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Chapter 3 – Team Kakashi

[Note] Please read what I've got to say at the end!


"Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal."

A – Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable.


Naruto walked towards the enemy with lithe grace, his soul buzzing from the excitement of finishing a mission. His enemy cowered against the tree, his eyes widened and looking at the blood-dripping tanto he wielded.

Never mind that the blonde man had single-handedly massacred a few dozen men that were camping out in the open, planning an attack and leaving the fight without a scratch. What they didn't know that making a fire would be the beginning of their funeral as they made it easier for him to track them down.

"Looks like you're the last one left..." Naruto drawled. "I'll make it fast so that you can join your friends."

Flicking his wrist, he sent a kunai flying to the enemy's throat with deadly accuracy, who let out a gurgled choke before his eyes rolled to his whites.

Naruto glanced at his sword distastefully, seeing how blood-coated it was. Bending down to released the cloak from the man's neck, he wiped his tanto clean before putting it back into its sheath.

Mission Accomplished.

'Sometimes I wish there was someone to do my dirty work.' He thought as he dragged his lifeless enemies into a pile, before pouring Kerosene on them to ensure a fast fire. Then, he led a trail of Kerosene to the fire they made, and soon, the pile of bodies were alight.

He scrunched his nose at the smell omitted from the burning flesh. 'They certainly don't smell as good as the food they were cooking.' He shrugged, before popping a food pill and darting back to the Root, eager to go back to his room and just call it a day.

It's been 2 years since he met Kakashi Hatake, but that man could easily be one of those people that influenced him greatly. He had avoided missions where he had to pair up with people, fearing that the emotions that were supposed to be non-existent would rise and he'd do something reckless to save the person.

To say he was surprised when he saw Danzo at the entrance waiting for him would have no wrong in it. Danzo had never bothered to meddle with him or seek him out personally after the mission with ANBU, indirectly giving his orders as he was busy elsewhere. Perhaps along the corridors or whatnot, but the black-haired man barely glanced at him most of the times, only nodding at his improvement of skills.

He knelt before his teacher, waiting for the orders to be given.

"It's a tragedy that you will be transferring to the ANBU. You are like a priceless sculpture that I moulded myself and very much like to keep. However, the compromise made to the Hokage cannot be broken and I must see through it myself. Uzumaki Naruto, arise and stand before me." He ordered.

The only words that caught Naruto's attention were 'transferring to ANBU'. What had Danzo mean by that? Wasn't he forever bonded to the Root? Why was there a need for him to transfer?

He met Danzo's eyes with his curious ones, before Danzo spoke again. "When you were five, an arrangement was made between me and the Third Hokage. I was allowed to bring you into the Root, but in return, when you reach fifteen, you were to be transferred into ANBU. My job was to shape you into a perfect agent and you have exceeded my expectations. Saying that, you are defected from the Root and you're joining the ANBU. Do not bring the Root's name to shame, Uzumaki Naruto."

The student nodded mutely. "Danzo-sama, I thank you for everything you've taught me and raising me as one as your own. I'm forever indebted to you as you gave me a place to belong to, a place I'd willingly go back to."

"The Root will be accepting you back with open arms if you ever feel like the ANBU isn't suited for you. You are to head immediately the headquarters of ANBU and meet your team. Farewell, child."

The black-haired man then turned away, leaving Naruto stunned at the entrance. When he finally recovered, he walked slowly towards the ANBU, knowing that he would have to get used to the new place and worse of all, know people.

That thought terrified him.

Attachment was always linked to emotions and it's been a really long time since he actually felt something. Having to release himself from that vicious cycle would be difficult - even a habit that he was unwilling to break out of because he had lived in the comforts of it for so long.

He sighed, glancing at the grey building that was ahead of him. This was where he was committing his life to, something so similar, and yet a stark contrast from the twisted meaning of home that he had left behind.

He walked in and headed straight for the equipment department, looking around the dull room. It lacked colours - the Root had dibs and dabs of colour here and there, adding to its flair.

"Here's your set of equipment." The masked men said as he set a tray of items on the counter table. Naruto readily accepted it, remembering the last time he wore it. Seemed like it was ages ago when he did so.

He accepted it, before heading further down the long hallway and stopped at the locker room, which was surprisingly brightly lit. He froze when he saw the familiar grey-haired man.

