"Ahhhhhh!"
Gato let out a terrified scream, stumbling and crawling frantically in an attempt to escape.
"Hey—where do you think you're running to?"
But Naruto was already on him.
Before Gato could even take a step, Naruto grabbed him with one hand. The man struggled weakly, flailing in panic.
"D-Don't kill me! Please! Don't kill me!" he screamed. As Menma approached, Gato's eyes widened in terror—his entire body trembling as his lower garments darkened.
Naruto frowned, a look of disgust and disbelief on his face.
"Is this guy… seriously this cowardly?"
Menma's tone was calm and cold. "Naruto, this is what evil looks like. Sometimes, it's not strength or courage that makes someone dangerous—it's fear and greed."
Naruto frowned. "Maybe… but Menma, you didn't have to kill them all, right? They were just hired thugs. We could've just knocked them out. They weren't real shinobi, just ordinary men."
Menma paused, glancing at the bloodied corpses around them and the crimson chakra flickering faintly along his skin. "You're right. I lost control for a moment. It won't happen again."
His sudden compliance stunned Naruto.
He had expected Menma to argue—like always. He had even prepared a counterargument in his head, but Menma's soft reply left him wordless.
Was this… good?
Menma was agreeing with him now. That should be a good thing, right?
But somehow, it didn't feel that way.
For the first time, Naruto felt something distant—something cold—between them.
That strange bond, that quiet sense of kinship he'd always felt with Menma since childhood… it flickered.
It wasn't gone—but it was fading.
Naruto couldn't explain it. The sensation vanished as quickly as it came, leaving only confusion and unease in its wake.
Meanwhile, Menma turned away. "The mission's complete. Bring this man to Kakashi-sensei. Once he confirms the final information, the Land of Waves can finally have peace."
He grabbed Gato by the collar, dragging him along the deck like a carcass toward the bow of the ship where Kakashi was waiting.
Naruto blinked, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, then followed silently.
Even though Gato was clearly no warrior, Kakashi didn't take chances. After using genjutsu to extract information, the truth came out easily.
It had all been Gato's doing.
No connection to the Land of Water. No orders from the Hidden Mist Village.
Zabuza Momochi had been hired privately—nothing more.
Kakashi exhaled in relief. "So it wasn't Kirigakure interference after all. Good. If the Mist had actually intervened, this could've sparked another war."
The Copy Ninja's gaze hardened. "Even a small spark can set two nations ablaze."
Menma stepped forward. "Then, Kakashi-sensei, can I handle him?"
Kakashi studied him for a brief second, then smiled faintly beneath his mask.
"Of course, Menma. Do as you see fit."
He tossed him a sealing scroll. "Make sure it's done cleanly."
To Kakashi, Menma's request wasn't strange. Killing an enemy who threatened the mission was standard procedure for a shinobi. Showing hesitation was what got people killed.
Naruto's hesitation, however… worried him more.
"Kindness is fine," Kakashi thought quietly. "But if it clouds your judgment—you're no longer a ninja, you're a liability."
"Understood," Menma said. "I'll finish it quickly."
While Gato remained trapped under Kakashi's genjutsu, Menma leaned close, whispered a few words, then hauled the trembling man away toward the ship's cabin.
Kakashi turned to Naruto. "Let's head back. Leave this to him."
Naruto hesitated but nodded. "Yes, Kakashi-sensei."
They walked back toward Tazuna's bridge, leaving the ship behind.
Moments later, the vessel shifted direction—no longer heading toward the main island of the Land of Waves but turning north, slicing across the waves at full speed.
An hour passed before it reached a small island—a secluded place hidden behind mist and jagged cliffs.
"Are you sure it's here?" Menma asked coldly as he pushed the trembling Gato forward. "You know what happens if you lie to me."
Gato's body shook violently. "P-Please, Lord Menma, it's true! My hidden assets are here! I swear I'm not lying!"
Menma's expression didn't change. "Good. Lead the way."
"Y-Yes, yes, of course! This way, Lord Menma!"
The two figures moved silently—one trembling, the other calm as ice—as they approached a massive, luxurious building that rose from the lonely island like a fortress.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ 30+ CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OR PURCHASE FOR LIFETIME ACCESS!
👉 Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD