Zabuza's voice always carried a fierce, ruthless edge. Obito immediately stepped in front of the young Kakashi, kunai raised, glaring at Zabuza as if daring him to try using clumsy Kakashi as a test subject for his blade.
Adult Kakashi didn't mind. He knew Zabuza wouldn't act recklessly.
"Highly unlikely," he answered.
"Remember our last fight with the Iwa-nin? That was the battle at Kannabi Bridge during the Third Shinobi World War between Konoha and Iwagakure. Minato-sensei saved dozens more people than planned, but in my memory… all of those names are still on the Memorial Stone."
At the mention of the Third Shinobi World War, Zabuza said, "As unbelievable as it sounds, it seems we have no choice but to believe it."
Konoha had no reason to stage such an elaborate deception just to fool one Kirigakure Missing-nin—especially not by coordinating with the Land of Earth, whose relations with the Land of Fire had been hostile since the war.
"Then what about the second question?"
Minato said, "I can't answer that. For now, we still don't know what the scroll is, where it came from, or its purpose."
Zabuza frowned. He didn't believe that explanation, but since the other side didn't wish to elaborate, pressing further meant nothing—and it wasn't even the core question he cared about.
"Fine, continue."
Hearing him speak like that to Minato Namikaze, Obito muttered under his breath, "What's with the attitude, huh?"
Minato, however, remained patient. "We can tell you the missions we've received, since none of them jeopardize Konoha's interests."
"We're currently assigned a D-rank mission, a B-rank mission, an A-rank mission, and an SSS-rank mission."
"SSS-rank?!"
Haku had at most heard of S-rank missions. What kind of difficulty would require an SSS designation?
"In fact, it's precisely because of that SSS-rank mission that I'm sharing all this with you."
Under Zabuza's serious gaze, Minato continued.
"Our SSS-rank mission is to eliminate the Masked Man. From that standpoint, our goals are aligned, Zabuza-san." Minato intentionally emphasized our mission and used the word eliminate, skillfully avoiding mention of Naruto's own mission to "save the Masked Man."
Zabuza asked, "Who exactly is this Masked Man?!"
"That," Minato replied, "is what we're trying to find out."
Haku said, "You don't know who the Masked Man is either?"
Kakashi answered, "The mission scroll only refers to him by the codename 'Masked Man.' At first, we even suspected you might be the target, since you were wearing a mask when we first met."
"Tsk."
Zabuza immediately shot Kakashi a look that clearly meant Are you stupid?
Haku, however, found it amusing. "I'm only Zabuza-san's tool. I'm hardly worthy of an SSS-rank mission, much less secretly manipulating the Fourth Mizukage~."
Naruto jumped in earnestly, "Zabuza doesn't see you as just a tool. He actually—"
"Shut up, brat!!" Zabuza barked, face flushing with embarrassment. "Skip to the important parts. Any other intel on the Masked Man?!"
He had zero interest in the other tasks Minato's group had received—he cared only about the Masked Man.
Amid Naruto whispering to Obito about how Zabuza was just as tsundere as Sasuke…
Minato continued, "We also received intel that the Mizukage is being controlled by the Masked Man. This was given to us as a reward for the B-rank mission: helping you two escape the Mizukage's pursuit by staging your deaths."
"Intel is the reward for a B-rank mission?!" Zabuza exclaimed.
Minato nodded. "Yes. Since we lack sufficient information, the SSS-rank mission remains incomplete for now. We're hoping future B-rank missions may yield more intel."
"Other B-rank missions?"
"None for the moment, but more may be added."
Zabuza had no further questions.
It was Adult Kakashi who spoke next. "Zabuza, was Yagura Karatachi always like this?"
"Not exactly…"
Zabuza fell silent. "But this goes back a long time."
After thinking, he continued, "I've heard that before becoming Mizukage, Yagura wasn't this brutal. He was even dissatisfied with the Third Mizukage's tyranny and vowed to change the Blood Mist Village once he took the position."
