Chapter 109
He looked back at the gate, the bustling street behind him, and the Hokage Rock sculptures high in the distance, his heart filled with emotion.
"This is the true beginning of carrying out missions, and the true beginning of becoming a Ninja!"
"From here, I will advance step by step towards my dream of becoming Hokage!"
"Just you wait, everyone!"
Kakashi-sensei, without turning his head, looked at his book and said, "Naruto-kun, hurry up and follow."
"Oh!"
...Along the way, the drunken Tazuna told the group everything that had happened in the Land of Waves.
The Land of Waves was a poor and destitute island nation with no Ninja. Normally, they lived off the sea, making a living from fishing. Although not wealthy, they managed to get by.
However, all of this was interrupted by the appearance of a man named Gato.
Gato, ostensibly the president of a shipping company, was secretly a ruthless villain who controlled both the legal and illegal underworld. He was as rich as a nation, using his wealth to hire Ninja and mobsters to smuggle drugs and various contraband. He was, in short, utterly depraved and deeply sinful.
He controlled the Land of Waves' shipping, which was equivalent to severing everyone's lifelines.
The great bridge across the sea that Tazuna was responsible for building, once completed, would connect to the mainland of the Land of Fire, effectively restoring life. Gato naturally wouldn't allow this to happen.
So he had secretly arranged for assassins to eliminate Tazuna.
Naruto-kun listened, filled with righteous indignation.
"That bastard Gato! If I ever meet that villain, I'll beat him until his own mother doesn't recognize him!"
Tazuna clearly didn't believe him. He took a sip of sake, his old face flushed, and he glanced at Naruto-kun with disdain.
"Kid, don't brag. Gato has thousands of thugs under him. One man's power can rival a country. Do you, a mere greenhorn, think you can take him down?"
Naruto-kun was furious: "Hey, hey! You drunken old man are looking down on me again!"
Hinata also whispered, "That's not it, Mr. Tazuna. Naruto-kun is very strong…"
Tazuna shook his head and looked at Sasuke, saying, "I think this child is the strongest."
Tazuna had truly stepped on a landmine, and Naruto-kun immediately became even more enraged.
"Idiot! Sasuke is just trying to look cool!"
"He only looks strong, but I'm the real strongest!"
Sasuke snorted, naturally unwilling to concede.
Kakashi-sensei walked while reading, but he was also paying attention to everything around him.
"Well, young people should be full of vigor."
"However, we are currently on a mission, after all."
"Naruto-kun, Sasuke, Hinata, protect the client and always be vigilant about your surroundings."
"I have a feeling this mission might not be that simple."
He glanced at Tazuna, intentionally or not.
Tazuna, feeling guilty, quickly took a gulp of sake.
Naruto-kun, however, was overjoyed.
"Not that simple?"
"Fantastic!"
What he had been hoping for was a B-rank mission. Besides honing himself and gaining experience, it was, of course, also for completing the system's tasks.
Sasuke evidently shared the same expectations as Naruto-kun.
For revenge, he couldn't wait to face life-and-death battles to temper his strength and will.
Hinata, hearing Kakashi-sensei's words, quickly nodded and quietly activated her Byakugan, calmly observing everything around her.
She also didn't want to fall behind Naruto-kun and Sasuke.
At this moment, the group passed by a puddle.
Kakashi-sensei glanced at it with some concern, his gaze meeting Hinata's. The teacher and student nodded subtly to each other, not saying anything aloud.
After they passed, human heads abruptly emerged from the calm surface of the small puddle. Their eyes were cold and ruthless, they wore gas masks over their mouths and noses, and the forehead protectors on their foreheads bore the scratched-out symbol of the Hidden Mist Village.
Naruto-kun looked around: "Where are the enemies?!"
"Why haven't they appeared yet?!"
"I can't wait to show what I can do!"
Kakashi-sensei smiled slightly: "Don't worry, Naruto-kun, you probably won't need to act."
"With me, your teacher, here, I will never let anyone kill you."
Just as Naruto-kun was about to speak, suddenly… *Chii la—*
*Bang!!!*
The clanging of intertwining steel rang out. Two chains, covered in thorny spikes, instantly shot through and directly bound Kakashi-sensei's body!
The other ends of the chains were held by two ferocious-looking, strikingly similar Ninja, who were pulling the chains tight with all their might.
