216-220

Chapter 216: Copying the Impure World Reincarnation Technique

From the letter Pakura left, Hattori figured she must have returned to the Sand Village. It seemed likely she went back to confront Rasa.

Hattori was more than pleased with this turn of events. He wasn’t too worried about Pakura’s safety. After the last incident, Rasa, if he had even a scrap of common sense left, wouldn’t dare to make any rash moves.

Besides, Pakura had already faced death once before, so she’d be far more cautious now. With her natural strength, she’d be able to protect herself even in a sudden confrontation.

But as the saying goes, "better safe than sorry."

In a place as dangerous as the ninja world, even the mighty Otsutsuki Kaguya was once defeated and sealed. Death was common, and bodies could easily vanish without a trace.

So, after leaving Kakashi’s house, Hattori began pondering: how could he revive someone whose body had been completely destroyed?

The answer had already been provided in the original series: Impure World Reincarnation plus Rinne Rebirth!

Of course, this so-called “perfect” resurrection wasn’t entirely perfect, as the strength of the resurrected individual would be limited by the quality of the sacrificial offering.

For instance, in the original story, when Orochimaru first resurrected Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, he used low-level ninja as sacrifices, so their full powers couldn’t be unleashed.

During the Fourth Ninja War, however, when White Zetsu with Wood Style cells was used as the sacrifice, the “perfect Impure World Reincarnation” was finally achieved.

In other words, to achieve a perfect resurrection, one would need White Zetsu + Impure World Reincarnation + Rinne Rebirth! For anyone below the Kage level, though, using a similarly skilled sacrifice would suffice.

Still, testing would be necessary.

“First, let’s get the Impure World Reincarnation sorted out. Where’s that Forbidden Jutsu scroll… oh, found it!”

When Naruto stole the scroll of forbidden jutsu, Hattori had already marked it so he could track its exact location.

Sure enough, after concentrating for a moment, he sensed the mark he’d left in the Hokage’s office.

“So, that’s where it is?”

Once he’d pinpointed the scroll’s location, Hattori leaped forward, disappearing in an instant, using the night as cover to slip into the Hokage’s office.

Inside, it took him less than a minute to locate the scroll in a hidden compartment in the wall, pull it out, and unroll it.

Though he couldn’t read, he wasn’t about to let that stop him.

“Where’s the Impure World Reincarnation technique? Hmm, I remember it requires talismans for control. I just need to copy the talismans, and it should work.”

Feeling incredibly clever, Hattori’s face lit up as he quickly found a set of complex-looking talismans and began copying them feverishly.

After he finished copying this jutsu, he decided to check the rest of the scroll, just in case there was anything else useful.

Sure enough, he found another technique with a talisman.

No choice but to keep copying!

Once he’d finished, Hattori unrolled the rest of the scroll to make sure he hadn’t missed any other jutsu with talismans. Satisfied, he finally nodded.

“Alright, this should do it!”

He started to put the scroll away, but just then, a familiar voice sounded behind him.

“What jutsu are you looking for?”

“Huh?”

Hattori turned around and saw Hiruzen Sarutobi standing behind him, pipe in hand, watching him.

Since he’d been caught, Hattori didn’t even try to hide it. He stood up proudly.

“Yep, I’m here to copy the Impure World Reincarnation. Since you caught me, do what you want; I’m ready!”

Hiruzen was silent for a moment, then glanced down at the scroll on the ground that Hattori hadn’t put away yet, a strange expression flickering across his face.

“Are you sure you copied the Impure World Reincarnation?”

Hattori: (╭°A°`)╮

What the hell—did he copy the wrong thing?

Hearing Hiruzen’s words, Hattori felt a sinking feeling, but he kept a defiant look on his face.

“Hmph, I know exactly what I copied!”

Hiruzen was silent for another moment before taking a long drag from his pipe, blowing out a stream of smoke.

Through the haze, his voice drifted out.

“If I’m not mistaken, you copied the Mutual Multiplying Explosive Tags.”

Hattori: (╭°A°`)╮

Oh, crap!

Hattori didn’t doubt Hiruzen, since the Mutual Multiplying Explosive Tags technique also involved talismans, so the chance he’d messed up was close to 90%.

But admitting he’d copied the wrong thing? Absolutely not. His pride was on the line.

He kept his tone firm.

