AN: Hey haven't updated in a while, but here's chapter 4. I'll be updating more frequently soon, as semester is almost over. Also, I'm rather enjoying writing in the Naruto fandom, and I may be starting another story over my Christmas Break. I hope you enjoy, be sure to leave a review.
"Team 7, on me!" Karasu leaped out of the tree line and charged their opponent, ninjatō in hand. "Admit defeat already! You're done!"
"I don't think so little boy," said opponent let out what started as a demonic chuckle and turned into a monstrous laugh. An eerie fog started to form around their ankles, quickly overtaking the team's bodies, hiding them from even each other in the mist. "You'll die soon, and then your precious sensei too!" Ox, Snake, Ram. "Water Release: Hiding in Mist!" The man's body soon began to dissipate, his form molding into that of the mist around him. "Silent Killing..." His word barely audible before silence took hold.
Weeks earlier, Team 7 had found themselves in quite a different predicament.
"YOU CAST A GENJUTSU ON HER CAT?" Hiruzen Sarutobi had received quite the hassle from the council in their emergency meeting. "Why wasn't I informed of this upon your mission report?" He turned to Kakashi. "And you allowed this?" The team in question had completed a D-rank the day before: helping a rather overly-entitled shopkeeper find her cat. Instead of continuing to chase the cat around the outskirts of the village like they had for the first three hours of their mission, Kara took the next opportunity of eye contact with the cat to trap them in a sleeping Genjutsu… Though apparently, it had had some undesired side-effects on the animal.
"Well, I wasn't there when it hap-"
"KAKASHI!" The old man slammed his fists into the table in a show of power that reminded the team that, despite his old age, the Hokage could still break all four of them in pieces. The table gave a load groan as it cracked under Hiruzen's fists. "Why EXACTLY weren't you with your Genin during the mission?" The old kage fixed the silver-haired ninja with a glare that would have Orochimaru looking down at his shoes.
"I, uh, was helping an old lady with her groceries," Kakashi spit out his normal excuse.
"KAKASH-"
"Hokage-sama," Kara knelt in front of his leader. "No blame should be put on our sensei for this, it's my fault," He looked up into Hiruzen's eyes. "But if it helps, I can reverse what happened to the cat. Animals are rather easy to influence, I can, uh, make the cat think it never even happened!"
"DO YOU NOT REALIZE-"
"Come on, old man!" Naruto cut in, causing his team to glare daggers at him. Kami, he's going to get us killed, thought Karasu. "All we've done are lowly D-rank missions! We want something more challenging! Otherwise, how am I supposed to become Hokage?!"
"Naruto," Kakashi was giving off quite the murderous intent, he was sure Hiruzen would have them all put down, when the Kage began laughing.
"You want something more challenging, boy?" Hiruzen chuckled softly. Maybe this'll give these kids a look at what they're begging for. "Tazuna!" The kage cleared his throat, "Come on in and meet your escorts!"
The team reacted in unison.
"Escorts?" Naruto asked questioningly, unsure of what he meant.
"Escorts?" Sasuke, unimpressed, with his nose turned up at the task.
"Escorts! Ha!" Karasu was rather excited to have the chance to get away from the village.
"Escorts?" Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. This is going to turn out a mess…
"Escorts? These children?" A man stepped through the now open door and looked over his protectors. "You're kidding, right?"
"Hey! Who you callin-" Naruto's rant was cut short, his face now through the hardwood floor of the office.
"W-What Naruto meant to say is, we are trained ninja, we'll surely be able to take care of you! And if not, Kakashi sensei is one of the Leaf's strongest Jounin," Karasu cut in quickly. I need to get out of here Naruto, you better not ruin this. "I can guarantee you, sir, we can see you safely wherever it is you're going."
"You sure? The orange one seems kinda scraw-"
"I assure you, Master Bridge Builder, they will be sufficient protection," Hiruzen was doing his best to live up to his respectable position and not crack up at the exchange, and just barely managing it. He turned to Team 7. "You are to escort Tazuna back to the Land of Waves and protect him while he completes his bridge. Take any and all steps necessary in order to complete the mission. This is your first C-ranked mission, congratulations." He smiled at the team. "Understood?"
"Sir!" The four nodded in unison
"You have until the morning to prepare, meet Tazuna at the western gates at sunrise," Hiruzen nodded to the team before they all shunshined, with the except of Naruto, who tripped on his way out through the window.
