Chapter 3: Team 7

A/N: Naruto not mine. I made some changes like the summary and the title. Someone told me that my previous title was a little bit religous in a sense. So I decided to change it into more appealing way.

Naruto slowly walked back to the locker room to change into his uniform; he was saddened by the tragic death of his teammate although they were not really close friends as he was with the others back in the past, still hewas a teammate, someone whom he entrusted his life withduring missions and who had done the same to him- entrusting his life to him. But he was glad, or felt blessed that his captain was still alive. He thought of stealing a visit later that night. He stopped at their bulletin board hanged at the wall down the hallway to read some posting and announcement.

There were a lot of postings; most of them are missions for Anbu squads including the order for the 7th squad to meet with their new commander at area A-67; others are announcement of the newly past rules and regulations for an Anbu and poems dedicated for their ranks and quotes thatwould somehow encourage them to keep on with their duties, which isto protect and serve Konohaand its people. There was also the announcement of the death of Naruto's teammate. It said there:

Fugita, Kyou, a fellow Anbu had fallen last day. May his soul join with our other braves of the past.

"See you brother," Naruto contemplated.

Now, a slender young kunoichi stood beside Naruto reading some posting also. Yet despite this slender look, she looked strong and confident and on top of that she was a drop dead gorgeous. Long brown hair tied in a pony tail; charming brown eyes; she had a flawless smooth skin which left Naruto wondering if she was a visitor or a fellow Anbu; she also had a beautiful body as Naruto may associate with their local actresses.

Naruto didn't really plan to stare at her that much, but he was just captivated with the beauty standing beside him. He had seem her before along the hallway but not this close and not alone. But somehow, Naruto thought that he had seen the face before, he just can't put his finger on it. Still, a man has got to do, what he's got to do.

"Excuse me, miss." Naruto said. The girl turned to him and gave him a pleasant smile

"Yes?"

"I was…well… I… I mean…you look familiar to me. And I was wondering if we have we seen each other before," Naruto asked although not really comfortably. In fact, it shows amateurism on his part when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex.

The girl rolled her eyes, as if there was something she couldn't believe, but she still smiled at him, an expression that made her more beautiful. "Don't you remember me," she asked teasingly.

"Well…" Naruto was somewhat embarrassed a little bit of not remembering her but he was pleased of the prospect that she was someone he knew. " I…"

"Naruto, its me Tenten," the young girl mused.

"Ten… what… you're Tenten," Naruto asked or rather said it loud. The girl nod, "But you look different. Back then you tied your hair in a bun."

"Well, thought of a change, you know," Tenten was happy to be noticed of her change.

"Yeah. I mean… how are you?"

But before she could answer him, a good-looking guy called her from the door at right of side of the hallway. "Oh, I'm sorry Naruto, got to go. I have to dress up yet."

"Sure, no problem," Naruto replied thinking that the guy could have been her boyfriend. Well a face like that sure has a man, he thought.

"Alright, see you around," Tenten said as she run towards the guy.

"Yea, see you 'round." Naruto replied and was left on the hallway all by himself again. There's nothing to do much so he went to his locker room to change and meet his new team.

"Are you sure of that," Kakashi asked.

"Well my observation may be not correct but there's nothing to lose if we will check on that clan again, right," Ibiki justified.

"You're right. I will discuss this matter to Tsunade-sama and see what she has to say." Kakashi stood up as well as Ibiki. "I'll call for you, if something's come up," Kakashi showed him the door.

After Ibiki had left, Kakashi took a deep breath. The job was taking its toll now. It had been 3 years since he was appointed in this position. While he was reluctant to accept the appointment, there was a must that he had to take the position. After all he was groomed to be the next hokage by the time Tsunade retires. To hold such office, where some of the responsibilities can be compared to a Hokage, was a great training for him, especially, the ability to solve problems involving village defense and international political conflicts or in his case, domestic conflicts of the fire country. But sometimes his Anbu division will have to participate on international affairs particularly assassinations and rescue missions. It was tiring for him, but there's nothing he can do. Retiring is not an option. He prepared his reports and went to the Hokage's office.

