Chapter 30:

Wave

Haku had not expected to meet anyone while she was out. Least of all, one of the genin from the Konoha-nin. The young woman had left her master's bedside to collect medicinal herbs to help with his recovery.

She had collected a good haul, enough to help her master, with enough left over for emergencies, which were more frequent than she would like, as her master loved to get into fights. Haku was about to leave and return to the hideout when she saw a figure lying in the meadow.

To indulge her curiosity, Haku chose to investigate the figure. Imagine her surprise when she saw the figure was one of the Konoha-nin. A boy a few years younger than her. He had blonde hair and a headband with orange cloth wrapped around his eyes.

A blind Shinobi, Haku thought. She had never met one but had heard stories from Zabuza about his encounters with some. He had explicitly warned her against underestimating a Shinobi who was blind. Or any Shinobi that had a disability, for if they were skilled enough to overcome their disability, it meant they were extremely dangerous opponents.

With her master's warning in mind, Haku carefully approached the boy. He was sprawled out on the ground; dirt covered his clothes. He must have been out training last night. Haku concluded.

She knelt beside the boy, getting a closer look at him. Aside from his blindfold, he didn't appear to be all that remarkable. The only other distinguishing feature he had was the whisker marks on his face. A clan trait, perhaps?

Haku reached her hand out for the boy's neck. It would be so easy to finish him off here and now. He was asleep and unlikely to sense anything. One flick of her wrist and the boy's neck would be snapped. A quick and painless death.

It would be one less concern for her and her master. "Hey, wake up," she said, tapping the boy on the head. Internally, she cursed herself for her soft heart. "Or else you'll catch a cold."

The boy woke up with a start. "Wh-what?" The boy shot up to a sitting position. He looked around the meadow, not that it would do him any good. "What happened? Where?" Then he faced Haku. "Who are you?"

Haku lowered her hand and let out a sigh. "No one important," she said. "I was just passing by when I saw you."

The boy's head tilted to the side. "Passing by?" He said. For some strange reason, Haku had the impression that he was looking at the basket full of herbs.

"Yes," Haku confirmed. "I was on the way back home from collecting herbs. Then I found you sleeping out in the middle of this field."

"Oh, right," the boy said, chuckling and scratching the back of his head. "I guess I was out pretty late last night."

"If I might ask," Haku said. "What were you doing out here?"

"Oh, that," the boy said. "I was out training last night, and I guess I lost track of time. I imagine my friends are worried about me."

"Your friends?" Haku asked. This seemed like a good chance to learn more about her enemy.

The boy nodded. "Yeah," he said. Then, a smile crossed his face. "Well, it might be more accurate to call them my teammates," he pointed to the headband covering his eyes. "If you haven't noticed, I'm a shinobi."

Haku smiled and let out a little giggle. "Then you must be strong," she said, getting comfortable. She knew this boy was her enemy, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of ease around him. Perhaps if circumstances were different, they would be friends.

The boy giggled as he rubbed the back of his head. "I guess I am," he boasted. His chest puffed out in pride. Haku almost rolled her eyes at the action. "But I know I'm not the strongest in my village."

This surprised Haku. She had expected the boy to act more boastful. "Really now? You seem plenty strong to me," she dug to see what the blindfolded boy would say.

His smile dimmed. "There are lots of people stronger than me," he said. "My sensei, the Hokage, really anyone who isn't a genin. And even then, I can think of few who are better than me," Haku conceded that point. So, the boy wasn't completely full of himself. "Hell, my teammate, who is also one of my best friends. His brother is super strong, like crazy strong."

Haku looked at the boy expectantly. "Really now," she said. If what the boy said was true, she would have to warn Zabuza.

The boy nodded, "Yeah, they call him the prodigy of the Uchiha clan," he said. For a moment, Haku felt herself stiffen. That description rang a bell in the back of her mind for some reason. She regained her composure and filed the thought away for later. She would have to ask Zabuza. "So, yeah, I'm far from the strongest in my village."

Then, the boy looked up at the morning sky. "But one day, I want to be," he said. "One day, I will be the strongest shinobi in my village. Then I will be Hokage." The boy reached his hand out and grasped at the air.

Haku smiled at the boy. "What's your name," she asked.

The boy looked at her, confused for a second. "Oh, that's right, I never told who I am," he said. "If Sara were here, she'd probably hit me over the head for being rude."

"Sara?" Haku said, raising an eyebrow.

"My caretaker," the boy explained. "Don't tell her I said this, but I think of her more like an older sister."

"My lips are sealed," Haku responded.

The boy nodded at her. "So anyway, I'm Uzumaki Naruto," the now-named Naruto reached his hand out. "Nice to meet you."

Haku took Naruto's hand and shook it. "Haku," she introduced herself. "So, tell me, Naruto, why do you want to become so strong? You mentioned that you wanted to become the Hokage of your village, right?"

Naruto nodded. "I do," he said. "It's been my dream ever since I was a kid," Haku decided not to comment that technically he was still a kid.

"Why is that?" Haku asked. "Is the Hokage the leader of your village or something?"

"He is," Naruto said. "And so much more than that. He's the strongest shinobi in our village, and he's loved by everyone. Well, almost everyone."

"So, it's the recognition you seek," she said. A part of her understood that reasoning.

"That's a part of it," Naruto said. "When I was young, I didn't have an easy life. For reasons that I couldn't understand at the time and that were beyond my control, the people of my village didn't like me all that much. In fact, I could count on my hand the number of people who cared about me and with fingers to spare. The rest of the village," a dark expression spreads across his face. "They just ignored my existence."

