After chatting with Tazuna for a while,
Kakashi gathered Yoruha, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura for a meeting.
Inside the room, Kakashi sat before the four of them and said,
"For this escort mission, I need to make some arrangements."
"Because we have to protect Mr. Tazuna while also continuing our training,
I've decided to divide you into two groups. The two groups will take turns guarding Mr. Tazuna."
"When one group is protecting him, the other will train with me."
Upon hearing Kakashi's plan, Naruto immediately raised his hand and shouted,
"Kakashi-sensei! I want to be in the same group as Sakura!"
Sakura's mouth twitched, and she replied disdainfully,
"I don't want that."
Her blunt rejection made Naruto's heart sink.
"Sakura, come on, let's be in a team together," Naruto pleaded.
Even though Sakura had made it clear many times that she didn't like Naruto and only liked Sasuke,
Naruto still refused to give up.
To him, Sakura was a goddess.
At this point, Naruto's persistence already had the air of a lovesick fool.
But the more clingy he acted, the more Sakura disliked him.
So she once again said in disgust, "I said I don't want to!"
Quickly, she added, "I want to be in a team with Sasuke."
Sasuke didn't react much.
He didn't care which group he was in.
Neither did Yoruha.
Kakashi looked at Naruto and Sakura, clearly having a headache.
"Alright, then — Sasuke and Naruto will be one group.
Yoruha and Sakura will be the other. That's final."
Naruto jumped up furiously.
"What!? Why!? I don't want to be in the same group as Sasuke!"
He looked furious — after all, the person he hated most was Sasuke.
Sakura froze for a moment.
She didn't really dislike Yoruha, but she still wanted to be with Sasuke, so she wasn't too happy either.
However, seeing Yoruha's calm and indifferent expression, she decided not to say anything.
Sasuke glanced at Naruto's angry, disdainful look and snapped, "You think I want to be in a team with a dead last like you?"
Naruto clenched his fists, glaring at Sasuke.
"Bastard! Sasuke, this isn't the ninja academy anymore!
You think you're still stronger than me!?"
Sasuke wanted to argue, but after thinking about Naruto's personality,
he held his tongue.
Not because he was afraid, but because continuing to bicker with Naruto was simply annoying.
Seeing Sasuke go silent, Naruto turned to Kakashi in frustration.
"Kakashi-sensei! You're totally biased!
Why does Yoruha get to be with Sakura!?"
"Sakura isn't even on the same team as Yoruha!"
Yoruha remained expressionless.
He didn't care what group he was in —
if anything, he preferred to work alone.
Kakashi looked at Naruto and explained,
"I divided you like this because Yoruha's strength is enough to protect Sakura,
while you and Sasuke — though not especially strong — can protect yourselves if you work together."
Naruto blinked, glancing at Sasuke.
"I'm not teaming up with Sasuke."
Still, he was secretly pleased —
Kakashi had acknowledged his strength.
Sasuke nodded slightly, accepting the arrangement.
Sakura, however, sighed helplessly.
"Kakashi-sensei… are you saying I'm the weakest?"
Although it was true — during the battle with Zabuza, even though Naruto hadn't performed that well, he was still stronger than Sakura.
Sakura was well aware of this fact.
In combat, she was the weakest in the squad.
In truth, at this point, Sakura had almost no fighting ability.
She only knew basic substitution, transformation, and clone techniques,
and her actual combat strength was far below Naruto's.
Kakashi didn't answer her question — his silence was tacit confirmation.
After splitting into groups, everyone went off to rest.
---
Meanwhile, after Zabuza escaped,
he returned to his hideout deep in the forest.
Inside the room, Zabuza placed his Executioner's Blade down
and sat quietly, lost in thought.
After a long while, the door opened.
A beautiful person entered from outside.
When Zabuza saw the newcomer, he said,
"Next time, you'll have to take action too.
You saw the entire battle, didn't you?"
The person nodded calmly.
This was Haku — Zabuza's companion.
Haku was so beautiful that most people would mistake him for a girl, but in fact, he was a boy — a ninja from the Yuki Clan of the Hidden Mist Village, possessing the Ice Release bloodline limit.
His strength was easily at jōnin level.
If not for his gentle nature, he'd be considered one of the stronger ones even among jōnin.
Haku stepped closer and stood beside Zabuza.
"I saw it," he said softly. "That one's strength is impressive — definitely not weaker than mine."
Zabuza's expression darkened.
"Yeah… his strength is on par with yours."
"To complete this mission, we must hold that brat off.
As long as he's restrained, I'll have the chance to kill Kakashi and finish the job."
Haku thought back to Yoruha's performance during the fight.
"He seems inexperienced — probably his first real battle.
Despite his power, his lack of combat experience was obvious."
Zabuza nodded.
"That kid's probably one of Kakashi's students — a fresh genin who just graduated from the academy."
"If we let him live, the Leaf will gain a powerful shinobi someday."
"But that's not our concern.
To complete this mission, that kid must die."
Haku fell silent.
He didn't like killing people — especially someone like Yoruha, with whom he had no personal grudge.
Zabuza glanced at him, knowing Haku's nature.
"Haku, you must understand —
if that boy doesn't die, we can't complete the mission.
Your kindness shouldn't be wasted on him."
Haku said nothing.
He understood, but he still hated the idea of killing.
Even so, he knew Zabuza was right.
They had been hunted by the Mist's Anbu for a long time, barely surviving from one job to the next.
If they wanted to keep living, they had to complete Gato's assignment.
Haku knew that, in the end, he would have no choice.
While the two were talking, the front door was suddenly kicked open.
Two samurai holding long swords appeared in the doorway.
Zabuza frowned, clearly displeased by the intrusion.
The samurai trembled under his icy gaze —
they knew well how terrifying Zabuza could be.
They immediately stepped aside,
and their employer, Gatō, walked in.
Unlike them, Gatō showed no fear.
He stormed in and shouted,
"Zabuza! Why haven't you killed that old man Tazuna yet?
Aren't you supposed to be an elite from the Hidden Mist Village!?"
"I paid you a hefty sum! Why haven't you finished the job!?"
Zabuza gave him a cold look.
The chilling pressure made Gatō instinctively step back —
but his sense of authority as the employer stopped him.
He glared back.
"I hired you because I heard you were powerful!
You're a disappointment!"
Gatō's voice dripped with anger.
Just as he was about to continue,
he suddenly felt a sting on his neck —
a thin line of blood.
The Executioner's Blade was pressed against his throat.
Gatō froze in terror.
"You— you wouldn't dare! You'd kill your own employer!?"
"If you kill me, your reputation will be ruined!
You'll never get another job in the shinobi world again!"
Zabuza's voice was like ice.
"Keep yapping, and I'll make your head roll right now."
Feeling Zabuza's murderous intent,
Gatō swallowed hard.
He could feel it —
Zabuza really would kill him.
---
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