“Hmph, of course I knew it was the Mutual Multiplying Explosive Tags! My Flame Salamander title was earned with explosive tags, after all. This jutsu is also one of my targets!”

With that, he put away the copied explosive tag jutsu and picked up another scroll to show Hiruzen.

“See? This is the Impure World Reincarnation!”

To Hattori, it was a simple either-or choice. If one was wrong, the other had to be correct.

But Hiruzen glanced at the scroll and, after taking another puff of his pipe, raised an eyebrow.

“This one’s the Flying Thunder God technique. Are you… sure you can read?”

Hattori: (╭°A°`)╮

Oh, crap!

Hattori was stunned, but he kept his tough facade, refusing to lose face.

“Hahaha… Can’t read? Me? Impossible! I copied the Flying Thunder God on purpose—I wanted to practice it, that’s all!”

“Sure, go ahead!”

Hiruzen nodded.

“Since you promised to protect me and my family, I’ll allow you to copy three jutsu. You’ve got one more to go. Copy away!”

Hattori, who had been putting on a tough act, now felt like he couldn’t keep it up—

Which one should he copy?

After a long silence, he gritted his teeth, blushed, and finally handed Hiruzen his brush.

“Help me copy it. Consider it a favor I owe you!”

Hiruzen chuckled at Hattori’s expression, then nodded.

“Alright.”

With that, he stashed his pipe and, taking the brush from Hattori, began confidently transcribing a jutsu onto a blank scroll.

Watching this, Hattori’s eyes went wide.

“He’s doing it from memory? You’ve got to be kidding me!”

*Chapter 217: Obtaining the Reanimation Jutsu*

Hiruzen Sarutobi was indeed transcribing from memory.

He seemed to have completely memorized the Reanimation Jutsu; he didn’t even glance at the forbidden scroll and wrote without any hesitation. Clearly, he knew it by heart.

"He's truly the Professor of Ninjutsu!"

Hattori couldn’t help but admire him internally, then he began comparing the contents of the forbidden scroll with what Hiruzen had written to see if they matched.

He quickly found the corresponding section, which looked like a sealing technique but without any incantation symbols, just a massive array of curse marks and formations.

At first glance, it closely resembled the summoning jutsu’s sealing array.

"Damn, so this is what it was; no wonder I mistook it!"

Hattori realized that what he’d thought were curse symbols might not have been created by Tobirama Senju, but rather by Orochimaru.

In other words, the Reanimation Jutsu Tobirama developed was likely an incomplete version. Orochimaru likely added control symbols to perfect it.

Of course, whether or not it had control symbols didn’t matter to Hattori.

He wasn't learning the Reanimation Jutsu to control the dead—he just wanted to bring them back to life.

Controlling them afterward wasn’t something he cared about.

From his perspective, his own strength was far superior to any control method.

So, without distraction, he focused on the jutsu, carefully comparing Hiruzen’s writing with the forbidden scroll.

Especially the formation etched onto the ground!

Since those components were essential to the jutsu’s function, Hattori meticulously compared every symbol to prevent any errors.

Before long, he realized his caution was unnecessary. Hiruzen’s transcription was flawless—fast, accurate, with no mistakes whatsoever.

Once the Reanimation Jutsu’s details were completely transcribed, Hiruzen lightly blew on the ink to dry it before rolling up the scroll and handing it to Hattori.

"I’ve given you this jutsu, but you should know what it’s capable of. I only ask that you use it responsibly."

"Hmm?"

Hearing Hiruzen’s words, Hattori looked a bit surprised as he took the scroll, then chuckled.

"Haha, no problem. I promise. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d actually give it to me."

"Even if I didn’t, you would’ve taken it by force, wouldn’t you?"

Hiruzen’s face showed a hint of resignation.

"Your strength now… I can’t even gauge it. I’d rather avoid a life-or-death struggle if I can.

Plus, I know you’re different from Orochimaru. You don’t have ambitions like his, and you have a good heart—you won’t endanger Konoha!"

"Hmm, even if that sounded like flattery, you’re right about that!"

Hattori chuckled and nodded at Hiruzen’s words.

"I’m a man of my word. As long as Konoha doesn’t push me to my limit, out of respect for Naruto and Kurenai, I won’t be hostile toward it.

And I owe you a favor. You can call it in anytime, as long as your request is something I can accomplish and doesn’t violate my principles."

"Is that so? That’s wonderful!"

