The Guild of Gamers: The Warlord

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.

Betad by Priapus, Mike God of Lore, Marethyu, Malcolm Tent

The Guild of Gamers: The Warlord

Chapter 16: The Land of Waves

– Ino Yamanaka –

Spotting Hei approaching her and Sakura, Ino felt her cheeks heat up. Her plan to lose her virginity to him was still… ongoing, which was to say that she'd chickened out on three separate occasions. Despite finally having confirmation that he found her just as attractive as she did him, it wasn't easy to actually go through with it.

"Hey, Hei," Ino greeted, taking a moment of pleasure at the way he froze mid-step, that tired look on his face at the joke he'd been hearing since he was a child. 

"Hello, Ino, Sakura," Hei greeted back, not commenting on it despite the way his lips twitched in annoyance.

"Hello, Hei," Sakura replied, smiling softly. It was unfair that Team Seven got to train with Hei, and Sakura had nothing but good things to say about Hei's teaching. It did reveal that Kakashi hadn't even taught them the basics yet. Both Sakura and Sasuki had looked unhappy when she'd mentioned that Team Asuma had finished learning tree walking within a week of graduation.

"I'm just here to inform Sakura about a team meeting. I am once again filling in for Kakashi, and we have a mission soon," Hei explained, making her blink.

"Didn't you just come back from a mission where you nearly died and got put on reserve again?" Ino asked before hesitating. "And maybe got eaten by a salamander?"

"I didn't get eaten on the mission. I got eaten after I got back, but yes," Hei agreed easily. "This mission is far lower-profile, but Kakashi is still busy, so I've been asked to fill the role of team leader. Let your family know you'll be out of the village on assignment and meet me at the village gate tomorrow first thing," Hei ordered, making Sakura nod quickly.

"Of course, Hei," Sakura said, but Ino just stared at him in slight annoyance as he blinked.

"Is there a problem, Ino?" Hei asked, making her groan before she moved forward and pulled him in for a rough kiss, his eyes widening before he leaned into it.

"Yes, there's a problem, you overworking bastard. I had a whole plan to have you pop my V-card this weekend, and you're running off for another mission," Ino admitted, her face burning red as he blinked but then chuckled. Sakura went bright red at the conversation topic, even though she already knew the plan herself. She probably hadn't been expecting Ino to just admit it.

"Ah, I'm terribly sorry to ruin your plans," Hei chuckled, giving her a grin as she put her hand on her hip.

"You better be; I had it all planned out perfectly. I made sure that our moms would be distracted and had everything worked out so we'd have lots of time. Then, you go and ruin it by being so damn hard-working. Be more lazy, Nara!" Ino whined, mostly playfully. "And if you're getting up early for a mission, I can't jump you tonight because I plan to wear you out," Ino flirted. "When you get back, you're mine. Clear your schedule. Your next mission is in my bedroom."

"You are going to wear me out?" Hei asked, a dark grin growing on his face as he pulled her against him. "Well, aren't you confident?"

His final words were spoken in a soft growl that sent shivers through her body. She was well aware that he was very active while she was a virgin, but she didn't let her nervousness show as she smirked up at him, running her hands along his chest.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time," Ino purred, kissing his neck. She wanted him from the moment she hit puberty. "Don't think for a moment that I'm going to let you go until you've paid for ignoring me for so long."

"He's going to break you," someone snorted, making her jump.

Spinning, she spotted Sasuki leaning against the wall with a light smirk. 

"How would you- no," Ino whispered, seeing the slight blush on Sasuki's cheeks. "Damnit, even you jumped the queue? I saw him first, damn it!"

"Should have acted faster," Sasuki admitted shamelessly, making Ino laugh despite her surprise. "We're going on a mission?"

"That's right. I'll be your pseudo-team leader on a mission to the Land of Wave. Congrats, you're out of the D-rank missions," Hei teased, making Sasuki smile. It was a genuine smile, not large but noticeable.

Sasuki had started to thaw out. She'd even heard that Sasuki had had a therapy session with her dad recently.

"Nice. I'll tell Naruko, I saw her heading to Ichiraku's. They trust you to lead a mission?" Sasuki asked, looking impressed. Honestly, that was a good point. Hei might be strong, but he was still a Genin.

"Fox is coming with us, and she's a Jounin, but officially, yeah, I'm leading this mission. Pretty sure this is a test, and nothing about my career so far has been 'normal'," Hei joked. "We're setting off at around nine, be there for eight."

