Due to Musashi's interference, Kakuzu, knowing staying would be disadvantageous, decisively retreated. Although passionate about money, his own life was more important.
Naruto's Nine-Tails mode and the information transmitted from Musashi instantly killing his Wind-style heart - the strength Musashi displayed really might be able to kill him.
Having five lives, he'd already used up two. The urgent priority was replenishing hearts. So Kakuzu chose to immediately retreat. In his understanding, even if he didn't complete the mission, Gato wouldn't dare default on payment.
Unfortunately, his wishful thinking would fall through. The current Gato had long been controlled by the Uchiha survivors. If Kakuzu wanted money, he'd have to fight Musashi again.
Finally, due to Musashi's interference, Kakashi ultimately didn't have a life-or-death battle with Zabuza, so Haku didn't die either.
At the same time, Musashi attempted to recruit Zabuza, but unfortunately Zabuza wasn't the type to submit to others.
Or rather, every elite jonin was the same, even rogue ninja. They had their own pride - it wasn't so easy to make them serve you.
So Zabuza left with Haku. A few days later, the Land of Waves' bridge was completed, and Team Kakashi's mission was finished.
On the third day after Team Kakashi left the Land of Waves, Tazuna's family was killed at home, and the Land of Waves' bridge was destroyed again.
The courage the Land of Waves' citizens had barely gathered vanished into thin air once more.
The Land of Waves again fell under someone else's control, but this time the controller was more terrifying and more powerful than Gato.
The entire Land of Waves and Gato's entire shipping company all fell into the Uchiha survivors' hands, who began vigorously recruiting rogue and wandering ninja from outside.
They also searched the Land of Waves for children who could become ninjas.
A force was quietly rising.
Team Kakashi returning to Konoha - their days returned to normal once again, falling into an infinite loop of D-rank missions.
Of course, on the day they returned to Konoha Village after the Land of Waves mission ended, Kakashi reported the detailed process of this mission to the Third Hokage.
Zabuza, Kakuzu, and Musashi.
After the Third Hokage learned of this, he nodded without saying anything. He took no other superfluous actions afterward, instead maintaining silence.
He also ordered Kakashi not to reveal any information about this mission.
Occasionally Kakashi would lead them on a few C-rank missions to change things up.
Although with Sasuke and Naruto's strength, doing C-rank missions was completely pressure-free.
After the Land of Waves mission, Sasuke became even more silent, or rather, became even colder.
Now the only person in all of Konoha who could talk to Sasuke was probably just Naruto. Even Sakura was sometimes ignored by Sasuke.
"That hurts! You damn shorty, I'm going to teach you a lesson." A fat person dressed like an Arab woman with many strange patterns painted on his face was holding the Third Hokage's grandson Konohamaru with one hand, saying with a fierce expression.
Beside him stood a very beautiful girl carrying a huge fan on her back. But the girl had no intention of stopping the Arab woman-styled fatty.
"Ow." A hard stone hit the fatty's wrist. Momentarily in pain, he lost his grip and released Konohamaru.
"Who's there?" The angry fatty shouted furiously.
"I should be the one asking that. Even though it's the chunin exam period, causing trouble in someone else's village - have you thought about the consequences?" In dark blue short sleeves, Uchiha Sasuke coolly appeared on a tree in front of the two.
"So handsome." Temari holding the three-star fan - that was her first reaction upon seeing Sasuke. Don't blame Temari for being infatuated. Actually, Temari was already one of the few females in Naruto who didn't care much about appearance.
Otherwise in the original story, she wouldn't have married Shikamaru.
But she really couldn't withstand how handsome Sasuke truly was. His looks combined with that cool temperament - it must be said, very attractive to young girls.
"You damn guy!"
"Shut up, Kankuro! Or I'll kill you!" After seeing Sasuke, the fatty seemed somewhat unwilling, but the cold voice from behind Sasuke made him obediently close his mouth.
A boy with the character "love" on his forehead, carrying a gourd on his back.
That was the murderous demon Gaara - although also his brother.
"I'm sorry, we were wrong." Although speaking apologetic words, his tone contained no hint of apology, rather having a somewhat provocative flavor.
"Hmph, idiot Naruto, how long are you going to stay there?" Without acknowledging Gaara's provocation, he instead spoke disdainfully toward the other side of the tree.
"Ah, worthy of being Sasuke - you still discovered me." Naruto in white divine robes walked out from the other end of the tree.
"Konoha has quite a few handsome guys." Temari.
"Another clueless guy came." Kankuro.