Nothing really changed in the Hokage's office except for the furniture that weren't there before, books or scroll; painting which was done every new year and other than that-- none.

Since the rain had stopped and the sun began to shine behind the fleeing rainy clouds, Tsunade was given her well deserve treat of standing outside her balcony, looking at the far stretches of her custody. She still looked young, as she was when Naruto first met her. The most beautiful woman alive, as some may say. But despite her young appearance, she was tired of the job and was just counting days or perhaps months before her retirement. But still she was passionate of protecting the village or the people she cares for. After all, that entire job of caring for others does not have a retirement.

"Come in Kakashi," she called out from the balcony. Aside from hearing the knock from the door, she recognized the charka signature.

"Good morning, Hokage-sama," Kakashi greeted and bowed slightly.

"Yes," Tsunade musingly replied, "what do you have for me?"

"Yes, I have a report here that may need your attention," Kakashi showed her the outline of the reports. Tsunade read the outline.

"Well, do you think Orochimaru have allied himself with that clan from the mist?"

"Yes, maam. I think we have to do reconnaissance on the hidden village of the mist especially the Tanaka clan."

"That might be difficult. You know that we don't have good terms with the majority of the villages in that country, especially the Hidden Mist," Tsunade rested her chin on her hands.

"Yes, I am aware of our situation with the Water country. But there is a must, if we don't locate the Tanaka clan, we might be place on a great disadvantage."

"Hmm… but according to your report, the suspicion was base on Ibiki's memory and yours."

"A very reliable memory to say the least. We had personal confrontation in the past with one of the best of the clan. According to Ibiki, the captured sound nin looked like the one we encountered. Not only that she is a Tanaka as well."

Somehow conviced or she was also curious and wanted to get the bottom of this, she approved Kakashi's course of action. "Very well this is a job for a jounin. I will send him as a spy for us. However, let us keep this between you, Ibiki and me. I don't want the elders and the daimyos to panic. This is an international conflict after all. Tsuande warned. Kakashi agreed and immediately left.

It's about 2 pm in the afternoon; a pair of Anbu was sited on the grass waiting for someone to meet. One of the Anbu was a mascular and big; he had the mask of a bear. The other was small and petite. Obviously a lady, she had the mask of a tiger.

"What do you think of our new captain," the bigger one asked.

"I don' know. I don't have any idea," the other replied

"Do you think he's as good as our previous commander?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But he must be good to be appointed commander."

"Not just any commander," he, the bigger one chuckled, "he is blessed to be appointed our commander," .

"Really," a voice replied from behind the leaves of the trees.

Both of the Anbu were surprise or pissed for not having noticed him approach. The mysterious Anbu jumped down from the trees and stood before them. "Now, tell me, why am I blessed to be your commander?"

"Well were good enough to keep with our previous commander in our missions," the bigger one answered.

"Okay, that's good. So let's take off our mask and introduce one another. Shall we," Naruto said. "Lets start with you big one."

"I am Ukami, Bito, 24 years old," The bigger one took of his mask and revealed his high cheek bones deep dark eyes; and short black hair.

"Nice to meet you Ukami," Naruto greeted. He turned to the smaller one, which he guessed was lady.

"I am Tenten Kimimu, 22 years old," Tenten also took of his mask.

Naruto was shocked to see Tenten. He did not expect for Tenten be in this team much more to be his subordinate considering that she was ahead of him during his academy days. Please by the sight he is seeing, he almost forget to introduce himself.

"Well," he took off his mask, "I am Uzumaki Naruto, 21 years old."

"Heh… Naruto," Tenten exclaimed. She was as shocked as Naruto.

"Do you know this guy Tenten," Ukami asked.

"Yeah, he is an old friend of mine. We were together during our genin days," Tenten proudly claim.

"Really," Ukami dryly react. Not really pleased to be under a ninja younger than him.

"Yeah, he wasn't the best ninja back then," she turned to Naruto. "But look at you now, an Anbu commander. I'm really proud of you," Tenten said.

"Really, well… I was blessed to have friends…" he lost words as he drifted for a while into his past, "anyway, as for now, I would like to know your fighting styles if that wouldn't be a problem to you."