Hiruzen’s eyes lit up at Hattori’s words.

"My request is that if Konoha ever faces a major crisis, you’ll step in and help. Will you agree?"

"Hey, isn’t that asking a bit much?"

Hattori’s face showed reluctance the moment Hiruzen finished speaking.

"Konoha’s major crises don’t happen just once or twice. If I have to step in every time, what am I? I’m not your Hokage!"

"Do you want to be Hokage?"

Hiruzen chuckled at Hattori’s words.

"Haha, I wouldn’t mind that. As long as you have the people’s approval, becoming Hokage isn’t out of the question!"

Hattori: "→_→"

Yeah, right. You’re one sneaky old man.

Back then, Hashirama Senju said the same thing to Madara, and look how that turned out.

Thinking of this, Hattori couldn’t be bothered to banter with the smiling Hiruzen and directly laid down his terms.

"I said I owe you one favor. I’ll help once if Konoha faces a major crisis.

But if you want me to step in a second time, the entire South Street of Konoha becomes mine, with no time limit—this agreement lasts as long as Konoha stands!"

"Fine, deal!"

Hiruzen agreed without hesitation.

To him, if things reached the point of needing Hattori’s intervention, the entire village might already be at risk.

What’s one street at that point?

After agreeing to Hattori’s condition, Hiruzen seemed to think of something and asked him another question.

"Can you tell me just how strong you’ve become?"

"Hmm… Honestly, I’m not sure myself!"

Hattori shrugged innocently at Hiruzen’s question.

"Because I’m so strong now, there’s no one who can force me to use my full power. If I had to give a benchmark, I’d say I could flatten Konoha in about this long."

He held up a single finger.

Hiruzen’s eyes widened. "You mean… a day?"

"No, the time it takes to let out a fart—more than enough!"

"…"

…

Half an hour later, Hattori left the Hokage building with three scrolls in hand.

As for whether Hiruzen believed what he’d said, Hattori didn’t care.

What he cared about now was the last line in Pakura’s letter—"If you need company, you can go find Kurenai Yuhi."

Hattori could imagine the situation if Kurenai had seen the letter herself.

That would certainly take away any "loneliness."

Of course, Pakura probably knew that Kurenai wouldn’t read it, or maybe there was another hidden meaning.

Hattori scratched his head, puzzled.

"Does she mean I should find Kurenai when I feel lonely, or is she warning me not to?"

He pondered for a while but couldn’t figure out Pakura’s true intent. Eventually, he decided to take it at face value.

"Fine, I’ll go find her. Besides, I’m just killing time anyway, right?"

After all, can’t men and women have pure friendships? Is it wrong for friends to keep each other company?

With that thought, Hattori convinced himself to go find Kurenai, giving himself a solid reason.

"This isn’t being a player; I’m just going to chat with a friend. My intentions are pure, so what do I have to fear?"

With that, he felt a newfound confidence.

(Chapter Ends)

*Chapter 218: Naruto’s New Mission*

Before heading out to find Kurenai, Hattori decided to grab a meal. After all, if something unexpected came up, it wouldn’t help to be low on energy. As he pondered whether to get some grilled meat for protein or go to a seafood place for some fish protein, a familiar voice called out to him.

“Yo... Hattori big brother!”

“Hm?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Hattori turned to see Naruto, looking travel-worn but full of energy.

“Hey, Naruto! Did you just get back?”

“Yep!” Naruto nodded, grinning. “I just finished a delivery mission. Have you eaten, Hattori big brother?”

“Not yet; I was just about to grab something.” Hattori chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Naruto’s hair. “You probably haven’t eaten either. Let’s go—I’ll treat you!”

“No, this time it’s my turn to treat you, Hattori big brother!”

With a broad smile, Naruto pulled out his bulging frog wallet. “I saved up this money from missions. I want to treat you to some Ichiraku Ramen, believe it!”

“Uh... well…”

Seeing the eager look on Naruto’s face, Hattori couldn’t bring himself to refuse and nodded in agreement.

“Alright, but fair warning—I have a big appetite!”

“Hehe, no problem!” Naruto cheerfully waved his full frog wallet. “I’ve got plenty of cash; eat as much as you want, believe it!”

...

Half an hour later, Hattori had eaten through thirty bowls of ramen in one go. Naruto, staring at his now-empty frog wallet, was close to tears.

