Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I own none of it.
Summary: A more rational Danzo takes on team 7. The world changes accordingly
Chapter 20 - Missions pt. 2
Note: I'm gonna break from the timeline for a bunch of filler and movie missions and just have them happen whenever I want. Sorry not sorry. Also, this might be the last pre-timeskip chapter.
"Naruto, there's something we need to talk about with this mission." Kakashi placed a mission scroll for an A-Rank mission on the table.
Not surprising, Kakashi had advice to give on lots of missions. Naruto cracked open the scroll, revealing a request from a movie director to escort them to the land of snow and protect the filming.
"This seems mostly in order to me, Snow Country isn't the safest place in the world and she's fairly famous. I'm guessing you know something I don't?"
Kakashi nodded at her before continuing. "Fujikaze Yuki isn't who they say she is. Several years ago I had a mission in Snow Country, during a coup by the Daimyo's brother. I pulled the Daimyo's true heir out of the country to save her from her uncle."
Kakashi's gaze filled in the rest of the details for Naruto. "Ah, and you believe Miss Yuki is in fact one in the same I take it?" Kakashi's nod gets Naruto to sigh. "Alrighty then, what's her actual name?"
"Kazahana Koyuki I believe, it was her manager's name that tipped me off though. Asama Sandayu was a soldier for her father and didn't bother to hide his name." Naruto nodded as she started writing up a new mission scroll. S-Rank this time.
"Get me Sasuke and Sakura. Miss Yuki too while you're at it." Kakashi nodded and headed off to do just that. Meanwhile a Naruto that normally did paperwork turned to the window, tying a message onto a hawk and ushering it off to the capitol.
As far away as Snow was, it would still be best to inform the Daimyo she was intending to overthrow a foreign power.
The room felt a little awkward as the clearly high maintenance movie star/princess paced the room, her manager in one of the guest seats. Naruto just continued her paperwork until the door opened revealing Sasuke and Sakura, bickering over something or other playfully.
Now that they'd arrived though one of the Naruto's looked up. "Good, now that everyone's here we can get started." She gestured to her newly entered teammates. "Sasuke, Sakura. These are your clients, Fujikaze Yuki and her manager. Asama Sandayu."
Naruto gives them all a moment to exchange pleasantries before Kakashi returns to the room, both Sandayu and the irritable actress freezing when he enters. Naruto picks up as soon as the door clicks shut behind him. "Of course, unfortunately there's some details I'm a little confused about. A successful actress wanting an escort ro film in a dangerous country I can understand. I could also understand a victim of a coup returning home to reclaim her throne." The clients both were going white at this as Sakura started to look excited. "But what I can't understand is why you wouldn't just be upfront about that, especially seeing as Kakashi is the one that pulled her out of the country, which I'm sure you knew about Sandayu-san. So I'd like it if we could clear up exactly what's happening here before I send any of my Shinobi out on a poorly understood mission."
Yuki was shaking by now, but there was nowhere to run to so she snapped at them instead. "I don't even want to go back there! It's all the stupid directors idea, and he-" She gestured at Sandayu. "Thought it was a great idea! Said we'll hire some ninjas to keep you safe. And I bet your right and he has some bullshit plan to try and overthrow my Uncle because he just can't move on and let it go. And I wish you would! We have a good life, I don't want to go back there and ruin it all!" A normal person might have tears staining their cheeks as the desperation seeped through her voice. But Yuki hadn't cried in years.
"It's not just about you! He's holding the whole nation as an unjust dictator and it's your responsibility to the people to break them free from oppression!" Sandayu tried to convince her, seemingly to no avail as Yuki started crying properly.
"But we can't!" She stresses between stomps. "Best case scenario he just steals my Father's necklace and imprisons us both forever, and who knows what he can do with it that it was so important Dad sent it out with me. And worst case he slaughters us all and still gets the necklace!"
Sandayu might have replied but was interrupted by Naruto's cough. "Ahem" She let everyone's eyes land back on her. "Okay now that I have a better idea of the situation. I don't see any reason we can't help." Yuki looks like she's about to argue but a gesture from Naruto keeps her quiet. "Not now, the intel I have shows that Doto only has three shinobi of note under his control, and only one of them is Jonin level. And both Sasuke and Sakura are more than a square match from everything I can find. Plus I'll send a genin team along to ensure we cover all bases. So all you'd need to do is go and film your movie, we'll keep you protected and when Doto makes his move he'll be dealt with, everybody wins!" She smiles as she offers Yuki a scroll. "In exchange of course when you're Daimyo you'll join Konoha, Suna, Wave and Tea in a trade and mission distribution alliance. That way I win too." She finished with a grin spread across her face.
