Chapter 4: Encounter with Zabuza!

Kakashi's usual lazy demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, serious expression as he turned to face Tazuna. "This mission was supposed to be a C-rank," he began, his lone eye narrowing under his forehead protector. "According to the form you submitted, we were only supposed to deal with bandits and minor threats. So why were we attacked by trained ninjas?"

The air grew tense as the weight of Kakashi's words settled over the group. Tazuna flinched slightly under the intensity of Kakashi's gaze. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his hands trembled, gripping the straps of his travel bag.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about..." Tazuna stammered, his voice shaky. But Kakashi's eye didn't waver, pressing him silently for the truth.

Meanwhile, a few feet away, Naruko, Yuto, and Hitomi were tying up the two rogue ninjas they had just defeated. However, their focus quickly shifted from their captives to the shinobi's belongings. Naruko's eyes lit up as she held up a pair of gauntlets with a delighted grin.

"Hey, Hitomi! Check this out!" Naruko called, waving the gauntlets in the air. "I found them first, so they're mine!"

Hitomi scoffed, crossing her arms. "No way, shorty! I helped take these guys down too. We should at least share them," she argued, trying to snatch the gauntlets from Naruko's hands.

Yuto stood back, shaking his head with a sigh, 'Seriously? Are we ninjas or scavengers?' he thought, watching the two girls squabble like children over candy. Despite his internal critique, he couldn't help but smirk at their antics.

Kakashi's sweat dropped at the sight, his serious mood slightly dampened by his team's behavior. 'I swear, these kids are something else. They're acting more like thieves than ninjas right now.'

Clearing his throat loudly, Kakashi regained their attention. The trio stopped their bickering immediately, straightening up under his stern gaze.

"Focus, you three," Kakashi reprimanded them, turning his attention back to Tazuna. The bridge builder was still hesitating, clearly struggling with what to say.

"Look," Kakashi continued, his voice calm but firm, "I noticed something during the fight. When Yuto attacked one of the ninjas, the other immediately went for you, Tazuna-san. That means you were their primary target. So, tell me... what's really going on?"

Tazuna sighed heavily, realizing there was no way out of this. The kids had proven to be more capable than he expected, and this Kakashi guy was clearly no fool. 'Damn it, I was hoping we could just get to the Land of Waves without them finding out,' Tazuna thought bitterly.

"I… I didn't lie entirely," Tazuna finally confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… I may have left out some details."

Naruko blinked in confusion, tilting her head. "Details? What kind of details?"

Hitomi narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "You better spill everything, old man. We're risking our lives here."

Tazuna gulped, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden attention. "The truth is... I didn't have enough money to afford a higher-ranked mission," he admitted, shame dripping from his voice. "So I... I lied to get you all to take the job. But it's not just bandits threatening me. It's... Gato."

Kakashi's eye widened slightly at the name. Kakashi leaned forward, his voice lowering dangerously. "Gato, the shipping tycoon? The one notorious for using thugs and mercenaries to do his bidding? Are you saying he's after you?"

Tazuna nodded slowly, his face pale. "Y-Yes... He's trying to stop me from finishing the bridge. If I complete it, it will free my country from his grip. But if you abandon me now, my village... my family... they're all doomed."

A heavy silence hung in the air as Team 7 processed the gravity of the situation. Naruko clenched her fists, her blue eyes blazing with determination. "There's no way we're backing out now! Right, sensei?" she declared, turning to Kakashi.

Hitomi nodded, a fierce look in her eyes. "We can't just leave him to die."

Kakashi looked at his team thoughtfully. 'They're determined... That's good. But this mission just escalated from C-rank to a B-rank or possibly A-rank if a Jounin appears. If we're not careful, we could get in way over our heads.'

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright... We'll continue with this mission, but understand this: it's going to be much more dangerous than what we initially signed up for. I'll need you all to stay alert and follow my lead. Understood?"

"Yes, sensei!" the trio chorused, their resolve unwavering. Kakashi nodded at them while summoning Pakun. He gave him a scrool and said to give this to the hokage. When the trio asked what that was about, Kakashi said that these guys had bounty on their head so konoha can collect them. He just gave the co-ordinate to this place and soon anbu will come to take these two away.

Yuto couldn't help but smile, 'Finally, this is starting to feel like a real mission. And things are going to get a lot more interesting from here.'

