Sasuke's twin sister, But Neji's first love

The Assasin Of The Mist!

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They continued walking until they eventually reached a body of water. A man stood on a small boat, clearly waiting for them.

Seating Arrangements:

  Naruto and Sakura
  Sasuke and Ryuko
  Kakashi and Tazuna
    The Boatman

There was silence between Sasuke and Ryuko—not the awkward kind where someone feels the need to fill the air, but rather a quiet they both appreciated. The soft ripples of the slowly flowing water were calming, almost meditative.

The silence broke when the boatman spoke. "We're close to the bridge and your destination."

Team 7 leaned forward, trying to see through the thick fog that blanketed the water. Eventually, a silhouette emerged in the distance.

"Whoa! It's huge!!" Naruto shouted, his voice echoing across the water.

"Keep it down!" the man hissed, glancing around nervously.

Naruto clamped his hands over his mouth, even holding his breath in apology.

Kakashi cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Mr. Tazuna, before we reach the pier, there's something I need to ask you."

Tazuna didn't respond right away. He stared straight ahead, eyes blank.

Kakashi took that as a cue to continue.

"I need to know who those men were that attacked us in the forest. If you choose not to tell us, we'll have no choice but to end the mission once we reach the shore."

Tazuna let out a sigh. "Hmph... I have no choice but to tell you. No, I want you to know the truth. Like you said, this is far beyond the scope of a C-rank mission. The one after my head... he's a small man—but he casts a deadly, far-reaching shadow."

"A deadly shadow?" Kakashi repeated. "Who is it?"

"I'm sure you've at least heard of him," Tazuna said, gripping the side of the boat. "He's one of the wealthiest men in the world. A shipping magnate... Gato."

"Gato? Of Gato's Transport?" Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "He's a well-known business leader."

"Who? What?" Naruto blinked. "Can someone explain?"

"Gato's a powerful tycoon, that's true. But in the shadows, he uses gangs and rogue ninja to move drugs and contraband. It was about a year ago when he set his sights on the Land of Waves. Using his wealth, he took control of our shipping and transportation. Anyone who stood against him disappeared."

Tazuna's fists trembled. "On an island like ours, the man who controls the sea controls everything. But there's one thing he fears: the bridge. If I finish it, it will break his hold on us. That's why he wants me dead. I am the master bridge builder."

Ryuko's POV

Once he finished telling the story, I was stunned. Could such a small man really cause so much devastation?

"Oh, so that's why he's targeting you—you're standing in his way," Sakura muttered.

That's when it clicked. "So that means..." I began.

"The guys in the forest were working for Gato," Sasuke finished.

"Uhhh... hmmm..." Naruto still looked confused. How slow can you be, poor Naruto... I thought, sweatdropping.

"Wait, Mr. Tazuna, if you knew they were going to send ninja or gangsters to assassinate you, why did you classify this as a C-rank mission?" I asked.

"The Land of Waves is a small nation," he answered solemnly. "Even our nobles have little money. We can't afford an A or B-rank mission. If you leave once we land, there'll be no bridge. They'll kill me before I make it home. But don't worry about me... it's my poor grandson. He'll cry, 'Grandad, I want my grandad!'"