"You do remember that I live in the Nara compound, right?" Sasuki drawled, making Hei chuckle. 

"Wait, since when?" Sakura cut in, making Sasuki shrug with a tiny blush.

"The Uchiha compound is falling to pieces; one teenage girl can't look after the entire place. I've made an alliance with the Nara as the last Uchiha, and Lady Yoshino insisted that I move in when she heard how bad the compound was getting," Sasuki admitted.

"Yeah, that sounds like Aunt Yoshino," Ino agreed with a chuckle, her eyes lingering on the way Sasuki had touched her stomach. Sasuki was the last Uchiha, and she'd always wanted to rebuild her clan… There was no way Aunt Yoshino would let someone carrying her grandchild live in squalor. 

Well, Ino had to admit she had good taste in men.

Plus, it hadn't occurred to her that Sasuki had been living alone in the same home where she'd seen her entire family die. She was glad that Sasuki had moved, but it was no wonder the orphan always seemed to have such a dark aura.

"I do need to talk to you. I didn't have a chance after you… you know, fed yourself to a giant Salamander," Sasuki drawled, making Hei rub his neck sheepishly. "But it can wait; the Land of Waves is a fair journey away."

"Wait, you willingly got eaten? I thought that was just an over-exaggeration," Ino asked, making Hei chuckle with an embarrassed look.

"It was the test to become the new contractor for the Salamanders… more or less," Hei admitted. "As you can see, I'm fine."

"Didn't your lungs literally rot?" Sasuki added helpfully, getting a dirty look from Hei. Sasuki just smirked slightly. "Hey, the entire Nara compound heard Lady Yoshino lecturing you."

"As you can see, I am fine and not dead. My lungs are also fine since I got the poison mist out of them. Tsunade gave me a clean bill of health," Hei said, making Ino rub her forehead. For how serious he looked, Hei could be an idiot, couldn't he?"

"Didn't Lady Tsunade just say that you should be dead but would live because you were a freak of nature?" Sasuki added again, seeing the look on his face. "Fine, fine, I'll stop. Still, you're not allowed to die. You've got a promise to keep and a job to do."

Again, Sasuki's hand touched her stomach, and Hei chuckled, ruffling her hair, much to Sasuki's annoyance.

"Don't worry, I don't plan to die anytime soon," Hei agreed. "Sakura, Sasuki. I'll see you soon. Ino, prepare yourself. When I get back, we're going to find out if you've bitten off more than you can chew."

Ino felt a shiver run through her body at his words and the look in his eyes, biting her lip with a small nod. She'd riled him up… good. 

Hei turned, pausing as she reached out and spanked him, getting another warning look for her trouble. She just grinned, blowing him a kiss as she watched him leave.

"You're playing with fire," Sasuki said simply, snorting as she turned to leave. She paused as Ino grabbed her arm.

"Oh no, you don't get to sneak away. I want details, and I want them now," Ino demanded, making Sasuki huff. 

"Why don't we all go to Ichiraku's? I haven't eaten yet," Sakura said with a small blush, Ino throwing her arm around Sasuki to stop her from escaping.

It was gossip time.

Knowing was half the battle, and she needed intel on her target.

– Sasuki Uchiha – Next Morning 

Arriving at the meeting place, she smiled seeing Hei speaking with the client. The old bridge builder was complaining about something, but Hei was having none of it and silenced his complaints quickly.

Her limp had almost faded away thanks to her regeneration. Ino might have gotten Hei worked up, but it had been her that helped him blow off that steam. Ino really didn't know what she was getting herself in for. Still, she'd woken up in his bed alone. Hei really was a hard worker.

"Team Seven, this is Tazuna, our client. Our job is to take him home to the Land of Waves, as he fears bandits will target him if he travels alone," Hei introduced, giving Tazuna a small glare as the man complained about them being brats. "This is a C-rank mission; a genin squad is more than enough to deal with bandits."

Tazuna flinched, barely noticeable, but she immediately picked up on it. Hei had chosen those words deliberately, giving her a small nod at her questioning look.

Naruko was predictably excited, while Sakura was nervous about leaving the village for the first time. Neither noticed the strangeness from Tazuna. There was more going on than Hei was saying.

"Besides, Fox will be joining us," Hei continued, Kushina appearing next to him as he did. "We'll get you home safe."

