Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Author: iamwildatheart
The Elite
Chapter Six
A Shaky Commaderie
Practical, calculating, and intelligent.
These are the qualities that describe Shikadai Nara.
He was the top of his class back at the academy and followed his father's footsteps in being the only one of his team to make chūnin on the first try. His IQ fell short only to his father and the Uchiha girl, whom in his younger days he accepted to be a worthy opponent in both video games and shōgi. His strength, intelligence, and ingenuity had landed him one of the coveted spots in the Elite for the past four years.
In short, Shikadai had rightfully earned his title as vice captain and team strategizer. The mortality rate sans Mihara, which still chokes Shikadai up at night, was a testimony to that.
However, times like this was where Shikadai wondered how on earth he was able to secure a spot on the Elite before its newest member had.
Sakura Haruno had instilled in her daughter the key to monstrous strength and medical ninjutsu. Sasuke Uchiha had passed along his ingenuity in utilizing ninjutsu and mastery in swordsmanship. Between the two of them, Sarada had also inherited a ridiculous chakra reserve, intelligence, and tenacity.
With that, Shikadai sighed and drooped his shoulders in defeat as he had come to his conclusion.
"What a drag."
Takeuchi could not help but chuckle at Shikadai's response and went off to jostle Boroto's ruffled feathers some more.
Shikadai followed Takeuchi's movement and monitored Boroto's grumpy response. Typically, the Hokage's son was a lot more respectful and all around charismatic person. There has been a handful of times Shikadai has ever seen Boroto anything but the gentleman (abet occasional ruffian like the hokage) Lady Hinata had raised him to be. Barring, of course, his academy days. And so, of course Shikadai had found it incredibly interesting to see Boroto's chilly responses to Sarada.
Immediately, Shikadai's gaze shifted back to the fight between Chiharu and Sarada. Though to the general public the fight may seem like a standstill, Shikadai had actively counted four times Sarada could have delivered an ending blow and two times his captain could have easily fatally impaled the Uchiha heir.
Arms dragging behind her, Sarada left a wide opening to her side, prompting Chiharu to immediately aimed her kunai at Sarada's ribs. Almost too quick to see, Sarada snapped her hand forward and caught the offending object. She used the momentum to throw the kunai back at Chiharu, who instinctively dodged and realized too late what Sarada had been doing. Bracing herself for the explosion, Chiharu threw her arms up, only to have the air knocked out of her lungs when Sarada tackled her to the ground before the kibakū fūda, which Chiharu tried using earlier in the fight but decided against it, could explode in her face.
A boom rocked Training Ground Twenty-Four while Shikadai continued to count what would have been Sarada's fifth win.
Sucking in the much needed air, Chiharu called the fight to an end. Sarada offered an arm and the Elite captain gladly accepted.
"You're something else, Uchiha," Chiharu complimented.
Sarada beamed, "Please, call me Sarada, Captain."
At that, even Chiharu couldn't help but give a rare smile and commented rather loudly (because Chiharu was not one to yell) to her remaining subordinates, "Someone take note from Uchiha how to properly respect your captain."
Shikadai concluded that Sarada was indeed a monster to have won over his sadistic captain so quickly.
Arms wrapped around her neck, Sarada scowled as her close friend wrangled her hair into a nest.
"Takeuchi! Let go!"
With a mischievous grin, Takeuchi cheekily gave a negative and began tickling her. Before Sarada could really retaliate, Takeuchi released her and took to the roofs, beginning a game of tag.
When Sarada was young, Takeuchi had always seem to be impossibly fast. Between her short legs and Takeuchi's long ones, he was sure to win tag every time. However, with Boroto's phase two Elite speed training, Sarada had managed to win her first game of tag in over six years.
Breathless, both seasoned shinōbis laid atop the Hokage Mountains side by side.
"Takeuchi, I caught up to you."
Takeuchi, smiled and ruffled the young Uchiha's hair. "Proud of you, Pipsqueak."
Sarada's scowled at the awful childhood nickname.
Takeuchi only laughed and ruffled her hair some more. Eventually, the duo began chatting about mundane things that Sarada had missed out while she was on her long mission. Inojin had gotten a civilian girlfriend. Chocho's latest diet.
When the conversation died out and the two laid in content silence, Sarada asked the question she had been wondering about for a while.
"Do you ever miss your family?"
Takeuchi was silent per usual at the mention of his family. However, he was not surprised that Sarada had asked this. In the recent years since the shinōbi death of his parents, he had grown close to the Uchiha family. Sasuke Uchiha, a man heavily weighed by the massacre of his entire family, was more than happy to accept Takeuchi into his family. Though they are kind, the Uchihas could never replace his real family.
Not really sure how to admit this, Takeuchi gave Sarada a half truth.
