A/N I cannot do math, three and a half months should have brought the total down to eight months, twenty-five, not nine. I apologize for my poor math and promise to fix it…eventually. Also I realized my timeline is all screwed up, I will eventually go back and fix it for it's supposed to be spring not December at this point in the story….

XV: Taiyō Sakusei

Road To Konoha, Present Day:

"Kakashi made them train for three and a half months, before he let the go on a single D-rank? Why?" They had stopped to eat a quick lunch and Tsunade was taking the opportunity to ask questions.

"Probably because he wanted to build a balanced training regime for them and because he knew they'd thank him after a few actual D-ranks."

"I still can't believe you taught him the Rasengan, Jiraiya; what were you thinking?"

"That it would be easier to learn then Hirashin! He deserved to learn one of his father's techniques, and besides it was a good way to teach him shape transformation. Anyways, it was Kakashi's idea to teach the kid his father's Jutsu."

"Um… Jiraiya-sama, Shizune interrupted, "Before we stopped you had started to talk about his first real mission, so what happened?"

Konoha, Eight Months, Twenty-Five Days ago:

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Naruto shouted at the Hokage, "D-Ranks are boring and pointless! Give us a real mission!" Naruto was jumping up and down while ranting. "We've done more than twenty D-ranks!"

Rummaging through the piles of mission scrolls, the Hokage sighed, "Well Kakashi? Do you think they can handle a C-rank?"

"They probably could have handled a C-rank right out of the academy. Now they could handle a low B-rank…well, probably"

The Hokage stopped rummaging and looked Kakashi in the eye, "Are you sure?" He brought up another scroll. "This C-rank is rather suspicious, it might actually be a B-rank or higher. On paper it's a simple mission, escort a bridge builder back to Wave, but information from Wave has been scarce this past year, and rather grim. Now a self-proclaimed 'super' bridge builder is here to get ninja to protect him and his bridge from 'bandits'? Something is wrong in Wave, and I want you to find out what it is, and if possible, fix it. So to that end, I'm assigning you a B-rank mission. Make sure you find out what's going on. Any questions?"

Naruto was practically glowing with excitement, 'Finally, a real mission!' It took all of his self-control not to start cheering and dancing, "Just one. When do we leave?"

The Hokage gave the vibrating Naruto a grandfatherly smile, "As soon as you want, in fact Tazuna is in the other room waiting for me to assign a team to him."

Seeing how Naruto would likely explode if he turned this down Kakashi sighed, "Alright send him in."

The Hokage motioned to one of the ANBU in the corner of the room. The man nodded and left the room silently, moments later he returned with a tallish elderly man with grey hair and goatee. The man, who had to lean on the door frame to remain standing said, "What's this? I thought I paid for ninja, not brats. Look one of them is even a midget! Can you even be a ninja when you're super short?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Naruto charged the bridge builder with a drawn kunai. Fortunately for Tazuna, Sasuke's ninja wires tripped Naruto, and before Naruto could try to charge again Kakashi picked him up by the scruff of his neck.

"Now, now, Naruto, if you really must kill the 'super' annoying man do it like a real ninja, wait until after he pays us."

"Alright Kakashi sensei, I think I can wait, after all I don't want to fail my first C-rank."

Kakashi lowered the silently fuming blond back to the ground. "I'll have you know, these three came out of the academy strong enough to be made Chunin right away, and they've only gotten stronger since. They just need to do the required number of missions before they can be entered into the Chunin exams." He leaned in and whispered in Tazuna's ear, "Between you and me that 'super' short ninja is the strongest ninja to come out of the academy since the Gallant Jiraiya, who I might add, trained him personally for 5 years." Kakashi took a step back to enjoy the look of terror on their client's face. Patting the man on his shoulder Kakashi said, "Alright team grab your long term gear, and meet me at the south gate in fifteen minutes."

Five minutes later all of Team seven was there with Tazuna, waiting for Kakashi to arrive. "I just realized something," Naruto said while adjusting the strap that held his storage scroll to his back.

Sasuke, who was eyeing Naruto's much smaller and lighter scroll jealously said, "What'd you realize fishcake?"

Hinata spoke up, "K-Kakashi-sensei is g-going to be at least an hour l-l-late isn't he?" Sure enough Kakashi himself didn't show up for another hour and twenty minutes.

"YOU'RE LATE"

"Pipe down Naruto, there was a little old lady that needed help across the street. Then I saw a black cat and had to walk all the way around." Ignoring his sensei's lies Naruto set out, determined to be the first one of his team to exit the village. "Hold up Naruto. We need to set a formation, when you're protecting someone you need to do it properly. You don't just run off."

"Fine… where do I stand?" Naruto looked dejected; he figured Kakashi would make him stand in the back as a punishment for trying to run off before they were ready.

"Since you're so excited I'll let you take point, I'll be the rear guard. Sasuke you take left flank, Hinata you take right flank, and activate your Byakugan; we don't want any surprises, now do we?."

"YES!" Naruto jumped for joy, "Come on old man put the sake down and let's go!" With Tazuna safely surrounded they set off towards Wave. Of course after half a day at Tazuna's slow pace, constant use of the word super, and the overpowering smell of sake, Naruto was regretting his decision not to kill the bridge builder.

"K-Kakashi-sensei, there's t-two ninja hidden inside a G-Genjutsu in front of us." Hinata whispered to her sensei. "B-But they must not be very b-bright, it hasn't r-r-rained in a w-week, b-but they've hidden th-th-themselves in a p-puddle."

"Nicely spotted Hinata, now team any ideas on how to deal with them?"

"Oh, that's easy Sasuke channels his lightning through his ninja wire to stun them. I beat the crap out of one; he beats the other, as you and Hinata take care of Tazuna." Naruto said to Kakashi.