"Of course not," Ukami quickly replied who was now eager to test the young commander.

"What do you want us to do then," Tenten inquired.

"Well this is really basic, I'm sure its useful if I am to know your fighting styles," he took a piece of small bell from his pocket. "This, you have to take this bell away from me. But I'm warning you, if you try to get this without killing intent, I may end up hurting you or worst kill you," Naruto's eyes showed seriousness and nothing else. "On me then," he looked at them prepared themselves. "Ready, set,go!"

Tenten quickly hid herself from Naruto but Ukami who was somehow insulted of the fact that he was a subordinate of a younger ninja directly attack Naruto. He formed a binding seal to bind Naruto's body and immobilize him.

Naruto froze as if time stopped for him. He couldn't move, he was caught by the technique.

"Too late for you, I'm going to get the bell right in front of you," Ukami yelled as he run directly at Naruto to snatch the bells dangling on Naruto's waist. When he reached for the bells, amazingly his hands went directly through it. "Shit, its just a clone," he cursed.

The clone disappeared in a puff smoke, leaving Ukami alone in the middle of the field. Ukami cursed again. He was wondering when Naruto did the clone. He didn't see him performed the seal or he was sure that Naruto wasn't able to move at all. He looked for signs of Naruto's exact location and to his surprise; Naruto was just sitting across the field, waving at him. That pissed him off even more.

Tenten saw Naruto sitting on the rock. She was completely undetected, hidden behind the thick foliage of one of the biggest tree in the area. She saw Ukami on the field standing across Naruto.

"What are you doing Ukami," Tenten asked herself. She was surprise to see Ukami stupidly standing there.

But Tenten realized that instead of just watching them, she would just take the opportunity of attacking Naruto from behind. She took a kunai from her holster and aimed at her target. Her position was not really a good position for throwing a kunai. It did not provide her a clear shot at the target. But she needed to be stealthy and if she changed her position it would give away her exact location and thus will lose the chance for an attack. Still, all through Tenten's career as a ninja, she was known for her precision and sharp shooting. She knew how to hit targets when others can't.

The kuinai flew swiftly towards the unmoving Naruto. And hit Naruto's arm. He grimaced in pain. Ukami saw the opportunity again, so he made a run for it. He punched Naruto with so much force, like it has some hateful words to it. Yet, then again, the Naruto he hit puffed into smoke again.

"Damn, a clone. This guy uses a lots of clones," Ukami commented. He saw Tenten running towards him. "Sorry, I went on my own while ago," he apologized.

"It's ok. We have to team up now if we are to get that stupid bell," Tenten replied.

"So what's the plan?"

"Right now, I think he is just looking at us somewhere," Tenten mumbled, glancing at her surroundings.

"Hey," Naruto called out. He was standing below a tree not far away from the other Anbu, "is that all you can do? Throwing kunai and predictably binding targets?"

Ukami and Tenten were really astonished by this remark. But they could not blame him; they were lousy on their last attempt.

"Comm'on guys, I know you can fight better than that. Show me some teamwork," Naruto challenged them.

"We have to regroup now," with that said, Ukami threw a couple of smoke bombs to hide their retreat.

"Pretty neat," Naruto remarked. He totally lost them that time.

The 2 Anbus were hiding behind the rock really far away from Naruto. They gathered their selves together and brainstormed for any useful strategy against their challenger.

"Back then, Naruto uses Kage-Bushins. He can make a whole lot of them. I heard a rumor that he made 1000 of them when he fought Gaara of the Sand," Tenten shared her little history about Naruto.

"What, he fought Gaara of the Sand," Ukami quietly exclaimed. "Man, this guy is heavy."

"He also has the Rasengan, a technique made and used only by…"

"What he can also use that one," again Ukami quietly exclaimed. "So how do we put with this guy?"

"Well frankly I don't know, the only set back he had back then was to rush out during battles. But as I can see now, he already have overcame that set back."

"gods help us," Ukami sighed. "He must have some other weakness or weaknesses."

