Demonic spirit

After the skirmish with the chuunin from Kiri, our team continued on their way, and Tazuna finally got up the courage to tell the whole story of this mission without secrecy:

- I must tell you this. You have the right to know the truth. - As you said, this mission goes far beyond the scope of this S-rang assignment. You're right; you don't have to protect me now. The fact is, there is a very dangerous man after me.

- Very dangerous? And who would that be? - Kakashi asked.

- Maybe you've heard his name; he's a wealthy ship owner named Gato. - replied Tazuna.

- Gato? From Gato's company? He is considered one of the richest men in the world. - Kakashi informed us.

- Oh, that's just great news. It means we can rob that rich man. Now, I don't regret choosing to continue the mission even more. - I commented, and Kakashi gave me an annoyed look.

- Officially, Gato owns a large ship company, but in reality, Gato deals in drugs, weapons, and other illicit goods. He uses mobsters and various gangs to cover his business. Through his criminal connections, he takes over other companies and small countries. - Tazuna continued, "Gato is a very dangerous man. He set his eyes on the Land of Waves about a year ago. He quickly seized control of our country's fleet and ship traffic through bribery and violence. Gato now has a monopoly on water transport in our country and beyond. The only thing Gato fears is building a bridge, for the Land of Waves could use it to trade with the mainland and become independent of water transport.

- I see, and since you're the one building the bridge, you're the one he wants to take out. - Sakura said.

- I need clarification on one thing if you knew you had shinobi on your tail, why did you hire us instead of a more experienced and stronger team? - Kakashi asked.

- As I said, the Wave Country could be better. Even our Daime had no money, everything was spent on building the bridge, so I needed more money for a more expensive B-rank mission. - Tazuna replied, ''If you refuse the mission, I will definitely be killed. But don't worry, if I die, my ten-year-old granddaughter will cry for a long time, and my daughter will live in poverty forever. Both of them will hate Konoha shinobi forever. - Tazuna decided to play the pity trick on us.

- I already told you that your arse is under my protection, so why are you telling me about your granddaughter and daughter? - I stomped my foot, and several sharp stone spikes came out of the ground next to Tazuna, from which he bounced away in fear," Wait, granddaughter? - I clarified.

- Yes, here's a picture of us together. - He pulled out a photograph of Tazuna, his granddaughter, a beautiful woman and a man with a cross-shaped scar on his chin," Inari, my granddaughter, Tsunami, my daughter, and her dead husband, Kaiza. - The old man spoke, showing us his family... by the way, "Inari" is the name of the goddess of abundance and rice, so it's a better name for a girl than a guy.

- Your granddaughter's cute, and your daughter's an incredible beauty. - I looked at this Tsunami. She has a daughter, but still, I wouldn't mind comforting this widow, and I really want to spend time with a woman right now. I noticed that I was getting too irritable. Still, I had been meditating like a Chinese cultivator for years. I needed a fairy with long silky hair and skin like white jade... and this Tsunami fit those criteria perfectly.

- What a dog, Dantebayo. - Mito said with anger and jealousy as she looked at me.

- Well, older adult, do not be afraid; we will protect you and bring you home to your granddaughter and beautiful daughter. By the way, I'll help you build the bridge faster for a couple of small favours. If you agree, the bridge will be ready in no time. - I took off my mask to make myself less intimidating to talk to and used Henge to hide my hermit markings.

- And what are these favours? - Tazuna asked.

- I need training in architecture. I can control stones, water, and trees, and when I first learnt to control stones, I tried to build myself a house... it fell apart after six months. Anyway, I'm not much of a builder. Although I know how to grow trees now and plan to build a palace, I want it to last at least a few years. - I used a few seals to grow a small shack out of wood;- Anyway, when I help you build the bridge, I want to improve my building skills. I can also create my counterparts; they can speed up the construction because of the increased number of workers. - I explained in more detail.

- Okay, we first need to get to my house safely, which will be a problem when one of the richest people has a grudge against you and has sent an elite swordsman assassin after you. - Tazuna spoke up.

- Don't worry, Grandpa, I can handle him, and if anything, we've got Kakashi, a lousy teacher. Still, he's very strong as a fighter but a shitty teacher. - I nodded at Kakashi.

- Naruto, you're getting cocky. - said Kakashi to me.

- Does it really hurt? - If you teach me something, I'll consider you a sensei, but you've never tried to prove yourself as a teacher. Come on, let's get back to the mission. The older man, what do you think of my proposal? - I turned my gaze to Tazuna.

- Eh, I have no choice anyway; if I survive, I agree to your help, and I will try to pass on the knowledge of architecture to you. And for your second small request, I hope it doesn't involve money? - Tazuna clarified.

- No, it's nothing; it doesn't concern money. Let's go on; we have a long way to go. - I said.

