And I'm back! Up to the third installment already, huh? I suppose updating about every other day or so will do that to my chapter reserves. But then again I had planned to come out with the first good number of chapters like this in the first place. I'm so glad you lot are enjoying this- Kro is difficult but a joy to write. I'm normally used to characters that start out cold but swiftly become warm towards those they interact with. Or some other fast paced personality growth. Doing this nice and slow is a good change for me though, I think. It really lets the character grow as a person, I think.
josephinechang02 - I'm so glad you love Kro so much! Like I said above, he's hard but a blast to write. I hope he keeps your heart in his hands.
yesshe-257378- I'm over the moon to see you've come back time and time again! I'm even more so delighted to find that you understood what I was trying to get at in the last installment. Naruto's past, and the darkness in it, is rather glossed over in the anime, of which I am an avid viewer. I think that this more Gray Naruto give him a bit more depth pertaining to his childhood. I hope that you continue to follow along.
Elihim- Thanks so much for that kind of praise! I'm always striving to try and twist things around so that they're new and enjoyable even when they're such common subjects. Especially when it comes to those within this particular story. I like to think it keeps people on their toes. For you to say that I've succeeded makes me very proud of myself.
NOTE: Unfortunately after this installment, the chapters will be coming at a slower pace. This is due to life- if I could write and watch anime all the time and still make money and still stay thin I sure as hell would. Unfortunately, I need money and I'm a bundle of energy. So! I'm hoping to get at least one or two chapters out a week, depending on my personal work load.
Chapter Seven: Up The Anti
Naruto huffs as he stands at the gate of his home, his village. On his back resides a pack filled with clothing and things he'll probably need on his first real mission. You heard him, mission. A week and a half ago about, Naruto had aced the test given to him by Iruka-sensei, his shadow clones out doing the stupid normal clones that normal children made for their own tests. Unfortunately, that didn't really help his grade as he bombed the written test. With the jutsu being his physical test, he was left with a grade that barely allowed him to move forward. He was highly pleased despite not being Rookie of the Year like he had hoped so that he could have shoved that in Sas-gay's face. However, Naruto's a full blown Shinobi now! It makes him happy to even just think such a fact. The bad part is that he's on Sasuke's team and Sakura isn't really all that much of a strong person. He hopes that the girl doesn't slow him down or anything like that. He eyes the pink haired girl as she tries to get Sasuke to talk to her on a casual level, but he just ignores her with that stupid blank gaze. Naruto huffs again and moves to his butt, shifting his mind to a different line of thought. Kro.
Naruto isn't too happy with Kro at the moment and that is because he had promised Naruto that he would see him off no matter what when Naruto went on his first ever real mission. But Naruto hasn't seen his brother figure since three weeks ago after his last spar with Sasuke. He had to go on a long term mission the morning after, and only left Naruto with enough healthy food to keep him from going and gorging on ramen like he so would if he could have. Naruto knows that it's not Kro-nii's fault, but that doesn't mean he can't be upset with him. He did say no matter what after all, and that meant that he would do so even if he was on a mission. Naruto knows that Kro-nii has his ways to fulfill that kind of promise. And yet he hasn't. Naruto glares at nothing in particular, lower lip jutted out as though pouting would fix all his problems. But his attention is drawn away from the innocent dirt when Sakura speaks up loud and clear.
"Kakashi-sensei! What took you so long?" The pinkette demands as she looks from her crush to her teacher. At the silver haired man's side is the old bridge builder, Tazuna. And on Kakashi-sensei's other side is...Her face becomes a bright red upon seeing the man. That's...!
Kakashi offers the young female Genin a single eye smile, "Sorry, there were some things we had to take care of," he offered. "This here is Kro, he's a Jonin like myself. He'll be joining us on our mission. Or, well, his mission is connected to our own so he'll be traveling with us".
Kro looked down at the pathetic human girl as she stared at him, green eyes bright and face brighter with the color he so loves. Too bad it doesn't really do her justice. His eyes then wander over to the happy ones he can feel without even paying attention, casting the other blond a small smirk, "Morning," he offers to Naruto who bounds up to him and wraps his arms around him in a tight hug. Kro has never really been one for hugs, and as such has never returned any Naruto's given him. The closest he's ever gotten is the rubbing of Naruto's head, which he does with his metallic limb. "Miss me?"
