Some people's reasons for living in the world are to raise a family, obtain wealth, become a lord or seize power. Teuchi the owner of Ichiraku has lived out his dream of running his Ramen Shop working with his daughter Ayame and is content for the rest of his days with it and has little desire for anything else. The nephew of the Hyuga Clan Head known as Neji is filled with resentment over his position in the branch house and longs to establish his dominance over the main house. The Priestess from The Land of Demons lives out her life sealing away demons and seeing the death of people around her leading to her isolated state. Whatever their purpose for living, be it small or grand, those who live have a reason for living and do what they do.

One elderly man has a reason, but his reasons are evil and lecherous…

He passes himself off as a traveling masseur and feeble man offering therapy yet his intentions are far from pure, numerous women from other villages and countries had fallen victim to his despicable methods and insatiable appetite for flesh he has.

The time has come for him to pay for his actions against all those who has been wronged, with his life.

The group stood before their sensei looking on as they weren't in Konoha having departed it earlier in the day. They stood looking on as they were back together for the first time in over a month since what had happened.

"I'm going to be blunt." Kakashi said to the three. "This is an Upper B rank mission. There's going to be some danger involved in this." He warned them as he wasn't going to sugarcoat the details of what they were doing. "We're heading into foreign territory as well, places that aren't too friendly with Konoha." He let them know of the problems they would face on it.

"That's why I'm here as insurance." A voice said and a figure dropped out of the tree before them. It was a kunoichi wearing a long coat with fishnets over her body and had purple hair. "You brat's task is to find a geezer by the name of Yoshiaki." She said to them an empty dango stick in her mouth. "He's done some nasty things lately and we're being sent after him."

"What are we suppose to do when we do that?" Naruto asked.

"Kill him, sounds fun right?" She asked with a smirk that unnerved Sakura a bit.

"Anko try not to scar them before the mission." Kakashi admonished the Jonin who grinned at him.

"You mean we're going to have to kill someone?" Sakura said outloud.

"That's right, this is an assassination mission." Kakashi told them. "A ninja's role is not just as a spy, escort or scout, but as an assassin as well. We are to find Yoshiaki and for his actions, end his life."

"So be it," Sasuke said with little emotion. "Let's get it over with." He mentioned to them.

(Eight words, more than what I expected.) Naruto thought to himself as this was the first time they had all been together in quite some time.

Not only was it a mission for them to undertake, but it could also decide whether or not based on how it went if they would take part in the rapidly approaching Exams. Their participation hindered on whether or not the mission succeeded.

"Let's go, with any luck it'll just be dusk by the time we reach where we're headed." Kakashi said to them and they went.

Naruto walked beside his teammates and his eyes darted over to Sakura, again noticing how different she was then what she had been before. Her stamina had increased tenfold and her body had hardened and toughened up

On her person behind her he noticed, was a pair of weapons. Two short blades that were longer than daggers yet shorter than a Wakizashi. They were known as Kodachi, and they had been passed down to her that she carried with pride.

"Dad," Sakura said to her father standing in the doorway over a week ago as he was seated by himself in a room. "You said you wanted to see me?"

"Sakura, c'mere." Kizashi Haruno said to his daughter patting the spot beside him. Sakura joined him in the room and sat down on her knees beside him. In front of him was a small box that he was looking down at.

"Hard to believe it seemed like only yesterday that you'd be seating on my lap and I'd be bouncing you on it." The mustached former ninja said to her.

"Dad, don't start on another one of your stories." Sakura said to him causing him to chuckle.

"You're growing up Sakura, you're no longer a child hard as it is to believe. Soon you'll be a woman before I know it. Your mother and I have been talking a lot ever since you've become The Sandaime's apprentice." He said to her.

"You have?" Sakura asked and he nodded his head and picked the box up.

"I too was once a ninja, a soldier of the Hidden Leaf," He told her as he was one before in his career. "I graduated the academy and was being considered for Jonin before I retired."

"Why did you?" Sakura asked him.

"Your mother and I had you," He told her. "My greatest failure came not from a mission or fighting someone but not being there when you was born as I was off on a mission that took me over a month to complete and was gone when Mebuki had given birth to you." He said shaking his head. "I didn't even know what had happened until I had returned and by then you were three weeks old. I had missed the most important day of my life as a father. I realized when I first held you that my sole purpose from that day forward was to provide and be there for you. I resigned from my post and became a civilian as I knew that I couldn't bear the thought of you or your mother finding out that something had happened and I'd never be coming back to see you again." Kizashi told her. "All the ranks and accolades meant nothing to me if I couldn't ever see you again."

