"Team 6?"
"Failed."
"Team 7?" Minato asked marking down that Team 6 failed.
"Passed." Kakashi said having the speech he prepared beforehand for any questions that the other jōnin asked.
"Who would have thought you have two prodigies on your team," a random jounin said. "Though I bet that kurosaki kid was dead weight for them"
"Kakashi report after the meeting," Minato said noticing the hidden glare the Kakashi aimed at the laughing jounin.
"Yes Hokage-sama."
"Team 8?"
"Passed," Kurenai said from behind the jounin that made the joke also sending a glare towards his direction.
Another mark.
"Team 9."
"Failed."
"Team 10?"
"Passed," Asuma said chewing on the end of his cigarette.
"Okay now that all teams are accounted for you are dismissed." Minato ordered waiting for everyone but Kakashi to leave.
"So," Minato started. "How did my beautiful daughter and her teammates do? I bet they gave you trouble."
"She did well," Kakashi said trying to phrase the rest right without his sensei getting on his ass about certain parts of the bell test. "She clearly shows signs of mastering the rasengan with the help of clones and the shadow clone jutsu but she needs help in understanding that if this was enemy territory she could have died or worse." Telling him about the traps he set for her.
"What about Sasuke-chan? His sister is wondering what has him shaken up so bad." Minato asked eyes narrowing at the end seeing that Kakashi started sweating.
"Well about that," Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head. "I kinda unleashed some killing intent on him then said some stuff to him."
"What type of stuff and how much killing intent." Minato demanded to know.
"Enough to make him puke and something along the lines of killing Ichigo and or cutting off limbs or taking one of his eyes."
"What else." Minato asked already sensing a headache.
"And some stuff about your daughter." Kakashi finished sweating more bullets.
"You know Itachi is going to kill you right." Minato told him wondering what got into his student.
"Yes but on the bright side his Sharingan was awakened."
"True. What about Ichigo-chan." Minato asked wanting to know what happened.
"Well he got the bells." Kakashi said ignoring the surprised look on Minato's face and the question of how. "He kinda used Icha Icha to get them, then proceeded to take the bells."
"That doesn't explain how Naruko-kun and Sasuke-chan passed Kakashi."
"I was getting to that," Kakashi said telling Minato about the speech Ichigo gave him and what he did to see if Naruko and Sasuke could pass.
"So he was going to spoil Icha Icha for you. How would he not get noticed reading that?" Minato wondered seeing that his wife visited the academy the day the teams were announced.
"I'm guessing it's because he has the cover covered," Kakashi realized seeing that he was always reading the in public but it had no cover to distinguish what book is was.
"Smart, though order Ichigo-chan to go to the hospital before your mission" Minato said remembering what his wife said about Ichigo saying he likely has a concussion.
"Yes Minato-sensei." Kakashi said before vanishing to the spot where the team will be meeting up.
"I wonder if that's why he hasn't visited yet?" Minato said to himself already taking note of the absence of a young quite orange haired boy sitting in the corner.
"Everything seems to be fine Mister Kurosaki. Just don't try to push yourself and your head should be healed up in no time." The white haired doctor said seeing that his patient was getting ready to leave.
"Thanks doc." Ichigo said rushing out of the room and directly into who he wanted to see.
"Hey Kushina, here's the bento you gave me," Ichigo said to her jogging in place wanting to go meet up with his team in the Hokage's tower.
"Thank you very much Ichigo-kun." Kushina said taking the offered bento box. "May I ask why you're here?"
"Seeing the doc like you asked me too," He replied before taking off. "I gotta go catch you later Kushina."
"Ibiki did you get any information?" Kushina asked seeing the doctor release his henge. She was hoping that the report would be finished so she could get the mission over with.
"Just finished," Ibiki said handing over the scroll. "He sure is a mess but no signs of that showing."
"He's this villages' mess, and we'll like to keep it that way." Kushina said making her way to the Hokage tower too.
"Oi Carrot top your late," Naruko yelled at him. "We just got our first C-rank mission!"
"That true Kakashi?" Ichigo asked not believing that they would get a mission higher than D.
"Yep, it is Kurosaki-chan," Kakashi said watching Sasuke and Naruko take off to go pack for the mission. "We'll be leaving in one hour and make sure to pack."
