Making of a Hero

Zabuza and Hatsuyuki had a very peaceful night.

Nothing happened.

Makoto instantly knew that the matter was done.

The next day, Zabuza and Hatsuyuki came to the Mizukage's office together.

"Mizukage-sama!"

"Hm."

Makoto nodded.

He asked while playing backgammon with Yagura.

"How was your rest yesterday?"

"I'm ready to fight anytime... But before that, I have one more question."

"What question?"

"Why do you want me to team up with him?"

Zabuza pointed a finger at Hatsuyuki beside him, his tone full of dissatisfaction.

Makoto stopped his movements and glanced at Hatsuyuki.

Today's Hatsuyuki was really cute.

It wasn't that Makoto hadn't seen cute girls before, but he still wanted to say that even out of all the girls Makoto had seen, he ranked in the top five in cuteness.

Tiny, soft, and fragrant.

He looked at him, and he looked at him.

Hatsuyuki's big black and white eyes were watery with anticipation and trepidation.

It was as if Hatsuyuki was afraid of what cruel words would come out of Makoto's mouth.

Because of his own personality, Hatsuyuki was not very popular with Kiri. And although Zabuza has a panther manic temperament, there is no such common discrimination... Hatsuyuki kind of likes this panther manic big brother.

...Who the hell can top this.

...Zabuza you a dead arrogant, obviously want to die in the heart, just want to have a family and companion, but you this mouth...

...Hey, really hate words, the same night to say, why have to stay until the next day?

Makoto from the heart despise Zabuza's mouth smack body upright.

However, things have come to this point, Makoto still chose to take the blame.

"There is a very profound reason for this... Simply put, it is to balance the battle strength between the various squads... Zabuza although you are very strong, you will become even stronger if you have an excellent comrade in arms... Your genjutsu attainment is quite average, isn't it? It just so happens that Hatsuyuki is good at genjutsu, so he should be able to help."

Zabuza was silent for a while before he continued to ask.

"I have a question."

"What's the question, just go ahead and say it."

"Why is Mizukage-sama right here, but the one speaking is always Godaime Hokage-sama?"

Makoto scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Ah, this... hahahahaha, sorry, got used to it. -

"Mizukage-sama, please continue."

Terumi Mei rolled her cute white eyes at Makoto, finally holding back from throwing the ledger at this asshole's head.

"You've finished, what else do I have to say? -

"That's all. -

"This mission is important, so please be careful."

Terumi Mei said so, and threw Zabuza a scroll of the mission in the Land of Waves, which she had prepared long before.

Zabuza took the scroll, opened it, and made a shocked sound.

"C rank?"

Other than certain odd line species, the most ninjas did were definitely C and D ranked missions.

But for a famous and elite top ninja like Zabuza to do C-rank missions would be more or less a waste of resources.

S-ranked missions didn't come around very often, and under normal circumstances, elite upper ninjas would have to do A-ranked missions anyways.

Makoto nodded his head as well.

"That's right. Although on the surface, this is just a simple escort mission, but after all, it involves another country. Considering the Land of Water's usual stance... let's be honest, for Kiri, this mission has more political significance than practical significance. -

"The Land of Water wants the Land of Water to start a nation, and so does Kiri. But if you bring too many people with you, it's rather easy to reveal the target. -

"I'm sure you know the reason for that. Instead of being in the limelight, it would be better to send a small number of elites and accomplish it secretly - only a powerful and experienced ninja like you, Zabuza, can accomplish this kind of mission."

A thousand penetrations, but a horse's ass does not penetrate. Even the unruly Zabuza, faced with the simultaneous affirmation of both Mizukage and Hokage, his mood still became more pleasant.

"Hmph, that's the result of course... If anyone dares to block, just watch this great master kill them without leaving a single piece of armor."

It turns out that this guy Zabuza also has a mouth habit... although my mouth habit is not cute at all...

"In that case, get ready and leave, go early and come back early."

Zabuza didn't say much and just left.

He also saw that since it was a protection mission, it was definitely a contact with his employer. But even Zabuza himself knew that his own foul temper, I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to get along well with his employer.

Since that was the case, it would be better to have more miscellaneous workers, so that he could save his hands and feet.

No matter what, it was only a C-rank mission, and the strength of a single Chunin would be enough.

It's only a few days, a matter of going and coming back...