Between Konoha and the Land of Waves is about three hundred kilometres in a straight line. Still, the plan is to walk sixty kilometres to the next town, where we'll take a boat to the river landing and travel the rest of the way by water transport.

While walking, I tried on the handcuffs taken from the Chuunin from the Hidden Mist. According to Identity, these losers were twin brothers. One was called Gozu, and the other was twenty-five years old, Meizu. The chain wristbands were used by the two brothers. I also tried it with the shadow clone... on the one hand, such a weapon, because of its strangeness, might help to defeat a jonin, purely because the shinobi would have no experience fighting against such a spiky chain. Still, I want to avoid emphasising a strange weapon I'm uncomfortable using in a fight.

The chains were detachable, so I removed them and decided to wear the two gloves myself; I prefer them as a kind of brass knuckles... but these particular gloves are made of ordinary steel, so if they perform well in battle, I might make something similar out of better materials and enchant them with magic. It's just that I have a Ryujin sword. Still, I can't swordfight and sword fighting isn't part of the Shinobi Academy curriculum. Hence, I'm less effective with a sword than in hand-to-hand combat, so brass knuckles are preferable.

And to be honest, the Ryujin sword is an interesting weapon, but I'm not too fond of the shape of it, the blade is too short, and the handle is too long. I'd rather have it forged into a more traditional sword, and if I can find a swordsmanship teacher, I can use it in combat.

Well, Kakashi is likely to teach me something other than swordsmanship. However, he seems to be a good swordsman, so I'll have to look for a teacher among other shinobi... I have a couple of options.

After a few hours, we arrived at the river pier, where we got into a boat with a motor. Thanks to the fact that we were going with the current, we would eventually arrive at the Land of Waves in five hours. However, when we started to sail directly to the island where the Wave Country is located, we got into a thick fog. Hence, the boatman switched off the motor to avoid hitting the rocks, and we sailed on thanks to the sea current.

- We'll be there soon. - The boatman said that when we could see the shore, it was difficult to do so because of the fog. "Tazuna, it seems that we have not been detected. - he added.

- Thank you. - Tazuna replied to the boatman.

As we swam towards the shore, I put my mask back on and checked my wristbands. Kakashi must have realised that I had spotted the enemy with my Sensoriki. Hence, he, too, became more serious and focused. Tazuna said goodbye to the boatman as we landed on the dock, and he left the dock, turning on the engine and heading out to sea to get away from us.

We continued on foot, I was in the lead, but Mito started to overtake me, so I picked up the pace, and she followed me. When Mito heard a rustle in the bushes, she lunged forward. She threw a kunai into the bushes, successfully hitting a white hare.

- Oh, bunny, I thought it was an enemy shinobi. I'm sorry, bunny. - The red fox cradled the white hare in her arms.

- Mito, let me finish him off, and we'll have a nice hare roast for dinner. - I suggested.

- How can you kill such lovely creatures, dantebayo? - Mito was outraged.

- Oh, Lee? Who ate those cute creatures when I cooked them for you? Or do you think that those beasts I cooked kebabs from died themselves - of old age? - I asked a question with an obvious answer.

- Oh, that's it! I'm not really talking to you, dattebayo. - Mito turned away from me.

- By the way, ordinary hares in nature change their coat colour depending on the season; they are white only in winter, so this hare was kept in a cage and released now to distract our attention. The enemy is near. Get ready. - I said.

I had spotted Zabuza with the help of Sensorica long ago, and now he was making his move. Jumping down from the tree, Zabuza threw his cleaver at us, turning it into the likeness of a flying circular saw.

- Get on the ground! - Kakashi commanded, and everyone fell to the ground except for me. I was using phasing, which sent the sword flying through the tree and onwards, crashing into the nearest tree, almost severing it. A moment later, a half-naked man landed on the cleaver's handle. He had a half-mask covering his mouth, a Kiri protector on his head, and ridiculous cow print armbands and leggings on his arms and legs.

- Gee, if it isn't the renegade of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza himself? It's going to be difficult against you. I'll have to take this off. - Kakashi said and began to lift his protector from his closed Sharingan.

- As far as I know, you're Kakashi's Sharingan. - Zabuza pulled out his cleaver and jumped to the ground - Taking your kids for a walk? I'm sorry, but I must take the older man with me.

- Naruto, you'll help me in the battle. The rest of you, stay with Tazuna and protect him. - Kakashi fully raised his protector, and his Sharingan was now visible;- Don't think about joining the fight. Is that clear? - looked at us.

- Oh, I finally got a glimpse of the glorious Sharingan. - Kakashi, you're taking a snot-nosed genin to fight me. I'm flattered. - The swordsman said with a sneer.

