46-50

Chapter 46: First Encounter with an Attack

Touji sluggishly arrived at the gates of Konoha Village on Monday, where Dazna and Team 7 were already waiting.

Kakashi Hatake stood nearby, seriously reading the book in his hand.

When he noticed Touji coming, Kakashi quickly put away the book and walked toward him.

“Damn it, Touji!”

Touji stumbled and almost tripped.

But he quickly regained his balance.

“Kakashi, are you worried about me? Are you coming along on this mission?”

Kakashi shook his head slightly, his face turning serious.

“I feel something’s off with this mission. Recently, the Third Hokage has been giving us an unusual amount of tasks, and even Lord Hiashi is swamped. This can’t just be a coincidence.”

Touji had already suspected as much but still put on an exaggerated look of surprise.

“Are you saying this is the Third Hokage’s revenge?”

“As expected, you’re a smart man,” Kakashi nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of admiration.

“So, the most important thing on this mission is to protect yourself! If something seems wrong, abandon the task and return to the village immediately!”

Touji rolled his eyes. If he were to act on that now, he could drop the mission and head back to the village right away.

While Touji was lost in thought, the Third Hokage arrived at the gate, accompanied by two members of the Anbu.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes passed over Touji, a brief flash of killing intent appeared.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, Touji. We’ve been so busy lately that I had to ask for your help to complete this.”

Touji sneered.

He didn’t believe for a second that this old fox, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was just here to show concern.

But since they were already there, Touji decided to play along.

“Damn it, Lord Hokage.”

Seeing Team 7 salute him, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction.

“I’m just an old man; no need to salute me.” Sarutobi’s smile suddenly vanished, and his expression grew stern.

“Touji, don’t underestimate this mission. Even though it’s labeled a C-rank, it’s crucial for maintaining good relations with the Land of Waves. If anything goes wrong, I’ll hold you accountable!”

Touji sneered again.

So, this is what all the fuss was about—just waiting for him to slip up.

Although Sarutobi was downplaying the situation, if the mission failed, there’d surely be consequences later.

“Hey, hey, you’re not planning on having these four kids complete the mission, are you?”

Hearing the conversation between Touji and Sarutobi, Dazna hurried over in concern.

“Don’t be fooled by their age. They’re skilled ninjas, some of the best in our village. Don’t worry, if anything happens, we’ll make sure someone is held responsible!”

Dazna looked at Sarutobi skeptically, but he couldn’t challenge the Hokage in public.

Besides, Dazna had kept some key information hidden, afraid that revealing it would increase the cost.

After all, the fee difference between a C-rank mission and an A-rank mission is astronomical.

Once Sarutobi finished speaking, he turned to Kakashi.

“Kakashi, have you completed your task?”

Kakashi’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Ever since their last encounter, Hiruzen Sarutobi had done a complete 180 in his treatment of him.

Now, Kakashi was constantly being sidelined.

However, Kakashi didn’t regret it. Exposing the truth about his father, Sakumo Hatake, was worth more to him than anything.

Kakashi didn’t respond to Sarutobi and instead walked over to Touji.

“Kid, be careful out there!”

After saying this, Kakashi turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared, revealing that it had been a shadow clone all along.

On the road, Dazna suspiciously eyed Touji.

He had spent a hefty sum to hire four twelve-year-old kids. If he returned to the Land of Waves, he’d probably become a laughingstock.

But Dazna didn’t dare to complain much, knowing that these kids were still ninjas. If he angered them, who knows if he’d be able to defend himself.

“Touji-kun, I changed my hairstyle just for today. Does it look good?” Sakura Haruno asked, fiddling with her hair in hopes of getting Touji’s attention.

But just then, Touji stopped, his face turning serious.

“Don’t like it? I’ll change it again tomorrow,” Sakura said, disappointed.

“Stay alert. Protect the old man!” Touji commanded.

Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura immediately drew their kunai and moved to guard Dazna.

Naruto Uzumaki, however, looked confused and stared at Touji, puzzled.

“Touji-kun, what’s going on?” Naruto asked.

As soon as he finished speaking, several ninjas jumped out from all directions, each holding a gleaming kunai, rushing toward Dazna.

Naruto finally reacted, quickly crossing his hands to perform the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu.

But before he could gather chakra, the ninjas were already upon him.