With Tazuna's complaints silenced, they set off, and Sasuki couldn't deny she felt a shiver of anticipation. Their first real mission…

The first day passed peacefully, but then, they were still too close to Konoha for anyone to cause them trouble, so when they set up camp, Hei used the chance to continue their training. 

Admittedly, she rushed to show off her new Sharingan, golden eyes taking in his form as he examined her.

"I'll be honest. I have no idea what that means," Hei finally said, making her laugh. She'd expected that, to be honest. His own powers were new, and he obviously hadn't given his boon to any other Uchiha. "They look beautiful, but as for what they do? I genuinely don't know."

"That's fine. Kakashi has a theory that I won't go blind from prolonged use. I didn't even know that was a danger for the Sharingan," Sasuki admitted, making Hei hum. She also hadn't known Kakashi had a Sharingan until he revealed it. She wasn't sure how to think about someone else having her clan technique, but she couldn't deny it was useful to have a teacher who knew more about the Sharingan.

"Me neither, but then, Kakashi would be one of the last experts," Hei agreed. "It makes sense to me. My boon keeps you in perfect condition, but why would it change your eye colour? Hm, I'll think about this, but for now, we'll just have to watch for any new developments."

Fox coughed, getting Hei's attention, and he nodded.

"I know, I was thinking the same thing. Later," Hei said, getting a nod from his masked bodyguard. What was that about? 

"T-there's one more thing," Sasuki said, making him turn back to her. She glanced at where Sakura and Naruko were, a good distance away. "You said your name was Kushina, right?"

"That's right," Kushina admitted, removing her mask.

"Would that be Kushina Uzumaki?" Sasuki asked, watching as Kushina froze. "I thought I recognised the name, and I had to think about it, but I remember my mother mentioning a Kushina… is that why you always try to teach Naruko? Is she a niece or-"

Trailing off, she saw that expression on her face again. Pain, grief.

"Or something," Kushina agreed. "Yes, I am. I've been unavailable for a long time, and not by my own choice. Naruko should have grown up with me. I was in a coma, essentially. Hei brought me back."

Did they have Hei have sex with a coma patient? Well, if it worked, she guessed. It wasn't her place to judge, and Kushina obviously didn't hold a grudge if that was what happened.

"Part of why Fox is on this mission is to talk with Naruko, but her return is very classified, and as you know, Naruko is not exactly a subtle person," Hei explained, making Sasuki snort at the understatement. "Fortunately, I can use a new power to bind a secret, so Naruko can't even tell people by accident. For now, I won't bind you because I trust you'll understand to keep her real name to yourself."

"I will," Sasuki promised quickly. "I- can you tell me about my mom? You were friends, right?"

Kushina's face softened, and she nodded. Again, she shared a look with Hei, who just rolled his eyes and nodded. She was missing something, but as Hei moved over to train with the others, Kushina took her a distance away for their own taijutsu training.

As they 'fought', Kushina told her stories of her time at the academy with her best friend… a girl called Mikoto. She was grateful that Hei was distracting the others. She might be on somewhat better terms with them after Hei's advice, but that didn't mean she wanted them to see her teary-eyed.

– Next Day –

She knew something was wrong as they travelled, but she couldn't put her finger on what. Hei had stiffened just a tiny bit, and so had Fox. Ever since she'd gotten her Sharingan, she'd been able to detect things like that even when they were turned off. 

Hei moved quicker, taking the lead and putting some distance between himself and the group. Fox positioned herself to be in front of Tazuna, both acting casual in their movements as Fox joked with Naruko.

She saw it before Hei used it, seeing it in the palm of his hand. An explosive tag slipping out of his sleeve and into his palm with barely a movement from him. As he stepped over a puddle, he dropped it.

It was only after he did so that she remembered something. It hadn't rained recently; it was a bright, sunny day… and there were two large puddles on the path.

The explosion made Sakura and Naruko jump, but she was already getting ready as the water reformed into a masked man who was coughing painfully from the blast, some blood being spat out. Hei used the moment to kick him in the stomach, making the man bend over as he drew his blade.

"Gōzu!"

The second puddle reformed, and a man in a similar mask and black cloak jumped out of it at Hei. He didn't get far, Fox lunging forward and hitting him with a wild, brutal haymaker, sending him tumbling away.

