Chapter 9: Chapter 8: 008
008
"Ha! I got-"
SMACK!
"Ow!"
"You're getting hasty again Naruto."
The blond began profusely rubbing the sore spot on his forehead in an effort to ebb away the pain. He shot a defiant glare at the woman before him, who remained unfazed.
"I told you before, kenjutsu is about balance. You can't just go around swinging your sword all willy nilly," Yugao chastised, halting their spar as she tapped her hand with the wooden bokken.
"You don't have to hit me so hard y'know!" Naruto grumbled.
"There's just something about pain that makes people listen," Yugao replied sagely, wagging her finger for added effect.
Zero Two couldn't help but chuckle at her beloved's capering. She was seated in the grass beneath a large oak tree on the outer edge of the field they had designated as their training area for the day. As she watched Naruto and Yugao dive back into the fray, the roseate girl began to reflect on the recent events that had transpired in her life.
It had been a month now since Team Seven has been commissioned under Hatake Kakashi. But even though they were an official team now and had begun taking on missions, it all basically amounted to grunt work. D-rank missions were assigned to genin fresh from the Academy, as they posed almost no risk to the life or limb.
They mostly consisted of odd jobs like farming, finding lost pets, and even babysitting sometimes. Naruto regularly voiced the team's collective displeasure at having to do other people's chores. But Kakashi always ignored his complaints, stating that these missions were to help them build up teamwork and a sense of camaraderie with one another.
Zero Two's eyes rolled in their sockets at the thought. Ever since the day of their exercise, the resident Uchiha of the group had earned a spot on her shit list. That stunt he pulled with his fire jutsu had nearly cost her Darling his life and just thinking about it still made her blood boil to this day. With Sakura, her and the younger pinkette seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement of not squabbling amongst one another, unlike the males of their squad. She still found her constant fawning over Sasuke highly irksome but at least she wasn't as bitchy anymore. Sakura had even gone the extra mile by offering companionship.
Zero Two had immediately dismissed the idea of course. Why bother dealing with other people unnecessarily when all she ever needed was her Darling? But it was at Naruto's behest that she try befriending the pinkette, his logic being that they would all be teammates for the foreseeable future so it couldn't hurt. She loathed the idea, but her blond furry had requested it so she was at least willing to put for the effort. The rosette couldn't help but giggle, knowing the boy would be livid if he knew she referred to him like such in secret.
After the exercise, Naruto had thrown himself tirelessly into his training. It was mostly perfecting his newly acquired taijutsu style but she had also taught him Chakra Adhesion to help with his admittedly shoddy chakra control. Were it up to her, learning how to walk on surfaces and water should be a basic requirement for graduating into the ninja career field.
Using some chakra paper, they had discovered that Naruto had a natural affinity for wind nature chakra. The geezer had told her long ago that it was a rarity among the five chakra natures and even more so in the Land of Fire. Zero Two giggled again, remembering the blond's face when she explained it to him and the two minute rant about how awesome her was that transpired afterwards.
Unfortunately, there weren't too many people walking around with extensive knowledge on wind nature. Even their sensei, the fabled Copy-Nin himself was of no help. But he did manage to point them in the direction of the Hokage's son Sarutobi Asuma, the only other person in the entire village with a natural wind affinity. The man was quite surprised to learn of another sharing his element, but he was too busy training his own team, another group of genin from Naruto's class, to offer much advice. He was at least able to show Naruto a practical exercise to help him harness his latent wind chakra and even wrote down a few jutsu for the aspiring teen to add to his arsenal.
But her beloved's latest endeavor came as a surprise. Out of nowhere, he expressed interest in learning Kenjutsu; he claimied that mastering a weapon would on add to his prowess as a shinobi. She had of course offered to teach him how to use a spear but the blond was adamant on wielding a sword. Though, Zero Two has a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with their raven-haired teammate. He and the Uchiha had this odd 'Anything you can do, I can do better' rivalry going on. Petty as it was, it did help motivate him to get stronger and she was more than willing support him.
That's where Yugao came into the picture. Zero Two herself, as much as she hated to admit it, couldn't be of much help to her Darling in this particular situation due to her fighting style being a mix of bojutsu and naginatajutsu. Sure, she could effectively wield a tanto, but she was no master when it came to sword fighting. When she brought up the request to her guardian, it excited the older kunoichi. A bit too much in fact. She had accepted almost immediately and Zero Two could've sworn she heard the woman giggle with anticipation.