"I do," Takeuchi eventually answered, "but I have found myself a new family that loves me just as much and I don't need to miss them because they are right here."
Sarada smiled brightly at his answer before shyly admitting, "I'm glad, because you're like the big brother I never got."
Takeuchi, touched by her words, could only obnoxiously answer in a way big brothers would.
"And you're the annoying little sister I never got."
Boroto had watched the scene unfold between his best friend and Sarada Uchiha.
Never before has Boroto seen Takeuchi so unguarded and relaxed as he was flying across Konoha in a child's game. Though he knew offhandedly that they shared a close bond, Boroto had not cared to witness their interaction as the thought of Sarada during his childhood brought up untold fears only an Uchiha sprawn could invoke.
However, the new Sarada was an enigma full of paradoxes.
During the second and last phases of her Elite training, Boroto was able to work with Sarada closely in an unusual way. Though they had spent long times apart where he would tend to the small missions the hokage secretly sent him on and she would work on tracking him, they was able to familiarize themselves quickly to each other's chakra signature due to constant vigilance and repetitive battles. They were able to learn each other's battle strategies and styles while improving themselves.
With all the new protocols in the shinōbi handbook nowadays, it was common for you to only be a part of two teams for the majority of your career. As fresh genin children, you were placed in a diverse set of teammates that balanced each other's inequalities under the omniscient eyes of your jōnin leader. However, not long after, you would specialize and be additionally placed on a second team with a different jōnin leader who could efficiently help you master your discipline. Before he joined the Elite, Boroto could count the number of shinōbis he was close to in one hand.
This was not to be confused with the fact Boroto has not also met and frequented with other shinōbis above and below his year, which he has. It was just that Boroto had not needed to intimately acquaint himself to a new person in so long.
Mihara's death was the first death he had experience of someone close to his heart, though he knows he is fortunate enough to not have had someone he's loved die until now. But there was something wrong in seeing someone he had admired replaced so soon with someone so spectacular.
For two months, Boroto was hyperaware of this new female figure in his life whom he held a childhood distain for. Sarada was as beautiful as she was terrifying. As he slowly gained respect for Sarada, Boroto could not help but hate her a little too. Scorn her for essentially being a better Mihara in both skill and fit for the team. In a way, if he liked her too much, it felt like he was betraying Mihara.
Instantly, Boroto felt Sarada appear by his side. Huh, guess Takeuchi left already.
"What's with the brooding face?"
Disregarding a response, Boroto instead chose to peer at Sarada's face in mock hopes she could read his mind too if she was so damn talented in everything. Sarada ignored him and settled next to him instead.
"If this is about me joining the team, I'm sorry."
Damn, she was.
"But I'm not leaving," Sarada continued on, "I earned every bit of my right to be here."
Boroto sighed and turned his gaze back to one of the main streets of Konoha, "It's not your fault. I apologize for my behavior these past few days."
"I definitely am sorry for instigated it though," then offhandedly Sarada added, "and for being a little shit to you when I was younger."
Boroto's mouth twitched to a small smile at the comment and chuckled, "Yeah, me too."
With that, Sarada turned to leave for the evening. As Boroto watched his new underling shrink into the distance, he felt a little better. It was by no means of a complete acceptance of each other (this would be impossible in their line of work), but it was a truce for time.
Something that he desperately needed and Sarada was kind enough to offer him.
Naruto slumped in his chair.
There were few times in which Naruto had felt his age extend years beyond him. When both Boruto and Himawari was born. When Tsunade died. When Ino, Choji, and Karui were wiped out in the invasion of Takigakure. When Sarada was assigned her first chūnin mission.
But with the new intel he was given from Sai, Naruto had never felt so jaded.
"This is bad," Naruto sighed.
Shikamaru, stressed with the news, was already smoking his third cigarette.
"Get me Sasuke."
With that, Sai was dismissed.
"You know what this means, right?"
Naruto continued shuffling his papers as he felt a terrible gut feeling gather in his stomach.
"Naruto," Shikamaru called out once more. A pause.
"Yeah, I know, Shikamaru. I know."
They were doing okay.
Actually more than okay. Boruto was everything she had ever dreamed of in a partnership. Despite being complete polars in their colorings and the occasional squabble, Sarada had come to realize that Boroto and her were a lot more complimentary than she had initially thought.
Chiharu-taichō had given them five days to get their act together before they were deployed for an A ranked contact scouting mission.
The first day had been awkward and slow as they had done more experimenting than actual simulations. At some point, they both had mixed up two different tentative elemental combinations and Boruto accidentally exploded a water bomb technique and while Sarada simultaneously seared both their pants off. Needless to say, that combination is to never be seen again.
