AN: To those commenting on ranks I'm going to point out that all the seven Swordsmen are supposed to be S ranked. And if you're part of the Daimyo guard it makes sense that you're at least at the lower end of that as well. Not all S ranks are equal given there's no way Orochimaru would be able to take, say, Itachi in single combat even though they were both S ranked.
Trickshot
Chapter 11
-Naruto-
"Alright, lets take stock of the situation." Asuma sighed as the six trained ninja sat at the table of the bridge builder's home, the three civilians all asleep, "Naruto, you told Tsume that you were setting up traps and seals, yes?"
"Yeah." Naruto nodded, pulling out a map his clones had made of the area surrounding the house "I've been having my clones setting it up. I made a map of what traps are where plus an exit key." He slid the two items to the pair of Jonin, "They key wills turn off the traps and needs chakra from whoever gets keyed to it to work." Naruto showed how to bond Asuma and Tsume to the key so only they could let people in or out of the area surrounding the house.
"Good work kid." Tsume nodded, ruffling Naruto's head with a grin, "This'll help keep this place secure."
"Would the traps stop an S ranked Ninja?" Sasuke frowned, "I know your seals are good Naruto, but this isn't some genin or a nepotistic Chuunin."
"I didn't leave any gaps." Naruto shook his head, "If there's one thing I know better than my seals or bow it's infiltration. You saw me pranking the ANBU for years, outrunning them for years. Nobody ever noticed me till I let them remember? There are enough traps that he won't be able to get through without setting them off. Could he force his way through? Yes. But it would be messy and loud. It would draw attention and give us time to fight back. He already saw that he was outmatched in a straight fight against Asuma and Tsume Sensei. His best shot is assassination, right?" he looked at the two Jonin who nodded with a frown.
"Yes, but unfortunately that's his best field." Asuma tossed his team a Bingo book so they could read Zabuza's entry "Naruto, could you make some scrolls that can store clones for an indefinite period?"
"I could probably make some that could hold a clone for a day. Two tops." Naruto shook his head, "Why?"
"Currently we need to guard both Tazuna and his family." Asuma explained, "Tsume and I will go with Tazuna to the bridge each day and take two of you a day to help guard and oversee some training at the same time. The other two will stay here and guard them, escorting them out as needed since I'm quite sure Naruto has another key somewhere or could make one."
"So, you want us to have those clones on hand to help in case Zabuza shows up. Gives us time to get the civilians back pas the traps and would draw enough attention for the real you to get over to the fight." Sasuke sums up with a nod.
"Exactly." Asuma nods before frowning, "And I have an extra job for you Naruto. Or your clones at any rate."
"Me?" Naruto blinked in surprise, the other genin doing the same.
"Yes, you." Tsume nodded, picking up where Asuma left off "You can make solid clones despite being a genin and have good stealth and ranged weapons training. Currently this city is drying, there's no hope which means people aren't going to be very…cooperative. I want your clones to go out into the woods beyond the village to hunt and pick medical herbs. Don't overharvest but bringing those back to town will help give these people some hope."
"I do not believe it would be that easy to change the world view of a defeated city." Sai protested the idea.
"Kid, you'd be amazed how much brighter the world looks when you get your first full meal and medicine in who knows how long." Asuma shook his head, "Sometimes you just need that little spark to start something bigger."
"On it Asuma sensei." Naruto nodded, making a handful of Shadow clones that grabbed some sealing scrolls and set off, "I'll have them each go to different areas so it's more spread out."
"Good man." Asuma nodded, "This is a serious mission now and one we can't afford to leave. Gato is someone who would gladly work with Konoha's enemies, and it could end up making Wave a staging ground for attacks on our village if we just leave things be. Getting word back to Konoha will be tricky now as well. I'll try but it's highly likely that backup won't be coming."
"So, who's going to the bridge tomorrow?" Sasuke asked with a frown.
