A/N: The last anime episodes have provided a little backstory to Pakura, which I think can actually work with what I've done. How fortunate. I'd been going with a guess of how old she was, but given that she has an young apprentice in Shippuden times, I guess I wasn't too far off. What I did find interesting was that Gari claimed he 'had always wanted to fight her'- which meant that he couldn't be too far beyond her time as well. Might have a use for him, I suppose…

Chapter 20

The transition from slumber into consciousness was, for Naruto, a relatively quick and painless one. No sooner had the hand of the clock moved from 6:58 onto 6:59 that Naruto's eyes had shot open. He lay back in his bed, warm and rather cosy, staring up at the ceiling with his crystal blue eyes. Then, he sighed, and was up in a flurry of movement. He flung his froggy nightcap into his wardrobe, and had stripped, made and pressed his bed in a matter of moments.

Dressed in his pyjamas, Naruto pressed his thumb on the red spiral tattooed on his shoulder. A loud puff of smoke filled the room, enveloping him and, when it had dissipated, Naruto stood there clad in his ANBU armour. His metal arm-guards were a little more dulled, and his grey armoured vest was a little more dented and scratched. This armour had seen him through its fair share of battles over the past months, and Naruto was merely glad that the Quartermaster's Office had been able to repair it. He finished wrapping the bandages around his long, dark trousers, adjusted the utility belt on his waist, and made sure that his mask was secure. Then, he was out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

The clock flipped from 6:59 to 7:00.

Mornings in the Sarutobi household were always interesting. There were only three members living in the personal chambers underneath the Hokage's Tower- Naruto, Konohamaru and the Third Hokage himself. Despite the ANBU team and rotation of Jonin that kept guard, the actual quarters of the Hokage were hidden from view. Only those who lived there knew of the sheer madness that occurred there every morning.

"Will you stop- urk!" Naruto's cry was cut off mid-sentence as a thin spike of hardened rock pierced him in the jugular. For a moment, he hung suspended in the air, his blue eyes widened with shock. Then, in sudden flare of chakra, he disappeared with a burst of smoke and a rather loud pop.

The real Naruto sighed and palmed his forehead. "Hokage-sama!" he called out from behind Sarutobi's bedroom doors. "It's time to get up. You have some important meetings today!"

There was no response, and Naruto huffed.

"Right," he said, turning to a group of blonde-haired chakra-constructs standing next to him. "In you go. Split up, flank him and get him out of bed!"

The clones obeyed with the eagerness and energy that one would expect from a barely-sentient copy. In a flash of movement, the doors burst open and the trio of elite ANBU surged forward. They had barely touched the floor when they leapt up onto the walls and the roof, using chakra as an adhesive to stick there. They were just in time as more spears of stone and rock jutted up from the ground- an impressive technique given that the floors were made from wooden floorboards. Part of Naruto's mind speculated that perhaps the Hokage was using dirt traipsed in from outside that had fallen between the floorboards. The other part of his mind continued to rage.

One of the clones abruptly disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Naruto held his hand to his head, attempting to untangle the rush of sensation and memory that the clone had given him. From what he could gleam, there was some kind of razor-wire trap nestled up on the roof.

"Will you stop that?" Naruto called out between gritted teeth.

The young, blond ANBU was answered with the dispersal of yet another shadow clone. Naruto clenched his fists, breathing deeply as he tried to calm himself. He had almost settled down when the third shadow clone abruptly fell to the ground. It managed to look somewhat baffled before a loud, creaking noise filled the air. The real Naruto watched, just as baffled, as a pair of large, thick wooden logs swung down from both ends of the other side of the doorway. The poor shadow clone was sandwiched in between the two, thick logs and disappeared in a puff of smoke. The resulting crash sent shudders through the floor, and a loud 'boom' filled the air.

"Alright, you lazy, old bastard!" Naruto roared. His smile was somewhat manic. He reached into his utility pack, fingering a pair of shuriken, a spool of wire and a trail of explosive notes. "We'll do this the hard way then! If you won't get up, I'll get you up!"

