A Different Choice

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Naruto x ?

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Author's Note

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The way this arc has been playing out is thanks to a fanfic I read a long time ago. Wave Arc was extended, Gato had a secretary managing the accounts and then it was that fic or another one where Naruto got his hand on Gato's information and gave thirty percent of the money to wave.

I can't remember either fics, but I remember enough stuff that I've been basing a lot of scenes off it. As I remember another fic where Naruto snuck in and assassinated Gato. (This has probably been done a few times.)

But since this is me you guys know I can't help but overthink and meticulously go about this is the smartest way to do this to maximize the gain of something hence I incorporated the elements.

Also if there are any suggestions for female characters you guys want to see more of or give suggestions just let me know.

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Story Start

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A single Kagebunshin had made its way into Gato's estate on the island.

The place was massive. It was like a castle with all the signs of the man's ego being strewn about. Personalized statues of himself adorning the hallways.

The view it gave magnificent.

Countless hallways and balconies that served little to no purpose. A huge fortress so to speak.

Littered with guards who considering Gato's greed were your common thugs and not professionals. A unit of shinobi would be rather expensive for a lot of businesses, often ranging from a few million yen notes depending on the time range and scope of the mission to a payment as large as a quarterly of what a company would make in a year.

With ease Naruto just simply strolled by with the academy invisibility jutsu. Hard to find something when you don't know you're looking for it.

This place had many rooms. Living rooms. Office rooms. Bedrooms. But more than anything there was storage rooms. The copy made more clones which then proceeded to take out scrolls and began doing inventory of everything they could find.

Naruto's clone's journey would have taken hours if not for the face he created more copies and kept searching until he found what he was looking for.

A massive office filled with, filing cabinets, portraits and all sorts of other high-class stuff littering the space. And of course the man himself was there. For all the talk and fear surrounding him Naruto had expected more than a gray haired midget with glasses and a cane.

Naruto sat in and watched as the business was conducted. Silently watching as Gato went about his business and had meetings.

He took in everything he was learning. One of the common people Gato associated with was Waraji, a tattoo covered brute with the eye-patch dress whose torso was covered in bandages and wore black pants. He was carrying around a katana and seemed to be one of Gato's personal thugs. The only name that stood out was 'Zori' that was sent into town about some disturbance.

He sat there and listened a Gato complained about Zabuza's failure and how the wait was causing him money. Naruto had to steel himself from just killing the man in anger and disgust. He needed the man alive for now to get his information and began putting everything in place. He needed to get access to Gato's account and start pilfering without alerting his associates. He would just need a few days to get everything in order.

He continued to watch as Waraji brought up the suggestion of hiring Kirigakure hunter nins.

"It would be too costly." Gato dismissed. "Registered shinobi would be less likely to take my bribe for certain actions and the last thing I need is for anyone sticking their nose in my business. My competitors would sell their soul for the low down on my practices and there's no telling how quick those no good shinobi would stab me in the back for the right price. "

For a man like Gato reputation was important and he was not foolish enough to think his thugs stood any chance against a unit of shinobi.

"Boss Gato, got a guy here who wishes to speak with ya. Something about a job." Entering was whom Naruto assumed was Zori. A light skinned man with bluish-white hair and black eyes. He had on a purple hat, wearing a blue jacket with multiple pockets and black pants with a blue handle katana strapped to his side.

"This better be good Zori as I don't like my time being wasted by no names," Gato exclaimed, leaning back in his seat.

The man who entered had black hair which he kept back in a small topknot. His face though was rather unremarkable with his only distinguishing features being his slightly narrow eyes. He was wearing a pale green kosode with slightly darker green hakama, tied around the waist with a dark green sash.

"Aah Gato-san pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I am Kisaragi Saemon and I believe I can help you with a little problem you're having. Rumor has it you've been having trouble eliminating a bridge builder and I am here to offer my services."

"Oh, and what makes you believe you are qualified?"

"Perhaps you heard of the Kouga Clan?" he simply asked airily.

Anyone who knew about shinobi knew a fair bit amount the Kouga clan. At one time the strength of their clan was one of the strongest in the old times. For a short while they were contenders to be one of the strongest before their numbers fell to the might of the Senjuu.

