The Hokage's office was warm, lit with late afternoon sun pouring through the windows as Team 7 stood before the Third Hokage.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura looked different from how they'd first stood there a month ago. Their bodies, while still youthful, held a faint air of tension—muscles awakened from constant stress. Their uniforms had been updated: more rugged, combat-capable versions of their original outfits, designed for durability over flash.
Naruto's jumpsuit had been replaced by an orange-black sleeveless top and dark pants reinforced at the knees. Sasuke wore a short-sleeved, dark blue top with his clan symbol on the back and matching shinobi slacks, bandages wrapped on his forearms.
Sakura's red qipao was replaced with a more mobile crimson and black vest over mesh armor and shorts, her pink hair tied up more practically. She looked stronger, more present.
They stood straight, not because they were forced to, but because it was now second nature.
"…Now," the Hokage said, adjusting the pipe in his mouth. "I believe we can wrap up today's missions."
Daigo Guretsu stood behind them, arms crossed, face grinning like a man who knew more than he let on. His Jounin uniform strained slightly over his wide frame, his sword resting lazily at his hip like a sleeping beast.
"Let's see…" Hiruzen muttered, skimming through a few scrolls. "How about cleaning a pond next? Or perhaps removing graffiti in the northern sector again?"
The moment those words were spoken, Naruto stiffened. "NOOOOOO!" he suddenly yelled, hands up like claws. "I'm sick of this! It's always the same! We catch cats! Clean stuff! Babysit brats! This isn't what I signed up for!"
Iruka, standing near the side, visibly flinched. "Naruto!" he barked. "You don't talk to the Hokage that way!"
Naruto was still steaming, but he quieted with a pout.
Iruka sighed and stepped forward. "Naruto! Missions like these help build experience! Even lord Hokage started with—"
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto grumbled. "You say that every time."
The Third Hokage smiled through his pipe, gaze shifting to Daigo. "They've been doing well under your training, I hear."
Daigo shrugged, grinning in that wild, easy-going way that made it hard to tell if he was being serious or dangerous. "They haven't died yet. That's a good start."
Iruka nearly choked.
Hiruzen exhaled, amused. "So you believe they're ready for more advanced work?"
Another shrug from Daigo, but this time with a tilt of his head and a glint in his eyes. "You're the one handing out the mission scrolls, old man. If you think they're ready, then we'll see."
Sasuke's and Sakura's eyes twitched. That wasn't comforting, not at all.
Naruto, meanwhile, straightened up like he just grew five centimeters. "Did you hear that? He didn't say no! That means it's finally happening!"
"Very well," Hiruzen said with a low chuckle, and from one of the piles beside him, he picked up a different scroll. "This is a C-rank mission. You'll be escorting a client outside the village. The target is not expected to be ninja-level dangerous, but you must remain on alert."
He opened the scroll. "You will escort a bridge builder to the Land of Waves. He is currently waiting outside."
Iruka's jaw fell. "That far?! Lord Hokage, are you sure they're—"
"I trust Daigo," Hiruzen interrupted gently. "Besides...they look ready, don't they?"
Iruka glanced back at the trio of Genin, who all stood straighter under his gaze.
"…Yeah," he admitted softly. "They do."
Daigo turned slightly toward the door. "Well, let's meet our drunk."
Naruto blinked. "Our what now?"
The door opened, and there he was: Tazuna, the bridge builder. Bearded, goggle-wearing, and already halfway into his morning sake.
"So these are the brats escorting me?" he asked, swaying a bit. "Hmph. Hope you're stronger than you look. I don't wanna die just 'cause I got a discount."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Naruto crossed his arms. "Hey! I'll have you know we've been training for—"
Daigo whistled, waving them toward the exit. "Move your asses, war pups. We've got a bridge to guard and trouble to sniff out."
As Team 7 shuffled toward the door, Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "FINALLY! A REAL MISSION!"
"About time," muttered Sasuke.
"First time going out of the village," Sakura whispered under her breath.
From behind the desk, Hiruzen watched them leave.
Iruka leaned close. "You really think they're ready?"
"I think," Hiruzen said, "they've been training under a man who created the Boar Pit. If they weren't ready… he would've made them ready."
And with that, Team 7 began their first real step into the world beyond Konoha's gates.
The gates of Konoha loomed tall and steady under the rising sun, casting long shadows over the road that led out into the world beyond.
Team 7 arrived early, packs strapped across their backs, their headbands freshly polished. Naruto was practically vibrating with excitement. Sakura, more composed, adjusted the strap of her pouch. Sasuke remained silent, his gaze scanning the treetops for no reason other than instinct.
Tazuna was already waiting, standing off to the side, sipping from a bottle that had far too strong a smell for this early in the morning.
But it was the man standing in front of the gates—arms crossed, grin wicked—that made all three Genin stiffen.
"Yo," said Daigo Guretsu, wearing his travel cloak, blade slung across his waist. The sunlight glinted off the handle ornaments on his belt.
Sitting on the ground in front of him were three large backpacks, well-stitched, reinforced leather, and fully sealed. Daigo nudged one with his foot.
"Supplies?" Naruto asked, voice hopeful.
"Of course," Daigo said cheerfully. "Open 'em."
Naruto zipped one open. Then blinked. Sakura checked hers. Sasuke already had his half unzipped.
"What the hell is this?" Naruto blurted.
"Rocks?" Sakura said, frowning.