"So," Karasu began, fiddling with the strap that held his ninjatō. "Why're you building this bridge?" The team hadn't been told anything other than that the man was building a bridge and needed protection.
"To open up trade to nearby countries," they were only ten minutes into their travels and, already, he was getting tired of questions from the Genin. "Now, are you done asking questions?" Tazuna had let some irritation seep into his voice. "Shouldn't you be paying attention to what's around us instead of talking? This is your job."
"Geez, old m-" Naruto was, again, cut short by his face being pressed firmly into the ground by Karasu.
"Naruto, he's the client, and a good shinobi knows when to just listen," Karasu hoped that would get his attention as he released the blonde. "Now, we need to be sure to stay on guard, we aren't in the village anymore."
The team continued along the well-trodden path through the land of fire. "Ugh, why's it so hot, Kakashi sensei?" Naruto whined.
"It hasn't rained in weeks Naruto, now please focus on the task at hand," even Kakashi was starting to get irritated with him. His tone showed this and earned mocking faces from Naruto once their sensei's back was turned.
Naruto's foot splashed through a puddle on the road. "EWWWWW, I'm not even wearing socks!" Naruto shook his foot dry while he continued behind his team.
Wait, puddle? Kara could feel the intent to kill being given off from the puddle.
"So Karasu, what did you do before you left the Hidden Cl-WHAT-HEY WATCH IT! YOU COULDA KILLED ME!" Naruto looked ready to attack his teammate for the kunai he had sent his way. "WHAT'S THE-"
"GAH!" Karasu's kunai met its mark in the shoulder of a ninja that had just slipped out of the puddle behind the group. "You little piece of-" The Mist ninja, from what Kara had gather based on his and his partner's Hitai-ate, gasped out. "MEIZUUUUUUU, GET HIM!"
"Already on it, Gōzu," a ninja, who could only be Meizu, leaped from the puddle his brother just had and was on a path straight for the ninja who mocked him… Who had suddenly disappeared.
"Looking for something?" Karasu appeared behind the Mist Chunin and gave him a wound equal to that of his brother before disappearing again and returning to his previous place next to his team. "Seriously? I expected more from the Demon Brothers. Want to try again?" Kara relaxed his stance and mocked the pair with a finger gesturing them towards him.
"You'll pay for that, gaki," Gōzu growled and shot his arm out to his side towards his brother. "Ready Meizu?" With a nod from his partner, he released a shuriken-chain from his gauntlet, which was caught and connect to his brothers before Team 7 could even blink. "Demon Brother Formation!" The two raced forward faster than Karasu could react, and caught the first Genin they reached.
Before Karasu could stop them, they had Naruto caught in their chain, pinning his arms to his sides, the sharp shuriken piercing his tracksuit and skin, and blood soaking the now shredded orange jacket. "Karasu! Sasuke! Kakashi sensei! HELP!" The blonde screamed and tried to move, however, moving caused only more bleeding.
Quicker than the Demon brothers could react, Karasu had drawn his ninjatō, forming a single, one-handed seal in the process. Tiger. "Dance of the Firefly!" Kara brought his sword down in a short arc, a flame leaving its blade. The glint of the tora on the sword's blade in the sun disappeared as the Uchiha seemed to catch fire himself as his body melted into his attack. The flame reached Gōzu before he could blink, Karasu leaping out of his flames and once more taking form before he once again sheathed his ninjatō… in his enemies chest, straight through the heart. Karasu wasted no time relishing his victory over one enemy, his sights already set on the other. As soon as his sword met Gōzu, he had begun three final handseals. Tiger, Monkey, Tiger. His form visibly flickered from the space he was standing in as he appeared in front of Meizu, his flame-brazen leg melting through the chains as he struck them before using his momentum to turn into Meizu, a kunai in hand, pushing his knife harshly up and through the man's ribcage.
Meizu had not time to reflect on what had happened, his life slipping away to meet his brother in the afterlife in seconds. Karasu, in contrast with the powerful, experienced ninja he appeared to be, promptly vomited on the body. It wasn't often he was forced to take a life, but when he was, it never sat right with him.
"W-what was that?" Naruto was shaking now, the chain of shuriken laying loosely around his after having fallen.
"Naruto," Karasu began, wiping the taste of vomit from his lips. "I have no idea what just happened, but I hope I figure it out."
I hope you enjoyed, be sure to leave a review. The initial fight with Zabuza isn't far off, so stay tuned for it!