December 16th, 2011

edit on May 30th, 2015

Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.

Warnings: Do not read if you do not like homoerotica. Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs. Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though. Rated M to be safe.

Summary: Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

Keys for reading: "Normal Speech", 'Thoughts'
"Jutsu name [english translation]!", "Transmitter/mic/headset"

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Stillnight Presents

Surprises

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― Chapter Five: Iruka and Naruto on Mission ―

The very first thing Naruto did after agreeing that mission was going to pack everything he needed. He went straight to ANBU HQ to change his clothing to his ANBU uniform and he packed enough weapons, soldier and blood pills, empty storage and message scrolls, ratio bars and other equipments.

Naruto's uniform was contructed of short sleeved mesh shirt, sleeveless black turtleneck shirt, mask very similar to one Kakashi wore, black ANBU pants, leg and hand bindings, black shinobi sandals and his own uniquely modified version of gray ANBU vest. In his hands he had metal plate covered black leather gloves without fingertips, in his belt was a weapon pouch containing his tools, weapons, rope, chakra wire etc. Another, different looking pouch contained basic first aid kit, soldier and blood pills, painkiller, desinfectant, bandages, some medical scroll and healing herbs, venoms and anti-venoms. He had kunai and shuriked holsters on his both tights for easy access to his weapons, he also had kodachi strapped in his back, he wore long, red scarf. His hitai-ate was tightly tied in his forehead and his golden hair framed his face very much in Yondaime like manner and in his left shoulder was ANBU tattoo. He had left his porcelain wolf mask into his locker.

Naruto swiftly leaped from roof to roof toward Hokage tower to meet old man and inform him his mission. As usually he entered from window in office with out knocking.

"Hey, jiisan. I got this new high A-ranked mission with 'Ruka-sensei", he said as he crouched to window sill. "I need you to inform... my team...", he speech was cut short as he saw Kakashi stand in room, leaning against the wall casually giving his bi-monthly team report to Sandaime. "Oh, hey, Kakashi-sensei. This makes it easier", he said delighted.

Kakashi blinked owlishly. Was that person Naruto who was wearing that ANBU uniform, without mask though? He nearly didn't recognice teen, only his eyes, hair color, and voice gave him away. Naruto was going into high A-rank mission alone with Umino Iruka?

Sarutobi's eyes were glinting with hidden amusement seeing Kakashi's obvious confusion and he buffed his pipe. "So, Naruto-kun, you finally managed to convince him to go into mission again?" he mused. "How you did it?"

"We got three low Jōnin ranked Kusa missing-nins and group of bandits to deal with. We are of course going split everything we get from this mission. Iruka admitted that he needed some extra money for new cloths and bed. His current bed is piece of junk and sleeping on couch would more healthier than in bed itself", Naruto said shaking his head disapproving for a such a thing.

Then he grinned rather deviously. "This is going to be so much fun ~ ! I was going nuts with all those crappy missions and constant whining of Genins so I had to get away from them for awhile. I'm going to be away about week or so, so I'll be missing my team training. Kakashi-sensei, train them hard for me, okay?" he asked and got the much more serious. "When I get back from this mission I'll be putting them under genjutsu to show that what this very nice reality of shinobi life is and show them what can and will happen if those two dunceheads aren't going to take this seriously soon", he said seriously, sounding much older than his nearly 16 years whould indicate. "You know who and what I am. As that is said, I can't afford a weak team with me. I'm gonna make them strong even if they are going to hate me for it, and by using force if I have to."

Kakashi finally found his voice. "I know that, Naruto-kun, I know that very well. I will do my best break their bad habits while you're gone, though I doubt it will happen without that genjutsu."

Naruto nodded and was already turning to leave, when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, and please water my plants while I'm gone, sensei. There are traps at every entrance to my place, but I'm sure you can figure them out easily, and remember re-activate them again once you leave", he said and triffled his pocket of his vest picking something from there, throwing it to Kakashi. "Here's spare key for you, and don't touch my books without my permission, ne?" with that said he already disappeared in gust of wind.

Kakashi grasped the key tightly in his right hand and stared the spot where Naruto had crouched just few second earlier, and face-palmed then. Sandaime chuckled bemusedly. "At least he trusts you that much that he gives you his spare key to his home. That is much from Naruto's part, Kakashi-kun", he said to silver-haired Jōnin.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto appeared with swirl of the leafs the Eastern Gate where Iruka was already waiting him and chattering with two familiar Chūnins, Kotetsu and Izumo. Naruto greeted them with great enthusiasm. "Sup, Kotetsu, Izumo? Guarding gates again?"