"Good ol' rocks," Daigo nodded, squatting beside them with a mischievous glint in his golden eyes. "Full of them, just heavy enough to drag your souls out of your feet if you slack."
Naruto recoiled. "You brought rocks instead of food?!"
"The real supplies are sealed. Scrolls in my pouch," Daigo replied, tapping the scroll tube at his hip. "But there's not much in there. Just essentials. Soap, salt, spices."
"Soap?" Sasuke asked flatly.
"You'll be sweating your asses off," Daigo said, standing tall. "Ain't no better cleanser of the body than hard labor and lavender-scented soap. Especially when you're carrying one of those on your back for four days straight."
Tazuna blinked. "Wait, four days?"
"You're lucky," Daigo said. "I was going to make it five."
"But what about food?" Sakura asked.
Daigo gave her a shrug and that same devil-may-care grin. "You're shinobi. Hunt. Fish. Forage. Eat bark if you have to."
"Wait, are you serious?" Naruto gaped.
"No, Naruto, I'm lying," Daigo said, eyes sparkling. Naruto groaned loudly.
Sasuke sighed, already slipping the pack onto his shoulders. The added weight nearly knocked him off balance for a second—but he caught himself.
Sakura grunted as she shouldered hers. "This is heavier than it looks…"
Naruto tried lifting his and groaned. "I think my spine just cried."
Daigo just laughed. "Good. That means your body's awake. Time to walk."
He turned and started down the road, not even looking back.
"You're not going to carry one too?" Naruto shouted after him.
Daigo raised a hand lazily over his shoulder, walking away at a steady pace. "I am carrying one. It's called my body. Catch up or stay behind!"
Sasuke, scowling, started forward. Sakura adjusted her straps, muttering under her breath. Naruto followed last, grumbling.
"This is supposed to be a mission… not a death march."
Tazuna stared at them as they passed, then turned and muttered to himself, "I knew I should've paid for the premium escort…"
___________________________________________________________________________________
The sun had climbed high by midday, hanging like a molten disc above the treetops. The road wound through quiet woods and rocky trails, a path trodden by carts and caravans. But now it was filled with the soft creak of leather straps and the groans of three genin carrying training packs loaded with weighted stones.
Naruto was sweating like a waterfall. "Urrrgh… my back… my soul..."
"Stop whining," Sasuke muttered, walking a half-step ahead, his gait even despite the strain.
"You stop being so good at everything!" Naruto snapped back.
Daigo strode several meters in front of them, humming something low and rough. Every so often, he'd glance back to make sure they hadn't passed out. Tazuna walked beside him, keeping his head low, sipping from a now half-empty bottle. He hadn't said much.
Sakura, wiping her brow, glanced up. "Hey, Tazuna-san," she called out. "Can I ask something?"
Tazuna glanced back at her, adjusting the edge of his straw hat. "Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. What is it?"
Sakura tried to smile through the sweat. "What's the Land of Waves like? I've only read about it in geography class."
Tazuna scratched the back of his neck. "Hmm… Well, it's not as fancy as Konoha, that's for sure. No ninja villages or fancy clans. Just a lot of hard-working folks—fishers, craftsmen, families who live by the sea."
"Is it true it's on an island?" Naruto asked, dragging his feet a little.
"Sort of," Tazuna replied. "It's not that far off the mainland. You'll barely notice the ferry ride."
"Ferry ride?" Sasuke asked, looking forward now.
Tazuna nodded. "Mhm. There's a bridge being built right now though. Once it's finished, we won't need boats to reach the mainland. That's why I'm here. I'm the guy building it."
Naruto blinked. "Wait—you're building a whole bridge?!"
Tazuna smirked. "You got a problem with that?"
Naruto scratched his head. "No, it's just… you don't look like the kind of guy who builds bridges. You look like the kind of guy who builds bad habits."
Sakura jabbed him with her elbow. "Naruto! Don't be rude!"
Tazuna grunted. "He's not wrong."
Daigo chuckled ahead of them but didn't turn. "The old man drinks like a fish and swears like a sailor, but he's built some good stuff in his time."
Tazuna raised a brow. "You know about my work?"
"Not at all," Daigo called back, making Tazuna almost fall back. "Although, bridge builders are worth something these days."
Sakura pressed on, curiosity lighting her voice. "So when the bridge's done, your country won't be so isolated anymore?"
"That's the idea," Tazuna muttered. "A bridge to the world. That's what I call it. If we finish it, that is…"
There was a pause. Sasuke caught it.
Sakura blinked. "What do you mean 'if'?"
Tazuna waved it off too quickly. "Nothing. Just… construction's dangerous, that's all. Tools, weather, you know. Worksite hazards."
Daigo raised a brow without looking back. But he didn't say anything.
Naruto looked suspicious. "Hmm there was something in that silence old man."
Tazuna smiled tightly. "Nothing you need to worry about, kid. Just get me there in one piece, and you'll earn your pay."
Daigo stretched, arms raised overhead. "If we get there in one piece, I'll buy the drinks. After I wash your corpses off the training field first."
Naruto blanched. "That's not comforting at all!" They all continued walking—feet heavy, backs aching, but eyes alert.
An hour later,
The team had stopped to take a short break beside a mossy outcropping, where a half-rotten log bridged a shallow stream. Birds chirped overhead, and the wind rustled lazily through the branches.
