Most of the communication methods were through Might Guy's summoning animals, relaying messages to and from Konoha, allowing them to continuously receive missions from the village.
"The mission is here. The details are as follows: Escort Tazuna and ensure the successful completion of the bridge construction. Mission Rank: C."
Might Guy recited the mission details to Kazuki before sighing.
"This mission is way too simple. Previously, the two of us were handling B-rank missions. Now we're back to a C-rank? I can't say I'm interested in this at all."
Even Might Guy, who was usually passionate about all missions, found this one dull—it had to be truly boring.
However, Kazuki, standing beside him, froze for a moment.
Tazuna?
Isn't this… the Land of Waves mission?
In the original story, Kakashi was the one who led Naruto and his team on their first C-rank mission. How did it end up assigned to him?
Perhaps his presence had altered events in the timeline, leading to this mission falling into his hands instead.
Though it was officially labeled a C-rank mission, its actual difficulty was closer to A-rank!
Kazuki didn't particularly like a client like Tazuna—someone who lied about mission details and withheld critical information—but he couldn't deny the challenge intrigued him.
Because this mission would lead to an encounter with the rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist—Zabuza Momochi!
Zabuza was someone Kazuki had long wanted to fight, not just because of his strength as an elite Jōnin but also because of the legendary weapon he wielded—the Executioner's Blade!
Kazuki wanted to know…
Would his sword be stronger, or would Zabuza's blade reign supreme?
At that moment, a system notification rang in his ears:
[Mission Update: Collect blood from the Executioner's Blade and the Ice Release Clan.
Reward: Zanpakutō—Hyōrinmaru (Great Red Lotus Form)!]
As soon as this message appeared in Kazuki's mind, his breath hitched for a second.
No way… No way!
Kazuki rarely showed such excitement. Even when he had obtained the blueprint for a Six Paths-level ninja tool, he hadn't felt this thrilled.
Because this time, the reward was a Zanpakutō!
Hyōrinmaru—the blade of the Tenth Division Captain of the Gotei 13, Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
The Great Red Lotus form of Hyōrinmaru had a vast attack range and devastating ice-based abilities.
It was the strongest Zanpakutō of the ice element!
Kazuki's eyes burned with determination.
"We're taking this mission!" he declared, full of fighting spirit.
Might Guy: "???"
Normally, Kazuki disliked even B-rank missions. Why was he suddenly so fired up over a C-rank task?
Had he come down with a fever? Or was something else going on?
Might Guy couldn't help but feel something was off between the two of them…
Outside the Land of Waves—A Small Tavern
Might Guy and Kazuki met Tazuna, the client for their mission.
The mission seemed to have been assigned about a year earlier than in the original timeline. Unlike the disheveled, drunken man he had been when Team 7 met him, Tazuna now appeared more composed, though his eyes still held a hint of distrust.
"So… you're the only ninja protecting me?" Tazuna asked skeptically, narrowing his eyes.
Might Guy, always serious when addressing clients, responded, "That's correct. However, this young man beside me is my disciple. His strength isn't far from my own. With the two of us, completing this mission will be no issue."
"Huh?"
Tazuna exaggeratedly raised his eyebrows before breaking into laughter.
"You've got to be joking, right, Might Guy? How old is this kid? 10? Maybe 11? If he was really that strong, why isn't he even a proper ninja yet?"
Kazuki smiled. "Actually, I'm 12."
"Tch. Still just a brat," Tazuna scoffed, taking a swig of sake.
At the very moment his words left his mouth—
A kunai flashed through the air, stopping just at Tazuna's throat.
The tingling sensation shot through his nerves, racing to his brain.
A thin, light pink line immediately appeared on his neck.
With an unwavering smile, Kazuki said, "Mr. Tazuna, if you still doubt my strength, I can slit your throat right now."
Madman!
He's insane!
And terrifyingly powerful!
Although he was only twelve, Tazuna dared not underestimate the boy's strength. His eyes alone spoke volumes—cold, murderous, and utterly devoid of hesitation.
Tazuna's face paled instantly.
A chilling sensation coursed through his body, as though his very blood had begun flowing backward. He was gripped by sheer terror.
There was no doubt in his heart—if he truly angered this child, he would die.
"I-I'm the client! You can't kill me! That would violate the rules of a ninja's mission!" Tazuna stammered in horror.
The smile on Kazuki's lips widened. Slowly, he said,
"As you can see, I am not a ninja yet, and you are not officially my client.
So… it wouldn't matter if I killed you right now.
Now, do you still doubt my abilities?"
"N-no, I don't doubt you! I believe in your strength..."
Tazuna swallowed hard, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
Is this the true terror of ninjas?
Even a child this young had the power to end his life at any moment.
When he looked at Kazuki again, there was no longer any skepticism—only awe and fear.
"Good," Kazuki said, nodding in satisfaction.
Only then did he retract the kunai from Tazuna's neck.
To avoid unnecessary trouble later, Kazuki had decided it was best to instill a little fear in the old man now.
"Let's go," he said.
Kazuki, Might Guy, and Tazuna left the tavern, heading toward the Land of Waves—a small border nation between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water.
Since Tazuna was just an ordinary man, they couldn't travel at a ninja's pace. Instead, they had to walk at his speed, which significantly slowed their progress.
"It'll take nearly two days to reach the Land of Waves from here," Kazuki muttered, frowning as he glanced at the map.
Wasting time on travel was inefficient.
On his finger, he wore a dark-gold ring—an Intermediate-Grade Spatial Ring, a five-star ninja tool.
It wasn't just a simple storage device. Unlike lower-tier rings, this one could store living beings. The space inside was vast—100 cubic meters—far larger than a standard ninja storage scroll.
Of course, he had no intention of placing Tazuna inside it.
This ring contained the many treasures Kazuki had accumulated over the years, and he wouldn't allow an outsider to step into it.
Even Might Guy wasn't fully aware of its true capabilities.
It was one of Kazuki's greatest secrets.
Now, he reached into the ring and pulled out a small, palm-sized mechanical bird.
"What's that?" Tazuna asked, his curiosity piqued.
"A mechanical bird," Kazuki replied. "We'll use this to speed up the journey."
Tazuna frowned. "That tiny thing? I can't even fit one foot on it!"
Kazuki didn't bother explaining.
Instead, he activated a hidden mechanism inside the bird.
In an instant, the compact metal construct expanded and transformed, its frame shifting and unfolding. Within seconds, the tiny bird had become a massive, fully functional transportation puppet—standing over two meters tall, with a wingspan of more than five meters!
Tazuna's jaw nearly hit the ground.
"Amazing…"
As an architect, he had some knowledge of mechanics, but this… This was beyond anything he had ever seen!
He found himself subconsciously estimating the cost of such a marvel.
One million ryo? No, no… at least thirty million… No, even higher…
This thing is worth at least a hundred million ryo!
The realization sent a shiver down his spine.
That price was equivalent to five years' worth of tax revenue for the entire Land of Waves!
Just who is this twelve-year-old kid?
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Kazuki was wealthy enough to rival an entire nation.
Kazuki, however, remained indifferent to Tazuna's reaction.
This mechanical bird was merely a four-star ninja tool, similar to the puppets used by the famed Sasori of the Red Sand. It was mainly for transportation and information relay—hardly something he considered precious.
At first, Might Guy had been astonished by all the bizarre weapons and artifacts Kazuki carried. But after spending so much time together, he had grown numb to it all.
Seeing Tazuna's current expression, Guy couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
"Looks like I wasn't the only one dumbfounded at first… Turns out, everyone reacts the same way!"
Visit patreon.com/shirokendama for more chapters