Naruto beams, "You know it Kro-nii! I didn't know you were gonna come with us though," he couldn't be happier really. Seriously, his first mission and it's with his favorite person in the world!
"It was a surprise brat," Kro offers as the boy pulls himself away from him. His eyes drift to the pair that attempt to bore dark holes into his flesh. He raises a single brow, silently questioning the young Uchiha whom has been staring at him this whole time. "Got a problem?"
But it wasn't as though Sasuke did have a problem. Not a hostile one at least. That man, Kro, was the one he tried to fight the other day a while back and lost. That man was beyond Jonin and he knew it, but he dares not say anything to give his knowledge away. The eye contact doesn't ease anything. Those golden eyes bore into his, seeing through the depths of black and into his scarred soul. Seeing his worst of memories, seeing the crying child that is his heart. He wants to look away, be defiant, however he can't bring himself to do so. Not that he knows why. It's stupid! He has to look away! And yet, his eyes refuse to break away from the tall blond. It doesn't make any sense at all that- What? Why is he suddenly...Unsure? His heart beats quickly and heat begins to rise to his cheeks. He swiftly realizes what that is, and turns his head away- finally!- with a simple, "Hn," to keep the man from meeting his gaze any further. But he can feel those golden eyes on him. It makes him oddly nervous, but he does his best to ignore it.
Kakashi himself isn't too happy about the contact between the two, but not in the same way Sasuke feels. Instead, he doesn't like at all that Naruto is so familiar with the blood sucker. Luckily, years of being stoic and Anbu training keep him from showing his displeasure as he begins to walk, "Well, let's head out shall we?"
"Alright!" Naruto beams as he struts forward, happy as can be. He basically dances through the gate and into the outside world from the walls of the village. Excitedly he looks from side to side, trying to spot something new and worthy of his attention.
"Geez Naruto," Sakura grumbles as she walks along side her crush, "What's got you excited?" Sure it's a lovely day out, but that's no reason for the boy to get all hyper.
Naruto laughs off her odd glare, "Sorry, I've just never been outside the village is all".
Hearing this, Tazuna grumbles, shoulders tense, "Great, short and useless".
Of course, Naruto's reaction isn't all too happy. In fact, he would have lunged if it weren't for the other blond in the group. The sound of his cleared throat is more than enough for Naruto to take that as a 'shut up meat sack'. Instead, he squares his shoulders and points at the drunken man defiantly. "Listen you! I'm a lot stronger than I look! I can kick your sorry ass twelve ways from Sunday and then some! I don't care if you think I'm useless! One day, I'm going to be the Hokage- the strongest in the village- and then you'll regret everything you've said to me! I-Ah! Kro-nii!"
"That's enough," Kro barks blandly as he walks, metal hand clamping onto the boy's head and using it to drag him along their path. "We have things to do, you bumbling idiot".
"But I was making sure he understood that there's no way in hell-"
"I said shut up," Kro growls, promptly throwing the boy by his skull down the road a good ways, all the while keeping his utterly bored pace. God he thought he beat the loudness out of the boy already. Tch. Annoying little useless brat.
Back at the entrance to Konoha, Tazuna blinks and stares, unsure of whether to be thankful or kind of weirded out by the fact that one blond just threw the other like a ball. "I'm in the hands of complete idiots". He ignores the raven haired boy's glare, not caring that the kid doesn't like being grouped with the two ahead of them.
But Kakashi just gives an eye smile to the old man, "Don't worry Tazuna-san. Kro doesn't seem like much right now, but he really is formidable. I am a Jonin and will protect you to the best of my abilities, there's nothing to worry about".
"I sure hope you're not bluffing," the old man takes a swig of his drink before tottering forward, hazy mind not convinced even by the silver haired man's words. He takes another drink; this is going to be a long walk home. He prays he's going to actually make it back alive.
