"What" Sakura and Naruto exclaimed together Kakashi and Guy looked serious after hearing this.
Kakashi asked "If I may ask Yami, who sent you this information?"
"A reliable source." that's all Yami said. Kakashi understood that Yami wanted to protect the identity of this source so he didn't ask further.
Guy also asked a question that was bugging others "Does the letter say how many shinobis in total have been amassed?"
"No Guy sensei, my source hasn't even sent an estimate which means the risk is more than he wants to take." Yami replied.
"So what do we do now?" Lee asked looking at Guy and Kakashi. In the past year along with his teammates, he defeated many bandits and mercenaries and even killed some but fighting multiple of them while protecting civilians is not an easy task.
"Should we make a move tonight?" Neji asked Guy to which he replied "I don't think that would be a good idea. We can't attack without any provocation."
"Guy is right, Gato is a businessman means he has his connections so we can't attack him without any evidence." Kakashi said while thinking. Yami burnt the letter he had in his hand and left the bat to go back to Zabuza. He believed that Gato will come with some of his bandits and attack the bridge but hiring shinobi mercenaries and other bandits was not something that had happened in the canon. He started to realize that as soon as he made a big change in the canon, the effects were equally big.
"Ugh...why are things so complicated?" Naruto growled while ruffling his hair in anger.
"I heard the first missions are usually easy and are only D or C-rank but..." Sakura was saying when Sasuke interrupted and said "But we would have never thought it would jump to A or B rank."
"This is definitely A rank." Kakashi sighed.
Yami looked at Guy and Tazuna and asked "How many more days will it take to complete the bridge?"
Tazuna thought for a few seconds and said "Mostly probably 2-3 days at most. Why?"
Kakashi also turned to Yami as he knew Yami must have something brewing in his head "Do you have any way to resolve this?" Kakashi asked.
'I would very much love to go and kill them all alone but that would raise too many questions at Hiruzen's office which might catch Danzo's attention. With the little feats that I have I might have already caught Orochimaru's attention but Danzo's would be worse. I don't have any way to counter the Kotoamatsumi he has implanted in his right eye. Looks the bridge confrontation is the only way. The chunin exams are coming so I will have to show some of my capabilities.' Yami thought.
He looked at Kakashi and said "Spread the news that the bridge will be completed tomorrow itself."
Everyone was shocked to hear this. They expected Yami to give them a solution but what Yami was now doing was bringing the problem to them early.
"What are you saying Yami? They will attack us tomorrow then." Lee said.
"Yes, I don't see how that is a solution Yami." Kakashi asked with a confused expression on his face.
"The more time we give them the more his strength will increase and he may even hire Shinobi mercenaries from other Lands as well. The only solution I see is to not give him the time to create a small army for him. He must have already seen Guy sensei and Lee working at the bridge with Tazuna and understood that backup has arrived. He started hiring today so if we let him hire for two more days then who knows how many people we will have to face." Yami said making everyone hm in understanding.
'What he is saying does make sense. He isn't backing out because we got Team Guy for backup but increasing his strength. Time is of the essence for him way more than for us.' Kakashi thought.
He nodded at Yami then looked at Tazuna and his family and said "Let's spread the news that the bridge is almost ready and tomorrow till will finish." Tazuna and Tsunami nodded. Though they were nervous about the fact that tens or maybe hundreds of bandits are coming to kill them, they couldn't do anything when they have come this far. Kakashi left with Tazuna and Tsunami while the others busied themselves in some work or the other.
After a few hours, everyone was sitting back at the table. Kakashi had just returned with Tazuna and his daughter. They had told a lot of people that the bridge will complete tomorrow. Kakashi did notice a few people go toward Gato's house after hearing what Tazuna said. Kakashi wanted this news to get to Gato and that's why he decided to not stop those people.
While they were all eating Kakashi looked at everyone and said "I am sure by now Gato is trying his best to get more and more people. His spies definitely told him everything Tazuna said to the villagers."
Yami finished his food before everyone and then said "I am going to see what movements they are making."
Naruto stopped Yami and said "I will also come with you." to which Yami replied
"You are anything but sneaky. I can do this alone as I am planning to use my summons for this." Yami said and left the room.
"Will he be fine all by himself?" Sakura asked Guy who just smiled and said "He wouldn't have said it if he wasn't confident about it."
Yami left Tazuna's house and split into dozens of bats. He had the past few hours to think and he came to the conclusion that no matter how much he wants the canon to follow, things are gonna change so he might as well lower the number of Yami's bandits a little. He was sure that tomorrow Gato will attack with his men but if Yami could take out some strong people tonight, there will be fewer surprises tomorrow.
(Changes from the canon have started appearing. What more will change?)
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