Chapter 37 - 36: Believe It!

After Hikaru killed the demon brothers, Kakashi decided to ask some question from Tazuna about the one who was after his head. He lied at first but since the evidence was so clear, he eventually gave in and told everything what was happening in the Land Of Waves.

He said that there was a man named Gato, who, after setting foot on the Land Of Waves, decided to build a shipping company. Even though he was a incredibly rich, Gato wanted more and decided to built illegal smugglings, illegal brothels, human trafficking, and drug trafficking businesses. Soon, he became a billionaire who was known throughout the land. But, under his feet, was the suffering citizens of the Land Of Wave. And all the citizens could ever do was grovel themselves in front of this cruel man and obliged to his every decisions.

But there was hope.

If Tazuna ever manage to build the bridge that would connect them to the mainland, new businesses would again bloom in the Land Of Wave! But Gato did not want this and thus offered a huge amount of money just for him to stop making the bridge, but Tazuna refused and said that he will not take this money just for him to leave his friends and family behind. Gato left along with his bodyguards, but strangely, he was quiet.

As he explained all of this, Tazuna couldn't stop himself from crying. He begged them that if they successfully protect him until he finishes the bridge, then he would forever be grateful to them.

Kakashi wanted to reject it and just go back to the village to report this to the Hokage but suddenly, Hikaru said that they will do it. Kakashi was stunned and told him that reporting this to the Hokage is the best option possible.

Hikaru only said one thing to him while he looked at him coldly, "If we ever return and report this to the Hokage, then tell me, how long do you think we can make it in time just before Tazuna is killed?"

He couldn't refute that, two chuunin ninjas already appeared, then what if a jounin appears? He will surely die, and he knew that Gato is extremely wealthy, it would only be a matter of time before an S-Rank nin appears. In short, this would be a disaster for the Land Of Waves.

But then, Hikaru said, "Though, it would only be right for Hokage-dono to know what is happening in the Land Of Waves, so I will send this letter to him."

Soon, he started writing a letter and after he finished it, he brought out a very unique stone out of nowhere. It had a carving of a wolf with a sword in its mouth, fighting something that can only be considered monstrous.

"The Great Grey Wolf, Sif! Come to my command and show yourself!" Soon after saying that, the stone disappeared from his hand and bright white light particles appeared from the stone before it slowly formed itself into something akin to a canine creature. Slowly, the body of a grey wolf appeared in front of them and in its mouth was a huge sword.

Its closed eyes slowly opened itself before the grey wolf howled into the forest.

"Awooo!"

His teammates mouth was agape, they couldn't believe that he can do something like that. Kakashi was not surprise though, for he knew that summoning jutsus exists in this world, after all, he, too, is contracted to one of them.

Hikaru slowly walked towards her. As he reached Sif, he petted her before he tied the letter on her body with a thin rope.

"Sif, give this letter to the Hokage. Now, go on. Return to me once you have given it to the Hokage." Hikaru ordered before Sif ran to the direction of Konoha in a blinding speed, with the letter on her.

"I didn't know you had a summoning creature with you, Hikaru." Kakashi said.

He turned his head to look at him and said, "Well, now you know. Anyway, let's go on, lest an even stronger enemy appears."

Kakashi nodded before they started walking again, but Tazuna, who was behind them, couldn't help but feel grateful towards them.

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Soon, they reached the Land Of Waves via the fishing boat that Tazuna's friend owned.

But, as soon as they touched the ground, the mist in the area suddenly tickened. They could barely see anything. Tazuna waved it off saying that this was only normal in the Land Of Wave because this was close to The Land Of Water.

As they started walking, Azumi suddenly threw a kunai in the bushes, which drew a yelp from Sakura.

"Azumi! What was that for? That surprised me." She said.

"I sensed something there, I'll check it." Azumi said as she walked towards the bush to see if there was indeed something in there, only to see that she has pierced a snow white rabbit with her kunai.

She looks at her team and scratched her head sheepishly.

"I guess I was wrong, hehehe."

But, as a jounin, Kakashi was able to deduct that white rabbits are only found in winter, thereby this white rabbit was owned by someone. As he slowly realized, his only visible eyes widened.

"Everyone, duck!" He yelled as he ducked.

They did as he ordered, everyone except Hikaru.