Naruto crouched near the water, splashing some on his face. Sakura sat beside Tazuna with her hands on her knees, breathing slowly, while Sasuke stood silently nearby, watching everything with the narrowed eyes of a wolf cub.
Daigo stood apart, arms crossed, expression unreadable beneath the brim of a straw hat he unsealed from his scroll.
They didn't rest for long Sasuke walked with his hands in his pockets, quiet and aloof, but listening. Naruto made exaggerated groans every time Sakura ignored him to ask Tazuna another question, while Daigo brought up the rear, humming some sea shanty off-key.
Everything seemed to be normal, Daigo was still grinning yet that grin of his, the kind that said he knew something they didn't, seemed to get wider and wider.
They approached a bend in the road. A puddle shimmered off to the side, untouched by foot or wheel. Odd, considering it hadn't rained in days.
Daigo barely spared it a glance.
Then it happened.
With a blur of motion, two masked shinobi burst out of the puddle, chains snapping toward Daigo in a vicious lunge.
The chains wrapped around Daigo's body in a flash of practiced efficiency, blades swinging for vital points.
Shunk!
Blood sprayed. Daigo collapsed face-first into the dirt with a heavy thud, unmoving. The silence lasted for a second.
"DAIGO-SENSEI!" Sakura screamed, taking a step forward.
"One down." one of their teacher's killers uttered before turning towards them. Their eyes full of malice.
Naruto froze mid-step, heart hammering in his ears. Sasuke's eyes went wide, but only for a second.
"Protect the client!" he barked, his hand already pulling a kunai as he shoved Tazuna back toward Sakura. Sasuke's Sharingan flickered to life, something he had unlocked from the countless bouts of close calls and pressure that their teacher was the cause of.
His eyes activated, one tomoe in one while the other had two, spinning as he watched the Demon Brothers close in.
"Split!" the other brother barked and they did. One dove at Naruto, the other curved around to flank Sasuke.
Naruto moved first, clones bursting into existence without handseals. Three shadow clones surrounded the attacking brother, and with practiced motion they sprang into a spiral maneuver they'd trained hundreds of times.
The chain-wielding enemy lashed out in panic, but one clone took the hit and vanished in smoke. Another slid underneath, tripping him with a sweeping kick, while the third leapt forward and clocked him in the jaw with a full spinning hook.
The real Naruto followed with a brutal downward axe kick. Crack. The man dropped unconscious.
Sakura kept her cool, panic clear on her face but her hands steady as she pulled Tazuna behind her and scanned the area for other threats. She even threw a kunai to intercept a stray shuriken shot from the other enemy towards Sasuke, it had been flying too close for comfort.
Sasuke ducked under the swing of the other brother's claws and countered with a high-speed palm thrust to the solar plexus, followed by a knee to the jaw. He rotated, grabbed the man's arm, and flipped him over his shoulder straight into the ground, head first. The guy went to lala land.
Naruto blinked.
Sasuke blinked.
Both of them looked at each other then at both attackers in the dirt, unconscious, barely breathing.
Silence settled.
"...That's it?" Naruto muttered, panting slightly, they still had the backpack weights on, seemingly forgetting their existence. Adrenaline is one heck of a drug.
"I thought they'd be stronger," Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes.
They all turned toward Daigo's body, then he moved.
With a lazy groan, Daigo sat up, brushing dirt off his cheek. "Took you long enough."
"You were faking?!" Naruto yelled.
Sakura stared. "You're not even hurt?!"
Sasuke's eyes widened before inspecting the 'remain' of his teacher, blood yes but…
"Please," Daigo chuckled, standing up and cracking his neck. "If I went down that easy, your training would've meant jack, that was just the remains of some pig I had on me for this very moment."
They all turned to said remains, now that they used their noses. The blood itself smelt…gamey.
"This was your first real fight outside the village. Had to see if you'd panic or push through it."
Sasuke scowled. "Tch. You used yourself as bait?"
Daigo grinned, hands on his hips. "Yup! And you didn't disappoint."
Naruto was the first to get back on the mood as he pumped a fist. "We beat 'em! For real!"
Daigo nodded approvingly. "Fast thinking. Clean execution. All three of you did well. But don't get cocky. That was just the warm-up. The real mission hasn't even started yet."
As Naruto and Sasuke took a moment to breathe and Sakura carefully tied up the two unconscious attackers, Daigo strolled ahead, sword on his hip, singing again.
Sakura held a kunai in her hand, breath steady but sharp, eyes darting between the unconscious bodies and the man they were supposed to protect. "Sensei… are we going to get more of those?"
That question turned all attention back to Tazuna.
The old man had been quiet, his hat trembling slightly in his hand, sweat trailing down his weathered cheek. The fear hadn't left his eyes—not at Daigo, not at the fight—but something else lingered there too. Guilt.
"…Tch." The bridge builder finally spoke, voice low and dry. "I was hoping you'd never find out."
Sasuke's hand twitched near his pouch. Sakura blinked. Naruto tilted his head. Tazuna stopped walking, dropping his gaze to the dirt.
"They weren't just bandits or missing-nin. They were after me specifically."
"Go on," Daigo said, still leaning like this was theater.
Tazuna swallowed. "There's a man… Gato. A rich merchant, or at least that's what he pretends to be, the CEO of a shipping company. In truth, he's scum. Controls shipping lanes, smuggling rings, black market trades, owns entire regions through fear and money. And now he's trying to seize control of the Land of Waves."
