Naruto: The Avenger of the Uzumaki clan

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From facing the most ordinary Chūnin to elite Jōnin-level opponents, it had to be said that this C-rank mission had quickly escalated into an A-rank ordeal. As Kakashi had noted, if any other team had taken on this mission, Zabuza would have killed them multiple times over.

Even teams led by Asuma or Kurenai would have struggled significantly. While Asuma's strength was admirable, it was still a far cry from Kakashi's. Kurenai's Genjutsu skills, though formidable, were not ideal for battling someone like Zabuza, a master of Silent Killing and the Hidden Mist Jutsu.

Tazuna was truly fortunate that Team 7 had been assigned to protect him.

This was especially true after the team successfully dealt with Zabuza and his apprentice, Haku.

With the danger temporarily behind them, Team 7 continued their journey with Tazuna. The remainder of their trip passed without incident, with no further attacks.

When they reached the strait separating the Land of Fire from the Land of Waves, Tazuna arranged for a small boat to ferry them across the mist-covered sea. By the time they arrived, the sky had already darkened.

However, as they entered what was supposed to be the wealthiest town in the Land of Waves, they were surprised to find very few lights illuminating the streets. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, accustomed to the bustling and well-lit Hidden Leaf Village, found the dim, quiet town unsettling.

On the way to Tazuna's seaside home, Naruto couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"Hey, old man, why's it so dark around here? Don't people in the Land of Waves turn on their lights at night? It's not even that late!" Naruto blurted out.

Tazuna chuckled wryly. "It's not that we go to bed early, Naruto. We're just…poor. So poor that people save on electricity. Many families can't even afford to keep their lights on."

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. Having grown up in Konoha, even as an orphan, Naruto had never truly understood what it meant to live in poverty. The concept of being too poor to afford lights was almost beyond his comprehension.

Silently, they continued on, eventually arriving at Tazuna's home on the coast. As a bridge builder, Tazuna's family was better off than most in the Land of Waves. His house, brightly lit in stark contrast to the dark town they had passed through, was a sign of his relatively better circumstances.

Tazuna's eyes moistened as he saw his home. The journey had been fraught with danger, and there were moments when he feared he would never return. Though he was willing to die for his cause, he couldn't help but worry about his daughter and grandson.

"I'm back! Tsunami, Inari!" Tazuna called out joyfully as he pushed open the door.

A kind-faced woman appeared from the entranceway, her features relaxing in relief when she saw her father.

"Dad, you're home!" Tsunami exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace him.

"Yes, I'm back," Tazuna smiled. "Tsunami, could you prepare dinner? We have some esteemed shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village joining us tonight. Let's make something special!"

"Ah, welcome, shinobi-sama. I'll start cooking right away," Tsunami replied, bowing respectfully.

Kakashi waved off the formalities with a casual smile. "No need to go all out. We shinobi are used to living rough. Anything you have is more than enough."

Kakashi wasn't just being polite. As a ninja, he was accustomed to living off the land, sleeping outdoors, and making do with whatever food was available. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and even Menma were used to a similar lifestyle, thanks to their survival training in Konoha's forests.

"Of course, I understand," Tsunami said with a gentle smile before heading to the kitchen.

The team followed Tazuna into the living room to rest. As Menma passed the hallway, he noticed a small figure peeking around the corner. When the figure realized they had been seen, they quickly ducked out of sight.

'That must be Tazuna's grandson,' Menma thought, raising an eyebrow before dismissing the thought.

He had more important things on his mind. In addition to protecting Tazuna and overseeing the completion of the bridge, Menma was thinking about how to turn this situation to his advantage. Wealth might not be everything, but without it, his long-term plans would be much harder to achieve.

Gatō, the crime lord who ruled the Land of Waves' economy, was bound to have immense wealth. Menma was determined not to let the opportunity to profit from this mission slip away like it had in the original timeline.

As the meal came to an end, Sasuke stood, his expression serious.

"Kakashi, I need to ask you something," Sasuke said, his gaze sharp and focused on his sensei.

Kakashi had been expecting this. Ever since the battle with Zabuza, Sasuke had been itching to question how a non-Uchiha like Kakashi could possess the Sharingan.

"Sure, let's step outside," Kakashi replied calmly, leading Sasuke out of the house.

Menma watched them go and shook his head slightly. 'He beat me to it,' he thought. He, too, had been planning to ask Kakashi something, though his query was of a different nature.

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"It's about why we must continue with the mission."

