Yang Tao stepped out of the portal and saw Naruto waiting for him in a dense forest.
Looking around, he was puzzled. With all the constant battles in the Naruto world, where a single jutsu could wipe out an entire forest, how were there still so many trees everywhere?
"How have things been, Naruto?" Yang Tao asked, making sure there were no other people nearby.
Naruto grinned. "Not bad! I've been doing D-rank missions with Kakashi-sensei every day. But tomorrow, we're heading to the Land of Waves!"
"The Land of Waves? So, you'll be running into Zabuza soon?" Yang Tao nodded, realizing the timeline.
Zabuza was strong—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, at the level of an elite jonin. He had even survived an assassination attempt on the Mizukage and escaped. That alone proved his skill.
But unfortunately, he ran into Naruto, the protagonist, and ended up a victim of the plot.
"Naruto, you should try recruiting Zabuza."
Naruto looked confused. "Someone like the Demon of the Hidden Mist? His beliefs are probably unshakable. How could I convince him?"
"Zabuza looks cold on the outside, but he's actually a softie. He wanted to change the Blood Mist Village so badly that he attempted a coup. If you show him that you have the power to help him, he'll definitely follow you."
Naruto thought about it and nodded. "Alright, big bro, I'll give it a shot. But let's head home first. We can talk more tomorrow when we leave the village."
Yang Tao wasn't in a position to enter Konohagakure just yet. If a stranger suddenly showed up near Naruto, a Jinchuriki, the Anbu would definitely come to interrogate him. He wasn't afraid, but it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Sounds good. I'll set up a base here and make a portal. That way, group members who come later will have a place to stay."
Yang Tao pulled out a shovel and started digging. With experience, he was much faster than before.
"This ninja world is full of weird abilities… I should dig deeper, just to be safe."
Thinking about the Byakugan, Black Zetsu's underground movement, and Earth Release users, Yang Tao got a little paranoid.
He dug over a hundred meters down, reinforced the walls with explosion-proof bricks, and added a layer of Tekkai.
"Now, even if Black Zetsu shows up, he won't be able to do anything!"
Black Zetsu could only move through the ground—he couldn't phase through solid materials like Obito's Kamui.
After setting up all the essentials, the underground hideout was complete. Despite its size, it hadn't taken much time.
Naruto, seeing Yang Tao's abilities for the first time, was completely stunned.
"Big bro, this is insane! You're better at construction than Yamato from the story!"
Yamato? The guy who turned Wood Release into a construction tool? Yeah, that guy was basically a carpenter.
"This is nothing. If I had more time, I could build you a wonder of the world!" Yang Tao said, enjoying Naruto's admiration.
After chatting for a while, Yang Tao told Naruto to message the group when they were leaving in the morning. Since a Jinchuriki disappearing for too long could cause problems, Naruto headed back.
Thinking about tomorrow, Yang Tao lay down and quickly fell asleep.
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