The first man lunged at Hei, a metal-clawed gauntlet swinging for his face, but Hei just sidestepped the sloppy attack and, in a single, swift movement… removed the arm it was attached to.

She froze, having not seen anything so brutal since that night. She could see Naruko and Sakura freeze as well. Hei didn't, not hesitating, as he brought the man down and slammed him into the ground.

Kushina did the same, beating the other man into the ground with a flurry of ruthless punches. Only stopping when Hei gestured for her to do so.

"Amateurs," Hei scoffed as they bound the pair, sheathing his blade. 

"What should we do with them?" Kushina asked, making Hei pause.

"Fox, take the others away from here. I have questions for them, and I don't think the others are ready to see that," Hei explained, making Kushina nod with a serious expression.

"You'll be alright?" Kushina asked.

"I am technically an intern in the T&I division. Anko's idea of a joke, I think. I'll handle these, and Cat can arrange for them to be picked up," Hei agreed. 

T&I… The Torture and Interrogation division. Ninja life was not pretty, but as Kushina gestured for them to move further along the path, she looked back at where Hei was taking the pair further into the forest.

All three of Team Seven froze as they heard something behind them. A scream.

"Is he-" Sakura started, trailing off.

"Those were missing-nin from the Village of the Mist. Kirigakure is known for its brutality. If we hadn't been here, you don't want to imagine what they would have done to three pretty kunoichi," Kushina said, her voice cold before she sighed. "It's not pretty, I know, but this is part of being a ninja. Information is power, and they won't give it up willingly."

"Hei's a scary guy when he wants to be, huh?" Naruko said, rubbing her neck awkwardly. 

Her mind went back to the sight of Hei slicing the man's arm off, the look on his face. It wasn't anger or fear or anything at all. Hei's expression didn't change in the slightest as he dismembered the missing-nin.

Hei returned shortly afterwards, giving Kushina a nod. 

"Tazuna, a word please?" Hei demanded, Tazuna freezing before he let out a resigned sigh. 

– Hei Nara –

Obviously, we knew there was more going on from the start, but Tazuna didn't need to know that. Cat has sent a message back to Konoha to have the 'Demon Brothers' picked up.

There is opportunity in this because Tazuna's decision to lie to Konoha could have deep consequences for his entire village, and he knows it. We can put them deeply in our debt and maybe even have the Fire Lord annex the place entirely.

That's not why I'm angry.

"I- I don't think we're ready for this," Sakura admits, looking ashamed as she wrings her hands.

"We can't just give up and go home, you heard the old man. That Gatō guy will kill him," Naruko argues, and I see Kushina looking proud.

"I want to keep going," Sasuki says, standing up a little straighter.

I have my own reasons to want to keep going.

[C-Rank Mission: The Land of Waves]

Objective: Escort the Bridge Builder home.

Objective: Capture Gatō 

Hidden Objective: Defeat the Demon Brothers (???)

Hidden Objective: ???

Hidden Objective: ???

No, I'm mad at myself. 

'Well, at least I shouldn't run into any of the Seven Swordsmen this time.'

I'm going to develop time travel powers and kick my own ass for that one day.

"I mean, we've got Kushina and Cat, right?" Naruko asks, nodding towards where Yūgao is standing. "We can handle some businessman and his mercenaries."

"It's not the mercenaries I'm worried about. The Demon Brothers work for a man named Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Make no mistake, this is a very dangerous mission. There's no shame in admitting you aren't ready for it yet," I say, mostly to Sakura, who looks embarrassed at being the only one who wants to leave. "If Zabuza shows up, none of you are to engage him. Leave him to me, Fox and Cat. Am I clear?"

That I direct towards Naruko and Sasuki, both of whom look sheepish. 

"Sakura could stay with the Demon Brothers; both are unconscious, and a pick-up will be here for them soon," Cat suggests, but Sakura shakes her head. We've also sent word about Zabuza, but I want to push on.

"N-no. We're a team, right? I won't be the only one to go back," Sakura swears, and I give her a proud smile.

"Tazuna, you will be returning to Konoha in the near future to explain your lies to both the Hokage and likely the Fire Lord as well. For now, the mission continues. This Gatō cannot be allowed to continue his stranglehold. Such corruption will not be tolerated so close to my home," I say coldly, and despite my words, I see Tazuna brighten up at the realisation that we aren't abandoning him. "Let's move."

Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist.