Fortunately, Touji pulled Naruto back just in time, or the story might’ve ended right then.

Sakura, although prepared, was facing experienced and much stronger ninjas, who outmatched her in both strength and speed.

In just a moment, she was kicked aside, leaving a huge gap in Dazna’s defenses.

Sasuke frowned, rushing to fill the gap.

However, even facing one ninja was already tough. Now up against two, Sasuke found himself quickly overpowered.

Touji frowned as he looked at the three ninjas in front of him.

From his memories, the first ambush team they encountered outside Konoha should have been only two ninjas.

But now, there were five.

Zabuza Momochi was a rogue ninja from the Mist Village, and he didn’t have many followers.

And these three ninjas seemed hesitant, clearly afraid to use their real skills.

“If you’re so scared of being exposed, then you can die!” Touji coldly snorted.

Ninjas who don’t use their usual tactics and jutsu are only half as strong.

And with that strength, they were nothing in front of Touji.

With that thought, Touji swiftly drew his White Fang sword and vanished, using the Body Flicker Technique.

“Body Flicker! That’s a fast Body Flicker!”

“Everyone be careful, his speed with the Body Flicker is insane!”

Seeing Touji move, Team 7 couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

Even Sasuke’s lips curled into a slight smile, a look of pride appearing on his face.

At that moment, a flash of white light passed by, and three ninjas fell to the ground, dead.

They never even realized where Touji’s attack had come from.

“Amazing! Touji-kun took down three ninjas with one strike!”

“Of course! Do you even know who Touji is?”

“Touji-kun, quickly finish off the last two ninjas!”

Excitement and pride were written on the faces of Team 7, with Sakura blushing slightly.

But instead of attacking again, Touji used the Body Flicker Technique to carry Dazna away, then sat on a tree branch.

“You two can forget about escaping. If any of you manage to kill even one of these kids, I’ll let you go.”

*Chapter 47: Training Squad 7*

Squad 7 was completely stunned.

Touji wasn’t making a move!

Even though it was a three-against-two situation, they were up against two experienced ninjas. Three rookie genin couldn't handle that.

The two ninjas snapped out of their despair.

Touji had moved so fast earlier that they knew they couldn't stand a chance against him. But if they faced the remaining three, they were suddenly filled with confidence.

"You go distract the kid in blue. I'll take care of the other two!"

"Got it!"

After a brief exchange, the two ninjas swiftly launched their attack.

As long as the monster-like guy didn’t interfere, their chances of winning were still very high.

At this moment, Tazuna gulped.

He had initially doubted Touji’s abilities, but now he felt reassured.

That sword strike was breathtaking. Even though Tazuna was just an ordinary person, he could tell how powerful it was.

No wonder the Hokage of Konoha valued Touji so much; there was a reason behind it.

Touji, on the other hand, had no interest in Tazuna’s stammering praise. His eyes were fixed on the two ninjas.

Although Touji had faced life-and-death battles before, they were mostly within Konoha.

He had only seen ninjas from outside the village in anime.

With Zabuza Momochi coming up, even though Touji had made some preparations, it would still be dangerous if he didn’t fully understand his opponent’s fighting style.

Uchiha Sasuke was currently fighting one of the ninjas.

Thanks to Touji's special training, Sasuke was much stronger than his anime counterpart.

Especially with his Sharingan, he could see through the enemy’s moves, putting him on equal footing with the ninja.

However, things weren’t looking as good on the other side.

Although Uzumaki Naruto had the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, he couldn’t even activate it under the relentless assault. He was being pushed back, step by step.

And Haruno Sakura? While she had no problem beating up Naruto, when it came to real ninja combat, she was practically invisible.

Apart from throwing a few kunai, she wasn’t contributing at all.

"Aren't you going to help them?" Tazuna asked hesitantly.

Touji slightly shook his head.

Even though he had a system that boosted his power beyond anyone else’s, he didn’t want to play the role of the hero.

He had two children of destiny right in front of him. Why risk his own life when he could use them?

After all, he didn’t have the main character’s plot armor.

If he encountered a powerful enemy, he couldn’t just shout in rage and miraculously win.

Through quick observation, Touji figured out the fighting styles of the two ninjas.

Konoha ninjas typically prioritize their own safety first, then search for their opponent’s weaknesses before exploiting them.

But these two ninjas were completely different.

