NOVEL NEXT Chapter 59: The Land of Waves
Chapter
60: The Land of Waves
Ambush after ambush. From the two
most ordinary chunin to the elite jonin level, it must be said that this C-rank
mission had really escalated to the extreme. The difficulty soared directly to
A-rank. As Kakashi said, if it weren't for the seventh team he leads, an
ordinary team would have been wiped out by Zabuza multiple times. Even teams
led by Asuma and Yuhi Kurenai would have struggled. Asuma's strength lagged
behind Kakashi's, let alone Kurenai.
When Tazuna said he was lucky, he
indeed was. After successfully dealing with Zabuza and Haku, the seventh team
and Tazuna set off again, and the rest of the journey was uneventful, with no
other attacks encountered.
After arriving at the strait between
the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves, they took the small boat called by
Tazuna, crossed the sea, and arrived at the small island country called the
Land of Waves. By the time they arrived, the sky had become completely dark.
Upon entering the so-called richest town in the Land of Waves, there were very
few lights. Naruto, Sakura, and the others, accustomed to the synchronized
bright lights of thousands of houses in Konohagakure, felt uncomfortable.
The
poverty was apparent. Crumbling buildings lined the streets, children played in
tattered clothes, and the air was thick with hopelessness. Windows were broken,
shops were closed, and an eerie silence permeated the town. It was a stark
contrast to the bustling streets of Konoha.
"Why don't people here turn on
the lights at night? Old man, are you people in the Land of Waves used to going
to bed early? Isn't this too early?" Naruto asked bluntly, struggling to
understand why the town was so dark and lifeless.
Tazuna replied with a wry smile,
"Well, Naruto, it's not because we go to bed early, but because we are
very poor here in the Land of Waves. We are so poor that we save on electric
lights. Many people don't even have electric lights in their homes."
Naruto seemed surprised by Tazuna's
answer. His eyes widened, and he was speechless for a long time. Born in Konoha
and raised as the son of the Hokage, Naruto couldn't truly understand what
poverty was. He could only try to comprehend it literally.
Sakura's
eyes widened in shock as they walked through the desolate streets. "This
is terrible... I never realized people lived like this," she murmured, her
voice filled with empathy and disbelief.
Sasuke,
though silent, felt a pang of discomfort. The scenes of desolation and poverty
reminded him of the emptiness he felt inside after losing his clan. His
expression remained stoic, but the sight stirred emotions he rarely showed.
·
Kakashi remained calm but his
eye softened with pity. He had seen many hardships in his life, but the state
of the Land of Waves was a grim reminder of the suffering that existed beyond
Konoha's borders. "Stay vigilant," he instructed, his voice gentle
but firm.
They continued straight to Tazuna's home on the edge of the
coast. As a bridge expert, Tazuna's family situation was much better than that
of ordinary people in the Land of Waves. The brightly lit scenery set them
apart.
Tazuna's eyes felt a little moist when he saw his familiar
home. This trip was full of ups and downs, and he almost thought he would never
return. If that had happened, Tazuna wouldn't have regretted his choice but
would have worried about his daughter and young grandson. The Land of Waves is
not a stable country.
"I'm back, Tsunami,
Inari!" He pushed the door open and shouted with great joy. A woman with a
beautiful face walked into the entrance corridor. Hearing Tazuna's familiar
voice, her face lit up with joy.
"Dad, you are back!" This
woman was Tazuna's only daughter—Tsunami.
"Well, I'm back. Tsunami,
prepare dinner. There are several ninja masters from Konoha Hidden Village who
are also going to dine with us! Let's cook something rich today!" Seeing
his daughter's familiar face, Tazuna's expression softened. Turning slightly,
revealing Kakashi, Menma, and the others, he instructed his daughter.
"Ah? Welcome, ninja-sama. I'll
get ready right away," Tsunami said, bowing slightly. Knowing what her
father was doing in Konoha Hidden Village, Tsunami quickly understood their
importance.
"Ah, don't be too polite, just
prepare a little. We ninjas are very casual in this regard," Kakashi said
with a smile.
Being a ninja often meant sleeping
in the open, eating whole grains, or even having nothing to eat. This was
commonplace. Not only Kakashi, but Menma, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were also
used to it. Despite the somewhat sheltered education in Konoha, wilderness
survival drills were a must in senior year at the Ninja Academy. They were
accustomed to this life through simulated survival moments in Konoha's vast
forests.
"Yes, I understand,"
Tsunami replied, smiling slightly before heading to the kitchen to prepare.
Kakashi, Menma, and Naruto followed Tazuna into the hall to rest.
As Menma passed the corridor, he
glimpsed a short figure hiding at the edge. 'That must be Tazuna's grandson,
Inari,' Menma thought, raising his eyebrows but paying little attention. For
Menma, besides waiting for Tazuna to finish building the bridge, his goal was
to fleece the fat sheep, Gato. Money might not be everything, but without it,
nothing could be done. Gato, a businessman controlling the economy of small
countries and mingling in the underworld, must have many assets. This fat
sheep, Menma was determined to eat. He wouldn't waste the opportunity like Team
7 did in the original story.
It was clear Tsunami took out all
her family's assets to provide for the ninjas protecting her father. After
dinner, Sasuke stood up, looking at Kakashi with a sharp gaze. "Kakashi, I
have something to ask you!"
This was foreseeable. As a
non-Uchiha having the Sharingan, Sasuke would definitely care. With battle and
travel, there was no suitable opportunity to ask before. Now settled, Sasuke
couldn't hold back.
"Well, no problem, come with
me." Kakashi, prepared for this, stood up and took Sasuke outside.
'I was preempted...' Menma thought,
shaking his head helplessly. He also had questions for Kakashi.