"It's not a question of whether he's strong," Kakashi said, voice unusually serious. He paused, searching for words. "He's the kind of—"
"He is strong."
Sasuke cut in without raising his voice.
Something about the exchange felt familiar, like a pattern he'd seen before. He didn't like where it led.
"There's more," he continued. "Besides Zabuza, Gatō recently hired another shinobi. Someone dangerous. From what I saw, that person and Zabuza know each other."
Kakashi's eye sharpened. "Do we know who?"
"No. The Demon Brothers didn't know the name. Only that Zabuza mentioned it once. And judging by his reaction, he didn't like the guy."
Kakashi nodded. "All right. We'll keep that in mind."
He shifted the topic smoothly. "Now, about Dazna falsifying the mission rank. By village rules, we're allowed to withdraw. The decision's yours."
Naruto shot his hand up. "Kakashi-sensei, I think—"
"Hold on," Kakashi interrupted. "Let Sakura go first."
He already knew Naruto's answer. He wanted to hear the others.
Sakura hesitated, then spoke carefully. "Sensei… I think the village already knew this mission wasn't normal."
Kakashi didn't react. "Why?"
"Intelligence," she said, gaining confidence. "Mission assessment isn't casual work. Konoha's task office is staffed by veterans. They don't classify missions based only on a client's story."
She took a breath. "The Land of Waves is right next to the Land of Fire. There's no way the village knows nothing about what's happening there. If a single civilian could deceive Konoha's intelligence network, we wouldn't still be standing as a major village."
She smiled faintly. "So… this outcome was expected. Maybe even intended. Either as training for us, or for something bigger."
She looked at Kakashi. "Am I wrong?"
Before he could answer, Naruto blurted out, "She's right!"
Kakashi coughed. "Good analysis, Sakura."
He turned to Sasuke. "And you?"
"The village will see this mission through," Sasuke said flatly.
Kakashi's eye curved. "That certain?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Sasuke didn't rush his answer. "Have you read the papers lately?"
Sakura blinked. "The newspapers?"
"The Land of Water has been reopening its ports," Sasuke continued. "Trade ships are appearing on the mainland again."
Realization crept into Sakura's eyes.
"The Land of Waves sits at the center of several sea routes," Sasuke went on. "Fire, Hot Water, Tea. Any maritime trade between them and the Land of Water passes through Waves."
He stopped there, letting the implication settle.
"A destabilized Waves benefits criminals," he said quietly. "Not nations. If Water is reentering international trade, both the daimyo and the village need a stable Waves. Gatō is a problem Konoha can't ignore."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Fair enough."
Naruto scratched his head. He didn't fully get it, but it sounded important.
Sakura, on the other hand, stared at Sasuke as if seeing him anew. Her earlier reasoning felt suddenly small.
Kakashi cleared his throat. "Naruto?"
Naruto straightened. "I don't have anything smart to add."
Then his expression hardened.
"But I know this. If someone's being crushed by people stronger than them, I can't just walk away. I train taijutsu so I can stand up when things are wrong. That's it."
No flourish. No hesitation.
Just resolve.