Yuki takes the scroll, moving almost robotically in shock even as Sandayu was bowing with stars in his eyes, but before he could start growling there was an unexpected knock at the door, Ayame sticking her head through a moment later. "Sorry to interrupt Hokage-sama, Lee-san has pulled some men out of the river and apparently they need their village saved."
All three of the Naruto's in the room groaned. "Of course, Sandayu, Miss Yuki, your team will meet you at the gates in the morning. I look forward to working with you in the future as village leaders." She finished as Kakashi led the two out, still in shock.
Once they were gone Ayame let Lee in to brief them on the situation he was involved with now. "Yosh! Hokage-sama, thank you for seeing me so quickly." He gave a quick bow before continuing. "During my training this morning I found three wounded men in the river, floating all the way from the Land of Rivers on their youthful quest for aid! For you see, their village outside the Katabami Goldmine has been the victim of a most devious caper. The Kurosuki family deposed a villainous magistrate, posing as saviors before revealing themselves to be even worse than the former magistrate. Burying disentors alive in a most unyouthful farce of a funeral." Lee struck a dramatic pose before finishing. "So I wish to help these men, return to the Land of Rivers and depose these tyrants!"
Sakura and Sasuke shared a look before Sasuke spoke up. "You should know Naruto. There's a Kurosuki in the bingo book. Kurosuki Raiga, former Jonin of Kirigakure and member of the Seven Swordsman." Sakura nodded along with him as he spoke, having been thinking the same thing.
Naruto, for her part, appeared deep in thought. "Of course Lee, the only problem is I have Gai on back to back S-Rank missions right now, after the invasion people are comforted by his…" Naruto rolled her eyes as she continued. "Youthfulness, I suppose." Lee beamed. "And I had just assigned Sasuke and Sakura on another mission, and most of our Jonin are also busy…" Naruto let out a sigh. "Okay Sasuke, Sakura. Take you pick, who goes to the Land of Snow and who goes with Team 9 to the Land of Rivers?"
The two shared a look before a wolfish grin spread across Sakura's face. "Well I mean, I wouldn't mind squaring off with one off the Seven again. It'll be good to see if I'm really worthy of Zabuza's blade or not."
Naruto nodded back at her. "Just be careful. It's not just Raiga you have to worry about, sounds like he probably has a band of thugs on hand too. Sasuke that leaves you with the Land of Snow. Which Genin team did you want? 8 or 10?"
Sasuke seemed to deliberate for a moment. While he liked working with Team 8, he recognized that Shino's bugs wouldn't fare well in the cold. "I'll take Team 10, no sense in putting Shino through the cold."
Naruto nodded again. "It's settled then, Sasuke get your team ready and head out with the movie production first thing in the morning. Sakura, stand by for the group from Katanabi to awaken and head out with them as soon as they do. You're all dismissed for now."
A chorus of "Hai, Naruto-sama." Echoed through the room before the three set out, leaving three Naruto's hard at work keeping the village running.
It didn't take long for Sasuke to alert the members of Team 10 that they'd be joining him for a mission first thing tomorrow. That finished he had time left to kill for the rest of the day. A quick shunsin, as easy as breathing, brought him before the Hyuga Compound, two branch members guarding the front gate jumping slightly as he arrived.
"Ah, Lord Sasuke. Here to see Lady Hinata?" The older of the two asked as they recollected themselves.
"Hn." He intoned as he walked past them, striding into the dojo as if he owned the place. He had an image to maintain after all. The Hyuga probably respected him for it, publicly he composed himself in a very similar manner to Hiashi after all. As the dojo came into view he saw something that bothered him though, Hinata taking a thrashing from her younger sister as Hiashi tried to bark out corrections to Hinata's gentle fist.
"That's enough!" He declared sternly as he suddenly appeared between the two of them, easily catching Hanabi's wrist.
While the girls were stunned Hiashi jumped to his feet, and all but stormed up to Sasuke. "You think because you're doing me a favour you get to decide how I train my children, Uchiha?"
Sasuke's killing intent could have turned the room to ice. "No. I think because she's my betrothed and my friend that I can put a stop to this farce." He throws Hanabi's hand away before he continues. "The only reason Hinata's even losing is because she doesn't want to hurt her. She held her own against Neji in the exams and only lost then because she wasn't willing to go for the debilitating blows he was." Sasuke stepped towards Hiashi. "Frankly, the two of us have already developed a style that works much better for Hinata, and maybe if you ever checked in on anything other than the gentle fist you'd see how strong your daughter already is!" Even with the height difference Sasuke stepped up to the Hyuga Clan leader.