Either way they were known for their assassination techniques. "I come not for your money, but for information." He pulled out a scroll and unrolled to which Naruto's eyes widened.

The girl. That girl from yesterday.

"I have heard rumors a girl matching this description was seen near here. I would simply like aid in tracking her down."

The grin on Gato's face couldn't grow any bigger if he tried. This fool would take care of all his problems and all he want was some help finding a girl? It would hardly take any effort on his part just sending a message to his underlings to capture her and bring her in. "Kisaragi you propose an interesting proposal. If you can eliminate a little thorn by the name of Momochi Zabuza and his little partner you got yourself a deal."

"Hhm how bothersome. Not what I had in mind, but I suppose that cannot be helped."

Once the transaction was over the copy knew what he needed to do. The original Naruto needed to know this and quick.

Something was wrong. That much Zabuza knew when he woke up.

"Don't bother, I already have your sword. You don't react I don't attack simple as that."

Zabuza turned to his side to face the speaker. To his distate it was that damn blond brat from Kakashi's squad.

"I know what you're thinking, you don't need your weapon to take me right? But what you should also be thinking he's a kagebunshin and he might have booby-trapped this whole area with who knows what. Like…the chakra suppression seal which won't burn out for two hours." Naruto was rather proud of himself for painting the seals onto Zabuza without waking the man up. And of course he would never admitted to being twitchy the whole time and almost throwing up twice when he thought the man was waking up.

The man had a reputation after all. He'd be insane not be at least a bit worried.

"Where is Haku?" The Demon of the Mist demanded.

"Chasing my kagebunshin. I flared my chakra and drew her out and yes don't bother I know Haku-chan is a she."

'Damnit Haku. Of all the times for you to fail. What was the point in all that training?'

"Ignoring what this looks like I'm not here to kill you. Seems my message to you didn't make its impact so let me try directly. I want you to join Konoha. I want you to become a vassal to the Uzumaki clan."

"Clan? What clan kid? Last I heard your clan was wiped out."

Naruto bristled but kept his composure. "Its my plan to restore my clan. And what clan wouldn't be complete without…"

"…servants." Zabuza spat out interrupting him.

"Actually I was thinking more along the lines of loyal guards. Powerful ones. You see Zabuza if I wanted to kill you I could have. Stealth and information are powerful tools as I demonstrated. Taking you head on as I am now, I might be able to put up a fair fight against you, but its uncertain if I could win. I have my speed, but you debately have superior and without a doubt you have experience. Sure I could overwhelm you with sheer numbers, but being in a water based area gives you the advantage in terrain and powers up your suiton techniques. But why go that route when we can go a route beneficial to the both of us? Like for instance let's talk about your contract with Gato."

Zabuza raised an eyebrow, "Kid, I highly doubt you can negotiate a better price than what Gato can pay."

"I don't have to, but I can give you valuable information. Gato has put a hit out on you."

"What?" the Jonin exclaimed, this bit of news while not completely surprising was still expected coming from the Konoha nin.

"For the last few days I've been gathering information on Gato and the situation on the island. I broke into his mansion for the purpose of getting information of pilfering his money, but while eavesdropping I witnessed

Gato hiring someone from the Kouga clan who is not only going to kill Tazuna, but you and Haku as well."

Zabuza, eyes showing his alarmed response at the sudden news. There was hardly a shinobi alive who at one time or another who hadn't heard of the Kouga clan. They were a renown clan of skilled assassins. One Kouga shinobi was often worth an entire squad from a minor village or a small team of Jounin from one of the five great villages.

"You tell an interesting story brat, and that's all that is until I can confirm it." Naruto expected as much. No shinobi worth their salt would take anything at face value. "And if I find out you're trying to play me you're going to wish you had died the way I originally planned to kill you." The certainty of brutal torture was conveyed quite frankly in Zabuza's eyes.

"Then good thing I have nothing to worry about," Naruto replied with an uneasy laugh. "If you want to contact me again, just tell Haku-chan to come meet me in the place we truly met, she'll know where that is." Naruto was thankful he hadn't waited. Another day or so Zabuza would have been in a good enough condition that this little stunt would have gotten him killed.

All Naruto knew was that he needed to worn his team about what he learned and track down that girl before that Kouga nin got to her.