Sakura looked stunned. "And… you're building a bridge."
"Yes." Tazuna nodded grimly. "A bridge that will bypass Gato's control. If it's completed, we'll have access to the mainland, and he'll lose his monopoly. So he sent those two to kill me… and I'm sure more are coming."
"Then why the hell didn't you say this from the start?!" Naruto yelled. "This isn't a stupid escort mission anymore!"
Tazuna's fists clenched. "Because your village wouldn't have accepted the job if I told the truth! I didn't have the money for a higher-ranking mission. But if I didn't get help, I'd be dead, and so would everyone waiting for me back home."
The road was quiet again.
Daigo finally pushed off the tree and began walking toward them, sandals crunching calmly against the dirt. His tone wasn't angry. Just… blunt.
"So you lied. Risked the lives of a genin team. Figured someone else's kids were worth gambling with."
Tazuna looked down, ashamed.
"Good," Daigo muttered, startling him. "You should feel like shit."
He kept walking past the old man.
"Hey," Naruto suddenly said, fists still clenched, conflicted on what he should think.
"What now, Sensei? Are we bailing or staying?"
Daigo paused. For a brief second, his back was to them and his grin was gone. Then it returned at full force.
"We're already halfway there already. Turning back now would be useless and a pain. Besides…" He raised one hand lazily over his shoulder. "This is where the real lessons start."
He glanced back with that same grinning glint in his eyes. "Congrats. Your training trip just got a side quest."
Daigo's hand slipped into the folds of his cloak and drew out a long, ink-sealed scroll. With a flick of his thumb, he unraveled it halfway across the road.
He tapped the paper once, and with a heavy puff of chakra and smoke, something massive thudded into reality.
A cart, but not just any cart. A war chariot shaped into a cart with large wheels imbued with rubber and steel reinforcements.
It gleamed in the late morning light—rich, dark wood reinforced with strange grain patterns. The surface was marked with faint, winding ridges like tree rings etched by chakra itself. It looked both ancient and brand new, like it could be dragged through hell and still smell like sap.
Sakura's jaw dropped. Sasuke just blinked.
"…Is that really a cart?" she asked, disbelieving. This looked like something a mythical general would use.
"Forest of Death variety," Daigo replied proudly, walking up to it. "Same wood Hashirama used to build half the village. Reinforced with Chakra steel from the land of iron. Ain't it pretty?"
Sasuke's jaw almost dropped, he just heard a Jounin admit that he used two of the most sought after resources into the land of fire to make a chariot-like cart.
Tazuna eyed it like he'd just seen a castle on wheels. "You… travel with this?"
But Daigo wasn't done
He slammed his palm to the ground beside the cart.
BOOM—POOF!
Two massive boars appeared with a flash of summoning smoke. Thickly muscled, armored in places with rough hide and crude plating, and tusks that could probably split a tree. They snorted once, then calmly moved into position as Daigo secured their harnesses to the cart with well-practiced ease.
This was clearly not his first time doing this.
His students and Tazuna were now giving him the same collective expression. 'Why the hell do you even have this?!'
Daigo, of course, caught the look. He turned toward them from the front of the cart, hand gripping the reins, wearing that unholy grin.
"Leave the bags and get on," he said with an almost melodic tone. "This is not going to take long."
They all hesitated but did so. The rock filled bags sat abandoned behind before getting on the cart.
Naruto blinked. "Wait wait wait—you carry around a battle cart? With boars?! Why would you even—?"
"No reason."
Before any more questions could be asked, Daigo snapped the reins.
"Hyaaah!!"
The boars roared. The cart launched. One moment they were standing still. The next? Wind screamed past their ears.
Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna were instantly flattened back against the inside walls, eyes wide, mouths open, screaming as they held on for dear life.
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!"
"WHAT THE HELL—"
"IS THIS LEGAL—?!"
"DAIGO-SENSEI YOU'RE A MANIAC!!"
Daigo? Daigo was howling with laughter, hair flapping wildly in the wind, standing as the cart rocked and rumbled forward.
"WOOOHOOOOO!! LOOK AT THAT VELOCITY!!"
The summoned boars plowed forward like guided missiles, smashing through small trees, leaping over roots, and obliterating boulders in their way. Each obstacle cracked apart under their hooves as they cleared the path with near-mechanical precision.
It wasn't just transport. It was a war machine.
As they sped through the forest like a summoned hurricane, Naruto clung to the side and shouted, "THIS IS HOW YOU TRAVEL?!"
Daigo cackled in reply. "SPRINTING'S FOR LOSERS—SPEED IS THE FUTURE!!"
Somewhere far behind them, the battered road wept in silence.
_________________________________________________________________________________
The silence after the ride was… unnatural.
Team 7 staggered off the cart like survivors of an experimental Jutsu test, wide-eyed, hair tousled by wind, and completely drenched in their own adrenalin.
Sakura collapsed on a boulder, hand to her chest. "...I think I saw my ancestors waving at me."
Naruto flopped onto the grass, laughing breathlessly. "That—! That was—!! AWESOME!!!"
"You screamed the whole time," Sasuke muttered, though even he looked slightly more alive than usual, flushed from the experience, pulse still racing.
"I wasn't screaming," Naruto wheezed. "I was howling in joy."
"You were crying," Sakura corrected.
"I WAS JOY-CRYING!"