"Shikamaru and Sai will be." Asuma decided, "Sasuke, I know you copied the basics of each elemental transformation from me. When I want you to help the others get some elemental transformation down. Naruto, you're to keep seal upgrading everyone's gear and making things like explosive seals. Sai, have your ink creatures do patrols. Shikamaru, you still need to work on your reserves." Shikamaru's groan went ignored.
-Zabuza-
Frowning, Zabuza finished washing out Haku's wounds, Ink from that tiger having gotten inside the lacerations.
"ROOT." Zabuza frowned as he thought back to the genin he'd observed. The one with the ink brushes, and who had to have created the Ink Tiger that mauled Haku, had screamed of the infamous ROOT organization of Konoha. An organization that was, supposedly, disbanded years ago.
"That doesn't matter." Zabuza shook his head as he looked about the new bolt hole he'd stashed Haku in to recover. It was a simple manner to have a pair of water clones, one Henged to look like Haku, be hold up in their old safe house to distract Gato.
"Little pissant." Zabuza scowled, remembering the feedback from his clones who'd dealt with the annoying midget. How Gato had threatened to just turn them in for the bounty rather than paying him, not seeming to care about the notion of Konoha getting involved.
"I need to get this done fast." Zabuza scowled, sealing Kubikirihocho away and leaving a clone to watch over Haku. He needed the bridge builder dead but first he needed Haku back in fighting shape. Looking in the mirror he took off his bandages and put in some fake teeth atop his own to hide their shark like edges. Baggy clothes to hide his physique and a bit of carefully applies makeup to alter his features somewhat. Lastly, a seal applied to help conceal his chakra.
"That'll work." Zabuza nodded, slipping out with just a Kunai for protection for now. He was the assassin of the Seven Swordsmen, but nobody ever took the chance to stop and think about how a giant man with a Zanbato would go unnoticed.
"There should be a field of medical herbs to the south." Zabuza nodded, moving careful to avoid seeming like a Shinobi. Speed was important but precision even more so.
-Anko-
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD!" Anko barked at her three Genin as she continued to work them into the dirt. So far the three hadn't even taken so much as a single D Rank mission, having focused the entirety of their time on getting them up to snuff rather than doing basic chores.
Choji had, thankfully, been the easiest to work with. Without easy access to Shikamaru to encourage bad lazy habits the boy had listened to her. The fac that she'd told his parents and Ino's about what she was doing probably helped as the actual shinobi would be on her side about this. Currently Choji was only panting slightly, and she felt he was actually ready to try a basic C rank, if it weren't for his teammates.
Ino had apparently tried whining to her parents after the first few days and gotten a lecture similar to what Anko had given her. Thankfully their lecture, plus some manipulation from the girl's father, helped light a fire under the girl's ass. That the fire was to 'get strong and get 'thicc' for Sasuke-Kun' made her want to hurl but she'd take what she could get for now and work on that fangirling once the girl wasn't liable to die the second that they set foot out of the village.
Sakura on the other hand didn't have any Shinobi relatives to back up Anko's words and didn't see instant results on her figure by not dieting so she was being stubborn.
Unfortunately for the pinkette, Anko gave absolutely zero fucks and kept making the girl train till she dropped.
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU MAGGOTS!" Anko shouted out when the trio didn't answer back.
"I don't know what I've been told!" the three got out, some louder than others.
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Anko barked.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD!" the trio managed to shout this time as Anko cackled.
"Damn right you don't!" she gave a double clap to let the trio know to take one more cooldown walking lap before falling back in. The trio slumped in relief, the leaves they'd been forced to stick all over their body for chakra training while they ran falling to the ground limply.
"Alright you three. Once you're done with that cooldown lap, I'm going to let you go early." Anko nodded, "I'm going to look for a mission to take you three on." The three perked up.
"So, you think we're ready?" Ino looked hopeful.
"It's a test to see if you are." Anko shook her head, "So I'm going to try and find an easy one that I can easily handle if things go south. And no, Sakura, that does not mean you can half ass this and expect me to do the work for you." These three needed a lot of work but Anko was damn well determined.
