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In the Forest.
The Root Ninjas were having a dinner gathering.
Akihara Kagura, a supervisor, actively caught ingredients for his subordinates, sitting on a rock beside a river, holding a fishing rod and enjoying the pleasure of fishing.
Karin stood behind Akihara Kagura, reporting in a low voice the information she sensed: "Three kilometers away, there are two lurking ninjas. I worry they might disturb Lord Kagura's mood. How about I take care of them..."
"That's not our enemy."
Akihara Kagura watched the float on the water sink, swiftly lifted the fishing rod, and reeled in a fish hooked on it: "Let's stay here for a while and see who their target is. Consider it a form of entertainment."
"..."
Karin had a bad feeling.
This entertainment...
Could it be the entertainment of Team 7?
Because Karin also sensed the presence of Team 7, and their mission's destination was surprisingly the same. Could those two lurking enemies be planning to attack Team 7?
Indeed.
Karin's prediction unfortunately came true.
When Hatake Kakashi led Team 7 to escort Tazuna, they were attacked by two Mist Village ninjas. Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura, experiencing a ninja fight for the first time, were too scared to act. However, Uchiha Sasuke's performance was somewhat impressive!
Fortunately...
Hatake Kakashi, the Jonin, resolved the crisis effortlessly by knocking out the two Mist Village ninjas. Just as he planned to interrogate these two ninjas from an allied village, he suddenly smelled grilled fish and heard the rustling sound of a group of people walking.
"This is..."
Hatake Kakashi immediately became alert!
However, before Hatake Kakashi could act, a familiar voice reached his ears: "Attacking ninjas from an allied village by Team 7 is a serious mistake. According to the village's rules, this should result in the revocation of ninja status..."
Accompanied by this voice, Akihara Kagura, holding a skewer of grilled fish, leisurely walked out from the forest, clearly there to spectate.
"You guy..."
Hatake Kakashi looked at Akihara Kagura speechlessly: "Have you been watching us fight from the shadows? Or were these two sent by you?"
"It was them who attacked us!"
Uzumaki Naruto immediately reacted, complaining: "Kagura, you're really disloyal! Watching secretly from the side and not helping!"
"It wasn't me. I wouldn't rashly attack an ally..."
Akihara Kagura shrugged, and the wooden skewer in his hand was suddenly flung, piercing the shoulder of a Mist ninja, causing him immediate pain!
"Ah ah ah ah..."
The intense pain made the Mist ninja cry out!
"Stop shouting."
Akihara Kagura walked up to him, raised his finger to the wooden skewer, and the skewer began to slowly grow inside the Mist ninja's body.
"Ah ah ah ah, a Wood Release ninja..."
The Mist ninja looked at Akihara Kagura in pain, recalling the most terrifying enemy once appeared in the Mist Village: "You are... You are Akihara Kagura!"
"It's me."
Akihara Kagura nodded, not denying his identity, and continued: "According to the alliance treaty between the Mist Village and the Konoha Village, the Mist Village is not allowed to undertake missions that conflict with the Konoha or attack Konoha ninjas. Your actions have violated the treaty between the two villages. Do you want to start a war between the Mist Village and the Konoha, right?"
"No... Not..."
The Mist ninja didn't dare to admit it, shaking his head quickly: "We didn't intend to attack the Konoha ninjas, I can't say what mission we were on!"
"Then you're of no value."
Akihara Kagura's finger raised.
The wooden spike that had been embedded in the Mist ninja's body suddenly grew, sprouting branches that pierced out from his body, silencing him instantly!
"..."
The kids from Team 7 were all frightened.
Even Uchiha Sasuke, who was quite brave, could feel the terror of the wooden spikes' branches piercing through the body, causing him to break out in cold sweat involuntarily!
The three youngsters of Team 7 all showed a look of panic and unease on their faces, witnessing Akihara Kagura's style for the first time. Even Uzumaki Naruto, who was usually familiar with Akihara Kagura, saw his work like this for the first time!
"Karin."
Akihara Kagura looked at another Mist ninja who was still unconscious and ordered, "Wake the other one up for me."
"Yes."
Karin drew her ninja sword from behind her and slashed it across the chest of the unconscious Mist ninja, causing blood to spurt out!