"Yo, Naruto. Going in mission with Iruka-kun?" Izumo guestioned. "What rank you managed to get?"

"High A-rank, if it's succesful, we can get quite amount of money from this. Three Kusa missing-nins, low Jōnin ranks. Bunch of bandits", Naruto answered.

Kotetsu whistled hearing that. "Nice mission. Since you both are here now, you can go. Good luck with your mission. Don't die."

Naruto and Iruka both nodded and gave Chūnins two fingered salute before they both disappeared. Only while later Chūnin academy teacher paid some attention to Naruto and noticed complete lack of orange. "Eh, you left you jumpsuit back home this time and used your real gear this time?" he asked.

Naruto laughed. "Yeah. Orange is nice color and all, but it's not very good for stealth, especially for higher ranked missions like this one", he said as they leaped from tree to tree. "Besides, I don't want to ruin my favourite jumpsuit. They are hard to come by."

Iruka chuckled hearing that. "They won't fit you forever, you know, Naruto-kun. If you are anything like your father, then you are going to soon, in year or two, out grow them."

Naruto groaned for that. "And that's why I wear them so often now when I can, Iruka-sensei", he said and frowned. "Talking about my dad, let's use some code names in this mission. I don't want to spread our names for our enemies to hear. That's why I have my face covered with mask. I look way too much like my dad and my whiskers are just too distinguishable to be forgotten when seen them once."

Iruka nodded approvingly for Naruto's reasoning as it made perfect sense. "My codename will be Umi. It means sea", he said and blond nodded.

Naruto thought for awhile. "Uzushio. The thwirling tides", he said finally. "My mom was from Uzu no Kuni, and her home village was originally called Uzushiogakure before it's destruction in Second Great Shinobi War", he chuckled. "I don't know what in parents minds have been when they named me as Naruto. Whirlpool Maelstrom", he groaned again.

Iruka chuckled out loud at Naruto. "Uzushio, how appropriate name for you. And it as well matches with mine. Umi and Uzushio", he said and they both fell into silence.

They travelled the incredible speed that only ANBU was able to. Much later when night was rabidly aproaching they were finally forced to stop and make a camp. While chewing their ratio bars Naruto furled the map open to a ground and peered it closely in fading light.

Naruto poked the map with finger. "This is where we are currently", he said and poked place in map, and then he followed trails on map and stopped his finger nearby showing village. "Our targets are estimated to be here", he said and tapped map with his index finger and took a sip from water bottle. "If we can keep travelling the whole way in there same speed we currently kept coming here... We should arrive there in day and half", he said and peered map one more time closely narrowing his eyes. "Can you keep up with me, Umi?"

Iruka peered map as well closely and saw that Naruto was right. "Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem at all", he answered. "Have you any kind of plan how to confront out targets?"

"Not anything solid yet, but I'm thinking about it currently as we speak", Naruto said started to play with kunai to clear his thinking. "I think you can handle alone those bandits. It should be easy job for you, unless there are more unconfirmed or former shinobi. There is ..." he said and pulled mission scroll out and open reading it. "... 53 bandits according the information we have currently. But let's be careful anyways. Those rogue Kusa-nins are all confirmed to be low Jōnin ranks, so it will take some careful planning from my part", he said thoughtfully and then he grinned. "How are your trap making skills?"

Iruka gave devious smirk. "As sharp as ever. I have some chakra wire, exploding tags, shock tags and flash tags with. I'm sure that I can figure something out with them", he said grinning widely. He loved making traps.

Naruto and Iruka were perfect team. They both thought similarly and their skills and abilities complemented each others, and their personalities were quite matching, too. They both were pranksters to a boot, and they had mile wide streak of mischief and deviousness.

While they ate their yucky tasting ratio bars they planned their strategy to confront their targets. And finally much later, they both fell asleep, while Naruto's Kage Bunshins [Shadow Clones] kept guard for a night.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Reading his favourite Icha Icha novel fifth time Kakashi was on his way to bridge to meet his team when remembered that Naruto was away with Umino Iruka in mission. Naruto's apartment was nearby so he decided to give short visit in there to water Naruto's plants.

