Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.
AN: Full Chapter Title: Team 7 Reporting In! The Escort Mission Was...!
4 this time. That's all.
"Man, can you believe what that Uzumaki kid's done still?" Two Chunin leaned outside the guard post that they seemed to eternally man day in and day out. "That clone army of his is kind of freaky to see everywhere even when he's gone. How much Charka does he have if he can even walk after that?"
"I don't know, I'm just glad the kid's on our side. Those are Kage level reserves at minimum."
"Yeah…"
"I still think the Fourth could beat him if he really wanted to. What's one army to another, you know?"
"He just wiped out that Iwa battalion right? How are you so sure he can take out that kid's whole army?"
"He wiped it out by himself so I'm pretty sure he can handle some untrained kid and his clones too."
"Whatever you say Izumo."
Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane returned silently to their duties a moment or so later after the conversation between the two Shinobi had ended. Both sent a quick glance to the still as statue hundred clones of Naruto Uzumaki that had been standing at the gate since they had begun their guard shift a few hours ago. It was unnerving just how still the hundred clones had been. Curious kids had raced up to them, made faces, some had run between their ranks, and others had nearly begun to attack them before they were hastily pulled away. The blue eyes of the one they knew to be the clone in charge of the others (the Hokage's briefing referred to them as centurions) was also enough to send them scurrying away. More of the clones labeled centurions in the aforementioned briefing had approached every hour or so with a hundred times as many clones with them as they were them. Both were lucky it never surpassed two.
Beyond the all but statues with them, the mission was as normal as always. Check in a few merchants, check out a few merchants, check any caravans heading inside, sign off on any Shinobi leaving the village, and more of the usual. The clones never spoke or moved during it all. They were arrayed in four rows, two on each side of the street, and faced in towards the street. The centurion responsible for them remained standing just outside the gates with his eyes focused towards the path to the village.
"What are they w-" Izumo was interrupted.
"PRAETOR IS RETURNING! PRESENT YOURSELVES!"
"HOO!"
The clang of metal on metal resounded through the plaza just inside the village from the gates and the hundred clones moved at last. They assembled into ten rows, all but blockading the streets as the centurion in charge of them strode to the front of the formation. The clones, as one, shifted their helmets from under their arms to over their heads and adjusted their grip on their shields. Their free hands fell down to the blades at their sides and grabbed hold of the hilts.
"What's going on with those guys?" Shikamaru paused in his walk, glancing behind him at the source of the noise and seeing the Kage Bunshin had at last moved from where they had been as still as statues. His curiosity was piqued no matter what happened now and he turned to his Jonin sensei, one Asuma Sarutobi. "Asuma-sensei, do you mind letting us see what this is all about?"
"We'll take a vote." Asuma took a drag from his near ever present cigarette before speaking again. "Everyone in favor of sticking around, raise your hands." He closed his eyes and preemptively rubbed his temple to try to beat back a future headache before opening them.
Three hands were in the air.
Ino had hearts in her eyes at the thought of seeing 'Sasuke-kun' in a uniform.
Shikamaru wanted to see what else Naruto's clones would do after their last encounter.
Choji was partially curious and partially just putting his hand up because Shikamaru did.
'Ino-Shika-Cho really does stick together.' He couldn't help but let out a good natured sigh before he took another deep breath of his cigarette.
"It looks like I'm completely outvoted." He pointed down the street where a number of benches were placed near the gate. They actually gave a perfect view of the Orange Legion facing the gate. "We can go watch from over there if you really want to."
"Alright, let's go then." Shikamaru earned a raised eyebrow as he led the way over before the Sarutobi merely shook his head in amusement.
'What motivates a Nara to lead the way? Too much curiosity.'
"Gai-sensei, look!" Nearby, Team Gai had been waiting just as long as the Orange Legion's troops. Maito Gai, the leader of the team, had heard of Kakashi's imminent return to the village and couldn't help but await his rival and his team's first real mission. Reports from ANBU were clear, Team 7 hadn't actually taken a real mission until now thanks to the clones doing all the D-Ranks for them. Their first mission had been a C-Rank assignment to Nami no Kuni. Gai believed it was an escort mission.