“Hattori big brother, I didn’t know you could eat even more than me!”

“Haha, it’s not so bad. I just didn’t have a proper meal all day,” Hattori replied with a chuckle, watching Naruto’s sorrowful expression.

“How about I cover this one, and you can treat me next time?”

“No way!” Naruto shook his head firmly as soon as Hattori suggested it. “I already said I’d treat you, and a ninja never goes back on his word—this is my ninja way!”

“…”

Seeing Naruto’s determination, Hattori didn’t try to stop him again. Naruto emptied the last coin from his frog wallet with a pained expression to pay for the meal.

Hattori had expected Naruto to be dejected, but as soon as they walked out of Ichiraku Ramen, he was already full of energy again.

“Hattori big brother, I’m only doing low-level missions right now. Once I start doing higher-level missions, I’ll earn even more money. Then, when Gaara returns, I’ll treat you all to some grilled meat—believe it!”

“Haha!”

Hearing Naruto’s goal, Hattori couldn’t help but laugh, nodding his head as he did.

“Alright, I believe in you. As long as you keep working hard, you’ll definitely get higher-level missions. Just let me know when that happens. Alright, it’s getting late; go get some rest.”

“Got it! See you, Hattori big brother!”

“See you!”

After parting ways with Hattori, Naruto happily dashed off into the distance, and Hattori headed toward his home.

Passing a bookstore, he decided to buy a dictionary and began flipping through it on his way home.

When he arrived at his front door, a familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

*[Skill Unlocked: Basic Text Comprehension – You can now understand and use basic written language in the Shinobi world.]*

*[Note: Your reading level is now equivalent to that of a sixth-year student at the Ninja Academy. Congratulations!]*

Hattori: “(╬￣皿￣)”

Congratulations, my foot! Are you trying to insult me?

Feeling offended by the notification, Hattori immediately changed his plans to visit Kurenai. Instead, he returned to his own house, turned on the living room lights, and activated his Sharingan to tackle the dictionary.

“No way am I giving up! These ninja texts can’t be that hard to master!”

Fueled by determination, Hattori stayed up all night using his Sharingan to read through the dictionary page by page.

In the early hours of the morning, as he finished the entire dictionary, another notification appeared.

*[Skill Unlocked: Intermediate Text Comprehension – You can now understand and use most written language in the Shinobi world.]*

*[Note: Your reading level is now comparable to an average ninja. Congratulations!]*

Hattori: “(￣︿￣)”

Just as I expected—piece of cake!

Smiling at the notification, Hattori closed the dictionary, took out a ninjutsu scroll he had copied, and began studying it. He could recognize all the words individually, but together, they didn’t make much sense.

Clearly, he hadn’t mastered enough of the dictionary!

Stowing away the scroll, Hattori pulled out the dictionary once more, reading it word by word. Even when he went out for breakfast the next morning, he carried it along, reading as he walked.

As he arrived at Ichiraku Ramen’s entrance, he heard Naruto’s familiar voice.

“Hattori big brother, I got a new mission!”

“Hm?”

Turning around, Hattori saw Naruto carrying a travel bag, walking over with Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura. Beside them was a middle-aged man wearing glasses and holding a bottle of sake.

Tazuna!

The moment Hattori saw him, he recognized the man instantly, and his eyes lit up.

“Tazuna? Looks like we’re at the Wave Country arc. I remember Gato showing up in this part—wasn’t he a millionaire? This is a golden opportunity; I’ve got to get involved!”

With a wide smile, Hattori walked over to Naruto, patting him on the head, then gave Tazuna a polite nod.

“You must be the bridge-building expert from the Land of Waves, Mr. Tazuna. I’ve heard a lot about you!”

“Uh… and you are?”

Seeing Tazuna’s puzzled expression, Hattori knew he’d identified the right person. His smile grew even wider.

“Haha, I’m Hattori, a businessman from the South Street district of Konoha. I deal in all sorts of trades. I was just thinking of purchasing a shipment of seafood products valued at a billion ryo. Would you be interested…?”

“Of course!” Tazuna’s eyes sparkled as he eagerly shook Hattori’s hand. “The quality of our seafood products is unmatched in the Land of Waves. I’m sure you’ll be satisfied. I’m heading back there now—why don’t you come along and check it out?”

“Sure, I’d be glad to!” Hattori accepted the invitation immediately.

