(EDIT-3-7-16): Found and corrected an obscenely large inconsistency. Hopefully nobody noticed it. I didn't until months later. I'm not going to tell anybody who didn't notice, as I would like to preserve a scrap of writing dignity, even if I'm not too good to begin with.
I am very sorry for such a late update. I cannot offer any excuses besides my own depression and subsequent lack of motivation. Anyhow, I am back for at least a little bit until closing, after that I'll be moving into a new house, so I won't be able to update even if I want to.
On to the story...
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Almost a month after they became Genin, Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata stood in Hiruzen's office with Kakashi as they turned in the signed D-Rank scroll to the Hokage.
"Excellent work, Team 7. Now seeing as it's only noon, would you like to take another D-Rank? There are plenty still available seeing as for some reason Asuma's team isn't performing more than one a day." stated Sarutobi with some annoyance.
"Actually, I feel they are ready for a C-Rank mission." stated Kakashi.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" shouted Iruka from the mission desk, "They haven't even been Genin for a month and you want to throw them into C-Ranks? Are you insane?! They aren't ready."
It was Naruto who spoke up, "Iruka-sensei, I know where you're coming from, but at the same time you never knew our full skills even at the Academy. Not being cocky, that is a fact." Iruka sighed, "Naruto, you have barely been a Genin for any length of time. You still don't know how dangerous it is outside Konoha. You have no way of knowing that you are ready for this."
Naruto looked to the Hokage, who gave a nod. He turned back to Iruka, "Sensei, do you remember me telling you about my tutor? The one who helped me pass all of the knowledge and written tests?" Iruka nodded, unsure of the direction the conversation was heading.
"He was unable to train me physically, he had one of his officers do that, but Danzo-sama has been teaching me for years now. That's how I know what Madara Uchiha looks like, among other things." Naruto stated.
Iruka paled, looking to the Hokage for confirmation. At his nod, he sat back down.
Sarutobi looked to Kakashi, "If you are going to be taking C-ranks, then I'm going to need to hear your reasoning as to why you think they are ready."
Kakashi nodded, "D-Rank missions are primarily for instilling teamwork and camaraderie among team members, but they already have both of those in spades. In addition to that, I need to up their regimen both mentally as well as physically, and a somewhat serious atmosphere would help them understand the behaviour expected of them on a far more serious mission. Rest assured I will be treating any C-Rank you provide us as serious as I would a B-Rank."
"How many times did he just say 'serious'?" whispered Hinata. "Three" Sasuke replied.
Hiruzen nodded before pulling out a scroll, "Well I have one C-Rank I feel is suitable for your team, it's an escort mission to Wave country. Your client is a pontiff by the name of Tazuna, and he just needs an escort in case of highwaymen and the like. It should be rather simple, and your team will even get to visit another country. He'll be waiting at the gates tomorrow morning for his escort. Good luck."
Kakashi nodded before taking the scroll and walking towards the door, but before he left he looked at Iruka, "I will protect my teammates, you can count on that."
XxxxX
As they walked out of the tower they were conversing with each other until Naruto asked, "Sensei, has the situation in Wave changed? I thought it was in a depression. At least that's what Danzo-sama said when he was telling me about the world state of the other countries."
"That's what I thought as well. Although I don't know the details, I'm certain that unless their position has turned around completely in the last few months they would be spending the money on food and supplies rather than an escort mission for their bridge builder to return home. Which calls for the question as to what he's even doing in Konoha at all. It's more likely that I'm overthinking it, but paranoia keeps shinobi alive, so be on the lookout for anything suspicious." Kakashi told them, "Anyways, since we're having a C-rank tomorrow I'll let you go for the rest of today. Remember to get enough sleep and pack enough for several weeks."
With that he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"So, we've got the rest of the day off," Naruto said, "What do you guys want to do?"
"Actually Naruto, I need your help deciphering this part of the the Naka tablet." said Sasuke, "There's something you need to see there as well."
Naruto nodded before turning to Hinata. Before he was able to apologize for leaving suddenly, she said, "Don't worry about it, I need to talk with my father anyway. I'll see you at the gate tomorrow morning."
XxxxX
Naruto and Sasuke sat in front of the tablet. Naruto had two fingers on his forehead so as to temporarily release his Sharingan.
"So what I'm getting from this, is that the Sharingan and the Bijuu are related somehow. And not just in a way that gives Sharingan users control of the Bijuu, it seems to be deeper than that. Look right here," said Naruto, pointing to a certain part of the tablet, "Can you see it?"
Sasuke frowned, "All I see is the part about opposites cooperating and bringing happiness, I don't see anything else."
"Well it's very faint, but I see something behind the kanji for happiness, like four circles inside of each other, inside some kind of oval." said Naruto before his eyes widened.
Sasuke noticed, "What is it?"
"It's an eye."
"What? What do you mean an eye?" asked Sasuke.
"It's an eye, and I think I know what it means!" Naruto said excitedly, "I don't know what that eye is, but I think it's some kind of Dojutsu! Look, you said this part refers to the Senju clan, right? The part that says Yang?" Sasuke nodded, so Naruto continued, "Well you told me that the Sharingan is a manifestation of spiritual energy right?" again Sasuke nodded.
"Well Yin represents spirit, and Yang represents body. Yin and Yang are always referred to as being 'opposites that cooperate'. So if the Senju is Yang, and the Uchiha is Yin, then their cooperation would, according to this, bring happiness. I think that 'happiness' refers to this eye here. In other words, combining the Senju and Uchiha bloodlines would unlock this new Dojutsu!" Naruto exclaimed.
Sasuke was now extremely interested. A new Dojutsu? That was impossible right?
"But wait", Sasuke said, "There are no more Senju. Except Tsunade of the Sannin, they're extinct."
"Not quite." said Naruto, "Danzo-sama told me that the Senju and the Uzumaki were closely related. He said that Uzumaki were really just another type of Senju."
"But you already have the Sharingan." said Sasuke, "Wouldn't that mean that you should already have this new Dojutsu?"
"I don't know, this is just a theory. But it's a theory that makes sense. And remember, I wasn't born with these eyes, so that alone might make... whatever it is take longer anyways. Even if I'm right, it could take decades for it to happen." stated Naruto before he yawned. They went outside and closed up the shrine.
Naruto looked up at the dimming sunlight, "Huh, I guess we were in there for longer than I thought. Alright, I'm going to head home. I need to pack and get some sleep. See you tomorrow, Sasuke."
"See you." Sasuke replied before they went their separate ways.
Interesting as all this was, they needed rest.
They had a mission tomorrow.