Hey everyone. It's been a long time I know but school is getting ... well you get the idea, in any case I've reread what I've written so far and I think I'm going too fast so it's not as good as it should be so I'm gonna slow down and make the chapters better, thought I'd like to get you're views on it. Well that's it, enjoy.

Chapter 6

The sun shinned in Konoha, village hidden in the leaves. Two figures walked towards the great village enjoying the shadow provided by the tree's. Six months had passed since they had met, in those few months they had created a bond like a father and son. But it was time he took his place in team 7. There wasn't much he could do for the moment. He had an army of foxes searching for the fake Madara anyway. The only thing he could do was wait. When they passed the gate the guards said nothing.

"C'mon kid, we need to see the third..." Jiraya said before realizing that the blond wasn't next to him anymore. Looking back he found the blond looking to the hokage monument smiling before chuckling. "What's so funny?" he asked

"Nothing..." Naruto replied

"Kit, remember we don't want to reveille our true strength right a way. So take it slow." Kurama reminded him.

"I know, don't worry."

They made their way to the Hokage tower and went in, climbing the seemingly never ending stairs of the tower. When they were finally passed those stairs they started they're way towards the Hokage's office. The hermit knocked and waited for the usual "come in". Without falter he heard it and opened the door. When the third looked up he was stunned, the man that he had been looking for so much just reappeared, just like that... And Naruto was with him.

"Jiraya..." the saidaime said softly.

"Hiruzen-sensei..." Jiraya answered

"As much as this little reunion is lovely we can't leave it like this for hours. First things first, where's team 7 old man?" Naruto asked

"Their on a D-rank mission. They should be back soon. But tell me, how come you two come back together?" the old ninja asked

"I ran into sensei while he was in a bar again so I got him out and got him to train me." replied the jinchiriki.

"Yea, like if, I could have done very well without you." scuffed the sanin, thought no one bought it.

"Naruto, after our last meeting I wasn't expecting to see you for a moment." Hiruzen said

"I know, but there's been a change of plans, besides I want to accompany Team 7 on their first c-rank mission." he replied

"C-rank?" intrigued the hokage

"Yea, they need to grow up, so I want you to send them on that bridge protection mission."

"If you say so... Jiraya, can I hope to see you around?" the third asked hopefully

"Yea, I guess." the gama replied

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter."

Team 7 entered, a surprised look came across all it's members.

"Jiraya-sama." Kakashi greeted respectfully.

"Naruto." Sakura and Sasuke said quietly.

"Yo." he replied.

"Team 7, I will be giving you a C-rank mission to test you're skills and Naruto here will accompany you. Tazuna, you can come." the third called

A sliding door opened and a old man walked out. He wobbled, he was not particularly tall nor was he short, he had a pointy hat, a beard and he held a sake bottle. His eyes narrowed to get used to the light. His gaze shifted from one genin to the other. Finally his sight fell on Naruto. He sighed, he had paid for ninja's not kids.

"What's this bunch of super mega faggots?" he asked "Especially the small pink haired one, trying to be flashy?" Sakura was about to respond but someone beat her to it.

"For you're info Sakura-chan is more than able to fight so unless you want yourself to be sent flying all the way back home then I strongly suggest you shut it." he said before chuckling to himself, Sakura had made him fly across the village many times.

"Ok, ok no need to be offended." the geezer said waving his hands. The last thing he needed was for his protecting squad to dislike him.

"Well then should we get on our way? Oh and Naruto, it's nice to have you back." the jounin stated simply.

"It's good to be back Kakashi-sensei." Naruto answered. He was genuinely happy, even if it wouldn't last long he was back with his former squad without the threat of war, things were still simple now.

"Well I'm off to some research..." the sanin grinned to himself before he felt someone's gaze on him, he wasn't surprised to find it to be Naruto. He gulped, last time he had done research, Naruto had came down on him worse than lightning. "Well actually I think I'm going to go eat. See ya kid." he said

"See ya sensei." Naruto replied. All of team's 7 looks were on him. "What?" he had no answer and he decided to leave to that before leaving.

At the gates Team 7 was ready for their first mission out of the village. As they started out, Naruto was having an interior debate, what should he do? Should he reveal some of his strength? Should he let it be like last time?

"Hey fox, what do ya think?" he asked to his partner

"Well, kit, I don't have all the answers, you could show some of your strength, but that would mean questions, you could fend most of them of saying that you've trained under Jiraya just as well as you could let it be like last time reaffirming your skills of dead last. It's your choice, thought showing to the Uchiha that he isn't the best might help you in the long run, or it could just make him betray you sooner, it depends." he answered. Naruto was about to reply when he felt something poke his arm. Sakura was looking at him.