Seeing this, Naruto cheered with excitement.

“Wow, Hattori big brother is coming with us—that’s awesome, believe it!”

Naruto’s excitement drew curious glances from Sasuke and Sakura, who both looked over at Kakashi.

Kakashi just shrugged.

“Well… looks like there are five of us now. Let’s get going!” he said, turning to Hattori with a low voice. “What are you planning to do, exactly?”

“Nothing much—just looking to earn some extra cash and maybe find a new front-desk girl for my business,” Hattori replied with a wink.

“If you’re going to do business, you need a good image, right?”

“…”

*Chapter 219: The Journey to the Land of Waves (Part 1)*

Thanks to Hattori tagging along, the group traveling to the Land of Waves increased from five to six people.

Tazuna and Naruto seemed happy, while Sasuke and Sakura stayed quiet along the way. Kakashi, on the other hand, looked wary.

In Kakashi’s eyes, Hattori was someone who never acted without a profit motive. For Hattori to leave Konoha, there had to be a big incentive, and with incentives like that, there were usually huge risks involved.

Kakashi was starting to regret taking this mission.

But by now, it was too late to back out—he didn’t have a good reason to cancel the mission out of nowhere, and it wasn’t really his style.

So, after they left the village, Kakashi was on high alert, prepared for any surprises.

Before long, a puddle on the ground caught his attention.

It hadn’t rained for the last two days, so this random puddle on the road was clearly out of place.

“An enemy? Let’s see who they’re targeting.”

Thinking this, Kakashi decided to ignore it and kept walking, pretending not to notice.

But the next second, two saw-toothed chains appeared from nowhere and attacked, binding him tightly.

At the same time, two masked ninjas with Mist Village headbands appeared in front of the group.

“The first one!”

With a low shout, the two ninjas yanked the chains, tearing Kakashi into pieces.

“Kakashi-sensei!”

Seeing this, Naruto froze in fear. He didn’t even flinch when the Mist ninjas came after him—thankfully, Sasuke acted in time.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A few sharp clangs rang out as Sasuke’s shuriken pinned the Mist ninjas’ chains to a nearby tree, stopping their attack.

However, the two Mist ninjas didn’t give up—they ditched the chains and split up, attacking Naruto and Tazuna separately!

Seeing this, Sakura immediately shielded Tazuna, while Sasuke quickly doubled back to defend. Naruto, though, was still paralyzed with fear, lying flat on the ground.

Just as the Mist ninja was about to strike, he suddenly stopped.

Naruto looked up and saw that the person who saved him was… Kakashi! The very same Kakashi who’d been “torn to pieces” just moments ago!

The two Mist ninjas were now caught under Kakashi’s arms, helpless like little chickens held by the neck.

It was only then that Naruto and the others realized the “Kakashi” who’d been shredded was just a pile of logs and branches.

Kakashi had used the Substitution Jutsu.

After the fight, Kakashi praised Sasuke and Sakura for their strong performance during the battle.

But to Naruto, he offered an apology.

“Sorry, Naruto. I didn’t save you right away, and you got hurt. But I didn’t expect you’d freeze like that.”

Naruto felt like he’d been hit by a lightning bolt.

And what made him feel even worse was Sasuke’s next comment.

“Hey, you’re not hurt, are you, scaredy-cat?”

Naruto: ╭(°A°`)╮

Scaredy-cat?

Hearing Sasuke’s words, Naruto froze, then felt a surge of humiliation. His eyes darted to Hattori.

What he dreaded most was that Hattori—the one who’d always believed in and encouraged him—would be disappointed in him.

But to his relief, Hattori didn’t look down on him. Instead, he gave Naruto a warm smile.

“Naruto, there’s nothing shameful about feeling fear in the face of danger. But you have to learn to overcome it. That’s a quality every ninja must have. I believe you’ll do better next time!”

“Hattori-nii-san!”

Naruto’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude.

Seeing this, Hattori smiled again, then turned to Kakashi.

“Kakashi, this mission is more complicated than it seems. It’s beyond what these kids can handle. Let’s head back.”

“Head back?” Kakashi frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

Hattori turned to Tazuna.

“Mr. Tazuna, a guy named Gato is trying to kill you, isn’t he? You must know he’s hired a bunch of rogue ninjas, right? And you downplayed the mission level because you couldn’t afford the full price?”