"Dad…"

"I want you to have these." Kizashi said as he opened the box and inside were a pair of well crafted steel blades. "These were mine when I was your age, and now I pass them down to you." He said to his daughter as the backside of the blades were coated in blue. "I have anticipated and also dreaded this day as I know that you are now will be fighting for your life. These are yours to wield just like they were mine."

"Dad," Sakura said as he was giving her his mementos from his past life.

"But remember." Kizashi said to her. "Never use these for anything other than self defense or to strike down the truly wicked."

"Yes otousan," Sakura said bowing her head. "I swear I will make you proud."

"Being your father is already my proudest and greatest achievement." He said to her with a smile and the two embraced in a warm hug.

Sakura had undergone training with the twin blades. Working with them and learning how to attack and defend with them. Sarutobi was also happy she had undergone weapon training as he had practiced with her even showing her a few tricks in how to incorporate them with her element.

Sakura also noticed that Naruto was different since a month ago. He wasn't as distracted as usual and his eyes showed more focus now on where he was going. He seemed to also learn some patience as well as he was being more reserved in what he did.

"Yo Kakashi," Anko told the Copy Nin as they walked. "Incase you hadn't noticed, the lone Clan of your group has something overcoming him." She told him so only he heard and he didn't say anything in response. "The brat's going to be trouble soon I'm afraid. If I was you I'd be taking precautions."

"What are you saying?" He asked narrowing his eye at her.

"Nothing, just that remember, power's the same as a drink, the more a person tastes of it the more he wants despite how much he can hold and Sasuke has to be careful or else he'll do something crazy soon even for me. And no one is really helping him with the way they've handled him."

"Sasuke has been monitored and trained."

"That's great but a blind man can see that all we've done is enable him the past five years with giving him access to stuff he shouldn't have and its going to come back and bite us in the asses if we're not careful at this rate." She said and walked on ahead.

Kakashi watched her go and looked out of the corner of his eye at Sasuke.

The quartet made it to the place and Kakashi had been right, it was dusk when they arrived there.

However the gates were shut, and no one was being allowed in now that it was late in the afternoon almost evening and they showed no exceptions to anyone and the guard acted hostile to them upon seeing their hitai-ates.

"Rats!" Naruto complained a distance away afterwards. "We can't get in." He said as the gates were closed as they were too late and outsiders weren't being allowed entry into the town.

"I'm afraid even if we could gain entry we'd stand out too much." Kakashi said to them. "Anyone can tell by our garments and posture that we're ninjas, not everyplace is going to be welcome to ninja regardless of what village we're from." He told them. "And Sasuke you should've known better than to openly wear your family's emblem, anyone can tell what it means."

"They should let us through, don't they know we're on a mission?" Sasuke grumbled in irritation.

"Sasuke, we can't just barge in there and expect them to let us pass." Sakura told him. "I don't think they'd care about our status, they wouldn't let us in." She told him.

"As much as it amazes me to say it, Pinko is right." Anko told them. "We can't just barge in there and demand entry, we're gonna have to sneak inside. That's the only way in so one of us is gonna have to provide a distraction it looks like so the others can." She said before turning to Kakashi with a smile. "I hope you're ready."

"Yeah, Yeah." Kakashi muttered to her as they expected due to the location that they'd have to pull something off to gain entry.

A few minutes later the guard posted there saw a man stumbling forth, clad in a dirty robe and walking around tripping over on his feet.

"Halt!" He said and stepped out of his post. "No one is around entry at this time." He said to the man who walked forward but didn't stop.

"What's the big idea? What are you doin' loitering around here?" He told the drifter. "No one's allowed inside at this hour, get lost before I remove you." The guard said to him.

The man stumbled forth and opened his mouth spewing bad breath right into his face. "What the hell?! What have you been eating?!" He said in a nauseous tone.

"I don't feel so good, I think that sake I found was bad, I need a doctor!" He said before covering his hand up over his mouth and keeling over violently and began throwing up, spilling contents all over the grass. The guard's face turned green grossed out at the sight and he looked ready to throw up as well as he turned away covering up from the smell.

The drunk beggar silently flashed a thumbs up and two figures darted inside going in.

"We're in." Anko said to Sakura as they were inside having snuck in and were inside the place.

"I hope Naruto and Sasuke will be okay," Sakura said as their was only enough room for two to get in the doorway.

"They'll be fine, you need to focus on the mission." Anko said and leapt up to a rooftop and Sakura did as well joining her.


"This is a bummer." Naruto said rubbing the back of his head as they couldn't get in. "Oh well, them's the breaks."

