"Cough—! Cough cough—!"
Tazuna's face flushed from the pressure on his chest as he hacked violently. He had mentally prepared for the moment his deception would be exposed — he expected Ayato to casually mention it and move on.
He never imagined that Ayato — the man who usually acted frivolous, carefree, even easy to talk to — would suddenly become this forceful.
Looking at his smiling face, no one could tell what Ayato was truly thinking. But one thing was clear: behind that grin hid a wolf.
"Ayato-sensei, no matter what, Mr. Tazuna is an elderly man. Could you please move your foot? Let's talk this out—"
Sakura rushed forward in concern—
But Sasuke lifted his arm and blocked her path.
"Shut up, ugly. Let Ayato-sensei handle it."
"Sasuke… but…"
Even as worry filled Sakura's pale face, Sasuke's voice remained cold:
"Forging mission details is a serious crime. Even the slightest falsification can get shinobi killed. You do understand that much, right?"
He shot her a sharp look.
"If Ayato-sensei hadn't been here, and only Squad Seven were escorting him, we'd all be dead right now."
Sasuke wasn't exaggerating — the attackers were strong, likely at least chūnin-level.
Falsifying mission details caused shinobi deaths. In any village, that was an unforgivable offense.
"Sasuke, you're misunderstanding! I'm worried about Ayato-sensei's reputation!"
Sakura snapped back, angry and embarrassed.
She knew they would have died without Ayato. She knew falsifying tasks was a crime.
But she was afraid Ayato might injure or kill Tazuna in anger — harming his record instead.
"You're no different from that idiot Naruto," Sasuke muttered coldly, already done explaining.
As if something like this could damage Ayato's credibility. In fact, Ayato had the legal right to drag Tazuna back to the village and hand him to the ANBU.
"Sasuke… sometimes you're really infuriating."
A vein throbbed on Sakura's forehead.
I really want to punch you.
Ayato's lollipop shifted in his mouth as he pressed his foot harder against Tazuna's chest. He looked down with a cold, almost amused smile.
"Talk. Don't act like you're choking on silence."
"You should know this already—
Forging mission details is a crime… and to put it bluntly, you were sending us to die."
Sending shinobi to their deaths was exactly what falsified missions did.
Tazuna lowered his gaze, sorrow flickering in his eyes.
"I never intended to kill those children…
But the Land of Waves is poor. Every profitable harbor is controlled by a corrupt company… Gato's company."
"People can barely eat anymore. Some even starve to death. We can't afford a higher reward."
"That ten thousand ryō was everything we had…"
His voice cracked, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
Sasuke stepped beside Ayato, expression hard.
"Why would Gato send ninjas after you, an old man with nothing?"
It didn't make sense.
Tazuna clenched his fists.
"Because Gato wants to enslave the Land of Waves. He wants everyone here working for him. But I… I am building a bridge connecting our country to others. Once completed, it will destroy his plans!"
His voice trembled with grief and anger.
"My son was killed by Gato's men while building the bridge. No matter what, I will finish it — I will make sure our people can eat again!"
Finally, he knelt fully and bowed his head.
"I know forging the mission was a crime… but please, I beg you — help the Land of Waves."
He had one dream left:
To complete the bridge that carried the hopes of the entire country.
"Ayato-sensei…" Sakura whispered.
Ayato grabbed Tazuna's hair and forced him to look up into his eyes.
"Old man, all this tragic nonsense is annoying."
A bridge of dreams?
Yeah, Konan would give him a gold star for that line.
"If sorrow were enough to get others killed for you, this world would be so easy. I'm not interested in pity.
Just tell me how much you can pay."
Ayato had no intention of being a hero.
He had no interest in saving anyone for free.
Everything required compensation.
Money — add more.
"I… I have nothing left…"
Tazuna's face twisted with shame.
"Is that so? Then go ahead and die."
Ayato released him and turned away.
"Or stay here kneeling and pitying yourself. Maybe some kindhearted passerby will help you."
He waved to the trio.
"Let's go, brats."
No money?
Then why help?
Time spent rescuing a broke old man could be spent supporting hardworking bar hostesses back in the village.
"Um…"
Squad Seven followed him without protest — they knew Ayato meant what he said.
Seeing them about to leave, Tazuna shouted desperately:
"Wait! I'll pay ten times the original reward — one hundred thousand ryō!
Once I'm home, I'll gather it with everyone's help!"
Ayato's footsteps halted.
He turned his head slightly.
"Old man… you're really good at jokes."
"The head of an A-rank rogue ninja from Kirigakure — Momochi Zabuza — is worth only ten thousand to you?"
"Or are you saying my students' lives are worth that little?"
Ten thousand ryō?
Is he feeding pigeons?
Ayato knew perfectly well that continuing this mission meant facing two monsters:
• The Demon of the Hidden Mist
• And Haku, wielder of Ice Release
And that danger was worth just ten thousand?
Tazuna wilted. "I… I don't have more…"
"I said I'd raise the price after your bridge was done."
Ayato lifted three fingers.
"I want thirty percent of the Land of Waves' monthly profit."
Sakura's jaw dropped.
Naruto froze.
Even Sasuke twitched.
Thirty percent?
Of an entire country?
Ayato hadn't said anything back in the village because he had been waiting for this moment — for Tazuna to reach a dead end.
Then he could open the lion's maw.
Thirty percent every month was far more valuable than any flat amount — even twenty million ryō couldn't compare.
"That's impossible…"
Tazuna was stunned. He never imagined Ayato would ask for his nation's profit.
"Money can be negotiated," he stammered. "But the country's profits… I can't decide that!"
"Don't play dumb. I know you're the one the Land of Waves listens to."
Ayato crouched down, staring at him like a predator.
"You still don't get it. The Land of Waves is dying.
If I abandon this mission, you will die.
Your bridge will be destroyed.
Your people will become tools of that corrupt merchant."
"You have no one left to rely on but me."
It was not a threat — it was the truth.
"I… I agree."
Tazuna deflated instantly, as if aging years in a heartbeat.
He had no choice.
For the country, he had to agree.
"Smart."
Ayato pulled out a scroll and tossed it to him.
"Sign the contract."
"You… you already prepared this…? You knew the mission details were wrong?"
Tazuna stared at the scroll, stunned.
A contract.
Already prepared.
So Ayato had planned to extort him from the start.
"Who knows," Ayato whispered into his ear with a grin. "But this is a daimyo-issued contract.
Even if you regret it, it's useless."
"And remember, old man — miss even a single coin, and I'll destroy the Land of Waves."
Tazuna shuddered and signed with trembling hands.
"Good. Now let's continue our pleasant little trip."
Ayato rolled up the contract and suddenly switched to a gentle tone.
He looked at Squad Seven and scolded lightly:
"Don't just stand around. Help Mr. Tazuna up. He's our important client."
"…"
The whole team was speechless.
Ayato's switch in attitude was way too real.
Soon, Squad Seven resumed their journey toward the Land of Waves.
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