“This…” Tazuna was visibly shocked that Hattori had guessed the truth. “How did you know?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just know that I’ll protect you and even help fund the bridge construction.”

Hattori then looked back at Kakashi.

“So, here’s the deal: I’ll take Mr. Tazuna to the Land of Waves. You take Naruto and the others back to the village. Just say the client canceled the mission.”

“…”

Kakashi fell silent, as did Sasuke and Sakura, who both glanced at Naruto.

Naruto wore a look of disbelief.

“Is Hattori-nii-san saying this because of me? Is he asking Kakashi-sensei to cancel the mission just to protect me?”

Once again, Naruto felt that crushing sense of humiliation.

In a rush of emotion, he drew a kunai and stabbed his left hand in front of everyone’s shocked faces.

Sakura shouted, “Naruto, what are you doing?!”

Naruto didn’t answer her directly but began to speak slowly.

“I thought I was getting stronger, completing missions, training in jutsu alone every day. I don’t want to keep waiting for others to save me.

I won’t be beaten down or run away anymore. I won’t lose to Sasuke. I swear by the pain in my left hand, I’ll protect the old man, and we’ll continue the mission!”

“…”

Everyone was silent, and Hattori scratched his head, a bit exasperated.

“Naruto, I think you might have misunderstood me. Well, whatever—if you want to continue, then go ahead. What do you think, Kakashi?”

“I have no objections.”

Kakashi shook his head and cast a glance at Hattori.

“With you here, the mission level doesn’t really matter. Besides, I’m curious about what you’re up to.”

“Oh… just bit of business.”

Hattori shrugged at Kakashi’s question, then turned to the now-stunned Tazuna with a slight smile.

“All right, Mr. Tazuna, let’s get going. And by the way, I think we should discuss a little business deal on seafood. How about it?”

“Uh…”

Tazuna snapped back to his senses and quickly nodded. “Of course! What type of seafood do you need?”

“I want the basics like seaweed and kelp, shrimp and dried scallops. The high-end stuff, too—like fish fins, sea cucumbers, and abalone. Does the Land of Waves have these?”

“Yes… absolutely!” Tazuna said, nodding enthusiastically. “How much do you need?”

“However much you can get. I’ll pay 80% of the market price. Is that okay?”

“Yes… yes, thank you so much!”

Tazuna was so excited that he stumbled over his words, thanking Hattori repeatedly.

Seeing Tazuna’s joy, Hattori smiled and held out his hand.

“Here’s to a successful partnership!”

“Yes, a successful partnership!”

Hattori and Tazuna shook hands, sealing the deal.

Watching this, Kakashi felt like he and the others were just errand-runners for the boss. Weary, he waved at Naruto and the others.

“Let’s go. Time to continue the mission!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 220: The Journey to the Land of Waves (Part 2)*

The group set off again, leaving the two Mist ninja who had ambushed them earlier to Kakashi, who dragged them into the woods for questioning.

After learning that they were rogue ninja from the Mist Village called the "Demon Brothers," Kakashi used a Doton (Earth Style) jutsu to bury them alive, saving himself the trouble of digging a grave.

Even though the two were thoroughly dealt with, Kakashi remained on high alert, knowing that more rogue ninjas hired by Gato would likely try to ambush them soon.

There might even be rogue ninja of jounin level!

"When the time comes, he should step in, right?"

With this thought, Kakashi glanced over at Hattori, who was calmly reading a book, and furrowed his brows.

“Wasn’t this guy illiterate? What’s he reading… a dictionary?”

Noticing Kakashi’s gaze, Hattori looked up and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Something you need?”

“Nah… nothing important.”

With that, Kakashi stuffed his left hand into his pocket and pulled out Make-Out Paradise with his right, engrossing himself in it.

Seeing this, Hattori shrugged and returned to his dictionary.

…

Maybe it was because they had eliminated the "Demon Brothers," but for the next few days, their journey was peaceful, and the group arrived in the Land of Waves without any issues.

Well, maybe not totally without issues.

The boatman tasked with taking them across was too afraid of Gato’s influence to even start the engine. Instead, he rowed them through the thick morning fog to enter the Land of Waves.

Once they were in the country, Kakashi grew even more vigilant, knowing that any attempt on Tazuna’s life would likely come soon.

As expected, Kakashi’s warning came when they passed through a wooded area.

“Everybody down!”

