BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As a Tailed Beast possessing infinite Chakra, the Nine-Tails naturally had no need to meticulously budget its reserves like most ninjas. These entities simply needed to condense their massive oceans of Chakra and release them all at once in a form visible to the naked eye.
This method of compressing Chakra to the extreme, then adding shape transformation to create an attack with the power of a heavy cannon, was the world-renowned Tailed Beast Bomb.
At this moment, the berserk Naruto Uzumaki was out on the sea, recklessly unleashing devastating Tailed Beast Bombs that kicked up giant waves thirty meters high, triggering tsunamis and localized torrential storms.
"That blond brat! He... he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?!"
Zabuza, having just regained consciousness, witnessed this scene with a look of undisguised horror in his eyes. As a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, it was impossible for him not to know about Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki; he was equally aware of the terror these man-made weapons of war represented.
But compared to the Mist Village's Three-Tails, Konoha's Nine-Tails was several levels higher in terms of destructive power and sheer ferocity.
"Ah, exactly! So, is seeing the power of the Nine-Tails for the first time quite the shock? You should feel lucky. The Konoha higher-ups have always viewed the Nine-Tails merely as a dangerous object and have never had the intention of deploying it on the battlefield. Otherwise, I doubt any nation could withstand it," Allen replied without looking back.
By now, he had removed his mask to reveal his true appearance. His Sharingan was deactivated, and his pupils had returned to their normal violet hue.
"Who exactly are you? Why do you know Konoha's core secrets so clearly?" Zabuza reached out, trying to grab his Kubikiribocho lying nearby.
Before his hand could even touch the hilt, Karin swung her fist and slammed it into his abdomen.
THUD!
"GAHHH!!!!"
Cough, cough, cough...
Although the punch wasn't heavy, it still forced Zabuza to spray a mouthful of blood as he slumped to his knees clutching his stomach.
"Don't move without Allen-sama's permission! Otherwise, I won't be polite!" Karin threatened, shaking her fist.
"Don't be so rude. Zabuza-san is an Elite Jonin of the Mist; as juniors, we should maintain a bit of respect for him. Besides, do you really think he could threaten me just by picking up that Kubikiribocho?" Allen said with a faint smile.
"No! Of course not! I just feel he hasn't recognized the situation yet and isn't showing you enough deference," Karin quickly turned around to explain.
Enduring the agonizing pain radiating from his organs, Zabuza struggled to his feet. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "What exactly do you want from me?"
"Simple. I want you to step up and handle Gato for me. While you're at it, liquidate all of that guy's real estate into cash and bring it back. Naturally, to be safe, I'll keep Haku here as a hostage. If you run off with the money, Haku will become Orochimaru's research subject. I trust that having spent so much time in the rogue ninja circles, you know all about Orochimaru's obsession with Kekkei Genkai ninjas, right?"
Allen calmly stated his intent.
As one of the world's top merchants, Gato's assets, especially his real estate, were scattered everywhere. Dealing with them would be a massive headache. Therefore, he planned to make use of the "tool" standing before him.
"You're asking me to kill my own employer?!" Zabuza's anger flared instantly.
Even as a rogue ninja, he still adhered to the shinobi code and had never once robbed a merchant caravan. This was a point of pride regarding his identity and an internal conviction. Now, this person was forcing him to break his bottom line.
"Employer?" Allen shook his head with a light chuckle. "Don't be naive. Regardless of whether you completed the mission or not, Gato would have eventually asked me to get rid of you. Now, I'll give you one minute to think. After that, give me a definitive answer."
"And if my answer is no?" Zabuza tilted his head defiantly.
"You will be killed. Then, through the Forbidden Jutsu known as Reanimation, you will be summoned back from the world of the dead to become a dog that obeys every command. Haku will also become Orochimaru's test subject, and after being toyed with and tortured, he too will be reanimated," Allen threatened meaningfully.
"Reanimation..."
Zabuza's pupils dilated. He had clearly heard of this terrifying Jutsu invented by the Second Hokage.
However, he quickly forced himself to calm down. "Why should I believe you'll keep your word?"
Allen replied nonchalantly, "You have no choice but to believe. Right now, you have no right to choose. Survival of the fittest, that is the law of the shinobi world. Surely you understand this truth?"
"One last question! Tell me your true identity! I should at least know who I'm working for."
Zabuza glanced at Haku, who was curled into a ball with broken arms and a face full of pain, and cautiously probed for an answer.
"You can call me Allen. As for my identity, for the time being, I am a member of the Root organization led by Konoha's Danzo," Allen replied with a mysterious smile.
"For the time being?"
Zabuza keenly caught the keyword.
Allen nodded slightly. "Mhm. For the time being. I've grown tired of this boring ninja game, and Danzo Shimura cannot give me what I want."
"You really are a dangerous fellow. To speak of betraying your village in such a casual tone…" A trace of wariness flickered in Zabuza's eyes.
Betraying one's village was an incredibly dangerous move for any ninja. For those from the Five Great Nations, it meant spending the rest of their lives being hunted. So far, very few rogue ninjas lived to see a natural end; most were eventually tracked down by their village's Anbu and executed in the cruelest manner. Typically, unless someone was truly backed into a corner, no one would choose to defect.
But this young ninja before him? He spoke of defecting as if it were as mundane as eating or drinking! His indifferent attitude suggested he didn't care for Konoha, one of the Five Great Nations, nor did he fear Danzo, the partner of the Third Hokage known as the "Shinobi of Darkness."
"Haha! The so-called ninja rules are actually just used to restrain the weak. Which true powerhouse ever gives a damn about them? Look at the Sannin. After Orochimaru defected, not only was he not hunted down, but he also maintains a close cooperation with Danzo. Tsunade and Jiraiya wander outside the village for years; anyone else would have been treated as a rogue ninja long ago. You're still being hunted by the Anbu simply because you're too weak. The Land of Water feels that hunting you costs them nothing and serves as a good warning to others.
"But I am different. I have the power to make anyone who dares to scheme against me pay a tragic price. On that point, the Tsuchikage, Onoki, should have a deep understanding. Alright, enough small talk. It's time for you to get to work."
With that, Allen gave Karin a look. She immediately grabbed Haku and turned to leave the lookout point.
As the flames of rage within Naruto Uzumaki gradually cooled, the grand show of the Jinchuriki's rampage finally came to an end. Once he learned that Sasuke's life wasn't in danger, the high-strung Kakashi finally relaxed, though he immediately began to worry about what to do next.
Should they stay and continue this dangerous mission that was clearly beyond Team 7's capabilities? Or should they abandon the mission and watch as Tazuna was killed and the bridge, the symbol of the Land of Waves' hope, was destroyed?