Title:The Youthful Impact
Rating:T for violence
Disclaimer:Naruto belong to its creator: Masashi Kishimoto.
Warning:AU (alternate universe) characters.
Summary: Maito Gai felt heart-inspired by a blond kid's 'declaration' and decided to train him in power of youth.
"Talking"
"Talking"
"Thinking"
"Thinking"
Ch 3 (contain minor swearing)
Month and half later...At the gate of Konoha... 7:57 Morning...
"I can't wait to see what it's like outside Konoha and the forest!" Naruto exclaimed with excitement in his voice and made a fist while other hand grasped around his green backpack that he has packed up for C rank mission that has been estimated to take no more than four or five days. The first C rank mission for Team Seven after Naruto asked Kakashi-sensei about the C rank mission yesterday morning before they head to the Hokage Tower. It took a minute for all three genins to convince Kakashi-sensei to request for C rank mission from the Hokage who happily gave it to them, despite Iruka's protest.
What is their first C rank mission about, one might ask? Escorting some drunken old man named Tazuna from Land of Wave BACK to Land of Wave as bodyguards. A detail that Sakura and Sasuke weren't impressed with while Naruto wasn't bother by it. However, he got slightly miffed when Tazuna made fun of his youthful spandex suit.
Standing next to Naruto, Sasuke grunted and said, "Cool down your excitement." Like Naruto, he has a backpack on his back but blue colored.
Sakura, standing on other side of Sasuke, nodded in agreement and stated, "It's too early for that." She raised her arms as to stretch and casually went through her short pink hair. Compared to Naruto and Sasuke, she has changed her appearance drastically as she has used her kunai to cut off long burdensome hair month ago as well as purchasing the shinobi appropriate clothing, showing Kakashi-sensei that she chose to stay as a shinobi which pleased him.
Naruto look at her to see that like previous days, Sakura is wearing short sleeve dark blue shirt, dark gray sleeveless vest (same style as red vest Sakura wear in Naruto Shippuden) over it, black short, and same navy blue sandals. She would pick red sleeveless vest, but Kakashi-sensei who has accompanied her to shinobi clothing store refused to let her unless it is green, blue, black, or brown which made her upset for a bit. Especially when sensei said that red color combined with her pink hair screamed "HEY LOOK AT ME! I'M A CHERRY!" and that even Naruto look stealthier with his green spandex. When she mentioned that Team 8's sensei, Yuhi Kurenai wear a white dress with one sleeve red shirt, Kakashi-sensei responded with "If you managed to reach to Jounin, you can wear whatever you want. But now, pick one." in strict tone.
Not her appearance, but her attitude and behavior have slowly changed, though she still harbor some attraction for Sasuke, despite that what she said to Naruto about how he and Sasuke look down on her (in her point of view). At least, she act slightly less hostility to Naruto, compared to month ago after going through weeks of hellish teamwork exercises that Kakashi-sensei came up with in order to 'encourage' the team to have positive social relationship among the genins. Unsurprisingly, only Naruto enjoyed them as he like the challenges.
Still smiling, Naruto said "Sorry. I guess I got too excited. This would be first time going to different country. Are't you? Sasuke? Sakura?"
"I supposed I am." Sakura muttered while Sasuke just grunted, "Same." He hasn't change much other than talking slightly more often and being competitive with both of his team mates. No way he'll let Naruto and Sakura get better of him in training. He is an Uchiha and Uchiha is supposed to be the best. He still wear same clothes with his hair still shaped like duck rear.
"Yo." Kakashi-sensei's cheerful voice coming from behind. He has finally appeared with Tazuna, a grumpy client, walking behind him with sake bottle in his hand.
"Good. I see you three are prepared for couple days." Team Seven's sensei is pleased after he took quick glance at their backpack, "Alright, form up around the client and followed."
He began to walk to the gate guards, followed by Team Seven and Tazuna, and told them that Team Seven is going out for C rank mission which the gate guards acknowledged. One second later, Team Seven members took their first step outside Konoha and began to walk to direction of Land of Wave. A mission where they would be facing couple bandits and nothing more. However, unknown to them, this will not be standard C rank mission.
Later...
"Say, Tazuna-san?" Sakura called out her client, who grunted out, "What?"
"Since you came to Konoha and asked for us to escort you, am I right to assume that there is no hidden village in Land of Wave?" Sakura inquired as she is curious with Naruto and Sasuke looking at Tazuna, who took a quick sip from sake which Naruto thought it is too early and unhealthy.
"Yes..." Tazuna said, "Land of Wave does not have own hidden village. We only have militia to depend on as...protection. We're just one of minor countries."