"I see." Strangely enough, since they had begun to observe the Orange Legion, Gai had been far from his usual self. He hadn't been loud once and had instead been observing the clones before him with an intelligence rarely displayed as it was now. A Shinobi does not rise to the ranks of Jonin with pure skill. A Shinobi does not contest with Kakashi Hatake, a natural genius if there ever was one, through sheer strength. A man does not obtain the heights of the Green Beast of Konoha without a great mind bonded with skill. "It looks like Team 7 is coming back. They must be the welcoming party."
"So Naruto's coming back?" Tenten had picked up on the slack. Her voice overflowed with excitement and she seemed to nearly be jumping up and down from where the four man cell waited on the rooftops. "He's going to be back, right Gai-sensei?"
"Indeed he is. Neji can confirm it, can you not my pupil?" Three sets of eyes turned to the Hyuga to catch a glimpse of the deactivating Byakugan. He was silent for only a moment before offering a nod and received three very different responses.
"YOSH!" Lee was excited as always but for a number of reasons. "At last I may see my rival and Sakura-chan!"
"I can't wait to ask him where he got such amazing weapons!" Tenten was excited to see the man behind the weapons of the Orange Legion.
'I wonder how you fared, Kakashi.' Gai was contemplative strangely enough. He had no ill will towards the Orange Legion, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, or the Jonin in charge of the three Genin. He merely had many questions and wished for answers. One of them was of course how well his rival's first passed Genin team measured up to his own and another was more difficult to answer. He had seen Kakashi after the Bell Test to pass Team 7 and unlike the others present, with even Lord Hokage included in such a grouping, had truly seen him for what he was in that moment with a glance.
Kakashi was tired. He masked it well, no doubt from his days in ANBU Black Ops, but he was exhausted. The level of devastation he had unleashed was nothing to scoff at but it was far from the legendary Jonin's true capabilities. The Orange Legion had pushed Kakashi to his physical limits instead of the near mythical heights of his Chakra Reserves. He had enough Chakra left to battle the entire night if he had to but his body was running on near fumes. The Jonin had most likely collapsed after the meeting when he had vanished. He had slept the day away and been late to the first official meeting of Team 7 for a good reason.
Gai was curious as to how Naruto had pushed his rival to such limits. How had a Genin pushed a Jonin to his near physical limits in the end? What had happened at Training Ground 7 while everyone else was nearly consumed by the panic Naruto's marching clones had brought forth?
It was this and more that had created his contemplative manner as of late. His mind had been wracked with reasoning that made sense but he knew he was missing something of vital importance. He could understand what had happened with it but without it he would forever remain in the dark. He needed to learn it from someone present. He needed to learn it from Kakashi.
He shook his head to clear it. He had caught sight of the upright silver hair of his rival and leaped off the rooftop to meet him and find his answers.
"KAKASHI!" His exuberance had returned. He raced down the path to his rival and to the answers to his many questions.
Elsewhere, hidden in the shadows, a dozen ANBU trusted by the Hokage watched from the trees as the marching column came into sight. The first thing they noticed was obvious. It was reduced to only a hundred of the clones that had been labeled Naruto's Praetorians, his bodyguards in short. None of the clones given to the Haruno girl, her Blossom Guard, were present anymore. Another thing was their positioning. Kakashi walked at a sedate pace behind the three Genin with his arms behind his head, nothing abnormal about that, and the Genin walked ahead of him in one row. The Uchiha was on the left, Sakura was in the middle, and Naruto was on the right.
There was also the incredible amount of power pouring out of the Uzumaki seemingly every second. It was enough to give an inexperienced sensor a near migraine if they focused too much and already one of the newer ANBU had to shake his head.
'What is that?' Asuma didn't let any of his shock show on his face as he spotted Team 7 stop just outside the gates and Naruto stepped forward. Kakashi was lazily talking with an energetic as always Gai as the blonde stepped up to the centurion standing before the gate.
"Kneel before your Praetor!" The centurion feel to a knee and the shadow clones arrayed in front of Naruto followed his example. Each planted their shield into the ground and dropped to a knee with their heads bowed and the hilt of their swords still clenched in their hands. Only the centurion covered his armored heart with his fist. "We have awaited your return Praetor."