The next few days, she and Boruto had found a rhythm that matched their styles perfectly. Sarada was a close to mid-range fighter, while Boruto excelled in mid-range to long distance. Their combination of primary affinities of fire and wind and secondary affinities of lightning and water were deadly should they be attacked in any direction. Her strong and wide attacks were covered by Boruto's unpredictable speed and ingenuity. Without realizing it, they were both predicting each other's attack and defense patterns and reacted accordingly without ever really planning anything.
On the final day of their training, Boruto decided to switch up their training and work on strategies instead.
"I typically talk these over with Shikadai, but I hear you're better," Boruto smiled mischievously.
Sarada rolled her eyes. Just because her IQ was higher, does not mean she was a better strategist. She told him such.
"Besides," she added, "a good plan utilizes all the assets while planning for the worst. I have no clue what Elite missions are like or the variables."
Boruto merely shrugged, "Try guessing."
Sarada knew Boruto's true intentions. He wanted to know what kind of shinōbi she was. A good ninja has mastered the three main arts of ninjūtsu, genjūtsu, and taijūtsu. A great ninja, however, was a smart, manipulative bastard, something Boruto was shown capable of too many times in Sarada's opinion.
"Here's a scenario," he said as he settled on his haunches and began drawing a diagram. "Say our scouting mission is for ten days and here's the layout. Locate where the boss man will most likely be heavily protected and give me three escape routes should an infiltration go wrong."
Sarada perked an eyebrow. He had to be kidding right?
"Where would we be exactly?"
"Amegakure."
Sarada shifted her gaze back on the diagram. Just from an initial glance, Sarada could see several escape routes that were passible, but based on the level of the mission, Sarada knew better. After several more seconds, Sarada gave Boruto her answer. At that, Boruto raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you think our target would be most vulnerable in the cellar?"
"Rain style houses have a structure that focuses on irrigation of the house and the area around to keep from flooding. Because of that, the earth is pretty vulnerable underground since most of it is soaked with water. Despite preventative measures of reinforcing metal and stone, water oxidizes and loosens the foundation pretty easily."
Without missing a beat, "Why was the top floor not an escape option?"
"Rain is the only place where shinōbi do not travel by roofs, All roof tiles are lined with sensors to track outsider movements, should they somehow evade Ukojizai no Jutsu.*"
Boruto rocked back and forth on his feet. "Formidable idea traveling by tunnels. I don't think I would've thought about that."
Sarada shrugged, "I know it's geography a bit better than other's."
After scrutinizing her a bit more, Boruto dropped his pensive look and flashed her a grin, "Looking forward to scouting with ya."
Despite typically being calm and collected, Sarada shot back a small smile for finally impressing an Uzumaki.
Small victories, indeed.
"Hokage-sama."
Before the Nanadaime, all five Elites kneed before him with an arm crossed as a sign of respect.
"Ah," Naruto grinned, "Chiharu-san. The lady of the hour. Punctual as usual."
"Of course, Hokage-sama."
"I am pleased with the report of the new developing team dynamic. I am happy you are adjusting well, Sarada-chan," Naruto hummed as he searched his desk for the appropriate scrolls.
At that, Sarada slightly nodded in acknowledgement to Naruto-ōji's compliment.
"Ah! Here it is!" At that, Naruto tossed the scroll right into Chiharu's hands. "As usual, your mission is multifaceted. Investigate the string of incidences of village burnings across Fire's borders. We believe the perpetrators are from the smaller lands. Dispatch them and report your findings to me. Dismissed."
At that, the Elite disappeared with a breeze.
In a field on the outskirts of Konoha, Chiharu had everyone read the summary and mission objectives. Once they were familiar with the instructions, Chiharu burned the scroll.
"Shikadai."
"Hai hai," came the hereditary Nara drawl. "Based on the information presented. It would be a lot quicker if we split into groups of two - one covering the western border and the other northeastern border. Work your way towards the northwest and we shall meet in by the Earth. Based on the activity, it makes sense to send Boruto and Sarada towards the northeast while the rest of us head to the west. Objections?"
There were none.
At that, Chiharu barked, "Dismissed."
Not too long after that, Sarada stopped by a convenience store and bought a box dye that turned her hair red. Though it would be prudent for it to be brown or nondescript, Sarada didn't think it was wise to do brown again since her charades mission was not too long ago. When Boruto had first saw her after dying her hair, he had tried to smother his laugher. Sarada, unamused, slapped Boruto on the back.
"You look like Karin-ōba-san," Boruto snorted.
At that, Sarada glowered at him a little harder, "And you look like an Inuzuka mutt."
Which was somewhat true as Boruto dyed his uncontrollable hair brown to combat his infamous physical attribute.
Regardless, Boruto took it well and only grinned wider, "Better a mutt than Karin-ōba-san."
Sarada sighed and turned to the trees to head to Yu no Kuni**. Not missing a beat, Boruto followed her lead and began the long trek to the border.