Zabuza thought so, also did not bother to continue to refute Mizukage - this woman after all, just came on stage, always against her, if she was holding a grudge can be bad.

The cute little Hatsuyuki bowed repeatedly to the Mizukage, and only then, with small steps, happily followed Zabuza away.

Yagura: "Men conquer the world, women conquer men... Even the sharpest super weapon will eventually have a sheath to hold it."

Makoto: "When a man realizes the importance of responsibility, he truly becomes a man."

"No matter how fierce the enemy is."

"It's nothing more than that."

"Can be destroyed at the snap of a finger."

"Unbeatable."

"Courageous but not resourceful."

With these words, the two extended their palms at the same time and struck lightly.

The kittens high-fived!

"Alright, the mental construction is done. Can you give me some insight on how many enemies you've planted for Zabuza?"

"Not many, just one Kage."

"...You call that not much?"

"It really isn't much, I could have gotten a few more. Only then, I wouldn't be able to make Zabuza and Hatsuyuki appreciate each other's importance... Mutual salvation in the midst of a war should be able to increase each other's goodwill in the shortest amount of time."

"Fair enough."

The conversation between the two idiot Kages made Terumi Mei feel ten thousand percent powerless.

When these two people did things, they gave off a strong feeling of unreliability no matter what.

But now Kiri had this look...

"Can your plan... really make Zabuza completely return to our side?"

Although she was willing to believe in someone's ability to live a whole life, Terumi Mei was still a little worried when she was really confronted.

"Why don't we make a bet?"

"...How do I bet?"

"If I win, you give me a billion. You win, I'll give you a billion."

Yagura: "Why a billion?"

Makoto: "Why can't it be a billion?"

Yagura: "When you talk to Yagura, you're always betting on kissing and hugging her. How come when it comes to us, it's all about money?"

Makoto: "Because Yakura won't give me a kiss and hug."

"You two guys..."

Once again, tic-tac-toe began to float on Terumi Mei's brain, and she admonished herself again and again to calm down.

But she really couldn't help herself.

She threw one punch at each of the two idiot Kages' heads, and each of them punched large bags on their heads.

"Stop right there, you guys!"

... ...

After some silent cooperation from Makoto and Yagura, Terumi Mei's mind finally smoothed out a bit.

-Though at the cost of her beating up the two.

The pressure on her was just too much.

Makoto knew very well that she wanted to carry the pressure of the entire Kiri on one shoulder.

But she couldn't carry it.

Because Makoto was also a Kage, he really knew that helplessness and suffocation.

After the lioness roar passed, Yagura used henge and temporarily transformed into Mei Terumi's appearance.

T/N: 'lioness roar' above refers to someone's wife being fierce

He took it upon himself to take over her work, leveling as much as he could with what he could handle at the moment first.

Since the people in charge of the Mizukage's affairs were basically old men from the Mizukage faction, there was no need to worry about being discovered for a few days.

Instead, Makoto sailed a small boat, taking Kakashi and Terumi Mei along with him to the Land of Waves.

Land of Water was isolated overseas, and most of the small countries close to Land of Water were also island nations.

In the Land of Water's acreage, water transportation was the mainstream.

Because of Yagura's foresight, he spent a lot of money on ships early on. When the land-based powers were immensely agonizing over their transportation capacity, the Land of Water was the only one that had enough capacity.

This was something that Makoto had already discovered when he first convinced Kakuzu.

Because of the excessive number of ships ordered by the Land of Water, its even affected the normal trade of the land countries.

If he really waited for Yagura's plan to take shape, just this huge advantage in capacity alone would be enough for him to make a fortune.

Unfortunately, because of the influence of Obito, this capacity advantage has not been utilized.

Now all Yagura had to do every night was stab a voodoo doll of Obito.

Of course, this is actually good for Konoha and the Land of Fire...

"So... what are we doing in the Land of Wave now?"

"Wouldn't it be fine if the people you arranged for wounded Zabuza and Hatsuyuki, so that they could form a strong bond of comradeship?"

Terumi Mei sat on the boat and looked at Makoto with a complicated expression.

The pressure in her heart in the past two days was indeed very great, and she more or less knew in her heart that the two living treasures had been living the whole day in front of her, just hoping that she would be happier.

This intention, she was able to feel it.

But Makoto never showed more than a friend's feelings to her... Things have come to this point, her heart has already prepared herself mentally to accept a false feeling, but he does not even give her such feelings.