Soon, a giant cleaver sword spanned on top of them, barely escaping it. But when the giant cleaver sword reached Hikaru, he only drew his lightning Black Katana to block it. Yellow lightning arcs soon flew around as he drew the katana from its sheath, and when he blocked the giant cleaver sword, the lightning arc only grew more intense.

With the amount of upgrading he did to his katana, even the hardest object in the world would be cut cleanly under it. And that's what happened to the oversize sword, it got cut in half so cleanly, that he could see his reflection in it in the short amount of time the cut in half sword passed by him.

Boom!!

The two parts of the oversize sword managed to get stuck on the treesn thus making a huge noise upon its landing.

Suddenly, a man appeared near the broken sword. He picks up the one with the handle and said, "Tch, I didn't think that someone like you would exist in that warm hearted village. Who are you? If you were this strong, then I surely would've heard about you."

The man was a tall and noticeably muscular man with light grayish skin, short spiky black hair, dark brown eyes, and small eyebrows. Hikaru can see wearing bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face. He was topless, only a black belt was worn in his chest area.

Hikaru kept silent, he didn't want to start a conversation to his soon dead enemy.

"Zabuza Momochi? The Demon of the Hidden Mist!?" Kakashi said in shock.

"Ho, seems like someone still knows who I am. But I'm not here to give autographs, give me that old man now or I will slaughter all of you." Zabuza said, bloodthirsty. He ignored Hikaru ignoring him for he knew the one in front of him, Kakashi of the Sharingan, the man who copied over 1000 jutsus. He already lost his sword, but he can still win this if he use his skills perfectly. Though, the kid near Kakashi is emitting a sense of danger from him.

Kakashi suddenly lifted the head protector that was covering his left eye, and revealed the spinning three-tomoe sharingan he was hiding behind that headband protector.

"Ho, so you've decided to reveal your sharingan at the start of our fight, eh? Kakashi of the Sharingan, the man who copied over a thousand jutsus! What an absolute honor, hahahaha!" Zabuza said mockingly. Even though Hikaru sliced his sword in half, he still underestimated him due to the fact that he was a kid. He thought that Kakashi is more of a threat than him, which is going to be his absolute downfall.

"Zabuza, I'll give you a chance, join Konoha or die." Hikaru said as a cruel light glinted in his dark eyes.

Zabuza was surprised at the sudden offer, but he just snorted "Hmph, why would I want to join such a pathetic village, eh? And me? Die? Like I'd fall in the hands of a brat like you, and neither those three fools behind you."

Meanwhile, with the other three...

He couldn't move. It was just like last time when he saw Itachi slaughtering his clan. But this time, his enemy has the intent to really kill him. The bloodl.u.s.t, it's so strong that the area was surrounded by it. He felt really useless now, meanwhile Hikaru is staring at the eyes of their enemy with no fear. But Sasuke...

Sakura knew that she was weak. The only reason she was able to join the academy was due to the influence of his parents, and the fact that they wanted her to at least marry Sasuke in the future. As she tried to stared at the enemy, while trying to at least protect Tazuna, she couldn't help but feel pathetic.

Azumi wanted to fight alongside Hikaru but the power gap between them is simply too massive. She wanted to help him, and at least feel the burden he is carrying with him. She was no fool, she could feel Hikaru everyday having a headache for some reason. She heard him once say that he needed to grow strong soon, but she couldn't help but ask herself that time, "Why would he want to grow strong faster than he is? We are still young, there are plenty of time to grow stronger and yet, why?"

She cannot help him for she is still too weak, even with all of her current strength, she still cannot beat her Hikaru-kun in a spar. Now, she is here, frozen like the rest of her teammates. But is this really all she have? All the training with her Hikaru-kun and yet, she would still freeze at the sight of her enemy? Her Hikaru-kun's enemy? No, she is stronger than this. She will be the Hokage and marry her Hikaru-kun in the future! She can't be weak like this!

"I-I will fight you, too!" With her newly found courage, and the rage inside her for being so pathetic, a red boiling chakra suddenly appeared around her. Soon, it surrounded her, turning into a chakra cloak with one tail behind her back.

"I am Uzumaki Azumi! Remember this name, for I am the one who will kick your ass! Believe it!" She roared and the thick mist surrounded them was blown away by her roar.