It is silent for a little while, however eventually the only female out of the entire group allows her curiosity to speak for her. "So, you're from Nami no Kuni, right Tazuna-san?"
"Yea," the bridge builder allows, "What of it?"
At the front of the line walks Naruto, directly behind him is Kro. On Kakashi's left is Sasuke, on his far right is Sakura, between them is Tazuna. "Kakashi-sensei, does Nami no Kuni not have shinobi?"
However before the Jonin can explain just what places do have Hidden Villages and how they basically work, another voice answers the young woman. "No," Kro denies blandly. God, could the girl get more stupid? Please tell him she can't. Never the less, he continues but does not so much as look her way. "Only the five largest territories of the continent have Hidden Villages. Some smaller territories have villages that teach Shinobi arts but they are no where near as powerful as the five Great Villages. That is, Kumo, Kiri, Iwa, Suna and at the top is Konoha. If you want to know how the villages work, then you're not as smart as your grades claim you to be".
Sakura blinks at the blunt blond man, green eyes wide and ego wounded, "I was-"
"Just looking for a conversation starter by being more idiotic than you are naturally," Kro points out with a sigh. "If you're smart, you won't look to start conversations and concentrate on the mission".
Kakashi's lone eye narrows ever so slightly even as he reads his book. Normally he'd be enjoying the plot at the moment, but no matter how well done it is, it cannot distract him from the bashing the vampire is doing on is student. "That's enough Kro. You know as well as I do that even though Sakura is smart that she can't know about things that have never been introduced to her. While she should know about the Villages, it's not surprising to me that she does not know about smaller territories. Do refrain from emotionally or mentally abusing my Genin will you?"
A golden eye peeks its way over one of his broad shoulders, "Then actually teach them something other than how to ask questions and sulk". It is on him that Naruto was an idiot earlier; he's already begun the journey of rectifying that issue.
He cares not that Kakashi's shoulders ever so slightly square, showing his irritation. As they continue to walk, the blonde man takes note of a puddle that shouldn't be there, but the note is only lazily scrawled into his mind for unimportant future reference. What he really cares is if Naruto noticed the puddle as well. The other two he doesn't give a rat's ass about and if they failed then that's on them. The trick is Genin level after all. He listens and waits, even as the entire group passes the puddle with little care. The enemy doesn't wait long before attacking.
The Demon Brothers rise from their simple puddle trick, each with a smirk behind their masks. Then they attack, their chains lashing out and wrapping around the first of the major threats, "One down," a brother snarls as the barbed weapons are yanked from their wrapped positions around Kakashi's body, ripping him to shreds. Now, of course the attack was sudden enough to send everyone else into a moment of still surprise, along with a gasp of 'what?!' from Kakashi before he was killed. With one bloodly pile on the ground, they attack the weakest link, the blonde boy at the front whom hadn't even so much as glanced at them.
Naruto was utterly surprised that two people popped out of no where, his blue eyes wide with surprise and a little fear. So this is what it's like to be on a mission outside the village? Dangerous and with your life on the line at all times? What really surprises them is that they've only been walking for about two hours, and aren't all that close to Hi no Kuni's border. The fact that the attack came so soon is insane to him. Did they know they were going to come this way? Why are they attacking? They must be strong if they killed Kakashi-sensei, that much is certain. With this in mind, his look of surprise drops, seriousness lacing his features and his eyes going from wide and frightened to narrowed and knowing and serious. Popped up out of nowhere my ass, he grumbles to himself and takes action upon his own accord. As the brothers attack him, he retaliates, rushing towards them. Their surprise at the sudden action gives them enough urge to split up, going for the other boy that seems to know what he's doing. Naruto's kunai clashes with the poison dipped claws that threaten to make him bleed, though his weight and leverage are lesser than the man's. Even so, Kro-nii's rough training has prepared him for something like this. And thus he easily buckles under the pressure on purpose, causing the enemy to fall with no one to hold him up any longer. The knee that meets his solar plexus swiftly brings the air from his lungs forcefully. His eyes water as spittle hits the inside of his mask, his knees hitting the ground forcefully. Naruto is swift to continue his attack, promptly kneeing the Demon Brother in the head before stepping down and spinning to his closed side for a reverse turn kick to the back, his leg straight like a bat and his heel hitting the spine. The Brother promptly groans, bones shaking with the force of the boy's kick as he flumps to the ground out cold. Naruto grins at his handy work, utterly surprised that he had actually managed to do so much to an enemy that thought he had the upper hand. Kro-nii's training really does work wonders!
