Tazuna's face turned pale the moment the words "10 million ryo" rang out in the Hokage's office. His knees buckled slightly, and his weathered hands trembled as he clutched the mission scroll tighter.
"Ten... ten million ryo?" he stammered, his voice thin and barely audible. "Hokage-sama... please, there's no way we can afford that. Even if I worked ten lifetimes, I wouldn't be able to gather that kind of money!"
Souta Kazuki, seated casually on the Hokage's chair with one leg draped over the other, chuckled darkly. His eyes gleamed behind the light cast from the stained-glass Hokage emblem above. "Hehehehehe... God is merciful, Tazuna. If you can't pay in ryo, then pay in kind."
Tazuna's head jerked up in panic. "What do you mean?"
"The bridge," Souta said calmly, his finger tapping the wooden desk. "The one you're building in the Land of Waves. Konoha is quite interested in it. I'm willing to waive the 10 million commission, but in return, after the bridge is completed, it will belong solely to Konoha. Our village will station shinobi there permanently and collect all tolls from travelers and merchants."
He leaned forward, voice dropping lower, laced with mirth. "This bridge will have nothing to do with the Land of Waves anymore. It will become the Konoha Village Bridge. Doesn't that sound like a fair trade, Tazuna?"
The bridge builder felt his entire world crumble. Why did he want to build the bridge? Because Gato had a stranglehold on the country's shipping. The Land of Waves, being an island nation, relied on maritime trade, and Gato's monopoly ensured he bled the people dry.
If the bridge became Konoha's, then nothing would really change. The country would just be exchanging one master for another. Out of the wolf's den, into the tiger's maw.
"Hokage-sama..."
"Hm?" Souta's eyes narrowed, and the chakra pressure in the room thickened. "Are you refusing?"
"I... I wouldn't dare!" Tazuna fell to his knees in panic. "The bridge is yours! The Land of Waves is honored to offer it to Konoha! It's not the Wave Bridge—it's the Konoha Village Bridge from now on!"
Souta smiled faintly, satisfied. "Hmm... there's an old saying in the ninja world: A man who knows the times is a hero. You've made the right decision, Tazuna."
Tazuna stumbled out of the office, dazed and defeated. Meanwhile, Hiruzen, standing by the window, said nothing. His old, tired eyes flickered toward Souta with a glint of unease, but he turned away without a word, retreating silently into the archives. He could sense it—Konoha was changing.
Souta stood and turned toward the two shinobi standing beside him. "Uncle Minato, Fugaku. I'm leaving this to you. The Land of Waves might be poor now, but once we control their bridge, their economy becomes ours. If someone like Gato can become rich off them, imagine what Konoha can do."
Namikaze Minato nodded calmly. "Understood, Souta. We'll take care of everything. The Konoha Village Bridge will be completed without delay."
"Don't forget," Souta added, "deal with Zabuza and that kid with the Ice Release bloodline limit. Make sure no wild cards remain."
"I know."
Minato turned to Uchiha Fugaku, whose eyes glinted with quiet anticipation. "Let's go, Hei."
"I'm ready, Da Huang."
And so, the two legendary shinobi departed with Tazuna, their presence casting a long shadow over the trembling bridge builder. Tazuna dared not speak on the journey, barely even dared to breathe too loudly. These weren't the gentle, hopeful shinobi he'd once heard stories of. These were weapons in human form.
By the time they arrived at the borders of the Land of Waves, the air had turned damp and cold. Mist curled around the road like claws. A shallow puddle lay just ahead.
Minato and Fugaku exchanged glances.
"Da Huang, what do you think? You or me?"
"I'll take this one. These two aren't strong. Zabuza's crew must be further in."
Tazuna looked confused until—
Whoosh.
Minato vanished in a yellow flash. A heartbeat later—
"Flying Thunder God Technique!!!!"
BOOM!!!
The puddle exploded into a crater. Two ninja, now clearly visible, were hurled from the wreckage and fell lifeless on the roadside. Their Mist Village headbands clattered beside them.
Fugaku examined them with a passing glance. "Just scouts."
"Yeah. Let's keep going."
Tazuna swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. These two had killed without hesitation, without even blinking. The stories of family reunification weren't exaggerations—they were warnings.
Just as the trio moved on, a deep buzzing filled the air. Then—
WHIZZ!!!
A massive beheading sword came hurtling from above and buried itself into a thick tree with a sickening thunk.
Tazuna froze.
Minato and Fugaku stopped in perfect sync, turning slowly.
A tall figure stepped from the mist, bandaged and silent.
Momochi Zabuza had arrived.
And standing behind him... a boy with dark eyes and a faint mist gathering around his fingertips.
The true mission had just begun.