"You tell him, Naruto."

Naruto began priming the explosive notes as he set up a quick, basic shuriken technique. It took a few moments before it clicked, and he abruptly froze. His hands, which had been attaching the wire to the centre of his shuriken, slackened, and he released a resigned sigh.

"How long have you been standing there?" He asked.

The Third Hokage, clad in his official robes and hat, and puffing merrily on a pipe, shrugged. "At least a minute," he answered calmly. "Your situational awareness, as always, is atrocious."

"I checked over my shoulder about ten seconds ago!" Naruto protested as he packed up his tools, a scowl on his face.

"Idiot!" Sarutobi thundered, and Naruto winced as the old man clobbered him across the back of his head with surprising force. The old man waggled a finger in his apprentice's face. "When you looked behind you, I was, of course, standing in front of you!"

Naruto just looked befuddled. "What?"

"Now hurry up!" Sarutobi snapped. He let out a weary, pitiful sigh that didn't fool Naruto in the least. "I'm hungry, and we have a meeting at in an hour!"

"Yes, sir," Naruto said resignedly. He had already begun making the clones that would repair the damage that had been inflicted on the Hokage's chambers- as well as reset all of the traps. He paused. "Wait, what? There's no meeting on your schedule for that time."

"Of course not," Sarutobi barked. He clipped Naruto over the head once more for good measure. "Why would I need to schedule a meeting to talk to you, my idiot apprentice? Now hurry up, you idiot!"

The Hokage left Naruto standing there with clenched fists and a rather manic smile on his face.

"Treason is bad, treason is bad, treason is bad…" Naruto chanted to himself.

Luckily, breakfast had been a quiet affair. Konohamaru, who always loved to make things interesting, had been rather rushed. The young boy had scarfed down his food, picked up the lunchbox that Naruto had packed, and had rushed away with a half-hearted wave behind him. Naruto cleaned up the young boys mess, an approving smile on his face.

The mission to the Land of Waves, and Hatake Kakashi's encounter and subsequent battle against the ex-member of the elite Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the Demon of the Mist, Zabuza, had lighted something within the young boy. Konohamaru had always taken his training a little too loosely, despite receiving the attention of some high-ranking personal tutors. Naruto was glad to see that that attitude was beginning to change. While the little brat pissed him off to no end, Naruto didn't really want to see him die.

The rest of breakfast went by quickly. The Hokage, for whatever reason, had chosen not to pull his usual antics. Naruto had stood there, watching the old man with suspicious eyes as he ate. Not only had Sarutobi eaten his fruits and drank his vegetable juices, he had also voluntarily taken the various pills and medicines prescribed by the hospital. Naruto was convinced that there was a trick- he even made the Hokage open his mouth and inspected between his teeth and behind his tongue until he was satisfied- but the old man was genuinely acting like a mature, responsible shinobi.

Naruto just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

An hour later, Naruto walked behind the Third Hokage as the old man led him through the bowels of the Hokage's Tower. Once the two had left the apartment-like rooms of the Hokage's residence, the decor had turned from luxurious to grim. Polished wooden floorboards and tastefully-done furniture gave away for thick, cold grey stone. Members of the Jonin Guard lined the hallways at various checkpoints. They bowed their heads respectfully as Naruto and the Hokage passed. After some time, the Hokage had led Naruto through the ANBU Headquarters, and into the small room where he had been promoted to his A-rank status. The young blond was hit with a wave of nostalgia as he remembered it had been like all those months ago. These days, everything seemed different.

"Sit, Naruto," the Hokage ordered quietly.

Naruto took a seat at one end of the metal table, as the Hokage seated himself at the other end. For the moment, the two shinobi were alone. He waited patiently as Sarutobi pulled out his pipe, carefully inserting the tobacco- a Land of Tea variety, if Naruto's nose was right- and puffing on it quietly.