In the mean time, Sasuke is just finishing up his own handy work, having jumped right into the fray the moment the other Brother decided that he needed to go down. He had pinned the brother's claw to a tree with a kunai before delivering a flying kick to the man's face. The man had gone sprawling backwards, the claw detaching from his arm as Sasuke planned. The man, determined to fulfill his actual mission lest it mean his life, turns and charges a new target. He's a bit faster than Sasuke, so where as the boy had seen the first attack coming, he didn't see the change of targets coming and as such he is caught by surprise. The man is going after Tazuna. However before he can get even close to the team's charge, a hand is shoved through him, stopping him in his tracks. Sasuke's eyes widen upon seeing the blood and the hand covered in it. He follows the hand back through the body of the enemy and up the arm, to the shoulder and then finally to the face of the murderer. The blank look on Kro's visage is heart chilling, even as he removes his arm and leaves the man to fall with a sickening squelch.
Sakura screams at the sight of the blood, where as Tazuna gasps and shuffles back in such a hurry that he falls onto his semi-sober ass. Kro however ignores both as he watches the blood pool. "Brat," he calls to Naruto whom looks to his older brother. He is surprisingly calm about the sight of the dead man on the ground, however he knows more about Kro than any one else so he supposes that that is why he's not totally frightened. "You didn't kill yours, did you?"
Naruto shakes his head even as Kakashi appears from the trees with a serious look on his face, "No Kro-nii. He's alive".
Before Kro can answer, Kakashi stands from checking the other man's pulse even though it was obvious he is dead. "Good. You don't need to learn to do that yet," he tells the blond child and then looks to the older one. "That was unnecessary," he tells the taller man, displeased but not surprised. He is a monster after all. Someone not worthy of being near his students and yet the Hokage has ordered him to do just that. "You're lucky Naruto didn't kill his opponent or else we would have been unable to figure out why we were attacked".
"You and I already have an idea," Kro responds frankly as he flicks the blood free from his arm as much as possible. "Or maybe it's just me and you're too stupid to put two and two together," he jabs at the silver haired man with little care.
Ignoring the insult, Kakashi disapproves, "Yes, but that didn't mean you had to kill him, enemy or no". He sighs and walks to the alive man, picking him up and offering Naruto praise after doing the same for Sasuke. "These men are known as the Demon Brothers; they're rogue ninja from Kirigakure," he explains in short as he binds the out cold man to a tree with wire.
In the mean time, Naruto notices Sakura's stock still person, pale as a ghost and eyes locked onto the dead body as tears drip from her unblinking orbs. "Sakura-chan?" He questions, not completely certain he should approach her. When she flinches, he decides he should and as such places a gentle hand onto her small shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Sakura slowly shakes her head, utterly horrified by what she sees, "No!" She whimpers and shoves her face into her hands, muffling her sounds of sorrow and fear, "H-He killed that man!"
Naruto nods, making a point not to look at the corpse that has grown cold with death, "I know. But that's how it is for us. I realized that too. It's kill or get killed in this world Sakura-chan. Kro-nii wanted to show us that".
"But-"
"He's right," Sasuke intervenes as he glares at the corpse of the enemy, "It's kill or get killed Sakura. The life of a ninja isn't all roses and sugar. Kro was right to show us this". Though he already knew the world of Shinobi quite well thanks to a certain man. He eyes the tall blond man carefully however as left over blood- even after flicking most of it off- crusts and dries to his skin. He had taken that life without even a single thought. What's more, is that it was like the Demon Brother ran into Kro's arm instead of it appearing out of no where. The man is fast.