Haku felt a tug at her heart. The boy didn't have to give her details. She understood what he went through. Kiri was not a kind place for people like her. So, in this regard, she felt a kinship with the boy. That was not a good thing.

"I think I understand," Haku said after a moment. She looked out across the meadow as memories came back to her.

Naruto looked at her. "You do?" He asked. Haku nodded, even though it was a useless gesture. Somehow, she got the impression he would understand. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the boy nodding. "The Hokage was one of the people who cared about me. He knew who my parents were."

"I see," Haku said. "So, meeting this man made you want to be like him?" Another feeling she was familiar with.

"Yeah, something like that," Naruto said. "The Sandaime is so wise and caring; the village loves him. Growing up the way I did back then, I wanted that. I wanted the acknowledgment of the village; I wanted the people to see that I existed. I guess at the time, being the Hokage was the best way to do that."

Haku smiled at the boy. "Is that it?" She asked. "The only reason you want to be the leader of your village is to be acknowledged. Is it the same reason why you became a Shinobi?"

Naruto shook his head. "No," he said. "A part of me still wants that. But I have other reasons driving me toward my dream."

An intrigued expression spread across Haku's face. Was it possible that this boy knew? "And what is that?"

"To protect the people I care about," Naruto said, smiling at Haku. Then he went into an explanation about his village's Will of Fire.

By the end of it, Haku was deep in thought. "That is an interesting view," Haku said. She was looking out across the field. "Some would even call it strange."

Naruto shook his head. "I don't think so," he said. "I want to be strong," he held his arm out and closed his hand into a fist. "Strong enough to defend the village. Strong enough to protect the people I care about." Then his hand went for his headband. "And strong enough not to fail again."

Haku didn't have to ask him what he meant by that last statement; she could make a reasonable assumption. It would explain the headband covering his eyes. Haku stood up and collected her basket of herbs. "Then I think you won't have much to worry about," she said. "I believe you are well on your way to being strong."

Naruto smiled at her. "Thanks," he said. "Uhh, do you need help with that?"

Haku shook her head. "No, but thank you," she said. "This Will of Fire of yours," she brushed away a stray hair. "I have to say that I'm not one of those people who think it strange. In fact, I agree with the principles behind it."

Naruto looked at her strangely. "You do?" He asked.

Haku nodded and smiled. "I have always believed that one is truly strong when they have someone precious to protect," for her, that would always be Zabuza.

Naruto's head tilted down like he was looking out across the meadow. "Then that's something we can both agree on," he said. "It was nice meeting you, miss."

Haku bowed her head to the Konoha shinobi. "The pleasure was all mine," she said. Then, a mischievous expression spreads across her face. "Oh, and by the way, I'm a boy."

She never got to see the expression on the blonde's face as she left.

It took Naruto a moment to recover from Haku's declaration. "Do you really think she's a boy?"

"Not for a second," Kurama said. "Remember, I have access to all your senses. Her scent clearly marks her as female."

"Right," Naruto said. "We need to work on my other senses."

"Agreed," Kurama replied. "But you can see why she might lie about that."

Naruto nodded. He had seen enough of Gato's men to see why Haku might want to conceal her gender. Considering what he saw the other day, even pretending to be a boy might not be enough to protect her.

"She was nice, though, wasn't she?" Naruto commented. He got a mental image of Kurama nodding. "It's too bad we may have to fight her in the next few days."

Naruto had been aware of who the girl was from the beginning. Even while he slept, his eyes had seen the young woman entering the meadow and watched as she picked herbs. Naruto guessed they were for Zabuza. It was when Haku started to approach him that Kurama woke him up.

Naruto instantly recognized her and was ready to counter any action she would take. He was about to spring into action when her hand reached his throat. But then she stopped and woke him up.

"I didn't pick anything up from her," Naruto said to Kurama. "She seemed genuine. What about you, Kurama? Did you get anything from her?"

"I felt no ill intent from the girl," Kurama said. "She had no intention of harming you. Even when she reached for your throat, I felt no malice."

Naruto frowned at that comment from the fox. "What are you saying?" He asked. "That's she some kind of psychopath?"

From within the seal, Kurama shook his head. "Not at all," he replied. "She never had any intention of hurting you, even if she wasn't aware of that. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Naruto remained silent as he thought about Kurama's words and continued to watch Haku walk back to her hideout. His conversation with her confirmed what he could already see on her face. Haku was a kind, gentle soul.

For a moment, he had to wonder how someone like her became a shinobi and one under the command of Zabuza.

Naruto stood up and stretched his body out. "Then again, I could ask the same thing about Hinata," he thought.

"Come on, Kurama," he said aloud. "Let's get back to the others and tell them what's going on." Deep down, Naruto hoped that he wouldn't be the one to face Haku.

Tazuna's house

Shisui had a hand on his chin when Naruto had finished relaying what happened in the meadow.

"I see," he said with an even expression. "So, you made contact with the enemy all by yourself. That was risky, Naruto, very risky. What if she had tried to kill you?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. The others in the room were giving him worried expressions. "It's not like I had a choice," he said to defend himself. "She spotted me while I was out. I'm glad that Kurama warned me."

Shisui nodded. "Still, you could have gotten yourself out of there without risking yourself," he said. "But it does give us some insight into our enemy," Naruto winced at the term his sensei chose to use. "So, I suppose that the risk was worth it."