"When did he arrive?" Gaara.
"You two are quite good. State your names." Killing intent flashed in Gaara's eyes.
"Before asking others' names, shouldn't you give your own name first? Little tanuki." Naruto said something that left Gaara baffled.
Who was little tanuki? He couldn't figure it out even if beaten to death. In front of Kurama, Shukaku was just a little tanuki.
"Sabaku no Gaara."
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"Cocky Sasuke, that guy isn't simple. Be careful when you encounter him." Watching Gaara's group leave, the first thing Naruto said to Sasuke was this.
"Idiot Naruto, I know without you saying." Rolling his eyes at Naruto irritably, in that situation just now even an idiot would know that Gaara wasn't simple.
"I mean that guy is the same as me." Naruto pointed to his own stomach.
"You mean..."
"That's right, there's also a monster living inside."
The chunin exam began. All jonin team leaders assessed their subordinates and finally submitted to the Third their lists of whether their subordinates were suitable for participating in the chunin exam.
This year's newly graduated Konoha Nine were all recommended by their jonin team leaders.
"Please let us in." In the hall for the chunin exam, a youth with a bowl cut and thick eyebrows and a girl with two bun-style hair were desperately pleading with two ninjas guarding the hall entrance.
"We're doing this for your own good. With your level of strength, don't participate in the chunin exam - just go back obediently." Disguised as genin, the chunin Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki spoke with a senior's tone, lecturing the two.
"Boring." Sasuke looked disdainfully at the several people's crude performance.
"Sakura, don't stand here in a daze. Upstairs is our destination. Let's go." Sasuke was in a good mood today and rarely maintained his cold attitude.
"You're Sakura, right?" The youth with the bowl cut and thick eyebrows suddenly walked before Sakura in the trio.
"Yes."
"Please date me!"
"No, your eyebrows are too thick." Like a comedy manga development.
"Stop, that fierce-eyed guy over there." As a member of the Uchiha clan, he was the object of attention wherever he went, but this person was the thick-eyebrowed one who had just confessed to Sakura.
"Let's compete now!"
"Hey, Lee! Didn't you say to keep a low profile? Why are you causing trouble now?" Tenten with bun hair looked helplessly at her companion.
If she'd known, she would have stayed with Neji. This Lee was really too unreliable. With his actions, what was originally low-key became high-profile, attracting even more attention.
"Interesting. State your name."
"Rock Lee!"
Lee's speed was very fast, at least much faster than ordinary genin. Even some chunin couldn't match his speed.
However, Sasuke's speed wasn't much slower than Lee's.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Not good, this guy is a taijutsu expert. Although Sasuke's speed and strength weren't much inferior to Lee's, after all, he relied on taijutsu for a living.
"Idiot Sasuke, how long are you going to play around? Be serious! This guy specializes in taijutsu." Naruto reminded somewhat dissatisfied.
"Sharingan!" After being hit by Lee several more times, Sasuke opened those crimson pupils.
"Those eyes - as long as my speed is too fast for you to follow, it's fine." As Guy's student, Lee understood very well the weakness of those Sharingan eyes.
"Speed doubled again? Looks like I also need to be more serious." Sasuke's speed suddenly increased sharply as well. Moreover, because he possessed Sharingan, Lee's taijutsu was actually at a disadvantage.
"Then I'll also do it - Leaf Whirlwind!" Sasuke fiercely returned exactly the same technique Lee had just used.
"Indeed very strong, worthy of being the Uchiha clan's genius." The injured Lee instead became even more excited.
"Shadow of the Dancing Leaf!" Another taijutsu technique. But this time, relying on having Sharingan, Sasuke planned to take it head-on and copy this decent taijutsu.
But as the two fought, Lee's bandages gradually unwrapped in midair.
"Let me show you taijutsu at its peak. Uchiha clan genius, I'll tell you that hard work can surpass genius."
"Not good, what does this guy want to do? Damn, I can't change direction in midair now." Sasuke's wishful thinking had a hole. He absolutely hadn't expected that before the chunin exam even started, someone was preparing to use their ultimate move on him.
"Cocky Sasuke, you were too careless! I have to help again..." A golden figure appeared between the two.
"This person is faster than me!" Rock Lee's eyes widened, looking incredulously at Naruto who had come between him and Sasuke.
"Get down!" He fiercely kicked Lee away.
Just then, a windmill pinned Lee's unwrapped bandages to the wall.
Then... appeared what made everyone break out in cold sweat - thick eyebrows' philosophical embrace.
(End of Chapter)
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