Team 7 had arrived to the destination but to actually get to the town, they had to travel via boat. The squad rode on the boat in silence, surrounded by a think fog and deafening silence surrounding them.

"This fog's so thick, you can't see anything." Sakura commented.

"The bridge isn't far now. Our destination's just ahead, The land of Waves." Said the owner of the boat who was escorting the team.

Couple of seconds later, the view became a little clearer. Towering over the tiny boat was a massive bridge. The bridge was long but stopped at a dead end- indicating that the bridge hasn't been finished.

Astonished by the bridge, Naruto yelled out, "Woah! It's huge!"

"What? Quiet! I told you, no noise!" The boat's owner scolded the blonde. "Why do you think we're traveling like this, huh? Cutting off the engine and rowing. Moving through the dense fog so they don't see us."

Naruto quickly covered his mouth after that whilst the other two Genin; Sasuke and Sakura remained quiet.

'Who's They?' Y/n Thought.

"Mr. Tazuna..." Kakashi spoke, staring at the old man. "Before we reach the pier, I want to ask you something." Tazuna didn't respond and stayed silent.

"The men who are after you, I need to know why. If you don't tell us, I'm afraid I'll have to end this mission and drop you ashore." Kakashi continued.

"Hey, isn't that a bit harsh?" Y/n said to the white haired man, for once actually sticking up for Tazuna.

"It's better to get some information now than later and risk the safety of the team...considering this mission wasn't made for us in the first place. If we just go straight in without knowing who the enemy, or, enemies are, it'll be extremely dangerous and'll put us all in grave danger." Kakashi replied.

"I see..." Y/n thought for a second. He was right. Everyone stared at the old man in silence, waiting for an answer. Tazuna finally gave up and spoke.

"I have no choice but to tell you. No, I want you to know the truth. Like you said, this is beyond the scope of the original mission.

The one who seeks my life is a very short man who casts a very long an dangerous shadow."

"A deadly shadow?" Kakashi mumbled. "Hmm who is it?"

"You know him. At least, I'm sure you've heard his name before. He's one of the wealthiest men in the world. The shipping magnet, Gato."

Kakashi eyes- or eye- widened at this. He honestly wasn't expecting that. "Huh? Gato? Of Gato Transport? He's a business leader everyone knows him."

"I don't." Y/n commented.

"Who? Who? What? What?" Naruto whispered.

"Gato is a very powerful tycoon from a famous company, that's true. But below the surface, with the same ruthless methods he uses to take over businesses and nations, he sells drugs and contraband using gangs and ninja.

It was a year ago when Gato first set his sight on The Land of Waves. He came to our island and used his vast wealth to take total control of our transport and shipping. Anyone who tried to stand in his way simply disappeared.

In an island nation, a man who controls the sea controls everything. Finance, government, our very lives. But there's one thing he fears, the bridge.

When it is complete, it will join us the land, and that will break his control. I am the bridge builder." Tazuna confessed.

"So that's it..Since you're in charge of the bridge, you're standing in this gangster's way." Sakura said.

"That means those guys we fought in the forest, they were working for Gato." Sasuke explained.

Kakashi stared at Tazuna in slight confusion. "I don't understand. If you knew he was dangerous, knew he'd send ninja to eliminate you, why did you hide that from us?" He questioned.

"Because The Land of Waves is a small, impoverished nation. Even our nobles have little money. The common people who are building this bridge, they can't pay for an A or B ranked mission..it's too expensive. If you end the mission when you drop me ashore, there will be no bridge. They'll assassinate me before I reach home." Tazuna explained.

"But don't feel bad about that. Of course, my sweet little grandson will be upset. He'll cry, "Grandad! I want my Grandad!"'

Sakura and Naruto's expression changed as they started to feel bad. "Oh, and my daughter will condemn the Ninja of the Hidden Leaves, denouncing and blaming you for abandoning her father and living her life in sorrow."

"Oh well. It's not your fault. Forget it."

At this point, with the exception of Y/n, Team 7 changed their minds. "Well, I guess we have no other choice. We'll have to keep guarding you." Kakashi smiled and shrugged.

"Oh, I'm very grateful.

"What- are you kidding me?! Was it not blatantly obvious that he just guilt-tripped and blackmailed you all? Unbelievable!"

Tazuna then stares at the fourth wall. 'I win.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We're approaching the shore." Announced the boat owner. The said boat was about to enter a tunnel underneath a part of the bridge.

"Tazuna, we've been very fortunate. No one has noticed us so far."

"Nice going."

As soon as the boat entered the tunnel and exit through the other side, the atmosphere and scenery changed. It was no longer a dead, cold and foggy place but instead, a peaceful one...well..on the outside.

