Sasuke left the hospital and took a deep breath of the warm summer air. He was thoroughly tired of lying in bed. Unlike the experienced shinobi who escaped from the ward (right through the window) on the second or third day, Uchiha had spent about a week in the hospital, right up until his official discharge. Firstly, he was so obedient because the attending medical-nin had strictly forbidden him to leave the hospital due to a concussion, and threatened to lock the brunette up for another two weeks if he disobeyed. And secondly, his ward was on the top floor, so jumping out onto the street in his condition was an imprudent decision; Sasuke couldn't walk on vertical surfaces yet.
"Damn medical-nin. Finally, I can get back to training. Oh, and I also need to learn more about Naruto's sensei…" he thought.
— Sasuke-dobe! You're finally better, dattebayo! — came a voice from somewhere to the side. The boy didn't have time to react.
After this joyful cry, Uchiha's neck was tightly squeezed, as if in a vise, and the brunette's head began to be mercilessly rubbed, ruffling his hair. The last of the Great Clan thought his scalp was about to be removed, his skull crushed into his torso, and his neck simply broken.
— Kh… Naruto, — Sasuke croaked, trying to inhale or somehow escape from the steel grip.
That's right. In reality, it wasn't a sophisticated assassination attempt on the last Uchiha by vile detractors, but merely a friendly hug from Konoha's most famous blond.
Naruto finally released the brunette's body – who, coughing and wheezing, began to greedily gasp for air, rubbing his neck. His hair now resembled the "Big Bang in a Small Ramen Shop" style.
Sasuke warily eyed his teammate, who looked as satisfied as a bijuu after an enema.
— Ugh, Sasuke, I'm so glad! — Uzumaki said, beaming. — I'm really glad you're better. Can you imagine? They wouldn't let me see you!..
"And thank Kami," thought Uchiha, "otherwise I would have definitely died. And where does this idiot get so much strength?"
But aloud, he asked gloomily:
— And why did you come?
— What do you mean, why, dattebayo? — Naruto didn't understand. — To apologize. And to thank you, of course.
Uchiha froze. No, the apologies were understandable, but Sasuke couldn't think of anything he should be thanked for.
He tried to put himself in Uzumaki's shoes, then thought about it, then gave up and decided not to dwell on such a trifle.
— I forgive you, Naruto, — Uchiha nodded cautiously, taking a step back. Just in case. Maybe the blond would want another hug. — And what am I being thanked for?
— What do you mean, what for? — Uzumaki was surprised. — For going easy on me during sparring!
Sasuke didn't immediately process what he heard. Apparently, it was the after-effects of the concussion, and he had misheard something, or simply didn't understand what the blond meant.
— Explain, — Uchiha demanded, regaining his composure and calming down, seeing his teammate's relatively balanced behavior.
— Well, um, — Naruto hesitated, scratching his blond head. — You always used to beat me, but this time, you obviously deliberately took a hit and got injured.
Uchiha's eye twitched. Uzumaki, meanwhile, continued:
— I noticed that Sakura-chan doesn't like you. Especially when she starts being too… um, pushy. — Sasuke nodded automatically, although he didn't understand what Sakura had to do with it. — Well, you decided to show during sparring that I was stronger, and went easy on me so she would switch her attention to me…
Uchiha was usually good at keeping a straight face. But now his eyebrows involuntarily crept upwards, and his mouth slightly opened.
— Thank you, Sasuke. However, it still didn't help, — Naruto shook his head sadly. — Sakura-chan yelled at me for not being able to control my strength. By the way, she spent most of the time at the hospital, even enrolled in medical-ninjutsu courses. Oh yeah, we also did D-rank missions with her while you were in the hospital, but...
Sasuke tuned out Uzumaki's further monologue.
"This idiot thought I went easy on him back then? And for his sake too?"
Uzumaki's logic was not something ordinary genin could comprehend. Sasuke realized this now.
"And what should I do now? Admit that I'm simply no match for him? Or pretend that it was all planned?"
On the one hand, Uchiha's pride didn't allow him to openly admit his weakness, especially in front of this idiot. But on the other hand, if he thought about it carefully, a week had passed since their last sparring match. Therefore, it was quite possible that Naruto had become even stronger during this time, and if they suddenly started "training" again, Sasuke might not survive it.