"Okay."
'I got a bad feeling about this.' Kaguya thought to him.
'Why?' Ichigo asked wanting to know what's wrong.
'Just a gut instinct.'
With that he started jogging back to his apartment to get his gear and in better clothes for a mission that wasn't inside the village.
Arriving at the gate he noticed that Sasuke and Naruko were already there with a old man.
"Carrot top you going to paint the world black in that outfit," Naruko said wanting to push his buttons. Noticing that he had on black grayish ninja pants and the same colored jacket on revealing a gray shirt under it.
All I had since nothing else fit was the response she got.
"Why, you a poor orphan?" Naruko remarked not knowing that he was an orphan.
"Dobe that's rude stop before Kakashi-sensei gets here." Sasuke said to her wishing she would stop antagonizing their teammate and knowing that he was one from what Kakashi said.
"Rude who?" Kakashi asked from behind the blonde shocking her.
"No one," Naruko said looking over at Ichigo. "Isn't that right Ichigo buddy?"
"Sure," Ichigo said reading his Icha Icha book before it got taken out of his hands.
"Hey I was reading that!"
"Not anymore it'll rot your brain cute little genin and as your sensei I have to prevent that." Kakashi said sarcastically shoving a scroll into Ichigo's hands. "Read this instead it's educational."
"What's this?"
"Read it and find out you might learn something interesting," Kakashi said smiling under his mask. "Come on Team 7 let's move out."
'I'm going to kill that man,' Kaguya said fuming that someone took her fun away.
'Don't he likely only means good intentions.'
'Fine' Kaguya replied walking away.
"Hey old man."
"It's Tazuna-san to you brat."
"Yeah yeah," Naruko said. "Is there any ninja in wave country?"
"No, not in wave country. But in most other countries they do have ninja villages." Kakashi said hearing the question.
Ichigo ignoring this was too busy with the scroll in his hand.
'Sealing? Huh interesting. What you think Kaguya?' Ichigo asked his companion who was listening to Kakashi while he read.
'It's powerful if someone knows how to use it but those people are few and in between.' Kaguya said going back to listening to Kakashi finish what he was talking about, she also took note of the puddle they past by seeing that Ichigo was busy reading.
So if what this scroll said was true there was endless useless for seals. The most common being being storage seals.
'If that's true I'll never have to pack again!' Ichigo thought in happiness before being interrupted by a buzzing sound.
Quickly pulling out his kunai he deflected the three shurkin that were thrown at him before getting in a defensive stance.
"Oi oi come down," Naruko said. "They were dull."
"Why did you throw them at me?" Ichigo questioned sounding a bit pissed off from being interrupted again.
"Because you wouldn't take your eyes away from the scroll and we arrived at the boat." Naruko yelled at him while pointing at the motorized boat.
"Oh okay, why didn't you just tap my on the shoulder or something," Ichigo asked wondering why she took the extra measures.
"Let's just go!" Naruko yelled pig tails twirling while she turned around and jumped in the boat.
Shrugging Ichigo got in the boat and took the seat next to Kakashi pulling out the scroll again and begun reading.
"See didn't I tell you you'll like it." Kakashi said to him with his famous eye smile.
"Shut up."
"Why didn't you tell your men to attack," Gato yelled. "I thought you guys were strong ninja and yet you guys can't even do that. What was the point of even hiring you!"
"Stop your bitching. I'll go myself and meet them when they get here." The man said grabbing a large sword and pointing at him.
"Are you sure you'll be able to take them?"
"Why do you think in Kirigakure they call me the demon of the mist?" The man said.
"Such a thick mist you can't even see ahead," Sasuke said trying to see the bridge.
"We'll see the bridge soon," their driver said. "And at the base of it is wave country."
"It's huge," Naruko yelled.
She wasn't wrong it was huge. Construction cranes hanging over the sides abandoned like a ghost town.
"Hey, be quiet. Why do you think the engine is turned off." The driver whispered. "We'll be in deep trouble if Gatou finds us."
"Tazuna it seems we have avoided detection so but to be safer we need to take the vegetation route."
"Okay old friend." Tazuna replied see that the tunnel was coming up.
Driving through the tunnel then ended up at the edge of a town before the pulled over at a makeshift dock.