After a few more moments, the door opened, and two people entered the room. The first one, Naruto immediately recognised as Uzuki Yugao. She wore her porcelain ANBU mask, one resembling a cat with red stripes. Naruto hadn't heard much about her since the Blitz, but he had seen her as Team Sigma had dragged her out of a Sky Nin torture chamber, so her appearance can as a bit of a surprise. He wouldn't have thought that she would have recovered for active duty just yet.

The other arrival was a young man in his early twenties. He had a crop of short brown, hair, which hung over his forehead protector. He wore the standard attire of the ANBU, the light-grey vest and the dark clothes, and the dark hilt of a blade was swung over his shoulder. His face came off as average and almost forgettable, but there was something about him that made Naruto frown, and it wasn't until the two arrivals moved past him to come and sit on either side of the Hokage that Naruto realised who it was.

It was Kage. Naruto had never seen the man without his eerie mask before, but he almost-instantly recognised the way the man moved- that, and the dull-black blade on his back was rather noticeable as well. Naruto met the man's eyes, and saw Kage incline his head just a fraction. The young ANBU supressed a smile and he straightened on his chair, waiting for the Hokage to speak. Something like nervousness bubbled in his chest and he exhaled rather deeply.

"You are Uzumaki Naruto, registration code 012607, codenamed "Ferret", attached to Sigma Squad," Yugao began, reciting off his details effortlessly.

"I am, Captain," Naruto responded affirmatively.

"Are you aware of the purpose of this meeting?" Yugao pressed on.

Nothing was readable in her eyes as Naruto shook his head. The Hokage merely sat there, puffing on his pipe, while Kage was motionless, as if he had been carved from rock.

"During the last six months, you have been involved in two operations that had retrospectively been classed as 'S-rank'," Yugao continued. She picked up a folder on the table and flipped it open. "During the altercation with Sky Country, which had now been formally designated as 'The Blitz', you took command of the remnants of Gamma Team and Iota Squad and conducted vital missions deep within enemy territory. Correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Naruto responded. He remembered the Blitz very well, the shock and horror and anger and rage- and he suppressed as ruthlessly as he could. Nonetheless, he couldn't stop his eyes from flickering to Kage. "I led a team of five ANBU on direct orders of the Hokage. We infiltrated and sabotaged the enemy fleet, before locating and destroying the enemy headquarters."

Uzumaki Shinno. Mantis, and his team of silent, unknown ANBU. That powerful, crimson power that had surged through him. Naruto almost smiled wryly. They had been interesting times.

"You also retrieved an ANBU Captain from the hands of the enemy, did you not?" Yugao's voice was neutral.

Naruto eyed her very carefully and nodded slightly.

"Your latest mission, also retrospectively classed as 'S-rank', involved the daughter of the Fire Lord, a maniacal cult of immortal warriors, and a pair of mercenaries- one who you reported was likely to be Suna's S-rank Missing-Nin, Pakura of the Scorch Release," Yugao read. Something like exasperation entered her voice as she lowered her folder. "You're not having very much luck on your missions, are you?"

Naruto couldn't help smiling. "Guess not, Captain," he replied. He thought he saw the Hokage's lips twitch, and Kage settled on a slightly-less unreadable stance that Naruto took to be amusement.

"Don't think that you're actions haven't gone unnoticed," Yugao said warningly. She placed the folder on the table. "The higher-ups have been watching you very carefully."

Naruto didn't know whether or not this was a good or a bad thing.

The Hokage took over from there. "Uzumaki Naruto," he said. He paused, withdrawing the pipe from his mouth and tapping it on the table. "After reviewing your reports- and deciphering that incredible mess you call handwriting- and with the recommendation of the Captain of Gamma Platoon, Uzuki Yugao, Squad Captain of Gamma's Team Three, Komachi, and Captain of Recon Squad Iota, Kage, the Hokage's Office has decided to issue you a field promotion for your exemplary service in the field, up and above the call of duty. Congratulations, Jonin Uzumaki."