Without figuring out a course of action, Uchiha decided to leave things as they were. It didn't matter. Right now, he should still learn more about Naruto's teacher – Saitama – in order to know if he had a chance to become the second student. And if so, how. After all, the main reason he decided to interact with Uzumaki was the possibility of gaining power.
— Ahem, — Sasuke cleared his throat, interjecting into Uzumaki's verbal torrent. — By the way, Naruto, where's your master? Has he returned from his mission yet?
— Huh? Master Saitama? — the blond repeated, ruffling his sun-bleached hair. — No, unfortunately, he's still on a mission, and when he'll return is unknown.
Uchiha was about to ask more about Naruto's mysterious teacher, but…
— Mmm-mma… congratulations on your recovery, Sasuke, — came a voice from behind the brunette. The genin flinched almost imperceptibly, as he hadn't felt their jonin-sensei appear at all.
— One-Eyed Sensei, — Uzumaki turned around, a predatory grin spreading across his face. — And what are you doing here, dattebayo? Did you finally decide to remember that you have a team of genin? Or maybe you want to train us?
Kakashi's eye twitched slightly (or so it seemed to Sasuke), but the jonin considered it necessary to answer some of Naruto's questions.
— Not exactly, Naruto. We have a mission, — he began in a firm tone.
— Weeding the garden plots? — the blond inquired with a sly squint. — Or cleaning the Inuzuka kennels? Are you going to send a clone instead of yourself again, by any chance? By the way, are you going to give us the money for the missions, or will you continue to profit from poor orphans?
The sarcasm in Uzumaki's tone could be scooped up with bowls, but Hatake only shook his head:
— You guessed wrong, Naruto. This time we have a C-rank mission in the Land of Rivers. My clone has already notified Sakura. So, guys, you have two hours to prepare, we'll meet near the village exit, — Kakashi demonstrated his eye-smile. — And you can get the money for the D-rank missions on the first floor of the Hokage Tower, — he added good-naturedly.
Then Kakashi dissipated into clouds of smoke with a puff. Naruto clicked his tongue in annoyance:
— What a jonin we got. I wonder if he'll send a clone on the mission too?
Sasuke only snorted at this tirade. Remembering the bell test and his sensei's habit of being late, he muttered thoughtfully:
— I'm more worried about how much real time we have before the mission. Maybe I'll have time to train, eat, and get some sleep?
Naruto turned sharply and stared at Uchiha in surprise. The blond's eyes became like saucers.
— What? — Sasuke didn't understand.
Uzumaki poked him with his finger and frowned:
— Confess, who are you and what did you do with Sasuke? Sasuke is always gloomy, silent, and never jokes!
— Pfft, — the brunette replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
Naruto laughed at this.
— Alright, don't sulk, — he waved his hand and strode briskly towards the center of the village. — Let's go to the Tower for the money. We need to stock up properly for the mission.
— Uh-huh, — Sasuke grumbled, following the blond.
— And I'll tell you about Master Saitama at the same time, — Naruto said proudly. — He's, you know, a great man...
***
— …It's a complete failure, — the red-haired guy with piercings on his impassive face said in a calm voice. This shinobi was known as the Leader of the Akatsuki. He called himself Pain.
In the dark, spacious room with stone walls, there were only three large chairs, on which sat people in black cloaks with red clouds. After a lengthy discussion of recent events and the problems that had piled up, a heavy silence finally settled in the room.
And the problems turned out to be quite serious. One very promising and profitable order had not been fulfilled. Or rather, it had failed spectacularly. Four S-rank fighters couldn't handle one unknown bald shinobi, about whom there had been no prior information.
Moreover, the shinobi had suffered a crushing defeat, failing to even scratch their target. The mercenaries themselves had been forced to retreat shamefully, with their tails between their legs, and subsequently refused the mission to eliminate the bald man.
— Madara, do you have any idea where this guy could have come from? — the pale-skinned, blue-haired girl asked coldly, glancing at the man in the spiral mask.
He didn't answer. Tobi, also known as Madara, was currently pensive and taciturn. Apparently, the man hadn't expected such a failure.