"What?" he asked

"I was asking for the last hour where were you these last six months? You were meant to be our last teammate yet all we knew is that the Hokage had needed you for something and that you didn't know how long you would be away." the rosette asked. He sighed, questions were coming anyway.

"I've been walking the earth a bit before I started training with Jiraya-sensei." he replied looking bored.

"Jiraya-sensei? You mean the Jiraya, sanin of the leaf?" she asked, stunned

"Yea." he answered.

"So... Jiraya-sama trained you eh Naruto?" the cyclops said more like a statement than a question.

"Yes, geez are you deaf or something?" he replied, if they listened he wouldn't have to repeat 20 times, besides he wasn't joking.

"Then what about a little spar at our next break so I can estimate your progress." he said, his eyes never leaving his book

Naruto sighed, he was trying to keep his true strength hidden from most, the Hokage and Jiraya were aloud to know because they were important and although they were important as well it wasn't the same. He had to play carefully, if he showed to much power there would be a chance that someone noticed it and that it would make him a target, searching for the fake Madara would become much harder then. But then again he couldn't really say no...

"Ok, whatever you say sensei." he replied as he noticed the water puddle on the ground.

Just as he was expecting two ninja's jumped out of it and in a lightning speed trapped Kakashi in chains. They both pulled and the jonin was ripped they threads. They then charged Sakura, going straight for their target behind her, the bridge builder. Sasuke was about to send a shuriken in their chain but he noticed the blond disappear from the corner of his eyes, he went wide eyed for a moment which was enough for the blood brothers to trap him, they were about to pull when the chain was cut. They looked surprised but it didn't last long as both felt something in their stomach. Looking down they found that there was a blue orb. They looked up. Clones? Too late, they were send back into the forest by the jutsu. Naruto landed in front of the remaining members of team 7.

"Way to keep your cover..." the fox sighed

"Yea, well you know... instincts." he replied

"Yea yea, whatever..."

"I see that the training was not in vain Naruto..." the cyclops said as he reappeared, Sasuke and Sakura gasped as Naruto just sighed grinned.

"Yea well y'know, Jiraya-sensei wouldn't have let me stick around if it had been in vain, the guy is a real slave driver..." the sighed recalling all the times the sage had made him work until fainting. He shuddered, he most definitely would to live through it again.

Tazuna sighed quietly to himself, he was still alive. He became aware that a gaze was on him. He looked up to find it to be the jounin's. The sun was high and the temperature was enough to make the bridge builder sweat, yet it wasn't the reason of the water drop going down his face. The cyclops sighed, the old man must have had his reasons for this, that didn't mean he was going to let it go, he was just going to wait and talk to him later if danger rose again. When he started walking again the old man sighed in relief.

The group started their journey again. They soon boarded a small boat, which apparently was going to bring them to the land of waves, the place where most of the mission was going to happen. Kakashi had decided to get the info out of the bridge builder. They were all listening to him except Naruto who was having his own internal debate, what should he do? He had wondered before and he was wondering yet again.

"You can't save everyone you know..." the fox said

"Yea, but Zabuza and Haku, old man, Chiyo baa-san. They don't deserve to die, I'm not sure I can actually stand by letting them die for something like this." he answered.

"Although it is true that it is sad for them to die, it is part of things, Chiyo, Zabuza and Haku, the only way for them to actually see the light, be brought back on the right track is this way and you know it." Kyubi reminded him

"Yea... I guess you're right." he admitted in defeat. He knew what his friend had said was true. He found himself being poked again. He realized that they had arrived and had to get out of the boat. He suddenly realized something, which Kurama had as well.

"We hadn't thought about that, it may be a problem..."

"I can't believe we forgot about this, this is bad!" he rushed back

"Kit, calm down, this is going to go along, I'm sure that Kakashi isn't stupid enough to tell the others right o way, he'll talk to us in private about it, don't worry."

"Yea..."

He sighed, he felt like he hadn't slept in ages, it was only the beginning of all the problems of knowing the future he would have to face. He shook his head, he had given Sasuke his word as well as Nagato his word that he would save them, he would save the world. He couldn't doubt himself, he was going to come out victorious of all the danger. His nose suddenly picked up a scent he recognized, it was time, time to face the demon of the mist once more.

"Everybody down!" he heard the jounin yell, they all dropped. A huge sword stuck to the tree and a ninja appeared on it.

Now that he thought about it, Zabuza was a show off, he sweat dropped, a ninja used stealth, the rogue obviously considered himself to more than enough for them, he was wrong.

"Squad, stand back, he's mine." the jounin said, putting his hand up to his headband.

