Chapter 22 – So many mistakes

Zabuza Momochi was a professional. He killed without remorse or mercy. He did the job with everything he had and rarely failed. When he was hired by Gato, he didn't like the slimy dictator. However, he was paying well so he kept his opinions to himself. His first mission was to kill the bridge builder. He thought it was beneath him so he sent the Demon Brothers to handle it.

When they failed and he was told that Konoha was involved, he was a little more interested. He set up an ambush and confronted the team that was protecting the bridge builder. He was very pleased to fight someone of Kakashi the Sharingan's level. He was impressed with his eye's ability to copy the Water Clone inside the mist but that's when he got disappointed in the man. He easily fell for his trap and he was now inside his Water Prison.

He created a Water Clone to deal with the kids. The black haired one rushed his clone and it easily caught him by the neck. He watched as the clone slammed him into the ground and stepped on his chest. The girl was scared shitless but the blond was doing better. He even tried to stop his teammate from rushing him. He could see his fear but he was controlling it. Zabuza was curious as to what the blond had planned. It wouldn't have mattered anyway.

He watched as he put his hand down on the ground. He was surprised as a sealing array surrounded him. He turned to the girl and the man, telling them to stay within the array. He guessed that it might have been an attack barrier that was just set up. He then watched as he took out a piece of paper and a nasty looking bomb. He once again did hand seals and created two more arrays. He placed the objects into those arrays and did another set of hand seals.

"Sealing Jutsu: Item Transfer Jutsu!" he heard him shout. Zabuza chuckled at the stupid name when a few things happened that shocked him. The first was that the brat he had on the ground and Kakashi was now next to him. The second was his Water Clone was destroyed by an explosion. The final surprise was when he looked at the Water Prison, that nasty bomb was there and it was glowing. He tried to get away but the explosion caught him. He felt two of the kunai hit him in the arm and waist.

Zabuza growled at the injuries and removed the kunai. The wounds were superficial but he was now pissed off at being outsmarted by a freaking kid. He would have to die first. Too bad that Kakashi was now free and ready to fight. He would deal with him first, then the blond and finally the bridge builder.

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Naruto sighed as he set the final trap. He was tired and really wanted some ramen. The work would have been finished a long time ago if his team helped. The lazy bastards were probably still sitting in the same spot as before. He pushed them from his mind and just finished securing the perimeter. He was really good at that. He just hoped that it would be enough to stall any one of Zabuza's skill.

Naruto entered the home of Tazuna and his family. Tsunami was a very kind woman who was grateful that they had saved her father. Her son, Inari, was a little prick who needed to be kicked in the face. Despite that, he would do all he could to protect them. He turned his attention to the two sitting on the couch.

"So, is Kakashi-sensei up yet?" Naruto asked.

"I just checked. He's still out from chakra exhaustion." Sakura said. Naruto sighed and scratched his head.

"Man, I hope he sent a message for back-up. I didn't see him use the scroll he took from before. We should have had someone with us if we have to engage another shinobi of Zabuza's caliber. This is no longer a C-rank mission." Naruto said.

"We don't need any help loser. We can handle the level." Sasuke said.

"Really? This from the guy who had a foot on his chest?" Naruto asked mockingly. Sasuke growled and Sakura was about to open her mouth but a look from Naruto stopped her. She then spoke up.

"It isn't like we could get a message back to Konoha to tell them what happened." Sakura argued.

"Kakashi can with that scroll." Naruto countered.

"The small scroll that he took from the gate guards? What does that actually do?" Sakura asked.

"It's a messaging scroll that I created. The sealing methods I put on the scroll allows us to communicate with Konoha, no matter the distance. Remember that day the ANBU came to get me? It was to take me to see the old man and the elders. We tested the ability of the scroll and it works." Naruto explained.

"Well, what are we waiting on? Get the scroll and send a message!" Sakura exclaimed.

"If I could do that, I would. So would every enemy that Konoha has. I put in a seal that will read the finger prints and chakra of the person who touches the scroll. Whoever touches it first, is the only one who can use it. Anyone else who tries to use that scroll, the scroll burns up and is destroyed." Naruto explained. Sakura could say nothing about that and did not discuss it. She was about to ask Sasuke his opinion but he was no longer there.

"Where did Sasuke-kun go?" Sakura asked.

"He probably went somewhere to brood." Naruto said. He turned around and walked back outside, ignoring Sakura's dirty look. Meanwhile, Sasuke was just entering the room that Kakashi was laying. He checked to see if he was still out and he was. He made his way over to his things and went through them. It took a short while but he found the scroll that Naruto was talking about. He narrowed his eyes at the scroll and immediately picked it up. It glowed before it caught on fire. Sasuke quickly threw it out the window. He watched it burn instantly and the wind took the ashes away.

Sasuke smirked at what he did. He wasn't about to lose this chance to get stronger. He turned around only to see the narrowed eye of his sensei looking at him. Kakashi was not happy and it showed. Sasuke did not look apologetic. He just walked out of the room to tell everyone that Kakashi was up. Kakashi just sighed and laid his head down.

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Naruto was really starting to dislike his team. Not only did Kakashi get his scroll destroyed but he finally taught something and he already knew it. The Tree Climbing exercise was something he learned from the Inuzuka and at the end of the academy. What pissed him off was that Kakashi assigned him to guard duty instead of teaching him the next stage of chakra exercises. He calmed down and worked from his scroll. He was still was working on his Wind Circle Razor and he started to work on a new jutsu. He was interrupted when Tazuna came up to him.