— Madara? — Pain called again.
— An unaccounted factor… — a deep voice came from under the mask. Tobi turned his head towards the blue-haired girl. — Hmm… I have no idea, Konan. I'm at a loss. You know perfectly well the level of our mercenaries' strength, and I don't think I need to remind you that they are not weaklings. However…
— However, they were easily tossed aside like snotty genin. They weren't even killed, — Pain finished indifferently.
— Exactly, — Tobi nodded. — The most unpleasant thing in this situation is that we have lost combat power. Kakuzu has lost four hearts, so in the near future he will have to hunt other shinobi in order to regain relative immortality and his former strength. Hidan's artifact scythe was destroyed, according to Itachi, by the teeth of this bald man. Only the hilt and chain remained of the weapon.
Konan raised an eyebrow in surprise, glancing at the official Leader. Pain's face remained inscrutable. They knew about the mission's failure, but hadn't yet delved into the details.
— Kisame's Samehada burned in the Amaterasu flames with which Itachi tried to burn this Saitama. By the way, to no avail. He turned out to be invulnerable to chakra-based techniques, even to the Mangekyō Sharingan's jutsu; and physical attacks didn't inflict any damage on him either. To sum up, of the four S-rank shinobi, Kakuzu suffered the most. The others only suffered damage to their self-esteem and confidence. We will restore their weapons soon. Itachi recounted the entire fight and the subsequent conversation with the bald man to me…
Tobi pondered, recalling Uchiha's story.
None of those present urged him.
— Hmm… this is… well… — Madara hesitated. Konan and Pain exchanged glances. They had known the masked man for years, and in their memory, he had never looked so thoughtful and… uncertain. Usually, he always had a precise plan and instructions on what to do. But not now.
— Madara? — Pain inquired.
— Yes, yes. Well, — Tobi came out of his stupor, — Itachi believes that we've stumbled upon some kind of god. In his opinion, even an army of S-rank shinobi won't be able to defeat the bald guy, because he's not human.
Silence hung in the room again. However, it was soon broken by Pain.
— There can only be one God in this world. I must meet this Saitama personally...
— Nagato, — Madara interrupted him, — you are a powerful shinobi, and thanks to your Rinnegan abilities, you can mislead the population of the Land of Rain, but…
— You doubt my power? — Pain asked, fixing an emotionless gaze on Tobi. The tone of his voice didn't change, but involuntarily the Akatsuki Leader began to release his yaki. — I have never lost a battle to anyone yet...
A tense silence reigned in the air, but Pain, calming down, added:
— Moreover, I wasn't going to fight him, I just wanted to talk and offer him to join our organization.
Madara thoughtfully tapped the armrest of his chair and shook his head.
— It's unlikely to work. Itachi has already offered him to join the Akatsuki.
— And what did he say? — Konan inquired.
Tobi chuckled, but after a short pause, said:
— He said he wasn't going to play villains.
— So for him, it's all a game. And that battle in the Land of Waves was apparently some kind of joke? — the girl asked.
Pain then spoke:
— In that place, after Itachi's and Kakuzu's techniques, there was only scorched earth. This is already known far beyond the borders of the Land of Waves. The clash with the bald man has received significant resonance in the shinobi world. Although the details were successfully concealed.
— Zetsu was there and confirmed Itachi's words, — Tobi said. — He watched their fight from the very beginning. The bald guy played with them and mocked them, not taking our shinobi seriously. And during the explosion, Saitama managed in a split second to teleport everyone who could have been caught in the triple combination of Itachi's and Kakuzu's techniques. Among the rescued were a couple of observers from the Root of Konoha, several civilians, and… Zetsu himself.
— What? — Pain's emotionless mask seemed to crack. — But Zetsu can merge with natural energy, and no sensor can detect him?
— Yes, I thought so too, — Madara nodded. — But the fact remains. Saitama pulled him right out from under the ground when Zetsu was about to retreat.
— …
— …
Tobi sighed heavily.
— The only good news is that we followed Kakuzu's pragmatic suggestion and did kill Gato, taking all his money. Now we have enough funds to carry out the plan.