Naruto beamed, and his heart soared. His smile was infectious, as the Hokage chuckled and even Kage's face twitched a little.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," he said happily.

He was still grinning madly as Yugao and Kage stood. With a quick bow to the Hokage, they departed, leaving Naruto and the Hokage alone. The old man puffed on his pipe again as he stared down at his young apprentice. Naruto stared back at him, almost biting his lip, as he waited for the old man to continue. Finally, the Hokage sighed.

"You've done well, Naruto," Sarutobi acknowledged. "You have done very well."

If Naruto's smile had been wide before, now it threatened to split his cheeks. He flushed, feeling a silly little rush of euphoria. Naruto was revelling so much in the praise that he missed the flash of emotion that ran through the Hokage's eyes, something like sadness or weariness. But, when he looked up, it was gone.

"Your promotion comes at an opportune time," Sarutobi said. "Naruto, I have a mission for you."

Naruto's smile faded and he sobered. The Hokage stroked his chin, and took a deep breath.

"You may or may not be aware, but soon Konoha will host the Chunin Exams," Sarutobi continued. "The exams were scheduled long before the Blitz, and after discussions with the Fire Lord and the Jonin Commander, we have decided that it was absolutely essential that the exams continue, and run smoothly. We cannot have Konoha appear weak or vulnerable."

"I understand,' Naruto said grimly- and he did.

The Chunin Exams were the best source of public relations that the Hidden Villages had. They were often very large, and very loud, spectacles, and they drew thousands of people from all over the Elemental Countries. Everybody, from local landowners and merchants, to the rich and powerful Lords, came to watch the best Genin from each Village compete against each other. With such an audience, the economic benefits of doing well in the Chunin Exams were obvious. Villages that performed well and impressed the audience usually saw a substantial increase of mission requests. Genin who did well could be expected to see a rapid rise through the ranks, especially if they were requested personally by clients.

Less obvious were the strategic and military benefits of the exams. During the exams, foreign shinobi were allowed access into the Hidden Village itself. Even though security was considerably heightened, it was still an information windfall. What's more, it allowed the other Villages to begin creating detailed profiles of up-and-coming shinobi, and glimpses into their rivals' techniques.

The concept of the Chunin Exams had been created at the end of the Third Great Shinobi War, the plans drawn up by the Fourth Hokage himself. There were very strict guidelines as to the organisation and commencement of the exams. It was a paradoxical situation, for Villages wanted to send Genin strong enough to woo the audience, yet didn't want to risk such useful resources needlessly. The idea would have lurked in the back of the minds of all of the Kage- the removal of potential threats, regardless of ranks and treaties.

After the debacle of the eleventh Chunin Exams, which had almost led to a Fourth Great Shinobi War, these guidelines had tightened even further.

"I'm afraid that you don't, not just yet," Sarutobi said rather grimly. The light above them glared down on them. "As per the outlines of the Chunin Exams, we sent our customary invitations to the Kage of the four other Great Villages. We had three responses. This year, our Chunin Exams will be attended by the Tsuchikage, the Raikage, and the Kazekage.

Naruto's jaw dropped, and he sat there, stunned.

The Third Hokage, the God of all Shinobi.

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of Both Scales.

The Fourth Raikage, the Unruly A.

The Fourth Kazekage, the Golden Sandstorm.

Four of the five Kage's all in one place.

Outside of the Great Wars, it was unprecedented.

"They have come to watch us, Naruto," Sarutobi continued quietly. "Watch us as a vulture watches a limping animal. Nonetheless, by treaty, they are allowed to enter Konoha for the duration of the Third Stage of the Chunin Exams. This is where you come in."

Naruto sat there silently.

"As custom dictates, tomorrow, there will be a conference in the Land of Grass," the Hokage informed him. "Representatives from the other villages will be there. I am sending you as my representative. As a Jonin, and my personal assistant, your voice will carry sway. You have two objectives."

