Note:
Sorry, I got carried away writing this chapter, that's why this chapter is long
But, I hope you don't get bored reading this chapter, thank uu guys...
Akira's POV
I open the wrapper of the lollipop and put it into my mouth. I sigh as I taste the flavor of the lollipop.
(Man, I miss you... and I won't let some old man take you again) I thought as I remember Kakashi-sensei eating all of them
"All right! Were off!" Naruto said turning around once we were at the gate.
"What're you so excited about?!" Sakura said crossing her arms.
"You see, I've never left the village before-dattebayo!" He said looking around very excitedly.
"Ahh, mo, Naruto..." I said sighing.
(I always wonder where the hell did you get all that energy...)
"Hey! Am I really okay with this squirt?!" Tazuna-san said looking at Sensei.
Sensei chuckles "I'm a jonin. I'll be watching him. There's no need to worry" He explained with an eye smile.
"pshh..." I said looking at the side
(I don't know but I kinda hate him, what's wrong with me...) I thought looking at the trees.
"Hey, old man! Don't be mocking ninjas so much! I'm awesome, you see! I'm a super-elite ninja who will be called Hokage one day! My name is Uzumaki Naruto. And this brat beside me will be my assistant! You better remember that!-dattebayo" He said pointing at me with so much excitement.
"Naruto..." I said my eyebrow twitching
(You're embarrassing me, Naruto) I thought as I look around our surroundings. Suddenly something caught my eyes, but it quickly disappear not giving me time to see it clearly.
(What's that... man, I don't really care) I thought sighing and looking at the team again.
"The Hokage's the super top-dog Ninja in the village, right? You sure as heck don't seem like you could become Hokage" Tazuna-san said as he drinks
"Aaah! Shut up! I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to become the Hokage! You'll have no choice but to acknowledge me then!" Naruto shouts a tick mark on his forehead.
"I'll never acknowledge you, squirt... Even if you become the Hokage" The old man mocks him.
(This old man) I thought my eyebrows furrowed
" What?! I'll kill you!" Naruto said ready to attack but Sensei quickly grab him by his bag.
"I told you to stop it, you moron!"
"You... don't be mocking someone's dream!" I said pointing at him with raised eyebrow.
"Ohh, you really care about me, Akira-ttebayo..." Naruto said with a teasing look as he stop trying to attack our client.
"Pshh, you really believe that this squirt will be Hokage, ha?" He said mockingly.
I hold Naruto's arms when he tried to attack again.
"Yes, I believe he will be the Hokage one day, maybe the greatest and I will be his shadow no matter what, so don't you dare mock his dream, old man " I said with a very serious face.
"Right, Akira's right, I don't really care about your opinion anymore..." Naruto said as we both walked away from the team, crossing our arms.
The rest of the team was amused by our attitude especially Naruto's, while Tazuna-san was just stunned in his spot, staring at us.
(I really hate it when someone mocks Naruto's dream)
"We should leave now, guys," Kakashi-sensei said as I heard footsteps behind us. Sakura walked over to my side, a smile on her face, and Sasuke stood beside her.
(I hope this mission goes well,) I thought as I looked around, putting my hands in my pocket. A thought crossing my mind
(Earlier, what's that?... It can't be an ordinary animal judging by its size and speed, but I don't sense any chakra... around us earlier...maybe I'm just paranoid...) I thought looking at the trees, then at the ground. I jump when someone pokes at my cheek
"You okay there, you're too quiet" Naruto said looking at me
"ha? I'm always quiet, Naruto" I said with a poker face, looking at him
"Right..." he said looking at the ground.
"Tell me what is it?..." I whispered seeing his face like he still wanted to tell me something.
"Well, I'm just glad you're here" He mutters chuckling, affection shining in his eyes.
"I'll be always here for you and always protect you, I'll be your shadow Naruto..." I whispered to him with affection as I poke his cheeks, a blush on his face.