"Alright," Kakashi's voice suddenly rings, turning away from the out cold surviving brother his body tied by ninja wire to a tree. "I have all the information I want from this guy; we can just leave him here and I'll ask someone from the village to pick him up. We're not too far from home as it is". With his single visible eye dark with seriousness, he makes to finally help Tazuna to his feet, "I'm surprised that we actually encountered more than just normal bandits. But I'm also glad you're okay, Tazuna-san".
The old man, shocked into becoming sober, dusts off his butt with a grumble, unable to meet the Jonin's look, "Yea…..Thanks for saving my hide".
"It's our job to do just that," Kakashi smiles lightly, "But those men were C-ranked criminals. People like them don't normally attack a small group of Shinobi unless hired- promised payment- to. Which leads me to the question…...Why did they attack us? For our supplies? Or," his gaze bores into the old bridge builder's, daring him to stop him from talking, "Because of who we're with".
Sakura doesn't understand, "...Wait…Kakashi-sensei what do you mean by that?"
But Kakashi doesn't answer, instead staring the old bridge builder down with a silent intimidating glare. Until finally, the civilian breaks, "Fine fine fine. I'll tell you the truth. That's what you guys want, right?"
"Get to it then, you know it's what we want," Kro grunts, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Despite the fact that it's cool and beyond dirty, the blood pooled under the dead body calls his name. He refuses to move, not willing to needlessly feed.
"Right," Tazuna sighs after shooting the vampire a short glare, "I don't know if the rest of you realize but Nami no Kuni isn't like the villages in the five great nations. We rely on simply our own hands and feet or we're forced to ask people like you for help. For a while now, Nami no Kuni has been under the direct control of the merchant tycoon Gato; he controls everything in simple terms. All just because we have no other way to get what we need. But if I finish the bridge I've been working on, then that won't be an issue any more. Traders would be able to come and go as they pleased, we could get the resources we need with ease. Because I'm the head of this job, Gato wants me dead. He'll do anything to get what he wants. I want nothing more than for my people to thrive again; to walk the streets with a smile, without fear. That's why I came to you".
"So, what you're saying is that this Gato person has hired Shinobi in order to get rid of you," Sasuke confirms.
"The fact that enemy Shinobi are involved immediately brings the threat level up to B if not A rank," Kakashi intones, voice low with seriousness. This isn't good. This isn't good at all. A Shinobi relies on the information given to them about a mission- especially when that information is given by a client. Of course, they are expected to adapt to any possibilities such as a set up- purposeful lying about what the mission contains for example- or a sudden change in the situation. B ranked missions and above are like this. C ranked missions however are set so low in the rankings because the missions only contain bandits at the most- something this one no longer pertains to.
Sakura shivers, teeth digging into her lower lip as she shifts from foot to foot. She doesn't like the sound of that in the slightest! "Kakashi-sensei, we should go back," she insists with fearful green eyes. "This is really dangerous! We're green Genin and you and Kro-san can only protect us so much! We should go back to the village and take Tazuna-san with us. Maybe we can talk to Hokage-sama into giving him a stronger team?"
Kro rolls his golden ocular organs, "And waste more of my time?" The pinkette doesn't understand, "I've been ordered to stick with Team Kakashi until the mission is through. To cancel the mission and go back to Konoha, just so I have to be with a different team that's 'stronger' is a waste of my time. Just as standing here is; I could be well on my way to completing my mission by now. However you pathetic flunkies are standing around chatting about what should be done".
"Sakura actually is right, Kro," the damn monster is asking to get punched. He's willing to risk fresh out of the Academy Genin just to get to his target? What's more, he doesn't seem to have put Naruto's safety into the equation where as Kakashi has. Naruto and Sasuke might hold their own well, but Sakura is a liability- sad to say.
Kro rolls his golden orbs, openly annoyed by the Jonin. This is bullshit. "Is she?"
Tazuna watches the tense shoulders of the silver haired man in front of him, seeing him all too ready to deck the rather rough and crude blonde right in the face it seems. Tazuna would do the same if he wasn't so afraid of him. That and he's on his side. "Listen….If you don't want to do this mission any longer, I understand. I can go on my own from here. I'm sure my daughter and grandson won't blame you for my death," which will certainly happen if he goes on his own. How he didn't die getting to Konoha is unknown actually. He can't afford to lose these guys, not when they've got a monster on their team and two kids that actually know what they're doing.