The sun shined in the clear blue sky with a few white clouds peacefully flying past. The air quality was so clear, you could see the mountains far away.

Once Team 7 and Tazuna arrived at their destination unnoticed, they all got off the boat and onto a deck.

"That's as far as I go. Good luck." Said the owner.

"Thank you for taking such a risk."

"Just be careful." After that, the boat owner turned on the boat engine and road away.

Tazuna turned towards the squad. "Okay. Take me to my home, and I mean get me there in one peace."

"Right."

Y/n wanted to push the old man into the water but was stopped by Sasuke. "Come on, let's go."

"Hmph."

'The next ninja they send won't be Chunin, they'll be Jonin, elite ninja with deadly skills..hmm' Kakashi thought.

On the way to Tazuna's home, Naruto frowned at Sasuke as the ravenette walked up to where he was.

'Uggh! I'm not letting Sasuke get all the glory this time. Believe it!' Naruto jumped ahead and suddenly threw a Kunai in a random direction. Everyone thought something was going to happen...but nothing did.

"Oh it was just a mouse." He smirked

"Mouse? Yeah, right! Everyone can see through your stupid act! You're so obvious, it's embarrassing!" Sakura angrily yelled at him.

"Naruto, those are kunai knives. They're dangerous!"

"Stop trying to scare me, you scruffy little dwarf!" Tazuna yelled at him as well.

Y/n sighed as Sasuke scoffed.

"Hey! Is someone hiding over there or what about there? Hm, over there!" Naruto threw another kunai in the direction he heard a noise from.

Sakura stormed up to the blonde and hit him over the head. "That's it, Naruto!"

"Ouch! Why'd you do that? Someone really is following us. I mean it!"

"Yeah, right. Quit lying and  acting like a dumb kid!"

"Calm down, you two!" Y/n scolded.

Kakashi went to go check where the kunai hit and saw a very terrified rabbit slumped against the tree. The kunai just centimeters away from its head. Sakura saw and scolded Naruto again.
Naruto was shocked once he saw the rabbit also and went to go hug it and apologizing.

Ignoring the commotion in the background, Kakashi was thinking. He was suspicious of the animal. It was a snow rabbit...in the summer. It's supposed to be white during the winter.

'This rabbit was raised indoors away from the light, which can only be for one purpose. A replacement technique.'

Hidden within the trees without anyones notice was a man. His attention fully focused on the white haired Jonin.

Kakashi turned towards the direction of the suspicious man. 'So they're already here.'

Y/n, also sensing someone else's presence, turned around in the same direction as Kakashi.

A couple seconds later, a giant sword came swinging from the trees. "Everyone, Lookout!" Kakashi called out. Everyone jumped out of the way, avoiding getting hit. The massive sword then struck a tree. Appearing from the trees and onto the sword, creating a dramatic entrance was a man who was unfamiliar to the others. However, except Kakashi.

'That must be...' Kakashi trailed off. Naruto, on the other hand, only thought about how he can outshine Sasuke, completely not aware of the potential danger the Leaf ninjas and Tazuna are in.

'I like that guy's outfit. I want one .' (￣▽￣)
You can already guess who thought this.

"Well, well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi, rogue ninja from the village hidden in the Mist." Kakashi spoke.

'Zabu-Zebra....or Zebra-Zabu? Hmm..'

'Rogue ninja? Whatever. Nothing's gonna stop me. Ready...Go!' Naruto was about to run at Zabuza but Kakashi stopped him.

Unlike those other ninjas, Zabuza was the real deal.

"If he's our opponent, I'll need this.' The Genins stood back, wondering what he was going to do.

"This could be treacherous."

"Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye..Did I get that right?" Upon hearing this, Sasuke looked at Kakashi in shock and suspicious. The Sharingan? There's no way. He's not even an Uchiha. The only ones with the Sharingan are him and Itachi.

Y/n also side-glanced Kakashi, also skeptical herself. She never heard of a white-haired Uchiha. Actually, he's not even an Uchiha! With the clan on the verge of extinction, where could he have possibly get a Sharingan eye from..?

"It's too bad, huh? But you'll have to handle the old man."

Naruto stood in confusion. The Sharingan? What is that?

'What's he saying? Is that some special power?' Sakura thought

"Now quick!" Kakashi quickly began to give out the order. "Manji formation! Protect the bridge builder and stay out of this fight."

"I taught you teamwork. Now it's time to use it.

Finally, Kakashi lifts up his ninja headband from his left eye to reveal...the Sharingan.

Woah it's been a month already? ☠️
Sorry if the chapter was boring, I needed to get these out the way.