"This is it for me friend." The driver said untying the boat from the dock.
"Super thanks." Tazuna told the driver watching him speed off. "Okay now get me home safely."
"There it is!" Naruko yelled throwing a shuriken into the bushes.
"Just a rat." She said.
"Hey please stop throwing your shuriken around like they're toys." Kakashi asked hoping that his student won't kill a civilian on accident.
"Hey midget stop acting like a moron!" Tazuna yelled at Naruko.
"There," She threw another one. "I swear someone's after us."
Pushing the bush out of the way Kakashi found a snow bunny and heard a whistling sound coming towards them.
"Everyone down!"
Right when he said that everyone got down Naruko and Tazuna being pulled by Sasuke and Ichigo. Watching a giant sword spin over them that ultimately connect with a tree with a thud.
"So isn't it Copycat Kakashi." The man said looking down at them. "With the daughter of the yondaime, a uchiha, and what else a carrot and a old man. I wonder who my target is."
"Any chance of you not attacking today Zabuza Momochi the hidden demon in the mist?" Kakashi asked smiling at the man after he jumped down from the tree.
"Ma-
He would have finished that sentence but was kindly interrupted by a couple of needles entering his neck.
"Thank you," the new arrival said to the stunned group holding the missing ninja in one hand. "I've been hunting him down for awhile now."
"Ah no problem hunter ninja," Kakashi said pushing Sasuke and Naruko. "Now if you don't mind us we'll be taking our leave now."
Stop pushing me was heard from both of them.
"Ichigo grab Tazuna and let's go," Kakashi order him not wanting a confirmation to happen.
And with that they kept on their merry way towards Tazuna's home.
"Well, we defeated that strong of a ninja this time." Tazuna said wiping his brow with a cloth.
"Yeah no the masked ninja did, matter of fact who was the masked ninja?" Ichigo asked.
"A Hunter-nin from the village hidden in the mist. Also know as body erasers." Kakashi told them seeing that they all wanted to know. "Their job is to destroy bodies of missing ninja."
"But he or she didn't do that." Sasuke said realizing what happened.
"So Zabuza had a back up plan?" Naruko asked not understanding why he wouldn't stand and fight.
"So he's still alive?" Tazuna asked face deathly pale from the information.
"Yes and yes. He likely didn't expect you to be here Naruko or you Sasuke," Kakashi told them. "You are famous and wanted around the world and no one wants to anger Minato-sensei or Itachi-san."
"But that doesn't mean he won't come back." Ichigo said throwing his two cents in the conservation.
"True, so that means I have to train you all." Kakashi said sadly not wanting to train them yet, but that's likely his lazy side speaking.
"In what? Some awesome jutsu that will one shot Zabuza?" Naruko asked hoping that they'll learn some awesome technique.
"Nope. Tree climbing." Kakashi said watching Naruko fall flat on her face.
"But Kakashi-sensei I already know that." Naruko whined.
"Sasuke, Ichigo?"
"Yes."
"Nope."
"See Naruko one of your teammates don't." Kakashi told her.
"But what are Sasuke and I going to be doing while Ichigo learns that?" Naruko question their teacher not wanting to be sitting around for a week likely.
"Water walking?"
"Sasuke you start that yet?" Naruko shot at the uchiha wondering if he got ahead of her or not.
"Barely Itachi was just telling me about the basics before she left for her mission."
"See Naruko you'll have something to do after all." Kakashi told her eye smiling which he never seemed to quit doing.
"That's not fun," a kid from the entrance said.
"Oh Inari where were you?" Tazuna asked the boy.
"Welcome back grandpa."
"Inari say hello to these people, they're the ones that protected your grandfather," Inari's mom Tsunami told him.
"Mom they're going to die."
"What you say you little brat!" Naruko yelled getting up and waving her fist at him.
"There's no way for you to win against Gatou" Inari said looking down at the floor.
"I am a hero and one day I'll be the Hokage!" Naruko said to him. "So there's no chance we'll lose."
"Are you stupid?" Inari said looking directly at Naruko. "There's no such thing as a hero."
"Why you!" Naruko said being held back by Sasuke.
"If you don't want to die go back where you came from." Inari said going to his room.
"Inari where are you going?" His grandfather asked.