Kakashi turns and looks to the old man with his single eye, wary but actually feeling the guilt meant to trip him up. Internally he sighs, damning whatever god is up there for sticking him with an asshole and a man who likes to trick people despite being nothing but a civilian client. "…..I have to ask my students," he insists to Tazuna, standing strong...Kinda.
The first to speak up is unsurprisingly Sasuke, the young Uchiha standing his ground far better than Kakashi himself. There is no way in hell that, after actually getting it through almost unofficial means, he is going back home from this C-ranked mission. His black eyes dart from his Sensei to the tall blonde. Would he take them if Kakashi and Sakura went back?….Probably not. He's only with them because of his own mission, so that means he'd have to make sure Kakashi doesn't back out of this. Not his team's first official mission. "We'll be fine," Sasuke insists bluntly, "I want to continue and finish this mission, Kakashi". His words are sharp and to the point, his blacks meeting Kakashi's single one. In the back of his head, a voice whispers something only he can hear, causing his shoulders to tense ever so slightly. Damn voice! That isn't true! His hands clench as his arms cross defiantly over his chest, awaiting the others' votes. He is certain of the Dobe's- which, speaking of him, since when was he actually useful?- but he's hoping Sakura's fixation on him pulls through again.
Naruto nods his head rapidly, putting his foot down and for once agreeing with the asshole. "Kakashi-sensei, we can't grow if we give up! Besides, how are we supposed to call ourselves good Konoha Shinobi if we basically abandon Tazuna?" He really doesn't want to go back home! He's finally out of the village, away from the glares and working at his Nii-san's side! The only thing he could ever want in addition is the completion of this mission. He just knows it'd send his career rocketing forward. Besides, he wants to test himself, his real skills, against someone worthy of his prowess. Surely he can't do that back home! Back home there's just Sas-gay, and he hates that jerk. "I would feel horrible leaving Tazuna alone to go back. He's risking his life for this- for his family! I'd do the same for Kro-nii!" He pauses, "And…..If you want….I'm sure Kro-nii can take Sasuke and me-"
"Brat, proper language before I kick your sorry ass," Kro corrects.
"-Oh, sorry Kro-nii! I mean, 'I'm sure Kro-nii can take Sasuke and I' with him to Nami no Kuni and the three of us can protect him perfectly fine! Would that be okay?" Oh, but the boy isn't as stupid as he lets himself seem. No, Kro-nii has never allowed stupidity to exist ever since they started training with one another. The boy, tricky as a fox, knows well that leaving Tazuna's- let alone Naruto's own and Sasuke's- lives in Kro's hands will upset the scarecrow. He doesn't get why, but Kakashi-sensei obviously doesn't like his older brother and unfortunately Naruto is willing to use this to his advantage. He learned this from his brother, who said that it would come in handy to know how to play people into doing what you want. He watches carefully, very carefully, as his Sensei's fingers twitch and the lips under his mask seem to pull into a scowl. If it's a visible scowl, saying what he did must have worked, right?
Kakashi realizes what Naruto is doing, and he doesn't like that at all. Since when do allies trick one another? They don't. Or, they shouldn't. Carefully he shoots a dark look the vampire's way. This man is tainting the purity of his own Sensei's- the Fourth Hokage's- only son. Teaching him it was okay to do this to friends and loved ones? Not good. He knew the bastard should have never been taken off of probation, having been one to have harshly fought against Kro's freedom. It was only the doom of what Kro would do if the deal between he and Sarutobi was not kept as it had been issued. There is someone out there stronger than him, isn't there? There has to be! But where the village cursed with this creature would find someone like that is unknown. They don't even know if there's anyone out there like him for Kami's sake! But he absolutely refuses to allow himself to show the Anbu any sign of his hatred- not that he doesn't know about it- in front of his students or even Tazuna. If an outsider knew that there is discord between even just two Shinobi of the same Village- the one that's supposed to be the strongest out there at that- and that word spreads….It'd be disastrous for business. Normally, Kakashi doesn't thinks this way. Normally, he follows what he feels is right, follows his heart as Minato-sensei had taught him to. But really when it comes Kro, there's no helping it. "What about you, Sakura?" He questions the young book girl, hoping she'd be his saving grace and help to talk the boys into going home where they'd be safe.
