Chapter 11: On the way to the Wave.
"I think they are ready for it Hokage-Sama" answered Kakashi.
The trio cheered.
"Since you are eager why don't you meet the client? Come in...um... Tazuna-the-supreme-bridge-builder-san?" Said the Hokage looking at the document.
Immediately the mission room was assaulted by the smell of alcohol as a drunk old man leaned on the door frame and hicked.
'lesson time! what can we learn about the client and the mission from the available data?' asked Kakashi as he formed a single-handed tiger seal.
"So where are the shinobi I hired?" asked the bridge builder as he looked around the room with a gaze that was a mixture of caution, guilt, and expectation.
'He is hiding something' replied Sasuke as he frowned.
"You are looking at them! We are going to be legends who are going to leave the Sanin in the dust! Believe it!" replied Naruto deciding to adopt his extremely annoying persona.
The man snorted.
"ha! As if a chibi like you can become shinobi! Hokage I paid for shinobi! why are you sending me kids?"
'He is afraid' added Naruto.
The Hokage was amused. He was sending in one of the strongest people in the village, The son of a Hokage/Jinchuruki, the heir of the Uchiha clan and someone who can at least keep up with the two monsters, and the idiot is complaining about them.
"They can get the job done but if you want more people you will have to pay the appropriate amount." said the old Hokage with a smile on his face.
Tazuna tsked and looked away.
'He is desperate' noted Sakura.
'And that means?' asked Kakashi.
'He is lying about something maybe about the mission and/or something else related to it and is using arrogance and alcohol to hide his fear. But he needs the shinobi for something maybe as a deterrence' summarised Sakura.
'Good job, sakura' said Kakashi ending the transmission.
"Well since everyone is here and the first impressions are done let's get on with the mission briefing." said the Hokage.
Naruto calmed down and the entirety of team 7s attention was focused on the Hokage and they released an aura that shut up the drunkard.
"Your mission is to escort/guard Tazuna-the-supreme-bridge-builder-san here until he finishes the bridge connecting the land of fire with the land of the waves, Southeast of Konoha. The estimated time of completion is around 1 month and you are to depart at 10 am tomorrow. Any questions?...no? then you are dismissed" said briefed the Hokage with all the experience of a leader who had seen and lived through two wars.
The team nodded and left.
"Well, then why don't you return and rest for the day Tazuna-the-supreme-bridge-builder-san." said the Hokage with a smile on his face.
the alcoholic nodded and left.
5 days later.
5 people were walking down the road.
Two adults and 3 kids.
Well, An old man, a man in his twenties, and 3 pre-teens each with unique hair.
"Are we there yet?" asked the orange-haired brat. leading the group.
"For the last time! we have a long way to go so, shut up Menma!" Yelled the black-haired girl from the right of the group.
"Leave him be Ume, Let him tire himself out that way at least we can get some rest during the night." said the indigo-haired spectacled nerd.
"Shut up Indra!" Yelled Menma as he charged at him which was easily dodged by the nerd.
"Now now don't fight and pay attention to your surroundings"
"Hai Sukea-Nii" replied the three kids as they fell into silence.
Few minutes of silence later.
"Are we there yet?" asked Menma.
"For the love of ramen! Menma! SHUT! UP!" replied/yelled Ume as she tried to punch Menma which he dodged.
"Shouldn't you stop them?" asked Tazuna to Sukea as he took a swing from his bottle those kids were LOUD and it wasn't helping his hangover.
"You are right.*CLAP CLAP* why don't we play a game?" asked Sukea.
"What game?" asked the pre-teens.
"Um... how about I Spy? I will go first A cloud shaped like a Hat"
"A tree with a hole in it."
"A bush."
"A branch."
"A rock."
"A stone."
"A glass bottle."
"A pair of glasses."
"A pair of conveniently placed puddles."
" Shuriken," said Indra as he deflected them with a Kunai.
"A poisoned claw!" Replied Ume as she dodged an attack.
"A Chain!" answered Menma as he multiplied and nearly took down the two enemies but was poped and cut.
"Poison!" Yelled Ume as she nearly shoved the general antidote down Menma's throat.
"Shinobi," said Indra as he took down the two chunin.
Menma who was busy choking on the antidote couldn't answer and lost the game.
"Good work you three, But keep in mind escort missions are about protecting the client and not taking down the enemy. Menma be more aware of your opponents and their movements, Ume be more careful of what you feed someone who is poisoned because sometimes giving the wrong antidote can kill them, Indra good job covering for your teammates" Said Sukea as he looked checked up on Menma.
"No fair Sukea-nii" whined Menma.
"Ma ma you will learn it with time." said Sukea as he ruffled Menma's hair with an eye smile.
Sukea was about to turn to Tazuna to interrogate him and make it seem like he was about to do the man a favor but substituted with a log and no sooner did he do so the log was impaled by a bunch of kunai.
The trio stared at the Kunai-ridden log in horror as the mist started to cover their general area.
"Team formation D! protect the bridge-builder" came Kakashi's voice breaking them out of their shock and causing them to move to surround Tazuna.
"Leave, Do not continue the mission if you value your life and the life of your comrades." said a mangled voice as the white mist turned black.
"Not on my watch," replied Kakashi's voice followed by sounds of kunai clashing.
"You have been warned," Said the voice as the mist melted away revealing the mid-day sun in all its glory.
Kakashi was standing next to the group facing a puddle reminiscent of a water clone.
"Tazuna-san I hope you will tell us the truth now. We don't want any...unfortunate accidents on the way to your village now do we?" asked Kakashi with a downright scary smile.
"ye-yes. please don't ki-kill me" said Tazuna shaking in his boots.
One sob story and a sobbing old man later.
Naruto and sakura were sobbing for totally different reasons while Sasuke had a look of sympathy and understanding.
Kakashi sighed and looked at his students and knew where this was going to go but still, he had to do what he had to do.
"We will have to return to the village"
"WHAT? NO! YOU HEARD HIM WE NEED TO HELP HIM AND HIS VILLAGE..."
{I will not help you nor will I let your father help you spawn}
"..WHAT SORT OF SHINOBI WILL WE BE IF WE CAN'T EVEN HELP A POOR VILLAGE?' also WHAT THE HELL?'" yelled Naruto.
"Shinobi don't protect they kill, sabotage, lie, betray, destroy that's what being a shinobi means and has been since the term 'Shinobi' was first coined," said Sasuke causing Naruto and Sakura to stare at him incredulously.
Naruto slowly turned to Kakashi with a silent plea to tell him that Sasuke was wrong and a Shinobi doesn't do any of that but was met with a silent but grim face(eye) of his Brother/teacher.
He closed his eyes and took deep breaths and when he opened them his eyes were filled with resolve.
Naruto took a kunai and slashed his palm surprising everyone.
"I, Uzumaki Naruto, vow on my blood that I will change the definition of Shinobi or die trying and the first step in doing that..." Naruto turned to the wide eyes old man and his equally shocked teammates"...I will free the village from the clutches of the man that is terrorizing them"
As Naruto finished his vow that the fox inside of him grinned and something awoke...no something resonated with his will.
A/N: As I re-read the previous chapters before writing this one. Minato being a regressor doesn't fit, so I will change it so that he found out Kurama's name in some ruins... maybe, maybe not. But Minato is no longer a regressor.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Awriter
Awriter Yeah, I am back...maybe finally had the mind and the mood to write.
Man, they weren't lying when they said life is a rollercoaster.
As usually thanks for the votes, collections, and comments.
Awriter Out.
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