During the mission, he had seen firsthand the gap between himself and Morkel.

Despite his training, he had played almost no role in the final battle on the bridge.

Sasuke clenched his fists.

He needed to get stronger.

Without another word, he turned and walked away, determined to train harder than ever before.

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