Time to kill another of the Seven Swordsmen.

– Naruko Uzumaki – That Night –

As they made camp, Kushina had asked to talk to her, looking weirdly nervous.

"I don't get it. Why do I have to sign this weird thing?" Naruko asked, making Hei chuckle.

"Because we're about to reveal a secret that is related to you, and I do not trust your ability to keep your mouth shut. This will bind the secret inside of you, so you can't even tell anyone by accident," Hei explained, making her flush. She wasn't that bad at keeping secrets; it wasn't like she'd told anyone that she had the fox bastard in her.

Sighing, she signed her name and blinked as the black scroll flashed, the writing glowing red before there were suddenly two copies.

"Okay, so what's so important that I needed to sign a creepy scroll for it?" Naruko asked impatiently.

Kushina hesitated, biting her lip as her words failed her.

"I- my name is Kushina Uzumaki," Kushina finally said, Naruko's eyes shooting wide open. "And I was dead a week ago."

"W-what?" Naruko whispered, her mind racing. Was this like her auntie? Or maybe a cousin?

"I summoned her spirit on the request of the Hokage and later bound her to a body that I made out of pure chakra," Hei explained as if his explanation didn't leave her with a thousand more questions. "That technique is highly classified and a large part of the secret."

"You could summon my parents!" Naruko realised, her eyes widened as a long-dead hope bloomed in her chest. "I- the old man has to know their names, right? Is that why you told me the secret-"

"He already has summoned one of us," Kushina said quietly, and Naruko froze completely. "I- he can't summon your father; the way he died means his soul is out of Hei's reach, ya know? B-but he summoned me."

Staring at Kushina, at her mother, she felt her mind shatter into a million pieces. No words came out, no matter how many times she tried. She wanted to ask why Kushina had left her, but she had her answer. Her mother had been dead, until Hei had brought her back.

'Tch, I knew it was her. She even stole my look.'

Well, why didn't you fucking say anything, bastard fox?!

'Meh. Like I care that my old jailor is back.'

"N-Naruko?" her mother tried, hesitation and caution in her tone as Naruko moved. Diving forward, she did something she'd wanted to do for years. Something she'd seen almost all her classmates do before and wished she was in their place.

Hug her parent.

"I've done my part; I'll give you two some space," Hei said, giving her a pat on the back as Kushina nodded and thanked him, her words choked up. 

As Hei went to leave, she broke free of her mother's embrace and moved toward him, repeating the same to him as he froze before he chuckled and returned it. She was getting snot on his fancy outfit, and her blubbery thank-yous were barely understandable as he smiled down at her and ruffled her hair like she'd seen him do to Shikamaru.

"You're most welcome. Worth signing a creepy scroll, huh?" Hei teased, giving her a wink as he pushed her gently back to her mother. Her ears burnt, imagining a world where she'd refused to sign it and hadn't learned that her mother was alive.

With a grin, he set off toward the others and left them to talk. It was awkward on both their parts, but as minutes turned to hours, Naruko felt like her heart was damn-near ready to burst. 

Hei's powers were weird. This mission had gotten way too serious. Hei was kinda scary. None of that mattered in the slightest to her because her mother was with her. A dream she'd thought was impossible had come true, and she knew exactly who to thank.

As they returned to the others, Sakura looked concerned at how red her eyes were, but oddly enough, Sasuki just gave her a nod. She didn't think Sasuki knew everything, but she obviously had some idea of what had happened.

– Hei Nara – 

Our journey soon took us to the rivers of the Land of Waves, but oddly enough, we've been able to travel without any other threats. Still, as we make our way closer to the village, I know that is about to end.

Zabuza is bound to know that the Demon Brothers failed, given that they never returned. If I were him, and his goal was to stop Tazuna from returning home, I'd strike on this final stretch. Complacency is a deadly thing, and we're only hours away from the village.

Even Tazuna had relaxed after we got off the boat.

As we make our way closer, [I See You] triggers, warning me of the hidden threat. Sasuki is part of my pack, so she's letting me use my abilities that would normally require me to be in my territory.

"You know, I figured you would be better at this," I say out loud, making everyone stop. Team Seven had been squabbling, but they freeze at my words, wondering if they'd annoyed me before I tilt my head, looking into the trees. "Does the Mist not bother teaching their ninjas about subtlety, 'Demon of the Hidden Mist'?"