Following his command, Naruto, the others, and Tazuna all hit the ground.

Almost immediately, a massive executioner’s blade spun overhead, slamming into a tree trunk nearby with a loud thud.

At the same time, a man wrapped in white cloth and shirtless stepped into view.

Kakashi’s expression hardened, but he spoke with a light tone.

“Ah… isn’t this the rogue ninja Zabuza Momochi from the Mist Village?”

“Rogue ninja?”

Naruto, who was behind him, furrowed his brow, puzzled but undeterred. He started charging forward, determined to prove he wasn’t the "coward" Sasuke had called him.

But before he could get far, Kakashi held him back.

“Stay, this guy isn’t like the others—fighting him will even be tough for me!”

As he spoke, Kakashi took his left hand from his pocket and placed it on the Konoha headband covering his left eye.

Seeing this, Zabuza spoke up.

“Looks like you’re the famed Sharingan Kakashi. Sorry, I’m short on time. Hand over the old man quickly!”

With that, the atmosphere grew tense.

It was then that Hattori, who had been silent, finally spoke up.

“Sorry, but I’m also in a hurry. Kakashi, stop messing around and just use Kamui to take him out!”

Kakashi: "..."

Kamui? Easy for you to say!

Although Kakashi was surprised that Hattori knew about his Kamui, he wasn’t entirely shocked.

After all, a guy like Hattori, who could predict the Fourth Hokage’s death and Orochimaru’s defection a decade ago, probably wouldn’t find Kakashi’s Mangekyou Sharingan that mysterious.

But the problem was, Kamui wasn’t exactly easy to use!

Even Uchiha descendants with Mangekyou Sharingan find it a strain on their bodies—let alone someone like Kakashi, who was a “half-baked” Sharingan user.

Kakashi’s Sharingan had been transplanted from Obito, so it was always active, draining his chakra continuously.

Dealing with limited chakra and managing it efficiently had always been Kakashi’s dilemma.

Hearing Hattori’s suggestion to “Kamui” Zabuza away, Kakashi really wanted to retort, “If you think it’s so easy, you try it!”

Hattori caught Kakashi’s expression and sighed.

“Well then, I guess I’ll handle this. For me, only kage-level fights are mildly interesting. Watching a couple of weaklings peck at each other doesn’t excite me.”

“Peck at each other?”

Hearing this term, Kakashi’s mouth twitched, while Zabuza, perched on a branch, laughed in anger.

“Heh, bold words! Let’s see if your skills match your mouth—Hidden Mist Jutsu!”

As his voice dropped, a thick mist enveloped them, quickly reducing visibility to less than a meter.

A wave of killing intent flooded the area.

Although Hattori was Zabuza’s main target, Naruto, Sasuke, and the others also felt the pressure, leaving them paralyzed with fear.

Just as their minds started clouding over, Hattori’s mocking voice cut through the fog.

“Hidden Mist Jutsu? Just another water monkey trick. Are you insulting me?”

At his words, the dense fog vanished in an instant.

Everyone looked up and saw that Hattori was now holding Zabuza’s executioner’s blade, with Zabuza himself pinned under his foot, unable to move.

The arrogance was gone from Zabuza’s face, replaced with terror.

“What’s going on? I can’t move… Who are you?”

“Dead men don’t need to know.”

With that, Hattori raised the executioner’s blade high, glancing at the wide-eyed Naruto and the others.

“No peeking, kids! Turn away!”

Σ(°△°|||)Σ(°△°|||)Σ(°△°|||)

Terrified, the three quickly looked away, with Sakura even squeezing her eyes shut.

Just as Hattori was about to finish Zabuza, he heard the faint sound of projectiles slicing through the air.

Swoosh swoosh…

Reacting instinctively, Hattori stepped back, avoiding the attack.

Though he dodged, Zabuza, still underfoot, was struck in the neck by two flying senbon, hitting a major artery.

“Ugh…”

Zabuza let out a groan, his eyes going wide before he fell still.

“Oh… now he’s finally dead!”

As a cold voice echoed, a figure wearing a Mist Village Hunter-nin mask appeared on a nearby branch.

The newcomer quickly bowed to Hattori.

“Thank you, sir. Without your help, I wouldn’t have had the chance to kill Zabuza Momochi.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Hearing this, Hattori grinned.

“Well, in that case, young man, how do you plan to repay me for this favor?”

(End of Chapter)