"Kakashi-sensei, what's the mission this time?" Naruto asked curiously, looking at the scroll in Kakashi's hand.
Sasuke and Sakura also looked at Kakashi with curiosity. This was their first mission after becoming special Jonin, and all three of them were very concerned.
Kakashi had already finished reading the mission details and handed the scroll to Naruto, saying, "This time, we're going to pick up an acquaintance and escort him back."
"Acquaintance?" Naruto took the scroll and looked at it, surprised. "Zabuza?"
"Zabuza?" Sasuke and Sakura were equally surprised. They knew Haku's background, but they hadn't seen Zabuza since he was brought back to Konoha.
"That's right, it's Zabuza," Kakashi confirmed. "This time, he's coming to Konoha as an envoy from Kirigakure in the Land of Water, with the aim of establishing a connection between Konoha and Kirigakure. If all goes well, they might even become allies."
"How did he become an envoy from Kirigakure? What exactly did my dad talk to him about back then?" Actually, if he hadn't suddenly received this mission today, Naruto would have almost forgotten about Zabuza.
After all, the Executioner's Blade wasn't really worth remembering. If it were Samehada, it could be used as a charger for Kakashi, but the Executioner's Blade's blood-sucking regeneration function was a bit of a waste.
In fact, Kakashi also found this matter quite magical. Someone who had assassinated the Mizukage would be lucky not to be killed on the spot upon returning. He never expected that this guy would not only be fine but also regain the Mizukage's trust, transforming into an envoy. He didn't know how he managed it.
"Minato-sensei provided him with some assistance, allowing him to successfully return to the Land of Water. The specific details will have to wait until Zabuza arrives.
In short, our mission is to wait at the Coast and then escort Zabuza and his party back to Konoha. After that, we will also be responsible for guarding the venue.
Of course, we should try to observe along the way whether they genuinely want to establish a connection or have ulterior motives."
"It feels so complicated," Sakura exclaimed. In the past, missions were straightforward, going somewhere and doing something clearly. It wasn't like now, with beginnings and follow-ups, and having to consider unexpected changes.
"This is what it means to be a Jonin. Many times, the difficulty of a mission doesn't mean the enemy is strong, but rather that the situations that need to be handled are more complex, requiring you to add your own judgment."
Perhaps it was because he forgot to bring Make-Out Paradise, but Kakashi was particularly like a teacher today, constantly explaining things to Naruto and the others along the way, including his past mission experiences, things to pay attention to when missions involve foreign Shinobi, and so on.
Along the way, Kakashi-sensei still did the cooking. Coincidentally, another sheep accidentally fainted in front of Naruto. Naruto thought it might have had heatstroke, so out of kindness, he conveniently took the sheep and brought it back, thinking of helping it get a nucleic acid test or something.
In the end, because Naruto visually determined that its test result was 'sheep' and not negative, the four of them could only tearfully cut it into small pieces, treat it with high temperature, and then artificially decompose it...
Naruto burped, feeling that he had made outstanding contributions to maintaining the Shinobi World environment.
After resting for a night, the next morning, the four arrived at the Land of Fire's East Coast dock.
Zabuza and his group were expected to arrive at noon, but in reality, the four of them waited until the afternoon before seeing a large ship sailing towards the shore. Sea voyages still had some uncertainties.
Naruto had already activated his mini-map. In his perception, the people coming this time didn't seem so simple. Naruto shouted in the Sealing Space as if confirming, "Big Fox?"
"It's Isobu, no mistake," Nine Tails confirmed Naruto's guess, while also feeling a bit puzzled.
What exactly was going on lately? These guys were all gathering around this little brat one after another. In the past, they might not even see each other once in a hundred years.
"Everyone, be careful, the Three Tails Jinchuriki is on the ship," Naruto reminded. The Three Tails Jinchuriki should be the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, a middle-aged man less than 1.5 meters tall.
According to the original timeline, he should be controlled by Obito with the Mangekyo Sharingan, or he might have already been killed. Now that he's appearing here, it's unclear what the situation is.
"Another Jinchuriki?" Sasuke and Sakura were a little numb. They had already witnessed the One Tail, Two Tails, Seven Tails, and Nine Tails Jinchuriki in a short period of time, and even personally witnessed the battle between two giant beasts. Now that only the Three Tails was coming, it was a small scene.
"Why would the Three Tails Jinchuriki appear here?" Kakashi frowned. Who would put a mushroom egg on the table before negotiations? Wasn't this a provocation?
After thinking about it, Kakashi asked, "How many people did they bring?"
Naruto counted and said, "Thirty-two people. According to the Chakra, only twelve seem to be Shinobi, the others should be ordinary people like shipwrights."
Looking at the approaching ship, Kakashi could only say, "Stay vigilant."
Naruto suddenly remembered something and reminded, "Sasuke, put away your Lightning Blade."
Although this is a trophy obtained from a rogue ninja, and we use it with confidence, it's best not to let the victim see it before we fall out.
Sasuke reluctantly put the two swords on his back into the scroll. Although he felt it was unnecessary, he still gave Naruto face.
Finally, the big ship docked, looking about the same size as the one they took to the Land of Snow last time.
Eight people walked off the boat in turn, with Zabuza at the head, followed by a short figure wearing a cloak and hood.
"Welcome to the Land of Fire." Kakashi greeted them with a polite opening line.
"It's you guys who came to greet us, long time no see, Kakashi." Zabuza still carried the Executioner's Blade on his back, and he didn't seem to have the gloomy feeling he used to have.
"Why is there a child?" Sakura blurted out the question in Sasuke and Kakashi's minds.
Yagura Karatachi lifted his hood, revealing gray hair and pink pupils, with a vertical scar below his left eye that reached his jaw, and a black stick taller than him slung behind his back.
He crossed his arms, wearing a loli face, but spoke in a very mature voice: "This old man is not a child!"
Yagura hated being treated like a child, and corrected seriously: "This old man is the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure!"
"Huh?" Sakura was stunned, and Kakashi and Sasuke also turned to look at Zabuza.
Zabuza nodded to indicate that what he said was true.
"I'm sorry!" Sakura apologized quickly, not expecting the Mizukage to be so... unique.
Kakashi also said immediately, "Excuse me, we didn't mean to offend, but there is something I have to ask clearly."
Yagura didn't pursue the matter, and said, "Please speak."
Kakashi stared into his eyes and said seriously, "The communication Kirigakure sent to Konoha stated that the envoy to Konoha would be led by Zabuza. So, why are the Mizukage and the Three Tails Jinchuriki here?"
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