Kiba looked confused. "So, what does it tell us about her?" He asked. "She's still our enemy, right? What else do we need to know?"

Naruto wanted to refute what Kiba said. She's not just an enemy, he thought. But Shisui beat him to the punch. "Things are not always that clear cut," he said. "In our line of work, we don't always have the luxury of making clear lines between friend and foe."

Kurenai nodded and walked up to her genin. By now, she had recovered enough not to need crutches anymore. "There are times when you will have to face people who in another time you would have considered a friend," she said. "Likewise, on some missions, you will have to work with people who you despise."

"But Gato and his men are evil," Sakura said. "And Zabuza didn't appear to be a nice person. So, why would this Haku girl be working for them?"

Kurenai said. "As Shisui said, things aren't always so clear cut,'" she explained. "We don't know what in her life happened that led her here."

Naruto was silent as he thought about that. He had a rough idea of what might have happened with Haku, which led her to Zabuza's services.

"Still, it is something to keep in mind," Shisui said. "But we do have to keep in mind that her mission is to kill our client. Even if she is someone some of us might consider a friend, we still have to treat her like an enemy. Is that understood, Naruto?"

Naruto was silent for a moment. He nodded. "Hai, sensei," he said.

Shisui nodded. Then he looked at Kurenai. "Kurenai," he addressed the other Jōnin in the room. "Can you take your team out to protect Tazuna? There's something I need to discuss with my team."

Kurenai nodded. "It was our mission originally," she said. "We should be able to handle it. Besides, Zabuza won't show up for a couple of more days."

"Still, be careful out there," he said.

Kurenai smiled and nodded. "We will," she said. Then she and her team left.

With only the members of team-11 left, Shisui looked at Naruto with an even expression. "Before I go into detail on our actual mission," he started. "There is something I have to ask you, Naruto."

Naruto knew what he would ask him. "Like if wither or not I can face Haku down," he said. "I mean, she is an enemy shinobi, right? So, I should be able to face her, no problem."

Shisui frowned. "But she's not just an enemy shinobi," he said. "It's not like that time with the nuke-nin. They were trying to kill you and your friends. She hasn't."

"It's more than that, Shisui-sensei," Naruto said.

A confused expression crossed the faces of Hinata and Sasuke. "What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"Is there something about her you haven't told us?" Hinata asked.

Naruto remained silent as he thought back to his conversation. The expression on Haku's face when Naruto explained his life before the Hyūga took him in. It was painful, but not in the sense she was sympathizing. But that she understood what he felt.

"I think," Naruto started. "I think she's a lot like us."

Hinata and Sasuke exchanged glances. "How so?" Sasuke asked.

"She's been through hardship," Naruto said. "She knows what it's like to have her whole life turned upside down. I don't think she had an easy life. But I don't think she ever had anyone to help her through them."

"Except for Zabuza," Hinata pointed out.

"I hesitate to call him anyone who would help her," Sasuke said dryly.

Naruto had a frown on his face as he looked at his sensei. Shisui gave him a look that said the same thought had passed through his mind. "You never know," Shisui said with a shrug of his shoulders. "As I said earlier, we shinobi don't always get to draw lines between friends and enemies. While I can't agree with their goals, the truth is Zabuza and this Haku girl have a mission. And so do we. So, I will ask this question once, Naruto, will you be able to face Haku down in a fight if it comes to it?"

Naruto was quiet for a very long time. It's not fair, Naruto thought. He had met someone outside of the village who might be able to be considered a friend. Someone who might be a lot like him. Now, he was facing the possibility that he would have to fight them, quite possibly to the death.

"That is life," Kurama said. "You think I asked to be sealed away like this? Aside from the day you were born, I have not wondered the lands freely for more than a hundred years."

Naruto frowned. "And I never asked for you to be sealed in me. Or for the way people treat me because of it," he said to the fox. He partially regretted his words.

Inside the seal, Kurama nodded his head and lay down. "Life is not always fair," he said. "It is what we do with that unfairness is what matters. For me, I am an immortal being; I can live with whatever happens. What will you do?" He closed his eyes, intending to get some sleep.

Naruto was silent for a moment after that. Then he looked at Shisui. "I really don't know," he said honestly. "I never had to face someone like her before. So, I can't say if I can face her. I guess we'll find out if it comes to it."

Hinata was giving him a worried expression. Sasuke also had a look of worry in his eyes, but he hid it with a smirk. "Don't worry," he said haughtily. "If you get too scared, I can take her on for you. To think the great Uzumaki Naruto would be too scared to face a girl."

Naruto frowned and glared at Sasuke. "You do remember that Hinata is standing right next to you, right?" He asked.

Sasuke turned around to face said girl, who gave him a sweet smile. Sasuke paled and faced Naruto. "Not what I meant," he said.

Shisui snorted and shook his head. "Not the answer I was hoping to hear," he said, looking at Naruto. "But not unexpected. Luckily, if all goes according to plan, you may not have to face her."

The genin looked at Shisui, confused. "How come?" Naruto asked. If there were a way to avoid fighting Haku and Zabuza, he would take it.

"When we complete our mission," Shisui answered, pulling a scroll out. "Our real mission here." He tossed the scroll over to the genin.

Naruto caught the scroll and opened it up. A pair of his eyes settled over the scroll so he could read it. Hinata and Sasuke stood on either side of him close enough so they could also read. A frown appeared on Naruto's face as he read the mission details, but he kept his thoughts to himself until he reached the end. Then he reread it twice more.

