The Lost Princess (Kiba Love Story)

Chapter 8

Kasumi's P. O. V:

We continue on our journey to the Land of Waves, having walked for several more hours. We reach a dock where there was a small boat with a fisherman waiting for us in it, and fog covers the area.

We board the boat and start sailing at a slow pace across the water, to the island.

I sit next to Kakashi with Tazuna behind him, then Sasuke on my other side, Sakura sitting opposite us, with Naruto at the prow of the boat.

Sakura murmurs as she gazes about, "The fog's so thick. You can't see anything." Naruto sniffs the air.

This boat is moving so slowly. I could've just used my chakra to walk across and get to the pier faster.

The fisherman says in a quiet voice, "The bridge isn't far now. Our destination's just ahead. The Land of Waves."

We gaze up at a massive bridge that was only partly built, but it was still pretty impressive.

Naruto exclaims, "Whoa! It's huge!"

The fisherman scolds him, "Quiet! I told you: no noise! Why do you think we're travelling like this, huh? Cutting off the engine and rowing? Moving through the dense fog, so they don't see us." 

Naruto nervously clamps his hands over his mouth while Sasuke, sakura and I stare at him.

Kakashi addresses the bridge builder, causing him to look down, "Tazuna-san, before we reach the pier, I want to ask you something. The men who are after you—I need to know why. If you don't tell us, I'm afraid I'll have to end this mission when we drop you ashore."

"....." Tazuna doesn't say anything for a moment as Kakashi narrows his eye at him. "I have no choice but to tell you. No—I want you to know the truth. Like you said: this is beyond the scope of the original mission. The one who seeks my life is a very short man who casts a very long and deadly shadow."

Kakashi reiterates, ""A deadly shadow?""

"..."

"Who is it?"

Tazuna responds mysteriously, "You know him. Or, at least, you've heard his name before. He's one of the wealthiest men in the world: the shipping magnet, Gato."

This causes Kakashi's eye to widen as he gasps, "Gato?! Of Gato Transport?! He's a business leader. Everyone knows him."

Facing us, Naruto asks, "Who, who?! What, what?!"

Tazuna tells us, "Gato... is a very powerful tycoon from a famous company, that's true. But below the surface, with the same ruthless methods he uses to take over businesses and nations, he sells drugs and contraband, using gangs and ninja. It was one year ago, when Gato first set his sights on the Land of Waves. He came to our island and used his vast wealth to take total control of our transport and shipping. Anyone who tried to stand in his way, simply... disappeared. In an island nation, a man who controls the sea controls everything: finance, government, our very lives. But there's one thing he fears: the bridge. When it is complete, it will join us to the land and that will break his control! I am the bridge builder."

Sakura says in realisation, hand to her chin, "So that's it. Since you're in charge of the bridge, you're standing in this gangster's way."

"That means, those guys we fought in the forest... they were working for Gato," I murmur. Naruto looks completely lost by this conversation, putting a finger to his temple.

Kakashi says to Tazuna, "I don't understand. If you knew he was dangerous, knew he'd send ninja to eliminate you, why did you hide that from us?"