Chapter 38

The next day, at ten in the morning.

Leo stood on the shoreline, watching the small group of people emerging from the forest path. A smile gradually appeared on his face.

"They've finally arrived!"

The white-haired man with a slanted headband covering one eye and a mask covering half his face was the elite Jonin, Kakashi. The elderly man in front of him must be Tazuna, the bridge builder from the Land of Waves.

Surrounding Tazuna in a standard ninja protective formation were three children, around eleven or twelve years old, with black, blonde, and pink hair. It was obvious they were Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura.

"Who's that? Let me handle this!" Naruto, who was at the front, immediately pulled out a kunai and took a fighting stance upon seeing Leo. Sasuke and Sakura did the same.

They had just been attacked by two rogue ninjas not long ago.

"No need to be so tense. He doesn't seem to be an enemy," Kakashi said, quickly scanning Leo. He grabbed Naruto from behind and pulled him back.

He hadn't sensed any hostility from Leo and recognized the symbol of the Fire Temple on Leo's waist.

"You're...ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Leaves?" Leo stepped forward, glancing at Naruto's headband, pretending to be enlightened.

"Yes, we're on a mission. Are you a monk from the Fire Temple?" Kakashi squinted his fish-like eyes slightly.

Although the person had the Fire Temple's symbol, he still needed to confirm.

"Yes, I am from the Fire Temple. I'm currently on a pilgrimage and happened to pass by here. I wanted to visit the Land of Waves, but I found that there were no boats to take me across the shore. Do you know why that is?" Leo nodded, looking somewhat helpless.

"What is the Fire Temple?" Naruto asked, looking confused, clearly having never heard of it.

Sakura, standing next to him, smacked him on the head.

"This is basic knowledge from school! The Fire Temple is the only ninja temple in the Land of Fire, with many monks practicing ninja arts. It's also an ally of our village."

The Hidden Leaf Village's educational system is comprehensive, teaching more than just basic ninja and taijutsu. Naruto, being a poor student who slept through class, naturally knew nothing about it.

"Sea transportation to the Land of Waves has long been controlled by Gato. Without his permission, no one can enter or leave the Land of Waves," Tazuna stepped forward to explain.

"Gato, the shipping company tycoon, the world-renowned billionaire?" Kakashi's face showed a surprised expression.

Tazuna nodded and sighed.

"Since we've come this far, I might as well tell you the truth. You've been wondering why we were attacked by rogue ninjas and who sent them, right? Well, it's because of Gato."

Tazuna then proceeded to explain everything.

Gato used violence to control the sea transportation of the Land of Waves, indirectly controlling its politics, wealth, and people. To save the people of the Land of Waves, Tazuna planned to build a bridge to free the country from Gato's control. Unfortunately, the bridge's construction was threatened by Gato, forcing him to hire ninjas from the Hidden Leaf Village for protection. Due to a lack of funds, he had to lie about the mission's details, lowering its rank.

"If you cancel the mission now, I'll be killed before I reach home. But it's understandable; it's not your fault. My eight-year-old granddaughter will cry herself to sleep every night, and my daughter will hate the ninjas from the Hidden Leaf forever, living in loneliness."

After his performance, Tazuna turned to Leo, expecting him to back up his story.

Leo nodded angrily.

"How can there be such evil in this world? Don't worry, Tazuna-san. Even if the ninjas from the Leaf Village are unwilling to help because of the payment, I, though not very strong, am willing to protect you with my life until the bridge is completed."

Leo's intentions aligned with Tazuna's, so he naturally supported him.

Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond.

To cancel the mission now due to Tazuna's deception felt like committing a grave sin, burdening them with guilt.

Seeing Leo's kindness, Tazuna sincerely thanked him and then looked at Kakashi, clearly signaling him to compare Leo's attitude with their own.

Kakashi scratched his head, then looked at the hopeful eyes of his team and nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, we'll continue to protect you."

He saw through Tazuna's little scheme but decided to use this opportunity to train his team. Moreover, Gato's men were mostly rogue ninjas, who didn't concern him much.

As for the kind-hearted, inexperienced monk from the Fire Temple, he saw him as a naïve young man deceived by Tazuna's performance. However, he also admired Tazuna's bravery in risking his life to build the bridge.

"Thank you so much! I'll have my daughter prepare a big feast for you all when we get home!" Tazuna finally relaxed, relieved.

While Leo was kind, he couldn't match the renowned ninjas of the Hidden Leaf. If they had abandoned the mission, he would have been doomed.

"Wait a moment," Tazuna said, pulling out a small whistle from his pocket and blowing it hard, producing a strange sound that traveled far.

About ten minutes later, a young man cautiously navigated through the thick fog in a boat, arriving at the shore.

"Tazuna-san, get on the boat quickly. We need to leave before the fog clears, or Gato's men will spot us."

Thus, Leo joined Kakashi and his team on the small boat.

During the crossing, Kakashi and his team introduced themselves to Leo and had a casual chat. While Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were chatting idly, Kakashi subtly probed Leo to further verify his identity.

Under normal circumstances, allowing an unfamiliar ninja to join a mission was not wise. But Leo, being a monk from the Fire Temple, was planning to visit the Land of Waves and was offering help out of goodwill. Kakashi couldn't find a reason to refuse.

Leo noticed Kakashi's probing but didn't mind. He had nothing to hide, so he wasn't worried about Kakashi's suspicion.