He exchanged glances with Hinata and Sasuke to see what their reactions would be like. Aside from some frowns, their expressions showed nothing. Once they nodded, he rolled the scroll up and tossed it back to Shisui.

"Any questions?" Shisui asked, pocketing the scroll.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded and added his own question. "Why does the Hokage want Gato dead?"

Shisui nodded. "I was told to wait a few days before I gave you guys our real mission," he explained. "Something about establishing a cover. But I think the Sandaime wanted to give you guys a chance to settle into the mission before I dropped this one on you."

Shisui took a seat in a nearby chair. "As for why the Hokage wants him dead," Shisui puts a hand to his chin. "Gato has been known for his misdeeds by Konoha for some time now. But we never had the opportunity to deal with him until now."

The genin nodded, understanding why they were being asked to do this now. "So, this is going to be our first assassination mission," Sasuke said. "It feels weird. I can't say I feel sorry for the man or that he doesn't deserve it. But we're still killing someone."

Naruto felt the same way. It wasn't quite the same when they killed the bandits. In that sense, they had some excuse for self-defense. But with Gato, they had expressed orders from the Hokage to kill the man. It felt weird and jarred with Naruto's image of the old Hokage.

A kind, wise old man who had a grandfatherly smile on his face. It didn't mesh well with someone who would coldly order the death of another person.

Shisui crossed his arms and nodded. "That I can understand," he said. "I had hoped to push your first mission like this off for a while longer. Especially after getting your first kills like you did. But that has been taken out of my hands. So, do you guys think you're up to it?"

The genin looked at themselves. They were silently asking the same question. Could they do this? Kill a man in cold blood, never seeing who had sent him to the afterlife. The three of them hesitate for a moment.

Then, each of them remembered what they had seen of Wave. The poor, starving people in the streets. The way Gato's thugs treated the people and walked through town like they owned the place.

Naruto remembers the things he saw in Gato's hideout. The women and children huddled together near the bottle of the building. Naruto felt his hands ball into fists. He already knows his answer. Looking between his teammates, he could see they had also reached a decision.

All three genin nodded at their sensei. Shisui had an expressionless look on his face as he stared at his team. He nodded. "All right then," he said. "We'll proceed with the mission."

"So, do we go in now and take the bastard's head?" Sasuke asked.

Shisui shook his head. "Not right now," he said. "We'll have to scout Gato's hideout some more before we can make a move on his life. Not to mention, the place will be too well guarded with Zabuza and Haku there. No, we'll have to wait for the right moment."

Hinata seemed to realize what that time would be like. "We're going to wait for Zabuza to recover first, aren't we?" She asked. "And let him attack Tazuna."

Sasuke looked at Shisui while Naruto kept his head facing the wall. "Does Kurenai and her team know?" Naruto asked.

Shisui uncrossed his arms. "Kurenai, yes," he replied. "I discussed it with her the other night, and we decided this was the best course of action. But her team doesn't know about our plan."

"Will we tell them?" Hinata asked.

Shisui shook his head. "We don't want to risk tipping Zabuza and Haku off that something might be up. The fact that we won't be there during the battle will be enough to keep them alert. The plan is to lure the two out on the bridge, where Team-8 will engage them. In the meantime, we'll carry out our assassination of Gato."

Shisui stood up and walked up to his genin. "With Gato out of the picture, Zabuza and Haku will have no reason to continue their mission. No client means no pay."

Sasuke frowned. "What if they still try to complete their mission even if Gato is dead," he asked.

"I doubt they will," Shisui said. "Zabuza does not come off as the type of shinobi who would try to avenge a dead client. Let alone complete a mission for one. Not unless Gato as something sat up in the event he is killed. But I doubt he has the foresight for something like that."

"So, we take Gato out, and we don't have to worry about Zabuza and Haku anymore," Naruto said. He wouldn't say it, but he felt a little relieved by that.

"The plan still hinges on team-8 being able to occupy them long enough for us to assassinate Gato. But yes," Shisui replied. "But in the meantime, we'll have to scout out his hideout. We need to have some idea of what the patrol schedules around the place are like. What paths do they follow? What times do the guards change out? Stuff like that."

The genin nodded. "There might even be hidden ways in or out," Sasuke said.

"Exactly," Shisui said. Then Shisui turned his attention to Naruto. "Naruto, when we do kill Gato, we'll need to bring back proof. How good have you gotten with your Fūinjutsu?"

Naruto nodded. "I should have something ready by that time," he said. He would need to modify one of their storage scrolls. Adding a stasis element to it would be tricky, but Naruto was confident in his ability.

"Good," Shisui said. "You don't have to do anything fancy. We'll just be taking his head." Naruto nodded, relieved that he wouldn't have to modify the scroll to hold a whole human body. Even one as small as Gato's.

"Now then, do any of you have questions?" Shisui looked at each of the genin in the room. None of them had anything to ask. "Then, in that case, let's figure out a plan on how we're going to assassinate Gato.

In the next room, a young boy slides down the wall. For the first time he could remember, he felt something thing. Hope.

The next day, Gato's Hideout

"Just hold still," Haku said as she applied the medicine to her master's wound.

"Gah!" Zabuza winced. "Damnit, Haku. Since when did you become such a sadist?"

Haku rolled her eyes. It surprised her that sometimes her master could take something like a sword wound to the stomach or chest or burn marks all over his body, and he would act like it was nothing. But small stings from her medicine or other small things like that and her master acted like a big baby. It was more than a bit jarring.