Tazuna staggered past them, nearly tripping on a root. "Sweet gods of sake, I've built sandcastles more stable than that cart—!"
"Oh please," Daigo said from his seat atop the cart, still holding the reins with one hand and casually drinking from a canteen with the other. "Y'all loved it."
He turned, flashing that demonic grin again that a-field-trip-to-Valhalla grin.
"Alright," Naruto said, sitting up with a crazy grin of his own. "That was the best thing I've ever done with pants on."
Sasuke scoffed… but there was a glimmer of respect in his eyes.
Even Sakura, despite pretending to be horrified, had a little crooked smile creeping in.
Tazuna, pale and rattled, pointed at the animals. "Those things shouldn't be allowed to exist. They were laughing, I swear!"
"Just needed it to stretch their legs."
Tazuna, wiping the sweat from his brow, muttered, "That wasn't stretching legs… that was committing war crimes on physics."
"Right," he said, hopping off the cart like he hadn't just drifted through forests at seventy kilometers an hour, "We're here."
They had reached the ferry point. The dull wooden dock stretched into the misty waters, where a squat man in a wide straw hat waved lazily from a small boat. Two oars rested on either side of him, and a larger barge floated nearby for cargo.
Daigo strode toward the man with the casual swagger of someone who hadn't just permanently reprogrammed the fear center of his students' brains.
The ferryboat captain raised a brow as the group approached, wide-eyed and sweaty.
"They look like they've gone through a hurricane."
"Nah," Daigo said, slapping him on the back, "Just me at the wheel."
The captain snorted, then eyed the cart behind him. "You're not takin' that on the boat."
"Relax," Daigo said, walking back over. He unhooked the boars, who immediately began rolling in the dirt, utterly proud of themselves, and slapped a seal onto the cart's front panel. With a flash of smoke, it vanished into his scroll once more.
Team 7 finally caught up, dragging their packs behind them like war-wounded soldiers.
Daigo clapped his hands. "Alright, ladies and gentleman! Ferry ride's the last easy part. Once we're in Wave, we're in someone else's backyard — and it's not friendly."
The team straightened a little at that, the haze beginning to lift from their overjoyed minds.
As they stepped onto the ferry, Naruto leaned toward Daigo and whispered. "Hey, Sensei... when can we ride the cart again?"
Daigo looked back over his shoulder then grinned. Naruto mirrored that.
The boars that pulled the cart vanished in a plum of smoke back home as Team 7 and their client boarded the ferry.
The creaking of the wooden planks echoed underfoot as Team 7 and Tazuna boarded. A thick, cold mist rolled off the water, clinging to their clothes and hair like damp fingers.
Naruto leaned over the railing, eyes squinting through the gray. "…This place feels weird."
"Unnaturally quiet," Sakura murmured, arms crossed tightly.
Sasuke didn't speak. He stood at the edge, his eyes narrowed toward the distant fog-draped coastline. Even he seemed… focused. Alert. No snide comments. No glares. Just quiet intensity.
Tazuna exhaled through his nose. "This mist isn't normal. It never clears. Ever since Gato showed up… it's like the whole land started holding its breath."
Behind them, Daigo was leaning against the railing with a thoughtful look, his arms crossed loosely across his chest.
The ferryman, an older man with a thick scarf and missing teeth, didn't even look up.
"I'll get you across. But after that? Don't expect folks to help. People are scared to even breathe the wrong way now."
Naruto frowned. "From one guy? He can't be that bad, right?"
Tazuna gave him a tired, dry look. "Kid, when you control trade, booze, money, and muscle — you don't need to be bad. You just need to be there."
Sakura turned to Daigo. "Sensei… are we expecting a fight soon?"
Daigo didn't answer right away. He looked out over the water, mist swirling across his scarred arms. Finally, he said:
"Expect the unexpected. Always." He tilted his head, cracking his neck with a satisfying pop, and that wolfish grin of his slowly returned.
"But don't worry. If trouble shows up, you'll get to practice what I've been carving into your bones these past two months."
Naruto grinned. "About time."
The ferry rocked gently as it neared the opposite shore. Trees lined the coast like sentinels, their dark shapes barely visible through the fog. As they drew closer, silence settled over the boat — a heavy, tense silence that even Naruto didn't dare break.
Daigo's eyes sharpened.
Welcome to Wave.
Later on,
The forest path narrowed as they moved deeper into the Land of Waves. Mist had begun to creep in again, thicker than before, clinging to skin and dulling all sound. Birds were gone. No wind. Just the wet hush of fog brushing against trees.
Daigo's steps never faltered.
Then something moved.
A flicker, too fast, too deliberate. A white blur. Sasuke's eyes snapped to it. A rabbit. Too white. Too still. Out of the season. No tremble of fear in its limbs. His breath caught and in the next heartbeat, he moved.
"DOWN!"
The shout was near-simultaneous across the team, Sakura threw herself at Tazuna, Naruto shoved him from behind, and all three Genin hit the dirt just as a massive blade screeched overhead, the air itself splitting as it spun end-over-end like a cleaver from hell.
But it never hit its mark.
With a single movement, Daigo twisted, his hand moved like a whip of muscle and steel. His sword, previously hidden under his cloak, rang free from its sheath.
With that one smooth draw, Daigo caught the massive spinning sword's edge mid-flight and redirected it with a lazy deflection to the side, sending it burying into a thick tree with a thunderous THUD.