That was two weeks ago and the violet-haired ANBU had dedicated all three of her days off throughout the week to instructing her new pupil. Naruto was a bit slow when it came to learning the katas, mostly due to the fact that Yugao was a perfectionist and he tended to rush. But with the help of his shadow clones, he'd managed to get down the basic stances in only three days.
Yugao had been impressed at how the boy soaked in her teachings like a sponge. The two of them had spent the last few sessions sparring to help Naruto get better acclimated to the fast pacing of an actual sword fight. Unlike taijutsu, every mistake could proven to be fatal and one could only learn so much by swinging at air.
SMACK!
"Ouch!"
"Don't rush in blindly. Let your opponent's moves guide you."
"I am but-"
SMACK!
"Don't let your guard down either!"
"Argh! Would you sto-"
SMACK!
Naruto went silent as the bokken fell from his grasp and both hands shot to the new set of lumps growing atop his head. His azure eyes narrowed, baring into the woman standing before him with a venom-laced stare. Her gaze was stern and unyielding, but she had a smirk plastered on her face. She was enjoying this; He just knew it.
"Oi you said I wasn't allowed to beat on your boyfriend so I would appreciate if you showed me the same courtesy y'know," Zero Two announced from her spot on the sidelines.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Yugao replied coyly. "This is nothing but a educational moment being shared between master and student."
"I have to agree with Zero Two on this one." A voiced called out from the forest. Three sets of eyes panned to see Kakashi emerge from the trees, signature book in hand. "Naruto might be hard-headed but even he is bound to soften up after a few more hits like those," the silver-haired man chortled.
"OI! YOU WANNA SAY THAT TO-"
"What brings you to this neck of the woods Senpai?" Yugao queried, ignoring the blond's enraged shouts.
"I came for Twozumaki. We have a new mission," he said as he turned to a new page in his book.
"Oh god not you too Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto drawled. It was a nickname bestowed upon himself and Zero Two courtesy of his old classmates, or more specifically Ino. Zero Two thought it was cute and didn't seem to mind but he loathed it. "And what kind of mission? I swear to god if we have to go catch Tora again..." Naruto's features darkened at thought. Eight...eight times they had been sent to apprehend the Fire Diamyo's Wife's cat after she had run away. Granted, he understood why after meeting the portly, spendthrift woman for the first time. She practically coddled the poor cat to death. While he felt for the feline, Naruto was sick of having to chase after her.
"Nothing like that this time I promise," Kakashi chuckled. "You see, I did some thinking and I think you guys might be ready for something a bit more challenging."
"You mean we're finally getting-"
"No Naruto, we are not going on an S rank mission," the scarecrow-nin interrupted, shattering the boy's hopes. "I requested a C -rank mission from Hokage-sama and he has bestowed upon us a simple escort mission. Easiest as they come."
"Escort? to where?" Zero Two spoke up, rising to her feet.
"Wave Country. Our job is to protect a bridge builder en route back to his home village until the completed construction of a bridge he's building."
"Wait so like...you mean outside the country?" She asked. After being brought back alongside Naruto all those years ago, she hadn't bothered to step foot outside the village proper much, except for a few sorties to neighboring towns. She never really had a reason to. But this mission would have them setting out for an entirely different nation.
"Correct. This is going to be a long-term mission. I expect there's a chance it could take a few weeks so make sure you guys pack accordingly. We depart tomorrow morning at 0800. That's all I came to say. Bye bye~!" With a short wave and a smile of his eye, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Awesome! I've never been outside the village before!" Naruto shouted excitedly. His eyes met with Zero Two's, who was giving him a blank expression. "Ok that's not entirely true but you know what I meant!" he quickly corrected himself. The rosette crossed her arm, maintaining her vexed expression. "Oh come on Zero Two that's not fair y'know!"
The girl finally relented with a smirk. He just made it too easy sometimes. "I'll let you off the hook this time Darling. But you have to massage my feet when we get home."
"Again...?"
"And carry me."
A tired sigh escaped the blond as his shoulders sagged. Yugao approached slowly and offered a sympathetic pat on the back. "Once again, I thank you for taking her off of my hands Naruto," she grinned.
"Not like I had a choice in the matter..." the boy mumbled in response.