They launched constant attacks, leaving no room for the enemy to breathe.

If their opponent made the slightest mistake, they would magnify it to secure victory.

This approach was tied to the habits of each village.

Konoha, while dark in some respects, was still a very supportive place for regular ninjas.

Its unique geography gave Konoha ninjas enough resources for training.

In fact, Konoha ninjas often hadn’t experienced real combat until they left the village.

That’s why ninja teachers usually had students create distance first and then use their knowledge and training to come up with a battle plan.

But the Mist Village was entirely different.

It was still in its "Bloody Mist" phase, where a ninja had to kill another ninja to graduate from the academy.

And not just defeat them—kill them.

Mist ninjas learned assassination techniques from the moment they entered the academy, often using their classmates as targets.

So, any Mist ninja worth their name had strong combat experience.

Once they seized an opening, they would relentlessly pursue it.

After a few minutes of fighting, the members of Squad 7 had started to adapt to the two ninjas' tactics.

Uchiha Sasuke, using his Sharingan, had begun to gain the upper hand.

But Naruto and Sakura were in bad shape—covered in wounds, barely able to stand.

"I’ve got you now!"

One of the ninjas grinned wildly as he thrust a kunai straight toward Sakura's neck.

Sakura tried to dodge, but her injured body couldn’t move fast enough.

"SAKURA!"

Naruto shouted desperately, running toward her.

But the ninja was too fast. Even a fully-powered Naruto would struggle to keep up, let alone in his current battered state.

Faced with the incoming kunai, Sakura closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

"Help me! Touji, please save me!"

The ninja’s grin grew wider.

In just a second, his kunai would pierce her neck, and he would live to see another day.

But then, a flash of white light cut through the air.

The kunai broke cleanly at the base, leaving only the handle behind.

The ninja’s eyes widened in shock as he quickly drew another kunai and attacked again—this time aiming for Touji.

"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"

Touji casually deflected the kunai with one hand and then kicked the ninja away with two swift kicks.

Compared to Hyuga Hiashi, this ninja was nothing!

Sakura, not feeling the expected blow, slowly opened her eyes.

When she saw Touji’s back in front of her, tears began to pour from her eyes.

Ignoring Naruto, who had rushed over to check on her, she threw her arms around Touji’s back.

"I'm so glad you're here! I thought you wouldn’t come to help me, Touji-kun!"

Seeing this, Naruto turned and charged toward the remaining ninja, exacting brutal revenge.

[Ding! Haruno Sakura's affection has increased by 2 points! Current affection: 70 points! You can now sign in!]

[Ding! Uzumaki Naruto's affection has decreased by 1 point! Current affection: 53 points!]

"Sign in for Haruno Sakura!"

[Ding! Signed in successfully for Haruno Sakura! Acquired Chakra Scalpel! Affection increased by 3 points!]

Touji frowned.

It wasn’t that the Chakra Scalpel was bad, but he noticed that Naruto’s affection was steadily dropping. At this rate, it would eventually go negative.

Why was Naruto, the backup option, getting so worked up when even Sakura’s future husband, Sasuke, wasn’t reacting?

Still, for the treasures on Naruto, Touji couldn’t let his affection drop too much.

From now on, he’d have to avoid increasing Sakura’s affection in front of Naruto.

Touji quickly pushed Sakura away and used the Body Flicker Jutsu to dash toward Sasuke. He finished off the remaining ninja with a single slash.

"Sasuke, step aside. It’s time I told you about what happened back then!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 48: Fear in the Bones*

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes grew heavy, completely devoid of any joy after his victory.

He had previously agreed with Touji that if he could defeat him, Touji would reveal everything that happened all those years ago.

At first, Uchiha Sasuke didn’t take it seriously.

After all, Touji was around his age, and despite having been in Konoha for so long, Sasuke had never even seen him.

But recently, Tenten mentioned that Touji seemed to know many hidden secrets, to the point where even the Hokage grew wary.

Sasuke became even more determined, hoping to surpass Touji and uncover the truth of what really happened back then.

He originally thought the gap between them was narrowing. However, after their recent battle, the fire of determination that had just been ignited in Sasuke was extinguished.

No matter how hard he tried, Sasuke realized the gap between them was only growing wider, to the point where he couldn’t even see Touji’s shadow anymore.

