"Please have a seat."
Tazuna politely invited everyone to sit.
"Tsunami, hurry and make tea for our guests!"
"This is my daughter Tsunami."
"These are the ninja lords from Konohagakure."
Tsunami was a young woman in her twenties. She bowed politely to the group and hurried off to brew tea.
"Because we didn't expect anyone to accept the mission, we hadn't prepared. Please forgive us."
Although Rengoku looked young, his bearing and presence were mature. He had fought through many years and now sat as the Fifth Hokage. He clearly was no ordinary ninja.
Tazuna was not very young himself and could read people.
Rengoku waved his hand casually, "I am Uchiha Rengoku. These are Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, Karin, and Gaara."
"They are my students, passing through on their way."
"Please explain the mission to us."
"All right."
Tazuna was delighted. A ninja who could be a teacher was at least a chunin or above. This was very good luck.
'Wait… Uchiha?'
He suddenly realized it really was someone from the Uchiha clan.
Although this region was remote and people might not know the Hokage seat had gone to the Uchiha, everyone still knew the Uchiha were the top aristocratic family in the ninja world.
Heard that the strongest in the ninja world now was the Uchiha clan head, Rengoku.
'Hmm… probably just the same name. This Rengoku looks too young to be the top fighter, but if he is of the Uchiha clan, dealing with Gato would be easy.'
Tazuna became even more enthusiastic and began to explain his country's situation: the whole Land of Waves was basically controlled by Gato's gang.
In reality, a country has more people than Gato's few hundred thugs. But the nation was poor; most people were numb and unwilling to resist Gato.
Once the bridge was completed, people could develop and live well, and then they would resist Gato's oppression.
Right now Tazuna's son-in-law, Kaiza, was leading the resistance against Gato's group.
But their numbers were too few. They were no match for Gato.
Tazuna worried about his son-in-law's safety, so he sent someone to the Land of Fire to post this mission request.
"That's roughly how it is. Lord Rengoku, please help us eliminate this tumor called Gato!"
After finishing, Tazuna performed a dogeza to Rengoku, the highest form of deference.
"Very well. Since I accepted this mission, leave it to us."
As Rengoku spoke, he glanced up and noticed a family photo hanging on the wall. The part with Kaiza had not been torn away.
Rengoku smirked, 'Good. We came come early.'
At that moment the door flew open and a six- or seven-year-old child ran in.
"Grandpa! Father just drove those bad people away again!"
"Who are these people?"
Tazuna hurriedly introduced them, "This is my grandson Inari."
"These are the ninja I hired to help Kaiza deal with the bad men!"
"Oh, that's wonderful!", Inari looked very pleased.
"Today father had too few people; Uncle Maishi was injured!"
Before Kaiza's death, Inari had been brave and cheerful, not a stubborn, awkward child.
Rengoku gave Karin a look. Karin immediately produced two candies from her clothes.
She handed a candy to Inari and ruffled his hair, "You must be Inari. Go call your father back. We need to talk to him."
Sweets were rare in the Land of Waves. Inari took the candy and lit up.
"All right! Big brother, wait for me. I'll be right back!"
The child was full of energy. He had just arrived and ran back out.
Rengoku agreed to handle Gato, and Tazuna was very pleased. But it was dinner time, and they could not have the ninja working hungry.
So Tsunami was told to prepare dinner.
While the meal was being prepared, the door burst open. Inari came in crying.
"Wah! Grandpa, father was taken by the bad men!"
Tazuna sprang to his feet and looked to Rengoku, "Lord Rengoku, what should we do?"
Rengoku did not panic. He waved a hand, signaling calm.
"Hinata, Karin, take Inari and go rescue Kaiza. Teach Gato's men a lesson for now. The complete elimination can wait."
Rengoku pointed to the photo on the wall, "Hinata, that is Kaiza."
"Yes, Lord Rengoku!"
"Yes, master!"
The two girls stood. Karin grabbed Inari by the collar and pulled him out, "Hurry, lead the way. We're going to save your father now."
"Ah, this way!"
Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other, "Master, why won't you let us go?"
Rengoku smiled, "How many people are needed to rescue one person? Don't worry. There will be plenty of opportunities to strike when we clear out Gato."
"All right then," Naruto pouted and sat down, resigned.
"Look at Gaara. He's not as impulsive as you."
Gaara sat calmly beside Naruto. He always listened to Rengoku; whatever Rengoku said, he followed.
Tazuna heard all this and wanted to warn that Gato had many men, but seeing Rengoku send just two, he restrained his concerns.
Tsunami prepared dinner while glancing worriedly out the window.
———
Guided by Inari, Karin quickly found the docks.
"Byakugan!", Hinata opened her Byakugan and searched for Kaiza's whereabouts.
He was in a warehouse.
"Found him!"
Karin put Inari down, "You go back now. We'll rescue Kaiza."
Inari flatly refused, "No! I won't! I want to go back with Kaiza!"
Karin pulled Inari's face, "What if you're captured as a hostage by the bad men? Don't make trouble for us, understand?"
"If you don't go back, we won't rescue Kaiza."
Inari was just a child. He couldn't stand such intimidation and quickly waved his hands, "No, no, I'll go back. Sister, you must bring my father back!"
Watching Inari scamper away, Karin's smile faded. She exchanged a look with Hinata.
"Let's go, Hinata. Master is testing us this time. We must do it well."
"I understand, Karin!"
Hinata was young but had already experienced much and completed many missions. She was not the timid girl she once was.
The two girls flashed forward and slipped into the warehouse.
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