- Zabuza, do you recognise the gauntlets? - I took them off the corpses of the Kiri chuunin who worked with you. I defeated those weaklings myself without Kakashi's help. And by the way, Zabuza, I'm vindictive. The fact that you called me a snotty genin will return to haunt you when I wrap your intestines around my claws. I'm also a medic, so I'll prolong your agony so you die slowly and painfully. - I showed you my claws... I'll make myself one of those wristbands if only to intimidate my opponents.

- So, shall we fight? - Kakashi said.

- All right, you're all talk. I was supposed to kill that older man, but I'll have to kill you two first. - he jumped into the water, steam swirling around him - Nimpo: Mist Shroud. - He used a technique to cover the battlefield with a shroud of mist.

- Futon: Air Storm! - I formed a bird seal and unleashed a directed storm of Wind Chakra towards Zabuza. Thanks to the natural energy, the technique was large and blew away almost all the fog, returning normal visibility. In addition to the fog, this storm blew away Zabuza and his three water clones, which shattered and disintegrated with a splash from the massive storm.

- Now, Naruto, why do you keep complaining that I don't teach you anything when you're already strong? - Kakashi asked after seeing my technique.

- Probably because you're the one who hasn't taught me anything, even though you're the Sensei of my team. I should have refused the seventh team when I offered you. Go ahead, Zabuza. I'll learn something during your battle. - I pointed to the Mist Swordsman.

- Kakashi, that brat doesn't seem to have any respect for you. - said Zabuza, or rather his clone.

- After I deal with you, I'll have to teach him something. - Kakashi, his clone, drew his kunai and lunged at Zabuza.

While the clones were dealing with each other, the original Zabuza decided to attack Tazuna. Still, the real Kakashi appeared, and the two had a brief melee fight, resulting in Kakashi being thrown into the water. Zabuza imprisoned him in the Water Prison technique, where Kakashi couldn't breathe and escape the water bubble controlled by the Swordsman of Mist himself.

- Kakashi, stop slacking off, fight Zabuza normally and show off your techniques! - I was outraged.

- You punk, you've never been in a real battle; in a real battle, everything ends quickly with the death of one of the fighters, in this case, the death of your Sensei. - Zabuza focused on the Water Prison, creating pressure inside, causing Kakashi to exhale air bubbles, wasting his oxygen supply.

- Well, he's not my Sensei, I'm telling you, he hasn't taught me anything, so whatever, kill him. Kakashi, I'd like to help you, but I can't do anything because my mentor ignored his duties; I hope that after your tragic death, Hokage will give us a new commander, preferably a beautiful kunoichi. - I said gloatingly and folded my arms across my chest.

- You know that I'll kill you next as soon as I'm done with Kakashi, right? - Zabuza said.

- A loud statement from a man dressed in tasteless cow print armbands. - I replied... well, Zabuza might be strong, but thanks to the sennin mode, I can defeat him, and I always have the option of teleporting away with my team.

- Ha ha, you really are a brat; I had blood on my hands at your age. - Zabuza said angrily, and the Water Prison shrank even more, making it harder for Kakashi to survive.

- Well, I used to get my hands dirty with blood when training to be an irienin, especially when I was learning how to perform heart surgery. Once, I cut an artery, and a bloodstream hit me in the face, so I wore a mask. Well, you'll be killing Kakashi for a long time there; I already want to fight you and rip your heart out... or should I not? I want to sell your corpse; how intact does it have to be for me to be paid the maximum amount? - I spoke thoughtfully and stroked the chin of the mask.

- Kakashi, how bad of a mentor are you that your student wants you dead? - Zabuza even looked at Kakashi with pity, but he wasn't planning to let him go.

- I'm not his apprentice. - I said coldly and just stood on the shore.

- Kakashi-sensei! I'll save you! - Mito shouted and rushed to save her Sensei, lest he be replaced by a beautiful kunoichi," Kage Bunshin! - Mito formed a cross-shaped seal and created a dozen clones. Still, Zabuza created one Water Clone, which he sent to fight Mito... and one swordsman clone easily destroyed dozens of Mito's Shadow Clones. They couldn't even leave the shore.

- Naruto, save Kakashi-sensei! - Sakura shouted.

- Why? He's not much of a mentor, and as you can tell from his fight with Zabuza, he's not much of a fighter either.

- Naruto, please, I'm begging you! Please save Kakashi-sensei. - Sakura pleaded with me while Mito tried unsuccessfully to defeat one of Zabuza's Water Clones.

- Just for your sake, Sakura. Futon: Fuma Shuriken! - I pulled out the two shurikens that I had spun on my fingers with the Wind Element. I threw them at Zabuza, but he had just put the Water Prison with Kakashi in the path of the projectiles, so my own shurikens should have killed Kakashi. However, I returned the shurikens to my hands. But the fact that Zabuza was distracted by my attack and had loosened his grip on the Water Prison was enough for Kakashi to break free of the water bubble and immediately attack Zabuza.