But just now, Touji said he was about to reveal the secret from back then.

The moment Sasuke had felt hopeless, a glimmer of hope reignited.

"Touji-kun, was there really something hidden that year?"

"What do you think of your brother?"

Sasuke was taken aback for a moment, but then an uncontrollable rage surged from within.

"Itachi's a bastard!"

"No, I mean before that night!"

Sasuke was about to lash out, but memories of Uchiha Itachi from before that night flooded his mind, and the curses on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.

"It seems you've realized it too. Before that night, no matter how you looked at it, Itachi was a good brother," Touji continued.

Sasuke nodded slightly but quickly responded, anxiously exclaiming, "But he killed Father and Mother! He killed the entire Uchiha clan!"

"Do you think Itachi could have killed the entire Uchiha clan by himself?"

Touji’s words sent a shiver down Sasuke's spine.

As powerful as Itachi was, the Uchiha clan had so many members. Even if they all stood still and let him kill them, it would have exhausted him to death.

Let alone the fact that they would have resisted.

"Why do you think there were no Anbu present that night, when they’re usually everywhere?"

Sasuke trembled again.

As a civilian, he'd never encountered the Anbu.

But after entering the ninja academy and learning anti-surveillance techniques, Sasuke had noticed that the Anbu were everywhere in Konoha.

If you ever tried to do something bad, the Anbu would be the first to show up.

Especially on a night as significant as the Uchiha massacre—almost the entire clan had been wiped out, yet not a single Anbu appeared.

It made no sense.

"Itachi was part of the Anbu, maybe he tricked them away," Sasuke suggested.

"Do you really believe that?"

Sasuke chuckled bitterly, not believing it himself.

Anbu units typically operate in three-man teams. Even if Itachi could use his authority to send away one team, he wouldn’t have control over the others, which function independently.

"Are you suggesting this was a conspiracy?" Sasuke asked but quickly shook his head. "But I saw him with my own eyes, killing my parents!"

Touji sighed and shook his head. "As strong as the Uchiha clan was, they would have been no match for the entire might of Konoha. Even if they had to pile up the bodies, the Konoha ninja would have wiped out the Uchiha."

"Itachi agreed to the massacre mainly because of you!" Touji paused before continuing. "Though I don’t agree with what he did."

Itachi had slaughtered the Uchiha for the peace of Konoha.

To Konoha, he was undoubtedly an unsung hero. But to the Uchiha, the clan that had raised him, he was a traitor.

Even if Itachi hadn’t acted, Konoha would have launched an operation.

And in that case, Sasuke, his beloved younger brother, likely wouldn’t have survived.

It could only be said that Itachi was born in the wrong era.

"For me?" Sasuke fell into deep thought before anxiously asking, "Then who exactly was behind the plan to wipe out the Uchiha clan?"

"That would be..."

Just as Touji was about to speak, his entire body suddenly prickled with goosebumps. A wave of murderous intent like no other surged toward him.

He immediately scanned the area, searching for the source of the killing intent.

But no matter how hard he looked, there was no sign of movement.

"The water puddle!"

A shiver ran through Touji’s body as he noticed a large puddle of water at his feet, formed by the rain.

Without hesitation, Touji grabbed Sasuke.

"Slash!"

A figure suddenly emerged from the puddle, wielding a massive blade, swinging it down in a violent arc.

Touji and Sasuke were instantly cut in half.

But in the blink of an eye, the two of them transformed into logs that fell to the ground.

"A substitution technique? These kids are no joke!"

Momochi Zabuza sheathed his beheading sword and scanned the area warily.

"Are Konoha's kids really this strong now?" Zabuza muttered with a self-deprecating smile. "Too bad you ran into me."

In that moment, Zabuza quickly began forming hand seals, each seal perfect, as if straight from a textbook.

About a minute later, with the final tiger seal complete, Zabuza's chakra surged. Rings of water rippled across the once-flat ground.

As the ripples grew more intense, the surrounding air became moist.

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

In an instant, torrents of water erupted like a pillar, submerging the entire surrounding forest.

"Found you!"

Zabuza smirked and rushed over to Touji, swinging his beheading sword without hesitation.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and Zabuza frowned.

The strike he had just delivered, both in strength and speed, was top-tier. No ordinary ninja could have reacted in time.

Even if they had reacted, dodging it would have been impossible.