In an instant… *Danglang!*
The two unleashed their full power, and the chains instantly tightened. The sharp spikes, like knives, directly sliced Kakashi-sensei, who was bound, in half at the waist!
Blood gushed out, splattering over a large area of the ground!
Naruto-kun was instantly dumbfounded.
"Ka-Kakashi-sensei!"
However, there was no time for him to be shocked or grieved.
The two Ninja, working in perfect sync, instantly retracted their chains. One of them immediately gave an order.
"Gozu! You deal with those brats!"
"Tazuna is mine to kill!"
"Understood!"
The next moment.
The Ninja named Gozu flew forward, the chain in his hand like a kite string, swiftly sliding from his palm and shooting towards Naruto-kun first!
"So fast—"
Naruto-kun was secretly shocked.
This was his first life-or-death battle!
And, Kakashi-sensei, who was leading the team, had died on the spot!
How strong were these two Ninja?!
Naruto-kun didn't know, but a surge of anger suddenly rose in his heart.
Not just for Kakashi-sensei's death, but also because… Gozu had targeted him first, undoubtedly believing he was the weakest of the three!
"Bastard!"
"Don't look down on people!"
Naruto-kun roared, his Chakra and strength instantly erupting. He leaped up, twisted his body, and delivered a powerful kick!
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
A fierce Taijutsu Ogi erupted, instantly sending the rapidly approaching chain flying with a powerful kick!
The force was so strong that the chain instantly swung back in a half-circle, even causing the Ninjanamed Gozu's tiger's mouth to shake violently and bleed!
"What?!"
Gozu was greatly alarmed. He never expected that this unassuming blond kid in front of him would unleash such terrifying power!
Naruto-kun indeed lacked practical experience in life-and-death combat.
But when it came to combat experience, he far surpassed his peers by hundreds of times!
After all, every night, he engaged in thousands of battles, without pause… With a powerful kick that sent the chain flying, Naruto-kun immediately rushed forward, and an even stronger Taijutsu Ogi instantly erupted.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
Taking advantage of the enemy's surprise and unpreparedness, Leaf Strong Whirlwind was suddenly unleashed. He twisted his waist, moved fiercely counter-clockwise, and unleashed a furious force with his heel!
*Boom—*
The powerful blow made it impossible for Gozu to resist. He was directly kicked flying!
"Gozu! What's wrong?!"
"Can't you even handle a brat?!"
These two were indeed the Hidden Mist rogue Ninja, the Demon Brothers, Meizu and Gozu!
At the same instant, Meizu also shot his chain towards the client, Tazuna, aiming for a single, fatal blow!
However… Hinata was already prepared. Combining her Byakugan's ocular power, she unleashed her self-created Gentle Fist Art.
"Guardian Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams Palm!"
*Bang—*
She precisely struck the chain's weak point, and a palm strike infused with Chakra powerfully rebounded the chain, sending it back towards Meizu himself!
"What? This brat too…"
At the same time, Sasuke had also reacted quickly, directly unleashing his Ninjutsu.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
In an instant, a thick, blazing flame, like a fire dragon, shot out!
Meizu was even more dumbfounded.
"How could a brat like this use such Ninjutsu?!"
He quickly dodged, but Sasuke had already calculated his retreat position and instantly closed in, a Kunai already thrusting out!
Hinata, seeing Naruto-kun and Sasuke make their moves, immediately guarded the client, as this was the core of the mission.
Her Guardian Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams Palm was enough to ensure the client's safety.
Meanwhile, Naruto-kun and Sasuke, as if in competition, both charged towards the Demon Brothers, Meizu and Gozu.
Naruto-kun, believing Kakashi-sensei had been killed, was consumed by rage. With a burst of power, he directly used one of his trump cards… "Wind Release: Whirlwind Fist!"
This Wind Release: Whirlwind Fist, inherited from Asuma-sensei, incorporated Naruto-kun's own understanding. Powerful Wind Release Chakrawrapped around his fist, roaring as he slammed a punch into Gozu's stomach.
*Bang—*
With a single blow, power capable of destroying stone instantly erupted!
Gozu screamed, his entire body sent flying. His internal organs were severely wounded, and he crashed heavily to the ground, twitching a few times before becoming motionless… Seeing this, Sasuke also grew anxious.
He, too, unleashed his trump card.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
*Rumble—*
The wild flames transformed into a roaring, gigantic dragon head, baring its fangs and claws, and shot towards Meizu!