"But," Sakura said, remembering the geology lesson back in the Academy years, "there are hidden villages like Kusagakure and Takigakure in other minor countries."
"Yes," Kakashi-sensei decided to join in, instead of reading Icha Icha novel silently, "however, those countries were just lucky to have shinobi village as part of their defense against the bandits, dangerous animals, missing nins, and other types of threats that exist." His eye narrowed when he noticed how Tazuna flinched at the words 'missing nins' and 'threats'. He will have to question him later once they reach to the destination.
While moving his eye to his Icha Icha book, he noticed that couple meters away from Team Seven's current position is a puddle of water.
"Really. The only puddle of water out of nowhere when there's no sign of the rain. Yes, very subtle." Kakashi pretended to be interested in his book (which is easy as it has eye-catching detail) as he lead his genins and client. He wondered if the genins notice the puddle or not. He would be very disappointed if any of them didn't. After all, he did put his effort into his duty, training and pounding them to the ground as sensei. His ears picked up the sound of Naruto explaining the concept of the Youth to old bridge builder who is either unimpressed or disturbed.
Speaking of Naruto, he wondered if Naruto will step onto the puddle and since Naruto appeared to be on direct path to a puddle and is carrying the heavier leg weights in his strong backpack with his weights around his wrist being the same as last week, if the total weight will hurt whoever hiding in the puddle. One way to find out, he supposed.
Two seconds after Kakashi-sensei passed a not so suspicious puddle, Team Seven and client heard unknown male's curse, "GAAAHHH! MY HEAD!"
Naruto quickly jumped away from the puddle while Sasuke and Sakura grabbed Tazuna and leaped away in opposite direction. All three genins got into combat-ready stances which pleased Kakashi-sensei, who just turned his head in lazy manner. The puddle suddenly erupted and two persons wearing shinobi style clothing and metal gauntlets with chain between two unknown hostiles.
One of them loudly swore while clutching his head that Naruto stepped on, "Dammit! What kind of shit are you carrying, brat?! A rock?" at Naruto, who frowned at unyouthful obscenity directed at him.
"Suck it up, Meizu! Let get him!" the second unknown nin growled. Now identified Meizu growled and charged toward Sasuke with his metal gauntlet (his left hand) while the other ran toward Sakura. They planned to get those two readied genins out of way quickly as possible since they have their back turned to Kakashi-sensei and Naruto.
Seeing incoming hostile duo, both Sasuke and Sakura pulled out their kunai while Tazuna took a step back. Meizu growled "DIE!" as he pulled his gauntlet back in preparation of stabbing Sasuke in head. The same with second hostile and Sakura. However, both of them got halted when Naruto (after dropping backpack) zoomed past Meizu and spun himself with his left foot (heel of shinobi sandal) slamming into Meizu's face sending him away while at the same time, Kakashi-sensei just appeared next to unknown hostile (facing different direction) and caught him in neck with his left arm around it.
Meizu, after getting his back slamming against the ground, bounced off and landed on his feet, sliding across the ground with his uncovered hand on his injured face that Naruto kicked him in. Unfortunately for him, his foot made a contact with Naruto's backpack that amazingly happened to be in way and caused Meizu to fall backward and landed back on the ground with the back of his head.
CRACK!
At the same, second hostile (because his right hand is connected to Meizu via spiky chain) got pulled out of Kakashi-sensei's arm and landed on his back against the ground with thud sound.
Everybody including Tazuna just stared at now unconscious Meizu and Gozu (identified by Kakashi-sensei who recognized him and Meizu as the Demon Brothers, the C-rank missing nins from Kirigakure) who is groaning in pain after being unexpectedly pulled away.
"Either Naruto really plan it ahead or that backpack just happened to be in right place. I don't know whether to be impressed or amused." Kakashi-sensei thought as he put his left arm down to his side. "He managed to subdue both of them, the Demon Brothers...with a backpack that has Naruto's leg weights in it."
"Tch...That was just lucky placement. I can do much better than that." Sasuke mentally scoffed and is irritated, because he was prepared to dodge an enemy's attack and counter with his own attack. He scowled at Naruto, who didn't notice it, for ruining his chance to look cool and to gloat.
"I don't believe this. The angle and power of that kick he gave to that nin's face." Sakura's mind attempted to come up with the explanation of how. Her eyes moved onto Naruto's backpack that has moved few centimeters away after Meizu tripped backward.
"Amazing. Maybe I was wrong about him. That was super awesome shinobi thing I've ever seen. He must have predict the future or something." Tazuna thought with awed expression.