Hiashi's eyes narrowed at Sasuke dangerously. "You'd do well to watch your tone boy."
"Or what?" Sasuke challenged. "With the contract we both signed I'm well within my rights to express concern over her well being. I'd be well within my rights to take her as my bride at this very moment and you never see your daughter again. Open your eyes Hiashi, the only thing that ever made her weak was you." He turned away from the older man and took Hinata by the hand. "Lets go Hinata, we can train till I've calmed down then go for dinner."
Hinata kinda squeaked as Sasuke pulled her close and the two vanished in his shunshin, an unnecessary flash of lightning marking their departure.
When they arrived in Sasuke's favourite training ground, Hinata lingered in his arms for a moment before making some space, looking down at her hands with a blush. "You um… You didn't have to do that Sasuke-kun." She pressed her fingers together and finished quietly. "B-but thank you. No one's ever stood up to Father like that before."
Sasuke huffed at that. "For someone with "all-seeing eyes" he can't see past his own bullshit. You'll be stronger than he ever was." Sasuke took a few steps and took his stance. "Let's train for a while and we'll talk more after dinner."
Hinata nodded, schooling her features as she fell into her stance. Senbon needles falling out of her sleeves and quickly crackling with lightning as she grasped three in each hand. Her Byakugan activating as Sasuke's Shaaringan spun to life.
Sasuke made the first move, blurring forward only for Hinata to lean back almost unnaturally. Back parallel to the ground she let Sasuke fly over her, only to latch onto him with her chakra. Flipping herself on top of Sasuke before kicking off, trying to force him face first into the dirt even as she let loose a volley of lighting coated senbon, all expertly aimed to disable both tenketsu and pressure points.
Unfortunately for her the Sasuke she was aiming at was already fading away, his unbelievably fast shunshin likely would have taken anyone else off guard. Lucky for her, she saw the world more clearly than most. Quickly twisting around she was just in time to find Sasuke's back yet again, this time a forceful lighting enhanced gentle fist strike struck him clean knocking him across the clearing.
It didn't take long for him to stand again, his own lighting chakra allowing him to undo the effects of the paralyzing strike. They couldn't help but smile at each other as they leapt towards each other once more, both excited to be training together.
Sakura, for her part, spent the rest of her day with Jiraiya. Knowing she would be up against Raiga and the Kiba blades the decided it would be best to spend some time developing some ways to deal with the lightning wielding jonin.
What she hadn't been expecting as her and Jiraiya worked to build her countermeasure for the upcoming mission was for Jiraiya to drop a bombshell on her.
"You know Sakura, we've been working together for some time now. You're well on your way to becoming a sage, the way you work on seals is nothing short of masterful. Even if your calligraphy still needs a ton of work." She looked at him quizzically. "I guess what I'm saying is, if you wanted. You could be like... my proper apprentice." At her bewildered look he waved his hands and continued. "Don't get me wrong, I had wanted it to be Naruto but we're just… Not the same kind of shinobi. But you? I started working with you as a favour but honestly you remind me a bit of myself. No clan, everyone assuming you'd drag down your teammates. But you overcame all that. Just like I did. Hell we even have the same affinities. So if you're interested-" He summons forth the Toad summoning contract. "It would be my honor to take you on as my apprentice. Konoha's next toad sage, and seal mistress."
Sakura was in shock, sure she and Jiraiya had a rapport, but she'd never really… She'd always thought it was just a favour for Naruto. But this, this was different. Jiraiya of the fucking Sannin saw himself in her?
There was never a question. "Yes! Of course, Jiraiya-sensei!" She couldn't help but exclaim, quickly biting her thumb to sign the toad contract.
The rest of the day was spent as an introduction to the various toads she could summon, what techniques which could do. It was the beginning of what would result in a long training day.
The next morning, as Sasuke was getting ready to head out for his mission a Naruto interrupted him.
"Sasuke-kun, before you go." His teammate offered forward a scroll. "Sakura and I talked about it, and we really think you should have a summon too. So why don't you take Baku? He was sensei's, and his wind techniques could be a real help to you when I'm not around. Plus he's like a mythical creature so who even knows what else he can do." She finished with a smile, in traditional Naruto fashion.
Sasuke took the scroll gently, looking it over. "It might not be the worst idea. Thank you Naruto, and tell Sakura the same." He signed the contract quickly, wishing he had time to practice and meet his new summon but knowing he couldn't spare the chakra for a boss level summon before going on a mission.
The two shared a quick hug before Sasuke had to go meet up with Team 10. "Be safe okay? Snow is too far for me to send a clone with you and too cold for Katsuyu." Naruto spoke quietly as they embraced.