— Can we start collecting the bijuu already? — Konan inquired. — Or is it still too early? According to your forecasts, we were supposed to do this in only two or three years.
Madara nodded curtly and scratched the lower part of his mask.
— You're right. Plans are changing slightly. We can start collecting the tailed beasts, but… not immediately. Before that, we need to get Kakuzu back in action. Regarding weapons, — Tobi clasped his fingers together. — A new scythe for Hidan can be ordered from us; in a week, he will again be cutting everyone in the glory of Jashin and cursing cheerfully. However, Samehada for Kisame needs a master artifact crafter. In the nearby lands, the only one is in the Land of Rivers. We also need to gather more information about the bald man, find out his goals; perhaps it makes sense to contact him. I doubt he's a god, because gods have no need to roam the earth. Most likely, Saitama, as a result of an unknown experiment, simply became incredibly strong, so we need to try to recruit him or at least not engage in conflicts with him until all the tailed beasts are collected…
***
Saitama hadn't been this happy in a long time. In front of him, on a large, long table, were no less than a dozen huge bowls of fresh and hot french fries. But the best part was that all the fried potato pieces were long! There were no short or small ones at all. The guy didn't know how this was possible, but, deciding to think about it later, he began to eat.
"My favorite fries! It's been so long since I've had you… Itadakimasu!" Saitama thought through tears of happiness.
The bald man ate and ate, one bowl replaced another, another replaced the third, the third replaced the fourth; then the fourth bowl replaced the fifth… but the fries didn't end. Hunger also wasn't in a hurry to recede. The guy was already thinking he had gotten into paradise when the distant smell of fish and then some incomprehensible spices reached his sense of smell...
— Achoo!.. — Saitama, unfortunately, didn't have time to cover himself this time, because his own sneeze came as a complete surprise to him.
The bald man propped himself up on the bed. Blinking after waking up, he saw… that the ceiling and part of the wall in the house where he had been placed were gone. Instead, a view of a foggy area and a pale gray sky opened up.
"Oh crap," everything inside Saitama went cold, "if they find out it was me, they'll make me pay for the property damage..."
The bald man jumped up, shaking off the remnants of sleep, and hurried to get away before the owners came. However, he hadn't gone far when he heard:
— No, Master! Don't die!
Saitama turned his head towards the source of the sound. It turned out to be… turned out to be… someone – with long hair, in a green haori and a mask – trying to bring a man lying on the ground to his senses.
Considering it his duty as a hero to help someone in need, Saitama went to find out what had happened to them. Approaching the strangers, he in no way expected that this someone would throw several needles at him for no reason.
Saitama caught the needles a few centimeters from his body.
— Hey, I didn't order acupuncture, — he said with displeasure, throwing the thin metal objects away. — I actually wanted to help, and you immediately start throwing needles.
— Don't come closer! — the stranger said firmly, taking a fighting stance in front of the lying man's body. Saitama noted to himself that the long-haired one was most likely a child, as he was barely over one and a half meters tall.
— This is all because of you! Zabuza-san flew out of your house! He's barely breathing now.
— Huh?? — Saitama didn't understand. — What are you babbling about, kid? I'm seeing this guy for the first time and don't know him from Adam.
— Kh… Haku, — the lying ninja showed signs of life. His affiliation with shinobi was confirmed by the presence of a forehead protector. — I… I'm fine…
— No freaking way you're fine, buddy! — Saitama exclaimed. — You need to go to the hospital… uh…
Saitama suddenly remembered that there were no hospitals in the town where he was. And there were no decent healers among the locals either, and among the newcomers who could provide more or less quality medical care, there were probably only two kunoichi from Konoha.
— That's right! I need to call Anko, — the bald guy thought aloud and slapped his fist into his palm, — well, or at worst, that… what's her name, Pen-Pen. Yeah. They should be able to help.
— Her name is Ten-Ten, — came the tired voice of Mitarashi, who had arrived at the noise. — Saitama, what happened here? You can't be left alone for even an hour. As soon as I heard the explosion, I rushed over. Guy is still with the architect at the Bridge.
The kunoichi frowned as she examined the wrecked house of Tazuna, where she had left the bald jonin. Then she turned her gaze to the pair of strangers. Noticing their Kirigakure forehead protectors, the girl initially tensed, but, remembering that Saitama was nearby, who had forced four S-rank shinobi to retreat that week, she relaxed a little.