He shortly arrived to Naruto's apartment building. It looked like it was going to collapse soon, walls were covered with graffitis and there was cracks here and there. Disapproving Naruto's living district he shook his head and pulled the key out. He turned the key in lock and grabbed the door knob, but he got immediately zapped with mild raiton jutsu. It was then when he remembered Naruto say something about traps in his home's every entry way. So he begin his fight with the traps to gain entrace into apartment itself.

It took him good half of an hour to disable all traps before he even go inside the apartment to water those damn plants, and he few more time to shot from mild exploding tag, few raiton jutsu and thrown by small shock tag and drenched by mild suiton jutsu.

And it wasn't just about one or two, or even three of those plants, but whole 14 of them. And insides of the apartment came quite shock to Kakashi. It looked completely different than shamble looking outside.

Floors were made of planed, polished oak wood, walls polished smooth and painted wood. Furnitures fine materials, leather couch was expensive looking and chairs and tables and desks were polished woods. Floors were covered with fine, expensive carpets and on windows were covered by purple colored, real silk curtains. In walls, Kakashi noted, was rows after rows of shelves, all filled with scrolls, books, notes and manila folders, stacks of paper.

There was also few pictures about Naruto's parents Minato and Kushina. Jiraiya and Naruto together, when Naruto was toddler, from all ages to current day, similar pictures about Iruka and Naruto, and even one picture where all three of them were in same picture, Naruto as academy student, perhaps 8 or 9 years old, Iruka as younger and his hair down and Jiraiya same as usual, perhaps less lecherous looking than normally.

Then there was Team 7 teamphoto, and another big group photo containing about ten people in picture, all of them holding porcelain animal mask in their hands next their faces, not in front. Their faces were bare, and recogniceable, Kakashi noted and he already had recogniced all of the faces in that picture. He also noticed that everyone in that picture seemed genuinely happy of taking that picture and tiny Naruto was being hugged by female members. "Naruto's ANBU team..." he spoke out loud as he realised it.

Then he noticed that there was few more pictures. One of the photos was Naruto and Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage sitting in floor with Naruto and playing shōgi, tea cups nearby. 'Naruto and Sandaime-sama are really close if they play shōgi together', he realized suddenly.

Then he turned to look last five pictures that were left. One was Jiraiya's Genin photo with Sandaime as their teacher and blond flat-chested girl and pale skinned, black-haired boy. Second was Jiraiya with Minato as child. Then there was next Team Minato picture, which Kakashi recogniced easily, as it was also Kakashi's team picture, and in that photo there was Kakashi, Obito and Rin in front and Minato behind the children.

Fourth picture was about busty blond-haired woman with honey colored eyes and purple diamond mark in her forehead and on her neck was hanging greenish crystal necklace. Woman was hugging tightly 7 or 8 years old Naruto with wide, happy grin. 'Tsunade-sama', he realized with mild shock.

It was really the last photo that stopped Kakashi, froze him completely and left him shocked to the core. It was picture about Kakashi himself, it was when he was still serving in ANBU. He remembered that after that mission when he had barely survived and spend nearly month in hospital, he had quit being ANBU and returned to be normal Elite Jōnin. In photo Kakashi was sleeping in hospital bed, covered with bandages. In next to him in bed there was curled into ball, small gold haired child, whisker marks on his cheeks, sleeping and holding his hand. It was obvious that picture was taken secretly. Most likely by one of the hospital staff or by Jiraiya, or even by Hokage himself.

"Naruto..." he whispered and touched the picture gently. It was clear that Naruto cared. Really cared about him. "That's it. When he comes back from his mission I will confront him and ask him about the truth, and I will get it", he muttered and swiftly took small tour in house.

He saw two doors and name plaques in them. Other plaque read "Naruto" and other one "Jiraiya". Ah, so Jiraiya lived with Naruto when sannin wasn't on missions or checking his spy network. That also explained why place looked so neat and had expensive furnitures. More than likely Jiraiya hired to someone to fix this place look like this, Kakashi thought.

Kakashi returned to living room and took closer look about the books. He remembered Naruto mention something about not to borrow his books without his permission. His jaw was left hanging open as he saw the books. Naruto had all the Icha Icha series books, with author's signature to boot, including the rare special and deluxe editions, posters and even uncensored and unrated Icha Icha movie. Now he realized why Naruto had said that to him. Because blond had known that he would want to borrow some of those books immediately!

He shook his head and quickly grabbed the watering can and went to kitchen to get water. In there he noticed to package in kitchen table with note a top of it. Being the curious person, he put the watering can down and read the note, and regretted immediately.

