TEAM ZERO DEBUT.

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<Ebisu's Perspective>

Earlier this week, we were ambushed by hundreds of bandit ninjas. Calling them bandits might be an understatement. Their attacks were purposeful and precise. They knew exactly who was inside the carriage and how to get away with not only our target but also capturing Anko-san by threatening the merchant we were supposed to protect and escort!

Tch! Their numbers were not really a problem since their leader could barely pass as a chunin ninja based on his attack prowess, but they had numbers that he used well against us. He had a few come behind us and had them send a barrage of water based jutsu attacks at us. There was little Anko's snakes could do against an almost unlimited barrage of jutsu coming at her even though they lacked the ability to harm her in a one on one.

But this is the ninja world, nothing is fair. You do what you can to live, survive and fight to see another day. I sent a messenger hawk back home to call reinforcements. Anko escaping isn't a problem but the safety of our merchant comes first or clients won't trust the integrity of the village anymore. I heard Guy is in village. Having him around should make things end quickly, but I don't like his random outburst about the 'Power of Youth'.

But I would prefer they send someone with a little more wit. Maybe Asuma might do. The Hidden grass village bandits seem to have been hired by someone… maybe a rival merchant? But they won't kill the merchant and Anko-san now since they need ransom money from Konoha. If we don't finish this matter in a week, the honour of Konoha would be dragged through the mud. And what would stop a notorious village like the hidden stone village to check if we can still defend ourselves? Damn it all!

< Ebisu's Pov end/>

Ebisu had healed up quite nicely after the battle and was contemplating sending a clone inside the building where Anko and the merchant were held, using the camouflage jutsu, but he shook his head. If reinforcements didn't arrive by tomorrow, he would do it alone.

"Oi, are you Ebisu?" a voice echoed above him.

Wasting no time, Ebisu ducked out of the way and into a position where he could look up. While still above ground, he had already weaved hand signs for a fire-style jutsu, waiting to confirm whether the voice belonged to an ally or foe.

"Huh?" Ebisu was surprised to see a golden-haired boy with a Konoha headband tied on his left triceps, wearing the iconic green jacket of chunin and jounin ninjas in Konoha, alongside a taller black-haired teen in the same attire.

"Wait a minute. Isn't that the mysterious kid in the village who rose to the chunin ranks without even attending the ninja academy? DID THE THIRD SEND SOME RICH SNOB MY WAY?" Ebisu couldn't help but feel disappointed in the backup he received.

He had heard rumours about Gilgamesh, who supposedly came from a very rich lord who covered the cost of rebuilding the village after the Nine-Tails attack that the Fourth Hokage stopped with his life.

'It's just as I expected. You can't get far in the ninja world without elite or special parents and family. This kid will doom us all. I might as well go ahead with my plan.' Ebisu got up and dusted himself off after falling on his back following his initial duck.

Gilgamesh didn't need anyone to tell him that Ebisu couldn't see value in Team Zero. But nevertheless, this was what this mission was for. Slowly, the world will come to know to know the might of Team Zero and Gilgamesh as well, that was his plan anyway.

Gilgamesh and Mura landed in front of Ebisu gracefully, their feet hovering slightly before touching the grass.

It was now that other rumours of the 'Anbu bully' began flooding his mind. He had forgotten what it means to fly in the current age of the ninja world because he was in a fit a rage earlier. This was also the same Gilgamesh that was rumoured to be better than the genjutsu master, Kurenai. He was someone rumoured to have put several Anbu ninjas under his genjutsu and even fought some.

Ebisu never paid heed to such baseless rumours. None of it was confirmed at the Hokage mansion, none of it was announced, and their rankings weren't updated. Gilgamesh's stat book read, sensory type ninja and 'not to be underestimated'. So he couldn't believe any of it.

But all of that seemed like a poor representation of Gilgamesh when Gilgamesh's red eyes looked down on him as if he were nothing more than a mongrel. His presence carried weight, and Ebisu couldn't believe this air of authority belonged to a child.

Mura took joy in the reaction Gilgamesh elicited from Ebisu. Nothing needed to be said, but between the three of them, two knew who they should not disrespect, as if by instinct.

Ebisu stood up with a gulp and watched Gilgamesh crouch to place his hand on the ground and black inscriptions spread from his palm outward, covering the ground they were on and extend past the area they were in till Gilgamesh felt satisfied and stood upright.

Still, Ebisu shook off the feeling, unwilling to believe he had been tricked by a child into feeling fear.

"Ebisu, I have already scanned the area. There seems to be a large number of ninjas north of here. Can I assume that's where Anko is being held?" Gilgamesh asked, pointing north.

'Tch. Addressing his seniors without respect? But he is a sensory ninja, alright. Maybe he could be useful,' Ebisu thought, then gave a nod.

"Leave this to us, Ebisu, and watch how Team Zero handles things," Gilgamesh said with confidence.

"What was that jutsu you did earlier?" Ebisu asked not sure of what Gilgamesh did earlier but he knew it was probably a barrier jutsu. A kid his age being proficient in barrier jutsu is already considered valuable, Maybe he would give the kid another chance.

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