Menma's thoughts churned as he observed Kakashi from a distance. Despite Kakashi's reputation as a righteous and passionate person, Menma found it hard to reconcile those traits with the harsh realities of a shinobi's life. After all, shinobi were warriors, not heroes. Speaking of justice and passion seemed contradictory in a profession rooted in violence and survival.

The truth of the ninja world had been made painfully clear to Menma, especially after Nagato's invasion of Konoha. The conversation between Naruto and Nagato during that time had exposed the grim reality of the shinobi system. The three Great Ninja Wars were a testament to the suffering inflicted on countless small countries by the major villages.

Kakashi, a seasoned ninja with blood on his hands, couldn't be a charitable person. There had to be a deeper reason why he insisted on continuing this mission in the Land of Waves. Although it might not seem like a big issue to others, Menma needed to understand it fully. Otherwise, it would gnaw at him, an itch in his mind that wouldn't go away.

Unfortunately, Sasuke had beaten him to the opportunity to question Kakashi, forcing Menma to wait for another chance.

"The night is long," Menma thought. "I'll get my moment."

Kakashi and Sasuke returned soon enough. On the surface, Sasuke looked calm, but Menma suspected that Kakashi had shared something important with him. After all, the Sharingan wasn't exactly a secret.

"Hey, Menma, do you have something you want to ask me?"

Kakashi's voice snapped Menma out of his thoughts. He hadn't expected the Jōnin to address him first, and it caught him off guard.

"Uh, yeah. If you don't mind, I do have a question," Menma responded after a slight pause.

"Well then, let's hear it."

Kakashi nodded and led the way outside once again, with Menma trailing behind.

Naruto and Sakura exchanged surprised glances, watching as their teammates stepped out.

"Huh? Menma has a question for Kakashi-sensei too? Hey, Sasuke, what did you ask him about?" Naruto asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Nothing important," Sasuke responded coolly as he moved to sit by the windowsill, clearly uninterested in elaborating. Naruto, sensing that it was something personal, decided not to press further.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Menma reached the coastline, the rhythmic sound of the waves breaking the silence.

"If I'm not mistaken," Kakashi began, turning to face Menma, "you want to know why we're continuing this mission, right?"

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei," Menma replied, meeting Kakashi's gaze. "The attack by the Hidden Mist Jōnin raised some questions. It makes sense for someone like Naruto to be driven by passion, but you… you're more pragmatic. So, why continue?"

Kakashi studied Menma for a moment before answering. "The answer is simple. The Land of Waves is too close to Konoha, and the first attack came from a Mist Ninja. With your intelligence, you should know what that means."

"A strategic location?" Menma asked, his eyes widening as he connected the dots.

"Exactly," Kakashi confirmed. "Despite its size, the Land of Waves holds immense strategic value, especially after the fall of Uzushiogakure. This nation has become a key battleground for the Mist Village. If they gain control here, it's only a matter of time before they start encroaching on the Land of Fire."

Menma nodded as the pieces fell into place. "That makes sense. Konoha wouldn't want to deal with an increased threat from the Mist Village."

"Right," Kakashi agreed. "We're here to gather information and assess the situation. Though I didn't expect to encounter a missing-nin like Zabuza—that was an unexpected complication."

Menma considered that for a moment. "So, Zabuza's status as a missing-nin means he's no longer working with the Hidden Mist?"

"For now, yes," Kakashi replied. "But we can't be sure. That's why it's safer for us to stay here and protect Tazuna until the bridge is complete."

Menma narrowed his eyes. "Then why not go straight to the root of the problem, Kakashi-sensei?"

"The root?" Kakashi echoed, tilting his head slightly.

"The one behind all of this—Gatō. He's the one trying to control the Land of Waves. Wouldn't we get more information by dealing with him directly?" Menma suggested with a small smirk.

Kakashi chuckled softly. "You make a valid point. Gatō's involvement could mean there's more going on here than we initially thought."

"Exactly. He's just a businessman, but powerful people like him usually have connections to the bigger players. If we find him, we might uncover more than we expected." Menma added, his confidence evident.

"And how do you propose we find him?" Kakashi asked, clearly testing Menma's resolve.

"As long as Gatō's plans haven't changed, it shouldn't be too hard. I'm sure someone in town has a connection to him—someone who can lead us straight to him," Menma answered confidently.

"Very well," Kakashi said with a smile. "I'll leave the investigation to you. Think you can handle it?"

"No problem, Kakashi-sensei. He's just a man, after all. Leave it to me," Menma replied with a self-assured grin.

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