"So now you understand why the Third listens to Sakura, right?!" Kakashi tilted his head toward the sky. "Even if Sakura has no official status, the Third would never ignore her opinion—he wouldn't want Konoha to suddenly get hit by a meteor storm, would he?"
"In other words, he's just scared," Zabuza shook his head. "Still, as the Hokage, of course he wouldn't wish for his own village's destruction."
Walking and chatting, they soon arrived at the Hokage Tower. The bustling scenery along the way brought longing looks from both Zabuza and Haku.
"Mission completed?" The Third looked at the group entering the room, his gaze lingering for a long time on Zabuza and Haku. "And who are these two?"
"Rogue ninja from Mist, one of the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist, wielder of the Cleaver Sword—Demon of the Hidden Mist - Momochi Zabuza!" Kakashi pointed at Zabuza, then shifted his hand toward Haku for introduction. "Haku, bearer of the Naminaka clan's Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, Zabuza's loyal companion—a ninja who dislikes killing!"
"So let me get this straight—you went on a mission and came back with two rogue ninja?!" The Third's eye twitched visibly. "Kakashi, surely you know Konoha can't just take in rogue ninjas like this! And if I'm not mistaken, wasn't Momochi Zabuza declared a rogue because he assassinated the Fourth Mizukage? How do you think Mist will react when they find out he's hiding here in Konoha?!"
"It was my idea for them to come to Konoha," Sakura said stepping forward. "Please don't blame Kakashi—this is all on me. Okay, so Bandage-head might have had a rough past, but that situation had its own hidden truths. Don't worry—he won't cause any trouble in Konoha. As for Haku, she has great potential as a Medical Ninja. Especially with her Ice Release abilities, she could be incredibly valuable in medical applications. Maybe she'll even grow into another Tsunade-sama someday!"
"No thanks! One Tsunade-sama is already more than enough for me!" Hearing Sakura's suggestion, the Third's forehead wrinkled up in distress. Another Tsunade? With just one already giving him endless headaches, adding another would probably leave Konoha bankrupt from gambling debts!
"Third Grandpa, you're misunderstanding me again! I meant only in terms of medical skill—not her gambling habits!" Sweatdrops formed on Sakura's forehead. Clearly, the Third had suffered greatly from Tsunade's gambling addiction.
"Then that's good, very good indeed," the Third sighed in relief. "Konoha can't afford two people who always lose every bet. Tsunade's terrible gambling luck has already brought her to the brink of being chased around the world for debts—if it weren't for Jiraiya secretly funding her behind closed doors, she'd have vanished off the face of the earth by now."
"As for Mist's reaction, don't worry about that either," Sakura said confidently, raising her right hand toward the sky like she was swearing an oath. "Even if they *do* try to cause trouble, that's exactly why I'm here. No need to panic, Third Grandpa. If anyone comes looking for trouble, just send them packing! And if things get serious, we can always give them their own personal meteor storm. After that, I guarantee nobody will dare complain ever again!"
"Relations between ninja villages can't be handled this way. You have to learn to compromise and take a step back." The Third muttered while rubbing his fingers together. This suggestion was truly tempting, but he couldn't openly admit his interest. He could only spout insincere words.
"Pfft, compromising only works when everyone's about equal in strength. Look at the time of the First Hokage. Even though the First Hokage was very friendly, did any other ninja village dare push their luck? They appeared harmonious on the surface, but it was really out of fear!"
Sakura secretly rolled her eyes. Wasn't Hashirama Senju humble enough in attitude? Yet not a single village dared overstep with him. Why? Simply because Hashirama had the power to wipe them all out anytime. If Hashirama wasn't strong enough and showed that kind of attitude, he would've been completely taken advantage of. In the end, this world still followed the rule that power is the ultimate truth.
"You shouldn't speak so bluntly," the Third cleared his throat. Although what was said was indeed the truth, stating it outright was simply inappropriate.
"Anyway, I'll give Lord Third my guarantee. If Mist ever wants to cause trouble, leave it to me. I'll bring a Meteor Storm over their village for a couple of rounds, and I guarantee they won't dare causing any more trouble afterward!"
Sakura stepped up without hesitation. Solving a problem could sometimes be simple — forget all the scheming, just bring power.
"Fine then, they can stay in Konoha Village. However, according to regulations, we need someone to monitor them. This mission will be entrusted to Kakashi, since you already have experience in this matter." The Third took a puff of his pipe. Now that the biggest problem already had a solution, there was nothing else he needed to worry about.
"As for employment issues, Zabuza currently cannot leave the village, so he can only take small missions within Konoha Village. As for this one called Haku, he can go to Konoha Hospital for some training. If possible, he can pursue a career in the medical division afterward."
"Zabuza can go to the medical division with Haku!" Sakura suggested. "After all, Zabuza's specialty has always been knife techniques. His incisions would definitely be very precise. When surgery is required, let him do the cutting while Haku gives instructions. Working together, they should make a good team."
"What I learned before were all methods of killing people. When it comes to saving lives, I'm afraid I wouldn't be capable!" Zabuza frowned. All he studied was how to kill people. Asking him to work in the medical department to save lives? That was just too difficult!
"There's no need for you to do anything else — just follow Haku's lead. Ice Release can greatly assist surgeries. At that time, follow Haku's instructions. Wherever she tells you to cut, that's where you cut. No need to meddle with anything else!"
Sakura's face carried a threatening expression as she said, "Unless you'd prefer going to Konoha's slaughterhouse to butcher pigs?!"
[Chapter 152: The Sly Fox Kakashi (Part 2)]
"I'll go to Konoha Hospital!"
Zabuza didn't even blink before making his decision. Let's be serious — if he were actually forced into a slaughterhouse, reduced to slaughtering pigs, he'd never show his face in public again. The infamous Momochi Zabuza, becoming no better than a mere pig butcher? What would those who knew him even say then? Could he still command respect in Jianghu (the martial world) after such disgrace? He simply couldn't bear that kind of humiliation.
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