"Oh yes. I think there is still one or two," Tenten said after a moment of recollecting her memories. "As far as I can remember, he didn't have pretty good taijutsu seldom used weapons which more likely, he is not good in weapon handling too. Unlike me, I mainly specialize on those areas."

"So all we have to do now is to combat him in close quarters, right," Ukami asked.

"That's a good idea, but although he didn't have a pretty good taijutsu, yet that guy has tremendous power and crazy stamina as in out of this world," Tenten expressively explained.

"So we need to outwit him really fast and get that bell before he could hit us, is that what you're saying," Ukami inquired, casting an unpromising look.

"Pretty much. See, I have to fight him in close combat, while you use genjutsus on him from a distance. When I see an opening, I'll snatch that bell away from him," Tenten explained.

"So you mean, you will be the decoy while I do the trick that will create an opportunity for you to grab that bell," Ukami thought for a moment. He was also worried the situation she will be in, considering the power and capabilities her opponent has. "Alright, I'll but you have to be very careful then, alright."

"Sure. So shall we."

"Let's do it."

Naruto was just standing on the middle of the field, still waiting for his attackers. Despite his calm demeanor that he portrayed, he didn't take them lightly. He knew very well that these guys have a pretty nasty trick up on their sleeves, he just have to wait and see what it is.

The wait did not last long; Tenten swiftly came running towards him armed with a long wooden staff which seemed to be a Rokushaku Bo. She attacked him with the staff; trying to hit him from different angles. Naruto was having a hard time, evading the pole and trying to hit her in return. Everytime he saw an opportunity to attack, the staff stopped him. He couldn't really advance and get into a position where he can directly hit her. He soon realized that she had a better taijutsu than he had although it hurt his pride a little, but the truth hurts; he sure had his hands full that time. One hand, he was fighting a superior taijutsu and on the other hand he has to be on a constant guard of any surprise attack coming from the other, worst, he had no idea of the true capabilities of the other anbu. Soon he was really tempted to use his other chakra, but he resolved not to, considering that it would be dangerous for them and his and in someway, it will be cheating.

But as the fight goes on, Naruto felt something different, as an experience ninja, he well remembered the saying, which tells that you can't use the same technique on the opponent. However, he noticed that Tenten repeatedly uses the same attacks on him that made them easier to predict and evade. Naruto acknowledged that Tenten is a superior taijustu user than him, but her monotonous attacks did not show it anymore, instead it showed that he was the better one then. But suspicion did not escape Naruto, he sensed that something was up and he didn't notice at first.

"Damn, that guy could use Shura Eizo no jutsu, a high level genjutsu," he said to himself. "And pretty good too. But I got to break free from here…" Naruto was halted by his thoughts as it dawned upon him their plan. He realized that in order for him to escape the genjutsu, he had to stop his movements and gain a stable control of his chakra to undo the genjutsu, but once he do that, they will have the opportunity to snatch the bell away from him, much more he wouldn't see where it would be coming from. But if he won't stop, the real Tenten would just knock him out without him knowing where it would be coming from.

"We got you now Naruto," Tenten quietly claimed their victory as she watched him punching nothing but air.

But she was forgetting something. Naruto was no Shikamaru, who intellectually calculates his course of action; he was more of a "spur of moment" strategist. "Taijo Kage Bushin no Jutsu," she heard Naruto yell, where a dozen or more of Naruto appeared on the field, leaving her unsure which one to hit.

"Damn, now I don't know which one to hit. I hope Ukami can hold on until I hit the right one," she exclaimed to herself.

She began randomly hitting the clones one by one. She had to move fast, before Ukami will lose all his energy, where in fact, unknown to her, somewhere out there, her partner was already dead on one's feet.

However, Naruto's plan of mass producing his clones was not only intended to confuse Tenten, there was more to it, something the other Anbus did not expect, not in their whole life or in the next life to come. It was something beyond a normal shinobi can comprehend.

A/N: Rokushaku Bo: a6 ft. long wooden staff. It is a ninja weapon used by the ancient Ninjas of Japan.

Shura Eizo no jutsu: I made this up. heheehe. The literal meaning of it is Fighting Reflection. Anyone who will fall under this jutsu will continually fight the image reflected by this jutsu.