Once they'd separated Sasuke's smirk was evident. "I'm a fire and lighting ninjutsu specialist, I'm not too worried about this one. Don't burn the village down while I'm gone."
Naruto rolled her eyes at him even as he was heading for the door. "I'm Hokage now, my whole job is to make sure the village stays thoroughly not burnt down."
Several floors below where Naruto and Sasuke had just said their goodbyes. Sakura was just putting the finishing touches on her solution to her lightning problem, her being an earth and water type she didn't have a great defence on her own. Jiraiya had helped of course, and it hadn't really been tested. But if Jiraiya said it was good it probably was.
The first part of the solution was integrated into her gloves, seals that would guide lightning chakra out of her hands, and along a system of straps and wires down to her feat where it would be safely grounded. Importantly, without going through her body. More people would probably do it if they had the sealing knowledge, not to mention the pieces of Kimimaro's bones that she had carved the chakra flow and regulation seals into that adorned all the straps. Most people didn't have access to nearly unbreakable nonconductive material that would still channel chakra and hold a seal she supposed.
She'd known it was a good idea to keep his body after that fight, his bones were beyond useful. The morality was questionable, using human remains as a sealing medium buuuuut… She was sure sensei would agree it was a small price to pay for such an edge. When she got back from this mission she might make Naruto a couple spikes she could anchor to her chains so she could use them offensively, but for now she was mission ready.
But for now, it was time to go pick up her team and the clients. She had a village to save.
On their way to the Katabami Gold Mine, even as they almost had to carry the men they were escorting, Lee seemed to get more and more excited.
"Worry not new friends! Soon we'll arrive at Grandma Sansho's curry shop, and the Curry of Life will ease all your woes! As it once revived me from near death." He was leading the group at this point and turned to give everyone a thumbs up. "Seeing as it's getting late anyways, I'm sure Sakura-taicho won't mind the stop?"
A quick look to the sky told her that he was right. "We'll stop for food and to discuss our plan. Probably see if she'll put these three lugs up while we sort this whole mess out. Probably should have given them another day to rest but hopefully this curry you're talking about will fix them up."
Lee cheered, jumping into the air with a twirl, first towards the sky. "Yosh! You won't regret this Sakura-taicho."
And she hoped she wouldn't, but the restaurant was coming into view so she supposed it was for the best. A cozy place with a little windmill next to it, the smell of curry wafting down the road to greet them causing several stomachs to gurgle in anticipation.
Lee, in his usual fashion burst through the door. "Grandma Sansho! Karashi-kun! I've brought lots of hungry friends for your magnificent curry!"
A fairly traditional japanese restaurant on the inside, a short and elderly bespectacled lady that could only be Grandma Sansho came out from the kitchen. "Lee-kun! So good to see you again, I'm afraid it's just me here though. Where's that Sensei of yours?"
Sakura took this as her opportunity to enter. "Unfortunately Gai-san is handling other missions currently. So I'm leading this mission, Haruno Sakura, chunin. It's a pleasure to meet you Sansho-oba-san." She inclined her head in respect to her elder. "I was hoping my team and I could stop in for a meal, and potentially leave the men that hired us here while we deal with the Kurosuki family."
Sansho's demeanor turned sombre at that. "Well, any friends of Lee are welcome here of course… But you said you were here to deal with the Kurosuki family?" Sakura and her team nodded back at that. "Well… You heard Lee-kun mention Karashi, my son… He was so inspired by Lee's determination and strength that when they first arrived and deposed the corrupt magistrate… Well he joined up. We didn't know they were going to turn out like this back then… And well he never came back. I don't think he's able to leave."
By the time she was done speaking Lee had tears in his eyes. "Sakura-taicho, if it's at all possible I'd like to add rescuing Karashi as a secondary objective to this mission. It… It's my fault he's in this mess."
Sakura let out a sigh. "It's nobody's fault but his own Lee. But sure, if we're able to that's fine. Now everyone grab a seat and I'll go over my plan of attack with you all while we eat. If that's okay with Sansho-oba-san of course."
With a sniffle of her own Sansho nodded at them and gestured for them to sit. "Of course, I'll get some food out for all of you." She said as she headed into the kitchen to whip them up a meal.
Once they were all seated Sakura started to lay out her idea. "So, once we've eaten and the sun's down I think we should move to attack tonight. Between Neji's Byakugan and my own sensory abilities we'll have a distinct advantage over most of the thugs and low level shinobi. Raiga was one of the seven swordsmen of the mist so lack of visibility won't affect him much. So what I want to do is have you guys go in low, deal with the lackeys, and I'll go high and draw Raiga out so you don't have to worry about him. I'll move first, then once I have his attention you guys start taking out the small fry. Stick to the shadows, quick and quiet. Meet up with me when you're done. Lee, saving Karashi is your mission so I leave it to you to you, make sure he doesn't interfere with the mission though okay?"
