Chapter 7: Crashing Waves Part 1
Beta: Darklord331– Start –
Silence permeated a clearing in the woods, with two people in the middle, with their blades drawn.
Yugao narrowed her eyes and rushed in, showing Karasu the difference in speed between the two shinobi, coming in with sudden thrusts and slashes. Karasu, acting immediately, used his sword to parry the weapon.
With Karasu's more unrefined style, the two traded blade strikes, and his opponent quickly moved from a swing to a backhand slash. Yugao simply slipped out of the way of Karasu's blade and came back with his attacks.
Yugao gripped her sword tightly, changing her form with it. Karasu came in, leaping with a slash aimed at her head, Yuagao parrying the slash and executing one at Karasu's face. Yugao continued by kicking him in his torso, which was left wide open during his assault, causing Karasu to be kicked away by a few meters.
"Again." Yugao said.
"Right." Karasu said, forcing himself on his feet.
Karasu stormed back in as did Yugao. Yugao attempted a slash towards his knee, Karasu bringing his blade down to block and ended up having to jump back and avoid getting hit by Yugao, who continued her attack.
Yugao kept spinning low as he moved closer to Karasu at a ridiculous speed for being so close to the ground. Karasu eventually timed his spins and hit Yugao in the chest with a kick that caused her back to hit the ground. Karasu took advantage of his situation and immediately shot up to deliver a stomp towards Yugao's chest.
Karasu's feet were caught just before crushing Yugao's rib cage with her blade, leaping back and trying to hit her chest.
Just as Yugao was about to retaliate, Anko suddenly approached the two.
"Alright, thanks, Yugao-chan, but it seems we have a mission," Anko said, causing the two to stop.
"A mission? We're finally taking another one?" Karasu asked, a bit excited.
"Well, good luck with your mission then. Karasu, come find me if you want to learn more sword techniques." Yugao said, smiling softly before disappearing in a flurry of leaves.
"Your cheeks are a little red there, Karasu," Anko said, grinning.
"Shut up Sensei." Karasu said moodily.
"Alright then, let's go," she said, disappearing in a flurry of leaves, quickly joined by Karasu.
"Grab your bag, Main Gates, five minutes." she said, suddenly serious.
– Line Break –
Quest Gained!
[Crashing Waves]
Objective:
– Assist Team 7
– Protect Tazuna
– Help create the bridge
Reward:
+ ? EXP + ?
He was leaping across roofs to grab his bag and sprinting back towards the ain Gates. Anko was already waiting for Karasu at the gate and waited just a few seconds before she also leaped off the tree hopping away from Konoha, knowing Karasu would follow.
He had a ton of questions to ask but would focus on covering as much ground as possible for the time being. He had a day and a half's worth of ground to cover, and even if the members of Team 7 and their charge were walking, that was still a lot of mileage.
As they were traveling side by side, Anko spoke up.
"Team 7 have been sent on an escort mission to Wave Country to protect a bridge-builder until he and his crew can finish building the bridge. It was supposed to be a simple C-rank mission until the Demon Brothers got themselves involved. The Demon Brothers are a pair of Kirigakure ninja who were notorious for their teamwork and their own use of poisonous weapons.
We might pass them on our way there, but we won't be stopping to ask questions. Kakashi's scroll has outlined that they were tied up so that they could be picked up for an arrest. We have to catch up with Team 7 and provide backup until they can finish the mission. This also means that if I am not around, Kakashi-san will be your superior, which means you do as he tells you to unless I am around. Understood?"
Karasu didn't speak but simply nodded to confirm that he had heard what Anko had said and that he would obey Kakashi's orders in her absence.
As they continued the rest of their journey in silence, Karasu reflected back on his progress with his levels.
Name – Karasu Uchiha
Level – 40 [14,250/41,000]
Race – Human
HP – 830/830 [166 per min]
CP – 8820/8820 [2352 per min]
SP – 830/830 [166 per min]
STR – [95]
END – [83]
DEX – [102]
INT – [65]
WIS – [61]
CHA – [49]
LCK – [40]
'I'm strong enough for now, or at least I think I am. I haven't used Observe on anyone from canon so, I'm not so sure.' Karasu thought.
