094: Zabuza: Where's My Sword?!

After one of the Demon Brothers was stomped back into the puddle by Agumon, the second one successfully emerged.

Splash!

A chain with a sharp, bladed weapon at its end whipped out in a wide arc, binding Agumon tightly, leaving only his head exposed.

"What kind of strange beast is this?

"You idiot! You're supposed to capture the people, not some useless animal!" The demon brother who had been trampled, now climbed out of the puddle, furiously berating his partner.

"Uh... I was startled by this strange creature..." The other demon brother, glancing nervously at the Konoha ninjas who had noticed them, scratched his head.

"Since the sneak attack failed, let's just deal with these brats head-on."

It seemed a tough fight was inevitable. 

But surely, a few Konoha genin would be easy to handle, right?

The Demon Brother yanked hard on the chain, pulling the strange beast that ruined their ambush into his grasp. "Alright, let's start with this beast that spoiled our fun!" He raised Agumon high, drawing his sword, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.

"Agumon, use Pepper Breath!" Natsuki's voice rang out just in time.

Agumon lifted his large head slightly, and a small fireball erupted from his open mouth, instantly charring the nearest Demon Brother's head to a crisp.

Simultaneously, tree vines snaked out, ensnaring the other Demon Brother.

Demonic Illusion: Wood Binding Death!

A scream pierced the air.

The two "small fries" were swiftly eliminated.

"Mr. Tazuna! We've encountered a ninja attack before even reaching the Land of Waves. This doesn't quite match the C-rank mission we accepted. Don't you think you owe us an explanation?" 

Kurenai glanced at Tazuna, having effortlessly dispatched an assassin. She now exuded an even more formidable aura.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Tazuna's forehead. He gritted his teeth. As expected, Gato wouldn't let him go so easily. 

Assassins had appeared so soon after their departure. The dangers ahead were unimaginable.

Moreover, these Konoha ninjas had quickly realized the discrepancy in the mission's rank. But he truly didn't have the funds to upgrade the mission from C-rank to B-rank or higher.

"I... I..."

The surrounding air grew heavy with killing intent. 

Tazuna's back was drenched in sweat.

"I... I don't know why these ninjas suddenly appeared. But... I really need you to escort me back to the Land of Waves. Please!" Tazuna knelt, his forehead pressed against the ground.

Since the payment was insufficient, he could only resort to emotional appeals.

"Teacher Kurenai, let's continue the mission. Agumon needs more battle experience." Natsuki spoke.

With him around, as long as the enemies were still Zabuza and Haku, he could ensure his teammates' safety. 

Besides, Hinata and Kiba needed practical combat experience. After all, the dangerous Chunin Exams and the Konoha Crush were just around the corner.

Kurenai nodded at Natsuki's serious expression, "Alright, let's continue the mission!"

The group tidied up the battlefield and set off once more.

"Young man, thank you," Tazuna said, taking a moment to express his gratitude to Natsuki.

Natsuki simply nodded, not engaging much with the worried old man. 

Instead, he tugged on Agumon's leash, leading him into the dense forest, setting off a chaotic flurry of activity. 

Small animals scattered in all directions.

"Woof!!!"

Akamaru, snorting and sniffing, circled Agumon curiously. 

This little beast was so strong and could even breathe fire! But he clearly remembered that not long ago, this strange little dinosaur was just a weak lizard. 

He occasionally tried to swipe at Agumon with his paws or feigned pounces. However, Agumon's disproportionately large, gaping maw scared him off every time.

The Land of Waves was an island nation surrounded by the sea. 

Controlling its maritime transportation meant controlling the entire nation's lifeline. 

Currently, this small island nation was under the control of the wealthy tycoon, Gato, whose subordinates included numerous desperate criminals and bounty hunters. 

Resources were scarce on the island, and the people couldn't be self-sufficient, relying on trade for daily necessities. 

The villagers were forced to sell their labor for meager wages.

To break free from Gato's economic stranglehold and bring prosperity to the people, the bridge builder Tazuna was leading the villagers in constructing a grand bridge to the outside world. 

Its completion would shatter Gato's maritime blockade. This, inevitably, was met with Gato's fierce resistance.

They had secretly reached the Land of Waves by sailboat, navigating a treacherous route through hidden reefs. 

To gain their assistance, Tazuna finally revealed the whole truth.

Traveling along a gravel road through the forest, the group headed towards Tazuna's home. 

Since they were now within Gato's territory, everyone's vigilance heightened. Hinata even discreetly activated her Tenseigan.

As they passed by several towering trees, Hinata was the first to raise the alarm: "Everyone, be careful! Someone is rapidly approaching from above on the right!

"It's a ninja with massive chakra, much stronger than the two we encountered earlier." Hinata's face showed alarm, but her heart remained calm. 

In terms of chakra alone, this ninja was far inferior to Natsuki. Even Teacher Kurenai was stronger.

She didn't realize that Kurenai's chakra had doubled after consuming the five monster cores Natsuki gave her. 

In her eyes, Natsuki was the strongest, unconsciously becoming the standard by which she measured others.

Whoosh!

A chilling whooshing sound cut through the air as a massive sword, the Kubikiribōchō, spun rapidly through the forest.

Thud!!!

Thanks to their vigilance, the blade struck nothing but a tree trunk. 

A figure descended from the sky, aiming to land on the embedded sword. 

Missing the target was fine, as long as the entrance was impressive, his momentum would be secured.

"Nice sword!" Natsuki's eyes lit up. He raised his hand, activating the Tenseigan's gravitational pull.

Rip!!!

The Kubikiribōchō was instantly yanked from the tree trunk, flying into Natsuki's hand.

"What?! My sword!" Zabuza's eyes bulged. 

He had just landed when he suddenly found himself without footing. 

The shock of the scene, combined with his loss of balance, sent him tumbling headfirst from mid-air.

Boom!!!

He crashed face-first into the ground.

"Mr. Zabuza!" From a hidden vantage point high in the trees, Haku covered their eyes

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