"To look at the ocean from my room."
"Damn it. That little piece of shit needs to be taught a lesson," Naruko said getting free of Sasuke and marching towards Inari's room.
"Oh yeah Tazuna you didn't tell me why you lied to the leaf village" Kakashi said looking towards Tazuna his one eye narrowing making the man sweat nervously.
"Okay now we'll start the training," the clone of Kakashi said to Ichigo since the real Kakashi is teaching Naruko and Sasuke water walking. "But before that let me ask do you know what chakra is?"
"It's the energy that shinobi need to perform their jutsu and other feats right?" Ichigo asked.
"Correct. But it made of two components. Physical and spiritual energy. The physical energy comes from your body while the spiritual comes from your mind and soul." Kakashi said seeing his student's face light up.
"So you get the basics yes?" Kakashi asked.
"Yeah, seems easy enough."
"So you'll be learning tree climbing." Kakashi said waiting for the interruption.
"..."
"What no interruption about already knowing how to climb a tree." Kakashi said staring at the unblinking teen that had a scrowl in place like usual.
"No. Why would I?" Ichigo asked wanting to see what he had to do.
"Oh okay," Kakashi said climbing the tree and hanging upside down. "Gather chakra at the bottom of your feet. You need to know about control to bring out the proper amount of chakra to climb a tree is small but it must be exact."
"So how difficult is it?" Ichigo asked.
"Well it's said to be the most difficult area to gather chakra is the foot so it would be very difficult." Kakashi replied. "So basically if you learn this control you'll be able to master any jutsu theoretically."
"Really, cool."
"Yeah but me talking here all day won't help you," Kakashi said throwing a kunai at Ichigo's feet. "Mark how high you get and your goal is to get past that mark."
"Okay." Ichigo said running up the tree getting a couple of feet above the ground before getting rocketed backwards a couple of meters.
"Oh almost forgot since you have an abnormal amount of spiritual chakra you'll need to work on your physical part." Kakashi said throwing four weights at him. "Here tie put these arm and legs it might help you."
All he got was a grumbled thanks from the teen whose body was almost underground.
"Don't kill yourself doing this." Kakashi's clone yelled before dispersing.
'This might kill me won't it.'
'Yep,' Kaguya said laughing seeing him getting thrown from the tree again.
"So it seems like you came back defeated," Gatou said enter the room where Zabuza was. "It looks like Mist ninja are pretty pathetic."
"..."
"There's no need to stay silent," Gatou said reaching over to grab Zabuza.
"Don't touch Zabuza-san with your dirty hands." The person that was watching over Zabuza said putting enough pressure on Gatous arm to crack it.
"Okay okay." Gatou said seeing that the demon brothers were leaning against the way where the entrance was located. "One more time if you fail you're not welcomed here anymore."
Watching Gatou and his two bodyguards leave one of the demon brothers made a comment about how funny it would be to see the pigman scream.
"You two should behave yourselves."
"Yes yes, future miss Monachi." The brother on the right said.
"Shut up Meizu you might wake up missing something if you don't behave yourself," The brother on the left said.
"Haha, you sure you're not missing anything Gōzu?" Meizu said taunting his brother.
"Shut up the both of you." Zabuza said from the bed. "We can't kill Gatou yet. Haku I want you to go in the forest and see if you can find anymore medicine."
"We have to be patient, but yes I'll do as you ask." The newly named Haku said making her way out.
"So Naruko you meet a girl picking flowers?" Kakashi asked curious on what his student was up to.
"Yeah she was really pretty and said they were for her husband." Naruko replied sounding down. "She even asked if I had any precious people like she did."
"I bet it was ramen," Sasuke muttered.
"What was that teme if I recall correctly you had trouble standing on the water no?" Naruko shot at him.
"At least I could stand on it." Sasuke shot back.
Kakashi just sat there watching two of his students fight too busy wondering if Ichigo got himself killed.
"Dang it!"
Nope, it helped that the explosion and his voice was loud enough to be carried to the house. Though it wasn't as peaceful as it once was with Naruko's outburst towards Inari.
Tomorrow is going to be a stressful day but hey only around two or three days left for the bridge to be finished on the bright side he thought drinking the sake in front of him.
"Are you okay?" A feminine voice asked him.
