Konoha Drunkard

"idiot..."

After rolling his eyes, the second male lead, dressed in pants, walked to the big tree and struck a pose while looking at it. He couldn't help it; he was just naturally pantsy.

"......"

The old drunkard was a huge man. These young ninjas are terrifying; they're always self-harming. No wonder no one in their country can be a ninja anymore. After all, this kind of self-harm isn't something only Class One can do; it takes Class Two.

...........

"Huh? With so much blood, I thought the wound was deep, but it turns out it's so small."

The girl with the broad forehead gave the savior a disdainful look. She thought the savior was just showing off with special effects; the wound hadn't penetrated deep at all, and the blood might even have been mixed with red ink.

"Let me see."

Hearing the broad-browed girl's words, Kakashi quickly stepped forward and examined the savior's self-inflicted wound. As the girl had said, the wound was healing at a rate imperceptible to the naked eye, clearly indicating a leak of Nine-Tails chakra from within the savior's body. This was what had worried him most; the Nine-Tails was no joke. The Uzumaki clan's seal had always been intact, and it shouldn't have leaked so easily. However, because the savior had sealed the Nine-Tails inside his body as an infant, the original seal had gradually deformed and weakened as he grew. The savior's self-inflicted injury provided an outlet for this massive amount of Nine-Tails chakra.

"I can't let Naruto get hurt again. If the Nine-Tails goes berserk, I won't be able to protect him..."

638. Itachi's Little Fangirl

Kakashi was in a bind. The two easy targets hadn't managed to hurt Naruto; instead, he'd stabbed himself, unleashing the Nine-Tails' chakra. This was truly... reaping what he sowed.

"Let's get this bandaged up quickly and then we'll be on our way."

Kakashi is currently only thinking about completing the mission as quickly as possible and returning to the village so that the sealing team can reinforce the seal on the Savior. Otherwise, he definitely won't be able to protect the Nine-Tails once it emerges, and Shisui's chances are also slim.

He still vividly remembered how Kurama wreaked havoc in the village. Its head was truly enormous. If it weren't for Shanks, the nemesis of tailed beasts, he wouldn't object to Kurama claiming to be the strongest in the universe. After all, his father-in-law was slapped into a pulp.

Because the savior's wound was small, the girl with the broad forehead bandaged it up quickly and tied a pretty bow on her hand. The five of them continued on their way without resting. They had already reached the Land of Waves, which was relatively more dangerous. These two "experience babies" were probably just the first wave of cannon fodder.

.........

Gato, a rising star on the list of the wealthiest ninjas in recent years, has seen fierce competition in the world of wealth accumulation since Shanks' retirement and Kakuzu's rise to power. Everyone wants to climb the ranks, but Gato, an ordinary person, has consistently held the second-highest position in the ninja world. For an ordinary person to maintain this position for so long in the ninja world is truly remarkable. However, his methods of accumulating wealth are looked down upon by many, because everyone values ​​reputation. Even Kakuzu, who is known for his honesty and integrity, always earns his money openly and honestly. He used to accept bounties and rack up kills—that was perfectly legitimate. Ming has successfully laundered his money at the pharmaceutical company, while Kado is shameless. He'll do anything to make money, even resorting to underhanded tactics. Everyone hates an ordinary person like him with no bottom line, and with all that wealth, there are countless people who want to get rid of him. Yet, this guy is still alive. It has to be said that he's quite capable. In the Kado Shipping Branch of the Land of Waves, Kado, dressed in a sharp suit and less than 1.5 meters tall, was spewing spittle at a thug carrying a two-meter-long sword, spitting everywhere.

"Zabuza! Is this the elite underling you were talking about? You can't even take down a wretched old man. I paid you a fortune, and this is how you do things? He's already entered the Land of Waves. I don't want to hear he's still alive tomorrow. Get him done as soon as possible!"

"...Understood, I will personally take action this time."

Zabuza, carrying a large sword, gave Gato a gloomy look. When had he, a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, ever been treated like this? Back then, he dared to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage just because he said something to him. If he hadn't been broke and needed money and cared about his reputation recently, he would have killed this shorty with one blow!

Although Zabuza was a rogue ninja, he was still a rogue ninja with professional ethics. He believed that if you take someone's money, you should do their bidding. Zabuza would never do something like killing his employer after taking the money, unless he didn't care about his reputation. Otherwise, how could he survive in the ninja world? Who would dare to hire him in the future?

"Hmph! I hope you keep your word. My money wasn't wasted."

After saying this, Kado turned and left with a group of expensive bodyguards he had hired.

He makes hundreds of thousands a minute; he doesn't have time to waste spitting on this poor guy. His spit is very expensive.