Naruto blinked couple times before he turned to face his team and posed in good guy with thumb up and grin. "Yeah! The Power of Youthful backpack!" he proudly exclaimed, which caused Team Seven members to mentally sweatdrop.
While Naruto 'explaining' how youthful his backpack is to Sakura and Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei walked to where Gozu shaking his head, groaning after sitting up. Upon seeing the shadow, Gozu look up to see Hatake Kakashi, recognizing him as famous A-rank shinobi from Konohagakure, staring down at him with one eye. Gulping and knowing that he is outnumbered and outmatched, Gozu chose to surrender, "Err...I give up."
He felt intense stare from Kakashi, still looming over him.
Minutes later...
Kakashi-sensei sighed when Tazuna just finished telling sad story of how his daughter and his grandson will hate Konoha after confessing his lie about the mission detail and how a rich business man named Gato ruled the Land of Wave with brutality and want to prevent the bridge from being completed by ordering for Tazuna's death. The mission is no longer C rank and has jumped up to B or possibly A rank, because of the missing nins' presence and the possibility of encountering stronger missing nin if Team Seven choose to continue the mission, instead of heading back to Konoha.
"So sad...Let's continue the mission! We can't leave them defenseless! It would be unyouthful if we leave poor old man to such an unyouthful tyrant!" Naruto voiced his opinion with Sasuke and Sakura nodding in agreement, for their own different reason. Seeing that he has been outvoted plus Tazuna's drunken puppy look (which is creepy, because he's old), Kakashi-sensei relented with "Very well" and knocked Gozu out before tying him and Meizu up together with rope that came from Sasuke's backpack. Once the rope is secured, Team Seven and Tazuna continued their journey, leaving the unconscious Demon Brothers behind, tied to the tree.
Later...
Twenty minutes of walking after they got off the boat that ferried them to Land of Wave across the misty water, Kakashi-sensei felt something wrong as the path get more and more misty and slightly chilly. The mist doesn't feel right in term of nature. He raised his right arm, bent in 90 degree, and made fist as to signal 'halt' to Team Seven.
"What's wrong, sensei?" Sakura asked as she moved her eyes around, checking the misty environment.
Kakashi-sensei didn't answered as he made 'Quiet! Be alert!' signal to Team Seven. 5 seconds later, his danger sense screamed 'Incoming lethal projective', Kakashi-sensei shouted, "Get down!" as he and the genins ducked (with Tazuna) down just in time to avoid a large cleaving sword spinning through air and hit one of the trees.
"Well...well...well. I guess that explained it." A deep male voice said, causing Team Seven and Tazuna to turn around to see that a mist conveniently clear up, revealing a shirtless man with bandaged mask pulling a giant sword out of a tree. Kakashi-sensei narrowed his eye at the sight as he studied a man, who emitting his killing instinct. He could hear slight gulps behind him as a KI affected them more than him.
"Hatake Kakashi...The famous Copy-Nin of Konoha." said a bandaged mask man who effortlessly heaved his giant sword on his shoulder without cutting himself.
"Damn, it's one of former Mist Swordmen, Momochi Zabuza..." Kakashi-sensei thought as he analyzed Zubuza. He calmly muttered, "The Demon of Kirigakure."
At this, the Demon of Kirigakure grinned under his mask with his bloodlust rolling off of him while three genins and an old bridge builder tensed. He spoke in pleased tone, "I'm pleased that you heard of me."
"No thanks to your bloody reputation in Kirigakure. Since you're here...I will have to use this." Kakashi said as he pulled his headband up to revealed a Sharingan, a prized bloodline of the near-extinct Uchiha clan. Sasuke widened his eyes at the sight of Sharingan and wondered if Kakashi is an Uchiha and if no, where and how did he get a Sharingan. He narrowed his eyes as sensei has never mention about having a Sharingan.
"Form defensive perimeter around the client." Kakashi barked out an order, causing three genins including Sasuke (who decided to ask him later after the fight) to form triangle shape around Tazuna in defensive position. "He's an A-rank missing-nin from Kirigakure!"
"I feel honored that you're starting off with Sharingan against me." Zabuza effortlessly raise his giant sword to prepared to attack with his left hand going through jutsu sequence. Killing old man can wait, Zabuza decided.
"EXCUSE ME, MISSING NIN-SAN!" Naruto yelled politely, catching Zubuza's attention. Zubuza raised his nonexistent eyebrows at the sight of blond-hair genin wearing ridiculous green spandex that look like fashion reject, in his opinion. Not that he care about fashion. To his inner amusement, Kakashi sighed while other two genins let out their groan.
"What?" he growled at blond genin. He was about to perform Hidden Mist jutsu and this blonde has a nerve to ruin his concentration.