The Copycat Ninja turned slightly and glanced at Naruto, before smiling. "Welcome to Team Kakashi again Menma - no - Uzumaki Naruto. It will be a pleasure to work with you. Your locker is at the next column, in the middle."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, wondering how he still knew his name. Instead of questioning too much, he went ahead to his locker and put on the standard outfit while Kakashi quickly tattooed the ANBU symbol on his arm which barely made him wince since he felt worse.

"So you officially transferred to ANBU, huh? I thought you were attached to the Root, Naruto." Kakashi said in a low voice, ensuring that no one overheard them. The Root wasn't the favourite subject of the ANBU, for they were almost like rivals in terms of who was better although they worked towards the same cause.

Like teacher, like student; for their dislike for each association had been passed down ever since they were founded.

"Didn't have a choice. My fate is dictated by the compromise they made. It was destined I was to join ANBU." Naruto murmured back, glancing at the mark that would remain there till his flesh decayed. Somehow, it felt like a mark that signified he was part of this place.

Danzo's influence on his distaste for ANBU did not affect him for he already judged the people in ANBU as a whole ever since he met Kakashi Hatake. He was known as the Senior Commander, 'The Shadow of ANBU Black Ops'.

"I see. We are meeting at Training Grounds 1 to run through the mission and motive. Be there in 5 minutes." The captain said, before walking out of the room and leaving him to his devices.

Naruto clasped on his metal arm guards and pulled over his grey flak jacket distractedly, while looking intently at the porcelain mask. It felt like eons ago where he would stare at such a mask in wonder at the store, when the storekeeper would notice his presence and then throw him out along with the mask.

He never knew its purpose, only seeing people with them jumping from roof to roof in a hurry, not knowing they were the reasons why Konoha was safe from danger. They deserved much recognition; and yet they were hidden in the dark.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, he wrapped the red scarf around his neck, which was a parting gift from Miyana. It would remind him of his priorities and teachings, before he donned on his animal porcelain mask.

When he walked towards the team cautiously, knowing that they looked too tense. A random kunai flew and he didn't even bother flinching when he missed it by an inch. When the next weapon came flying, he darted behind the attacker in a flash, kunai drawn and put threateningly at his throat.

"I don't really appreciate threats; I'm usually the one dishing them. I'm sorry if I bring you displeasure but let's not use such childish antics, shall we?" He chuckled darkly, before placing the kunai into his pouch.

"Uzumaki, I'd like if you don't start scaring away your teammates. Shimura, if you disapprove of the selections that join the ANBU, you can direct them to me and I'll settle them." Kakashi said coldly as he entered the training grounds, with another black-haired man.

"We have two new additions today. Would you like to introduce yourselves?"

The man standing beside the captain took off his mask, his face an impassive mask. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha, I hate a lot of things, I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a particular someone."

The team murmured welcomes and whatnot.

'Uchiha huh….' Naruto looked at the black-eyed man suspiciously. The few Uchiha survivors. It was no secret that a few Root members partook in it in ensuring that no one left the village while the massacre happened.

To decrease the coup d'état from happening, ever single measure was taken and overnight, an entire clan was killed in cold blood by the hands of the infamous Itachi Uchiha.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"That's it?" Someone muttered.

"Well, don't hate, ya know?" Naruto scoffed. "But I do particularly love killing…." He said, glancing at Shimura.

"Enough of subtle death threats." The captain interjected. "Our mission is simple. We just need to search and destroy a certain building that is in the midst of the forest. There is said to be someone doing abstract layouts on making a certain fortress that can be dangerous to us."

The map was laid out on the ground and Kakashi explained the tasks easily with finesse, saying that some would be in charge of planting explosions on the ground levels to collapse the supporting beams while others scoured the main rooms for any hint of information.

"Since we are in a six-man cell, Sasuke and I will search for information, Masumi and Tenzo will plant the explosives. I trust that you will plant it within the grounds with your gifted earth affinity such that they'll be difficult to be deactivated. Toshi and Naruto will keep a look out. Put the Byakugan and the advance techniques of shadow clones you have. Kill any witness. We want this to be a clean mission. Are we understood?"

"Yes captain!" They chorused.

"Scatter!"

内に宿る闇- The Darkness That Dwells Within

They peered from behind the trees, trying to look for any humans that reside in the building, or rather, a mansion. It seemed isolated but the visual prowess knew otherwise.