Shortly after they had their exercise with Kakashi, Zero Two took it upon herself to move in with him. At the time, it had been a bit much for him to process in the moment. He had his reservations at first, considering he'd lived alone his entire life. Even with Zero Two entering his life once more, he still wasn't used to the idea of having someone else around. And regularly at that.
"I'm here now and I promise to never leave your side ever again."
But Zero Two's words always came back to him these days. She was a sun of compassion; evaporating the darkness that had previously shrouded his life. Just seeing the excitement in her eyes as she lamented over having to pack all of her things, he found it impossible to deny her request. To her credit, she had taken those words to heart. They did just about everything together: eating, training, missions, and even sharing the same bed, chastely speaking that is. The only time in the day he found himself away from his excitable girlfriend was in the shower. She had her gripes of course, but respected his wishes nonetheless.
Naruto felt a sudden weight fall on his back and his vision was muddled by a curtain of pink tresses. "Let's go Darling. We have to hurry so we don't miss the new episode of All My Love!" Zero Two proclaimed.
"Ehh?! But I hate that show..." Naruto groaned.
"And what's wrong with it?" the rosette huffed.
"It's so cheesy, lame, and highly predictable. Not to mention boring y'know," the blond presented his case.
"You're boring!"
"And yet you still stick around so I'll take that as a wi-OW!"
Naruto flinched from the sudden knock to his head. 'And here I thought I was childish...' he mentally grumbled. The sound of laughter caught his ear and he turned to see Yugao shaking her head at them.
"It's like she fancies herself a princess or something."
"I am as far as he's concerned," Zero Two smiled brightly.
"Yeah a spoiled one..." Naruto mumbled.
"You say something Darling~?"
"Nothing at all Hime~sama," the blond rolled his eyes. "And thanks again for today Yugao-nee. I'll be sure to keep practicing while we're away," he expressed his gratitude to the cat ANBU.
I told you before Naruto-kun, it's no trouble at all to help a promising youth," she offered a soft smile in return. "Zero Two, on the other hand, is a different story. Don't let her work you to death. She can be high maintenance after all."
"I am not high maintenance y'know!" the aforementioned rosette barked.
"We'll be on our way now. I have to pack and she has a show to catch," Naruto waved before walking away, carrying away an irate Zero Two with him.
"Neh, neh, you don't think that of me right Darling?"
"Whaaaaaat...? Of course not. I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world."
"You mean really mean that?"
"Except maybe a lifetime supply of Ramen..."
Daaahling~!"
"OW! I'm going to drop you if you keep pulling my hair Zero Two!"
Yugao shook her head in amusement once more as the duo disappeared into the thicket. "Now to go track down my own noble steed," she giggled as she leapt away in the direction of the village.
A tired sigh escape Sakura as she approached the large, towering wooden doors that compromised the village's main gate. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night due to the welling excitement of finally going on an actual mission, and one outside the village at that. This would be the first time she had ever left the confines of her home and she could wait to see the outside world.
As she approached the gate, she noticed Sasuke reclining against the outer wall of the guard shack nearby. He had a pack slung over his shoulder and his sword was securely fastened to his backside. With the way is arms were folded across his chest and his head being hung low, one would easily think the young Uchiha to be fast asleep rather than brooding.
"Good morning Sasuke-kun," she greeted with a wave. The raven-haired boy merely glanced in her direction and acknowledge her presence with a nod. She heard a loud commotion behind her and was startled when Zero Two slid past her, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
"Ha! I win Darling. That makes three times in a row~!" She beamed.
Naruto came stumbling into view seconds later, an irate expression etched onto his features. "That's because you pulled my tail again!"
"All's fair in love in war~!" Zero Two sang saccharinely with a wave of of her finger.
Sakura couldn't help but giggle at their antics. Over the last month, she'd become more...cordial with her fellow pink-haired teammate. After getting to know her a little better, Sakura realized she had the older girl figured out all wrong. To her, Zero Two was a...complex creature.
She certainly was cheerful, very strong-willed, and a bit of a tomboy. But she was also extremely brash and childish. She had a knack for teasing, though it was usually Naruto that suffered the brunt of her tormenting. She also noticed Zero Two had quite the sweet tooth. The girl was never without a box of pocky on her person and she had a habitual practice of pouring unprecedented amounts of honey on her food. She also elected to eat with her hands rather than use cutlery like a civilized person. But best of all, she wasn't like most girls in the village who were enamored with the last living Uchiha. Zero Two only had eyes for their fellow knuckle-headed, blond teammate.
