My beta was very good and gave me this one back. anyway this is the re-edited version of this chapter not a lot different but I feel this works better for my storyline later on.

Please enjoy it, lol.

Thank you for the alerts and reviews.

Naruto = flash back

'Naruto' is thoughts/thinking

"Naruto" signing/sign language

"Naruto" speaking.

"Naruto" Demon

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just some DVDs and games.

Chapter 22

Naruto hid the lower half of his face in his scarf as he walked; he loved the smell of it. There was a lingering smell of rose petals and a trace of smoke that always reminded him of his parents, he knew Ko's scarf had a similar essence and that he had a habit of rubbing his face against it much like Nami would their clothes. He smiled serenely as he walked. Of course, to others it looked like he was once again imitating his current sensei, with his lower half of his face now hidden.

"Naruto? Hey! Naruto!" He turned in time to be swamped by a purple haired girl.

"Hi, Ume." Naruto greeted, as her team caught up. "Why are you grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat?" Naruto cocked his head to the side, when he saw all three had a face splitting smile on their faces.

"The Hokage said we could take you on our mission." Ume gushed happily.

"It's on a trial basis." Riku shrugged. "How you perform on this mission determines if you can accompany the rest of the class on their missions." He explained.

Naruto started laughing in glee. "That's incredible it only took you what two years to get him to consider the idea and another year to get him to consent on a trial basis. So when do we leave?"

"As soon as you're ready." Their jonin sensei finally spoke. He was a young looking man, with sandy brown hair which was spiked up and the fringe fell over his headband. He wore the standard Konoha jonin outfit and had nervous blue eyes which were assessing Naruto.

"Okay I'll go get my things. where should I meet you?" Naruto asked.

"The main gate in five minutes. Don't be late." He warned knowing what Kakashi was like. Naruto nodded and disappeared in a small cloud of smoke.

"Don't worry sensei he's nothing like you think he is." Ume reassured their sensei.

"He's better." Kenta spoke moving towards the gate.

(Line)

Naruto joined Ume and her team at the gates three minutes later. The jounin gave the mission scroll to Naruto so he could catch up and understand what they were ordered to complete. He waited till he'd handed the scroll back, before destroying it and nodding at his team.

"Okay team let's go." They nodded and jumped into the trees. They moved at a far faster pace than he expected not really sure what to expect with Naruto. But his team was focused and that's all that mattered. He paused on a branch scanning the area; they were quickly approaching the edge of the forests surrounding the fire country.

"What's your sensei's name?" Naruto whispered as he landed next to Kenta.

"Takeru Muto." Kenta acknowledged.

"Thanks, I doubt I'd be able to call him sensei all the time." Naruto smiled a small smile. They moved on quickly dropping down to the undergrowth as they moved towards the country's border. The paused scanning the area as they stepped into the grass country. They moved carefully in formation Naruto in the middle, with Ume and Riku and Kenta ahead and Takeru behind.

They slowed as they neared their destination. Ume and Riku moved to scout the area, splitting into opposite directions. Kenta and Naruto went about setting up a hidey hole where they could observe without being found, as Takeru took watch up in a tree.

"There's a small encampment just over the ridge." Ume explained.

"There are two towers looking over the gate, which happens to be the only way into the complex." Riku explained.

"It's all wooden and looks loosely guarded." Ume frowned slightly.

"But?" Takeru asked.

"It's getting dark so we need to come up with a plan." Kenta spoke.

"We should observe them and watch their movements," Naruto suggested. "Once we know their basic set up we can make plans accordingly."

Naruto sat in a tree a short distance from the encampment observing as the guards in camp made their patrols. Across from him in another tree sat Riku. They were all wearing radio's which attached at the throat and clipped over the ear.

Naruto closed his eyes in concentration as he expelled charka into the surroundings. Carefully he allowed his chakra to drift into the complex, it swirled around mapping out everything and everyone before dissipating into the air like mist.

'So there are twelve people inside the complex excluding the two in the guard towers and two on the gate.'

He watched as a patrol passed outside the complex a few feet below him. He looked over at Riku who shook his head it would be disastrous if they were discovered now. They had spent two days casing the place and learned so far that what they were after was in the main building, where a cluster of chakra was emanating. The patrol passed on as Naruto let out a silent breathe, he looked up to see Riku in an equal state of relief.

