Noah had no idea what kind of nonsense Sasuke was brooding over.
He was focused on realizing he had struck too quickly.
Naruto hadn't been grazed by the Demon Brothers' poisoned claws, so there was no risk of him bleeding out the toxin.
Neither Kakashi nor Sasuke seemed inclined to mock him.
In the original timeline, it was their ridicule that had pushed Naruto to work harder.
Noah even considered tossing out a taunt himself to nudge the "plot" back on track.
Fortunately, Sasuke did not disappoint.
After staring at Noah with a bizarre expression for a long moment, he remembered his "mission" and unleashed a harsh stream of ridicule at Naruto.
The intensity made Noah wince slightly.
These two were born to be at odds, weren't they?
But it was likely that rivalry that allowed Naruto to bounce back so quickly.
Meanwhile, after talking with Tazuna, Kakashi decided to continue the mission.
From his choice, it was clear the Leaf Village high-ups had probably known about the Land of Waves situation all along; otherwise, sending someone like Kakashi made no sense.
They had likely brought Naruto and Sasuke along to give them real experience, to grow faster.
Otherwise, Noah couldn't explain Kakashi's reasoning.
At least it spared him from hearing Old Man Tazuna's speech again.
Noah had zero affection for people who "stand on the perspective of the pitiful" and manipulate others from the moral high ground.
Team 7 continued toward the Land of Waves.
Noah had disposed of the Demon Brothers efficiently, so Kakashi didn't interrogate them.
He could only judge the situation based on the equipment they carried.
Not much information was gathered, but it didn't matter.
All that was needed was certainty that the trip wouldn't be peaceful.
By now, Naruto was fully recharged.
He latched onto Noah.
"Hey, hey, Noah, you're so cool!" Naruto's eyes shone.
"So... can you teach me some Ninjutsu?"
"Ninjutsu?" Noah tilted his head, thought for a moment, then shook it.
"Sorry, I can't."
"Aw..." Naruto drooped instantly, swaying.
"It's not that I'm stingy. I just have no idea what your Chakra nature is," Noah explained bluntly.
"Everyone has a different Chakra nature. Mine are Earth and Water. If yours is different, teaching you won't matter; you won't be able to use it."
Chakra natures mattered most in the early stages.
A low-level ninja couldn't learn techniques outside their attribute.
Later, this could be developed, but Noah doubted Naruto had the focus or patience.
Besides, why would a guy like Naruto need other Ninjutsu?
One spinning ball with Wind Chakra was enough.
If that failed, Nine-Tails Chakra Mode-or Sage/Nine-Tails Mode-would likely put him on par with low-level demigods.
"Is that how it works?" Naruto asked, seeming to understand.
"Then what's my Chakra nature?"
"You should ask Mr. Hatake," Noah shrugged.
"Testing Chakra requires litmus paper, and that stuff isn't cheap. But don't forget, we have Sasuke..."
"You jerk!" Sasuke, long silent, snapped at Naruto.
"I'll get you a piece when we get back. Honestly, why are my teammates like this..."
"Sweet!" Naruto ignored him, grinning like an idiot.
Noah shook his head.
He knew Naruto's tragic life meant even the smallest favor would be etched into his heart.
Gratitude was noble, and Noah respected it.
This kid cherished every bit of friendly attention.
Even Noah's "neither hot nor cold" attitude was, to Naruto, the best treatment ever.
Along the way, Noah chatted with Sasuke and the others.
The journey was long; it passed the time.
Kakashi observed quietly.
Seeing them get along pleased him.
But Noah's earlier fighting style struck him as wasteful.
He decided to exercise his authority and subtly alter Noah's combat approach.
"Change my fighting style?" Noah asked, confused.
"You mean hand-to-hand? I'm not short on Chakra; why change?"
That almost felt like a critical hit to Kakashi's soul.
He maintained his dead-eyed stare.
"Your Body Flicker is excellent. You have the foundation-why not maximize it?"
"For example?"
"Since you're fast, why not use a blade? Enhance the value of your Body Flicker."
Noah tilted his head.
The logic made sense.
While his physical combat skills were lacking, a sword required mostly power.
Strike hard and fast, and angle issues didn't matter.
Enemies might still get clipped; if unlucky, they could die outright.
Rubbing his chin, Noah decided it was worth trying.
He didn't want to reveal too much yet-though he'd already exposed quite a bit.
For the future?
Maybe he wouldn't need to participate at all.
If he did, he'd likely be able to go all out.
Nodding, Noah accepted Kakashi's advice.
In a small town, he bought a short samurai blade.
Under thick fog, the group boarded a boat into the Land of Waves.
Enemy territory.
Combat could erupt at any moment.
Naruto and Sasuke grew cautious.
Naruto, jumpy as ever, threw shuriken and successfully hit a rabbit.
"Someone's here, Mr. Hatake," Noah whispered.
He had sensed Zabuza behind a tree long ago.
Even Naruto had noticed something, countered by the Snow Rabbit substitution.
As a sensory ninja, it was normal.
"Yeah, I know," Kakashi nodded.
"Just perform like normal, no need to-Wait! Get down!"
He didn't finish.
A whistling air erupted as the Executioner's Blade spun toward them.
Noah sidestepped perfectly.
Others weren't so lucky.
At Kakashi's shout, Sasuke and Naruto tackled Tazuna down.
Kakashi ducked.
Thwack!
The sword embedded in a nearby tree trunk.
Zabuza landed atop it, posing with his back to them.
Kakashi's face stiffened.
He'd said everything was fine, only to be slapped by reality.
He probably knew who their opponent was, but hadn't expected him to act so early.
He glanced at Noah, who spread his hands casually.
Kakashi understood-Noah had sensed it first.
That made Kakashi grumble internally: why hadn't the kid said anything sooner?
He studied Zabuza's back, considering how to handle him.
One Zabuza wasn't hard for Kakashi, but he wanted the kids to witness danger and test teamwork.
He decided to leave a few openings deliberately.
"Tch... seeing him like that is annoyingly irritating."
But to Kakashi's shock, Noah suddenly pulled several kunai.
He infused them with Chakra and hurled them at Zabuza.
Blue light flashed.
Noah had learned this projectile art from Shisui; Uchiha clan techniques were legendary.
Augmented by Chakra, the kunai flew at extreme speed and bizarre angles.
Even elite Zabuza couldn't react with his back turned.
"This...? The Uchiha Throwing Technique?"
Zabuza sensed the eerie paths.
Mid-air, the kunai swerved toward him.
He dodged instinctively, losing footing on the Executioner's Blade.
A few kunai aimed at his feet.
He couldn't use Chakra to stabilize.
He wobbled and fell.
Thud!
Eyes bloodshot, he rose in pain.
Then a shadow loomed.
A large tree, nicked by Noah's missed kunai, snapped and crashed onto him.
Boom!
Birds scattered. Dust billowed.
Kakashi and the others stared blankly.
They didn't know what face to make.