"I'm glad to see that my Orange Legion has not fallen in my absence." As Naruto spoke, Sasuke silently approached behind him and stood at his right side. The Uzumaki's Praetorians arrayed themselves in a formation identical to the other clones just flipped in what direction they faced. "Now, where is the Praefectus Castrorum I gifted with command of my glorious Legion?"
"He eagerly awaits your return in the main camp Praetor." The centurion had not raised his head once he had bowed it. Naruto looked over at the curious villagers and more obvious Shinobi present before he turned to the Uchiha behind him.
"Once our meeting with the Hokage is done, I expect you to spread the word of what has happened to the rest of my Legion." His words were whispered but they did not need to be concealed. The information was not that difficult to acquire and both knew it as such.
"Your will shall be done Praetor." Sasuke offered the salute of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire to Praetor's words and the blonde offered him a nod in return. His eyes returned to the soldiers of his Legion arrayed behind him and he was silent for several seconds before speaking.
"Centurion Uzumaki of the First Cohort's Fifth Century!" At the sound of Praetor directly addressing him, the centurion shot to his feet and his hand remained where it had been for quite some time now, clenched into a fist above his armored heart. "You and First Cohort's Fifth Century are dismissed from your post!"
"HOO!" A great smoke cloud drifted into the air a moment later as the entire century, centurion included, vanished to parts unknown to most of the denizens of Konoha. Naruto seemed to ignore it as he stepped through the smoke and Sasuke followed after him. With a shout, a dozen of his Praetorians raced forward and encircled the two high ranking leaders of the Orange Legion, the Legate and Praetor. Sakura briefly conversed with the centurion of Naruto's Praetorians and turned to Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei, do you mind if I go with you?" The pink haired Genin looked to the silver haired Jonin and Gai couldn't help but notice the rage suddenly shining in numerous pairs of blue eyes. Both the obvious and hidden soldiers of Naruto's Orange Legion had only moments ago looked upon Sakura with adoration but had swiftly shifted to hated towards his rival.
'Yet another question with no answer.' Gai wanted to sigh before he drew his rival's attention was a clap on the shoulder and a smile some would describe as blindingly bright.
"We can continue our conversation later my eternal rival! For now, do not allow me to interfere with a student so eager to spend time with you! I will leave you alone to impart your knowledge onto her! I shall do the same with my pupils and we will see which one of us proves more sagely!" Gai was back to being as boisterous as always it seemed.
Silently Kakashi met his eyes with his sole visible one and a message was exchanged.
Later.
"Ah, this is precisely why I never bothered with kids before." Kakashi raised a hand in farewell as he stepped up to the Genin. "Sometimes they can be so demanding and I'm stuck dealing with whatever they want those sometimes."
"I just want to be sure you don't do anything before reporting back to the Hokage with the rest of us, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura smiled at him and the clones around them, having silently spread out into a barrier between the two and the populace of Konoha, marched in time with their steps as they began walking. "Naruto and Sasuke are probably already halfway there so do you really want to lose to your Genin students?"
Kakashi was silent for a moment before the pink haired Genin was swept up in his arms to the shouted protest of the clones that encircled them. Swords had been drawn and the centurion left behind leveled the blade with the Jonin.
"Unhand Sakura-chan." His voice was a growl as something came upon his eyes that made Kakashi file it away for later.
"Later." The Jonin vanished in a puff of smoke and the centurion truly did snarl as he sheathed his blade and turned to the near feral Praetorians around him. All returned their blades to their sides as his eyes swept over them before he marched out to the perimeter. A pair of twin lines formed behind him as he pressed a finger to the side of his helmet.
"Praetor, Legate, Silver Fang has taken Sakura-chan ahead of her guard."
"I will deal with this." Praetor was unconcerned from his tone but none could feel the anger he must have held greater than the soldiers of the Orange Legion. They all felt the same rage at the blatant disrespect Silver Fang showed Praetor every moment he could. He was an enemy that would one day be eliminated with extreme prejudice. "Return to camp and await myself and Legate Sasuke. We will arrive with all possible haste once this business at the Hokage Tower is finished."
