Chapter 129 (Patreon)

“To stand above even the gods... You truly are stronger than I am!”

The Sage of Six Paths’ words made Kurama’s fur bristle.

“Old Man Six Paths, you’re the Sage of Six Paths!” Kurama exclaimed.

Had Hagoromo really admitted that Yujiro was stronger than him?

Kurama could hardly believe it.

To Kurama, the Sage of Six Paths had always been the strongest.

He was the one who had created Kurama and the other eight tailed beasts.

“No, Kurama,” Hagoromo replied firmly. “I won’t lie to you. Choosing to stay with Yujiro was the right decision.”

Hagoromo sighed.

“The fact that I’ve appeared means the cycle of reincarnation between Asura and Indra has begun again.”

“Only a small amount of their chakra escaped this time, so I was still able to suppress it.”

“But the next time their chakra erupts, it may shake the entire shinobi world.”

“Then I’ll look forward to seeing you again,” Yujiro replied with a faint smile.

Hagoromo could only return a bitter smile before his body slowly faded away.

“Yujiro, from now on, I’m with you,” Kurama said with a grin.

“Whenever you need me in a fight, just call. I won’t hold anything back!”

Even the Sage of Six Paths had been unable to understand Yujiro completely.

If Hagoromo himself believed Yujiro had surpassed him, Kurama had no reason to regret following him.

“All right. The next time we fight, I’ll let you show what you can do,” Yujiro replied with a shrug.

“Heh! Just watch me!”

Kurama ran a paw over the fur beneath his chin and grinned.

Yujiro left the golden mindscape and returned his attention to the outside world.

Naruto and Sasuke were still unconscious.

The chakra that had awakened inside them was far too powerful for their current bodies.

The fact that they had merely passed out instead of dying showed how strong their bodies already were.

“Yujiro, what are we going to do about Zabuza?”

Kakashi placed Naruto and Sasuke beneath a nearby tree before walking over to Yujiro.

In the distance, Zabuza began trembling when he heard his name.

Any hope he had left immediately disappeared.

He had attacked Yujiro and nearly killed both of his students.

How could he possibly expect to leave alive after that?

Yujiro rested his black blade across his shoulder and slowly walked toward him.

“Zabuza Momochi.”

Zabuza immediately stiffened.

“If I gave you a chance to start over, would you take it?”

“Huh?”

Zabuza stared at Yujiro in disbelief.

Was Yujiro really offering to spare him?

“What’s with that reaction?” Yujiro clicked his tongue. “If you don’t want it, forget it.”

“No!”

Zabuza hurriedly lowered his head.

“Yujiro-sama, give me any order! No matter how dangerous it is, I won’t hesitate!”

“Calm down. It’s nothing that serious.”

Yujiro smiled.

“You’re already a missing-nin. Instead of wandering around outside, why don’t you come to Konoha?”

“I can give you a position as a sparring partner for my two students.”

“What?!”

Zabuza stared at him in shock.

Yujiro was willing to let him enter Konoha after he had nearly killed both of his students?

“Did you really think you could kill them while I was here?” Yujiro asked with a laugh.

“Uh...”

Cold sweat appeared on Zabuza’s forehead again.

Yujiro was right.

With him nearby, Zabuza had never possessed the slightest chance of killing Naruto or Sasuke.

Had Yujiro been using him to train those two from the very beginning?

Zabuza quickly understood, but he did not feel offended.

He was only a missing-nin from the Hidden Mist.

The chance to serve someone like Yujiro was something most shinobi could only dream of.

“Yujiro-sama!”

Zabuza dropped to one knee.

“From this moment onward, I, Zabuza Momochi, swear to follow you!”

“Fine. Wake up my students.”

Yujiro nodded.

“I’ll leave the rest of the journey to you. You should already understand what I expect.”

“When the mission is over, follow them back to Konoha and report in.”

“Yes, Yujiro-sama!”

Zabuza immediately lowered his head.

He then carefully approached Naruto and Sasuke.

“You two, that’s enough sleeping. Get up.”

Zabuza placed a hand on each of them and began shaking them awake.

After a moment, Naruto and Sasuke slowly opened their eyes.

The moment they saw each other, they embraced without thinking.

“Naruto!”

“Sasuke!”

A second later, they both realized what they were doing and immediately pulled apart.

“Wait... Naruto, weren’t you dead?” Sasuke asked as he struggled to his feet. “Where are we?”

He then noticed Zabuza standing in front of them.

Sasuke’s expression changed instantly.

His hand shot toward his ninja pouch, and he pulled out a kunai before taking a guarded stance.

Naruto also noticed Zabuza, and his entire body tensed.

“Easy.”

Zabuza scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“I’ve... switched sides.”

“Switched sides?”

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged doubtful looks.

“I’ve joined Konoha and sworn my loyalty to Yujiro-sama,” Zabuza declared.

Only after seeing Kakashi nod did Naruto and Sasuke relax slightly.

“You almost killed us!” Naruto shouted, baring his teeth. “If I hadn’t used the Shadow Clone Jutsu, I really would’ve died!”

Sasuke nodded, though he continued watching Zabuza carefully.

“Ahem... Let’s call that a misunderstanding.”

Zabuza coughed awkwardly.

He knew it was a terrible excuse, but there was nothing else he could say.

Yujiro watched them with a faint smile.

This was exactly what he wanted.

With Zabuza around, Naruto and Sasuke would have even more reason to push themselves.

After all, Zabuza was the man who had nearly “killed” both of them.

“Hm?”

Yujiro suddenly turned his head.

“What are those two doing here?”

Two presences had just entered his sensing range.

Neither of their chakra signatures was ordinary.

Yujiro turned toward Kakashi and Zabuza.

“Kakashi, I’m leaving the rest of the mission to you.”

“Understood.”

Kakashi nodded without questioning him.

He saw no problem with Yujiro bringing Zabuza under his command.

Yujiro’s strength alone was enough to ensure that Zabuza would never dare betray him.

Besides, Kakashi was now more than ten times stronger than his counterpart in the original story.

If Zabuza tried anything, Kakashi would kill him without hesitation.

“The mission to the Land of Waves continues!”

Kakashi raised a hand and led the others away.

Yujiro turned toward the two chakra signatures in the distance.

Then, with a single step, he disappeared.