Naruto,

My publisher sends you these newest and yet unpublished Icha Icha books as per usual with his best regards. I stopped by to drop them for you, but disappointing as it was, you weren't home. (I would've loved to see you again!) But here, as promised, two pieces of Icha Icha Love book. One for you and another for Iruka-kun. You two, enjoy the newest book ~ !

Ps. I'll be coming home next time for prolonged period of time a week or so before the Chūnin exams with some news about Akatsuki and Itachi. Until then, stay out of the trouble, ne, Naruto-chan?

Your kyōfu (Godfather) Jiraiya

Kakashi blinked several times and tried to get his brains to function normally. Then his heart started to beat furiously. Newest, yet unpublished Icha Icha novel was right in his reach, but yet he couldn't read it. What a torture!

He grabbed the watering can again and rushed to fill it to fulfill his duty and water those damned plants. With several deep, disappointed sighs he watered all 14 of them. After that he checked that everything was in order, re-activated the traps and locked the door. He noticed that he had easily spend quite some time, over two hours in Naruto's home alone.

He finally arrived at the bridge he had agreed to meet his Genins and met rather irate looking Sakura and deeply sulking Sasuke.

"Yo!" he greeted them.

Sakura hearing his voice turned to yell him. "You are late pretty damn near 6 hours! What is your excuse this time?!"

Kakashi looked sheepish as he started to explain. "Well, you see. I was at Naruto's apartment, and I had to fight my way in through of nearly 50 traps, and then there was watering the plants itself. There was 14 of them. Fourteen, can you imagine that!" he said and looked mournfully at his hand. "I got hit few times with raiton jutsu, exploding tags and shock tags, and even drenched with small suiton jutsu."

Sakura was going to yell him a LIAR as usual but now that she a took closer look at her sensei, she saw that man looked actually a bit singed and suffered. Sakura was completely perplexed that he was actually telling the truth this time.

Sasuke perked up hearing that Kakashi had been in Naruto's apartment, Sakura hurriedly looked around and noticed that Naruto was missing. "Ne, ne, sensei? Where Naruto is anyway? He is later that you, and that is unheard of. He is always on time and early", she asked her brows furrowing together.

"Ah, yes. Naruto will be away a week or so for a mission with Umino-san. Naruto-kun told you to train hard and not slack off", Kakashi said. Naruto had not said exactly that, only to train hard until he go back.

Sasuke frowned. "What kind of mission it was and what rank?" he asked worriedly and started to pace around, biting his lower lip. "When he left?"

Kakashi quirked his right eyebrow curiously. This was completely new. Worry-wart Sasuke. "They left yesterday evening, and their mission was to wipe out group of lowly bandits and some low Jōnin ranked missing-nins from Kusa. If I remember it corretly, Naruto said that their mission was high A-rank one."

Sasuke stopped pacing around, pushed his hands is shorts pockets and tried lean coolly agains bridge railing.

"Maa, Sasuke-kun. Don't worry, he'll be okay. Naruto-kun wouldn't ever take a mission that wasn't within his skills. Besides, he didn't go alone there, Umino-san will be with him", Kakashi said trying to ease Sasuke.

"But how Naruto could take a mission with only a Chūnin? Naruto is a Genin, for the god's sake!" Sakura muttered, unadmittingly worried too.

"Naruto is technically Elite Jōnin level and formally ANBU Operative, or did you already forget that, Sakura-chan?" Kakashi asked with raised eye brow from Sakura.

Sakura blanched. "Yeah, it totally slipped from my mind. But he still better come back alive with Iruka-sensei!" she said with deep scowl.

Kakashi heard Sasuke mutter something. "... Agree with Sakura." Silver-haired man raised his eyebrow amusedly to them. "Alright, enough with this musing. Let's get on with your training, shall we? The hell would break loose, or worse, if Naruto finds out that you aren't training while he is away", he mused. "And don't bother to complain that Naruto-kun can't punish you for slacking, because he definitely can and will. So don't give him reason to do it."

A sudden, violent shudder went through both of Genins from a mere thought.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

At the very moment Naruto sneezed somewhere relatively far away in forest, and nearly fell to the ground from tree branch he was standing if only a fraction of second. Slipping he managed somehow to keep his position.

Iruka not far from him stopped to stand on his branch and turned to look Naruto worriedly. "Are you okay, Uzushio? You are not getting sick now, are you?" he asked and looked Naruto with slight, worried frown.

"I'm okay, really, Umi. I just got this weird gut feeling for a second and next thing I knew I was sneezing", Naruto said sniffing and stared suspicion around them in forest.

