As if on his words the fog parted where they were going to reveal the bridge. The group looked up as the shadow of it loomed over them. Even at the angle they were seeing it at, the large unfinished bridge was a sight for the group of genin.
Naruto whistled, "Alright I have to admit I'm impressed Tazuna-san."
"Thank you," Tazuna said with pride in his voice.
"I mean, I didn't think a drunk old man like you was capable of building something like this," Naruto continued.
Tazuna's shoulders slumped a bit. "…that wasn't very nice."
Naruto snickered.
"You guys need to keep it down," The man hissed. "The whole point of moving through the dense morning fog is so that we wouldn't be spotted. But it doesn't do any good if they hear us. Why do you think we're going like this? Turning off the motorboat and rowing?"
Naruto looked over at the boatman with a frown, "And who would 'they' be?" he asked.
"Naruto brings up a good question," Kakashi said as he turned to Tazuna. "I think we've been more than patient enough Tazuna-san. Before we reach the pier, I need you to provide some answers. The men who are after you, I need to know why." His voice took on a deeper tone, signifying how serious he was. "And if you don't tell us…I'll have to end the mission when we drop you ashore. That was the technical limit of this assignment, protecting you until you reach Nami No Kuni. Guarding you until you finish the bridge was left to my discretion."
Tazuna un-slumped himself and looked up at Kakashi, "Alright, I'll tell you…no I want to tell you. You are correct; this is beyond the scope of your original mission. The man who is after my life is very short man, who casts a very long and dangerous shadow."
"A very short man?" Questioned Naruto with a look of curiosity etched on his face. "So we're facing off against someone who would be better off in a circus or something?"
Kakashi ignored Naruto's jibe as he looked at Tazuna, "A man with a dangerous shadow? Who is it?"
"You know of him. At least I'm sure you;ve heard of him," Tazuna sighed. "His name is Gato."
"Gato? Gato of Gato Transports and Shipping?" Kakashi asked, a slight widening of his eye the only sign of shock. "TheGato? Rumors place that man as one of the richest men in the world!"
"Yes. The very same," Tazuna spoke with a slight nod. "On the surface, he appears to be nothing more than a legitimate businessman…however underneath that, the man is one of the rulers of the criminal underworld. He is known for using gangs and hiring ninja to ruin countries and initiate hostile takeovers of other business. He uses his business as a cover for his black market operations, smuggling drugs, contraband…even slaves."
"This guy is starting to sound like a grade-A douchebag," Naruto commented with a slight growl at hearing the man smuggled slaves.
"He came to Nami no Kuni a little over a year ago," Taunza ignored Naruto'scommented as he gave Kakashi more information. "He had used his wealth and violence to enter our country, and before we even knew what was happening, he had managed to seize control of all our shipping and transport."
"That makes sense," Naruto mumbled, getting the attention of everyone else. He blushed a bit but continued none the less. "Nami is really nothing more than a string of islands. They haveno other way to trade and receive supplies other than their shipping routes. By taking control over that Gato effectively controls everything."
The night before team seven had set out on their mission he had gone over to the library and gotten a geography book and had looked up any information he could on Nami No Kuni. Anko had told him one of the times after their spars that it was important to gather any information he could before a mission began, because there was always a chance that the mission could go to shit and anything he learned about the mission, whether it was about the client, the climate both geographical and political, the terrain or any number of seemingly useless information could prove to be the key that got him and his team out alive.
It was at times like these that he was thankful Anko had quite literally beat information into his head.