Chapter 47 : A Monster Enters Wave(5)

Kakashi spent a good half an hour explaining everything that needed to be discussed. Tsunami and Tazuna were star struck when the Copy-nin introduced the young blond as the Bringer of Hope. Apparently his name even reached the small nations, and even the civilians knew quite a few of his accomplishments.

Then Sakura felt sick when she was told that Kakashi thought Zabuza was still alive, even though he had felt no vitals, and his suspicions that the 'Hunter-nin' was actually his accomplice. Sasuke was a little excited to fight the Kiri fake, and couldn't wait to begin the special training their sensei promised them.

After they ate dinner, Kakashi had assigned Naruto to accompany Tsunami to the marketplace the next day, just to make sure she wasn't used to bait Tazuna out by getting herself kidnapped. After a short conversation, the two jonin joined the genin in sleeping. When Naruto woke – an hour before anyone else – he had been surprised to see Tsunami was already awake, and after the two had some tea that the woman made, they decided to get the shopping done sooner rather than later.

So now Naruto and Tsunami walked side by side into town. The woman needed to buy extra ingredients for tonight's dinner since there were so many guests.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Naruto-san." Tsunami said for the fifth time. The woman was the most polite person he'd ever met.

"It's not a problem, Tsunami-san. Kakashi-senpai asked me to look out for you, and I've only been here once before, so I kind of wanted to look around and see the sights." Naruto replied. He really had only been to Nami no Kuni once, and it was only to pass through it, so he didn't get a real chance to see the actual villages. He was excited, until he saw how poor and depressing it was.

Tsunami had seen his eyes wander around sadly, and decided to let him know why the small fishing village was in such a sorry state. However, before she could begin, there was a cry for help in a nearby shop. When the woman saw Naruto begin to walk towards to noise, she tried to stop him.

"No, Naruto-san, it's too dangerous to get involved." She pleaded. "It's most likely Gato's men, they force the shop owners to pay a 'protection' tax, and if they don't, well…" She didn't have to finish her sentence; the screams for help were enough.

"I'll be fine, Tsunami-san." Naruto explained. He walked into the shop to find three rough-looking thugs, each with a weapon of some kind, huddled around an older looking man. He cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd leave the man alone."

The apparent leader of the ragtag group didn't even turn his face when he spoke. "Beat it brat, this doesn't concern you." After that was said he started poking his sorry excuse for a sword dangerously close to the man's neck.

Before anyone knew exactly what happened, a real sword was shoved into the 'leaders' throat, his crimson blood splattering on the other two.

"It concerns me now." the blonde whispered, his voice colder than winter. The two living thugs screamed in surprise.

"W-what the hell?" the one with a dull kunai shouted, bringing the kunai up to slam it in the kid's face. The blond dropped his tanto and caught the man's arm in his hand, crushing it with his steel like grip until it snapped like a twig under the pressure. The scum's cries of pain only brought a smile to Naruto's face.

"Fuck off, creep!" The only unhurt thug shouted as he tried to free his wounded friend from the crazy looking blond. His sorry attempt at thrusting a rusty pocket knife at his back was evaded with ease. Naruto spun out of the blow, grabbing the wielder by the throat and slammed him into the wall of the shop, cracking it by the force of the collision.

"Now that we have that settled," Naruto said with a sadistic smile on his face, "I'd like you to send your little boss a message." He leaned in close to the man he still had by the throat. "He takes his last breaths." His smile grew even wilder. "God has passed his judgment on him," he took the man and threw him out of the shop, "and has decided to send his Harbinger to cleanse Nami no Kuni of his filth. Give this message to Gato. He's been warned."

With that said, he turned to the man whose arm was still broken. "As for you," he picked his tanto back up – which he kept in a seal tattooed on his left arm – and pointed it at the man. "It only takes one to deliver a message." The last thing the black-haired thug saw was the terrifying face of a monster.

Gato Company had recently crossed Konoha, in what way Naruto wasn't told, because it didn't matter. The Hokage had ordered him to kill Gato while he was observing Kakashi, which was one of the reasons why he gave them this particular mission. It was a way to get the Kamikage in Nami no Kuni, and then he could end the little man's life.

Like Yagura, Gato didn't fear Konoha or the Lord Third Hokage, and just like Yagura, he would see the foolishness in his sins.

Naruto felt fear behind him, and he sighed. "I'm sorry that you had to see that, Tsunami-san." He turned to face the woman who was trying her best to not look totally terrified. "I know it's hard not to be afraid, but you have nothing to fear from me." He took a step towards the woman and was relieved that she didn't take a step back. He put his hand on the woman's shoulder. "I'm here to protect you and your family, but to do that, I have to become a monster that our enemies will fear." Tsunami just nodded, still scared, but trusting the famous Bringer of Hope with his word. "Now, let's get back to the main reason we came here." He said, motioning for her to continue her shopping.

The rest of the trip was made in silence.

Sometimes, being a monster meant doing the things that needed to be done, but at the cost of others distancing themselves from you out of fear.

And that never felt good.

Ever.

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