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**"Damn it!"**
The enemy was wide open.
Menma walked in, his face cold and emotionless. His arm was raised, and the sunlight gleamed off the kunai in his hand.
For a moment, there was hesitation. But it lasted only for a second.
A sharp glint flashed in Menma's eyes as he brought the kunai down toward the vital area of the intruder.
**"!?"**
The intruder was too close to evade. Gritting his teeth, he twisted his body, raising his right arm to block the attack.
**"Pfft!"**
Though he managed to block the critical strike, the kunai still pierced his arm with ease. The dull sound of metal slicing through flesh and blood echoed in the air.
**"Ziiing!"**
Blood splattered. The intruder groaned in pain, twisting his other arm to strike.
**"Hmph!"**
But Menma was faster. He raised his left leg and delivered a powerful kick to the intruder's abdomen.
**"Oomph!"**
The force of the kick sent the intruder flying backward, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. The double blow left him feeling as if his body was falling apart. Before he could recover, Menma was already on top of him, driving his knee into the intruder's abdomen again, completely incapacitating him. His eyes rolled back as he slipped into unconsciousness.
As Menma finished subduing his opponent, Sasuke was on the other side, swiftly delivering a hand chop to the neck of the second attacker, knocking him out cold.
**"Ahh! You two move too fast! Leave one for me!!!"**
Naruto, who had reacted late, looked at Menma and Sasuke standing over their defeated enemies, frustration on his face. This was a rare opportunity for real combat since leaving the village, and he had missed it!
Naruto's disappointment was palpable.
**"Haha, you'll have to be quicker next time, Naruto!"** Menma said, tying the attackers to a nearby tree. He glanced at Naruto and spoke softly.
**"Hmph, just you wait. Next time, I'll be faster than both of you!"** Naruto pouted, wrinkling his nose in determination.
**"Is this really the time for that?! Kakashi-sensei! Kakashi-sensei has been killed!"**
Haruno Sakura, who had been in shock, suddenly snapped out of it. Seeing how calm and composed Menma, Naruto, and Sasuke were, she shouted in panic.
Sakura couldn't understand it. Wasn't their sensei's death important to them at all?
**"Sakura, take a closer look where Kakashi-sensei was standing. This is the second time this has happened. Haven't you figured out Kakashi-sensei's strength yet?"** Naruto shook his head, pointing to the spot where Kakashi had been.
Menma and Sasuke remained calm, not showing the slightest concern.
**"Huh?"** Sakura followed Naruto's finger and saw that Kakashi's "body" had turned into a broken wooden log. The blood that had splattered earlier had completely vanished.
It was eerily similar to what had happened a month ago.
Embarrassment washed over Sakura's face.
**"Ahaha, just a substitution jutsu..."** Sakura forced a smile, trying to hide her awkwardness.
**"Also, Kakashi-sensei, you can come out now! With your strength, you could've easily taken care of these two. Why are you still hiding?"** Naruto's tone held dissatisfaction.
**"Haha, you caught on, Naruto. But I had my reasons. I needed to determine the real target of this attack. After all, don't forget, this was supposed to be a C-rank mission. Menma, Sasuke, you acted too quickly, making it harder to find out."** Kakashi stepped out from the shadows of a nearby tree, a smile on his face.
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Tazuna.
Tazuna, who had been trying to maintain his composure, now looked visibly panicked.
**"Eh? The real target? What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei?"** Naruto, though not stupid, was sometimes slow to catch on.
**"Isn't it obvious who the target is? Kakashi-sensei, I'm sure you have ways to make these Mist Ninjas talk."** Menma smiled lightly, glancing at the unconscious ninjas before turning his attention back to Kakashi.
**"Exactly. So, Tazuna-san, do you have anything you'd like to explain? Of course, you can remain silent, but I'm sure one of them will be more than willing to talk."** Kakashi's tone grew serious as he turned his gaze back to Tazuna.
Menma, Sasuke, and Naruto all fixed their eyes on Tazuna as Kakashi spoke.
Only Sakura remained confused, still trying to piece together what was going on.
**"Sigh..."**
Tazuna's tense expression revealed that he had been hiding something.