"We'll find another way in so we can join them." Kakashi said out of his disguise now. "I trust that-Hmm?" He said and turned his head in the distance.

"What is it?" Sasuke said to him catching it. Kakashi looked on at the spot.

"I sensed something just now,"

"I don't see anything." Naruto said looking on. "Now would be a good time to have The Hyuga eyes." He said dryly.

"My senses are higher than yours due to my advanced training." Kakashi explained to them.

"Friend or foe?" Sasuke asked his eyes narrowing.

"Hey what's that?" Naruto said as he saw what appeared to be faint movement. "Someone's there." He said and got ready to investigate

"Naruto its nothing." Kakashi told him stopping him before he could. "Just a squirrel or animal of some sort, it's nothing to fret over."

"But-"

"Leave it Naruto." Sasuke told him. "We don't have time to investigate or jump at the slightest shadow." He said and Naruto frowned at the two of them as he knew it wasn't just some squirrel.

(Sorry Naruto, but I had a bad feeling just now) Kakashi murmured to himself as he felt something ominous just now coming from there. "We'll wait for ten minutes and then we'll try to go in.

"Alright."


"Notice the lack of ninjas about Pinko?" Anko told Sakura as they looked on.

"There doesn't seem to be many." Sakura noted. "And my name is Sakura." She said as she had yet to call her by her name instead just giving her a nickname.

"This is what is known as a neutral village, they don't want anything to do with shinobi or be involved with what we do. Prefer to keep to themselves and not be bothered. Unfortunately for them this makes the perfect place for lowlife scum like our target to hang about without worrying about ninjas after them." Anko informed Sakura. "Keep to the rooftops Pinko and don't be on the ground unless you want the citizens and its militia to see you. This makes our job more fun."

"So how are we going to do it? Find Yoshiaki?" Sakura asked but received no response. "Anko?" She said and turned around. "Anko?" She called out as she saw that the Jonin had disappeared without a trace. Sakura looked and called out for her but didn't see her anywhere as she had up and left her just now. "Great." Sakura grumbled as she was alone now. She'd have to figure out her own way now. "First things first." She said and reaching up undid her hitai-ate and put it in a pouch so no one would see or tell that she was a ninja. "Now to find some information." She said and went out.

Sakura kept a low profile as she made her way, keeping out of the line of sight and not doing anything to draw any attention. Anko had upped and left her so she was on her own but this was part of her training she saw it as. Stealth and observation was a ninja's strongest weapons.

A group of townsfolk were seen, Sakura listened in as she dropped below and looked positioning herself in an angle so she could see them but they couldn't see her. The group of people chatted amongst themselves and nearby on a bench was also a female dressed in an exotic kimono with her hair done in a multiple tail style and carrying a parasol. Sakura complimented the style of the outfit but knew now wasn't the time to be concerned about fashion, she had a job to do.

She listened in as she heard them talk. A man who's profession was that of a masseur matched their target had arrived earlier today and had offered his services to one of the well off women who lived here. Sakura paid attention knowing that every detail was crucial.

The group slowly departed and Sakura went into an alleyway and running up a wall ascended to a roof and looked around and saw a large home in the center of the village.

Since the place was rather large, she would bet money that that was the where her target was at. Running and leaping across the rooftop she made her way towards it. She looked on and spotted a small opened window

"Perfect," Sakura said with a smile as that was her way in as she made her way towards it.

"Not bad, she's doing better than I thought." Anko said from afar having watched her from a distance using her Jonin skills to spy on her as she had purposely left Sakura by herself to see how she would react and had surpassed her expectations with what she did from removing her hitai-ate and staying in the shadows. "Let's see if she knows how to finish the job." She mused and went for her own way in.

Outside Naruto and the others got ready to make their move and get in when Kakashi hold up his hand ordering them to stop surprising them. "Stop, something's wrong." He ordered the two.

"What?" Sasuke asked looking around. "What's the matter?"

"I'm sensing something, something that's not good." He told them.

"Are they in danger?" Naruto asked in alarm his eyes widening.

"No, I doubt it, but I'm getting something, someone powerful is near. Not only powerful but very dangerous as well."

"How strong?" Sasuke asked him and didn't get an answer

"What are we gonna do?" Naruto asked the Jonin as the silence he gave them was not comforting.

"…We wait first. Scope out the situation and see if I'm wrong and its just nothing and it passes."

"But what if-"

"Anko is a professional, she knows how to slip out and stay away from danger and despite her attitude will make sure no harm comes to Sakura." Kakashi told Naruto. "We go barging in there the only thing we'll create is a riot and that's the last thing we need."