- Naruto..." Kakashi glared at me unhappily, but next, he focused on Zabuza.

- You're welcome. - I replied... I was being an arsehole, but that's the kind of attitude Kakashi deserved. How many times I've asked him to train our team? It's hard to count, and, most importantly, I told him to give up on us, but he still took us on and didn't even try to teach us anything. I know what kind of opponents I will face and want to be prepared for them. That's why I'm trying so hard to get Kakashi to train me, or at least to get Kakashi to give up his role as commander because while my team officially has a sensei, I can't ask anyone for help in training, they'll tell me to go to my mentor to train me, and he won't do it, apparently out of principle.

After a few seconds of close combat with Kakashi, the Swordsman of Mist used Suiton's technique and quickly folded seals. Kakashi used Sharingan to repeat them and make the technique stronger than his opponent's. Zabuza decided to use a longer series of seals. Kakashi continued to repeat after him, and the two stood opposite each other and folded forty-four seals, which took them eight seconds. When they finished folding the seals at the same time, they shouted out at the same time:

- Suiton: Water Dragon Strike! - However, Kakashi finished creating the technique a moment earlier, causing his water dragon to form faster and was able to destroy Zabuza's water dragon.

The shockwave of water threw the Mist Swordsman back to the shore, nailing him to a tree. Kakashi took advantage of his opponent's disorientation and threw several kunai that pierced Zabuza's limbs. Just as Kakashi was about to finish off his opponent, several senbon stabbed into the Mist Swordsman's neck, causing Zabuza to "die".

- Thank you for your help; I've been waiting for a chance to kill Zabuza for a long time. - Sitting in a tree, the masked shinobi threw sentons at Zabuza.

- Hmm... he's really dead. - Kakashi approached the Mist Swordsman, checked for a pulse, and then looked at the masked shinobi, "Judging by your mask, you're an Oinin, a renegade hunter? - The Jonin clarified.

- You are right; my duty is to hunt down fugitive shinobi. I am a member of the Oinin of the Hidden Mist. - I must retrieve Zabuza's body - it contains many secrets of my village, so I must destroy it. I'll take Zabuza's sword, too; it belongs to the Hidden Mist. - said the Oinin.

- Alright, do your job. - Kakashi moved away from Zabuza's body, to which the masked man immediately moved and used Shunshin to quickly disappear with the "corpse" of the Mist Swordsman.

- Great, some girl in a mask came, finished off Swordsman of the Mist, and disappeared with him into the distance. On the black market, Zabuza's body with the sword could sell for at least a million Ryo. We just had a million ryo stolen from right under our noses. - I said with a little frustration in my voice.

- These things happen to shinobi... by the way, Naruto, I need to talk seriously with you about your behaviour. - Kakashi said to me.

- I had everything under control. - I removed my mask, and since my team was standing behind me, only Kakashi could see my face, and he noticed the marks from the sennin mode on it." "That's the reason why I was missing for three days; I was in the summoning world, so I could have handled Zabuza... and I wouldn't have let you die either; I just decided to use this incident to show you the consequences of your negligence in training my team. - I looked seriously at Kakashi, who looked away and lowered his Sharingan protector. I had just run out of sen-chakra and came out of hermit mode, which made my face markings disappear.

- Our mission is ongoing; we must get Tazuna home. - Kakashi said tiredly.

- Ha ha ha. Thank you guys so much. - Tazuna said cheerfully; despite our internal turmoil in the team, we finally defeated the Mist Swordsman, who had been sent to get the bridge builder's head.

- Well, let's go then. - Kakashi said and collapsed with chakra exhaustion before he could take a step.

- Kakashi-sensei! What's wrong? - Sakura rushed over to Kakashi. Naruto? - The pink-haired girl looked at me for an answer.

- He's been using a lot of chakra, so he's exhausted. So, who wants to drag our under-sensei to Tazuna's house? - I asked, and Sakura, Sasuke and Mito turned their backs. "I see. No one wants to go, so we'll leave him lying here. - I said gloatingly.

- Naruto, but..." Sakura said.

- What, "but," Sakura? Do you want to carry Kakashi? - I said, and Sakura looked away again, "Yeah, I've got a team just like Sensei. - I walked over to Kakashi and put him on my back.

- Ahem, well, let's go. - Tazuna said and led us to his house.

Like any dojutsu, the Sharingan consumes a lot of chakras when activated. Kakashi's eye was not native and was implanted in a way that was, shall we say, unskillful, which meant that it consumed a lot more chakra than it needed. Secondly, it was always activated, so Kakashi had to cover it with a protector to reduce the strain on his eye and its chakra consumption. It only helps a little, so Kakashi never walks around with a full chakra reserve, affecting his passivity.