"The Kirigakure's assassination unit?" Naruto, sitting on a small stool in front of Kakashi, asked in confusion, "Is it that person who's about our age?"
"That's right." Kakashi nodded, "I was careless after the battle. Normally, when a unit is sent to track down a Rogue Ninja, they would destroy the body on the spot unless there were special circumstances. After all, a Ninja's body can reveal a lot of information. However, that Kirigakure's assassination unit didn't destroy the body. Even if they needed proof of the kill, they could have just taken the head. Instead, they went through the trouble of moving the entire body..."
The three students of Team 7 were now paying serious attention. After all, the implications of this analysis could impact their escort mission.
"There's definitely something fishy. In the situation you told me before, Kakashi, only one person from the Kirigakure's assassination unit appeared, but there were three Kirigakure's Missing-nin gathered together, and they were the experts from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. No matter how you think about it, it's impossible for one person to pursue them alone." Logan stiffened his neck and couldn't help but remind Kakashi when he saw Kakashi was deep in thought.
Hearing this, Kakashi's eye lit up, "Hattori is right. We might have been deceived... And thinking back, that Kirigakure's assassination unit used senbon, which is not very lethal if not aimed at vital points. If the technique is advanced, it's even possible to fake death!"
"Fake death?" Sakura asked weakly. She really didn't want to encounter such a terrifying enemy again.
Sasuke explained to Sakura on the side, then frowned and looked at Kakashi, "So, that demon Zabuza is still alive and might come back for Tazuna's life?"
Sakura shrank back and then thought of something, "It shouldn't be possible, right? Weren't his other two companions wielding swords already killed by Hattori-sensei?"
Sakura turned her head and looked at Logan, who is lying on the bed in miserable state, stuck out her tongue, and continued, "With their losses, they shouldn't dare to attack us again, right?"
No one answered immediately. Logan and Kakashi both pondered if Zabuza would come back stubbornly for another attempt.
"Who cares if he comes or not. If he does, we'll just defeat him again!" Naruto's straightforward declaration, with a raised fist, lightened the tense atmosphere.
"Naruto is right." Kakashi smiled, shifting his weight on his crutch, " I should recover in about a week, but as for Hattori... let's not count on him for now. Just in case, we need to be alert to Zabuza, who may attack again, but since the opponent was also seriously injured, we should have some time. So, you all need to do is work hard during this time."
After Kakashi's lengthy explanation, Naruto blinked and asked, "Work hard on what?"
"Training that will make you stronger!" Kakashi said lightly.
'It seemed like the tree-climbing training was about to start as the original.' Logan just listened without saying anything. He can't help at all now. In a week, he will only be able to get out of bed and move a little. It's hard to say whether Zabuza will seek revenge on Kakashi again as in the original work. But since the news that he was seriously injured cannot be hidden from the other party, maybe Zabuza might still aim to complete his assassination.
Logan wondered if the addition of the Heartless Pair on their journey was due to the butterfly effect he caused or the original intent of the Manga's Author. He couldn't tell. Whether events would follow a natural causality, or whether there will be 'man-made' interference remained unpredictable, especially due to the 'Manga' factor.
…
At the old location, the odd company buildings, which served as Gato's secret base in the Land of Waves.
In the large, dark room, two distinct groups stood divided by light and shadow. However, the group in the corner had dwindled from four to two.
"You Ninjas are nothing but deceivers and pretentious fools, aren't you?"
Gato said irrationally, glaring at the person lying in the dim light and the masked 'girl' standing nearby. The stale air was thick with the pungent smell of medicine.
"Talking about the enemy being dead, but instead, two of our own are dead. Look at the state you're in now. What kind of Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are you? Ha!"
Gato was both furious about the failed assassination of Tazuna and satisfied to see these arrogant Ninjas humiliated, "It' so embarrassing! Don't brag in front of me, Gato-sama, you trash!"
As the last word, 'trash', left Gato's mouth, he felt a sense of satisfaction. Yes, this felt right for him. After all, this was the daily life of Gato, who controlled countless lives with just his words.
However, just as he finished, a cold glint flashed, and before Gato could react, it viciously embedded itself in the wall just a few centimeters from his ear.
It was a senbon radiating a chilling aura.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Do you want to die?!"
The two flamboyant thugs behind Gato were startled by the swift senbon and immediately became furious. They stepped forward, ready to grab the masked 'girl' and demonstrate their professional skills.
"Haku." Zabuza, who was injured in multiple places, said calmly.
"I understand." The cold voice from under the mask was gender-neutral, but it carried a hint of anger.
In an instant, Haku and the two thugs exchanged blows. The thugs, who didn't even have time to draw their weapons, were forced back.
At the same time, killing intent rushed towards their faces, causing the thugs, who were temporarily at a disadvantage, to be confused and hesitate to move forward.
The atmosphere in the room became tense. Gato swallowed his saliva, cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and then he said with forced bravado, "What do you want to do? Where is the credibility of the Ninja?!"
Haku, with a cold snort, withdrew her killing intent and said coldly, "I hope you will show proper respect to Zabuza-sama from now on."
After a moment of silence, Zabuza, with his usual cold expression, looked at Gato and said, "One of the opponents is also crippled, and I've figured out the weakness of the other. Once I recover, I will complete the mission."
Haku paused, and then turned to look as Zabuza, as if she was hesitant to speak.
"I see. Fine, I'll give you one last chance. But remember, this is your last chance!" Gato, clearly unnerved, spat out the words and hurriedly left the room with his bodyguards.
"Zabuza-sama, the escorting team from Konoha includes two Elite Jonin-level Instructors. It is our bad luck that we encountered them. Now that those two are already dead, we should consider retreating..."
When the others had left, Haku faced Zabuza without any harsh aura from before, and persuaded him softly, "Raiden Hattori did not die in the self-destruction technique of the Shibuki. We would be facing two Jonin and three Genin. I'm afraid we won't be able to defeat them."
Zabuza raised a hand to stop her, his face, usually displaying a cold cruelty, softened as he sighed in the dim light, "I need funds."
After the short sentence, Haku lowered his head and became quiet.
After failing to assassinate the Mizukage, Zabuza left his hometown, and Zabuza lay still. Why was he so iron-blooded and so cold-blooded? In an instant, the cold, bloodstained images of his hometown filled his mind.
"That bastard has a lot of money with him." Zabuza could only say, "It's not a serious problem. Although I don't know why that Hattori didn't die, he's definitely not much better. I've seen through the characteristics of Kakashi's Sharingan, and I'm absolutely confident I can kill him next time."
Zabuza closed his eyes. He was wrapped in bandages and scars, resembling a very tired man resting. When he opened his eyes again, he had transformed back into the ruthless, iron-blooded warrior.
"In a week, we will go and kill Tazuna!"