Recalling the genin's story and comparing those facts with the information she had, Mitarashi finally put the pieces together in her head.
— Are you Zabuza? — Anko impudently poked a finger at the gaunt man with bandages on his face. — The Demon of the Hidden Mist?
At the last words, the kunoichi barely suppressed a smirk, because in his current state, the man didn't look like a demon at all, more like a half-dead zombie. Pale face, streams of blood flowing from under the bandages, arm twisted at an unnatural angle; internal injuries were probably also plentiful, this could be understood even without the "mystical hand." However, one of the legendary swords – the Executioner's Blade – was not visible nearby.
— Kh… yes. I am Momochi Zabuza, — he croaked softly.
All this time, the boy (or girl?) in the mask was intently examining the newcomers. The air temperature around him began to drop slightly. If his teacher didn't need immediate treatment and if he could be moved, Haku would have long since disappeared with Zabuza in a shunshin. However, the situation now turned out to be quite complicated.
— The guy doesn't look too good, — Saitama said worriedly. — Anko, we need to help him. By the way, who did this to you? — he addressed the mist ninja.
Zabuza propped himself up on his elbow and, wheezing, uttered something obscene, after which he replied:
— Actually, you did.
— Hmm… no, — the bald hero shook his head. — I didn't even touch you with a finger. I don't usually remember the faces of everyone I've hit, of course, but I would definitely remember your bandaged mug.
— Saitama, this is the missing-nin of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza, — Anko said in a cold tone. — He has killed many people, including those from Konoha. He must answer for his deeds. Blood for blood!
Anko drew a kunai. The masked mist ninja reacted instantly – formed a one-handed seal, and several ice needles appeared in the air around him. Just as Haku wanted to thrust the needles into the kunoichi, suddenly…
— Dynamic Entry! — Haku was knocked aside by a powerful kick, and his porcelain mask cracked and shattered into fragments. The Hyōton ice needles fell to the ground.
— Damn it, you little bushy-brow! — Saitama exclaimed indignantly, waving his arms. — Where are your manners? Not only did you attack during a conversation, from the side, but also… a girl?!
— Saitama-sama!! — Lee shouted at the top of his lungs. — Forgive me, Saitama-sama!! — the genin bowed low to the bald guy. What was most curious was that he bowed with a log on his shoulder. The previous move, by the way, was also performed with a log, so Saitama sincerely worried about the health of the little mist ninja… or little mist kunoichi? (he hadn't yet figured out the gender of the long-haired one, and frankly, he didn't care)
The hero's eyelid began to twitch slightly. He generally didn't like being addressed as some kind of venerable elder, and he couldn't stand noise. Therefore, Saitama had barely suppressed his irritation in the last few days when he saw anyone from the bushy-browed family (he had no doubt that Guy and Lee were related; after all, they looked like two peas in a pod, only one was bigger and the other smaller).
— Lee, — Saitama said, pulling himself together. — You don't need to apologize to me, but to… her… to him… well, bow over there, — he found himself saying, waving his hand towards Haku, who had risen from the ground.
— Hai, Saitama-sama! — the bushy-browed genin exclaimed cheerfully.
Turning ninety degrees, Lee froze in place. His cheeks flushed, and his eyes became slightly oily and widened.
The fragments of Haku's mask now lay on the ground, and the young shinobi's face was no longer hidden.
— Forgive me, beautiful!... Uh… what's your name? — Rock Lee suddenly broke into a seductive smile. At least, the genin considered this smile seductive.
— Um… I'm Haku, — a gentle voice sang in response. — But I'm not…
— Haku-san, — Lee's cheeks turned even redder. He loosened his grip, and the log fell… right onto Zabuza.
— Oof, yow! — the swordsman gasped when the edge of the wood landed between his legs.
Malicious sparks flashed in Haku's eyes, and he was about to launch ice needles at the bushy-browed one, but a verbal torrent poured down on him from Rock Lee:
— My love, Haku-san, you are an angel. Please, do not reject me. I beg you, be my girlfriend!