"Just hold still," Haku repeated to herself. "And this will all be over. "Honestly, you are the demon of the bloody mist. Not some baby whining about getting a shot. Also, me a sadist? Isn't that the kettle calling the pot black?"

Zabuza rolled his eyes, still wincing as Haku continued to treat him. "If you were any indication, it's no wonder people are afraid of needles," he said.

Haku decided not to comment on the fact that he was one of those people. Again, it's jarring to think about. He wielded a giant meat cleaver the size of a human being but bring up the subject of needles, and he paled like a ghost.

Haku sighed. "Just be patient for a little longer," she said more to herself than Zabuza. "I'm almost done here. Then you can go back to being the demon of the bloody mist."

Zabuza snorted but let Haku continue with her work. "So, when should I be ready to fight those Konoha-nin?" he asked. "It's been five days already. I'm itching for some action."

Haku examined her master's body, seeing that his wounds were almost gone. "Not much longer," she said. "I believe by tomorrow, you should be okay. But I would wait until the day after before you try anything."

Zabuza nods. "Good," he said with a grin under his face mask. "Then we can show those Konoha-nin what it means to mess with the Demon of the Bloody Mist."

Haku frowned. She never relished fighting like her master did. In fact, she hated the idea of hurting anyone. But for some reason, the thought of fighting the Konoha-nin was even less appealing than usual.

It's because of that boy, Haku told herself. Part of her regretted going out that day and entering that meadow. She did not regret not snapping the boy's neck when she had the chance.

And she knew she would do it again, even if she knew what would happen. She hoped she would not have to face Naruto. She never noticed the strange look Zabuza was giving her.

"What's with you?" Zabuza said with a frown. "Something seems to be on your mind."

Haku blushed, embarrassed that she had allowed her thoughts to be broadcast so openly. She shook her head. "It's nothing," she said, recovering quickly. "Nothing you need to be worried about."

Zabuza looked at her like he didn't believe her. Haku opened her mouth to say something more in her defense. But a snort from the man stopped her. "Whatever you say," he said, laying his head on the bed. "Just get done already."

Haku nodded. "Yes, Zabuza-Sama," she said.

A few moments later, she was surprised when Zabuza spoke again. "Hey, Haku," he said. "When this is all over with, and we've dealt with Gato. How about we take a break for a little bit? Find somewhere to relax before we move on to our next score," a smile spreads under his face wraps. "A place with a good bar."

It took a moment for Haku to get over her surprise. "I think that would be nice," she said, then continued to treat her master. A little vacation did sound nice.

Outside Gato's hideout

"Thousand Eye here," Naruto said. "They've shifted the guard again."

"I'm seeing the same thing here," Sasuke said. "What about you, Moon Eye?"

"N-no," Hinata replied. "The guards here haven't changed yet."

"I see," Shisui said. "So that means they change the guards every couple of hours and not all at once. Red Eye, is there anything else you can, see?"

"It looks like they're using the same guys from yesterday," Sasuke said. "And they don't look all that enthusiastic about it."

Naruto saw Shisui shrug his shoulders. "Well, we shouldn't expect discipline like a Samari from these thugs. They're just hired goons. Once Gato is gone, they'll scatter."

Naruto nodded; he saw the others doing the same. "What if the thugs try something when they realize their boss is dead?" He asks. With Zabuza, they were expecting some form of professionalism from him. The thugs on Gato's payroll were a different matter.

"That is a possibility," Shisui said. "And one we'll have to be prepared for. Thousand Eye, what can you see inside the hideout?"

"Still trying to map the place out, Master Eye," Naruto said. "But from what I can see, security is way more relaxed than outside. There are hardly any patrols going around in the halls. And aside from Gato's penthouse, I haven't seen guards posted anywhere inside."

"The thugs are acting like, well, thugs," Naruto continued to report what he was seeing. "Most of them are just goofing around. I see them eating, drinking, sleeping, and other vices," he tried to avoid certain parts of the lower areas of the hideout.

Shisui nodded as he processed the information. "Sounds like they never expect anyone to get in," he said. "That'll work to our advantage. So, team, what can you tell of Gato and his routine?"

"That he's a greedy pig," Sasuke comments. This got an eye roll from everyone. "He likes to visit the nearby docks to check in on the shipments."

"Can we tell what these shipments are?" Shisui asked.

Sasuke shook his head. "Only speculation on our part," he said. "But most likely something illegal. Maybe drugs and spices."

"Once we're done here, we'll need to see about breaking into the docks," he said. "And see if we can't get into the cargo. Now, what else do we know about him?

Naruto answered this time. "Once he's done checking around the docks, he likes to take a stroll around the nearby town. He's always surrounded by a dozen guards when he does this. He doesn't do much in town. Except look around and sneer at everyone."

"Nobody crosses his path," Hinata said. "They either scatter or stand still and watch him walk by. The people know his routine. They do all this just moments before he arrives."

"After that, he returns to his hideout," Sasuke finishes the report.

"Any sign that he visits the bridge our client is making?" Shisui asked.

The genin shook their heads. "Negative, Master Eye," Naruto answered. "He appears to be giving the bridge a wide berth."

"I see," Shisui says. "Now then, what does Gato do once he returns to the hideout?"

"He reads reports and counts his money," Naruto said, recalling what he saw the man do yesterday and today. "He also seems to like to belittle his men. After that, he retreats to his penthouse. Where his men send him food, drink, and women," the last word came out in disgust.