"Firstly, you are to ensure that the previously-agreed-to rules and procedures are enforced. There will be no negotiation. The other Kage will agree to our terms as they are, or they will not be welcome."

"Secondly, you are to organise travel details of the other Kage, so that we can ensure safe passage from our borders into the Village. You will be given a map, showing the preferred routes. Under no circumstances will I allow Kage free reign of the Land of Fire."

Naruto was quiet as the Hokage finished.

"I accept the mission, sir," Naruto said. He stood up. "May I be dismissed, so that I can prepare for my mission?"

Sarutobi nodded. "Your equipment will be waiting for you at the Armoury," he replied. "May the Will of Fire illuminate your path."

The Armoury was a large warehouse located in Sector 2, deep within Konoha. Most of the actual warehouse lay underground, where vast stocks of weaponry, supplies and rations were safe from attack. The walls were made of a combination between solid rock and huge plates of steel, supported by a powerful barrier maintained by Konoha's Sealing Corps. While most shinobi had their own private supply of weapons and tools, it was unreasonable for administration to assume that shinobi would supply all of the tools needed to complete their missions. Each Shinobi had a quota of basic tools that they could draw on from the Armoury, allowing them to replace kunai, shuriken, wire, and explosive tags that had been used and lost during the course of their missions. The Armoury also distributed ration packs, solider pills, storage-seals, and anything that a shinobi might need to complete a mission.

Most of the missions that Konoha performed were quite routine. The Land of Fire was Konoha's largest client, employing thousands of shinobi at any one time to act as peacekeepers, guards, messengers, doctors, and any of the public servant roles that the country had need of. Load-outs for these types of missions was pre-arranged, and usually delivered onsite. For missions undertaken for individual clients, or missions that took shinobi out of the Land of Fire, things worked a little differently. The Missions Assignment Office would calculate all of the variables and information within the mission request, and they would make an estimate as to what tools and equipment a team would need to ensure success. This information was usually contained at the bottom of the mission scroll presented to the team captain, who would then make sure that the equipment was picked up and distributed amongst the team.

Uzumaki Naruto, unmasked and wearing cargo pants, utility pouches, and a white t-shirt adorned with the Uzumaki emblem, stepped past members of the Guard and into the distribution centre of the Armoury. Almost immediately, his senses were assaulted with noise, and he winced. The Armoury was particularly busy these days, outfitting and organising materials for missions entailing the repair and rebuilding of Konoha's damaged sectors, as well as the constant stream of missions from international clients that Konoha wanted to keep happy. There were at least a hundred different shinobi waiting within the foyer, and the swishing fans overhead did nothing to keep the heat and humidity out of the air.

Naruto sidestepped passed a scar-faced Jonin Captain, who was tapping his foot impatiently, and bypassed the queue completely. A dark-eyed blonde wearing a Chunin vest that barely hid her assets scoffed as he walked past, but Naruto merely cocked his head and smiled politely at her, and after a few moments she shifted her eyes away, looking strangely uneasy. He made his way to the front of the line, where a Jonin was receiving a large scroll and several ornate pins.

"Here's your sealing equipment," the clerk behind the desk said hurriedly. He wiped the sweat from his eyes. "The rest will be sent to Capital with our fastest transports."

The Jonin nodded curtly, and turned. Big, burly and entirely mean-looking, he nonetheless recognised Naruto and gave him a brief nod. Naruto waved back, smiling politely, but as the Jonin left struggled to remember exactly who that was. A bell suddenly rang and Naruto straightened.

"Next!" the clerk called, his voice sounding exhausted. "Priority missions only! Next in line!"

Naruto stepped forward and wordlessly presented his mission scroll. The clerk took it and flicked it out- not so that it unravelled completely, just so that the bottom of the scroll was exposed. He glanced at it for a few moments, took in Naruto's face, then tore the bottom off of the scroll and handed it back.

"One moment, please," he said, then turned his head. "I need a pack of 3Bs , a Jonin vest in 12-Small, two MREs and three spools!"