Opening his eyes from his position against the tree he saw a lady with a kimono on that was pink.
"Yeah yeah. Thanks for asking." Ichigo told the lady getting up and stretching. "May I ask your name?"
"Haku. Yours?"
"Ichigo." Ichigo replied. "Why are you out here this early Haku?"
"Picking medicine flowers for a precious someone." Haku replied picking up another flower.
'Why would anyone need those flowers here this early unless they didn't want to be seen.'
'Might be the hunter ninja for all we know,' Kaguya said to him not caring either way.
'True,' Ichigo thought back looking at Haku's ribbon. 'Yep.'
"Who this this special someone" Ichigo asked not realized till it was too late that it was a rude question.
"My husband," Haku told him. "Do you have any precious people Ichigo?"
"No not anymore," Ichigo said staring at her back getting his kunai out. "Why you ask?"
"Because a person is strongest when they have someone to protect." Haku said realizing that he was only a foot away now.
"Then you won't mind me asking you to take me to Zabuza then?" he asked putting the kunai against her throat. "I just want to talk to him that's all."
"How can I trust you."
"You think I'll be able to defeat him?"
"No."
"Then will you take me to him?" Ichigo asked again.
"Fine."
'That was easy.' Kaguya said.
'Too easy.'
"What do you want Carrot top or do you want to die that much." Zabuza asked the genin that walked in.
'Reminds me of Kenpachi'
"No just want to ask some questions that's all," Ichigo said seeing the disbelieving look on the killer's face.
"You know I can have you killed right now right?" Zabuza said motioning for Meizu and Gōzu to scare the boy.
"Oi oi oi what do we have here." The brother on the left said. "A little birdy fly to far away from home."
"More like a scaredy cat that will likely wet himself," The brother on the right said getting in his face.
"Breath mint?"
"Why you little snot nosed brat I'm going to kill you!"
"Stop Meizu." Zabuza said seeing that the boy only had a scowl on his face no sign fear or anything. 'Either he's stronger than he looks or has no value of his life either one makes this interesting for me'.
"What did you want to ask?"
"How much is Gatou paying you?"
"Why do you want to know that?" Zabuza replied curious on where this is heading.
"Simple to outbid him for your service." Ichigo said like it was the most casual thing in the world to say. "I would like to avoid this conflict if possible."
Zabuza couldn't help but grin at this. He knew Gatou would have betrayed him sooner or later but he didn't think that someone else would hire him for double the rate Gato is offering.
"What do you need us to do?"
"Make sure Gato is at the bridge scared out of his mind." Ichigo said. "I just need him to sign something that's all."
'You really think this plan will work Ichigo?' Kaguya asked wondering if he had any faith in his plan.
'A hundred percent Kaguya.'
"Simple and easy anything else."
"Don't get yourselves killed by my team." Ichigo said leaving the room to head back to Tazuna's home.
"Do you trust him Zabuza?" Haku asked being unnerved by the kid's eyes.
"Gato would have fucked us either way might as well do him in too." Zabuza said avoiding the question.
"You're late for dinner Ichigo." Kakashi said like a mother hen watching over her hatchlings.
"Just taking care of some business."
"What type of business would you have in Wave? You never left the village before this mission." Naruko question with a curious Sasuke to her side eating.
"Business that might happen when the bridge is completed."
"That's enlightening." Kakashi said realizing that Ichigo won't tell anyone. "Ichigo tomorrow should be the day Zabuza might attack since he should be healed. You guard Tazuna, Sasuke you take care of the hunter ninja, and Naruko leave a couple of clones here to protect Inari and his mother. After that meet up with Sasuke to take on the hunter ninja."
"Okay."
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Well Tazuna it seems Team 7 is ready for tomorrow."
"Thank you very much Kakashi, Naruko, Sasuke, and Ichigo." Tazuna said teary eyed from the display.
"Haku is everything ready and packed."
"Yes Zabuza-sama." Haku replied watching the demon brothers finish their orders.
"It all comes down to tomorrow." Zabuza said to no one but himself looking up at the full moon through the trees.
"So no one attacked yet." Kakashi said unnerved that Zabuza wouldn't attack by now.
"Hey he might have gotten scared and ran away." Naruko replied depressed by the fact she wouldn't be able to fight someone.