A chorus of "Hai's" met her ears, along with a sigh of relief from their clients that they'd act quickly. Just in time it seemed for plates of curry to start arriving in front of them. Or at least… Supposedly curry. It was black, and kind of smelled like death.
Tenten was the first to ask. "This is… The curry of life?" Sansho and Lee both nodded at her, but she couldn't help but think it seemed more like the curry of death. But much to everyone's astonishment Sakura seemed to already be a quarter of the way through hers, and with no ill effects. Lee had hearts in his eyes as he watched her eat. "Sakura-taicho's flames of youth know no bounds!" Before he too dug into his meal.
Seeing Sakura eating calmly as Lee shoveled curry into his mouth encouraged the rest of the group to dig in, thinking it must be safe. How wrong they were was made apparent when Neji fainted, and Tenten's chopsticks broke in her hand. The three men from the goldmine were all in various states of trying to eat, trying to be polite, and trying not to die on the spot.
Sansho chuckled at the group's antics, but deep down she was worried. Immensely concerned for both her son, and the fate of the village that now rested in the hand of these young shinobi.
She hoped it would be enough.
"Raiga-sama. There's someone incoming fast. She has pink hair and strange chakra, and she's riding a toad? She'll land right outside so she knows where we are somehow." A voice spoke into Raiga's ear from his young friend Ranmaru.
"Really? A toad? I didn't know Jiraiya had a new apprentice. She's probably bounty hunting, oh well. An apprentice to a Sannin will make for a wonderful funeral." He chuckled to himself before heading for the door, sure enough revealing Sakura dismounting from a Toad slightly bigger than herself.
"Thanks for the lift Gama-kun. Would have taken forever for me to climb all the way up here." The toad bowed to her before dispelling back to the summon realm. "Oh good, Raiga. You came out so I don't have to dig you out of one of the tunnels or anything." Raiga had blue eyes with a darker ripple around the pupil, waist-length green hair with the top two bangs falling down on his cheeks on each side, and dark, full lips.
Raiga chuckled, the girl had spunk that's for sure. "Oh no problem at all. The Toad summon makes you Jiraiya's apprentice, I'm honored to be able to give someone like you a funeral." He brandishes the Kiba blades as he squared up with his opponent, even as he felt Ranmaru start to squirm uneasily. "You have me at a disadvantage though, you know who I am, but I don't know you. I can hardly give someone a funeral without knowing their name."
Her smirk was wide as she stepped forward into the light from Raiga's hut, her yellow eyes with vaguely square pupils sending the first alarm bell off in Raiga's head. "Haruno Sakura." The air grew thick with killing intent before with a flourish she was suddenly holding Kubikiribocho, sending up more alarms in Raiga's head. "Apprentice Sage" Oh that's not good. "Right hand of the Hokage." Shit. "And most importantly, your executioner." Shit-fuck, she leveled the massive blade at him with one hand. "Now why don't you put the kid down so we can kick this off?"
Raiga's eyes were wide. "Ranmaru, did you forget to hide yourself?"
"No Raiga-sama. Even if she's a sensor she shouldn't be able to-"
Sakura cut off the small voice. "Yeah, I'm not a sensor but you can't hide from a sage, apprentice or no."
Raiga narrowed his eyes at her. "Ranmaru and I fight as one, regardless."
Sakura just shrugged. "Whatever, his funeral." And launched herself at the two, Kubikiribocho just barely intercepted by the Kiba blades as Raiga fell to his knees trying to defend against the overhead strike. A thin line of blood ran down his face as he used all his strength to force her back enough that her blade wasn't resting on his face. A smirk broke out as he channeled his lighting chakra through his blades.
Only to be baffled when instead of screaming and being cooked by the electricity Sakura smirked back, her hair stood on end but her lighting catch did it's job and kept her grounded. But this was her chance, Sensei always said the best time to strike was the moment your opponent was sure of victory.
Suddenly Kubikiribocho wasn't there anymore, Sakura quickly diving forward and rolling between Raiga's legs as he suddenly was pushing back against nothing. He didn't have much time to consider his mistake though as Sakura twisted on the ground, delivering a monstrous spinning kick to Raiga's side. The sound of the impact almost simultaneous with the sound of him crashing into the cliff face next to them.
The bag containing Ranmaru fell off his back before he fell to the ground, looking up just in time to see Sakura finish a summoning jutsu, a medium size toad appearing and grabbing the bag with its tongue, before poofing back to the summon realm.