"Hi guys. Another exciting morning I see," Sakura addressed the energetic couple.
"Oh, hey Pinky," Zero Two spoke. "Darling is just being a sore loser is all."
"You pulled...my tail!" Naruto pointed an accusatory finger. "It's not a toy!"
"Well...that was payback for eating all of my pocky!"
"You threw away my ramen!"
"...you said my show was stupid.."
"It is!"
Sakura found it difficult stifling a laugh at the blond's expense. It had come as a jaw-dropping surprise to everyone that Naruto's tail was in fact real, and not a cheap fashion accessory. Apparently, it was a birth defect from one of his parent's bloodline limits, which he failed to inherit, and he'd been hiding it under an illusion all these times. That was of course until Zero Two came into the picture. As annoying, and to quote Shikamaru: troublesome as Naruto was, Even she had to admit that his furry appendage was kind of cute. She often wondered what Sasuke would look like if he had one...
"Ah, my cute little genin," a voice suddenly called out suddenly. The four teens' attention was immediately turned to see Kakashi approaching the gate. Walking at his side was a grey-haired, bespectacled man with a large beard and dark eyes. He wore a sleeveless v-neck shirt with an obi, pants and a pair of sandals. He also carried a towel around his neck and wore a pointed hat on his head. As they drew closer, Kakashi noticed that his charges we're all staring at him with incredulous expressions. "What? Is there something on my face?"
"Who...who are you?" Sakura questioned.
"Your sensei..." Kakashi's lone visible eyebrow rose in confusion.
"Nooo...you're here on time. Kakashi-sensei is always late," Naruto countered. In the last month they had spent under his command, there wasn't a single time the scarecrow man had ever shown up on time.
"The loser makes a valid point," Sasuke added.
"What kind of freaky genjutsu is this...?" Zero Two blinked in surprise. This might've been up there with those two green spandex-wearing freaks and that creepy sunset of theirs. The thought alone made her shudder.
Kakashi could only shake his head with a sigh. "Very funny guys. But even I know when to be punctual. But that's besides the point. I'd like to introduce you to our client. This is Tazuna-san and he's placed his life in our capable hands."
"Capable?" the man snorted. "This is the protection I paid for? They look more like snot-nosed brats rather than ninjas. Especially the blond one with the stupid look on his face." The youths narrowed their eyes at the elderly man while Naruto's eye twitched.
"Hey gramps...these fists don't discriminate based on age y'know," the blond took a step forward,cracking his knuckles. He only made it so far before being stopped by Zero Two, who pulled him into a gentle embrace.
"Now, now Darling...even if they are an ornery old fart, we're not allowed to beat up clients," she patted his back reassuringly.
"Thank you Zero Two. Took the words right out of my mouth," Kakashi nodded, appreciative that she was being the voice of reason for a change.
"At least not while we're still under contract."
'I take it back. I should've known better...'
"Whatever, just get me back to my village. The sooner, the better," Tazuna grunted as he produced a small metal flask and took a sip from it. Feeling the tension in the air, Kakashi could only sigh inwardly as they prepared to set out.
'I already have a bad feeling about this'
The sun sat lazily on its perch in the sky, bearing down heat on the expansive timberland below that stretched across the landscape. Team Seven was currently trekking down a secluded road that would take them to a port on the eastern coast. From there, they would charter a small boat that would ferry them to the small island that made up the Wave Country.
Sakura and Zero Two were leading the group, walking just a few paces ahead of Kakashi and Tazuna while Naruto and Sasuke trailed behind them. Kakashi has decided on this formation to provide the best coverage and protection of their target in the event of an attack. He purposely kept Naruto and Zero Two seperated so that they wouldn't be distracted. He had expected the latter to voice her displeasure with his decision but she surprisingly accepted the assignment without question.
Sakura mentally noted that they had been traveling mostly in silence for a few hours now, save for Naruto and Sasuke conversing amongst themselves in the rear. Though by now they just seemed to be bickering about something or another. Again.