"Hatake Kakashi, I've heard of you, back when I was still a jounin, the was a folder on you, besides the price on your head there was a small note, Hatake Kakashi has copied more than a 1000 techniques..." the man replied.

"Copied?" Sakura asked in bewilderment.

"The only thing that allows to copy jutsu's is the sharingan, but Kakashi-sensei isn't an Uchiha..." the avenger thought to himself.

"Momochi Zabuza, we heard about you, you killed the mizukage but your coup d'état failed. You then flied with your men, your name was immediately reported to Konoha." answered the sensei. He lifted his headband and opened his left eye, there a red eye was.

"The mighty sharingan, what an honor." the rogue said

"The sharingan only appears to certain Uchiha members, how can sensei have one?" Sasuke wondered.

"It seems I will have no choice but to remove you from the picture Kakashi." he said before pulling his sword out of the tree and landing on the water. He put one hand above his head and the fog suddenly started to thicken.

The tension rose as the killer intent spiked, it reached such a level that both Sakura and Sasuke trembled, they were too young, too inexperienced, to unprepared for such a foe. Sweat slowly went down their faces, the fog was such that they could see no further than their feet. Sasuke suddenly felt like being watched. His eyes widened. He was scared, he had never felt such danger. His sanity wavered, he needed to end this now before he became insane! Rising the kunai, he considered one last time...

"Sasuke!" his sensei called, he shook out of his trance and focused on his teacher. "Relax, what ever happens I will defend you, I will never abandon a comrade!" he exclaimed. The genins trembling stopped. A feeling of safety washed over him. He sigh in relief. He was safe...

"We'll see about that..." rang through the fog. Team 7 was surprised to find the rogue between them. Kakashi turned kunai in hand ready to pierce him. surprisingly it wasn't his that touched the jounin but Naruto's. The boy's hand pushed right through the water clone making it fall. An other Zabuza appeared behind the blonde, there was a flash of grey and Kakashi's kunai stabbed the clone. A unseen kick sent Kakashi flying into the water. Naruto turned around to late. A punch sent him into the trees.

"I didn't remember him being so strong..." he thought

"Yea well it's cause after your encounter with him you thought he wasn't that strong it was just you who were weak, guess you were wrong eh?" the fox sighed.

"I guess..." the time traveler replied before getting up.

It was no doubt this rogue was strong, but he was stronger. He had to be. He opened his mouth slightly and took a deep breath. His hands formed a seal and he prepared to pass in chakra mode...

"Stop kit! You don't want to show them to much. So take it slowly, besides you've grown to used to my power, you need to learn to fight without it again, like Kakashi, he's too dependent on his sharingan just like you are with mine, you will have no serious threat for some time so until I think it's right, you won't be using my chakra." he warned

"Uh... fine..." the boy sighed.

Sasuke found himself being held down by a water clone and regardless of how much he tried he couldn't break free. The rogue's blade came down fast. It approached his neck and there was nothing he could do. The blade stopped right before it touched him, the solid metal turned to water and fell. He looked to the side and mixed with the water were a few shurikens. He looked up and there he was, Naruto. The blonde was staring right at Zabuza.

"Hey you! I got an other name for you to add to your list of super ninjas, the name of Naruto Uzumaki!" he yelled. Before the rogue could answer the blonde disappeared.

Three kunais appeared out of no where reflecting the sun's light. Zabuza easily caught them but what he didn't see coming was a kunai darker and more mat that didn't reflect the light. His eyes widened, he didn't have time to jump again, pushing himself away he let go of his hold on his prisoner and avoided narrowly the knife. It had been close as witnessed the small trail of blood from under his eye. This got to him, a kid, a kid coming from nowhere had wounded him! He suddenly became aware of something, approaching him fast, very fast, he had underestimated him, but there was still work to do... He could hear and keep up with the faint sound of the foot against the water. The rogue closed his eyes and waited. At the last second he spun, kunai in hand.

Blood fell on the water. Kakashi who gotten out of the water couldn't believe what he was seeing nor could the remaining members of team 7. Naruto was frozen, his eyes were wide. His head lowered slowly to the point where he saw it, the kunai impale in his chest. Reacting quickly Kakashi jumped out of the water and roughly got Naruto back from the rogue. He set him down near the squad before closing his eyes. He sighed, he had a pulse and the kunai hadn't touched anything vital from the looks of it. He got up and was about to turn to face the rogue when his left eye twirled , his other eye widened. The blond gave him a weak smile. He sighed, it was the kind of smile that said 'I'll explain later.'

"Fox..." the boy said weakly

"I know, already on it..." returned the beast

"Squad take care of Naruto, I'm going to finish this." their sensei said before turning.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed as she rushed to him. He opened one eye and smiled weakly.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine..." he said before fainting.