Chapter 86 – Reporting Missions I
"Talk"
'Think'
Flashback
A/N: Thank you to Clueless Outcast, ehkhshadow24, Fan1one, muhamed3871, petru95 and Queenofdoom4 for your supports. All of your supports are the drive for me to continue and hopefully, finish this story. I have to because I have two other stories in my head
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto sensei.
Hokage Office
"Alright…alright, start from the beginning" ordered Shisui as he faced Team Asuma, Team Hamaki, Team Itachi, Team Jiraiya, Team Kakashi and Team Kurenai.
"That would be us. Brat, you tell him" said Jiraiya.
Naruto began "Well…Jiraiya-ojiisan and I were checking on the rumour about someone hiring missing-nin…"
"Come-on Jiraiya-ojiisan-" grumbled Naruto "-this is the tenth bath-house you've visited today. We still got no clue you know and I want to train-"
Whatever Naruto was going to say was cut short with a gesture from Jiraiya. Frowning, Naruto followed the gesture sat next to him when he heard-
"Ahhhh…this is relaxing" said a female voice 1.
"I know what you mean. I'm glad those creepy people have gone" said female voice 2.
"Yeah, they paid well though. We've never had our rooms fully booked" said female voice 1.
"Or filled with scary looking people. I heard they planned to go Tonika-mura-"
Naruto was shocked. Never in his life thought that Jiraiya's peeping actually meant something other than him being a pervert.
'I guess this what they said appearance can be deceiving' thought Naruto.
Kiba whistled in admiration "Wow…we can use that?"
Shisui pinched his nose bridge while shooting a glare at Jiraiya before saying "Hypothetically, you could, but it also comes with a risk. Jiraiya, why don't you show her what Tsunade did to you"
"What? No!" said Jiraiya while crossing his arms around his shirt.
Shishui glared at Jiraiya.
Jiraiya returned the glare.
…
…
…
"Fine" said Shisui nonchalantly as he made a gesture. Two ANBU appeared.
Shisui said "Called Tsunade. Tell her that-"
"Okay! Fine! Don't call her…she'll kill me" grumbled Jiraiya as he took off his shirt. Shisui smirked.
"These scars as you can see-" explained Shisui "-were not battle scars but in fact, consequences of his peeping habit. Luckily Tsunade is a gifted medic but you-" Shisui looked directly at Kiba, Naruto and the rest of male genins and chūnin "-might not be so lucky. One kunoichi I knew like to neuter Peeping Tom (all the male winced while the female grinned). Peep at your own risk"
"So… if you want to peep, you need to have a medic around you?" asked Sai.
"Err…no. That's not what I meant" said Shisui "Naruto, why don't you continue?"
"Well, nothing much after that. We followed their trail and we met with Itachi and Noriko" said Naruto.
"That is correct" said Itachi "We met on our way to Tonika-mura. Before reaching Tonika-mura, the group that was followed by Jiraiya-sama and Naruto met with another group…"
Itachi, Jiraiya, Naruto and Noriko were watching their targets from afar.
"What are they talking about, Noriko?" asked Itachi.
Noriko stared at her targets with her byakugan and sharingan for a while before answering "I think there's something bigger is going on. The bandits were gathered at Tonika-mura first while their recruiter was locating and hiring missing-nins, meaning he was gone for a very long time, causing the bandits to be worried. Now the recruiter has to go 'delivering' the missing-nins to the other location and the bandits aren't happy and want compensation"
Itachi listened and asked Jiraiya while his eyes never left their targets "What do you think?"
"She may be right" said Jiraiya with a serious face "The bandits and missing-nins are separated; whoever behind this is compartmentalizing… … …someone with brain, and experience. An S-rank most likely"
"Akatsuki?" asked Naruto.
Jiraiya shook his head "Maybe though I didn't know that Akatsuki also hires common bandits…nevertheless, keep your guards up!"
At the mention of Akatsuki, the atmosphere in the room changed; faces turned serious, jaws clenched, eyes flashed…even Akamaru looked solemn.
"Go on" said Shisui.
Once words were exchanged and money was passed, the recruiter left with the missing-nins.
After a brief discussion, Jiraiya decided that it would be better if he follows the targets alone; he suggested for Naruto to help Itachi and Noriko finished their mission. Once the bandits were cleared, they could follow Jiraiya's trail and focus on the missing-nins.
It was late at night when Itachi, Naruto and Noriko located the bandits' encampment and rest for the night.
The following morning, over breakfast, Itachi turned to Noriko and said "All yours, Noriko"
"Huh?" Naruto turned to Itachi and asked "You are not joining?"
"When necessary" answered Itachi "I intend for this to be a training for Noriko. The number of bandits is not too large for her to handle alone and none of them is a shinobi. Should be easy" he nodded at Noriko.
"So…can I join?" asked Naruto.
Itachi looked at Naruto contemplatively and nodded his head.
Naruto and Noriko beamed widely.
Shisui and few others in the room groaned.
"No you didn't…" said Shisui
… … … "I'm sorry, I didn't know then" said Itachi.
"What happened?" asked Ino as she turned from the Hokage and the sheepish looking Naruto and Noriko.
"Naruto and Noriko… … …can be… … …quite competitive" explained Shisui as he looked at Itachi and asked "How's the bandits?"
"They'll live" said Itachi succinctly.
Naruto and Noriko scouted the encampment before discussing their plan for an attack.
"Hey Noriko, want to make it more interesting?" said Naruto with a grin.
"What?" asked Noriko.
"Whoever defeats the bandits the least has to do the winner's chores"
Noriko grinned and said "Deal!"
"Itachi, you'll be the judge" said Naruto before he jumped off to get into position, followed by Noriko.
"Hmph" grumbled Naruto as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned to Itachi "We still do not know who had won"
"You made that decision without my consent!" retorted Itachi "Besides, there were over two hundreds of both of you…I have only one pair of eyes!"
Noriko giggled while Sasuke gaped at Itachi, who's behaving very un-Itachi.
"Over… … …over two hundreds?" asked Kiba in disbelief. A few others mirrored his reaction.
"Clones" explained Tenzō.
"Over two hundreds of clones against…how many?" asked Shisui, dreading the answer.
"About fifty" said Itachi in low voice.
Tōji was whistling cheerfully as he returned from taking a leak in the wood when he heard shouting;
"Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
"Zanzō Bunshin!"
Tōji yelped when his vision is filled with blonde-haired shinobi and black-haired kunoichi; all of them grinned with glint in their eyes.
"In-in-intruders!" shouted Tōji before his vision gone dark.
"One!" cried three of Naruto's clones from different locations.
"Three! Four!" Noriko counted as she moved from one clone to another.
"Wait, if you counted, you should know how many you've defeated. How come Naruto said they still didn't know who the winner was?" asked Ino.
"They used different kind of clones. Kage Bunshin allows Naruto to regain the memory of his clones but not Zanzō Bunshin. Most likely Naruto's clones were dispelled irregularly during the fights, causing some confusion in his memories, especially with that many number of clones" explained Shisui before grinning to Naruto and Noriko "I guess both of you still have to do your chores".
Naruto glared at Itachi.
End Chapter 86
Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – Mass Shadow Clone
Tonika-mura – Tonika Village
Zanzō Bunshin – Afterimage Clone