She cast a sidelong glance at Zero Two, who was being uncharacteristically quiet. She was suckling on a lollipop with her hand clapped behind her head as she walked. Taking in the older girl's traits, Sakura could see why Naruto had fallen for the rosette. Even she could admit the horned-girl was quite pretty, just never out loud. She had this alluring, yet dangerous aura about her.
"It's not nice to stare y'know," Zero Two suddenly spoke, making the younger girl flinch.
"Oh! S-Sorry, I didn't mean to!" Sakura quickly waved her hands defensively. "It's just...something has been bothering me for a while."
"Hm?" Zero Two's Head craned ever so slightly to look at Sakura, one of her eyebrows rising tentatively.
"Well...you and Naruto seem to be awfully close yet...no one's ever heard of or seen you before the day we we're all placed on teams. It just seemed weird to me is all, considering Naruto is the bragging type after all. He never gave any indication during school that he had a girlfriend," Sakura construed her thoughts aloud.
"Ah...Darling and I have been separated from some time now due to...complications," Zero Two responded.
Sakura noticed her tone had lost its normal whimsical vigor. Her beryl eyes dulled considerably, drains of their usual luster. 'Wow...she seems so sad all of a sudden,' Sakura thought to herself with wide eyes. She honestly didn't think the rosette was capable of feeling such a thing with her constant upbeat disposition and all. But the abrupt display of emotion evaporated just as fast as it came and a smile found its way to Zero Two's face.
"But everything has finally been worked out. And now, I'll never have to leave his side again." She spoke earnestly.
"Sounds like...you really love him huh?" Sakura inquired.
"But of course! Darling is my everything," Zero Two replied, speaking as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"It's just...Naruto was the last person I expected to be dating anyone," Sakura admittedly truthfully. "He's rather loud, obnoxious, and a bit of a blockhead at times."
"Yes, but he's my blockhead," Zero Two grinned, gesturing to herself. "Which is a lot more than most other girls our age could say," she said as she caught sight of a puddle down the road. 'Odd...doesn't smell like it's rained around here in days,'
"I guess you have a point..." Sakura mused as she gazed over her shoulder, sneaking a glance at the two boys walking further back. Naruto was waving his hands over his head erratically while Sasuke was pinching the bridge of his nose. "Naruto and Sasuke seem to be on better terms now, compared to the first day at least. I wonder what they're arguing about now."
Zero Two spared a glance at the duo before waving her hand dismissively. "They're boys. It's probably something stupid."
"Ok, the Sharingan can see chakra. The Byakugan can see chakra. They're basically the same!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Only a simpleton would come to that conclusion," Sasuke chastised the blonde. Even after explaining the difference between the two dojutsu multiple times, he still wasn't comprehending the subject.
"Oi! All I'm saying is that Uchiha and Hyūga could be related," Naruto argued. "For all you know, both eyes could've came from the same place."
"God you're an idiot..."
"Someone is in denial."
"You're annoying!"
"And you're grouchy!"
"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Kakashi sighed in annoyance. In response, Naruto shouted out obscenities while Sasuke let out a low growl. No matter what, those two always find the energy to argue he noticed. He couldn't help but smile at the acute similarities between them and himself and his old teammate. 'This is karma isn't it Minato-sensei?'
Ignorant of his surroundings, Kakashi was caught by surprise when the large puddle beneath his feet exploded. In a flash of movement, the ashen-haired jōnin found himself bound tightly in a shuriken-laced chain. "Eh?!"
"Tch...too easy!" A voice growled out from the shadows. The chain binding Kakashi suddenly constricted, shredding the man almost instantly. The three genin and Tazuna starred in horror at the piles of meat scraps that once made up Kakashi.
"Down goes the first one!"
A man burst out from the bushes charging madly at Zero Two. He had wild, shoulder-length black hair and equally dark eyes. He was clad in a camouflage suit with bandages around his waist and navy knee-length sandals covering his feet. His waist line was littered with pouches and his left arm was covered by a metal gauntlet. The lower half of his face was hidden beneath a rebreather mask and his Mist headband had 2 distinct horn on both sides of the metal plate.
Another man emerged from the bushes on the opposite side of the road. He bore a similar appearance to the first man, only his hair was straightened, he had a metal gauntlet attached to his right arm and his headband only bore a single horn. Both gauntlets were linked by the shuriken chain, which was rapidly enclosing around the rosette.
'Ohhh? They have fake little horns. How tacky,' the teal-eyed girl smirked as she settled into a stance, eager to break off the faux extremities.