Naruto was poised and waiting in his tree with Kenta next to him as they waited for the two man patrol to pass beneath them, they paused again under Naruto's tree, which allowed Naruto and Kenta to drop from their tree onto the two unsuspecting guards. They made sure that the guards were out completely and hid them in the bushes. Naruto created a clone and transformed into the figures of the two fallen guards. He continued on their known route around the complex listening out for the sign that Riku and Ume had joined him. He saw Kenta signal at him that they had henged into their guards. He continued round towards the gate where he met up with Ume and Riku outside the gate.

Banging on the gate a small door in the gate opened where a small reedy man eyed them then moved aside letting them through. Riku turned and knocked the guy out placing him in the gate house off to the right Riku transformed into the small reedy man and closed the gate as Ume and Naruto moved together towards the main building. They slipped in easily enough and moved together checking the rooms carefully hoping not to wake anyone as they went.

It was the room at the rear of the building where they found what they were looking for. Left out on the table surrounded by slumbering people was a map. Glancing at each other quickly they crept forwards slowly, keeping an eye on the slumbering occupants of the room. Naruto frowned as he realised that they were slumbering ninja, he paused as Ume stepped onto a loose floor board that let out a small squeak in the silence of the room. They looked at each other as nothing happened. They frowned; any ninja would have woken up by now, so why were they all still sleeping? Naruto nodded to the ceiling with his head, he mirrored Ume's progress towards the table, reaching out she grabbed the map and all eyes around the table snapped open.

Of course they had just been waiting for her to grab the map before making a move how stupid. Naruto dropped onto the nearest ninja knocking the wind from him he twisted his body away from one that reached out for him, bringing a fist into his jaw. Ume stumbled over the map as two ninja advanced on her she kicked both in the face sending them back as Naruto appeared and grabbed her around the waist and threw her out the door following behind her.

"We've got a problem." Naruto called into his radio as they shot down the hallway.

"We've been compromised, they're ninja!" Ume shouted into her radio as she slipped through the legs of a ninja who had stumbled into the hallway.

Naruto jumped over his shoulders kicking him backwards as he raced with Ume into the courtyard where they would have an advantage.

Riku watched the guards in the towers being knocked out by Kenta and Takeru, as they rushed through into the complex. Inside the complex Naruto and Ume burst out the door followed closely behind by twelve very angry ninja.

A little black bird covered in soot hovered by Naruto's head, Tsubasa the small bird he had rescued that followed him whenever it could, had somehow found him.

"Ume! Tsubasa! Give Tsubasa the map." Naruto gasped as he spun kunai drawn slashing at the advancing ninja's throat. Ume flung the map up to the hovering bird. Ducking under the sword that swung for her head, she slid her leg round taking out the legs from her attacker. Kenta appeared above the fallen body of the ninja that was about to impale her, she smiled at him straightening up she clasped his hand in hers as her; he swung her round so that she kicked her next advancing adversary away.

Riku and Takeru were back to back fighting the advancing ninja, as they surrounded the group, Ume back to back with Kenta. Naruto stopped the ninja attempting to reach Tsubasa his kunai glowing with chakra.

Okay out of twelve how many have we taken down? Three is that all, but we've winded four. And they've surrounded us. Naruto slashed through the ninja blocking his way to the team. Okay four down, four injured and four to go. He twirled his chakra blade into his hand as he back flipped away from the sword that would have cleaved him in two.

Ume twirled away from her opposing ninja sending a breath of fire his way. Kenta punched a ninja sending him flying and landing in a crumpled heap. He ran through the hand seals ram, horse, and tiger.

"Earth release. Earth dragon bullet." the mud from the ground formed into a giant dragon's head and shot out bullets of mud. Ume now facing the same way as the dragon released a breathe of flame igniting the projectiles and making them more deadly as they headed towards their enemy ninja. Riku fired shuriken at the ninja in his peripheral vision. Dropping to the floor he swiped the legs out from under the closest ninja who had dodged his projectiles and pushed himself up landing feet heavy on the fallen ninja's chest, where the other ninja threw a kunai which unfortunately for him had imbedded itself in his fallen team mates head, which was lucky for Riku.