"Lord Zabuza, I heard that Konoha technician Kakashi is protecting Tazuna. This mission is going to be very difficult."

One of Zabuza's female assistants said, "Speaking of which, Shanks has already recruited Haku to Konoha, but Zabuza is still incredibly lucky to have found another top-notch assistant. Although she doesn't have any bloodline limits, her combat talent is still very strong. In the past few years, under Zabuza's tutelage, her combat skills are top-notch. She is also Zabuza's technologist and assistant."

"How could Tazuna, an ordinary poor guy, possibly get Kakashi, the heir to the Anbu from Konoha, to protect him?"

Zabuza, while sharpening his broadsword, asked curiously. He wasn't worried about Kakashi at all. Kakashi was strong, but Zabuza wasn't weak either. They both had titles, and neither was afraid of the other since they hadn't fought each other. What really bothered him was Kakashi's background: the heir of the Konoha Anbu, the son of the White Fang of Konoha. If he accidentally killed the White Fang's son, he'd probably be stuck in some godforsaken place for decades. The White Fang's reputation had been proven over the decades; he wasn't even born when the White Fang became famous.

What's more, there's the even more terrifying Shanks from Konoha lurking behind him. The bond between Konoha's White Fang and Shanks is unquestionable. If he fears White Fang for being hunted down, Shanks instills a deep-seated dread. He knows the previous owner of the Executioner's Blade's personality all too well. To turn the notoriously tough and resolute Juzo Biwa into a blacksmith-crazy lunatic—that's how twisted Shanks must be. Thinking of Juzo's past life, Zabuza couldn't help but shudder. If he were like that, he'd rather end it all.

"There are rumors that Tazuna drank with Shanks a few times years ago when Shanks was traveling in the Land of Waves. It's very likely that Tazuna went to Konoha to ask Shanks for help. However, it's obvious that he couldn't afford to ask Shanks to come out of retirement. Konoha sent Kakashi to protect him out of respect for him. Moreover, there are three kids with them. One of them is known to be an orphan of the Uchiha clan, whose identity has been confirmed as Itachi's younger brother. The identities of the other two are currently unknown."

This female assistant was quite professional; after organizing the information, she analyzed it logically. However, when she mentioned Uchiha Itachi, her expression turned into that of a little fangirl—clearly another female fan of Itachi.

"...A friend of the Red-Haired Man from Konoha? An orphan of the Uchiha clan..."

Zabuza was now in an even bigger predicament. This money was really hard to come by. He had initially thought the old man was just an ordinary bridge architect, but it turned out that this old man knew the most troublesome person, Shanks from Konoha, and now there was also an Uchiha orphan. The Uchiha kid himself wasn't the problem, but the main issue was that this kid was Itachi Uchiha's younger brother. So, the problem arose. Itachi Uchiha had killed his entire clan, including his own parents. If it weren't for his love for his younger brother, Zabuza didn't believe that the emotionless man would have let his brother go. Recalling that emotionless yet handsome face, Zabuza felt a surge of frustration.

639. Konoha is a breeding ground for handsome men.

It all boils down to personal motives. Zabuza, who had been a deserter for several years, had only gained a little fame in the ninja world after years of struggling. Just as he was preparing to build up his strength for a meteoric rise to stardom, Itachi Uchiha suddenly appeared out of nowhere. With his strength to single-handedly wipe out an entire clan and his handsome looks, Itachi quickly became a sensation in the ninja world, becoming an overnight sensation. That year was practically the year of Itachi. Even many veteran ninjas who had been around for years couldn't breathe under Itachi's aura. Zabuza was one of them. He was just preparing to make his breakthrough when Itachi stole all the attention. What was the point of him then? The more he thought about it, the more resentful Zabuza became. Like many others, he wanted to find Itachi and use him to climb to the top. After two months of searching, he finally found Itachi, who was still just a nobody in the ninja world. However, that battle made Zabuza afraid to challenge Itachi again, and it also turned the female assistant into a devoted fan of Itachi.

Just one glance, and because of that one look, he endured 36 hours of being torn to pieces in Itachi's Tsukuyomi space. If he hadn't been released in the end because he couldn't take it anymore, he wouldn't even know how he died. Now, just thinking about those emotionless eyes makes Zabuza's scalp tingle. He's not afraid of death, but he is afraid of being torn to pieces and still not dying.

If this happens to Itachi's younger brother, who knows if the emotionless Itachi would chase him to the ends of the earth.