"Like you told me before, it never changes" He said giving me a really big smile
"Yoshi! I'm gonna do my best in this mission" He suddenly said making me giggle and the rest jumped and looked at him weirdly by the sudden energy Naruto's radiating
"You always say that Naruto, calm down for a bit..." Sakura said with her arm crossed.
"Oh, sorry" Naruto said getting in his position again beside me, I just chuckled while he scratch the back of his head awkwardly.
-skip-
(Damn this is taking so long...) I thought wiping the sweat on my nose.
"Say... Tazuna-san...?" I heard Sakura ask making me look from behind us.
"What is it?" Tazuna-san replied
"Your country is the 'Land of Waves,' right?" Sakura asks again
"What of it?"
"Say, Kakashi-sensei... Are there Ninja in that land, too?" Sakura asks getting Sensei's attention
(Sakura just keeps distracting him, my head already has a hole...) I thought my eyebrows twitching
"No, there aren't ninjas in the Land of the Waves...But in the other Nations, while cultures and costumes are different, hidden villages exist, and there are Ninjas there." Sensei explained.
"To the many nations on the continent. The existence of shinobi Villages is a measure of the nation's military strength. In other words, that is how these nations maintain their relationships with neighboring nations. Even so, the villages are not under the control of the nations. They are equal in rank..." He explained
(Mhm... to my recollection I already read that in a book...) I thought looking again in front of us, not listening to what Sensei is still saying.
The team abruptly comes to a halt as they listen to Kakashi-sensei, forcing me to come to a halt on my own.
(I didn't really plan on standing here out in the sun) I thought wiping again the sweat on my nose.
"No kidding... Lord Hokage is that incredible!" Sakura said with admiration but you can clearly see the hesitation in it.
(He's a pervert though...) I thought with a sweatdropped, remembering the time Naruto uses the Sexy Jutsu on him
"Hey! You guys just doubted Hokage-sama now, didn't you...?" Sensei suddenly said interrupting our thoughts. Sakura and Naruto immediately shake their head.
"Well... don't worry. There are no Ninja battles in a C-rank mission" Sensei said putting his hands on Sakura's hair
(Is that his habit...) I thought, crossing my arms and averting my eyes to look at the trees.
"Then, there's no worry of getting into a scrape with foreign Ninjas...!" I heard Sakura says. I jump when a hand is suddenly placed on top of my head ruffling my hair.
(Damn my hair is a mess now...) I thought with a frown
"Of course, not" Sensei said with an eye smile, chuckling as he continue to mess with my hair
My attention diverted to Tazuna-san seeing him tense all of a sudden. I squint my eyes at him, making him look at the other side, avoiding eye contact.
(What's with him...) I thought getting suspicious
"We should continue our travel now..." Kakashi-sensei said removing his hand on my hair and putting it in his pockets, as we continue walking.
-skip-
"This taking so long..." I mutter as I fix my hair. I look at Sensei seeing him looking at me already.
(What's with this people) I thought
"Don't you get hot with your clothes, you're even wearing a mask, Sensei" I suddenly ask getting the other's attention
"Ma, I just got used to it, beside it's not even that hot" He said smiling
"It's hot..." I whispered looking to the side
"You're also wearing a jacket, you could take it off if you're that hot" He said with an eye smile
I look at Naruto who's in front of us, observing him
"At least I'm wearing dark color, unlike the others here, who are dressed in all orange," I said, making Naruto turn his head.
"You might break your neck, Naruto," I said, ignoring the look he was giving me.
"What did you say, my clothes are perfectly fine, you just don't have fashion-dattebayo" he frowned, crossing his arms.
"And you, teme! Can you stop laughing?" He said as he looked at Sasuke, who was smirking.
"Making me, dobe!" Sasuke fights back, causing my brows to twitch.
"Don't call Sasuke-kun like that, Naruto" Sakura said, joining the commotion.
"Well, that escalated quickly" I mutter, sighing, as Sensei chuckles at the team.