"Your Orange Legion shall eagerly await your return Praetor." The centurion of Naruto's Praetorians removed his finger from his ear and the grip on the hilt of his sword tightened several times over. "There will come a day when I will no lo-"
"Finally!" A girl with her hair in a pair of buns was suddenly in front of him and all but grabbed hold of the centurion. "I've been waiting over a week to talk to you! You've got to tell me where Naruto found such classics like this!" Somehow her hands now held his blade and it was gone from his side. The centurion took a moment or two to process such a thing. "Where were they stowed away at? Are they all custom made? Did he make the entire set himself? He's a good smith but there are some flaws that I saw and I've got loads of tips for him! How does he have so many copies? Is it some special Jutsu he created? Is he using seals? If he really did something that incredible than you have to let me see him and ask him everything about the process." His hand robotically reached out and took hold of his weapon as the Praetorians with him were silently sent on ahead with a wave of his unoccupied hand. "I j-"
He raised the same hand to her mouth to silence her. Despite the interruption and suddenness of their meeting, he knew her well thanks to her familiarity to several of the Legion for similar encounters. A thought struck him suddenly and Praetorian Centurion Uzumaki of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire smiled.
"I believe Praetor is far more capable of answering any questions you have of his glorious Orange Legion." He stepped to her side and offered his arm to her, one she took after only a moment and the two stepped down the street with their arms interlocked. "May I have your name if you don't mind?"
"Tenten Ken at your service."
"I am Praetorian Centurion Uzumaki and I, when Praetor himself is not present, lead the Praetorians of his magnificent Orange Legion." The Praetorian's mind was moving rather quickly as he spoke. They had swiftly caught up with the slow marching Praetorians and they continued forward in formation, wordlessly separating to allow the centurion to head to the front with his guest. "Tell me, Ken-san, what other words do you have on Praetor's Orange Legion?"
He did not question where the notebook came from. Reports he had checked before the return from Nami no Kuni showed she was well versed in Fuinjutsu, it was the entirety of her fighting style in many ways and something the Orange Legion's centurions had expressed interest in. The ability to transport so many weapons wasn't as important as her ingenuity and versatility. Observations showed her a master of most if not all of the weapons in her arsenal and the spars she had been offered by several centurions once their shifts had ended or had yet to begin had given much more information. Her weapons appeared to be an equal mixture of brought and custom made and those that fell into the second category were very well made.
Elsewhere, Team Asuma silently walked behind the soldiers of the Orange Legion.
"Man, this is such a drag." Shikamaru may have spoken what was quickly becoming his catchphrase but he did not stop or complain about their slow pursuit. "All I wanted to do was talk to Naruto about some of the stuff going on and he's in this mad rush to go to the Hokage Tower. Why couldn't he stick around the gates for a few more minutes?"
"You kind of just sat there when he showed up." Choji was walking at his side, a bag of chips in hand as he ate handful after handful. It was the second bag since the team had chosen to watch for the return of Team 7 to the village. "Why didn't you just go up to him before he left with Sasuke?"
"I was thinking about some things." Mainly the way the clones had all vanished. There were too many puzzle pieces strewn around in his head for him to snap out of his thoughts and go after Naruto. "And those guys that followed him didn't exactly look friendly."
"Yeah." Ino spoke up from where she walked with their sensei. "Asuma-sensei, what do you think about what happened?"
"When those clones tried to attack Kakashi?" Asuma exhales a stream of smoke from his nose before he lowered the cigarettes from his lips. "You really shouldn't worry about it so much Ino. It wasn't like he couldn't take them down if he was really in trouble."
"Then what about Sasuke-kun!" The volume of Ino's voice made all three men on the team wince. "Why is he following that Dead Last around like he's some bodyguard?"
"You should talk to Sakura about that." Asuma deflected the question to the pink haired Genin on the team. "She probably knows why he's doing it. Maybe Naruto promised him something."
The fact that the Uchiha was listening to the former Dead Last of the Academy had drawn more than a little curiosity from the Shinobi that had gathered after the near disaster Naruto's clones had caused on the day of the testing. A few of the Yamanaka had been looking over what they knew from ANBU observations during Team 7's days before the escort mission to Nami no Kuni and so far hadn't come up with much. The only thing that had sprung up was a betting pool over the two's daily spars.