Raiga's eyes were wide with horror even as he tried to pick himself up. Half of his ribcage all but turned to dust, and his right lung certainly collapsed. "What the fuck did you do with Ranmaru?"
Sakura smiled kind of sadly. "He's got some kind of sensory ability right? That's how you knew I was coming. He'll be safe with the toads, and this way he doesn't have to feel you die." She raised a hand towards him and suddenly Kubikiribocho was pointed at him again. "So, a warrior's death? Or an execution."
Raiga spat some blood out as he stood. "Don't think this is over bitch. Now I'll just have to torture you till you hive Ranmaru back!" He cackled as he pressed together the handles of the Kiba blades, spinning them above his head as he called out his lightning armor jutsu.
Sakura just smirked, it would be a sword duel then.
Fine by her.
Team 10 for their part, had a remarkably easy mission. The Kurosuki family as it turned out weren't all that strong. At least compared to Konoha shinobi. Neji's eyes led them through the night and found their targets before they ever knew they were there. To keep noise down when they found Karashi he was swiftly knocked out and gagged, and was currently being lugged around on Lee's shoulder.
When they got to the area they knew Sakura would be fighting they were treated to quite a site. Just as the sun crested the mountaintop Sakura knocked the second Kiba blade out of Raiga's hands, in the early morning light they could barely make out more than the silhouettes as the recently disarmed man found himself decapitated. His body fell first to its knees, and then flat even as Sakura unfurled a scroll that sealed away his head as it landed in just the right spot.
Team 10's eyes went wide at the display they'd just witnessed. Sakura's hair was a mess and she had a few cuts and singe marks here and there, but the area they'd been fighting in was devastated. Creators both from Sakura's massive strength, and from the real lighting Raiga had pulled from the sky to try and turn things around littered the plateau they'd been fighting in. As well as one Raiga shaped hole in the neighbouring cliff face.
Sakura turned to face them, and they got to watch her features slowly turn back to normal. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I could go for some of that curry. You up for breakfast?"
Lee's cry could be heard all through the mountain. "YOSH! SO COOL!"
Sharingan eyes took in every detail of the waves and horizon as Sasuke gazed off the boat taking them to the land of snow. Once they'd had some privacy Sasuke had informed the director of the true nature of what was happening, only for the director to be ecstatic that his princess was being portrayed by a real princess. Of course, that it meant the shinobi battles could also be real and end with the film crew being slaughtered seemed to evade the enthusiastic director.
His team at least had prepared well and didn't seem too affected by the cold, Ino had made sure they'd all brought cold weather gear, so all three of them bundled up. Sasuke, for his part, was wearing a thicker undershirt then usual, but was mostly using his fire chakra to keep himself warm. Cycling it within his system was hardly a drain with rapidly developing mastery of elemental manipulation.
He saw the approaching iceberg early, but when he woke people up to let them know the director just decided it was the perfect location to shoot and had them set up for an early morning battle scene. Only suddenly, behind the movie's villain character an explosion occurred, before a shinobi appeared with teal and pupilless eyes and purple eyebrows shaped like small thick purple dots. He was wearing some kind of armor, but Sasuke had expected that, Kakashi had briefed him after all. He was in front of the Princess the moment his eyes picked up the chakra.
"Sharingan eh? I've seen eyes like yours before. I'd heard the last Uchiha was a formidable opponent. Think you can take us all on?" Suddenly two more spots in the ice burst open, one to reveal a large man with a metal arm, and the other a woman with bright pink hair. Both had more of the strange armor.
Sasuke just smirked. "No, just you, Roga Nadare. Team, protect the princess and get everyone back on the boat. I'll take care of the jonin."
A chorus of "Hai"s could be heard from Team 10 as they fell into formation, Shikamaru facing off against the girl while Choji took the one with the metal arm. Ino was trying to get the still in shock princess moving along with the movie crew that was packing up in a hurry. But before anyone managed to get far Nadare's eyes went wide as he barely dodged under Sasuke's opening slash that aimed to decapitate him.
As the Sasuke in front of the princess faded away, the other two shinobi tried to make a move on the princess. The man with the metal armm flying towards them on a snowboard while the pink haired one jumped down at them. While Choji engaged the man in a grapple and seemed to be doing just fine, Shikamaru's newly acquired shadow sewing jutsu only seemed to bounce off the pink haired woman rapidly falling towards them. But before she could do any damage to the shocked Nara she found herself suddenly grabbed by the wrist and slammed against the ice. Shikamaru looked at Ino in shock, but it was evident that she'd been training with Sakura a lot. What many might have missed though would be the senbon needle now lodged in the pink haired woman's neck.