"And now for the second!" The more bullish of the duo exclaimed.
Zero Two was grinning as she waited for the opportune moment to counterattack when the man was sent reeling away in an unruly spiral. Her eyes widened briefly when Naruto phased into existence at her side. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he cracked his knuckles.
"That wasn't very nice y'know."
The second man was caught by surprise at seeing his partner be knocked away so easily. There was another flash of movement and he felt the tension of the chain attached to his vambrace go slack and a quick glance confirmed it had been severed. Sasuke appeared in front of the man, his Sharingan spinning to life.
"Who are you?"
The first man righted himself with a flip and slid to a stop as he landed on the ground. He immediately noticed that the chain had been broken and leveled a glare at the blond jinchuriki. "You'll pay for that brat!"
"Not as much as you will for attacking my girl," Naruto retorted, taking a step forward. "You've brought upon yourself." Zero Two flushed slightly and her heart fluttered at his words, earning a bright smile from the girl.
"If I'm not mistaken, those are the Demon Brothers of of the Hidden Mist, Gozu and Meizu," Zero Two called out. She recognized them from latest Bingo Book. They were rogue chūnin well known for their coordinated attack style. Zero Two's nose crinkled in disgust as her eyes fell on the duo. "Careful not to let them scratch you Darling. Those claws are laced with poison."
"Thanks for the heads up," Naruto replied, tightening his headband. "You and Sakura, look after the old man. We'll handle this."
"Tch, as if you could keep up," Sasuke chided as he drew his sword.
"You're the one that's gonna get left behind," Naruto shot back before settling into a stance. He was still lacking in practical experience when it came to using a sword in actual combat so he elected not to draw his own.
"Please be careful you guys!" Sakura urged from afar.
Gozu released the broken chain from his gauntlet before rushing to his brother's side. "We got the leader already so let's just finish this up quickly. The only thing standing between us and the target is a bunch of kids," he spoke in a low tone.
"Fine by me, but the blonde one is mine!" Meizu growled as he ejected the chain from his gauntlet as well.
He immediately sprang towards Naruto and lashed out with the claws of his metallic gage. Naruto easily sidestepped the wild blow and retaliated with a roundhouse that sent the older man tumbling backwards. Gozu launched a volley of kunai at Sasuke but a quick flourish of his sword batted them away with ease. The raven-haired Uchiha spun his blade in his hand once more before rushing down his opponent.
Zero Two swelled with pride as she watched the fight play out before her eyes. Thanks to his shadow clone training, Naruto had come a long way with his taijutsu. He was wasn't the best by any means, nor the fastest, and still tended to slink back into his "brawler" ethos at times. But at least now his attacks were concentrated and concise, rather than wild and haphazard.
She watched on alongside Sakura, who was standing in front of Tazuna, kunai in hand. Zero Two had half-a-mind to summon Strelitzia but decided to let her beloved have his fun. He busy trying to be her shining, white knight at the moment.
"Stand still you little brat and just die already!" Meizu barked. He was slashing ferociously at Naruto with his claws and a kunai, who managed to evade each and everyone of his attacks.
"Thanks, but no thanks. Zero Two would kill me for sure if I did that," The blond quipped. Noticing that his opponent had overextended on his most recent attack, Naruto brought up both hands and grabbed Meizu by the back of his head. "And what's with these fake horns?" With a small hop, Naruto drove his knee in to Meizu's face, knocking off the the small metal shards affixed to his headband. "They're so tacky."
The Mist-nin was sent crashing into a nearby tree where his body slumped to the ground. His ears rang and the taste of iron quickly flooded his mouth as he tried to regain his wits. He was so discombobulated that he was now seeing three blond brats standing over him instead of just one.
"Remember, you brought this upon yourself," the middle one sneered.
Gozu's Head turned sharply at the sound of his brother's pained cries. Sasuke capitalized on the momentary lapse in concentration and tore through the side of the man's head with his blade. There was a soft squelch and blood splattered across the ground before Gozu's body went up in smoke, causing a thick log to fall to the ground in his place.
Sasuke clicked his teeth when he saw the mist-nin reappear a few meters away. Gozu held his hand to his face in an effort to keep his face from hemorrhaging. He'd just barely escaped death but at the cost of an eye. He ground his teeth when caught sight of the three blonds savagely beating his older brother into the dirt. And now the damned brat with the red eyes was closing in on him once more.
