Chapter 11: The First Real Mission

"Ow! Sakura, what the heck happened to 'I'll cover you'?" Sasuke pulled the kunai that nicked his leg out of the wooden fence he was painting, and threw it back at Kakashi.

"The low knives are hard to deflect. Kakashi-sensei, do you really have to smile that big?"

"This is the most fun I've had all day." Kakashi's grotesquely large smile got a little bigger. "I love D rank missions."

This is team seven's third week of nonstop D rank missions. Kakashi, after reviewing the results of his bell test, determined that his students were plenty strong for genin. So he has been working with them on controlling their power in high pressure situations.

Naruto, painting his section of the fence was growing more and more frustrated. "Why in the world can't I use my ninja powers to paint the fence instantly? 'You're building character' my ass , he just likes to see us suffer. Sadistic bastard." Naruto's light blue aura was getting darker and darker with his rage. He noticed the ground cracking at his feet.

"Shoot, gotta reign it in." Naruto took a deep breath and calmed his chakra aura.

"Hey Naruto, you never had a visible chakra aura before. What's up with that?" Sakura blocked a kunai headed straight for Naruto.

"Dang it Sakura why do you have to get faster over time, it's like you've been training or something."

"That's because I have been training Kakashi-sensei. Are you drunk?"

"No, I am hung over." A tick mark formed on Sasuke's forehead.

"Hn, my Sensei is an alcoholic."

"I am not!" Kakashi threw a knife at Sasuke, which Sakura blocked.

"You came to work with a hangover. Thus you are an alcoholic." Kakashi turned away and crossed his arms in a pout.

"I resent that." Sakura bopped the Jonin on the head, knocking him out cold. Then Sakura grabbed a paintbrush and started helping Naruto with his side of the fence.

"So anyway Naruto I'm all ears."

"My chakra is too massive to keep within my body, since Kakashi asked me to stop using my chakra weights, I've had to restrain it outside of my flesh till my natural chakra reserves adjust to my massive energy output."

"Hn, Showoff."

"Sasuke, this is not my choice, I prefer the weights to the aura. Do you have any idea how terrified this makes the civilians? Now I'm even more of a social outcast!" Sakura looked at Naruto

"Oh yeah, you do kind of look like a walking chakra bomb." They finished up painting the fence with just minimal kunai damage.

"Mission completed Hokage-sama." Sasuke set the mission scroll on the table. Sarutobi gazed upon the unconscious Jonin draped over the small girl's shoulder.

"What happened to Kakashi?" Sakura let Kakashi slip off of her shoulder, and hit the ground with a thud. He then stood up in one smooth motion, and gave the Hokage a relaxed salute. "Yo, Hokage-sama." The Hokage sighed.

"I ask again, what happened to you?

"In the course of duty, I was rendered unconscious by the risks thereof." The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "My, um cute little genin knocked me out." The Hokage looked at Kakashi in disbelief. How could one of his former elite ANBU get knocked out by a genin?

"I see. From the effort, skill, and frustration it must have taken to knock out your commanding officer, I conclude that you are ready for a Chunin level mission." Sarutobi pulled out a scroll and gave it to Kakashi. The Jonin memorized it, and threw the scroll into the incinerator.

"We leave at dawn, don't be late." Kakashi then vanished, leaving a smoke cloud where he once stood.

Team 7 waiting at the gate… (twilight)

Naruto was sitting by the wall, writing some theories out for possible jutsu. Sakura was drawing. And Sasuke was meditating. Naruto closed his book.

"Hey Sakura, watcha drawing?" Sakura beckoned him over.

"Come and see." Naruto stood up and slowly walked up to where Sakura sat on Konoha's Great Wall. He sat down beside her, and gazed at her drawing. Konoha's urban sprawl was pictured majestically at the foot of the sketch's centerpiece: Hokage Mountain. Displayed in their glory were the heads of the past Hokages casting their stony gaze on the city they lived for, and died for. However, it was incomplete, Sakura just started drawing a fifth head on the mountain.

"Who's the fifth head?" Sakura smiled serenely.

"You'll see."

At that moment Kakashi arrived with the client. Sasuke stood up, and walked over, Sakura walked down the wall, and Naruto jumped off. As Naruto hit the ground, he disappeared with a shockwave, and appeared next to Kakashi. The client looked at the blonde wide eyed. The client addressed Team 7.

"I had doubts about some rookie genin team protecting me, but…" He eyed Naruto. "…I can see that I am in good hands." Naruto had a wide grin at that. "However, you are a bit short." Naruto's face went red, and tried to sock the client. He was held back by Kakashi.

"Take that back you jerk!" The client smiled and put his hands in front of himself defensively.

"I didn't mean anything by it. Besides, it's not the size that matters, it's how you use it." Naruto crossed his arms and pouted.

"Damn straight." Naruto said. Sasuke stepped towards the client.

"You still haven't told us your name."

"Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners? You may call me Matsushida or Matsu for short." The city gates creaked open, revealing the massive forest that surrounds Konoha. Naruto pumped his fist in the air.

"Let's go!"

"Hey! I'm leading the mission." Kakashi croaked.