"...Our country is very poor, so we don't have extra money to issue high-level missions. We can only scrape together enough for a C-rank mission... and gamble on our luck."
The Rookie Three were very angry at Tazuna's explanation.
If he really did that, it wouldn't just be himself who got killed, but also the Ninja who came out on the mission with him.
If it weren't for Ge Liang, Naruto and Sasuke would have really wanted to quit this mission.
Because Tazuna disgusted them.
"You rest for a bit, I need to discuss something with my team members."
After speaking, Kakashi threw two shuriken at the Demon Brothers.
Now that the true nature of the mission was known, there was no need to keep these two around.
"How about it, do you want to continue the mission?"
The death of the Demon Brothers did not make The Rookie Three uncomfortable. Instead, Kakashi's words surprised them slightly.
Generally, when there were significant disagreements during a mission, the team leader would make the decision.
Because the team leader had rich mission experience and more mature thinking than the team members.
Moreover, making decisions was inherently the captain's authority.
Now, seeing Kakashi ask for their opinions, it was clear that Kakashi didn't treat them as outsiders, but as true comrades.
"Honestly, I don't want to continue."
Seeing Sasuke state his opinion, Naruto also nodded in agreement: "Mm, me too."
"Alright, I'll go refuse..."
"Wait a moment."
Seeing Kakashi about to refuse Tazuna, Sasuke quickly spoke.
"But Naruto and I promised the Internet Cafe Owner that we would bring two people back to him. If we don't continue the mission now, I'm afraid it will be hard to explain to the boss."
"Sasuke is right."
Kakashi watched the two of them echo each other, feeling a bit strange.
"What did you promise Boss Ge?"
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances, then Naruto said: "Uncle said we would encounter a Rogue Ninja named Zabuza this time, and he needs us to bring him and his assistant back to him."
"Zabuza? Are you sure Boss Ge said Zabuza, and not Hyakunin Giri, Ore wo Kiru, Mata Kiru?"
"Kakashi-sensei, you know this person?"
"Yes, I know him."
Kakashi nodded, then continued: "This person is one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, a user of the executioners blade. Coupled with his brutal style, he earned the title 'Demon of the Hidden Mist.' His wild personality makes him uncontrollable. During his time in the assassination unit, he assassinated countless important figures using the Hidden Mist's Silent Killing technique."
"This is a terrifying guy who is very famous in the Ninja World."
"Why would the boss want such a person to be a waiter?"
Kakashi was originally wondering what Ge Liang wanted Zabuza and his assistant for, but now hearing Sasuke's murmur, Kakashi was truly speechless.
This is Zabuza, the 'Demon,' not some chopped chicken.
Using this guy as an internet cafe waiter, wouldn't it really scare away customers?
"Zabuza is a very terrifying guy. Are you sure you want to continue the mission?"
Kakashi didn't understand why Naruto and Sasuke agreed to Boss Ge's request, but he still wanted to confirm again. If Sasuke and Naruto didn't want to continue, he would directly refuse to execute this mission.
"Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei, we are very strong. And no matter how powerful Zabuza is, can he be as powerful as you, Kakashi-sensei?"
Naruto subtly flattered Kakashi, making Kakashi too embarrassed to refuse the mission.
If I refuse the mission, wouldn't that mean I, Kakashi, am afraid of Zabuza?
"Alright, since you've all decided, we'll continue the mission."
...Night fell, and Ge Liang's internet cafe was about to close.
He hadn't expected Konohamaru Sarutobi to bring Moegi and Ise Udon to the internet cafe today.
After all, Konohamaru is Hiruzen Sarutobi's grandson and has no strength himself. Wasn't he afraid that Ge Liang would turn hostile and kidnap Konohamaru?
Then again, since Konohamaru came to the internet cafe, it indirectly shows that Hiruzen Sarutobi is no longer as wary of this place.
"This is a good thing."
As time passed, when Hiruzen Sarutobi realized that Ge Liang truly only wanted to do business and didn't want to cause trouble, the internet cafe's business should experience a boom.
How many Anbu members are there?
At most, a hundred.
How many Konoha Ninja are there?
Based on the eighty thousand allied forces during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Konoha sent at least ten thousand Ninja (including Genin). (Note 1)
There are still three or four years until the Fourth Great Ninja War. Taking a conservative estimate, Ge Liang estimates that Konoha currently has at least two thousand five hundred Ninja.
Of course, among these two thousand five hundred Ninja, at least seventy percent should be Genin, with Chunin and Jonin accounting for only about thirty percent.
With such a rough calculation... the number of Chunin and Jonin is quite substantial.
Ge Liang chuckled. The more Konoha Ninja there were, the more potential customers there would be.
This is a good thing.
Smiling, Ge Liang got up and went to the door, ready to close, but heard someone calling him from the alley entrance.
"Boss, wait a moment."
When the person walked closer, it turned out to be Aburame Torune.
"What are you doing here?"
Ge Liang saw that he came alone and wasn't carrying any weapons, so he probably wasn't here to cause trouble. Thus, Ge Liang didn't intentionally put on a sour face.
"Boss, can we go inside to talk?"
Ge Liang nodded and welcomed Torune in. After both parties sat down, Torune directly asked: "Boss, I want to know if Lord Danzo was released by you?"
"Of course not."
Ge Liang looked at Torune in confusion, not understanding why he would ask that.
"He wasn't released?"
Hearing this, Torune breathed a sigh of relief, then muttered: "So the Danzo currently in Root is fake, then?"
"Hmm? There's another Danzo in Root?"
Hearing Torune's murmur, Ge Liang became even more confused.
He knew that Danzo didn't have any body doubles.
Therefore, the Danzo currently appearing in Root must be an impostor.
"That's bold enough, daring to impersonate Danzo."
"But, I remember telling Hiruzen Sarutobi that I killed Danzo."
"Now that a new Danzo has appeared, isn't he going to investigate?"
"Unless..."
As he pondered, Ge Liang thought of a possibility.
That is, Hiruzen Sarutobi knows about this fake Danzo.
Even more so, this impostor was sent by Hiruzen Sarutobi, to better control Root.
Heh, Ge Liang and Torune would never have guessed that Danzo was actually impersonated by Hiruzen Sarutobi's Shadow Clone.
However, it's enough to know that Danzo is fake now.
Although Torune was Danzo's personal subordinate in Root, he had no affection for Root at all.
Because that place itself was a place that eroded human emotions.
So, after being 'captured' by Ge Liang, he didn't resent Ge Liang; instead, he was very grateful to him for allowing him to regain his freedom.
Now that he knew that Danzo was fake, he would never go back.