"He's right." Sasuke told him but Naruto wasn't agreeing with it. He didn't like leaving others behind in danger.


Sakura managed to get in, as being a twelve year old girl did have its advantages in some situations. She found herself on the upper floor of the building and made her way in a crouching state, there didn't appear to be any guards but she kept silent doing her best not to make the slightest sound or her feet creak against the floor.

She stopped when she saw someone in the distance straight ahead. A guard it looked like was on patrol in the house. The burly man walked around checking the place and Sakura hide behind the railing in the upper floor not even breathing, thankfully the place was rather dim thus aiding her hindering his line of vision. She peeked her head and saw him stand there for a few moments before turning around making his rounds. Knowing she had to get by him if she wanted to complete the mission. She softly sneak up on him from behind and standing up raised her fists up together taking aim at the back of his head

Two months ago, if she had tried to knock him out, her punches wouldn't have had any effect whatsoever. But now, thanks to the training with The Sandaime she had undergone and learning how to utilize chakra into her fists to empower them, the blow to his head knocked him out cold as he fell to the ground.

"Sorry about that," She apologized to him as he was just doing his job as she stepped over him. She came to the staircase and made her way down it and looked on.

A sound came from a hallway and Sakura pressed herself against the side of it and looked and saw a partly open slide door. Making her way she peered inside seeing a pair of people.

The man was old in his seventies with a white beard and mustache and a dark smile was on his face as he caressed an unwilling woman's shoulders loosening her kimono. The elder man was clearly their target, Yoshiaki.

"No! Please Stop!" She pleaded with him

"Now, now, stop being so restless." He told her. "Everything will go smoothly once you stop raising a fuss over nothing and settle down." He said to her. "Once I use my special technique and massage to make your muscles into mush you'll find yourself feeling wonderful after I'm done just like all the others I've worked on." He said and stepped away and put his back to her as he took out a pill and canteen as he prepared himself.

"Someone help me!"

"The only one here is my guard, and he's deaf anyway," Yoshiaki said unaware that said guard was now knocked out. "He wouldn't hear a firework show go off next to him so quit your fussing already while I get ready."

Sakura's blood boiled in anger as she listened in. This wasn't a man, but a monster with the things he had done, tricking his way into homes and molesting and violating innocent women against their will. She hardened herself and her heart knowing that death was what he deserved for his actions. Bringing her hands up she performed a Jutsu and she took the image of the plump woman and softly slide the door open stepping in. Bringing a finger up she motioned for the trembling and confused woman to be silent and to run as she took her place.

"Ah good, you're quiet at last." Yoshiaki said unaware of what was going on. "Now then, shall we begin? Ready or not, here I come!" He said and lunged at her. Sakura dodged him moving out of the way and he tripped and fell skidding his face across the ground as Sakura dropped the disguise as he clutched his face now marked with red.

"You lie and trick your way into the bedrooms of innocent women!" Sakura proclaimed to him and he looked on and alarm was in his eyes as he saw her. "Your days of playing masseur are over." Sakura declared to him as she pulled out her Kodachi. "Its time for you to pay for your crimes."

"Why you wretched sneaky little tramp!" The man shouted and pulled out his walking cane. Sakura looked on as the stick seemed useless against her twin blades. The man twisted it and it was revealed to not just be a cane but a thin sword within it. "You've just had to go and make me take out my sword." Yoshiaki said drawing it and Sakura steeled herself knowing she was in for a fight.

The man lunged at her swinging his blade and Sakura blocked the attacks with her Kodachi, he was old but that didn't mean defenseless. He slashed at her and she evaded them and swung a blade at him and landed a hit on his shoulder cutting the cloth. He growled in fury and did a spin and stabbed at her which she dodged as that would've gone right through her if she wasn't careful.

Yoshiaki attacked again swinging for her neck and she ducked under it and landed a hit on his stomach and small drops of blood hit the ground. She turned around to face him blades high up every instinct ready.

Yoshiaki closed his sword and twirling his cane overhead went for an overhead blow over it. Sakura brought her blades up but made an error as the heavy stick outweighed her swords and smacked into her breaking her guard and he punched her across the face, "Time to die!" He proclaimed as he revealed his sword and went to stab her in the chest now that she was on the ground and she managed to roll out of the way and landed a kick to his ankle and pulled herself up.

Sakura ran at him and slashed with one which he blocked and brought her foot up and kicked him in the stomach, but before she could go for a decisive blow he recovered and moving fast dodged her attack and attacked hitting her across the back

Sakura winced as the cut went into her skin and but thankfully wasn't too deep as it clothes stopped it from doing so. That could've killed her just now. The two continued and Sakura dodged an attack as her youth was starting to give her an edge as he was gradually getting tired as age was taking its toll on him.