And blocking such a blow—Zabuza could count on one hand the number of people he knew who could do that.

Yet this kid in front of him had blocked it with nothing but a short sword!

In that moment, Zabuza's pupils contracted as he stared in disbelief at the glowing white blade of the short sword.

White Fang!

The name "Konoha's White Fang" was a nightmare for every Mist Village ninja.

Wielding a white short sword, White Fang had slaughtered Mist Village ninja to the point of near extinction.

That blood-soaked name was a legend in the Mist Village, and it could even stop babies from crying.

And now, that nightmare of the Mist Village had reappeared before Zabuza’s eyes.

He began to tremble uncontrollably.

A fear that arose from the depths of his soul made Zabuza's body shake uncontrollably.

Thankfully, Touji was only twelve years old; otherwise, Zabuza would have turned and run.

"Kid, who exactly are you? What is your relationship to Sakumo Hatake?"

---

*Chapter 49: Deflected with One Finger*

Touji's lips curled slightly as he casually said, "No big deal."

Zabuza's brows furrowed, and his grip on his sword tightened.

"Since you're not talking, then just die!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zabuza swung several slashes down.

Though these strikes were slower than the initial assassination attempt, each slash carried a gust of wind. Even without landing a direct hit, the wind from the blade could still wound Touji.

Touji quickly channeled his chakra. His White Fang sword, already white, began to glow brightly.

The broadsword Zabuza wielded was all about power—each swing could cleave through mountains and stones, making it nearly impossible to block. However, it was significantly slower than other weapons.

In contrast, Touji’s short sword emphasized speed!

Though it lacked a bit of raw power, striking critical areas could still result in a quick kill.

Thus, Touji didn’t try to take on Zabuza’s large sword head-on. Instead, he continuously moved around Zabuza using the Body Flicker Technique.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! If you've got guts, stop running! Let’s fight fair and square!"

Touji twitched at the corner of his mouth.

Clearly, Zabuza was starting to lose his composure because of Touji's tactics. He was saying whatever came to mind without thinking.

If Touji really stopped and fought head-to-head, that would be a sign he had truly lost his mind.

By now, sweat was pouring down Zabuza's forehead.

Each swing of the Executioner's Blade took a tremendous amount of energy, and if he stopped swinging, Touji would immediately attack Zabuza's neck.

Additionally, Zabuza noticed that both Touji's evasive movements and his sword strikes closely resembled those of Sakumo Hatake.

While Touji’s swordsmanship lacked some of the aura that Hatake possessed, Touji’s speed far exceeded Sakumo’s.

His threat level was no less than that of the famed White Fang.

“You told me you didn’t know the White Fang! Damn, I actually believed you!” Zabuza shouted in frustration.

Zabuza firmly believed that just one slash—just one—could end this kid’s life.

Yet this one strike seemed insurmountable, and no matter what, he couldn’t land it.

"Kid, can we negotiate? How about we stop fighting?" Zabuza asked again, this time with a hint of pleading in his voice.

Touji shrugged slightly.

Although it seemed like he had the upper hand against Zabuza, his chakra was rapidly depleting.

If the fight dragged on any longer, he feared his chakra would run out entirely.

Moreover, Zabuza's Executioner's Blade had blind spots in close-range combat.

But the most dangerous aspect of Zabuza wasn’t his sword; it was his assassination techniques!

*[Ding! Zabuza’s favorability has reached 45 points! Warning!!]*

*[50 points unlocks: Hidden Mist Technique!]*

*[60 points unlocks: Water Clone Technique!]*

*[70 points unlocks: Water Prison Technique!]*

*[80 points unlocks: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!]*

*[90 points unlocks: Executioner's Blade!]*

*[100 points unlocks: Silent Killing Technique! Achievement unlocked: "What do you think of Haku?" Activates unlimited sign-in (sign-in interval: seven days)]*

Touji frowned.

In Konoha, a favorability score of over 40 usually just indicated dislike.

Yet Zabuza showed no killing intent, though every strike was aimed to kill.

It seemed that in the future, determining whether a ninja wanted to kill you wouldn’t just rely on their favorability score—it would require a more comprehensive analysis.

Touji stopped his movements, and Zabuza laughed triumphantly.

"I agreed to stop fighting with you, but I never said I wouldn’t kill him!"