Takeru luckily had just thrown one of his adversaries over his shoulder, where he flew into Riku's remaining ninja and they flew back into the fence surrounding their encampment. Takeru appeared behind his current opponent bending the ninja's arm back so that the sword was pointing into his own back; with a quick nudge the sword skewered its owner, allowing Takeru to help Naruto.

Naruto smirked as the four that had been winded early advanced on him. He loved not holding back. He shot forwards as one went for Tsubasa who was just managing to hover above the fighting. Naruto hit him in the stomach with the butt of his blade, causing him to double over allowing Naruto to swing his other hand holding a kunai down onto the back of his skull handle first. He twisted round and broke the next ninja's nose; he rolled away from the axe which had appeared out of nowhere digging his kunai into the ninja with the broken nose. He spun on the kunai forcing the ninja down as he brought his blade up to block the axe that was now coming down in a vertical cut at him.

Takeru watched in awe as Naruto manoeuvred around the ninja with a speed and grace he'd never seen before. His attention was pulled back to his actual students as the guards they had taken out earlier burst through the gate. He checked back to his students who had noticed the new arrivals and deposing of their last opponent glanced at Naruto before moving to intercept their new arrivals.

Riku rolled across Kenta's back taking a ninja by surprise who was even more surprised when Ume was swung into him from Kenta spinning in a circle, allowing Riku to knock him out. He had to dodge back suddenly as one of the guards who wasn't surprised aimed shuriken at him. Kenta twirled Ume onto her feet as he ran through the hand seals tiger, hare, boar, and dog. Slamming his hands down to form a wall he smirked as he pushed chakra into his hands and punched the wall causing it to crack and rocks to go flying towards those ninja.

Naruto was held perfectly balanced between the two ninja one pinned by his kunai the other's axe pushing against his chakra blade; he was stretched out legs in the air above his head and an easy target for the other ninja to attack, sword in hand the ninja ran a smile on his face. Naruto smirked pulling down towards his kunai allowing the axe to fall he swung around the kunai his legs grabbing hold of the ninja who was underneath him. The axe continued down as the sword wielding ninja unable to stop his progress replaced himself with a log and appeared in front of, but facing away from Takeru, his hands either side of the ninja's head he twisted, catching the ninja off guard, snapping his neck and crumpled to the floor.

Naruto had allowed the axe to hit the unfortunate ninja who he was using as a balancing beam. He released the kunai turning on his now free hand and kicked the axe wielding ninja. His foot connecting with the ninja's lower jaw, the axe laying forgotten in the fallen ninja, flew back grabbing hold of Naruto's extended foot. Pushing off from his hand he flipped so the ninja was below him left hand glowing with chakra as his blade spiked. He landed pushing the ninja to the floor, his blade sinking through his left shoulder and his hand landing next to his head.

He looked up as Takeru came over, pushing himself up, he pulled his blade as the chakra faded and wiped it clean on his trousers. Takeru looked to where Naruto's hand had been to see a small crater with a few small grooves almost like swirls in grained into the ground. He looked up at Naruto shocked at the ability he had shown.

Naruto held his hands out to the fluttering bird above him as Tsubasa still holding the map collapsed into his hands. The map fluttered to ground at Naruto's feet. Kenta bent and picked up the map storing it in his pouch. He watched as Naruto checked the little bird over as the other three got rid of the evidence they had been there. They walked out of the gates of the encampment as the flames ripped through them. The disbanded their hidey hole and Kenta and Takeru rolled fresh earth over where the encampment once stood. Once the evidence of their visit was completely cleared the jumped up to the tree tops heading home. Tsubasa tucked away in Naruto's scarf.

They arrived at the village gates a day later having rested for brief periods after their excursion. Reporting to the Hokage's office, they stood formally waiting for the Hokage to finish his paperwork. He signed and moved the paper aside; he looked up his face impassive as he assessed them all.

"Mission accomplished." Takeru stepped forward placing the map on the desk.

"Were there any problems?" the Hokage prompted, wondering why there was a bird sat in Naruto's scarf.

"They weren't mercenaries but ninja they waited till I grabbed the map to spring up." Ume blushed.