Anko signaled Karasu to stop, and he fell behind his sensei. As Anko and Karasu proceeded with caution, Anko was pleasantly surprised to see the infamous Demon Brothers tied to a tree, helpless to their own cause.
Anko signaled Karasu to continue following her and turned around to speak to him.
"Kakashi sent his message after the encounter with the Demon Brothers. Since they have a civilian client with them, they would have undoubtedly stopped for the night shortly after and left in the morning. If they continued walking, we should be able to meet up with them soon enough. We have been running non-stop for almost six hours now. Do you need a break?" Anko asked, concerned about Karasu. She was sure he had never had to run so hard for so long.
"Do you think we can reach them in time?" Karasu asked.
"Yeah, we just have to get there quickly. We have to provide backup."
– Line Break –
As the sounds of screams reached their ears, Karasu and Anko looked at each other, before hurrying their pace towards the source of the noise. Looking ahead, Karasu could see that two identical men were fighting against Team 7.
Zabuza holding Kakashi in a sphere of water, and another fighting off Sasuke and Naruto.
'So we made it just in time.' Karasu realized as he moved closer towards the scene of the action. When Anko and Karasu finally arrived, they witnessed a massive clash between two dragons made of water. Within seconds an enormous wall of water crashed upon the ninja who had made the clone earlier and knocked him out against a tree.
Karasu landed next to Sakura, startling her out of her wits. "Karasu-kun? What are you doing here?" Sakura shot off her questions as she recovered from her shock.
"Later." Anko instructed.
The arrival of Karasu and Anko had distracted the members of Team 7, and at that precise moment, two senbon pierced through Zabuza's neck. Just as quickly as the group was distracted by Karasu's arrival, they whipped their heads around to see a dead Zabuza lying on the floor.
As the ninja disappeared with Zabuza's body, Kakashi was pleased to note that his reinforcements had arrived. 'Anko Mitarashi, a very capable, if recently, appointed Jonin. But what is Karasu doing here?'
Just as Anko rushed over to meet with Kakashi, he proceeded to meet the forest floor, face first, collapsing in tiredness.
Anko assumed command of the group as she helped carry Kakashi towards Tazuna's house. She listened to the group around her talk, she pieced together as much information about the proceedings as possible.
As she listened to Sakura and Naruto describe the events as best as possible, she noticed Karasu had dragged Sasuke separately and could just about make sense of what the two were talking about.
"Sasuke, about that ninja that you were just fighting. Before you forced him to release your sensei, there were two of them. It was a clone jutsu wasn't it?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't the regular clone jutsu we learned about in the Academy. This one was made of water and it was very solid. So, I guess it wasn't anything like the clone jutsu we learned in the Academy."
"Karasu, why are you here?"
"Back up, Hokage-sama thought it would be a good experience," said Karasu as he headed towards Anko, who had beckoned him to help carry Kakashi as they moved towards Tazuna's house.
"I am proud of you Karasu. We covered that distance in great time and although we didn't help much today, we are here and now Kakashi can rest easy."
"Thank you sensei."
The group quickly made their way into Tazuna's house. After depositing Kakashi on the futon, Anko rejoined Naruto and his friends who were making idle conversation.
"... who else is in your team huh? Why did you only come with a Jonin? Where is the rest of your team?" Naruto asked.
As the Genin of Team 7 looked towards Karasu for an explanation, they were caught unaware of a presence behind them, until she began to speak.
"Karasu is my apprentice and will continue to be so until either one of us dies or he is promoted to Chunin," Anko said, right behind Sakura, causing the girl to scream suddenly.
"An apprentice?" Sasuke questioned.
Anko then began to explain to Team 7 that in exceptional circumstances, Genin may be taken on under apprenticeships. "… Approved only by Hokage-sama."
The explanation caused envy to grow in Naruto and Sasuke's faces, with Sakura looking at Karasu with awe.
– Line Break –
The following day, Kakashi finally woke up, and after filling in Anko with what happened between meeting the Demon Brothers and encountering Zabuza.