After these words, Lee bowed, awaiting a response. Apparently, the genin wasn't too embarrassed by the fact that he had just hit his chosen one in the face. Haku just blinked… his large brown eyes, in a stupor…
— Oh, so it is a girl after all, — Saitama remarked, mentally adding: "The little guy chose an original way to get acquainted: first punch in the face, then say 'let's date'..."
— What's going on here? — Neji asked phlegmatically, approaching the bald jonin.
— Ah, it's you, white-eyes? — the guy asked lazily. — Nothing much yet. Thought there'd be a fight, but no – looks like it's over. They say love will save the world, and it seems they're right.
Hyuga nodded seriously at his senpai's words and began to listen intently and peer at what was happening in the yard of the architect's house.
Meanwhile, Haku came to his senses:
— This is… I apologize… but…
Lee looked imploringly at Haku, then the genin pondered and apparently decided to change his strategy, as a slightly smug smirk crept onto his face. He straightened up, struck a good-guy pose, and winked at the girl, blowing her a kiss.
However, besides the kiss, a small pink heart flew towards Haku. It flew relatively slowly, so Haku moved his head out of the trajectory of the love projectile in advance.
— Love genjutsu? — Haku whispered in a trembling voice. — What a terrifying technique, — she added almost inaudibly.
— Impressive, — Lee said firmly. — But I won't give up that easily! In the name of the Power of Youth, Haku-san, you will be my girlfriend!
In the next moment, the bushy-browed one smiled, and then began to send air kisses and wink alternately with each eye separately, one after the other. A multiple series of large hearts rained down on Haku. They flew much faster than the previous one and were noticeably larger.
Haku initially decided to put up an ice shield, but the hearts flew right through the Hyōton technique as if they didn't notice the barrier. The girl managed to dodge the love projectiles at the last moment...
— Guys, — Saitama cautiously addressed the nearby shinobi, — are you seeing what I'm seeing?
— Uh-huh, — Anko, Neji, and Ten-Ten, who had just arrived, replied in unison.
— Oh, well then it's okay, — the bald man calmed down, rubbing his cheek...
Meanwhile, the rain of pink hearts ended.
— What movements, what grace! You are beautiful, Haku-san! — the genin continued to rave. — Goddess, angel! You are perfection! Please, do not reject my love!..
Rock Lee didn't tire of praising his goddess and singing her love dithyrambs, and Neji finally decided to use his Byakugan. Activating his dōjutsu, he examined the battlefield of love… and immediately deactivated his dōjutsu. Then he activated the Byakugan again and immediately deactivated it again.
Rolling his eyes, he shook his head and slapped himself on the face with his palm. Then he slowly began to approach his teammate.
When Lee was already a step away from proposing to Haku, Hyuga placed his hand on his comrade's shoulder.
— Huh? Neji? What's wrong?
Hyuga whispered something barely audibly.
— What? — the bushy-browed one asked again. — I didn't hear you, speak louder.
Neji said with emphasis, a little louder, but Lee still didn't hear him.
— Sorry, Neji, but I'm busy right now, — Rock Lee frowned. — I've finally found my love. Can we talk later?
Hyuga rolled his eyes, then said loudly enough for everyone to hear:
— He's not a girl! It's a guy, a guy!
After which, Neji poked Haku with his finger so that Lee would have no doubts about the truth of this statement.
— No! — the bushy-browed one stubbornly shook his head. — You're lying! Haku-san is a girl!
— Guy, — Hyuga said calmly.
— No, she's a girl!
— Guy.
— Girl!
Neji activated his Byakugan and examined Haku from head to toe. Haku blushed slightly, and Hyuga, nodding to his thoughts, "finished off" Lee:
— Sorry, Lee, but the Byakugan doesn't lie. Haku is a guy.
It was as if the bushy-browed one had been hit on the head with a bag. He fell to his knees, his eyes widened in shock, his face paled. Lee turned a lost gaze to Haku, who nodded in confirmation.
The genin swallowed loudly. Getting up from his knees, he walked unsteadily towards the log, in order to drown out his pain with training and try to restore his worldview.
— So, it's a guy after all, — Saitama stated. — Love is evil, though.