Sakura had been hoping that one of the boys would see reason. Even if no one had really given them a reason other than obviously protocol as to why they should turn around. Biting her lower lip, she looks from boy to boy, and then the Anbu not far from her. Oh, what should she do?! If she agrees with Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke will surely be angry with her! That's the last thing she wants. If she agrees with Kakashi-sensei, Naruto will be upset too; and she'd really rather not have that because they were only starting to kind of get along. Kro-san would dislike her even more than he seems to, and she was kind of hoping Naruto's hot older brother would come to like her despite her 'stupid' question earlier. But if she went with the vote the boys have put in, what would Kakashi-sensei say? How would he feel? Would he disapprove of her? Would he assume she was peer pressured into saying that they continue? It's an obviously dangerous mission, that is without a doubt. And what about Tazuna-san? He can't just go and get himself killed! Not when he has a daughter and grandson to return to! Oh! Darn it all! Lowering her head in defeat, she sighs and then lifts it to look her Sensei in the eye, "Kakashi-sensei….I think we should continue".
Dread hits the silver haired male. He had seriously been betting everything on her. It seems his luck is as bad as Tsunade-sama's is said to be today. First Kro is added to the mission, then they're attacked by Nuke Ninjas, and now this. For all the Icha Icha Paradise novels in the world, he cannot win today. Slowly taking a breath and assessing the situation, he forces himself to think of a best case scenario. Such a scenario would be no other Shinobi class enemies coming at them. Something only slightly worse would be one more attack and that's it. No….Best case is that Gato comes out from hiding early and Kro kills him, getting rid of the issue and leaving them to just watch Tazuna build the rest of the bridge. The Hatake sighs low in his throat. But who is he kidding? None of those are going to actually happen. He could just issue the order of returning home….But he can't in good conscious leave Tazuna-san to die. Kro certainly wouldn't look after him out of the good of his heart because he doesn't have any good in him except for maybe Naruto. Ahh, Obito, Rin, why did he have to live the hard life? Another sigh slips from his cloth hidden lips, "Very well. However this has gone from a C-ranked mission to A-ranked. Tazuna-san, I expect you to pay for an A-ranked mission once this is over. Understood?"
Tazuna nearly drops his sake upon finally hearing good news. He had been standing there for five minutes waiting for the Jonin to give an official answer, he was on edge the entire time. Not only because if he was left it would mean his life- he knew what he was risking when he left home, and had already accepted it- but it would also mean the happiness of his people. The happiness of his family- his daughter and grandson. Thank Kami above! With a Jonin and that monster with him, his spirits are lifted rather high. "Of course," Tazuna readily agrees with a low bow to show his gratefulness, "I'll pay any amount you want when we're finished with the bridge". Raising the money to pay the surely massive bill will be easy once a stable, efficient, trading route is established. "Should we get going then?"
"Yes. I'd like to make it to Nami no Kuni by tonight," Kakashi agrees, staring the team off walking once more at last.
Naruto throws his hands into the air, bright and happy smile spread wide across his face. "Alright! Kro-nii did you hear? I get to continue my mission and it's A-class now!"
Kro eyes the bounding blond warily, but isn't quite able to threaten him into calming himself down. A grunt escapes the monster, not at all impressed by Kakashi's break. Of course he had expected him to, but that doesn't make it any less annoying that he did. He's supposed to be the leader; unanimous votes are to be vetoed by the leader if need be. Dumb bastard putting the brat into danger….Whatever, he decides at last. At least this'll make the kid stronger without Kro actually having to apply much effort. "I heard, idiot. Relax; keep an eye out like a good brat and be ready for the next attack". Because one is certain to come.