"Tenzou, open the second floor window." The Byakugan user instructed."

Tenzou nodded, using the spiralling plants that covered the building, pushing the window ajar. Immediately when it was open, Sasuke drew an arrow and shot, smirking when it hit its mark. Tenzou then close the window, waiting for the next orders.

"The rest are in the inner parts of the building, unreachable. It's best if we avoid contact from them." Toshi notified.

"Is it possible? Or is there a need for them to be placed under a genjutsu that everything is as per normal?" Kakashi asked, looking at the younger Uchiha who nodded in affirmation that he can cast such an illusion too.

"Kill them if necessary." Toshi brushed it off. "They're going down with the building anyway. Naruto and I will just stay put near the entrance for any other external threats."

Naruto nodded, summoning a few clones with sprinted off in different directions after being dispersed. A few moments later the other four men too sprinted towards the direction of the building. The Destroy pair went through the windows while the ones of Sharingan when in from the attic.

"I feel like I've met you before. The yellow spiky hair is noticeable anywhere." Toshi noted.

"Well we have, while I was still under the Root instead of the ANBU. It was the mission where we were outnumbered." Naruto informed, smiling warily.

"You were from the Root?" He asked, disbelief colored in his tone.

"But then again, from the way he acts, it's no surprise." The Byakugan user muttered underneath his breath. Despite having heard that, Naruto ignored it. Maybe there was a distinct feature about all Root members after all.

Suddenly, there was a sharp static sound coming from their communication devices which made both of them wince.

"Hyuga, find out the nearest exit. We've been compromised!"

"On it captain." He replied tartly, activating his visual technique. "Take your left and the first door you see, go in and jump from the window. It's a relatively high drop, but there will be clones to catch you."

Naruto nodded, sprinting towards the window and summoning clones that formed a web of limbs. Sure enough, the searching pair came down upon them, holding a few scrolls of some sorts looking triumph at their find and yet devastated, as if they forgot to collect something.

"Good job Uzumaki." The copy ninja said as they landed, where his clones nodded after putting them to safety, all disappearing.

Meanwhile, Naruto went into the building, taking the enemies' distraction and went into the one of the side rooms he saw in the map. It had looked like a decent size to be an office or library of some sort and it looked promising.

He knew that there was something vital that was missing from all the research. Certainly the planner wouldn't put everything together at once. When he entered, he skimmed through everything quickly before grabbing the blue prints on the board and a couple of scrolls that had important seals on them.

He ignored the shouts that were piercing through his earpiece, which he had abandoned a few minutes back.

"Blast the mansion now." Naruto ordered as he jumped out with ease, using his sword as deterrence as he slid down, which left a long scratch. The moment he set foot on the ground, he sprinted out of harm's way, before he heard the release of the explosives that rang through the entire clearing.

He met his superior's stoic face, looking sheepish as he handed over the information. "Things that you missed." said Naruto, before kneeling down to accept his punishment for not following the plans.

"What is with the formalities?" Masumi said in disbelief. "You didn't break any rules. You just bent it. Get up Naruto. All that matters is that the mission is done."

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at his teammates. "I'm not going to get punished?"

"Naruto, I don't know what the Root had been teaching you, but if its for the better good it is alright. We just don't like the fact you can easily throw your life away without blinking an eye. You are worth something, like everyone else here."

"Okay." He mumbled.

"You mean something to us, you idiot. Your life isn't your own." Sasuke flicked his forehead, glaring the blonde man down his red eyes.

"Hey! You have no right to do that!" Naruto protested, narrowing his eyes.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Good job Team Kakashi. Looks like its a victory for Konoha." He patted everyone's shoulder. "Let's head back for now and report, alright?"

"Yes Captain!"


Okay, first, I'd like to address something. You might find it weird that Naruto knows how to use the Rasengan, but the thing is, there was a HUGE age gap, and I decided not to go into details that Naruto already met Jiraiya (I mean, he's his godfather). I'm sorry in advance if you were confused by it.

Second: Holy Guacamole you guys are amaze-balls! Thank you so so so so much for the views, follows, favorites and reviews. Also, this chapter is dedicated to my awesome beta reading friend ;) He's helped me a lot, or my works would turn out to be a total bs.

Anyways, Do review and give me some constructive criticism!

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And I'll hopefully see you again tomorrow with an update :D

(Uploaded 13 May 2014)