As peers of Team 7, seeing Karin act so decisively made them all feel a certain empathy, and even Hatake Kakashi couldn't help but start to reminisce about the red-haired little girl who used to timidly follow behind Akihara Kagura...
"..."
The other Mist ninja was instantly awakened by the pain!
"Why attack the Konoha ninja?"
Akihara Kagura, undeterred, stood in front of the other Mist ninja and softly said, "He's dead, now you tell me. If none of you speak, I won't ask further. I'll just destroy the Mist Village and the Land of Water. I'm not in the mood to interrogate a third person."
"I'll talk..."
The Mist ninja, trembling, looked towards Tazuna in the crowd, compelled to reveal their mission: "We were ordered to kill the bridge builder, Tazuna."
"..."
Everyone's gaze turned towards Tazuna in the crowd.
"..."
The bespectacled little old man was somewhat frightened, involuntarily taking a few steps back. He had deceived the Konoha ninja into escorting and protecting him to build the bridge, even intentionally issuing a C-rank mission due to insufficient funds.
In reality...
This escort mission was quite dangerous.
Strictly speaking, the Land of Waves was filled with smugglers' thugs and even ninja working for smugglers, not something a regular team could handle.
However...
That was all Tazuna could do.
Tazuna hung his head in despair and quietly talked about the situation in the Land of Waves: "A merchant named Gato has taken over the Land of Waves, forbidding communication with the outside world..."
"Gato is exploiting the civilians of the Land of Waves, everyone is living in poverty, and we have no power to resist Gato. Those who resisted were killed..."
"I had no choice but to deceive the Konoha to send ninja to protect me. I just wanted to build a bridge that could open communication with the outside world, to lift the Land of Waves out of poverty..."
Tazuna, looking at the Konoha ninja present, tried to morally coerce them: "If no one protects me, I will be killed, and the Land of Waves will remain impoverished. My granddaughter will have to live her life in tears, and my daughter will hate the Konoha ninja forever..."
"..."
Everyone couldn't help but want to roll their eyes.
Akihara Kagura nodded, offering a solution: "Don't worry, I'm kind-hearted. I'll kill them, so they don't have to live in pain..."
"..."
Tazuna was greatly shocked!
Originally wanting to use moral coercion, it turns out that this Konoha Village ninja, who seemed to be of no low status, lacked morals after all!
"Don't scare him."
"We want to help you, but your request qualifies as a B-rank mission."
Hatake Kakashi, somewhat helpless, sighed at Tazuna: "Creating a false commission is troublesome, the village elders wouldn't want us undertaking this mission, especially since Gato has hired ninjas from the Mist Village. If we end up fighting with an allied ninja village..."
At this point, Hatake Kakashi started hinting to Tazuna: "If you want us to continue with the commission, it would require special permission from the village's higher-ups..."
"So, should we return to Konoha Village?"
Tazuna, looking at Hatake Kakashi as if seeing some hope, said, "As long as we get special permission from the Konoha's higher-ups..."
"Allow me to introduce properly."
With a twitch on his forehead and a sense of helplessness, Hatake Kakashi spread his hands towards Akihara Kagura and introduced: "One of the Konoha's top officials, the Hokage's assistant of the Konoha Village, Lord Akihara Kagura, second only to the Third Hokage of the Konoha Village."
"Do whatever you want."
Akihara Kagura cut Kakashi off, impatiently saying: "Don't drag me into this, I can pretend I know nothing..."
"You... should take responsibility!"
Hatake Kakashi, placing one hand on Akihara Kagura's shoulder and wrapping him in, whispered beside him: "Hey, hey, hey, I've always shown you respect. This group of kids are on their first ninja battle mission, we can't just let it end without incident, right?"
At this, Hatake Kakashi rubbed his hands together, voicing his concerns: "I'm just worried about causing conflict with the Mist Village, it could bring trouble to our village..."
"It won't."
Akihara Kagura glanced at Hatake Kakashi and continued: "You just happen to be dealing with the Land of Waves' smugglers, while I take a holiday with the Root..."
...