Above them all Sasuke and Nadare were seemingly engaged in a fierce ninjutsu battle, wolves made of ice incinerated by a dragon made of fire. Icicles shattered by lightning arcing from Sasuke's hands. The director of course was ecstatic, filming the whole thing even as he and the rest of the crew were packing the ship up.
Choji and the large man with the board seemed pretty evenly matched, much to the snow shinobi's frustration. Choji's body swelling in size with his clan's jutsu to increase his mass and strength to be more than a match for the older shinobi. His chakra armor didn't help him much either, seeing as they were basically in a simple wrestling match. Only suddenly the ground, or well. Ice was shaking as Nadare used a massive ice whale jutsu to try and get the one up on Sasuke. Only Choji had better footing and when the ice quaked he was able to force the man onto his back foot, staggering slightly before Choji's fist expanded to full size.
Immediately before punching the man seemingly through the iceberg. Just in time to here Sasuke's call to get off the fucking iceberg. And even as the genin did so, pink haired kunoichi bound and hauled off with them as they jumped back to the ship just in time to see Sasuke using Nadare's ice jutsu against him, which was countered by the same jutsu.
"What's wrong Uchiha!? Running out of your own jutsu to use? You didn't even aim it right!"
But Sasuke just smirked, before fading away and reappearing on the ship. He offered the snow shinobi a one finger salute as the two wales destroyed the iceberg, pushing their ship back out to sea where they would continue to the land of snow.
Sasuke couldn't help but sigh contently as he heard Nadare's screams of rage echo across the surf.
In a small storeroom below deck, stripped of her chakra armor and bound to a chair, Kakuyoku Fubiki opened her eyes to one of the worst situations a shinobi could. Standing across from her were the last two shinobi someone wanted to deal with in an interrogation, an Uchiha and a Yamanaka. While Fubiki was a proud kunoichi of snow country she knew that without her chakra armor she was beyond hope.
"Bested by children." Was her last thoughts before her eyes met a pair of Sharingan, it's subtle genjutsu guiding her smoothly into the Yamanaka's mind altering techniques.
She didn't even know what she was doing when she revealed every detail of Doto's plan, from the tech he had available, to troop placements, to describing building layouts.
It didn't take long, and before she knew it she found herself (still bound to the chair) sitting on the back of the ship. Staring out across the icy waters. She could hear Sasuke's voice but for some reason even though she knew she should be terrified, she was so very calm.
"Princess Yuki, we're done interrogating her. She was instrumental in the coup against you father. As rightful Daimyo I offer you your first assurance that Konoha will return your country to you." A wave crashed against the boat, almost sending Fubuki crashing into the surf if not for Sasuke catching the chair and setting her back in place before stepping back with a gesture. "The honor is yours, Daimyo-sama."
Yuki's eyes were wide as memories of the coup flashed through her mind. At first she started to shake, but as images of her loved ones frozen in ice flashed through her mind and her eyes landed on the freezing waters below her resolve hardened. She might not have ninjutsu to do her work for her but Sasuke had leveled the playing field. But even as she tried to take a step forward her resolve failed her.
"I… I can't. I know they did it to my family but I just can't do it. I'm not like them." She turned towards Sasuke who just shrugged.
"Mercy is hardly a sin Yuki-dono." He pushed Fubuki off the boat as Yuki gasped. "Though it's something Shinobi often can't afford. With what Ino and I did to her mind this was a kindness. Besides, Ino's poison will ensure she doesn't feel a thing." He made direct eye contact with her now. "For what it's worth I think it's good you didn't let vengeance cloud your decision. Naruto would have respected you less for it." He patted her on the shoulder as he walked past her, moving to speak with Shikamaru and Sandayu to form their plan for when Doto showed himself. Koyuki couldn't help but start to believe it was actually possible for four kids to overthrow her uncle's tyranny.
The next scene for the movie was being shot in between a bridged ravine and cave, a spot the Team of Konoha shinobi had suggested to the director who loved the spot. Of course the subtle note he'd been passed ensuring a "Ninja battle of epic scale" probably helped his case.
Sure enough, while only Sasuke and Sandayu were with Yuki the snow started to melt revealing train tracks. Suddenly Sandayu was nowhere to be seen, and Yuki was confused as Sasuke cut his thumb behind his back. Yuki of course started to panic as a train appeared and her Uncle stepped into view. "Princess Koyuki! So good of you to finally return home. If you'd be so kind as to come with me we can put this whole thing behind us." His cruel smirk and dark tone betrayed his character, the deep lines and scars that marred his face only serving to make him appear more ominous.