As Zabuza finished speaking, he charged straight at Sasuke Uchiha.

Even though Zabuza wasn’t exceptionally fast, in front of a mere Genin like Sasuke, his speed reached terrifying levels.

Sasuke’s pupils shrank in fear.

Though his Sharingan could see Zabuza's movements, his body couldn’t keep up. He could only watch helplessly as the Executioner's Blade came closer.

Sasuke let out a despairing smile.

Though his heart was filled with endless hatred, and he had just learned the truth about that fateful night, it seemed he was about to die here.

In that moment, a surge of intense anger erupted in Sasuke’s heart.

The air around his body grew heavy with power.

What stood out most was that Sasuke’s blood-red eyes now had an additional tomoe.

"I’ve become stronger!"

Sasuke’s heart was filled with joy, and his previously hopeless face now showed a trace of confidence.

The fear in his eyes had transformed into disdain.

"Touji can dodge, and now I can too! I might even counterattack!"

As Sasuke thought this, he started to move to the side.

But in the next second, he realized his mistake—a huge mistake!

Zabuza hadn’t been using his full strength before to maintain control over his strikes. But now that Sasuke was moving faster, Zabuza’s speed increased once again, and he reached Sasuke in the blink of an eye.

The wind from the Executioner's Blade tore Sasuke’s clothes as it approached.

"Is this the end?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, regretting his arrogance and not dodging immediately, instead thinking he could counterattack.

Touji shook his head.

As expected, the rain had stopped, the skies had cleared, and Sasuke was back to thinking he could take on the world.

Despite only being a Genin, he had the audacity to try to counterattack one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

Sasuke waited for a long time but didn’t feel the expected pain.

He slowly opened his eyes, only to see Zabuza staring at Touji in disbelief. If not for the bandages covering his face, his jaw would’ve dropped to the ground.

"You deflected my attack with just one finger? Who... who are you!?"

Touji quickly hid his trembling hands behind his back.

Though that finger flick had seemed effortless, it had used up the last of his chakra.

Touji had gathered all his remaining chakra into his finger and used the Gentle Fist technique to deflect Zabuza’s attack with minimal effort.

If Zabuza made any move now, Touji’s bluff would be exposed.

"Konoha Genin, Touji!"

"Yeah, right! A Genin deflects my attack with a finger? So, are you saying your village’s Genin are your top fighters? Can your Genin take on Madara Uchiha?"

Touji paused, now seriously wondering if Zabuza had secretly read the Naruto storyline.

“Zabuza, do you want to overthrow the Fourth Mizukage's tyranny?”

Zabuza’s eyes sharpened, his entire body now radiating vigilance.

“What are you getting at? Does Konoha want to interfere in Kirigakure’s affairs too?”

*(End of Chapter)*

---

*Chapter 50: Zabuza as a Bodyguard*

In the Hokage office of Konoha Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi was leisurely enjoying his pipe, puffing out clouds of smoke.

Before him, a ninja with a long sword strapped to his back knelt on one knee, bowing his head respectfully.

"Hayate, have you identified the origins of those ninjas?" Hiruzen asked.

"Yes, Lord Hokage. They are rogue ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Mist, led by Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."

Hiruzen’s eyes lit up, and his hand paused as he held the pipe.

"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, huh? They should be enough. But just in case, Hayate, you should go too."

"Understood, Lord Hokage."

Meanwhile, Team 7, along with Touji, was gathered around a small fire. Not far from them sat Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

"So, you’re saying the Fourth Mizukage was under a genjutsu and is being controlled?"

"Exactly! Otherwise, how could a gentle man suddenly turn into a bloodthirsty tyrant?"

[Ding! Zabuza Momochi's favorability increased by 7! Current favorability is 52 points! Sign-in is now available!]

"Sign in with Zabuza Momochi!"

[Ding! Sign-in successful with Zabuza Momochi! You have obtained the Hidden Mist Jutsu! Favorability increased by 5 points! Current favorability is 57 points!]

Touji's eye twitched.

The Hidden Mist Jutsu was probably the last jutsu Touji wanted to receive. Without strong sensory abilities and experience fighting in the mist, this jutsu was more trouble than it was worth. It consumed a lot of chakra and was more likely to mess with his own mindset than help in battle. What kind of twisted logic was this?

Zabuza sat in silence for a moment before looking at Touji and then at Team 7.