"We had to fight them causing casualties and remained where we were to get rid of the evidence. Considering we were meant to not make contact and the enemy were more advanced than first anticipated." Takeru shrugged feebly.

"I see. And how did Naruto perform?"

"To be honest sir I knew nothing about Naruto before this mission, but he fought effectively and held his own against our opponents he obviously knows or trusts my team well as he easily mixed with them." Takeru stated.

"When the shit hit the fan excuse the expression he formulated a way to get away, as well as covering my six." Ume smiled fondly at Naruto.

"Tsubasa helped too. He hovered out the way with the map as we took out the enemy." Kenta sounded childish

'Ah so that's why the bird is there?' the hokage thought "So you'd be willing to take Naruto on future missions?"

"Yes sir. Even without my team I feel he can handle the situations he finds himself in." Takeru nodded. "He's fast and nimble and precise and possesses a grace I've never seen before." Takeru listed.

"Very well then, Naruto will be allowed to accompany other ninja when not training or on missions with his team. Naruto you have to be at training soon, I'm sure Kakashi hasn't arrived yet." The Hokage smiled dismissing Naruto.

"Thank you sir." Naruto turned leaving the room with Tsubasa now fluttering by his shoulder. 'I must question Naruto on that bird.' The Hokage resolved.

"Sir?" Takeru called.

"Oh yes you can all go now and don't forget to make sure Naruto gets paid for your b rank mission." The chunin all nodded and left. "Something the matter Takeru?" the Hokage questioned.

"When Naruto took out his last opponent I don't know if he noticed but he held chakra in his hand, it left a small crater where his hand impacted the ground; the crater had a few small grooves almost like swirls ingrained into the ground. He did this while holding his chakra blade which was glowing with chakra. I don't know if he realised that he was doing it but I thought I should inform you." Takeru shrugged.

The Hokage nodded dismissing him. He turned in his chair facing the window behind his desk his hands clasped in thought. 'So Naruto has stumbled across that jutsu, I think it might be time to have a chat with my grandson. If he's discovered that what else has he figured out?' Nami rolled over exposing its belly to the Hokage as he became lost in his thoughts.

(Line)

Training was finally drawing to a close for team 7. They were resting in the shade of a tree when Sakura smiled, both boys quivered.

"Hey Sasuke, Naruto why don't we try to see what's under Sensei's mask?" she encouraged.

"Why would I want to do that?" Sasuke scowled.

"Think of it as a way to test our skill and filling my curiosity." She smiled.

"No thanks Sakura." Naruto shook his head.

"Don't you want to know what's under sensei's mask?" Sakura questioned in shock.

"No it's his face. If he wants you to see it he'll show you." Naruto stood, shrugging his shoulders.

"But... but..." Sakura stammered.

"Good luck with that you guys." Naruto raised a hand above his retreating figure.

Kakashi was sat in the tree above the genin; he listened as Sakura tried to convince the two boys to see what was under his mask. He was relieved when Naruto declined and grateful with his explanation. He looked on as Naruto left the group. He jumped away hoping to dodge the rest of team 7's probing about his mask.

He eventually found Naruto after Sakura downright asked him what was under his mask. He chuckled at the memory of them seeing a second lighter mask underneath and their reactions of horror.

"Hey Sensei, I don't know if you've been informed but I'm not going to be available for the week." Naruto said as he snapped Kakashi out of his memory.

"Hmm why's that Naruto?" Kakashi asked vaguely.

"I've been asked to do fill in for a team, the mission if it all goes to plan should take about a week."

"Wait why? I didn't okay that." Kakashi spluttered.

"Hokage did. Anyway I just thought it'd be correct to let you know really." Naruto shrugged. "I leave tomorrow, so I'll see you in a week." Naruto nodded and turned away quickly from his sensei.

Kakashi's eye narrowed as he watched the retreating figure of Naruto. He'd have to ask someone about Naruto, but who? The smell of smoke wafted past his nose. Asuma. Yes he'd know, Naruto was practically family to him after all. Turning in the direction the smoke had drifted from he walked off in search of Asuma.

I would still like for you to pick out your favourite parts if you wouldn't mind. It's quite interesting reading how many of you have the same parts or if it's the same as mine.

Please review and let me know what you think.

Thank you very much