She avoided another attack and suddenly tossed her swords up into the air and began performing hand symbols. "Earth Style: Stone Pillar!" She shouted as she caught the blades as they flew down using her chakra a piece of earth appeared and it slammed into him knocking him through the door and making him drop his weapon.

Sakura stepped out of the room her eyes merciless as the steel she wielded as she advanced towards him as he slowly staggered and got up seeing his death approaching.

"It's over." Sakura said as she got ready to deliver the final blow to Yoshiaki, steeling herself as this would be the first time she'd ever kill someone

Several flying objects flew from behind and stabbed him right in the back.

"Gwahh!" He shouted and blood poured out of his mouth surprising Sakura at what just happened

The man gagged choking on his own blood and fell to the ground. Sticking out of his back were several needles that had hit pressure points and killed Yoshiaki.

"That was easy." A voice said and Sakura looked up at the stairs and saw someone standing there. It wasn't Anko like she thought she was going to see, it was someone else.

The girl had long black hair that went all the way down past her legs ending with a purple ribbon in it. She wore a green sleeveless shirt and had camouflage styled pants. She wore a hitai-ate but on it wasn't a symbol Sakura recognized, as there was a melody note on it. She wore on her left wrist a unique weapon of a mounted crossbow that had fired the senbon. On the ground beside her was the guard who also had multiple needles sticking out of him as he too was dead.

(What a second, I remember her!) Sakura said and she thought back to earlier when she had seen the dressed up girl with a parasol, it was her standing before her as she was actually a ninja all along.

"It appears that we were both after the same target." The long black haired girl said to Sakura. "Too bad for you, looks like I got the kill." She told her.

"Who are you?" Sakura said to the mysterious girl, her hands on her weapon incase she had to fight once more.

"Thanks for wearing him down for me." The long haired girl said to Sakura with a smirk. "Though I probably could've taken both the geezer and you as well." She told Sakura who scowled at her insult. "See ya." She said and leaping up to the window dashed out it.

"W-Wait, come back here!" Sakura shouted as she ran up the stairs to the window and saw the mysterious kunoichi disappear in the distance. Sakura gritted her teeth as she got away.

"What the hell happened?" A voice said and Anko appeared having witnessed it in hiding and hadn't also expected the outcome. "What'd you do?" She chastised Sakura

"I was fighting him, when that ninja appeared and killed him." Sakura said to her.

"The mission is a failure then." Anko grumbled.

"What? What do you mean?" Sakura said in protest. "He's dead isn't he?"

"You didn't finish the task." Anko told her. "And what's worse, a ninja from a rival village was the one who killed him, not you."

"But-"

"How do you think this is going to reflect on Konoha?" She asked Sakura. "Other places are going to think we're unreliable and not hire us, thus leaving us out of a job." She said to Sakura. "And your approach was bad as well, you're a ninja not some superhero, you never announce yourself." Anko said as she admonished Sakura. "Plus there was other ways then just going into the room, you could've waited and listened for him to be near the thin part of the door and skewer him from behind or threw a smoke bomb in and then get him. Or even cause a ruckus and lure him out and me or you could've get him when he did. The direct approach is the worse thing you could ever think about doing."

Sakura stood there her arms to her side as she was taking it without saying anything. Anko was right, she had missed up on this and the failure of the mission solely lied on her shoulders.

Anko looked on at her as she was beating herself up over it and turned and walked away. Sakura stood there by herself.

"Sakura, c'mon!" Anko called out, saying her name for the first time surprising her a bit that she did. "Let's go grab a bite to eat, we can discuss what to do or what not to do on your next mission with the others while we're at it." She said to her

Sakura looked on and followed after her.


"Master the task is finished." The long haired girl said in a kneeling state before a cloaked man wearing a tengu mask. "The target is dead." She said her head down showing respect to her lord and master. Soft footsteps approached her and a hand grasped her chin and forced her head up, although his face was covered, she could feel his eyes piercing right through her. His long thumb traced across her chin and lower mouth.

"I see, does the weapon please you?" He softly asked her referring what she had on her arm, a new experimental weapon she had been given to use and experiment with on the mission.

"Yes it does, its more useful for my senbon than just throwing them as its gives me greater distance and range." She replied to him.

"Very well Kin-chan, keep it, it'll be of use for you on your next mission with your team." He informed her and let go of her chin and turned and walked away before turning his head to look back at her. "But remember, disappoint me and I can just as easily take your new toy away. As well as your life." He told her and she nodded in response.