"Even if what you say is true, partnering with a kid... that's a bit much," Zabuza said reluctantly.

But before he could finish, Touji suddenly appeared next to him.

"It doesn’t matter who you partner with. What matters is what you gain from it."

A bead of sweat rolled down Zabuza's forehead. He couldn’t figure out just how fast Touji was. He thought only Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, could move like that.

"While this might benefit both of us and the Mist Village, I want to know, what’s in it for you? Don’t tell me you’re the type to burn yourself out to light the way for others," Zabuza sneered.

If Touji had directly asked for money, women, or even Zabuza’s life, he would have agreed without hesitation. At least then, Zabuza would understand what Touji wanted. But the fact that Touji wasn’t asking for anything made Zabuza suspicious.

"What I want is simple: the friendship of the Village Hidden in the Mist."

Hearing this, Zabuza burst into laughter.

The Mist and Konoha were sworn enemies. They would never stop fighting each other unless the entire ninja world was on the brink of destruction. And here was a ninja from Konoha, asking for the Mist's friendship. It sounded absurd—almost like a spy’s ruse.

"If you don’t state your real goal, our cooperation ends here," Zabuza said, standing up as if ready to leave.

Touji’s brow furrowed.

He just wanted to use Zabuza to sneak into the Village Hidden in the Mist, build some connections, and raise his favorability. After all, Mei Terumi had two bloodline limits, and with so many ninjas around, it would be a great opportunity to enhance his basic ninja skills.

But now, Zabuza didn’t trust him at all.

Just then, an idea popped into Touji’s head, and he smiled at Zabuza.

"I have two conditions!"

"First, my relationship with the Hokage is a bit complicated. I need you to protect me. Assassination experts like you are perfect for guarding against hidden threats."

Hearing this, Zabuza paused.

"Now that sounds more sincere. And the second condition?"

"My second condition is… I want Haku."

Zabuza froze for a moment, then took a step back, glaring at Touji with disdain.

"But Haku is…"

[Ding! Zabuza Momochi's favorability decreased by 1! Current favorability is now 56 points!]

Touji almost coughed up blood.

Zabuza looked like a heartless assassin, but his thoughts were more like those of Touji’s online friends from back in the day. And what’s with the favorability drop—was Zabuza jealous or something?

"Not like that! You don’t need to worry about what I mean. Just deliver Haku to me!" Touji clarified.

Zabuza shrugged indifferently.

"If delivering Haku can save the Mist Village, I’d even offer myself. But once it’s done, I’ll definitely end my own life."

"Then it’s settled. You fulfill my conditions, and I’ll hold up my end of the deal," Zabuza said before disappearing.

Yet Touji couldn’t shake the feeling that Zabuza was fleeing as if for his life.

Touji exhaled in relief.

Zabuza, the biggest boss in the Land of Waves, was now his bodyguard. Now, all he had to do was deal with the thugs.

Just then, Touji felt a tug on his sleeve.

He turned to see Sakura Haruno looking at him despondently.

"Touji, do you know Haku? Is she… pretty?"

"Pretty…" Touji hesitated.

In a way, Haku was indeed prettier than Sakura. But Haku was a boy!

The group soon arrived at the Land of Waves and stayed at Tazuna’s house. Though the house was small, it had the warmth of a home.

Touji ordered the three members of Team 7 out and took a relaxing bath before lying comfortably on the bed.

He had now secured his connection with Zabuza, paving the way for his entry into the Village Hidden in the Mist. But the Fourth Mizukage was still under the control of Uchiha Obito. If he tried to assassinate the Mizukage, he would undoubtedly face Obito and possibly the Akatsuki.

With his current strength, Touji stood no chance against any member of the Akatsuki. At best, he could rely on the Body Flicker Technique to escape quickly.

Luckily, Uchiha Itachi would soon arrive in Konoha. If Touji could raise his favorability, it might just save his life.

But for now, his priority was to max out the favorability of Konoha’s Twelve Ninja, which would boost his strength.

And, of course, to obtain Haku’s bloodline limit.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Touji scratched his head as he walked over, annoyed.

"Who is it? Can’t I get some rest?"

When he opened the door, he found an incredibly cute girl standing there, causing his heart to race.

"Zabuza-san sent me to stay with you!"

*End of Chapter*