Chapter 7: The Land of Waves
"Up already, Kakashi sensei?"- Hono asked as a dizzy Kakashi walked in the kitchen.
"Hm, how long was I asleep?"- he asked, sitting at the table and starting to eat the fish that Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter cooked.
"Nothing impressive, just a week."- Hono replied before taking another bite out of the fish.
"A week?"- Kakashi's jaw dropped.
"Yup. Sharingan consumes chakra. Suiton: Suiryuudan and Daibakufu are high level techniques. Using all three of them in a rapid succession is the formula for consuming chakra quickly. No need to worry though. You're fully recovered, things have been calm and Zabuza is still recovering."- Hono finished his plate and cleaned his mouth with a napkin before noticing the weird looks that his teammates and senseis shot him.- "What?"
"What do you mean, recovering?"- Kiba asked.
"Yes, we saw him die before our eyes."- Sasuke joined in.
"I too do not understand this, Hono."- Shino said.
"Die? He didn't die. When was the last time that someone died from Senbon?"- he asked, standing up and taking his plate to the counter.
"But they got stuck on his neck! The hunter nin hit vital spots!"- Sakura exclaimed.
"You still think that that was a hunter nin?"- Hono waited for the sudden realization to come to them.
"Damn it!"- Kakashi said, banging his fist on the table.
"How could we have been so stupid?"- Kurenai stood up.
"What is wrong, Kurenai sensei?"- Hinata asked.
"A hunter nin's duty is to find and eliminate missing nin before burning their corpses in order to prevent any village secrets to spread. If they required something to prove that they accomplished their mission, they would take their heads as evidence. That supposed hunter nin took the whole body."- Hono explained.
"If you knew this, why did you let her go?"- Kakashi asked, furious.
"You were on the ground in dream land, Kurenai sensei couldn't do much in that situation, I didn't know anything about the enemy's abilities and though some of us are strong, we are still Genin. I decided it would be best for us to retreat, heal and come up with a plan."- he explained, cleaning the plate.
"I guess it was the best course of action in said situation. Good Job."- the white haired jounin agreed.
"Considering what Zabuza took during that fight and the injuries that were inflicted, he probably won't be able to fight until a month from now."- Kurenai said.
"Our bridge is going to be finished around a month from now as well."- Tazuna announced.
"I see, but unless you give us some answeres, we will end our mission here and go back home."- Kakashi replied. Tazuna lowered his head.
"What do you mean sensei?"- Sakura asked.
"Tazuna paid for a C-Rank mission. Just an easy escort. When the Demon Brothers appeared, I kept my mouth shut. But then, Zabuza came. He's a former Jounin and one of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure. When he came after us, the mission turned into an A rank. Why lie, Tazuna san?"- Kakashi turned his head to the old man.
"It was all that we could pay. Our country is poor and sunk in misery. You walk into the streets and all you see is homeless people and poor merchants that can only sell rotten fish and bread. Things have been like this ever since Gato entered our country."- the man said, looking at his feet.
"Gato? The International Enterpreuner?"- Kurenai asked.
"Yes. He came into our country and took over by buying anything of worth and destroying the rest with his mercenaries. He's filled this land with corruption, prostituion and fear."- he rose his head.- "I hired you, but not because I value my life so much. I am building this bridge so that my country has a safe trading route and can become economically independent, freeing us from Gato. If I die, the bridge won't be completed. The people will lose hope..."
"..."- silence filled thhe room before the door opened and Inari, Tsunami's son and Tazuna's grandson entered.
"You should just leave this country. Fighting Gato will only lead to death. If he couldn't do it, you can't!"- the kid proclaimed.
"Kakashi sensei, Kurenai sensei, leaving now would mean betraying our purpose. Ninja exist to enforce justice in all of the lands. I suggest we sta."- Hono approached Inari and crouched in front of him, smiling and looking straight at the kid's eyes.- "As for you, don't worry. I don't have time to die."