"Hey kid, it's quitting time." Tazuna said. Naruto rolled up his scroll and fasten it to his back. Tazuna was a little curious about it. "What's up with that scroll? I noticed that your two teammates keep looking at it."

"It was a gift. I mostly put my jutsu notes in it. They look at it because they want my secrets. We're not a tight bunch like the other teams. Don't worry about it. If they try to take or open my scroll, they will be in for a nasty surprise. Anyway, let's get you back home." Naruto said.

"Yeah. Oh, by the way, thanks for the help. I didn't know that you could make solid clones." Tazuna said.

"You mean the Shadow Clone Jutsu? Yeah, I learned that from the Hokage. It was an exchange for me teaching him one of my jutsu. I really don't use it as much as my other two Clone Jutsu but it is an effective jutsu." Naruto explained. Naruto led Tazuna back home through the path that he scouted two days back. As he moved through the path, Naruto stopped Tazuna. He got a bad feeling and summoned three clones. They all pulled out kunai and surrounded Tazuna. "Come out, I know that you're there."

"Not bad kid, protecting the client with a very good move." A voice said. Naruto recognized the voice but he had to make sure.

"When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames." Naruto said.

"The fire's shadow will illuminate the village and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew. You remember the Hokage's words." The voice said. Two people appeared wearing Konoha uniforms. Naruto recognized them instantly.

"Raido, Genma, thank Kami that you're our backup. I guess Kakashi-sensei got the request out before he got my scroll destroyed." Naruto said relaxed. The two looked at the blond before sighing. Naruto was confused by their look.

"We need to talk to your sensei Naruto." Genma said.

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"So, am I in trouble?" Kakashi asked jokingly. He was seated with his team to the right of him. He gave them a brief glance and saw that Naruto was not happy. When Raido and Genma came with him and Tazuna, he knew that things were not looking up. The two explained why they were here and demanded to know why he did not reply to the messages that were sent by the Hokage. Kakashi did give a good excuse, fighting with Zabuza, but the two expressed how the Sandaime was not happy.

"There will be a review when you get back to the village Kakashi. It isn't just the Hokage you will be facing. The elders are not happy as well. We know the real reason why." Genma said, looking at Naruto first and Sasuke second. Kakashi could see that Sasuke was a little offended by being looked at second. Kakashi was just happy he did not say anything.

"What I'm curious about is how did you get the scroll destroyed? There is only one way that could happen. Did Zabuza reach for it?" Raido asked.

"Yes, I was careless with it. He touched the scroll and it burned up." He looked at Naruto. "I'm really sorry about that." He said. Naruto just scoffed at turned his nose up at him. Kakashi sighed at the attitude he was getting from the blond. He turned his attention back to his comrade. "So what are you two going to do? Are you our backup?"

"In a sense. We are going to make our way to the daimyo's palace. We are to observe him and see if he's on Gato's payroll or not. The fact that he has allowed this to happen is suspicious." Raido explained.

"Well, I hope that you hurry. I could use the help against Zabuza when he returns. He will be more prepared to fight us." Kakashi said.

"Yeah, next time don't jump into his element." Genma said with mirth. Kakashi looked annoyed by him saying that. That meant that Naruto told them everything. With that done, the two left to start their mission. The genin got up to leave but Kakashi told Naruto to stay. The other two seem to smirk at that but it didn't bother Naruto. Now alone, the two faced each other.

"Naruto, I don't know how many times you want me to say it but I am sorry. How long are you going to keep up this hostile attitude?" Kakashi asked.

"So, I'm the problem?" Naruto asked with a tone.

"I'm not saying that but you are not helping matters. It is as if you don't respect me or your teammates." Kakashi said.

"Because I don't. I'll never respect my teammates and that's just the way things are going to be. You, I don't respect your decision making. From what everyone tells me, you're a well-known former ANBU who is known for his field actions. This mission has just shown me that maybe you aren't cut out to lead genin." Naruto stated. Kakashi narrowed his lone eye at him. The blond did not flinch at it. After looking at each other, Kakashi was the first to speak.

"Very well, however, at least try to work with us. Perhaps you will be surprised." Kakashi said.

"Doubt it." Naruto said and walked away. Kakashi sighed and raked his hand through his hair. He hoped that this mission did not get any worse.

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Sakura made her way up to the room where the boys were sleeping. It was morning and she had just finished working on her chakra control. She would change shifts with Naruto in an hour but she had a different mission today. That idiot Naruto left his large scroll and she was going to get it. She felt that if she got the scroll for Sasuke, then he was be appreciative to take her out on a date. Also, Naruto was getting a little too full of himself.

She found the scroll in the corner and made her way over to it. She figured that the only reason it hurt Sasuke was that it was close to Naruto's body. With it away, she felt that the scrolls defensive measures would not work. She made her way over to the scroll and reached out. As she touched the scroll, a small barrier appeared. It covered half of her arm and she got the biggest shock in her life. The electricity burned her arm badly.

Sakura screamed in pain and moved away from the scroll. She clutched her arm and cried out. The first to arrive was Tsunami. The second was Kakashi. He saw Tsunami check on Sakura's arm. That's when he noticed the electric discharge coming from the scroll. Kakashi put together what happen quickly and was very annoyed. Things just got worse.

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