"You're right, Forehead would know all about why Sasuke-kun is listening to Naruto-baka!" Asuma silently distanced himself from the blonde Genin. The maniacal gleams in her eyes made him somewhat worry over the fate of Kakashi's student. "I'll make sure to find out everything she knows! Then I'll make sure Sasuke-kun stops following that idiot around and he'll love me for it!"
'Dammit Ino.' Shikamaru wanted to put his head in his hands as several of Naruto's clones abruptly broke away from the formation at a run. They ducked into an alley and he had no idea where they ended up going before six at the end of the formation turned around and formed a wall out of their shields and a hand fell to the swords at their waist.
No doubt Ino's shouts had alerted them to their tails.
"Halt." The six clones spoke as one and Shikamaru didn't exactly like the look in their blue eyes. They weren't a lot like the Naruto he thought he knew before he had heard about him graduating from some special lessons. The same blue eyes had once been the cage for a mad brilliance and other things that simply defined Naruto to the dark haired Genin but now they carried something else that he couldn't exactly pin down. The only thing he could say for certain he found in them was an immeasurable pride.
"Hey." He raised a hand in greeting as he and Choji came to a stop. "You guys mind if I talk to Naruto?"
"Praetor is not among us." One of the six spoke this time as the shields were suddenly removed from where they had been all but slammed into the ground and returned to their place at their sides with their arms. One of the clones stepped forward, the same one that had spoken, and the other six fell back and their hands remained on their swords.
"Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, let's go." Asuma strode forward with his hands in his pocket, his cigarette extinguished beneath his sandal a few paces behind him. His eyes roamed over the six clones before he walked between the two Genin. "I'm pretty sure the Hokage has a mission for us."
"Yeah…almost forgot." Shikamaru nodded and followed after his sensei with the two other Genin as he leaped onto the rooftops.
'I guess I'll talk to him at the Hokage Tower then.' Unbidden, Shikamaru couldn't stop the lazy grin slowly spreading over his face. 'It'll be a 'surprise' meting. Catching up with an old friend I guess…' The grin fell away faster than it had arrived. 'If Naruto even has people he calls friends anymore.'
The easy going days at the Academy came to mind then. Him, Choji, Kiba, and Naruto spending day after day together only to be yelled out by Iruka-sensei and stuck in detention where the teacher would lecture them some more. Naruto had laughed off most of what he said but would show up in class for a few days. He would pull a few pranks but he wouldn't ditch class for a while. He dragged the other three in the room with him, saying something about the future Hokage needing friends almost as smart as him. After he said that, Kiba would start shouting at him and then, some of the time at least, the two would get into a fight over who would be the better Hokage. Akamaru would no doubt get involved somehow, and he and Choji would just laugh at the two.
'Man…memories are such a drag sometimes.' He ran a hand down his face.
His hand came away wet. All this sudden exercising was making a lazy guy like him sweat.
"Ah, it seems someone wants to talk to me." A grin spread across his face as he removed a hand from his ear. "Two people if the reports are correct."
"The First's Sixth Centurion is nearby, should I order him to assemble his century outside?" Sasuke spoke up from where he leaned against the wall next to Naruto. Both had been waiting for their Jonin sensei and Sakura to show up. The eyes of the Orange Legion pursued them over the village as Kakashi stopped more times than was necessary. So far he had picked up dango, picked up more shuriken and kunai, went by the kennels kept by the Inuzuku and talked for a few minutes with a few of the clan members, went into a tree to feed a family of squirrels, and gone around the village when a cat crossed his path. It wasn't even black, an old rust colored one. "He'll arrive in several minutes."
"No. My Praetorians are enough and I do not feel like aggravating our watchers anymore." Down either end of the hall, his Praetorians had dispersed themselves and prevented travel to the Hokage's office. Several shouting matches had occurred but nothing more than that.
The sheer power that continued to pour out of the blonde Uzumaki waiting by the door to the office made many reconsider picking a fight with the clones blocking their way.
The trio of ANBU Black Ops agents standing at either end of the hall in a silent staring match with the soldiers of the Orange Legion also helped send many off to fulfill other duties they suddenly remembered having. The sight amused the Praetor of the Orange Legion to no end.
