"If you can't stomach it, you still have to push through. Being a ninja means we all have to kill eventually—even if not today, then tomorrow. Sooner or later, you'll have to learn how to take a life!" Sakura frowned slightly. Truthfully, she had never actually killed anyone before. But given the current situation, even if she was unwilling, there was no other choice left for her. "Besides, the ninja world is ruthless. If you don't kill, someone will kill you instead. Just like Gato and his group—maybe we could spare them, but if we were at their mercy, would they really show us any mercy?"
"Don't let it weigh too heavily on your mind. In the world of ninja, bloodshed is common—enemy blood, yes, but also your own and your comrades'!" As Kakashi spoke, sorrow briefly flickered across his eyes. Though he'd come to terms with the truth that Rin's death hadn't been his fault, letting go wasn't easy.
"I understand, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura replied gently. "And don't be too sad anymore. After all, Rin already forgave you!"
Standing on her tiptoes, Sakura patted Kakashi's shoulder and said, "We'll handle these enemies this time—it'll be good experience, a taste of real battle!"
"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked once more.
"Absolutely sure!" Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke exchanged glances, then nodded simultaneously, speaking in unison.
"Alright then. The enemies are yours to deal with." Kakashi smiled. "But don't let killing scare you too much."
Kakashi's warning wasn't without reason—many ninja were scarred for life after their first kill. Some even froze in fear the moment they took a life. It was a common occurrence, yet an unavoidable rite of passage for any ninja.
"We're not that weak-willed!" the trio exclaimed.
They exchanged knowing smiles, adjusted their gear, and stepped outside the wooden hut.
"Wait for me!" Zabuza hurriedly chased after them, hugging half of his broken Cleaver Sword. He still needed those enemies' blood to restore his weapon.
Outside the house, Gato's gang blocked their path, wearing smug expressions. Particularly arrogant were the two chunin mercenaries hired by Gato, who looked as if they ruled the world.
"Dazuna, you actually dared defy my orders—you've got nerve!" Gato glared at Dazuna, spitting out an angry curse. Then catching sight of Sakura and the others beside him, his eyebrows lifted slightly. "I see why you suddenly dared oppose me—so you found some freshly graduated Konoha genin to protect you! For the money you paid, I guess you could only afford brats like these!"
"The Konoha forehead protector. Freshly graduated genin from Konoha, huh?" One of the two chunin mercenaries glanced contemptuously at the forehead protectors worn by Sakura and her team. Yet his expression quickly turned cautious. "Three fresh Konoha genin aren't much to worry about, but usually a team of new genin is led by a jonin. That could be dangerous."
"You scared already?" Gato's face darkened. "I paid you so much money—how come you're hesitating even before the fight has begun?"
"Those brats are nothing to fear, but we must watch out for their Jonin squad leader," the two rogue ninja explained. They were merely Chunin-level shinobi from an obscure backwater village—if they faced a Konoha Jonin, they wouldn't stand a chance.
"What's there to be afraid of? Even if they do have a Jonin with them, so what? You think he'd dare attack me directly? Just eliminate Tazuna and his group, and I'll give you an extra bonus!" Gato snapped impatiently. Not being a ninja himself, he had no idea just how vast the gap was between a Chunin and a Jonin.
"Well... fine then. Fortune favors the bold—we'll take the job." The two Chunin exchanged glances. Their greed for coin finally overcame their fear. After all, the enemy's leader hadn't shown up yet—maybe he wasn't even here at all.
"Oh, and one more thing—kill Tazuna and his annoying grandson, but leave his daughter alive. Hmm... That kunoichi over there too. I've never tasted a ninja before." Gato stroked his mustache smugly, clearly confident in his decision.
At Gato's words, Sakura's expression darkened instantly, while Kakashi, hidden in the shadows, let a flicker of killer intent flash in his eye. Zabuza even silently burned a stick of incense for Gato—he'd seen plenty of fools eager to die, but few this reckless. The "kunoichi" Gato was talking about was far from harmless; she was a devil wearing a lamb's disguise.
"Once the boss gets a taste, maybe we'll get some scraps!"
Gato's men began cheering wildly, completely oblivious to the fists Sakura and her teammates had clenched tightly.
"Don't hold back when the time comes," Sakura said coldly, forcing the words through gritted teeth.
[Chapter 147 - Wood Release: Hellish Chaos (Part 1)]
"Got it."
Naruto and Sasuke also fixed Gato's group with murderous gazes. The pressure radiating from the three young ninja alone crushed the aura of Gato's hundred-man entourage.
"Hey, want me to help out?" Zabuza asked, stepping forward with half of the Kubikiribocho in hand.
"No thanks. Just wait until it's time to let your sword drink blood!" Sakura replied flatly. Today was the day Gato and his men would die—no doubt about it.
"Fine then!" Zabuza didn't argue further. The young woman was radiating sheer killing intent—better to keep his distance for now.
"Huh? Zabuza?! You actually betrayed me?!" Gato shouted furiously upon seeing Zabuza. "You dare betray your employer? Do you even care that no one will ever hire you again?!"
"Not worried at all," Zabuza answered honestly. He was about to start a new life in Konoha with a golden backer behind him—there was no way he wanted to go back to his old life of working for anyone who could pay. "And the reason I betrayed you is simple… You're just too stingy! You paid only one percent of the total fee upfront, didn't cover my living expenses at all, and made me pay for food, clothing, housing, and travel out of my own pocket. What little you offered wasn't even enough to cover basic costs during the mission!"
Just thinking about the pittance Gato had given him made Zabuza want to swear up a storm. According to standard practice, the deposit should be at least ten percent of the total payment—yet Gato, that cheap bastard, had only coughed up one percent. Plus, Zabuza had to cover all the expenses for his food, clothing, lodging, and daily necessities during the mission. With such a measly payment from Gato, there'd barely be anything left after completing the mission. In previous jobs, though he often paid for materials like explosive tags himself, things like food and lodging were almost always provided by the employer. Zabuza had never seen anything like this before.
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