From the perspective of his eyes, he saw Hinata stiffen slightly. "How well guarded is his penthouse while he's there?"

"Not all that well," Naruto said. "He only has two guards outside his room, and they don't appear to take their job seriously."

"And aside from the guards and patrols outside, no one is watching the windows to his penthouse," Sasuke said. "I'd say that's our best bet of getting to Gato."

The others nodded. "How are we going to do this?" Sasuke asked.

"We'll figure that out when we return to Tazuna's house," Shisui said. "Let's focus on scouting the hideout, then check out those docks."

Naruto nodded. He still wasn't comfortable with the idea that they were planning the death of another human being. Even one as revolting as Gato was. But at the same time, he felt a growing sense of anticipation. They would free a whole country once Gato was gone. What part of it wouldn't be exciting?

Lake near Tazuna's house

Kiba slowly placed one foot after another, only taking another step once he was sure he had a good footing with the other. A wide smile spread across his face as his foot stayed at the top of the water. Then he took another step.

Once, he was a few feet away from the shore and turned around, letting out a loud howl. "All right, I finally got the hang of this thing," he said. Then, he pumped his fist into the air. So excited about his recent achievement that he, for a moment, forgot to keep his focus.

With a yelp, Kiba almost found himself falling into the lake. But he managed to catch himself and regain his footing on the water's surface. "That was too close," Kiba said in a deflated tone. He looked over that shore and saw his partner Akamaru looking at him with a happy tail wag. The little dog barked at him.

Kiba smiled back at his partner. "I supposed we'll have to get you to do this next," he said to his partner. It was a night out, while the others were asleep, Kiba had snuck out to practice with the water walking exercise.

Akamaru tilted his head to the side and let out a confused bark. "Of course, you can do it. Remember, Kuromaru showed you how to walk up trees. I'm sure he can teach you how to walk across water."

"And I'm willing to bet that he'll get it down quicker than you," a voice said. Kiba looked over to see Naruto walking up to the shore of the lake. A fox-like grin was plastered on his face. "After all, he's a smarter dog than you." Then he knelt and petted the dog in question.

Kiba glared at the blindfolded boy. "Watch it, fox-boy," he said, pointing his finger at Naruto. "I bet it took ages just to get this far over the water," he gestures to where he was over the lake.

Naruto shook his head as he kept petting Akamaru. "No, I got the water walking down pretty quickly," he said. "Then again, I had some help from Hinata and a certain nine-tailed fox."

Kiba snorted and crossed his arms. "Well, not all of us have people who can see your chakra," he said. "Or a ten-thousand-year-old demon fox sealed in our gut." Kiba could almost hear the refute from said demon fox. Something about not being a day over three thousand. Kiba uncrossed his arms. "So, what are you doing out here, Naruto?"

"Mostly seeing what you're doing," Naruto said.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "You can do that anytime," Kiba said. "You didn't need to come out here."

"True," Naruto admitted. "But I just wanted to walk around for a little bit since I couldn't get any sleep. Then I saw you were out, so I thought that maybe chatting would be nice too," he stopped petting Akamaru, getting whin from the little dog. He stood up. "I can leave if you like."

Kiba shook his head. "No, you can stay," he said. "So as long you don't mock me again, that is."

Naruto gave him a cheeky grin. "Now, that will be hard," he said. "After all, you make it so easy."

Kiba shot Naruto with a glare. "Watch it," he said, bearing his claws. Naruto smiled and shook his head. "So, you've known about my late-night sessions? How long?"

"Since you started," Naruto answered. A pair of eyes float around Kiba. He would have to admit as cool as the ability was, it was still sort of creepy. "Remember, my eyes see many things."

Kiba nodded. He supposed he should have remembered that. "You haven't told anyone, have you?" He asked.

Naruto shook his head. "I haven't," he said. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if our senseis suspect something."

Kiba let out a sigh. "That's good, not the sensei part, but I think I can handle that," he said. Then he turned around and continued with the water walking exercise. "At least without any evidence, they won't be able to stop me."

Kiba looked over his shoulder to see that Naruto was giving him a questioning expression. "Kiba, if you don't mind me asking," he said. "Why are you training so late into the night?"

Kiba was quiet for a moment. In his head, he debated if he should give Naruto an honest answer or if he should find some way to dodge the question. He looked up at the night sky. "Because I don't want to fall behind," he answered.

He knew that Naruto was giving him an odd look. "Falling behind?" He heard the boy question him.

Kiba looked back down at the lake, seeing his reflection. "Something like that," he said. "I just don't want to be the runt of our little pack," he stepped around to face Naruto. "All of our friends have something going for them. Sasuke and Hinata have the Sharingan and the Byakugan. Sasuke also has a prodigy of a brother to help him. You have your Futogan and Biju sealed inside of you. Yakumo can make illusions so powerful that they feel real. Shikamaru, Shino, and Sakura are super geniuses. Even Ino and Choji are amazing in their own ways. But then there's me. Aside from my clan, I don't have much else going for me. I'm not the smartest in the group, I'm not the fastest, and probably not the strongest."

"Hey, come on, dude," Naruto said. "You don't have to sell yourself so short. You're plenty awesome. Isn't that right, Akamaru?"

Akamaru wigged his tail and looked at Kiba. The little dog let out a happy bark. He agreed with Naruto.