"That's pretty smart Naruto." Both Genin started off the wall when Kakashi was suddenly between them. Naruto recovered quickly and chuckled as Sakura stepped down the hall and the Praetorians silently stepped out of the way for her before reforming their line. "I knew I made the right decision when I named you Team Leader."
"Your skills are great to silently bypass all of my Praetorians Silver Fang." Naruto spoke no more as he turned to the door to the Hokage office and opened it. "I truly can hardly wait for the day my glorious Legion at last surpasses such a great power. I shall enjoy the day when you learn the errors of your ways."
"You kids." Blades were not drawn when Kakashi patted Naruto on the head only because the Praetorians had not seen the deed. They did not see Kakashi silently step pass Naruto into the room and beckon for the Genin to follow.
They did feel Praetor's rage through the Chakra suddenly flooding the halls. They turned and marched back to the door.
"Hokage-sama." Kakashi bowed his head towards the village leader as the three Genin formed a line in front of him. Sakura was once again in the center, directly in front of him, and Naruto and Sasuke were on his right and left respectively. "Team 7 reporting in."
"Ah, Team 7 at last." Hiruzen Sarutobi let a smile cross over his aged face as he set down his pen for the moment. "I've been waiting for your appearance all morning, Kakashi." He let his elbows rest on the top of his desk and leaned forward, his interlocked fingers resting at his nose. "Tell me, what is the status of your C-Rank escort mission to the Land of Waves?"
"Team 7's mission to the Land of Waves was a success Hokage-sama." Kakashi was grinning underneath his mask. "I named Naruto Team Leader so I'm sure he can tell you all the details." The Jonin laid a hand on Naruto's armored shoulder. "Isn't that right, Naruto?"
"You are testing many things with your actions, Silver Fang." Naruto strode forward, almost jerking his shoulder free of Kakashi's grip to some, and stopped in front of the Hokage's desk. "I am pleased to inform you Sarutobi-jiji that the Land of Waves has fallen under the banner of my mighty Uzumaki Empire."
The Hokage stared blankly forward for a moment before his arms followed a well-practiced movement, more like a routine in truth. He drew out his pipe from underneath his desk. The smoking instrument was swiftly loaded with tobacco and lit before the Hokage brought it to his lips. He took a deep breath and exhaled the smoke.
"Could you repeat that Naruto-kun and, this time, leave out no details?" Hiruzen was met with an eager grin from Naruto, something similar to the smiles of mere months ago when he had still been an Academy Student but it was utterly separate at the same time.
"I shall." Naruto held out his hand and in a puff of smoke a scroll appeared in it. "I am pleased to announce that the Uzumaki Empire has cleared Waves of banditry and my Third Cohort has been stationed there to prevent the return of such filth. As I am not omnipresent, I have elected to name a well-known and respected man named Kaiza to be the Vicarius of Nami no Kuni. The client, Tazuna, had faced threats from a man known as Gato so I killed him."
"What?" The Hokage's words made Naruto's blue eyes widen at something he was completely foreign to coming from the man and directed at him. It was the anger in them. "You killed Gato?"
"Yes." He swiftly recovered. "His business interests directly caused the plague of bandits on my lands so I committed a takeover of his interests. All he once owned has now become the property of my Uzumaki Empire. I did not dismantle his shipping industry if you believe so. I have merely placed the Vicarius of Nami no Kuni in charge of it now. My Third Cohort has also deemed itself capable of expanding to better patrol my new territory. I have authorized such a thing and soon I shall command Orange Legions." Naruto set the scroll down on the desk. "As a Shinobi of Konoha, I have given the order for a great amount of detail to be committed to the scroll you see before you now. It describes all I have spoken of in much more detail from the initial journey to the campaign of war I unleashed upon the filth polluting my lands." Naruto stepped away and bowed to the aged Hokage. "I gift this to you Hokage-sama."
"I will look over this as soon as I can Naruto-kun." Blue eyes did not remain locked with old eyes. They swiftly left as he turned around.
"I also wish to inform you of the success of the mission you assigned to Team 7 Sarutobi-jiji. Tazuna survived with no injuries and his bridge was complete." At this, Naruto chuckled but it was a hollow one. "It has been named the Great Hope Bridge by the man we were assigned to protect."