And then, from atop the sword's hilt like some damned acrobat stood a figure. Broad, shirtless, wrapped in bandages and belts, his mouth obscured beneath ragged cloth. His eyes gleamed like cold knives beneath his hitai-ate, belonging to Kirigakure.
"Nice catch." the man rasped.
Daigo grinned. "Nice pitch.
Team 7 slowly rose behind him, still tense. Daigo flicked his sword, resting it on his shoulder casually.
Black. So black it seemed to swallow light, the blade curved slightly, its edge faintly glowing with a sickly purple hue like soul-fire trapped in metal. It wasn't shiny. It didn't gleam. It just... radiated pressure, and weight.
Sasuke's eyes widened. 'That's… a black blade. No, it's… different.'
Daigo didn't even look back. "Good instincts. You ducked without thinking, that's the kind of reflex that'll keep you alive. All that sparring with yours truly? It's paying off."
Sasuke and Naruto blinked, even they were surprised by their own reactions.
"Who's that?" Naruto whispered looking at the enemy.
Daigo pointed casually toward the mist-wrapped figure on the blade.
"That right there is Zabuza Momochi. Former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Known as the 'Demon of the Hidden Mist.' Grade-A psycho. Tried to pull a coup d'état on his own village when he was still barely older than you."
Zabuza chuckled. "Ah… so I get recognized. But I'm not the only freak here."
He pointed his massive finger down at Daigo. "Didn't expect to run into you, of all people. Daigo Guretsu, Konoha's own Silver Boar. The maniac. They say you've been buried three times and got up laughing at each one."
Daigo's grin widened. "Don't believe everything you read. Two of those were exaggerations."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed, the tension stretching like drawn wire. "I'm afraid your client's got a bounty on his head, friend."
Daigo rolled his shoulders. "And I'm afraid I don't give a damn. These kids still have stuff to learn, and letting you through would be a piss-poor lesson."
He turned to his students. "Stand back. This one's mine. You'll get your turn another day."
Zabuza's hands came together in a slow, deliberate seal. The mist thickened instantly, becoming a wall, a curtain, a suffocating veil. Even the trees disappeared. Only breath remained.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu," he said, voice fading and just like that the forest vanished.
The mist had a pulse now. It wasn't just fog, it was pressure. It slid beneath their skin, crawled into their lungs, and whispered things in the back of their minds. You're going to die.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all froze for a breath. It was a crushing, choking feeling. Cold hands on their necks. It wasn't chakra alone. It was intent. Pure, refined killing instinct, sharpened and wielded like a scalpel.
Tazuna trembled behind them. "I-I can't—"
The Genin moved. Sasuke's face was pale, sweat collecting on his brow, but his feet were firm. His kunai drawn, body sliding into a practiced stance. Naruto stepped in beside him, jaw clenched, fists tight, clones already forming behind him.
Sakura didn't waste a heartbeat either — her body took over before her brain could catch up. She was already moving in front of Tazuna, hands raised, back straight.
A triangle. Formation Seven. The one Daigo drilled into them every night. Guard the mark. Let the leader hunt.
A laugh — a low, rumbling thing — came from the front.
Daigo stood unmoving. Mist curled around him like it was afraid to touch his boots. His black blade was resting lazily across his shoulders.
He was grinning.
"Good going kids," he said, voice calm, utterly unshaken. "Still scared, huh?"
They didn't answer. Naruto gulped. "Kinda."
"Good. Stay scared. But stay sharp. This isn't a spar."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but he wasn't looking at the mist anymore. He was looking at Daigo. His sensei's gaze was scanning the fog slowly. Left, right, above. Precise, deliberate. Focused on spots where nothing could be seen.
It made no sense.
He's… tracking something, Sasuke realized. But how?
Daigo raised his voice slightly, as if speaking into the fog itself.
"Your opponent's from Kirigakure. They've got this cute technique, the 'Silent Killing Method.' They slip in close, no sound, no movement. They wait for the perfect moment. Then strike."
The mist trembled. A faint shift, like someone holding their breath in the dark.
"Stay here and protect the old man," Daigo said, letting the blade drop into his hand. His fingers tightened.
"I'll be right back."
BOOM!
The mist shook as Daigo launched himself into it — the ground cracked from the pressure, a sonic pulse ringing through the air as he blasted forward like a cannonball. Trees swayed. Leaves scattered.
And right into the mist.
Zabuza P.O.V
Where is he?!
The thought rang through my head as I slid silently across the branch, mist curling around my body. My chakra saturated the air. Thick as soup. The best kind of stage for a silent death.
And still—
He's watching me.
I feel it. Every time I reposition, his attention follows. Not his team but me.
I've used this mist to erase entire squads. I've killed Jounin in one breath. My chakra's flooding this forest like a damn ocean, no sensor alive could track anything in here without frying their own nervous system trying. Its like trying to listen to white noise.
How?
I moved fast repositioning silently to the right, chakra suppressing my steps yet the pressure followed. Still watching. Still locked.
How can he see me?!
I twist and raise Kubikiribōchō in pure reflex as the black shadow erupts from the mist like a bullet made of death. His sword slams into mine and the impact shatters the air.
"Found you!" The bloody grin exclaimed.
My arms scream then I'm airborne. Blasted back through two trees. The third one stops me, but not softly. Pain blooms in my ribs.
"Gah—!"
I land. Roll. Cough.