As Kakashi finished speaking, Tazuna let out a heavy sigh.
He hadn't misunderstood the situation, but he had been hoping against hope that if the ninjas from Konoha protected him, those after his life might back down. He had hoped for some safety until the bridge was finished.
But now, that illusion was shattered.
**"There's no point in hiding it anymore. They're after me."** Tazuna admitted, knowing there was no longer any use in pretending.
Though Tazuna was old and experienced, he still clung to a faint hope that perhaps, just maybe, he could survive this ordeal and finish the bridge.
---
Kakashi looked at Tazuna with a serious expression. "You realize, don't you, that the involvement of ninjas completely changes the difficulty of this mission? These two were from Kirigakure. This is no longer a simple C-rank mission; it's at least B-rank. Considering the possible dangers ahead, it wouldn't be unreasonable to classify it as A-rank. Yet, you paid for a C-rank mission. You understand the consequences of this, don't you, Tazuna-san? We have the right to abandon this mission immediately."
Kakashi's tone made it clear: deceiving the Hidden Leaf Village about a mission's rank is an unforgivable offense in the ninja world. It can lead to unexpected dangers, mission failure, or even the annihilation of the entire team.
Tazuna knew this all too well. "I understand, Kakashi," he said, his voice filled with regret. "But I had no other choice. You must know that the Land of Waves is a small, poor country. Since the merchant Gato invaded, he's controlled our entire economy. The payment I offered was all the villagers could scrape together. We can't afford the cost of a B-rank mission, let alone A-rank. I had no choice but to lie."
Tazuna's voice trembled slightly as he continued, "You could give up on this mission, but I'm holding on to my last hope. I just want to build a bridge of courage for the people of the Land of Waves. I'm not afraid to die, but I worry about my country, my daughter, and my young grandson."
Tazuna's words struck a chord with Naruto and Sakura. After all, the new generation of ninjas from Konoha often had more sympathy than was practical for a shinobi—a dangerous trait that could harm not only themselves but also their comrades.
Menma, however, couldn't stand this emotional manipulation. "So, because of your pity, you expect us to risk our lives for your lies?" he said coldly. "What you did might be for the good of the Land of Waves, and maybe you are a kind and courageous man, but your lies are real. You've gambled Team 7's lives on your dream for your country's future without offering the proper payment."
Menma turned to Kakashi. "Since Tazuna-san has admitted to lying, we should follow the village's protocol and abandon this mission. We won't be held responsible for the consequences if we leave."
Menma knew the enemies they would face: Zabuza and Haku. With him on the team, they could likely defeat the pair more easily than in the original story. But why should they take that risk?
Kakashi nodded in agreement. "You're right. Abandoning the mission is the most appropriate decision."
His team wasn't composed of ordinary shinobi. It included Sasuke, the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan; Naruto, the Fourth Hokage's son; and Menma, the Nine-Tails' Jinchuuriki. These were important figures, and they couldn't risk their lives needlessly.
Sasuke didn't say anything, but his expression showed he agreed. There was no reason to continue a mission that had exceeded its original scope.
Tazuna's eyes widened in panic. He hadn't had much hope, but without Team 7's protection, he was as good as dead.
He truly wasn't afraid of dying if it meant the bridge could be completed and the people of the Land of Waves freed from Gato's control. But dying now, before the bridge was finished, would be meaningless. And he couldn't help but think of his daughter and grandson at home.
"Are we really going to give up?" Naruto's voice broke the tense silence. "Kakashi-sensei, this old man is in such a tough spot. I think we should help him."
Naruto's words carried the same compassion that had allowed him to forgive even Nagato and Obito in the original series. It was no surprise that he sympathized with Tazuna and wanted to help.
Menma frowned at Naruto's words. He had hoped his brother would be different in this life, but it seemed Naruto's nature hadn't changed at all.
Sakura, her voice filled with concern, echoed Naruto's sentiments. "Kakashi-sensei, Let's help Tazuna-san. It's just until the bridge is finished. I think we can manage that."
Tazuna's heart, which had sunk into despair, began to rise with hope again. His eyes were fixed on Kakashi, knowing that the decision lay with him.
---