Hopping into the open, Zabuza lands in front of us with a frown on his face, though most of it is hidden by the bandages. Shirtless, except for some leather that he clearly uses to attach his blade's sheath to his back, and wearing cow-print pants for some reason, he narrows his eyes at me.

"Oh? Cocky little shit, aren't you?" Zabuza asks, resting that massive blade on his shoulder. "Most brats would be running by now, if they knew who I was."

Cat is in hiding again, and I can see him look from me to Kushina. He's realising that I'm in charge, and is reevaluating the situation.

"Why wouldn't I be? I've learned that you Seven Swordsmen are overrated. You're here for the Bridge Builder?" I ask, making him nod and scratch his chin.

"Hand him over, and I'll let that one slide," Zabuza offers, his eyes moving to my own blade. "Heh, not just a brat. A little baby Dragon Ninja? Heard Hayabusa died."

"He did, and I'll have to refuse that kind offer," I say, tapping my blade as my other hand goes through some minute movements. ANBU code. It's something I've been working to pick up on the advice of my father. Kushina (and Cat) both see my message, though neither reacts.

"Shame, he was one hell of a fighter. It's sad I have to kill his replacement so young," Zabuza taunts as he aims the sword towards me, eyes flickering to where Team Seven has surrounded Tazuna, Fox moving in front of them. "So sure you can beat one of us overrated Seven Swordsmen?"

"Nah. I'm sure I can beat two of them. Been there, done that. You're not the first of your little group I've fought. I doubt you'll be the last with my luck," I explain easily, and I can see him freeze as he looks over me with a frown. 

He's trying to work out if I'm lying, and after a moment, he lets out a huff.

"Maybe not such a baby, then. Was it Raiga?" Zabuza asks, resting his blade on his shoulder. 

"Kushimaru. I ripped out his heart," I admit with a bland tone.

"Heh, always said that fucker would die stupidly. Lemme guess, he dragged it out?" Zabuza asks, making me nod easily. "See, that's your problem. You beat Kushimaru because the fucker was too busy getting a stiffy over hurting you, but me? I always go for the kill."

He's smarter than he looks, and the moment he finishes, he's moved. Team Seven barely have time to gasp at his disappearance as Zabuza moves with the Body Flicker Technique, reappearing behind me.

He's fast, but I have [Lupine Reflexes] on my side as I reach up and draw the Dragon Blade, blocking the heavy sword that just tried to cut off my head. I can't fully block it, but I can deflect it as I slip under the attack and try to slice Zabuza's belly open.

Obviously, he's gone before I can land a blow, back where he started with a grin I can barely notice through the bandages around his lower face.

"Not bad; this might even be fun," Zabuza says, his hands going through some hand seals as a burst of mist fills the clearing. 

Heh, it just might.

"Let's dance," I say back, pointing my blade towards him as the mist conceals him.

— Bonus Scene — Hiruzen Sarutobi 

Listening to Tsunade's reluctant report, his mind raced. It was an application of Hei's power that he had not considered.

The ability to awaken dormant genes that carried rare abilities, like Lord Hashirama's Wood Style, was something that he hadn't considered possible, but Tsunade's reasoning made sense. Hei's chakra made the body 'perfect', and it saw such dormant genes as an imperfection.

The possibilities of Hei's eternally growing powers were seemingly endless. Truly, he was their golden goose. Word was already spreading, with Kurenai coming to personally request that they offer Hei's boon to her former pupil to right Kurenai's failure to help Yakumo become a kunoichi. 

As he received a message, he paused, opened it, and carefully read the contents. Then, he took a deep breath and read them a second time to confirm what he had just seen.

Hei running into Orochimaru could be classed as just sheer bad luck. Running into Kushimaru on his next mission was still in the realms of sheer, awful luck, but only just. 

So what was it when Hei managed to run into three legendary, dangerous ninjas in three missions back to back? A curse? Enemy action? Fate? The literal worst luck imaginable? Some ninjas went their entire lives without meeting one legendary ninja, Hei was on his third this month.

And of course, Hei 'I fed myself to a Salamander' Nara didn't think 'oh, another of the Seven Swordsmen? I better go back home, where it's safe.' No, that would make his job too damn easy.

As he contacted Danzo, he just prayed that Hei would not encounter the Demon of the Mist until they could get there. He trusted Cat and Kushina, but Zabuza's reputation was well-earned.