A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!


 * Title: A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!
 * Premiere Date: November 17, 2002
 * Episode Code: 006
 * Episode Length: 24.5 minutes
 * Episode Airdate:
 * Japan: November 17, 2002
 * Germany: September 25, 2006
 * Poland: February 19, 2007
 * US: October 8, 2005
 * Manga arc: Land of Waves
 * Chapter:
 * Chapters:

is episode 6 of the anime series Naruto. The episode's storyline is from the Land of Waves manga arc.

In other languages

 * Polish: Niebezpieczna misja! Podróż do Krainy Fal!

Episode Synopsis
Team 7 embarks upon their first "real" mission, which consists of escorting the bridge-builder Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Upon encountering true danger in the form of enemy rouge ninja from Kirigakure, both Sasuke and Sakura surpass Naruto. Thus, Naruto resolves to become stronger and not allow Sasuke to outperform him.

This episode introduces the world outside of Konoha. Two villains, Zabuza and Gato, also make a brief appearance at the end of the episode.

Plot
The episode begins with Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura (the four of whom constitute Team 7) stealthily pursuing a "target". Though the mission appears weighty at first, it is soon revealed that the team was merely capturing a runaway cat owned by the wife of the Land of Fire's feudal lord. When the Third Hokage considers assigning them a variety of similarly pathetic missions, a frustrated and restless Naruto demands the Hokage to assign them a more challenging and perilous mission.

The Hokage then explains that civilians employ Konoha's ninja to perform certain tasks for them, ranging from capturing a cat to assassination. These tasks, or missions, are divided into several categories based on their difficulty. From highest to lowest level of difficulty, these categories are A-Rank, B-Rank, C-Rank, and D-Rank. So far, Team 7 has been assigned D-Rank missions since they are merely fresh genin, or low ninja. However, chunin (middle ninja) are assigned C- or B-Rank missions, and jonin (elite ninja) are assigned A-Rank missions. When ninja successfully complete their mission, the employers pay Konoha a sum of money. Thus, the ninja are the foundation of Konoha's economy, and even D-Rank missions contribute to the village's welfare.

After Naruto continues sulking and badgering the Hokage, the Hokage finally relents. Team 7 is assigned to a mission escorting master bridge-builder Tazuna to the Land of Waves and protecting him while he finishes building his bridge there. However, Tazuna has no qualms about pouring contempt over Naruto and his dream to be Hokage. As Team 7 and Tazuna leave Konoha, Tazuna and Naruto continue scorning and taunting each other. As they argue heatedly, two shadowy figures spy furtively on them.

As the group ambles down the road, they walk past a small puddle alongside the path. Abruptly, two Chunin-level ninja from Kirigakure emerge from the puddle and ambush them. The enemy ninja, later revealed to be called the Demon Brothers, apparently defeat Kakashi and then turn to the Genin and Tazuna. Though Naruto is paralyzed with terror, Sasuke, on the other hand manages to not only deter the Demon Brothers' lethal chains but also immoblize the enemy ninja by pinning the chains to a tree. Then, Sasuke snaps the chains; unfortunately, the Demon Brothers are now mobile and still can fight with their perilous claws. As they attack Tazuna, Sasuke and Sakura defend him. Just as the Demon Brothers are inches away from shredding Sasuke, Kakashi appears and effortlessly defeats the them. In fact, Kakashi had anticipated the ambush because of the puddle alongside the path when there had been no rain for a long time. He then used the Replacement technique to deliberately appear to be dead so that he could figure out whether the Demon Brothers were targeting Team 7 or Tazuna. Now, Kakashi realizes that Tazuna was the target, and since Tazuna is being targeted by enemy ninja, this mission is therefore a classified A-rank mission.

Kakashi tells Naruto, who had been practically useless during the confrontation, that he "didn't think Naruto would freeze up like that" and proceeds to compliment Sasuke and Sakura for their courage. A bitter Naruto deeply envies Sasuke, who had cooly handled the situation. Sasuke turns to Naruto and contemptously asks, "You're not hurt, are you? Scaredy cat." This statement gives Naruto a newfound resolve to not be outperformed by Sasuke. Later in the Forest of Death in the Chunin Exam arc, a triumphant Naruto would say the exact same statement to a frightened Sasuke.

At this point, Kakashi notices that Naruto's hand is wounded and bleeding; Kakashi declares that the wound is poisoned because the Demon Brothers had poison on their claws and that they will have to bleed out the poison. Sakura suggests that they just give up because A) It's an A-rank mission, and, B) Naruto and his injured hand could become a liability.

Naruto, unwilling to jepordize the mission, takes out a kunai and stabs his hand with it in order to remove the poison, severely stunning his comrades and even alcoholic Tazuna. He then makes an oath that he will never run away or back down from any mission, threat, or enemy and that he will not lose to Sasuke. This is short lived, however, as Kakashi points out that losing any more blood could be fatal, causing Naruto to panic. Kakashi observes that Naruto's wound had already begun to heal and assumes that it was due to the healing power of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Subsequently, Gato, who hired the Demon Brothers to eliminate Tazuna, is shown complaining about their failure and states that there is a high-level ninja accompanying Tazuna. Zabuza, apparently the boss of the Demon Brothers, threatens Gato with his colossal sword. He says that he is the Demon of the Hidden Mist and that this time he will personally go and eradicate Tazuna.

Manga Chapters
This is a list of chapters from the manga this episode is from
 * Number 9-The Worst Client
 * Number 10-Target #2
 * Number 11-Going Ashore