It was clear Naruto hated the name.
"I see." Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his pipe once again brought up to his lips. "I will perhaps call you all in individually in the coming days and ask for reports from all of you. Naruto will be excluded as he has given me one I will look over with the others. Just to be safe, I'm ordering the rest of the team to complete your reports within a timespan of two days from now and send them to me." He exhaled a breath of smoke. "That will be all Team 7, you are dismissed."
"Hai, Hokage-sama." Four voices spoke together and the moment they were out of the doors they ran into Team 8.
"Kurenai."
"Kakashi."
The two Jonin greeted each other with nods of their heads, mutual respect in a working relationship, but the Genin were different.
"My Praetorians need more training I see." Chakra ripped through the hallway as a blue streaked wind and roused the fallen Praetorians strewn outside the door from their Genjutsu induced slumber. Power shined in the blue eyes of the blonde Uzumaki before he turned to the active Sharingan of his Legate. He ignored the distasteful sight of his Praetorians staggering back to their feet and retrieving their fallen weapons. "I expect this not to happen again Legate."
"I will pursue solutions with all I am able to Praetor." Sasuke's eyes looked over the clones for a moment before returning to Naruto's and brought his fist over his heart. "Such a disgrace shall not stain the records of your Legion again."
"I will hold you to it." Naruto's eyes roved over the three Genin that stood behind Kurenai as the Jonin glanced from him to Sasuke, curiosity shining in her eyes. "I see you have a team with you Yuhi-san. I feel more ashamed by Praetorians didn't detect the approach of Genin before falling to your Genjutsu."
"So, looks like the rumors are true." Naruto's eyes shifted to Kiba as the Inuzuka strode forward with the small and white Akamaru in his jacket like always. "You've gotten really good with that Shadow Clone Jutsu you leaned. Enough to think you can say what you want to anybody no matter what their rank is." He stepped forward and growled. "So, my big question for you right now, what the hell did you hit your head on, Naruto? What's got you acting like this?"
Naruto did not answer. His gaze settled on Kiba's own for a second before he pointedly turned to observe the other two members of Team 8.
"Hey! I'm talking to y-" He stepped forward and was stopped when a hand grabbed hold of his shoulder.
"You seem to be under the impression Praetor has to answer you." Sasuke's Sharingan locked with the near feral eyes of the Inuzuka from Naruto's wordless dismissal of him. "I will tell you to drop such delusions now or you will not live to regret having them." His free hand rested on the sword at his side. "You should know better than to demand anything of Praetor."
"I'm not afraid of your fancy eyes." Kiba jerked his shoulder away from his loose grip and his hands tightened into fists at his side. "If you think you can stop me, go ahead and try and take me on."
"There's your mistake Inuzuka, I don't think I can beat you, I know I can." Sasuke's sword was partially out of the sheath when a hand grabbed hold of his wrist.
"Well…this is over with." Kakashi's single visible eye was closed as he forced Sasuke's hand to move and place the sword back in its scabbard. A tighter grip forced him to release his grip on the sword and he pulled Sasuke away from a now grinning Kiba without another word. "We're going to talk later Sasuke." Kakashi released the Uchiha and looked to Kurenai. "See? This is why I'm no good with kids."
"You shouldn't say that." Kurenai looked towards Naruto. "Some kids are born rotten."
Kakashi and his team vanished without another word from the masked Jonin. Kurenai looked at the spot he had been at for only a moment longer before she turned and walked back down the hall. Team 8 followed her without a word of complaint. Her desire for a new mission for the Genin was forgotten for now as a new desire had taken hold of her mind. She had to go talk to two specific people right now and hopefully get some answers. She ran into one of the two she was looking for right down the hall.
Asuma was leaning against the wall, the two teams seamlessly joining together and intermingling as the Jonin sensei of each walked side by side. It wasn't long before they came across Gai and his team outside and the nine Genin were sent off to Training Ground 8 with the promise of the Jonin's arrival within the next few hours.
"We need to talk." The three spoke together before all three vanished in a swiftly conjoined cloud of smoke.
AN: 3 to go.