Continue the Mission? Yes, But You Have to Pay Extra!
Sakura, standing beside him, was taken aback by Kaito's blunt words.
She wanted to scold him, but he had just saved her. Criticizing him now would seem ungrateful.
But Naruto, as reckless as ever, had no such hesitation. He stepped forward, pointing at Kaito.
"Kaito! I didn't think you'd be so cold-blooded! This old man is struggling, and you're just demanding more money?!"
Hearing someone defend him, Tazuna sniffled and put on an even more pitiful expression.
"It's fine… If you want to abandon the mission, I can't stop you… But my daughter and grandson—"
"Shut up! Say another word, and I won't mind sending you straight to the Pure Land!"
Kaito's cold voice cut through the air, his killing intent locking onto Tazuna. The old bridge builder froze, feeling as if he had fallen into an icy abyss. The fake tears stopped instantly—he didn't dare say another word.
Back in his past life, when Kaito watched Naruto, he had always found Tazuna infuriating. The old man relied on his age to manipulate others, using guilt to force people into dangerous situations.
At the time, Kaito had thought: If I were Kakashi, I'd turn around and leave. None of this is my problem.
Bringing up his daughter and grandson as if that somehow obligated them? It was laughable. He didn't even ask for help properly and instead resorted to emotional blackmail. Disgusting.
But what was even worse? Those three fools actually fell for it. Sometimes, Kaito really wanted to knock their heads together and see if they had any common sense.
"This mission should end here, Kakashi-sensei."
"Our assignment was a C-rank mission, but we've already encountered two Chūnin. That's way beyond the scope of what we signed up for."
"If we keep going, we could run into enemies of even higher rank—maybe even a Jōnin."
"And in our entire team, you're the only Jōnin. If we really get ambushed by a stronger enemy, we'll be wiped out!"
Kakashi remained silent, but Sakura couldn't hold back any longer.
"Mr. Kakashi, I think Mr. Kaito is right! Let's turn back!"
I had been thinking of accusing Kaito of being a coward, like Sakura often does to Naruto, but when I heard that an even stronger enemy might be ahead, my bravery instantly wavered. I wanted to retreat.
"It seems my students are unwilling to continue the mission, Mr. Tazuna," Kakashi said calmly, glancing at Kaito. If Kaito didn't want to carry out the task, Kakashi wouldn't force it.
After all, if they pressed on and encountered an even stronger enemy, what would Kaito do if he refused to fight? Even if he did act, he would prioritize saving his comrades—he certainly wouldn't risk himself for this old man. That was Kakashi's assessment of Kaito.
Besides, Kakashi wasn't particularly fond of this client. Tazuna's attitude had been irritating from the start. Over the years, Kakashi had escorted many people and dealt with difficult clients, but when it came to being troublesome, Tazuna stood out.
"How can you say that?! No way—I'm not giving up on this mission!" Naruto suddenly shouted, leaping to his feet. His determination burned in his eyes.
"In that case, let's take a vote," Kakashi suggested. "Those who agree to turn back, raise your hands."
Seeing that Kakashi and Kaito were serious about withdrawing, Tazuna panicked.
He hadn't expected this Konoha ninja to be so strict. He thought he could manipulate them, but now, the possibility of being abandoned terrified him.
"Wait, wait! You two—no, great ninja lords!" Tazuna pleaded desperately.
"Please don't leave me here! I was wrong—I shouldn't have lied to you!" His voice shook with genuine fear.
"Please escort me to the Land of Waves! If you leave me now, Gato will have me killed before I even get halfway there!"
"I know I was wrong! Please, shinobi, don't leave me here!"
Seeing such a humbled Tazuna, Kaito (OC) finally felt at ease and gave Kakashi a subtle glance. Kakashi immediately caught on.
"Ahem! Since you've admitted your mistake, then we—"
Cough! Cough!
Just as Kakashi was about to agree, Kaito interrupted him with a deliberate cough. Kakashi turned to him in confusion, only to see Kaito rubbing his thumb, index, and middle fingers together in a universal sign for money.
Understanding immediately, Kakashi quickly adjusted his stance and said in a serious tone:
"Even if you realize your mistake, you misrepresented the mission level. Do you understand how dangerous that is?"
Tazuna's face turned pale.
"We can still accept the mission, but you need to make up the difference in payment. Otherwise, we're heading back."
Tazuna was completely dumbfounded. He had requested a C-rank mission, hoping to save money—money he planned to use for sake. But now, his attempt to cut corners had come back to haunt him.