"Any objections? No? Then let's try Naruto's plan. As they walked past the puddle, Sasuke flicked his wrist, lunching ninja wires into the puddle, making the hand-seals for 'Raiton: Seidenki Shōgeki'. Out of the puddle fell two ninja with black hair and Kiri hitai-ate, with their lower faces hidden behind breathing masks. "Oh it's the Demon Brothers, try not to kill them kids; they could be a valuable source of information!"

"Ugh... Take us seriously Damn it…" one of the brothers groaned. Before he could stand up however he got a flying kick to the face.

"What took you so long Fishcake?" Sasuke's opponent was already cocooned in ninja wire.

"I wanted to see if he anything interesting to say, here tie him up for me. Kakashi-sensei, I assume you want to take them into the woods for questioning?"

Kakashi dragged the two unconscious ninja off into the woods. A few moments' later screams erupted from the woods. "All right I'm done here, let's go." Kakashi came out of the woods and held a quick whispered conversation with his students.

"Um...aren't you going to ask me why there's ninja after me?" a nervous Tazuna asked

"We already knew you were lying about this mission, that's why we were assigned to this mission, and now thanks to the Demon brothers we know exactly what were up against. Should be a piece of cake right team?" Kakashi said blandly.

"Yep!"

"Hn."

"Y-Yes."

"See, nothing to worry about, let's move out."

Two days later they reached the shore, and the boat waiting to take them to the Land of Waves. "Wow, I haven't seen mist this thick before!" Naruto crowed from the front of the boat.

"Shut up brat! What if one of Gato's men hear you!" the Ferryman whispered to Naruto.

Naruto was about to argue but the then half built bridge loomed down at them out of the mist.

"Wow, that's big…." Naruto for once was at a loss for words. After the boat docked at an overgrown, broken down pier, the group set off towards the town, which was another two hours away. Half an hour later Naruto felt something terrible happen to him. "Um, Kakashi-sensei, I need to make a quick pit stop."

"Surely it can wait a bit Naruto."

"No I need to take a break right now!" Naruto stressed, eyes starting to cross form the strain.

"Oh, all right hurry up" Kakashi said. Naruto immediately half sprinted half waddled off into the woods. Hinata deactivated her Byakugan, not really interested in seeing what made Naruto run like that. In the Hyuuga Clan complex all the bathrooms had barriers preventing any such accidents from scarring them for life.

A few minutes later Sasuke thought he felt something creep up on them, spinning around he launched a kunai at whoever was sneaking up behind them. When nothing happened, he began to wonder if he was imagining things, until at least an incredibly traumatized white rabbit hopped out of the bushes he had thrown his kunai into.

"S-Sasuke, how c-could you!" Hinata rushed to the rabbit's side, "are you okay rabbit-san?" Hinata asked the trembling animal, she picked it up and stroked it until it calmed down.

Kakashi meanwhile was staring at the white animal. The animal was obviously tame, and enjoyed the attention Hinata was giving it. Was it someone's pet? But what about the feeling Sasuke had? Then it clicked Kawarimi! "EVERYONE DOWN!" he bellowed throwing himself over Tazuna, and not a moment too soon, as the massive sword scythed through the air scant inches above their heads.

"I swear Kakashi, what is it with you and showing up on what's supposed to be an easy mission? I'm going to have to charge double for this." None other than Momochi Zabuza stood on the handle of the massive sword, Kubikiribōchō. Looking around Zabuza visibly relaxed, "Are these two your new apprentices? What happened to the blonde kid? Trying for quantity instead of quality?"

Just then, Naruto staggered out of the woods, "I hope no one has to go in that direction for a while!" Naruto looked at the frozen tableau; Guy with no eyebrows on a big sword, obviously monologueing, team just standing up from the ground, "Okay what did I miss?"

"OH KAMI, NOT AGAIN!" The look on what little of Zabuza's face that could be seen was priceless.

"OH! I recognize you! So No-Brows did you get shafted by being hired to assassinate us again?" Naruto asked conversationally.

"No, I'm here for the old guy this time… I don't suppose you'd let me kill him if I asked nicely?" The hope in Zabuza's voice was clear.

'What the hell did Naruto do to him?' Sasuke wondered.

"NO!" Naruto shouted.

"I'll give you half of my pay…"

"Well…"

"N-Naruto-Kun!" Hinata admonished Naruto. She really hoped he was joking.

"Guess not No-Brows, besides I still want to kill him myself."

"I thought we were past that…" Tazuna mumbled to himself.

"Tell you what No-Brows, you leave peacefully and we'll pretend you were never here."

"Something tells me I'm really going to regret this, but I have a job to do… At least I can charge four times my normal pay for this!" Grabbing his sword Zabuza jumped from the tree onto the

surface of the ocean. "At least this time I have enough water to work with."

Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke shared a look, nodding once they began to fly through the hand-seals. Seeing what they were doing Hinata closed her eyes and turned away.

"KATON: GOKAKYU NO JUTSU/FUUTON: DAITOPPA/KATON: GOKAKYU NO JUTSU" They cried in unison. Their Jutsu collided halfway to Zabuza and began to grow to enormous size. "TAIYŌ SAKUSEI" (Sun Creation)

Zabuza took one look at the giant white hot fireball and shunshined away as fast as he could. The heat alone was enough to burn his back from a hundred feet away. There was a giant hiss and the light from the fire ball faded away. Deciding to risk it he looked over his shoulder as he ran.

What he saw scared him more than the kid managing to level half a forest. There was a crater in the water. The water inside it seemed to be boiling off faster than it could fill the hole.

"I think I need an army…"