(What's that...) I wondered as we passed through a puddle, causing me to drop my hand near my weapons. Sensei also noticed the puddles and gave the team a wary look. The atmosphere changed abruptly when a chain wrapped around Sensei, forcing me to push Tazuna-san and Naruto away
"W-what?" Sensei said as the chains wrapped around him squishing him, making him burst.
"Die!" The unknown ninja said
The team looked at the scene in shock.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said taking a step forward but I hold him by the arm stopping him.
Suddenly the two Unknown ninjas appear behind Naruto, making us tense.
"The second one..." They said, looking at Naruto, making me swing a kunai at them, but they evaded it, inflicting a wound on Naruto, who was stunned on the spot.
(Naruto...) I thought as I worriedly looked at him.
They attack again, but this time I manage to stab the other one in the shoulder with a kunai, twisting it and making him wince and stop. I kick the other one under the chin, causing him to stumble back. I took that opportunity to yank Naruto away from them. When the enemy recovered, they wasted no time in continuing their attack, but Sasuke threw shuriken and a kunai, causing the chains to be pinned on a tree, surprising the enemy. They groaned at the lacked of progress in their plan of attack.
They attempted to remove the chains, but they were unable to do so. Sasuke lands on top of their chain-connected arms and kicks them, causing the chain to fall off. He smirked, when his plan worked.
I look at Naruto, who is staring at Sasuke in awe. But the wound in his hand caught my attention.
"Naruto-" I said but didn't have the time to finish as the other one proceed to attack Tazuna-san, forcing Sakura to push him backward, ready to take the hit
"Get back, sir!" Sakura yelled as she shielded Tazuna-san with a kunai on her hand.
"Kuso," I mutter under my breath, ready to go to Sakura, but the other enemy abruptly changed its direction and started running towards us. I tense up as I look at Naruto, who is staring in horror at the enemy.
I return my gaze to Sakura and see Sasuke standing in front of her, shielding both of them; Sakura and Tazuna-san.
I took a kunai and positioned myself in front of Naruto, ready to attack.
(Ahh, mo...) I thought as the enemy get closer and closer.
Suddenly, an arm grabbed the enemies by the neck, preventing them to continue their assault. My brows twitched as I looked at the person who was strangling them.
(What the hell...) I thought, as my heart rate starts to calm down.
"Yo..." he said, boredly looking at us.
"Whaa- then what was that?" Naruto said looking at where previously Sensei got attacked, seeing it was a log that is cut off into pieces
"Naruto... Sorry I didn't help you right away..." Sensei apologizes as he looks back at us, holding the enemy
"I got you hurt. I didn't think you'd be incapable of moving..." He continued walking away toward the rest of the team. I look at Tazuna-san who's looking relief
(This old man...) I thought, glaring at him. I avert my eyes to look at Naruto who is looking at the team in shock.
I kneel in front of him touching his cheek, getting him out of his shocked state.
"Naruto, are you okay...?" I asked him worriedly, but he just looks at his wound, with a look I don't want to see on his face. He is looking at his wounds with insecurity and hatred.
"Naruto, it's okay..." I said, putting my hand on his shoulder
"Anyhow, let me just say, good job, Sasuke. You, too, Sakura" Sensei said, then he turns to look at me
"Also, you, Akira" I just look at him with an emotionless face, and he quickly averts his eyes to look at our client. I look back again at Naruto but he is looking at Sasuke with an unrecognizable expression.
(Naruto, it's okay, it was your first battle...) That's what I wanted to tell him but decided not to as it will not help the situation. I look at Sasuke.
(Sasuke was different as this isn't his first battle...but you might not know it.)
"Hey... Are you hurt...scaredy cat?" Sasuke said with a smirk.
"Sasuke..." I said looking at him shocked
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouts ready to approach Sasuke, but Sensei cuts him off.
"Naruto! These guys have poison on their claws. You need to get the poison out quickly. You need to open the wound and drain the poisoned blood. Don't move too much or the poison will spread," he explained, leaving Naruto stunned and staring at his wound once more.
