21 A Formidable Foe Strikes
The Land of Waves lay nestled amidst the vast expanse of the sea, its isolation making it both a sanctuary and a target.
Before the construction of the bridge, access to the island nation was solely by water. Thus, whoever controlled maritime transportation held sway over its wealth, politics, and populace.
In the dense fog, a small sailboat stealthily traversed the waters. Its presence was veiled by the mist as it made its clandestine journey toward the Land of Waves.
On board the sailboat, Tazuna finally divulged the full truth to Kurenai.
Learning that the Land of Waves was under the dominion of one of the world's few millionaires, Kurenai couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation.
A man of such vast wealth was likely to command a legion of desperadoes, perhaps even harboring powerful traitors within his ranks.
With encounters with two Chunin en route, the likelihood of facing a Jonin under the enemy's command was high.
Contemplating these circumstances, Kurenai entertained the notion of aborting the mission. However, Tazuna's appeal to her sense of morality left her at an impasse.
In the end, swayed by Hayashi's persuasion, she resolved to forge ahead with the mission.
Meanwhile, Hayashi brimmed with excitement upon setting foot on the vessel. Though he struggled to contain his emotions, he managed to conceal his inner turmoil from Kurenai and the others.
Because...
[You vanquished the 'Demon Brothers' and acquired 0.12% experience.]
[Your template of 'Hawkeye' has been unlocked to 49.2%.]
After six years of activating the system, he finally unearthed a second avenue for accumulating experience. This revelation filled him with anticipation and eagerness.
Engaging in combat, no—battling monsters and leveling up.
After vanquishing the two ninja siblings, Hayashi finally grasped the essence of the system. Discerning its workings, he heard two notification chimes echoing in his mind.
As he had suspected from the outset, this system operated akin to a data stream.
What did that entail?
Essentially, it was akin to living in a game where Hayashi was the sole player within the entire server, with everyone else akin to non-player characters – NPCs.
In this game-like scenario, players typically gained experience by slaying enemies or monsters.
His current predicament mirrored this data flow, albeit with one crucial difference—he wasn't merely a collection of data, but a living, breathing individual with flesh and blood.
Yet, these experiences accelerated his progress in unlocking his inherited abilities.
Discovering this second avenue for experience acquisition, he couldn't contain his excitement.
Relying solely on the completion of daily tasks yielded a meager 0.02% experience gain each day. Over the span of a year, this amounted to a paltry 7.3%.
Six years had passed, and still, Hawkeye's template hadn't even reached the halfway mark.
Another six years, and the era of turmoil would draw to a close.
If this trajectory persisted, he might find himself relegated to a mere supporting role, akin to Sakura in the final stages.
Such a fate was inconceivable to Hayashi.
He refused to allow himself to become a mere footnote in the annals of history, especially amidst the looming threat of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Even if he had to delve into uncharted territories, he was determined to forge his own path to greatness.
Now, how could he not be excited?
Those two Chunins could each provide him with 0.12% experience, equivalent to six days' worth of daily tasks.
So, how much experience would the 'Demon of the Hidden Mist' Momochi bring him if he were to defeat such an Elite Jonin?
The stroke of his blade just now was executed flawlessly.
However, if he allowed himself a moment of empathy, he might have entertained an alternative approach—one that led down a path with no return. In that fleeting moment, the thought of letting himself go and eliminating everyone crossed his mind. It promised to yield a wealth of experience, but it was just a brief consideration, quickly dismissed.
As he closed his eyes to quell his emotions, the small sailboat had already crossed the incomplete bridge, arriving at the Land of Waves. However, Tazuna's home still lay some distance ahead.
As they walked along the sparsely populated forest road, the demeanor of Hayashi and the others had shifted drastically. Aware that the next ninja they encountered might likely be a Jonin, both Kurenai and Hinata, along with Shino, bore expressions of utmost seriousness.
Hinata, vigilant as ever, spoke up suddenly.
"Teacher Kurenai, someone is approaching from ahead."
"Remain alert. Protect Mr. Tazuna," Kurenai commanded, placing her trust in Hinata's keen senses and immediately issuing orders.
Sure enough, her sensory abilities detected the advancing presence ahead.
"Watch out!"
A blur darted from the forest, landing with feline poise on a nearby treetop before Kurenai and her team. It was a dark-haired man brandishing a broadsword, donning a Mist Shinobi headband with bandages obscuring his lower face and neck.
It was one of the second batch of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza, nicknamed 'Demon'.
"Hey... it's actually a member of the Hyuga clan from Konoha's renowned family. Is that the legendary Byakugan?" Zabuza didn't greet Hinata with his beheading sword, but instead stared at her with interest.
"No wonder you were able to detect my presence."
Kurenai swiftly retrieved a handful of kunai from her ninja pouch, her expression turning serious as she addressed Zabuza.
"So, it's the Mist Shinobi who betrayed Kiri, the 'Demon' Momochi Zabuza. But you won't be taking anyone's head today."
"You're quite unfamiliar," Zabuza remarked, his gaze shifting to Kurenai.
"I'm familiar with the renowned Jonin of the great Konoha, documented in the Bingo Books I carry. I'm certain I've never encountered you before," he added, his tone laced with mockery, implying that she wasn't deemed strong or significant enough to be mentioned in the Bingo Books, while also subtly deriding Konoha's reputation.
"Can you please hand over that old man to me?" Zabuza directed his attention to Tazuna, ignoring her completely.
"String Bean Binding Illusion."
Without hesitation, Kurenai initiated an attack.
Zabuza stood atop a tree, perceiving the hand seals. Furrowing his brow, he calmly observed the branches emerging beneath his feet.
"Genjutsu user, huh?"
"You are but a mere distraction," he declared, a hint of mockery lacing his words.
"Unless you're planning to unveil a Sharingan next, I'd suggest you rethink your strategy. But then again, you can't possibly be an Uchiha, can you? Last time I checked, there were only two of them alive, and they're both male," he taunted, looking down on her with disdain.
With a swift hand seal, Zabuza unleashed a surge of chakra, dispersing the illusion before it could fully materialize.
"Hiding in Mist Technique."
Thick mist enveloped the area, transforming the sunny scene into a foggy haze, obscuring visibility.
"Teacher Kurenai, his chakra is fluctuating rapidly," Hinata warned loudly, her temples pulsing with veins as she focused her Byakugan.
"Stay vigilant and protect Tazuna," Kurenai instructed, her eyes scanning the mist.
"He excels in silent assassination. Hayashi, you need to safeguard Hinata and the others."
Zabuza's voice pierced through the fog, a sinister edge to his words.
"Tell me, where should I strike first? Shall I aim for the heart, puncture the lungs, or perhaps slice through the jugular?"
His mocking tone indicated he didn't view them as a threat, his presence concealed from their naked eyes within the dense mist.
Hayashi discarded the paper umbrella, his senses heightened as he felt the sinister presence of Zabuza lurking nearby. With a firm grip on the hilt of his tachi, he spoke softly, yet with an air of certainty, "He's already here."