He's already moving again. Fast. Too fast. Like chakra-enhanced muscle grafted onto a monster's body. I charge. No choice.
"RAAAAAAH!!"
Steel clashes with steel. I try to find an opening, but he's pressing me hard. His form is wrong, like a brawler mixed with a swordsman, each swing carrying brute force wrapped in terrifying precision.
Also that blade of his, it's like it wants to cut!
I try to parry low and he counters high. I block right and he steps through the swing and shoves me with his shoulder, nearly knocking me off my feet.
That sword. Blacker than any steel I've ever seen. No chips. No wear. It's drinking in my strikes like they're nothing. It doesn't crack. It doesn't even spark.
Black blades shouldn't be this tough!
The Bloody Grin didn't move like a normal shinobi. He didn't dodge — he advanced. His movements weren't elegant, but they were refined — raw, brutal, direct. A swordsman who didn't need wasted motion.
And that blade.
That damn sword. It wasn't just heavy. It was unyielding.
I've fought with and against legendary blades. Kiri's swords were amongst the best blades in the shinobi world. But this one?
It didn't crack. It didn't even scratch.
"You-" breathing hard between blocks. "-what the hell is that sword?!"
He didn't answer. He just grinned.
I retreat and make space. Hands fly through signs.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!" The roar of water tears through the mist, a serpent of liquid fury charging straight at him.
And he…charges right into it. What the fu-?!
Like a meteor his silhouette bursts through the wave, blade first — water explodes to either side, and by the time I blink he's already in front of me.
"Shit—!"
I bring my sword up to guard again and feel it, a horizontal slice, the hit drives me backward like I'd been hit by a battering ram. I barely keep my feet.
I still saw him grinning while I'm flying away. He's actually enjoying this, and that is dangerous! That was what I was capable of thinking before crashing into the water.
For the first time in a long time, a thought echoes in the back of my skull that I hate: I can't keep up!
Third person P.O.V
The mist began to thin.
Slowly at first — like peeling away layers of breath on a cold mirror — until shadows turned to shapes, and shapes to forms.
Team 7's formation tightened the moment the fog began receding. They had stayed exactly where Daigo ordered: around Tazuna, sharp and alert. The air still reeked of pressure, and their limbs were tense from the sensory strain.
But now they heard it.
The clash of steel. The burst of chakra. A roar of water followed by an echoing boom that rolled across the forest like thunder.
Then—
FWOOOSH!!!
A pillar of sea spray erupted not far from them, tall as a house, a geyser of salt and foam and out of it came a body.
Zabuza.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist was the one that flew past them like a missile, his form spinning mid-air before smashing into the shallows of the bay with enough force to shatter the water's surface like glass.
Sakura yelped. Naruto's jaw dropped. Sasuke's eyes widened, tracking the fall.
The silence that followed rang louder than thunder.
Naruto blinked at the crater in the water, stunned for only a second before a wild grin spread across his face. "YOOOOO!!! Sensei! That was insane!!"
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered beside him — but even he had a tight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "About time we saw him fight someone else for once."
Sakura just let out a quiet breath. "He wasn't even trying against us…"
Then they heard it, footsteps.
All three genin turned, already knowing who it was. Emerging from the mist was Daigo, his silhouette walked through the last curtain of fog like a phantom — coat fluttering, blade in hand.
The black blade shimmered faintly, purple runes low-burning along its flat edge. Not a drop of blood on it. His eyes gleamed as he stepped beside them, sandals crunching the wet earth.
He gave them that same excited grin they'd come to know too well.
"Told you to sharpen your instincts," he said, voice casual. "Good formation, nice spacing. Next time, shout something cool when I throw someone through a lake."
Naruto shot him a thumbs-up so fast it was a blur. "Got it! 'WATER SWINE BOMB!'"
Sasuke sighed.
Daigo just barked out a laugh and turned, walking out toward the water, chakra flaring beneath his steps as he strode across the surface toward Zabuza's twitching body.
Behind him, Team 7 and Tazuna just watched.
Zabuza stirred.
Water sluiced off his back as he pushed up with a shaky elbow. His breath was ragged, chest heaving with effort. His body screamed from the impact, but his chakra while thinned hadn't yet burned out.
The Demon of the Mist still had fight in him. He growled low and climbed to his feet in the shallows just as Daigo stepped casually across the surface of the bay. Ripples chased his boots. No rush. No fear. Just that damn grin etched on his face.
"Still standing, huh," Daigo said.
Zabuza clenched his teeth, forming a single silent hand seal. The mist pulsed once more.
Clones rose from the water in splashes, like a wall of warriors, reflections with jagged growles and drawn blades.
Zabuza's chakra flooded the area, water churning unnaturally as the clones charged in from all angles. Then came the Water Dragon Jutsu, a serpent of pressurized death tearing through the lake like a living tsunami, followed by a crushing Great Waterfall Technique, aiming to drown the area in pure elemental wrath.
Daigo didn't flinch.
His eyes glinted as he spun into the fray, sword lashing in blurs, the black-and-purple edge tearing through clone after clone with inhuman speed and precision.
One swipe bisected a dragon's face. Another cleaved through a crashing wave like it was cloth. The storm of chakra couldn't touch him — he was the eye within it, fast and unrelenting, his strikes detonating shockwaves each time he twisted his hips into a swing.
Zabuza cursed and dove into a substitution with a clone.