Hatake Kakashi rolled his eyes, guessing about Akihara Kagura's mission. Was this guy dumping the mission on Team 7 while taking a vacation for leisure and entertainment?
"The Land of Waves is a nice place for a vacation."
Hatake Kakashi nodded thoughtfully.
With the Root's strong forces, along with Akihara Kagura, one of Konoha's strongest, Hatake Kakashi felt at ease. Even if he had to lead Team 7 on the mission to capture the Fourth Raikage...
However...
The Root and Team 7 did not set off together.
After all, Hatake Kakashi was leading Team 7 for training and experience, while Akihara Kagura was truly on vacation.
However...
When Hatake Kakashi arrived in the Land of Waves with Team 7 and Tazuna, they immediately encountered an old acquaintance. A Mist ninja, carrying a daunting large sword and his face wrapped in bandages, stood on a tree, blocking their path.
"Hatake Kakashi..."
"Ran into an old friend again..."
Hatake Kakashi looked up at the bandaged guy, recalling their past encounter: "Isn't this Momochi Zabuza? I heard you defected. The deceased Fourth Mizukage once saved your life, it seems like you didn't follow his order to return to the village..."
"Who would want to follow his orders again!"
Momochi Zabuza cursed under his breath.
Since Momochi Zabuza was saved by Yagura, he chose not to return to the Mist Village but instead defected directly, aiming to take over as Mizukage of the Mist Village and reform it according to his own ideas.
Clearly.
This was an act of rebellion.
Rebellion, undoubtedly, requires funds.
Some nobles from the Land of Water, who had been engaged in smuggling for a long time, found Momochi Zabuza and hired him to protect their smuggling operations. They even promised that, should a rebellion succeed, they would support Momochi Zabuza in becoming the Mizukage, on the condition that he agree to annul the alliance with the Konoha Village and re-isolate the Land of Water.
The two parties hit it off immediately.
Momochi Zabuza was responsible for protecting their smuggling operations, while that group of nobles from the Land of Water financed the recruitment of funds and manpower needed for the rebellion.
Without a doubt.
Momochi Zabuza is currently the strongest combat force in the Land of Waves.
"Be careful."
Hatake Kakashi stared intently at Momochi Zabuza, reminding his subordinates to be vigilant: "This guy has assassinated a former Mizukage and fought with Akihara Kagura even managing to escape unscathed. If we're not careful, we might be killed by him too…"
Momochi Zabuza's forehead bulged with a vein.
Was Hatake Kakashi deliberately poking at his sore spot?
Why was he able to escape unscathed from the fight with Akihara Kagura? Hatake Kakashi was not unaware of the situation!
While Hatake Kakashi verbally alerted his subordinates to heighten their vigilance, he was not panicked at all in his heart. He believed that Akihara Kagura would definitely be paying attention to this place.
If the battle turned unfavorable, Akihara Kagura would not just stand by. As long as Akihara Kagura appeared, Momochi Zabuza would definitely be scared off…
However…
Akihara Kagura was not paying attention to this place at all.
While Momochi Zabuza and the team led by Hatake Kakashi were engaged in a fierce battle, Akihara Kagura sat on a sofa in the home of the smuggling merchant, Gato.
As for the smuggling merchant Gato, he had become a corpse, with a snake coiling around Gato's body, clearly indicating that the murderer was someone else.
The murderer, Orochimaru.
Shimura Danzo stood with his two guards, Aburame Torune and Yamanaka Fu, nearby, half-closing his eyes without speaking.
These two S-rank rogue ninjas from the Konoha had just arrived in the Land of Waves and were invited by Akihara Kagura to a gathering at Gato's house, conveniently eliminating Gato and his group.
"Let's divide Gato's money first."
Akihara Kagura did not look at Gato's corpse, casually setting the distribution ratio: "How about a seventy-thirty split?"
"Only giving us seventy percent?"
Orochimaru licked his lips with his tongue, greedily looking at Akihara Kagura: "Kagura-kun, I remember you don't have a need for money, right?"
"The Konoha Orphanage, the Root, both organizations are on my shoulders."
Akihara Kagura sighed deeply, speaking of his hardships.
Thinking of this, Akihara Kagura added a reminder: "By the way, I forgot to mention, seventy percent is mine…"