"...I don''t see how that''s any business of yours," Zabuza cautiously comments.


    "But I believe it is," O?yashiro continues. "As you know, I have two legitimate buyers for the legendary Kubikiribo?cho?, one hailing from your very country, the other from parts I will not disclose. How slighted do you believe this other party would feel toward you, Terumi?-dono, and your country, for not only wasting their time and resources, but additionally taking away their opportunity to at least bid on such a magnificent weapon?"


    "I can''t tell you how excited that makes me," Zabuza happily expresses. "To think they might come after me... mnn! There''s nothing better in this world than feeding Kubikiribo?cho? still-warm blood from hacked and butchered bodies."


    "I understand, Momochi-dono," O?yashiro apathetically articulates, not bothered by the man''s clear blood-lust. "Then, if I may ask, who does Kubikiribo?cho? currently belong to?"


    O?yashiro waits a moment for an answer but Zabuza only grows irate and silent. Without concern for his safety, O?yashiro continues, "you said it wasn''t Da?nyi?-san''s to sell, and I know my old friend wouldn''t have lied to me if he didn''t think he could, at the very least, attain the weapon before I arrived, which tells me it couldn''t have been in your possession. I''ve been a tradesman since I was a little boy, Momochi-dono, and currently, my instincts are telling me this amazing sword isn''t yours to do as you wish either. So I ask again, who does own Kubikiribo?cho?? So that I may speak to him."


    Barely coping with Zabuza''s growing tension, Tenten wanted to yell to O?yashiro to get help, but she''s also amazed that such a slight and weak old man would be unshrinking in the face of such a monster. Tenten attributes such gall to his many years navigating perilous negotiations with villains from every corner of this world.


    "If I may ask my old colleague," O?yashiro says as he takes a step to Tenten''s father, however, Zabuza effortlessly levels the heavy-sounding Kubikiribo?cho? right against O?yashiro''s neck, stopping him from speaking with the gagged man.


    "It''ll be mine soon enough," Zabuza admits.


    "I see," O?yashiro smoothly admits. "That''s wonderful, Momochi-dono. May I assume it will occur through a challenge of some sort?" Zabuza''s stern silence is answer enough for O?yashiro, and the merchant continues, "I see. Might I know the date and time of the match so that I may bear witness? You have my word I only wish to observe the outcome."


    "There''s only one way it''ll end," Zabuza confidently claims. "Kubikiribo?cho? will be mine once again."


    "And if it isn''t, would you give me your word you will not interfere in the sale-"


    O?yashiro is halted when Zabuza presses his giant sword against his pale skin, mastering the weapon to irritate the skin red rather than cut into it. Amused, Zabuza heralds, "you have a pair on you, O?yashiro. Perhaps I should feed Kubikiribo?cho? your blood. My blade is starving for more."


    The moment drags on in painful and tense silence until there is a patterned combination of knocks on the door downstairs.


    "It''s your lucky day," Zabuza remarks to the tradesman, removing the blade and settling it on his back. "Be a good sheep and get the door." Despite being called sheep, O?yashiro bows before he exits the apartment.


    When this nightmare will end doesn''t concern Tenten nearly as much as how it ends. Bandits, thieves, protection detail, fighting other genin, lawn work, runaway cats, other mundane tasks have all been her ninja experience up to that point, but she''s never come across an enemy shinobi of this strength. This was an assassin who wouldn''t spare a second thought about killing them for attempting to take his sword, and still, her mind wonders how such a weapon could''ve possibly ended in Naruto''s possession.


    The blond was such a mystery to her she was beginning to hear his voice say odd things like, "who are you?" Her frazzled mind''s mental slip corrects itself when she realizes that came from downstairs. "Where''s Tenten-chan," she hears yelled, so grateful to recognize the loud voice, she''s near to tears.


    "Do eyebrows recede," Naruto asks Haku.


    With eerily calm confidence, Zabuza growls, "I''m going to kill you," raising his killer intent to the point Tenten feels like she can''t inhale a decent breath of fresh air. She grips his sleeve tighter, yet, to her amazement, Naruto doesn''t buckle.


    Naruto simply glares defiantly as he asks, "why are you here? I thought you''d still be recuperating."


    "Obviously, I''m here to kill you so Kubikiribo?cho? will once again be mine."


    "Hmph!" Naruto calmly rebuffs. " You''re not going to kill me so you might as well forget about that right now."


    Staring daggers at the daring blond, Zabuza growls, "I can''t wait to see the look in your eyes when it finally sinks in tonight''ll be the last night you breath."


    "Yeah, yeah," Naruto bemoans, cleaning his ears much to Zabuza''s growing annoyance. "Let''s just get this over with."


    "It feels like you''re not taking me seriously here," Zabuza notes. "Not that I care, but from one demon to another, only the last one breathing keeps Kubikiribo?cho?."


    "I don''t want Kubikiribo?cho?," Naruto responds. "That sword doesn''t fit with my fighting style."


    Stepping closer to the blond, Haku suggests, "Naruto-sama, this would be a good opportunity to try diplomacy. You''re going to have to learn to settle things with other strong and angry men without resorting to violence."


    "There''s only one way this is getting settled," Zabuza tells Haku.


    .


    .


    .


    ????The novel is available in PDF with more than 400 chapters, visit us in our Ko-Fi store????


    /horizon2075????