His voice was just one of many that were calling out into the unseen hallways and corridors behind him, but somebody must have heard him because a few moments later, a young teenage girl appeared in a near-perfect Body Flicker technique, her arms cradled with stuff. She dumped it on the table and disappeared as promptly as she had come.

"Right," the clerk said tiredly. "Here you go. There's a pack each of the three-basics- kunai, shuriken, explosive tags. You've got a week of rations, three spools of wire and a newly assigned Jonin vest. Please ensure that you maintain your armour and equipment, and report any lost through the duration of your mission."

Naruto couldn't help but grin at the sight of the pristine dark-green vest. He quickly placed it on, feeling his pride swell beneath the surface of his skin as he distributed his newly-acquired weapons to his different pouches. He was done in less than a minute, and the clerk nodded unenthusiastically.

"Congratulations on your promotion," he said dully. He rang the bell. "Next in line please! Priority missions only!"

Naruto turned to leave, trying to ignore the barely-hidden hostility from a few of the shinobi trapped in the regular queue. One of them caught his eye, and Sarutobi Asuma puffed on his cigarette. He acknowledged Naruto with a brief nod of his head and a tightening of the lips. The estranged scion of the Sarutobi was a rather sensitive topic in the Sarutobi household, and while Naruto didn't know the reasons which had caused the split between Asuma and the Third Hokage, he knew it had been enough for goateed man to leave Konoha on administrative leave for years on end.

Naruto returned the greeting just as stiffly and walked past the man and his genin team. The blonde Yamanaka, Ino- from what Naruto remembered- beamed as she saw him, while the Nara just looked uninterested.

"Who was that?" he heard the Akimichi ask as he left the Armoury.

"Don't you know anything, Chouji?" the girl responded in exasperation. "That's a hero of Konoha, the Right Hand of God!"

The Land of Grass was a small country, nestled in between the two minor countries of the Land of Rain and the Land of Waterfalls, and the two giant superpowers of the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. Due to its strategic location, the Land of Grass had been a centre of interest during all three of the Great Shinobi Wars. The blood of thousands of Leaf and Stone Nin had been spilt there, intermingled with the blood of the natives that had been unfortunate enough to have been caught in the crossfire. However, despite its strategic importance, the Land of Grass had never been conquered, despite the Land of Earth's best attempts during the First War. In a battle that could still not be fully explained to this day, the First Tsuchikage and an entire division of Iwa's best shinobi were routed by the roaming clans of the Land of Grass. The outcome of that battle forced Iwagakure out of the First War and led to the formation of Kusagakure. Those events only added to the mystique of the Land of Grass.

On the surface, it appeared to be a somewhat beautiful place. There were lush forests, and fields of green grass and beautiful, glowing orange flowers. But it was a land dotted with rivers and ravines, large cracks that had been torn into the ground from battles of ages past. The landscape was dotted with unnaturally flat plateaus, some which scholars claimed were the result of mountains having been cleaved in two. Most of the country's cities and villages had been built upon those plateaus, connected by a series of bridges.

Once upon a time, Kusa- or whatever the land used to be called- had ruled the world. Little was known on the techniques or artefacts that had helped them do it. Supposedly, it had been an age of darkness and tyranny, one before the advent of chakra, a reign of evil that had lasted for a thousand years. Then, one day, a man had been born in a tiny village in the heart of that evil land. He had possessed strange powers and deadly eyes, and had risen up to overthrow those that stepped down on humanity. Once upon a time, Kusa had ruled the world, and once upon a time, the Sage of the Six Paths had destroyed an empire.

Little remained of that empire now. There were rumours, though, whispers and fairy tales of the dangerous things that survived that terrible war and lurked within the ravines and canyons of the Land of Grass. There were stories of unearthly screams, of wraiths and ghouls, of travellers tricked or bewitched by strange lights and taken away, never to be seen again- and for every excavation team who dove into the depths of the Land of Grass and came back, there were two teams who were never heard from again- or so the rumours said.