Anko quietly snickered into her fist, but under the bald man's stern gaze, she suppressed her chuckle and put on a serious face.
— Guys, let's help this poor fellow, — Saitama suggested, approaching Zabuza. — Otherwise, he'll die…
***
Lately, Momochi Zabuza had been in a bad mood. A very bad mood. The first assassination attempt on the architect had failed. The mercenary was lucky that Haku had carried away his unconscious body and they had a chance to strike again when an attack wouldn't be expected.
Zabuza had regained consciousness almost immediately after the clash with the Green Beast. The swordsman had just heard the echoes of a great battle. It sounded as if armies of shinobi had clashed, but he was aware that powerful mercenaries had entered the fray, among whom was his acquaintance – Hoshigaki Kisame, also known as the Monster of the Hidden Mist.
He had been warned not to get involved, that the architect's guards would be too tough for him and his men. But Zabuza had been too overconfident. And the thirst for profit had proven stronger than common sense. Moreover, he had made the same mistake twice. The first time was when he encountered Might Guy's team, and the second was now, when he decided to take out the guards one by one, thus reaching Tazuna...
And at first, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Guy seemed to have broken free and gone into a frenzy of training, disappearing for almost ten hours outside the town or helping the workers at the construction site. The man often carried huge stone blocks, several at a time. Guy's student wasn't far behind his sensei, adjusted for the intensity of the loads. Occasionally, the bushy-browed genin would come for meals and rare sparring sessions with Hyuga, and he also often bothered the bald tokubetsu-jonin to take him and Guy as students. The bald man was adamant and always refused. Mighto had only asked a couple of times that week to become a student of the strange bald man named Saitama, but then gave up and no longer distracted himself from training. The architect's guards were the genin and the purple-haired kunoichi. Saitama patrolled the surroundings in the evening and early morning, when the probability of attack was highest… Guy patrolled at night.
Zabuza was calm about the kunoichi. She didn't pose a threat, but the bald guy… was a mysterious shinobi. His stealth was beyond praise. This skill of his was too good, because in the place where Saitama was, nothing was felt, not the slightest fluctuation of chakra. However, it was precisely this that gave the bald man away.
Calculating the time when only Saitama would remain in the architect's house, Momochi decided to take him out first, as the swordsman considered him the most dangerous. The Green Beasts were currently training at the construction site, the architect's daughter and son had gone to the market, and the bald man was sleeping off his patrol and hearty breakfast. There were no Hyuga nearby either.
Smirking under his mask, Zabuza released a light mist of chakra to sense the approach of opponents if he couldn't quickly get rid of the bald man...
Quietly opening the front door, he entered the room where the jonin was lying. Seeing the peacefully snoring Saitama with a satisfied smile on his lips, the swordsman considered it necessary to play it safe and reliably put the victim to sleep, in case he was pretending.
Attaching a fuin scroll to the floor near the threshold, he closed the door. Activating the seal, he heard a barely audible hiss, which informed the mercenary of the release of sleeping gas. The advantage of this gas was that it was almost odorless and had an almost instantaneous effect. Zabuza himself was wearing a mask, so all he needed to do was stab his victim with a dagger in his sleep, after holding his breath beforehand. Momochi had prudently left his sword outside the house.
Sneaky? Absolutely. However, there was no time for an honest duel, and the forces were unequal this time. And the architect's head needed to be brought to Gato as soon as possible… and at the same time, get rid of the insolent mafia boss. Zabuza disliked this shorty way too much. And those mercenaries in cloaks might manage to kill Gato first. So he needed to hurry.
The swordsman opened the door slightly and was about to enter the room to carry out the "sentence" when suddenly the bald man stirred, his chest began to rise and fall rapidly, and then the house was filled with a mighty:
— Achoo!..
Zabuza never understood what happened. This Saitama apparently used some powerful Fūton technique, and in the next moment, the architect's house exploded, and the swordsman himself was thrown a couple of dozen meters into the yard.
The swordsman's head was buzzing, his ears were ringing, and moving even a finger was a huge achievement. Momochi saw Haku leaning over him, saying something; he couldn't hear exactly what. However, consciousness soon began to drift away, and a couple of moments later, Zabuza sank into a brief unconsciousness...