"Hopefully" Tazuna said passing them carrying steel to the other workers.
"Sasuke you got any ideas why Zabuza isn't here yet?" Naruko asked her friend.
"No."
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Kakashi said to himself seeing the man that they were talking about walking over to the bridge with three other ninja. 'Well this isn't going good' He thought seeing that there were more then two ninja.
"Bring it Zabuza!" Naruko yelled to the man seeing him stop fifteen feet away from them.
"Hey carrot top," Zabuza yelled to the boy. "He'll be here in less than an hour."
"Thank you." Ichigo said tilting his head towards Zabuza watching him tell his comrades to go wait somewhere along the bridge.
"Ichigo if you don't mind me asking what did you do?" Kakashi asked one eye a little panicked that his genin went behind his back and did something that could result in his death.
"Made a deal," Ichigo told him like they were talking about the weather.
"What type of deal?" This time Sasuke asked.
"One that involves money."
"Just tell us already!" Naruko yelled wanting to know what their teammate did.
"Yes tell us already you orange haired freak." A man at the beginning of the bridge said with a group of armed man surrounding him. Taking satisfaction from the twitch the orange haired teen showed.
"Gatou," Zabuza said staring at the man.
"There's my good for nothing ninja." Gato said getting a laugh out of the men he hired that were behind him.
"You know I'm going to enjoy killing you slowly," Was whispered into Gatous ear from behind.
"Ah! Kill him!"
Zabuza just raised his non existent eyebrow grabbing the man by then neck and dropping him in front of Ichigo.
"Here," Zabuza said standing behind Gatou.
"Hey your leaf ninja right you won't let these missing ninja hurt me right." Gatou pleaded trying to save his own life.
"Yeah sure we leaf ninja won't hurt in anyway shape or form," Ichigo said producing a paper and pen out of his pocket. "You just got to sign here." He motioned to a signature line.
"Ichigo what are you doing." Kakashi said not believing that his genin would jeopardise the mission for a piece of paper from the richest man on the world.
"Trust me Kakashi-sensei it's all under control." Ichigo replied seeing Gatou not read the paper and signed it in a hurry wanting to save his life.
"Here go kid." Gatou said staring at the leaf ninja. "So you guys won't hurt me now right?"
"Nope."
"But you said you wouldn't!" Gatou yelled at him furious that he got lied too.
"Tall dark and scary right there has other plans." Ichigo said pointing towards Zabuza seeing him get ready to swing his sword.
"I'm going to enjoy this." Zabuza said before swinging Kubikiribōchō to decapitate the pig.
"Hey you kil-
One of the grunts said before being interrupted by an arrow hitting the ground in front of him.
"If you come any further onto our island. The citizens of this country will stop you with everything we've got."
"Inari," Tazuna said with tears in his eyes seeing his grandson stand up to these criminals.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" Naruko yells deciding to help out Inari defend the bridge. "We got your back."
"If I were you I'll make your escape now Zabuza." Ichigo whispered to him.
"Yeah yeah carrot." Zabuza said enjoying the scowl on the teens face. "Never got your name."
"Ichigo Kurosaki."
"We shall meet again then Kurosaki." Zabuza said taking a piece of paper out of the kids hand and reading it.
"Sure but it was fun doing business with you." said Ichigo walking over to his sensei nonchalantly seeing that the bandits were fleeing now.
"So Zabuza-kun what did he pay us?" Haku asked seeing the beam in his eyes.
"We're going back to Kirigakure." Zabuza replied smiling like a shark walking off the bridge. "The war just got shorter."
"Yo," Ichigo said to his teacher when he got close enough.
"What did you do to get him to help us," Kakashi ordered.
"Gave him half of Gatous company for a limited time." Ichigo said like they were talking about the weather again. "So it hasn't shown up I guess."
"That was reckless of you Kurosaki. Also what hasn't shown up?" Kakashi asked curious about what he was talking about.
"The snow." Ichigo said making a quick lie up.
"Sure." Kakashi said with a sigh not believing him one bit watching the rest of the bandits leave the bridge. "Let's just finish the job and go back home."
'So what were you looking for?' Kaguya asked curious on what he was looking for.
'Just a ribbon.'