In reality, Kusa was a collection of tribes, clans, cults and religious orders, seemingly unified under the banner of Kusagakure, but still just as divided and conflicted as they had been the day the First Tsuchikage had marched upon them. There was no supreme lord or ruler, and intelligence indicated that major decisions were made from a parliament of representatives of the most powerful factions within Kusa. The latest report suggested that there were still over a hundred different blocs within Kusa, all with their own laws, rules and customs. Of those hundred, the Elemental Countries had only ever really interacted with around twenty of them. It truly was a land of mystery.

Naruto jogged along the road at a moderate pace, his arms held back and his face held high as he enjoyed the breeze. The sun beamed down on him and the birds chattered on the air as he leapt off of the ground, landed silently on a tree branch, and used it to propel him even faster. He had left the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass an hour ago, and was quickly approaching the rendezvous with the local ANBU.

They had hid themselves well, and it wasn't until a few moments later that Naruto suddenly came to a stop on the road. Unconsciously, he had already tensed, his hands moving carefully for his weapon pouches. Something had flickered on his senses, an almost-dirty presence, and it didn't take him long to realise that he was surrounded. Cloaked figures stood in the trees, peering down at him from behind grotesque masks. The visages of snarling demons, wailing children and disfigured men and women watched him, causing an unseen shudder to run across his back.

Carefully, Naruto removed his hands from his weapon pouch and reached for his mission scroll. He presented it, and under the eyes of his watchers, threw it on the ground in front of him. From out of the tree came a blur of movement, which snatched the scroll before it had even touched the ground. Somebody stood there, wearing an intricate mask of a laughing demon, devouring what seemed to be a baby's head. They held the scroll, and pressed their thumb against the authentication square in the right-hand corner. It flashed green and much of the tension left the air.

"Greetings, Leaf-Nin," the demon-masked shinobi greeted quietly in a coolly-recognisable female voice.

Naruto returned the greetings just as blankly, trying to repress the shudder than ran through his skin. Most Hidden Villages had developed their own unit of Special Forces, they were still colloquially known as ANBU to the rest of the world. In Konoha, each Hidden Village had been assigned a label to identify them from the simple 'ANBU' term. For Kusagakure, their ANBU were known to Konoha as IVY.

As Naruto stared at that disgusting face, and while a part of him marvelled at the way Kusa implemented psychological tactics directly onto the field, he had to wonder why Intelligence had come up with that name all that time ago. He could certainly think of a few better.

"Your counterparts await you at a roadside Inn, twenty kilometres up the road," the IVY member continued. She gestured. "We are your guard during your stay in Kusa. We will escort you to your meeting, and ensure that you arrive and depart safely. Do you understand?"

Naruto glanced at the IVY members that had surrounded him. "I think I do," he replied honestly.

The blond got the impression the leader of the IVY team was smiling.

"Good. Follow us."

Surrounded by ten men and women, Naruto was quickly escorted to the roadhouse. It was a rather plain-looking two-story inn, with peeling paint, creaking wood and boarded up windows. As he came closer, he caught glances of more IVY members that had surrounded the building. By the time he had reached the front door, he had counted no less than a hundred shinobi surrounding them- almost the size of Konoha's peacetime roster of ANBU. It was also with a tensing of his shoulders that Naruto realised that the IVY members had not been positioned to keep them in. Rather, they surrounded the inn in a defensive formation, a wall of soldiers to keep other things out.

He shook his head dazedly as he stood at the door of the abandoned inn. With a deep breath, Naruto turned the doorknob and walked inside. The room was dirty and full of cobwebs. There was a bar in one corner of the room, upturned tables and chairs in the other. A fireplace roared in the other corner of the room, and three headbands glinted under the flickering of the flames as they turned to meet him.

"Good afternoon," Naruto greeted quietly, hiding all traces of his emotion. He bowed his head. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I represent the Village Hidden in Leaves. Shall we get down to business?"