"By the way, Tazuna-san..." Sensei continued, still clutching the enemy.
"W-What is it?" Tazuna-san asks his face tense.
"I need to talk to you about something," Sensei said, looking over his shoulder at Tazuna-san.
Then he walked up to a tree and tied the two anonymous ninjas.
We gathered around them, and I was still worriedly looking at Naruto, but he was just staring at the enemy, frustrated.
"Chunin from the Village Hidden from the Mist... This Ninja is known for continuing to fight, no matter the sacrifice." Sensei explained looking at the enemy
"How were you able to detect our movements?" The mist-ninja asked.
"There probably wouldn't be puddles of water, on a clear day like today, when it hasn't rained for days. As one of my students keeps whining about the sun, ne, Akira?" He said looking at me
"humph," I just said looking at the side with crossed arm.
"Knowing that, why'd you leave it to the kids to fight?" Tazuna-san said looking at Sensei with confusion.
"If I felt like it, I could kill these guys instantly...But, I had to know, who the target of these enemies was. In other words, what I mean is I had to know if it was you, or one of us Shinobi... who was being targeted. We haven't heard anything about you being targeted by ninjas. This mission is supposed to be protection from gangs, thieves, and the like. This is a mission with B-rank or higher. If our enemies were to be Ninjas, the mission would have been estimated without question as an expensive 'B-rank' mission. This is beyond the scope of our mission." Sensei explained making Tazuna-san look down.
"This mission is too soon for us..." Sakura said with a hesitant smile.
"Let's give up. We need an anesthetic to open Naruto's wound and get the poisoned blood..." Sakura explained
(We have to go back to the village in that case... but if we wait for us to go back again to the village the poison will spread) I thought, looking at Naruto with worry
"This sure is a burden. Since we need to treat Naruto's wound, shall we go back to the village..." Sensei said looking at the sky. I look at Naruto worriedly.
"Naruto, let me see-" I didn't have time to finish when he suddenly stabbed his hands making the blood splatter on my T-shirt and Jacket, I was stunned at his sudden action that I didn't hear what he is saying.
(I didn't...) I got shocked when he suddenly panicked.
"A-Akira!" He exclaimed waving his hands in front of me
"huh?" I said dumbfounded
"See, see my hand..." He said panicking still waving his hand in front of me
"ahh... r-right let me see..." I said holding his hands that had a wound. I just stare at it seeing that it's already healing very slowly.
(Kyuubi...) I thought. I avert my eyes to look at Naruto who is still panicking.
"I- is it bad?... A-am I gonna die..." He said sweat dripping from his face. I just look at him with a poker face.
"Let me see..." Sensei suddenly said behind me crouching making me jump.
"H-here" I said passing Naruto's hand. He just stare at it for a few seconds, shock clear in his eyes.
"Don't tell me you're just gonna stare at it Sensei" I said with a poker face.
"Am I okay? Akira looks awfully serious, then you look at my wound having the same look..." He said his mouth quivering.
"Well, you should be okay." Sensei said wrapping his wound with gauze. He turns to look at me as Naruto examines the gauze wrapped around his wound, while Sakura lectures him about being reckless. Sasuke and Naruto, look at each other intensely like they are challenging each other. I jump when a finger touches my cheek. I look at Sensei, backing away confused.
"why?" I asked looking at him with furrowed eyebrows
"oh, you just have blood on your cheek" He said wiping it then he wipes it on his pants.
"Ah, thanks." I said. Someone clears their throat behind us.
"Are you two related?" Tazuna-san asked. Making Sensei and I confused.
"... Like father and daugther...?" He continues. Making me cover my mouth as I hold my laugh.
"Actually, we're not..." Sensei said chuckling awkwardly scratching his head.
"I swear to kami, this old man... I mean Sensei will never be my otousan..." I said holding my laugh.
"Ahh, well, we should get going." Sensei said changing the subject, as he takes a quick glance at me.
Tazuna-san just nodded, as we started walking toward the rest of the team.