"Anko and I were discussing the mission, we both realized that there is a strong possibility that Zabuza might not be dead and that the ninja that disappeared with Zabuza's body might be his accomplice rather than a ninja of the Mist." Kakashi explained, bluntly.
The genin who were all seating at the table looked at the two in confusion and worry.
"Kakashi-sensei, Zabuza got attacked with two senbons to the neck. How would he have survived that attack?" Sakura asked her sensei.
"The Hunter ninja did not destroy Zabuza's body at the scene and instead chose to disappear with it, they normally burn the body to hide and protect the village's secret. It is quite possible to knock someone out by hitting the precise points of their body." Kakashi further explained, fixing the Genin with a serious look to emphasize the severity of the situation.
"Zabuza could be back soon, what do we do?" Naruto said, worriedly. Sakura and Sasuke's faces seemed to fill with the same worry.
"Training then, so what are we training on?" Karasu interjected. "It's the only thing we can do to at least balance the fight out."
"Good deduction skills." Kakashi complimented.
After settling in the middle of a forest clearing, Team 7 and 13 stood there looking at Kakashi, who closed his eyes.
"Sensei, what will you teach us?" Sakura looked determined, looking at her teacher who was finally going to teach them.
"Today we… " Kakashi started.
"... will be climbing trees." Kakashi finished.
Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura look bewildered at their Sensei, while Karasu chuckled at their faces.
"Kakashi, you're just teaching them tree climbing right now of all times." Anko said, exasperated.
"Mah, I forgot," Kakashi said, lightly laughing, scratching the back of his head.
Anko continued to stare at him silently.
"Kakashi-sensei… we already know how to climb trees." Naruto said, complaining.
"I wasn't finished… you are going to climb trees… without your hands." Kakashi said, chuckling at his team's wide eyes.
"Is that physically impossible?" Sakura asked.
Looking on at the recognizable scene, Karasu sighed and leaned back on the tree before getting poked by Anko.
"Go to Tazuna, someone needs to protect him." she said, after garnering Kararu's attention.
"Why can't you do it?"
"Because I have to make sure that the team is actually being taught, knowing him he's probably gonna laze off."
"Fine," he said, letting out a sigh.
– Line Break –
"Ka-chan!" Tsunami's eyes widened in fear as Inari came out gaining the sword wielders' attention. "Oh look the brat came out for his mommy, hahaha!"
"Leave my mother alone!"
The taller of the bandits grinned as he approached Inari unsheathing his sword. "Oh, take a look at this the kid thinks he can order us around does he?"
"Don't touch him! I'll do whatever you want just please don't harm him!" The pair laughed and said. "We are definitely going to hold you to that when we get you to Gato."
They took her away as Inari watched crying. His legs shook but he was unable to move. The images of his father and Naruto flashed in his head.
He didn't want to lose anyone else. He didn't wish to always suffer. Others suffered more than him but kept going. He may be weak, but he can make himself stronger.
And it was with that thought that Inari grabbed a kitchen knife and ran at them, screaming. "Let go of her!"
"Inari, stop!" The young mother's eyes were wide in horror as the swordsmen turned on Inari, and she could do nothing about it.
"Looks like the kid decided he didn't want to live anymo–" One tried to say, but got interrupted.
There was a gust of wind and took a few seconds for the people there to realize what happened as a voice spoke out.
"Very cowardly to attack a child, isn't it?" Karasu said, standing there between them, one hand holding Inari's wrist with the other deflecting the bandit's sword using his own.
"Who are you?!" The one holding Tsunami said.
"Don't you see! He's one of those Leaf brats. Let's just kill him."
"Foolish to think you can."
– End –
Author's Note: I really don't like this arc, it's just so overused and while I don't like it shows the benchmark of Karasu against canon and maybe some reasons as to why he was chosen, the wave arc will probably last another chapter or so and then back to training.
It's nearly my birthday, so happy advanced birthday to me, I really just wanted this chapter out to not stress on it. I'm also now a part of the SGO server so, discord .gg/wd3tUYWVCd, join the server, get updates as to when I post a new chapter and meet some people. Other than that, I'll see you next time, bye~