But since he's already got it, the matter still needs to be resolved. And he only needs to take down Tazuna; he doesn't necessarily have to deal with that "Konoha Technician." Tazuna is just an ordinary person, and for Zabuza, who's been racking up kills for years, taking him down is too easy—it's just a matter of one strike. As long as he finishes off Tazuna quickly and retreats immediately to avoid getting entangled with Kakashi and the others, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Yes! That's it!"

"come on!"

Zabuza mentally rallied his spirits. It wasn't that he was afraid of Kakashi and the others; it was just that they were born into privilege. If he had a powerful father or older brother protecting him... he could have given that Fourth Mizukage a sound thrashing.

..........

Meanwhile, after encountering two Chunin as easy targets, Kakashi and his group didn't encounter any more easy targets along the way. However, Kakashi was incredibly nervous, not because he was worried that Gato would send any powerful ninjas, but because he was concerned about the Nine-Tails' chakra that had previously surfaced. He carefully observed the Savior along the way, but there was nothing unusual. The Savior was still as carefree as ever, complaining about this and that when bored, which reminded him of that boy from years ago, whose personality was similar to the Savior's. However, that boy had a bad fate; he died before he could even fully enjoy the awakening of his Sharingan...

As Kadian was reminiscing about that boy from those years, a thick fog suddenly rolled in on the road, and it grew thicker and thicker, making it impossible to see even a meter away.

"Not good! Protect the employer, use the Mist Concealment Technique!"

Kakashi, who was lost in his memories, immediately pulled out a kunai and shouted at the three saviors. He had fought with Kirigakure more than once or twice and was very familiar with this kind of ninjutsu.

"careful!"

"Ding!"

Just as Kadian finished shouting to the three saviors, the second male lead pulled the savior aside to block a flying shuriken. In the thick fog, eyesight was practically nonexistent, so they could only rely on their intuition. This time, the second male lead's strong intuition saved the savior once again.

While the second male lead in the pants was blocking the shuriken for the savior, the battle on Kaden's side had already begun.

The clanging of metal on the other side proved how intense the battle was. Zabuza was so focused on seeing Kakashi clearly in the thick fog that even his Sharingan was showing. Zabuza was having a terrible headache. He hadn't been targeting Kakashi in the first place. His plan was to use the Hidden Mist Technique and the Silent Killing Technique to quietly take down Tazuna in the crowd, and then leave unhurriedly. What a perfect plan! But he forgot about the origin of Kakashi's title of "Konoha Technician and Copy Ninja." Although he only had one Sharingan, his vision wasn't affected by the fog. That's the power of the Sharingan; in terms of functionality, it's far superior to the Byakugan.

"Ding!"

"Kirigakure Village rebel ninja Kijin Zabuza!"

Kakashi, in a slouching pose, supported himself with his left hand on the ground and held a kunai in his right. When it comes to showing off, the current second male lead, who's all slouching, is no match for the seasoned Kakashi. Didn't you see that even Zabuza's female assistant, who just shot shurikens at the savior, has started turning her eyes into hearts again?

"There are so many handsome guys in Konoha! Itachi is like that, and this 'Konoha Technician' is so cool even though we can't see his face!"

The female assistant said to Zabuza in a daze.

"...Damn it! We have important business to attend to now. Stop gushing over this girl. Aren't you a fan of Itachi Uchiha? Why are you eyeing this 'Konoha Technician'?"

Zabuza, burning with rage, lashed out at his female assistant. Although this wasn't the time for infighting, damn it, couldn't you have chosen another time to be infatuated? They're fighting right now, lady!

However, the female assistant's words also dealt a blow to Zabuza. It seems that Konoha really does produce a lot of handsome men. In recent years, many of Konoha's famous ninjas, apart from Shanks and Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, seem to be extremely handsome!

Looking at the other villages, the girls in Sunagakure are quite pretty, but the guys... well, let's not even go there. Iwagakure is full of thick-browed men who are hardly handsome. Kumogakure's James-like figures are even worse, showing serious signs of premature aging. And Kirigakure... they're all a bunch of oddballs, some even have shark-like faces. Their former beauty icons, the Minazuki clan, are gone; their looks are only maintained by a bunch of girls.

Thinking back to myself... I used to be a handsome young boy, but because of that damned Fourth Mizukage's Blood Mist policy in the village, I became a grotesque, inhuman creature.

Zabuza grew increasingly angry. He hadn't originally intended to get entangled with Kakashi and the others, but now, consumed by rage, he abandoned all pretense of playfulness. He charged at the three brats, sword in hand. From their earlier exchange, Zabuza had confirmed that this "Konoha Technician" was indeed skilled, roughly evenly matched with him. Further entanglement would likely result in mutual destruction. However, this "Konoha Technician" had three burdens with him. He couldn't touch the Uchiha brats, but the other two were no problem. If he could just capture the other two and force the "Konoha Technician" to submit, wouldn't that solve the problem?