'Damn it, his was supposed to be an easy mission! These brats have ruined everything!' As Sasuke drew closer, desperation began to instill itself within the younger twin. Throwing all caution to the wind, Gozu shot forward suddenly in one final act of foolhardiness. He knocked aside the blade aimed at his heart, catching Sasuke by surprise with his speed and immediately made a beeline for Naruto. It was simple really: he just had to incapacitate the blond one, grab his brother, then flee. They would be much too busy troubling themselves over the boy's health to even think about giving chase. Or so he hoped at least. Rapidly approaching the distracted Naruto, Gozu poised his ironclad arm to strike. "I'll make you suffer for what you did to my brother you punk!" he roared.
"I think not."
Before he could react, Gozu's charge was halt by a rod striking his torso. The impacted lifted him off his feet and purged the what little air remained in his lungs. Not missing a beat, Zero Two spun Strelitzia in her hand and slammed the tail end into Gozu's back, forcing the younger twin back to the ground in a small crater.
Zero Two's eyes flashed red as she stared frostily at his unmoving form. "You won't lay a finger on my Darling."
"I can handle myself y'know," a voice spoke up. Naruto slowly approached the rosette, dragging an unconscious Meizu by the back of his shirt. "I saw him coming from a mile away. I'm surprised he bested the great Uchiha Sasuke-sama," he said mockingly.
Zero Two smirked but before Sasuke could retort, Kakashi flashed into existence between them. "Nicely done team."
"About time you showed your face Kakashi-sensei," Naruto huffed.
"I wanted to see how you would react in an actual combat setting against hostile opponents. The enemy was suppressed and our target is unharmed. All in all, you guys handled yourself rather well," he commended his charges.
"Yeah well these guys weren't nearly as tough as they looked," The blond shrugged as he dropped Meizu's battered form. "What was that about anyway? I thought we only had to worry about bandits."
"You know Naruto, I was just thinking the same thing. These guys are chūnin from the Hidden Mist, a village known for continuing the fight no matter what the sacrifice."
"If you knew that then why did you leave my life in the hands of these kids!" Tazuna all but snapped. He gulped when Kakashi's hardened gaze fell on him.
"Like I said, I wanted to see how my team would react in such a situation. Those kids performed excellently, especially the blonde one with the "stupid look on his face."
"Hey!"
"But...I also had to determine who their true target was."
Buy now the elderly man was starting to sweat. "What do you mean?
"Simply put, I wanted to see if they were after you or one of us shinobi. You requested backup protection until you finished building your bridge and we're responsible for protecting you against thieves, gangs, and the like. Had it been known other ninjas were involved, this would've been assigned as an expensive B rank mission."
"And yet we're only getting paid for a C-rank mission," Zero Two commented nonchalantly as she tapped a finger against her chin in a derisive manner. "How odd...
Ignoring the remark, Kakashi continued. "It appears there's some kind of good reason for this, but lying on a mission request simply won't do. Something like this might be beyond the scope of our original mission."
"Oh come on Kakashi-sensei! Those guys were no trouble at all. Sasuke is the one that let his man get away." Naruto exclaimed.
"Oh fuck off!"
"Well you did!"
"What are we going to do now Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura queried, completely ignoring their squabbling.
Toning out the boys' bickering, Kakashi began thinking to himself. 'It's true that they did well this time. But whoever it is that hired those two will most likely send an elite level jōnin next time. Could they honestly be ready for something like this...?'
-irt beneath my feet Uzumaki!"
"That a fact?!"
SMACK!
A quick slap to the head courtesy of their sensei was enough to silence the argumentative teens. Kakashi cleared his thought before speaking. "Considering the circumstances Tazuna-san, it is well within my right to call off this mission and return back to the village with my students." Naruto went to speak up only to be halted by a stern gaze from the ashen-haired man. "Whether or not that happens depends on you. We need to know exactly what or who it is we're protecting you from. This contract won't work without trust between both parties."
"It would seem...I have no choice but to tell you," The seasoned mason could only sigh in defeat. The cat was out of the bag now, not that they wouldn't have found out sooner or later. He was just hoping that they could've have at least made it back to the village first. "You may be right Kakashi-san. This might be beyond the scope of your original mission..."
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