A couple weeks later, Sarada remembered why she hated scouting missions.
"Start moaning, damn it!" Boruto snarled at her as he ripped her shirt off.
"I would, if you did a better job at ravishing me," Sarada hissed back snarkily.
Boruto stopped his movements and pulled Sarada up on the bed so that they were eye to eye. "Was that a challenge?"
Without missing a beat, Boruto began kissing her while rubbing circles on her inner thighs. And god forbid, it actually felt good. His right hand caressed her curves before moving to rub circles on her breast. Sarada began writhing and her still-clothed hips buckled. At that, Boruto's pelvis met her half way and Sarada couldn't remember the last time she got laid but it must have been too long.
But before Sarada could even think about what she was doing, the door to their room slammed open and two guards bursted through. The undercover shinōbi flinched as they pretended to be the newlywed civilians they had been playing for weeks.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" the first officer said when he noticed their state of undress.
Boruto, who had shielded Sarada's body like a true gentleman, looked both annoyed and tensed as he looked at the officers. "I don't know why you thought it would be acceptable to barge in on a newlywed suite in the middle of the night."
The second officer, who had just noticed the privacy sign as Boruto said it, turned beet red and stammered his apologies and quickly ushered his partner out the door.
Sarada, still shock at the events that had unfolded, stared wide-eyed at her partner. Boruto, ruffling his hair at the closeness of being caught, turned to Sarada. At her state of un-dressed, he gave a boy-ish smile.
"Guess I'll just have to pick up this challenge another time, huh?"
At that, Sarada had turned as red as her hair and kicked a cackling Boruto off the bed.
Boruto frowned.
Across the various borders of Fire and neighboring countries, the reported post towns that have been set on fire are suddenly vacant. From his scouting missions in Lightning and Snow, he had come across numerous villages where the dead have been piled in the center. However, for this pattern to cease all of a sudden, Boruto felt weary.
He crept around the most recent ghost town while Sarada was running the perimeters. Blood was smeared across doors and windows. At the village center, Boruto found the same Konohagakure no Sato flag burning vividly against the wind, the bodies of the villagers missing.
Before Boruto could think much more, he felt Sarada pull at the seal he had instructed her to activate if she ever needed him but was too far away to call. At that, Boruto felt her chakra signature flicker somewhere north. Attaching to the seal he had placed on her, he transported himself.
Sarada was standing next to a weeping willow. Clutched in her hand was a detached arm with a message that someone attached via kunai stabbing.
"Come to Takigakure, if you dare," Sarada reads off. Though her voice was leveled, her cadence spoke volumes. This was horrid.
"This arm belonged to a water-natured shinōbi."
At that Boruto looked questionably at his partner to elaborate how she knew.
Sarada pointed at various places on the arm, "The muscles are too well developed to be a civilians and too small to be a laborer. Shinōbi use chakra to keep their muscle lean and ten times as efficient. The chakra pathway at the pulse here are swollen, a typical characteristic of water-natured chakra usage."
Boruto nodded and was inwardly impressed at Sarada's medical prowess.
"There's not much at the village post," he said, giving his own report, "It's much like the other towns we've been seeing. I have a feeling, however, that whatever that's happening at these posts, we'll find at Takigakure. Be on guard."
Sarada nodded and followed Boruto's lead past the border. Not too long later, Boruto tensed as he realized no guards were guarding Haru no Kuni***. Eyes narrowed, he pushed the pace even more and in seven hours of heavy running, the duo had reached the outskirts of Takigakure. Takigakure was a beautiful village hidden inside of a plateau with waterfalls free falling on many side of it. However, Boruto found the atmosphere was strangely vacant for a hidden village.
Before Boruto could get any further, Sarada stopped him. Looking over, he saw that her sharingan was activated and had caught the movement of something. Following her line of vision, Boruto tensed. Sarada cautiously walked over to the cliff that overlooked the hidden village and nearly broke the kunai she had clasped in her hand.
In the water surrounding the village, were bodies floating. Dead bodies.
Sarada quickly made the hundred meter jump and checked the nearest shinōbi headband. But before she could say anything, Boruto had beat her to it.
"Good god, they've wiped out Takigakure."
Author's Note: Hi guys. Sorry it's been so long! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! :)
*Ukojizai no Jutsu - Also known as Rainmaker jutsu or Rain Tiger at Will Technique. It was utilized by Pein when he ruled over Amegakure as a way to monitor intruders. The user laces his or her chakra into the rain clouds, and each rain drop acts as a sensor for the manipulator.
**Yu no Kuni - The Land of Hot Water.
***Haru no Kuni - The Land of Spring is a country that I made up for the estate of Takigakure, otherwise known as the Village of Hidden Waterfalls.