Tazuna sighed in relief that his acting got the three kids by his side. With that, Team 7 resumed their journey, now fully aware of the dangers that lay ahead. But none of them could have guessed just how perilous the path to the Land of Waves would truly become.

Team 7 and Tazuna trudged along the forest path for another two hours. The atmosphere was tense; the encounter with the rogue Kiri ninjas had put everyone on edge. Soon, the dense forest began to give way to a large lake shrouded in mist. The air was cool and damp, the thick fog making it hard to see too far ahead.

A small wooden boat was docked at the edge of the lake, and a grizzled boatman stood beside it. He wore a wary expression as he looked at Tazuna.

"This is the last time I'm risking my neck for you, old man," the boatman grumbled, his voice low and filled with apprehension. "If Gato catches wind of this, don't you dare mention my name."

Tazuna nodded, gratitude etched on his face. "I understand. Thank you. I'll make it up to you one day," he promised, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Kakashi gestured for his team to board the boat silently, motioning for them to keep low. The boatman cast off, pushing the boat into the lake with a long pole. They drifted silently across the water for about thirty minutes, the only sound being the soft splash of the oars.

Yuto couldn't help but feel a thrill as they ventured deeper into the mist. 'This is it... the beginning of the Wave mission arc. I need to stay sharp. Zabuza could appear any moment.' His mind raced with excitement and caution, knowing they were stepping into dangerous territory.

Finally, they reached the opposite shore, and the boatman silently pointed them toward the path leading deeper into the Land of Waves. "Good luck, old man," he muttered to Tazuna before quickly paddling away, disappearing back into the fog.

Once on solid ground, the group resumed their journey. The forest here was denser, with tall trees casting long shadows despite the midday sun. As they walked, the tension in the air was palpable.

Suddenly, Naruko's eyes narrowed as she felt a presence. Without hesitation, she threw a kunai into a nearby bush. "I knew it! There's someone there!" she shouted, preparing for a potential attack.

The group paused, turning their gaze to where the kunai landed. A soft, pitiful squeak echoed as a small white rabbit leaped out, shaking in fear.

Naruko blinked, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Uh... my bad," she muttered, scratching the back of her head.

Hitomi rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Nice job, detective. You almost assassinated an innocent rabbit."

"Hey! I was just being cautious!" Naruko shot back, pouting.

While the girls bickered, Kakashi's gaze lingered on the rabbit, his expression turning serious. 'A white rabbit? In the middle of summer? That's not right... Their fur only stays white in winter. This is definitely a replacement animal used for training. Which means…'

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden realization. "Everyone, get down! NOW!" Kakashi shouted, urgency in his voice.

Yuto's eyes widened. 'This is it... It's Zabuza!' Without wasting a second, he grabbed Naruko and Hitomi by their collars, pulling them to the ground just as Kakashi tackled Tazuna.

A massive blade spun through the air above them, whistling dangerously close. The weapon embedded itself deep into a tree with a heavy thunk, the force of it sending a tremor through the ground.

The air seemed to freeze as a tall, muscular man with bandages covering his lower face and wild, spiky hair appeared atop the blade's hilt. His eyes were cold, merciless, and filled with killing intent.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" the man's deep voice echoed through the clearing. "I didn't expect to run into the famous Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake."

Kakashi stood up slowly, his visible eye narrowing as he faced the newcomer. "Zabuza Momochi... the Demon of the Hidden Mist," he said, his voice steady despite the dangerous opponent in front of him.

Yuto's heart raced in his chest, both in fear and exhilaration. 'This is it… Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. This fight is going to be intense. But if I play my cards right, maybe I can get my hands on that sword.'

Naruko and Hitomi, still recovering from the shock, quickly stood up, positioning themselves behind Kakashi. "Sensei, who is this guy?" Naruko asked, her voice tinged with both fear and excitement.

Kakashi kept his gaze fixed on Zabuza. "Listen up, you three. This is no ordinary enemy. Zabuza here is way above your level. Stay back and protect Tazuna. I'll handle him."

Zabuza chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh? You think you can protect them? How interesting… I wonder how long you'll last, Copy Ninja."

Without wasting another moment, Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing the Sharingan in his left eye. Hitomi was shocked to the core when she saw Kakashi having a sharingan. "You're welcome to try, Zabuza. But I won't let you lay a finger on my students."

The battle for survival had just begun.

(Pls give me some power stones!)

(Find out next time on Naruto:Eye system)