Let's start the adventure with team seven and the twins! | Gaara x Oc|

Part 9

A dense, ghostly mist hung over the water, swallowing everything in sight. The only sound breaking the eerie silence was the gentle splash of oars slicing through the river's surface. In a small wooden boat, Team Seven drifted cautiously, their senses on high alert.

Kiyomi, the black -eyed kunoichi, tightened her grip on the boat's edge as her gaze scanned the endless fog ahead. A shiver ran down her spine.

"This silence... it's unnatural."

"The fog is so thick," Kiyomi murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't see anything in front of us."

"We should be nearing the bridge soon," the boatman said, his voice hushed yet firm. "Once we get past it, we'll reach the Land of Waves."

A sudden burst of excitement shattered the tension.

"Whoa! That thing is huge!" Naruto blurted out, leaning forward eagerly. His eyes sparkled with fascination.

"Hey, kid! Keep it down!" the boatman hissed, his grip on the oar tightening. "Do you even understand why we're hiding in the mist, why we're not using the motor? If they find us, we're dead!"

The gravity of the situation seemed to finally sink in. Naruto slumped back, pouting. The air was thick with unease.

Tazuna, the old bridge builder, cleared his throat, his expression grim.

"Before we reach the shore, I need to ask you something," spoke the serious voice of the team's quietest member.

Tazuna exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Looks like I have no choice... You deserve to hear the truth."

The atmosphere grew heavier. The mist clung to them like a suffocating veil.

"This mission... it's likely more than what you signed up for," Tazuna admitted, his voice laced with guilt. "Because the person after my life... is someone truly terrifying."

Kakashi's lone visible eye narrowed. "Someone terrifying?"

Tazuna nodded gravely. "Yes. You've heard his name before. Gatou—the infamous shipping magnate."

The temperature seemed to drop.

"Gatou?!" Kakashi's voice held rare surprise. "You mean the head of Gatou Company? He's one of the richest men in the world!"

"Wait, wait, wait—who? What?!" Naruto flailed, utterly lost.

Tazuna's hands clenched into fists. "Officially, he runs a massive shipping business. But behind the scenes, he smuggles drugs, deals in illegal activities, and seizes entire countries. A ruthless businessman, who sees human lives as nothing more than obstacles.

"A year ago, he set his sights on the Land of Waves. He didn't negotiate, he didn't offer deals. He came with brute force. And within weeks, he took control of our entire shipping network. Without trade, without resources, we were doomed to poverty."

Kiyomi swallowed hard. "So that's why they're building the bridge... To break Gatou's grip on the country."

Sakura spoke, her voice tinged with realization. "Since you started building this bridge, you've become a threat to him."

"That means those shinobi who attacked us were hired by Gatou," Sasuke deduced, his voice cold.

"It's obvious," the older sibling of the group murmured. "If Tazuna-san is right, Gatou will stop at nothing to crush this project."

A sudden silence settled over them.

Then, Kakashi's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "There's something I don't understand. If you knew a powerful enemy was after you, why didn't you tell us when you hired us?"