This point made Terumi Mei a bit afflicted.

She was confident in her looks and her self-confidence, but in his eyes, they were worthless.

He had been helping her, but she just couldn't figure out what he was trying to do.

It was like being a little girl pampered by a big brother, that omnipresent gentleness was intoxicating. But if he wanted to leave, there was nothing she could do to stop it...

"Generally speaking, this is indeed fine."

Makoto rocked the boat, but his gaze was on the sea shrouded in mist.

"But Zabuza's situation is a bit special."

"He belongs to the type of dead arrogant, even if he wants to do something in his heart, his mouth won't say it out... like him, he must be given a very special psychological experience in order to completely break open his heart defense."

"To be on the safe side, we have to make a trip in person to do so."

Zabuza is arrogant... Maybe.

"Then how should we do it?"

"Just watch my face when you get there... You know makeup, right? Put it on first."

"...Alright."

For any ninja, three elemental jutsu was always the base of basics, and Terumi Mei was naturally good at henge. Coupled with a little bit of makeup tools, Terumi Mei could easily achieve the effect of meeting without recognizing each other.

Seeing that Terumi Mei Makoto was unwilling to explain, Terumi Mei took out her makeup tools and began to greet her face.

Not long after, a peasant woman with dark skin and clear eyes appeared in front of Makoto.

"Your breasts, shouldn't you also tie them... Forget it, well, that's it."

Considering that the conditions were limited, and that they couldn't let Terumi Mei change it in front of the two of them, Makoto didn't force himself anymore.

Very quickly, Makoto and Kakashi finished changing as well.

"In short, the three of us are traveling merchants from the Kingdom of Water to the Kingdom of Waves. Kakashi, you are my nephew. Terumi Mei, you will be my wife, is that okay?"

Both shook their heads.

At this point, the three of them had nothing to say.

Under Makoto's steering, the boat landed very lightly on one of the sandy beaches in the Land of Wave.

Recently, Kakashi has grown rapidly due to good nutrition, and now he looks a bit like an adult. Without saying a word, he used a pole to lift the cargo in the boat, but as soon as he started, he discovered that the weight of the cargo inside was not right.

"...Camera?"

"Uh-huh. Know what to do?"

"Understood."

Kakashi, who had been involved in almost all of Makoto's broken affairs except for the arena, naturally knew what to do.

He carefully found the camouflaged up lens, and then followed Makoto and Terumi Mei, together, towards the coastal city of the Land of Wave.

Eleven years later, when Naruto arrived in the Land of Wave, everything he saw and heard was poor.

And now, things weren't much better.

Even worse.

Needless to say, this was naturally another sin done by the Miso War.

Looking at the dilapidated scenery along the streets and the faces of the numb pedestrians, Terumi Mei's expression was mournful, and for a moment, she was actually infected.

"We were... before."

"Yes, we did something insatiable. But from our position, we have to do so again... Becoming a Kage, we have to be prepared to go to hell."

Makoto said so and took the two of them in seven turns, and together they arrived at a dilapidated beer hall.

It was still daytime, and it wasn't a holiday, so it wasn't reasonably a good time to drink, but the beer hall was already full of people.

Everyone was drunk, drinking from one glass of wine to the next.

There was no abuse, no uproar, all there was was dead bleakness.

Occasionally someone smoked, and the cigarettes used were Konoha brand cigarettes, as well as matches under Kiri.

The situation was even worse than Makoto had imagined.

-Those match factories under Kiri's ownership naturally began to expand outward after satisfying the local demand. And those small countries affiliated with the Land of Water were the best place for them to dump...

The first thing you need to do is to resist.

How to resist?

You can only be crushed head-on, batch after batch.

Luckily, he was here to set about solving that problem.

So he took the two men and sat down at the bar.

"A little of this, a little of that, want something... I'd love to say we have everything here, but that's all that's available right now."

"How about a couple beers?"

The bartender looked like he had also drunk quite a bit, and his body was constantly shaking as he spoke, as if he would collapse at any time.

Makoto nodded and ordered two glasses of wine, as well as a glass of milk.

The milk was for Kakashi, of course.

Terumi Mei didn't drink, and Makoto drank the alcohol in front of him.

"Hoo...ha!"

"Damn it!"

Makoto slammed his glass on the bar and made a disgruntled noise.

"Damn our Land of Wave, how did it become like this!"

All the drinkers all looked at the inexplicably angry Makoto.