"Your sword look heavy and you holding it with one hand. How much does your sword weigh?"
Out of all, Zubuza wasn't expecting this and by judging a blond genin's sincere look, it was a serious question. To be honest, he has never bother to check the weight of his sword ever since the previous user passed the sword's ownership to him. Without turning his head, Zabuza lifted his sword up and down and decided to say, "It's not heavy, kid-" His eyes narrowed and the sword quickly moved to block second Kakashi's kunai stab coming from left.
However, a kunai merely passed through the sword and it and second Kakashi dissipated. "What the-? It was a distraction!" Zabuza thought. Thanks to his ears, he spin around just in time to block real kunai stab from real Kakashi, who just burst from his previous spot.
Staring at mismatched pair of eyes, Zabuza growled, "I'm insulted if you think I can be distracted by a mere clone jutsu."
Kakashi jumped back and toss a kunai at Zabuza, who blocked it with his giant sword. However, this gave Kakashi enough time to execute a Fireball jutsu, a weaker version of the Grand Fireball jutsu.
"Fireball jutsu." Kakashi called out as a fireball that is bigger than house cat appeared out of his mouth without burning his mask.
Zabuza dodged by jumping to his right, causing Kakashi's Fireball to hit a tree and dispersed with a large black scorch mark on a tree. Without hesitation, Zabuza moved his sword to block multiple kunai. His eyes widened when he picked up the explosive tags attached to each of kunai. "Damn!" Zabuza cursed in his mind.
BOOM!
Kakashi quickly moved his eyes around to look for Zabuza as he know that a swordman has used Replacement jutsu with something. A Water Clone, most likely. He let a quiet curse when the area began to fill with heavy mist, obstructing his eyesight. He will have to depend on his nose and ears. Not wanting his genin team to die from surprise attack, he let a warning, "Stay on your guard! He's known for silent killing."
Zabuzza's voice chuckled before speaking, "There are 8 targets..."
Kakashi and others tensed as the voice continued, "Throat, spinal cord, lungs, livers, jugular vein, artery, kidney, and hearts...What to pick..." The voice chuckled darkly again while Kakashi's eye moving around, attempting to see along with straining his ears. It appeared that Zabuza's voice is coming from everywhere. "That's one way to use psychological warfare. Intimidating and confusing the enemies." Kakashi thought as he grasped his kunai in reverse grip in preparation of getting attack by Zabuza.
Few seconds later, he mentally cursed himself and thought "Off course. Tazuna!" Without wasting a second and with burst of energy, he ran to where the genin and Tazuna at with his kunai readied.
CLANG!
Kakashi has managed to block Zabuza's attack and quickly stabbed him with kunai in abdomen. Zabuza grunted and turned into water, revealing himself to be a Water Clone. Kakashi tensed in defensive position and quickly ask his genins and Tazuna if they're alright.
"We're fine. No scratch." Sasuke answered with slight hint of nervousness.
"Yeah, don't worry about us, but sensei?" Naruto said as quietly as possible, knowing that it's time to be serious.
"Yes?" Kakashi said, still on guard.
"Why don't you just use your youthful wind jutsu to blow the mist away?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi muttered, "Good idea." and went through several hand signs before calling out, "Wind Release: Breakthrough", blowing one of the wind jutsu that he has copied with his Sharingan when he was in Anbu.
Zabuza growled with annoyance as the mist has been pushed away from the area, making it clear for the Copy-nin to see him just in time to block his sword swing. However, the momentum of his sword has proven to be too much and it cleave through Kakashi's torso like it was nothing. This caused the genin team and an old man to widened their eyes with visible shock and fear. Zabuza chuckled, but immediately snarled when Kakashi turned out to be Water Clone.
"What the-? When did he-?" Zabuza's thought got interrupted when his eyes caught a sight of multiple kunai traveling toward his head. He bought his sword up as to block, however the kunai turned out to be fake.
"What? Illusion?" Zabuza thought and grunted when he felt something hard as rock kicked him in rib. The kick was strong enough to cause him to slide couple feet away from the genin and old man. Zabuza glared at a blond genin, who was responsible for that kick. His ears picked up "Good kick" from a pink hair girl. Before he could do something, Kakashi quickly appeared behind him and stabbed him in the back with kunai.
Zabuza snarled and with his strength, he swing his sword to hit Kakashi. Thanks to his Sharingan, Kakashi jumped back, leaving a kunai sticking in his enemy's back that is bleeding. Kakashi briefly nodded to his left where the genin standing as to said "Good job for kicking him away from our client".
"You...stabbed me in back." Zabuza growled while glaring at Kakashi who bore serious and calm expression.