Yet in the end, he not only became the very kind of person he despised, but made Kirigakure's situation even worse…
Minato stroked his chin. "So the crucial point is when he became the Mizukage. And you mentioned the Mizukage seemed to hold a grudge against Kirigakure. When combined with our newest intel, it suggests that the one who actually bears a grudge against Kirigakure is the 'Masked Man.'"
As expected of Minato Namikaze—he quickly synthesized all available information and narrowed the possibilities.
But among shinobi—especially those destined to become a Kage—which of them wasn't burdened with their village's responsibilities and countless grudges?
Was Minato himself any different?
"The information ends here." Kakashi looked toward Minato Namikaze and Zabuza Momochi. "So what's everyone's plan now? Our mission in the Land of Waves is just about finished."
Minato said, "We'll follow you back to Konoha. I need to meet with the Third Hokage and search for more clues about the masked man."
Kakashi nodded and turned to Zabuza. "What about you?"
"Not decided yet." Zabuza hadn't expected things to take such a turn.
He glanced at Haku, who smiled gently at him, patiently waiting for his command.
So pure—so painfully pure—it didn't seem to belong in this ninja world at all.
Even toward enemies like Naruto and Sasuke, he showed kindness, helping them recognize each other's bond.
For some reason, that smile made Zabuza suddenly think about finding a quiet place to stay for a while.
Yet neither he nor Haku could have imagined that this place…
…would end up being Konoha?!
...
The Mist pursuers were sent away.
Gatō was dead, and his subordinates fled in all directions.
Their alliance had been built on money alone—once Gatō died, no one was left to trouble the Land of Waves.
With the help of Naruto, Obito, and the other enthusiastic youths, the bridge was quickly completed.
Spanning the sea, it connected the island nation of the Land of Waves to Konoha. The people of the Land of Waves regained their courage and confidence, no longer bound by the supply routes Gatō once controlled.
Like a bridge of hearts, it linked the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves.
Minato Namikaze studied the completed bridge.
Watching Naruto celebrate with the people of the Land of Waves, seeing how he had brought courage to this country, Minato couldn't help feeling a surge of pride.
Tazuna's eyes overflowed with tears.
"I have a proposal!!"
"A proposal?" an old friend who had built the bridge with him asked, amused. "What are you thinking now?"
Tazuna looked up at the empty span…
"This bridge… let's call it the 'Naruto Bridge'!"
"Eh?!!"
All eight members of Team Minato and Team Kakashi were stunned.
Adult Kakashi said, "This is the most important bridge in the Land of Waves. Naming it like this might be a bit…"
He never finished, because every single bridge builder immediately agreed with Tazuna's suggestion!
"Naruto Bridge?! That's a great name!"
"Calling it Naruto Bridge also feels like calling it the Bridge of Courage. I love it!"
"Me too! Approved!"
Minato Namikaze's eyes widened.
In a flash, he realized this bridge connected far more than the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves.
It connected…
'Kushina, why do you like Obito so much?'
'Because I love that unyielding spirit of his—that resolve nothing can shake. If we ever have a child, I hope he has a personality like Obito's. We could entrust our hopes to him.'
'Our hopes? You mean, becoming Hokage?'
'No… (dammit)… our wish…'
Minato recalled the conversation he and Kushina had the night before the Kannabi Bridge mission.
Suddenly, the bright sunlight stung his eyes…
The feeling of Kushina in his arms still lingered at his fingertips, just like her steady, unwavering voice—
'May this turbulent era come to an end.
May people's hearts connect.
May peace descend upon this shinobi world.'
It had been the height of the Third Shinobi World War—chaos and fear everywhere. Almost every day, Kushina feared for Minato and his three students as they left for missions.
So to her, more than the title of Hokage, peace was her true wish.
Now, looking at the bridge named "Naruto Bridge" in the Land of Waves, Minato Namikaze felt, for a fleeting heartbeat, that Kushina's wish might truly come true—that Naruto might really lead the shinobi world toward peace.
In that moment—
Just for a split second—
A strange image flashed through his mind:
The radiant silhouette of a golden-haired boy standing at the front, leading shinobi from all the great nations against a common enemy?!!
But the image disappeared without a trace as quickly as it came…