He's a true genius!

640. Zabuza will not fight anymore.

Just as Zabuza was about to kill the three brats, one of the brats' blond hair blinded him!

"Holy shit!"

Zabuza's greatsword was already aimed at the Savior, but when he saw the Savior's blond hair, he made a sharp 180-degree turn in mid-air, pulling the sword back behind him in a difficult pose. As mentioned before, blond hair is a very rare hair color in the ninja world, and there are only three blond people in Konoha: Tsunade, the Violent Master, Nawaki, and the Yellow Flash. However, the siblings Tsunade and Nawaki have a lighter blond hair color, while the Fourth Hokage has a unique golden-yellow hair color.

This kid from Konoha may look...ordinary, lacking the good looks of "Yellow Flash," but his identical blond hair is undeniably related to "Yellow Flash." The entire ninja world knows "Yellow Flash" was a commoner orphan, so there's no question of kinship. This Konoha kid with the same hair color, while perhaps less conventionally handsome, is definitely not his son; Zabuza wouldn't believe it.

"Damn it! Is Tazuna's ancestral grave emitting green smoke? Kakashi, the Uchiha brat, the son of the Yellow Flash. This is the strongest second-generation combination! Konoha actually sent them to protect him."

Zabuza suddenly didn't want to fight anymore! The identities of two of the three brats had already been confirmed, and he wouldn't be surprised if the pink-haired one was the granddaughter of the red-haired girl from Konoha!

If he were to easily kill one of them, he might escape today, but he wouldn't be able to escape tomorrow. He still wants to make a comeback and return to Kirigakure. How can he let his grand ambitions be delayed for a little money from Gato?

The fog quietly dissipated, leaving the tense Class 7 bewildered as Zabuza sat on the ground, carrying a large cleaver and wearing a mask.

"What's going on? Why did they stop fighting?"

The savior looked blankly at Kakashi. He hadn't even had a chance to show his skills yet. He'd just been saved by that bastard Sasuke, a disgrace to his life. He'd been thinking of saving Sasuke in return to even things out, but before he even got a chance to fight, the enemy had already stopped attacking.

"Kirigakure rebel ninja Kijin Zabuza!"

Kakashi was taken aback when he saw who it was. No wonder the Hidden Mist Technique was so sharp that even his Sharingan had difficulty seeing its movements.

"Konoha Technician Kakashi Hatake".

Since everyone else is calling him by his name, Zabuza should also call him by his name according to the rules. It's a matter of politeness. Although he's not handsome, he's still very well-mannered.

"......... Technician my ass! You damn technician!"

Okay, Kakashi has accepted his fate. Although he doesn't like the title, since everyone likes calling him that, it's still a title, isn't it?

"Tazuna, considering your dedication to this country, I'll let you off this time. I don't want Gato's money either. Apart from me, Gato's men are a bunch of idiots. With Kakashi here, dealing with them won't be a problem..."

Zabuza can't stay here any longer. The reason he hasn't left is to let Kakashi and the others know that Zabuza, the Demon, didn't stop because he was afraid of them, but because he was moved by Tazuna's spirit. It has nothing to do with them!

"........."

Kakashi was completely dumbfounded this time. Naruto and the others might not know who Zabuza was, but he knew very well that Zabuza was the ruthless guy who had wiped out all the other students in the graduation exam. How could he be moved by the spirit of a bridge architect who served his country and its people? Had this guy taken the wrong medicine or not?

"Konoha Technician! Could you please sign your autograph for me?"

As soon as Zabuza turned around, his female assistant immediately took out a pen and a small notebook and handed them to Kakashi, saying shyly.

"....Can."

Even though Kasper is cool, he can't refuse a girl who's practically handed her to him.

Kakashi took the notebook, intending to turn to a blank page to sign it for the fangirl. But as luck would have it, the first page revealed the four sharp characters "Uchiha Itachi," which were then spotted by the second male lead, Kuku.

Suddenly, the second male lead lost his temper and frantically grabbed the female assistant's collar and shook her violently.

"Have you seen that man? Where is he? Do you know where he is?"

"Hey! Hey! Sasuke, have some self-respect, she's a girl!"

Seeing the second male lead going berserk, the Savior and the girl with the broad forehead quickly rushed over to pull him away. It was incredibly indecent for a grown man to be blocking and grabbing a girl's collar; wasn't this damaging Konoha's image?

"Hey! You brat, let go of me, or I'll get rough!"

Zabuza's female assistant was almost suffocating from being groped by the second male lead.

"You have that bastard's signature, where is that bastard?!"