While Zabuza's body remained motionless on the ground, the thick fog began to clear and the battlefield fell into a strange silence. Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke remained frozen in place, their minds trying to make sense of what had just occurred. They were about to die, and then suddenly a masked man appeared, who knocked Zabuza down with a mere swipe of his hand.
The purported hunter-nin got down beside Zabuza's corpse and readjusted their grip on the long-needled senbon protruding from the renegade ninja's neck. The insignia of the Hidden Mist on their mask represented the commitment of theirs to adhering to the codes of their village.
The hunter-nin spoke in a soft, almost androgynous tone, "Looks like my timing was impeccable." "I'm glad you made him weaker. It's hard to catch a high-level missing-nin such as Zabuza."
Kakashi exhaled as his Sharingan slowly went back to normal. His mind was whirring with possibilities as he carefully inspected the hunter-nin. "You were quick. "Too quick," he added.
The hunter-nin tilted their head. "I've been tracking Zabuza for some time. He would have known if I had attacked earlier."
Naruto's fists tightened. He had been pushed to his limits throughout the whole battle, but this guy suddenly ended it. He exclaimed, "Oi, are you really that powerful?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, looking at the hunter-nin. He wasn't comfortable either. He didn't like this situation for some reason.
The hunter-nin scooped up Zabuza's lifeless form, not responding to Naruto's question. "Even when asleep, he's dangerous. I'll dispose of him properly."Team 7 remained in a state of uncertainty as they disappeared into the spreading mist without speaking another word.
Kakashi massaged his temple and let out a breath. "That was convenient."
Sakura dizzily swayed on her feet but caught herself by leaning against a tree. "We survived. It's unbelievable. What do we do now, Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi took a moment to organize his thoughts. "We head to Tazuna's residence for now. I must rest, and we must recuperate."
Despite wanting to think the hunter-nin's tale, something gnawed at him due to the destruction that the battle had wrought. No hunter he'd ever met had ever acted so. strangely.
They arrived at Tazuna's residence finally after another hour of careful travel. It was a tiny residence on the water, and there was a peculiar silence surrounding it. An older lady met them anxiously inside. She was Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami.
Tsunami gasped when she saw her father. "Papa! Do you hurt?"
Tazuna waved her away. "Just small abrasions. But these children have saved my life."
Even though he was tired, Naruto grinned while folding his arms. "We sure did! Ninjas do exactly that."
Tsunami leaned a bit. "Thank you all very much. Please, make yourselves at home."
With a sigh, Kakashi collapsed onto a futon. "I won't be much help for a while. I was more tired after that battle than I had expected."
Naruto blinked. "Wait, what? You're not invincible, Sensei?"
Kakashi let out a weak laugh. "Not really. I tire when I overuse the Sharingan."
Sakura frowned. "What do we do now? Is the mission accomplished if Zabuza was actually taken care of?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No. I suspect Hunter-Nin wasn't telling us the whole truth."
Naruto's face twisted in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Kakashi gazed at his students and sat up slightly. So that their secrets do not fall into the enemy's hands, hunter-nin must kill missing-nin on sight. They normally do not take the corpse with them.
Sasuke's eyes widened. "So you're saying. Maybe Zabuza is alive."
Kakashi nodded. "Exactly."
The discovery ran chills through Naruto's body. They had only bought a temporary reprieve if Zabuza was alive. His fists hardened. "Then we need to train! When he comes back, we need to be stronger!
Kakashi smiled. "That's the spirit, Naruto. We'll begin our training tomorrow.
Naruto was on the ground, staring at the ceiling as it became dark. His mind was even more agitated than his body.
He thought about the Pokémon Jutsu he had employed, his new jutsu. While it had served him well in battle, the Flamethrower was not enough. He needed more. He needed to push himself to accomplish more than he thought he could.
His reverie was broken by the voice of Tazuna. "Hey, kid."
Naruto sat down. "Yes?"
Tazuna drank from his flask, a serious look on his face for once. "I can see you've got heart, although you are loudmouthed. That's well. The village needs the like of you."
Naruto tilted his head. "What?"
Tazuna exhaled. "Gato's regime has brought suffering to the Land of Waves' people. He has discouraged us. But it is heartening to see individuals like you who are willing to fight."
Naruto's chest constricted. He had always desired recognition and to be regarded as important. However, he was beginning to notice something different in this village—he wanted to do more than just prove himself; he wanted to protect people.
His eyes were burning with determination as he smiled. "Old man, don't worry. Gato and anyone attempting to stop your bridge will be taken care of by us.
Tazuna chuckled. "I'll hold you responsible for that."
Naruto's mind went back to the hunter-nin as he took his seat once more. They had appeared. odd. Their mission was hardly ended if Zabuza was really alive.
Training tomorrow would begin. Naruto was ready too.