But before she could even try to reply to him, a myriad of logs crashed into the train, Sandayu reappearing with a band of Samurai at his back. "Kazahana Doto! Traitor to the Land of Snow. We will have your cruel dictatorship no more! Our princess has returned to stand with us, your tyranny ends today!"
While Doto smirked at the charging men and his petrified niece he gestured for his men to open the banks of kunai launchers he'd prepared. Only for his smirk to falter as he noticed it being mirrored by who he could now identify as an Uchiha.
This couldn't be… He'd heard rumors that Danzo had trained the last Uchiha. How would Koyuki have acquired his services? But just as the Kunai launchers were about to go to work, moments before the line of men passed them they were interrupted.
Sasuke's hand hit the ice and a massive plumb of smoke appeared, the kunai launchers already firing into it put to no avail as suddenly the the smoke was sucked away to reveal a creature of legend towering over them all, Sasuke panting on its head as he held the tiger sign for one last jutsu. Seeing the kunai all being sucked into Baku's mouth Doto figured out what was about to happen and screamed for his men to move the train, only to see they were held in place by shadows. Shikamaru knelt on the cliff above, hand shaking at restraining the numbers he was but having practiced large crowd control with Naruto and her clones.
Only Nadare managed to do something effective, engaging the blimp just as Doto could here Sasuke's shout. "Fire Style! Majestic Flame Annihilator!" And forced the last of his chakra into the mighty jutsu as Baku expelled all the air, and kunai he'd inhaled.
The ensuing torrent of fire and molten steel laid waste to the train and the men manning it, not standing a chance against the combined efforts of the Uchiha's most powerful technique and the added might of the mythical Baku. Sandayu and his men stood in awe of the might the young shinobi had brought to bear, Koyuki shaking underneath Baku was nearly grabbed by the hook from Doto's blimp if it wasn't swatted away by the trunk of the mighty beast.
Doto's fist was clenched in fury, but his day only got worse from here. As their altitude climbed higher he was able to see the Choji behind the hill the logs had come from, in the giant form of an Akimichi seemingly about to hurl a spear at his airship. He dismissed it at first before seeing that it wasn't a spear. It was a little girl.
A little girl wearing Fubuki's chakra armor being launched at him at full speed. Certainly she couldn't know how to utilize it yet, and a genin was hardly a threat. Only suddenly as she got closer he could see her smirk and unsheath a legendary weapon she shouldn't have. The Raijin no Ken roared to life in her hands as she flew past the blimp, tearing it open and igniting the dangerous gasses used to make it float. Just as the gasses ignited she activated the suit's wings, trusting Shikamaru that the hot air would naturally push her back over land since she had no idea how to fly.
Sure enough As she flew back she got to see Doto and Nadare's eyes go wide with horror as they realized even their chakra armor wouldn't prevent them from being incinerated. She could help but flick them a victory sign and a smirk as she floated safely back over land, where she was quickly tethered by Shikamaru's shadow and pulled back down to land slowly.
Once they checked each other over and found themselves all injury free, and Baku had returned to the summon realm Sasuke promptly passed out at the massive chakra expenditure of using both a boss summon and his most powerful jutsu. Shockingly it was Koyuki that caught him though, admiration in her eyes for the man she would forever view as the Hero of the Land of Snow.
The director of course took that moment to chime in. "And cut! That scene was incredible. I couldn't have done it better if I'd actually directed it! Now whatta ya say we get him in a truck and take this to the capitol Lady Daimyo?"
Of course she turned bright red at that, but at the same time she couldn't help it. Even as some of the men took Sasuke away to get him some medical care she fell to her knees in a fit of laughter choked out around her freely flowing tears.
Finally, the Land of Snow's decade long nightmare was over.
Back in Konoha - Some Time Later
"So Sasuke." The speaking Naruto had her head in her hands as she pushed papers around with the other. "In summary, the land of snow is now the land of spring, have agreed to all of our terms, and we've acquired a set of highly advanced chakra armor that you somehow managed to retrofit in the field to fit Yamanaka Ino?"
Sasuke for his part just nodded, clearly still tired from what was likely a serious case of chakra exhaustion. "And it seems Shinto is making a comeback. Something about a Baku ending the nightmare of snow country or some such." Sasuke's smirk was evident, unintentional or not he'd basically just converted a decent portion of a country to his religion.
"Well, good job on completing an S-rank with a team of Genin. Sakura's gonna be pissed that somehow going mano a mano with one of the seven ended up being the tamer mission. You're dismissed."
Author's note: I officially give up on this chapter. It took me weeks to write for some awful reason, and I'm done with all my main characters being children. Time skip, HO!