Kiba smiled. "You don't have to sugarcoat things for me," he said. "I know that I have a lot of catching up to do. That's why I'm out here. I have to work harder so I can keep up. I don't want to let any of you down."

He saw Naruto frowning. "You have never let any of us down," he said. "And you never will. Despite what you might think, you're more capable. You're plenty strong."

Kiba let out a huff. "Well, that's not going to stop me from trying to get stronger," he said. "If this mission has taught us anything. Is that there will always be someone better than us."

Naruto nodded. "True," he said. "I mean, we got people like Itachi running around. Not to mention creeps like Orochimaru."

"That's what I'm talking about," Kiba said. "There are so many more guys out there that are leagues above us. What if we run into one of them, and it comes down to me for whatever reason? What if I'm not strong enough, then? That's why I must catch up. That's why I must work so hard."

"Kiba, you don't have to worry about that," Naruto said. "I mean, what are the odds that we'll run into any of them?"

Across the Elemental Nations, several very powerful shinobi sneezed all at the same time.

Kiba gave Naruto a deadpan look. "Naruto," he said in an even voice. "Do I really need to be the one to remind you of all the shit we've seen back at the village?"

Naruto chuckled nervously as he placed his hands on the back of his head. "Yeah," Naruto drew out. "I realized it the moment I said it. But still, you're plenty strong on your own. You don't have to catch up with us."

Kiba shrugged. "Well, that won't stop me from trying anyway," he said. "I have to get better."

Naruto sighed and let his hands down. "All right then," he said. Then he started to walk away.

Kiba looked at Naruto. "Where are you going?" He asked.

Naruto turned his head and smirked at him. "To get some training," he said. "You're not the only one who wants to get better."

Kiba smiled and resumed his training.

Tazuna's Home

Sasuke was helping Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, clean up the dishes when the man entered the kitchen and slumped into a nearby chair. "Damn those cowards," he mutters.

Sasuke had a pretty good guess on what happened. "Let me guess," he said, facing the man. "More of your guys quit today."

Tazuna snorted as he took a swing from his bottle. "A bunch of cowards, the lot of them," he said. "I don't need any of them. I can build the whole bridge all by myself if I have to."

While Sasuke was not going to argue with that logic, he didn't want the client to overwork himself. "You can't really blame them, can you?" he said. "Gato's men have been threatening a lot of your workers lately."

Again, Tazuna snorted. "Yeah, whatever," he said, he drank down on his bottle. He placed the bottle on the table with a loud thud. Sasuke was surprised it didn't break. "I say they're a bunch of good for nothings. Gato has threatened me plenty, even sent a kami damn shinobi after me, and I'm still working on this bridge."

That wasn't something that Sasuke could deny despite all the man's flaws, being a bit of a jerk and a drunk. Tazuna was a very brave man for going against Gato by building his bridge. In that regard, Sasuke had some respect for the man. "Still, you can't expect everyone to be as brave as you."

Tazuna looked at him with a calculating look. "Me brave?" he questioned. Then, let a snort. "Don't kid yourself, kid. I'm not brave at all. Just about pissed myself when that Zabuza guy came after us. No, I'm not brave at all. I'm just a guy doing what he needs to do for his family."

Sasuke looked at Tazuna with a raised eyebrow. "I thought the bridge was for your country," he said.

Tazuna smiled. "It is," he said. "But at the end of the day, I am doing this for my family. I want my grandson to have a better future and my daughter to find happiness. If what I'm doing helps others," he shrugged. "Well, then, that's just a happy coincidence."

He stood up, grabbing his bottle of alcohol. "That's why it's so important to build this bridge of mine," he said. "It will give all of us a better future." Then he walked off."

Sasuke looked at the man's daughter. "Has he always been like this?"

The woman stopped doing the dishes. "He used to be better," she said with a smile. "He didn't drink as much and wasn't quite the pessimistic he is now. But ever since Kazi died, he has had this drive to free our country from Gato."

Sasuke nodded. "Sounds like this Kazi guy was quite the man," he said. "I would have liked to have met him."

The woman smiled and turned back to her dishes. "I'll finish the rest of these tonight," she said. "You go ahead and get some rest. I have the feeling that you have a big day coming up soon."

Sasuke looked at the woman questioningly. "You sure?" he asked.

She nodded at him. "I appreciate your help," she said. "I can finish the rest."

Sasuke nodded. "Let us know if you need anything," he said. He left the room.

He was about to go up the stairs when Sasuke stopped. Without turning around, he said, "I know you're there," he addressed the hidden presence.

He heard a squeak of surprise from the boy by the stairs. Inari stepped out into view. "How did you know I was there?" he asked.

Sasuke turned around and smirked at the boy. "You forget I'm a Shinobi," he said. "I'm trained for stuff like this. You'll have to try harder than that if you want to sneak up on us."

Inari looked a little put off by Sasuke's statement. Still, he stood around by the Uchiha boy. Sasuke gave the boy a critical eye. "So, what is it you want?" he asked the young boy as he sat down on the stairs.

Inari looked pensive, like he wasn't sure if he wanted to talk. Sasuke frowned at the boy. "Look, if you don't want to talk about it," he started. "Just remember you're the one that tried to sneak up on me and my friends." Sasuke got up from the stairs.

Inari's eyes widened, and he reached out to Sasuke. "Wait," he said in a panic.

Sasuke stopped looking at the boy with interest. "Well?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Inari looked down at his feet. Sasuke saw the boy's hands ball up into fists. "I heard you're trying to kill Gato," he said.