He reappeared in a blur, behind Daigo, sprinting past the shinobi titan before the clones could reform. His feet barely touched the water, his body a streak, as he zeroed in on the shore.
He's good. But he can't be everywhere.
The Kubikiribōchō was raised high above his shoulder, already humming with chakra, blade thirsty for blood.
'One clean arc. The old man dies. The genin panic. Mission ends.'
But as he came within striking distance of Tazuna. It happened instantly.
One moment, Daigo was a blur miles behind — the next, he was between them, sword drawn, stance rooted like bedrock, grin wider than ever.
There was no movement. No trail. Just a sudden presence, a curious trail of silver and a glowing blade.
Zabuza's eyes went wide in raw, primal alarm, his instincts screamed. A lifetime of battle howled at him:
DEFEND OR DIE!
With a roar, Zabuza shoved the Kubikiribōchō forward like a shield, funneling everything, chakra, muscle, will, just everything he could pump into the steel. He didn't try to dodge. He couldn't. It was that fast.
Daigo's blade came like an elephant trunk.
BOOM!!
An explosive shockwave burst out like a sonic bomb. The ground split, water rippled violently, trees on the shore swayed from the raw force. Even Team 7 had to brace as the air pressure slammed into them like a hammer.
The two swords clashed, the black blade humming with coiled destruction while Zabuza's bones shook. His arms nearly snapped from the strain. His sword screaming in protest as the chakra reinforcement within it shattered like glass under a warhammer, with the sword itself going through the same process.
He didn't just fly — he was launched. The sheer impact of that one attack catapulted him and his sword backward.
He shot back across the bay like a broken arrow, crashing through the water and vanishing beneath the waves in a violent splash before bouncing off the dirt on the other side of the bay and into the forest then through a few trees.
Silence fell. Daigo stood still, blade resting over one shoulder, the mist curling around his boots as he exhaled steam through his nose like a charging bull cooling down.
Then he spoke — calmly. "...Annihilation Thunderclap."
His blade glowed once more, a fading pulse like the dying beat of a war drum.
Behind him, Naruto's jaw dropped.
Sasuke couldn't even form a sentence. He was too busy feeling every part of his soul scream in protest from the pressure of that one strike.
Sakura didn't say a word.
Tazuna slowly sat down on the grass behind them and whispered: "…I was gonna pay you in rice balls."
The mist slowly dispersed in coils, fading like breath on glass. The violent waves quieted. Silence reigned for a few long moments until—
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
Sakura's voice cracked through the calm like a whip. She stood with fists clenched, face flushed red with a cocktail of awe, frustration, and sheer emotional overload.
"You just—you just appeared! And then—BOOM! You nearly split the sea!! What even was that?! That wasn't even a Jutsu! That was just—!!"
Daigo blinked at her then grinned.
"Ahh. That?" He rolled his shoulder, sheathing the jet-black sword with a faint click.
"That was just a little something I call a love tap." He cracked his knuckles with a casual shrug.
"A special kind of love tap."
Naruto burst out laughing, doubled over and wheezing. "Pfft—LOVE TAP?! That was more of a love bomb!! HAHAHA!"
Sasuke, to his credit, kept his mouth shut. Barely. His eyes lingered on the place Zabuza had been launched from. Still trying to process. Still trying to comprehend the speed. The force.
Sakura's lips trembled as she fought down her own reaction — and lost. She turned her back, arms folded, shoulders shaking with muffled snickers.
"Of course," she muttered. "Only he would call that a love tap…"
Daigo grinned wider, but his eyes shifted sideways. While his students laughed, squabbled, and caught their breath, he was already watching.
Not with his eyes.
Something stirred beyond the fading mist. Careful steps. A breath held tight. Intent sharp… but not hostile.
No. It was concerned. Alarmed. Rushing, but not to fight. It was a presence cloaked in restraint—like a scalpel hidden beneath silk. Quiet. Precise.
And scared.
Daigo felt it as clear as if he'd seen the expression himself. A deep, desperate fear for someone's life. No bloodlust. No malice. Just raw, protective urgency.
'So,' he mused inwardly. 'Zabuza ain't working alone.'
He felt the instant the presence reached Zabuza's body. A jolt of panic. Then resolve. A swift retreat. Clean. Tactical. Intent focused solely on escape and preservation.
Daigo tilted his head, but didn't chase. The presence vanished into the forest, swift but not alarmingly fast. Not to him anyway.
He exhaled through his nose, letting it go.
"Alright, old man," he said, addressing Tazuna while stretching his arms overhead, "you're up. Keep walking, we've still got ground to cover."
Tazuna blinked. "Wait, what about the guy? Zabuza? Isn't he—?"
"—Already gone," Daigo said, not even looking back. "Someone came and picked him up. That part's over."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "We're just… letting him get away?"
Daigo looked at him over his shoulder, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, don't worry, my duckling hair-shaped war pup... Just leave the hard stuff to good ol' sensei Daigo."
Sasuke's eye twitched. "Never call me that again."
Naruto exploded again, falling back into the grass laughing hysterically. "D-Duckling war pup! HAH—HAHAA—YOU GOTTA LET ME USE THAT ONE!"
Sakura covered her mouth and made a choked sound that wasn't a cough.
Even Tazuna, after all that tension, started chuckling. A warm, grateful sound — full of genuine relief and something deeper. A quiet kind of hope.
For the first time since they left the village…
Maybe this mission wasn't doomed after all.