Kakashi coldly replied, "We're shinobi" before throwing his kunai at Zabuza who growled.
"Damn him. Damn kunai." Zabuza cursing in his mind. Ignoring the pain in his back, he swing his sword to deflect a kunai and charged toward Kakashi, who proceed to go through the hand signs.
"Oh no, you don't!" Zabuza roared as he raised his sword and when close enough, he bought his sword down to cut Kakashi down.
"Sensei!" two of the genin screamed only to sighed in relief while Zabuza raged when Kakashi turned out to be Water Clone. He felt his blood stopped he heard Kakashi's voice coming from opposite direction. He turned around to see Kakashi, standing in spot where he was, going through the hand signs. Zabuza widened his eyes when Kakashi has completed the hand sign sequence and called out, "Fire Release: Fire Dragon" with his right hand on his mouth.
Seeing a blazing hot serpentine-like dragon coming toward him, Zabuza loudly swore and despite the pain in his back, he jumped in air and seconds later, a fire dragon slammed into where he was at.
BOOM!
Falling toward Kakashi who just stop breathing flame out, Zabuza roared, "Die!"
Kakashi jumped side way just in time for a giant sword creating a crater on the ground. He calmly stared at Zabuza who began to breathe heavily with his back still bleeding out. Zabuza charged toward him, swinging his sword with one hand. Thanks to the power of his Sharingan, Kakashi managed to avoid each of Zabuza's swing by ducking and leaning backward and side ways while moving backward with Zabuza moving forward. He has m
Later, Kakashi felt his back hit one of the trees behind him and ducked down. The giant sword cut a tree down like it was a butter. Kakashi immediately kicked the Demon of Mist in chest, pushing him away from him. However, Zabuza used his sword to stop his slide and with his sword in the ground, he began to go through the sequence.
Kakashi followed the suit by preparing his own jutsu.
"Water Release..." Zabuza snarled as he was about to hit the final hand sign. Unfortunately, Kakashi has already finished the sequence before him and calmly called out, "Water Release: Raging Torrent."
"WHAT?" Zabuza mentally screamed as the water front of Kakashi began to rise up and transformed into Raging Torrent before expanding. Zabuza quickly roared, "RAGING TORRENT!" with the water forming around him like whirlpool. But he was too late as Kakashi's water jutsu collided and broke through his jutsu. Zabuza roared as he felt the water slamming into him.
Five seconds later, Kakashi canceled his water jutsu and stood up, feeling strain from his chakra-taxed Sharingan. He mentally sighed when he saw that Zabuza, lying against the tree, still breathing and holding his sword with blood and water on the ground.
"This fight is taking too long. I better end this." Kakashi thought as he drew another kunai from his pouch and walked toward where Zabuza at with intent to cut his throat. However something unexpected happened as several senbons appeared and flew right into Zabuza's neck, causing him to stop breathing. An unknown voice spoke in soft but loud volume, causing Kakashi and others to turned to see a person on tree branch, wearing a mask.
"Thank you for weakening him. I've been tracking him for long time."
"Your mask...You're hunter nin from Kirigakure?" Kakashi asked, feeling wary of this nin as he or she chose a perfect time to appeared.
"That's right." a hunter-nin jumped off a branch and landed next to Zabuza's body. Kakashi's eyes narrowed when a hunter-nin bend down to grab Zabuza and a sword. Feeling suspicious, he asked, "What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, but there are some secrets that must be destroyed. To protect Kirigakure. I must take my leave."
"I don't think s-!" Kakashi's body chose a good time to fail him, thanks to taxing Sharingan. He fell to his knee with his left hand on the ground while covering his Sharingan with right hand.
Sasuke and Sakura widened their eyes while Naruto just ran and reappeared next to Kakashi, holding him to prevent him from falling to the ground, "Sensei, are you alright?"
Kakashi would frowned as the fight has yet to end because a hunter-nin could be an enemy, however he was too tired to reprimand him and ended up pulling his headband down to covered his Sharingan.
"Now, I must take my leave." a hunter-nin said. Before anyone could say something, a hunter-nin disappeared along with Zabuza and his sword.
Naruto, thanks to his strength, pulled unconscious Kakashi on his back with Tazuna, following Sakura and Sasuke, telling the genins that he will show them to his home.
Author: And Team Seven is off with good start. Yes, the fight between Kakashi and Zabuza is different. And yes, Zabuza didn't use water prison in this story. Yes, Naruto and others have been standing around Tazuna for whole duration of Kakashi's fight. Well, they were protecting their client. Yes, Naruto kicked Zabuza in rib.
Next chapter will have Naruto and others fight.