Sasuke masked his surprise at hearing that. This kid must have overheard us at some point, was his thoughts. "That's right," he said, sitting back on the stairs. "They were orders from our Hokage, our village leader. I guess Gato must have pissed off someone."

"But what makes you think you can kill him?" Inari looked up at Sasuke. "He's so strong. There's no way anyone can kill him."

Sasuke shook his head. "No, he's not," he said. "Gato is a coward hiding behind an army of thugs. Without them, he's nothing. Even a brat like you can put a knife in his chest."

"But!" Inari tried to get a counter in.

Sasuke stood up and walked up to the boy. "Let me show you something," he said. He walked past the boy and up to the house's front door. He opened the door. He looked back at Inari and gestured for the boy to follow him. "Come on, I'm not going to hurt you."

Inari looked at him hesitantly but nodded his head after a moment. He followed Sasuke out the door. The two walked outside for a bit, distancing themselves from the house.

"Where are we going?" Inari asked, looking around.

"Just a little bit further," Sasuke said. He looked up, noticing storm clouds above them. A faint echo of thunder could be heard. "I don't want to accidentally set your house on fire."

"What?" Inari yelped in surprise.

"You'll see," Sasuke said with a smirk. "This should be good," he stopped suddenly. "Now watch closely," he went through a series of handsigns. On the last sign, the Uchiha took a deep breath.

"Katon: Great Fireball no Jutsu!" Then he breathed out, letting out a stream of fire from his mouth. The stream formed into a large fireball that glided through the air and impacted the ground several feet away.

When Sasuke was done breathing fire, he turned to face a stunned Inari. Sasuke smirked. "Now tell me," he said, getting the boy's attention. "Can Gato or any of his men do that?"

The stunned silence from Inari was answer enough for Sasuke. "Gato is a weak coward hiding behind an army," Sasuke said, walking up to the boy. "And it's not even a good one. The Jōnin-senseis we have with us they alone could handle all of Gato's thugs. The only threat is the two shinobi he hired."

Inari tore his gaze from the burning fire several feet away. "Can you beat them?" He asked. "Can you really kill Gato?" It was at this time that the first droplets of rain started to pour down.

Sasuke smirked and walked past the boy. He placed a hand on Inari's shoulder as he passed by. "Gato's days are numbered." Then he left the boy in the rain.

Gato's Hideout

"Are you ready, Haku?" Zabuza asked. He examined his sword. Yesterday, Haku had cleared him, ready for battle.

"Yes, Zabuza-Sama," Haku said as she adjusted her senbon pouch. "Together, we shall defeat the Konoha-nin."

Zabuza hummed. He was looking forward to another round with the Konoha-nin, namely the two Jōnin he had faced. At the same time, he was mindful of what could happen. "Do not underestimate them, Haku," he said. "Last time I did that, you had to pull my ass out of trouble. We may not be so lucky if they manage to get the better of us."

Haku bowed to him. "Understood," she said. "I will be careful not to underestimate our enemy." There was a slight grimace on her face. One she was quick to hide, but not fast enough for Zabuza to have missed it.

"I'll take care of the Jōnin," he said, carefully eyeing his partner/tool. "You'll fight their brats. But remember, do not underestimate them. Especially the ones that arrived with Shisui. They look like they can put up a fight. You may have to use your kekkei genkai against them."

Haku showed no outward reaction, but Zabuza knew she did not like using her Kekkei Genkai. Having come from Kiri himself, he understood why. Yet another foolish action done by our foolish leader, he thought to himself. Even for a bloodthirsty bastard like himself, the purges had not set well with Zabuza.

"I understand, Zabuza-Sama," there it was again, that slight note of hesitation in her voice. Zabuza knew that Haku did not like violence. Even when she did fight, she would go out of her way not to kill her opponent. But usually, she was better at hiding it.

Zabuza felt his frown deepening. "Haku," he said. "Are you sure you are all right? You see a little off."

He closely watched the young kunoichi in front of him. He noticed a moment of surprise flashing across her face. But it quickly vanished as Haku put on a calm expression. "Nothing, Zabuza-Sam," she said. "I am simply pensive about our battle tomorrow."

Zabuza eyed Haku carefully. "Really now?" He asked. "What makes you so worried?"

Haku bit the bottle off her lip. "I fear that the Konoha-nin may have other tricks up their sleeves," she said. It was a blatant lie. "We do not know much about what our opponents are capable of. Aside from what bingo books say and what we have seen already. They may have other hidden abilities."

Zabuza snorted. "Of course they do," he said in a mocking tone. "What Shinobi worth their name doesn't?"

Haku winced at the criticism from him. Zabuza would never admit it, and he would slaughter anyone who would dare to suggest it, but he did feel the tiniest tinge of guilt. "All I am saying is that we should be careful," Haku said. "I do not wish to lose you, Zabuza-Sama."

Zabuza looked at Haku for the longest time in silence. Then he sighed and walked past the girl. "You do not have to worry about that," he said. He placed his sword on his back. "I will not die so easily. Not before I achieve my goals."

A smile spread across Haku's face. "That is a relief to hear from you, Zabuza-Sama," she said.

Zabuza nodded at the kunoichi. "I know you do not like this," he said, sitting on the bed. "But we are close to finishing our business here. Then, after that, we can see about that break we discussed."

Haku's smile widens. "Yes, Zabuza-Sama," she said.

Zabuza nodded. A vacation did sound good.