"What kind of gut feeling it was?" Iruka asked worriedly. In shinobi world the gut feeling was most of time important part of survival instincts.

"Just like someone was using my name and reputation to scare someone. Unpleasant feeling", Naruto sad and Iruka sweat-dropped. "I just wonder if that scarecrow remembered to water my plants."

"I'm sure he did. He wouldn't risk you start hating him, you know. He wouldn't dare to forget it, especially when you showed that kind of trust to him for first time. And because you are still bonding as a team", Iruka said.

Naruto shrugged non-chalantly and he finally continued running. "I guess so. Well, we'll see it when I return back home", he said.

Iruka nodded and resumed their running too in silence.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

"Uzushio, are you in your position?" Naruto heard question from his communicator. Like was a tiny bit crackling but other wise clear.

"Uzushio listening. I'm in my position, and everything is clear so far. You, Umi?" Naruto asked whispering into communicator.

"Umi listening. I too am in my position, and everything is clear too. I see my targets clearly and they are where they are supposed to be" Iruka confirmed. "What is your situation in there?"

Line crackled a bit and was unclear for few seconds, but cleared then. "Stupid devises..." Naruto muttered under his breath. "Good, keep your targets closely on eye and don't act yet. My targets are also where I want them to be, and here hasn't been any problems thus far", he confirmed too. "Let's keep them on eye for awhile, until the night fall and then we determine best course of action."

"Roger that, Uzushio."

They spend nearly half day keeping their targets in eye to see if they were something up. As soon as Sun finally went down, duo of Konoha shinobi silently jumped down from their hidings, infiltrated into camps keeping their presence and chakra concealed setting numerous traps all around the places.

When they finally were spotted, utter chaos erupted when Naruto's and Iruka's traps went off, causing several huge explosions and shockwaves across the campsite.

While Iruka took bandits, Naruto engaged the missing-nins with help of his Kage Bunshins.

He hurled kunai to missing-nin nro 1 did handsign and shouted loudly: "Kage Kunai no Jutsu! [Shadow Kunai Technique]!" And one kunai suddenly multiplied by 50 kunai. All while missing-nin was concentrating to dodge all kunai, Naruto used this diversion at his advange, and merged into ground and then emerged again right behind missin-nin. He engaged missing-nin this time into taijutsu battle using his godfather's taijutsu style. They exchanged some blows in rapid pace, both getting some hits delivered in their goal. Finally Naruto got enough irritated to end it fast.

He took one single kunai and wrapped explosive note around it's handle, activated it with his chakra and threw it then towards his target. It didn't hit, but it really didn't need to. It landed about one feet away and then it EXPLODED! His target died immediately. He covereded his eyes from bright flash and shock wave explosion caused, and right after when it died down, he hurried to see was there anything left of his target.

Naruto felt nauseated when he saw the target. It was nearly completely mangled unrecogniceable. He quickly did some seaching to see if it has some information containing scrolls or something else equally important. Then he unceremoniously chopped his head off and sealed it in storage scroll.

Then he did fast handseals to small katon jutsu to burn missing-nin's corpse. As he hurried to his next target he spoke his communicator.

"Uzushio reporting. Umi, what is the situation over there currently?" he asked. "I succesfully got rid one of the missing-nins and took his head off. It's sealed. No injuries sustained from fight. Two targets left, and I'm currently in my way to check another of them as they are fighting with my Kage Bunshins."

"Umi listening. Well done, Uzushio. Situation here is good and under perfect control. Thus far killed 27 bandits, and 5 of them were low Chūnin ranked missing nins. Two from Iwa, two from Kiri and one from Suna. I will secure their heads after this is over", Iruka reported back to Naruto.

"Good. Inform me if something unexpected happens suddenly or you get seriously injured, so I'll rush in you help", Naruto said. "Uzushio ends report."

"Roger that. Don't die, Uzushio."

"Like wise, Umi. Don't die."

Naruto shortly arrived into fighting scene where his clone was fighting against missing nin nr 2 and he hurried to take his clone's place. He placed his hand into clone's shoulder and said. "Job well done. You are free to go now. I'll take from now on." Clone nodded and then it just poofed out of the existence. Fine amount of chakra and memories and experience flooded in him, and he quickly sorted them.

"Quite skilled you are brat", said his new target, missing-nin nro 2. "Judging how you were able to keep you clone fighting with me that long, and your clothing and skills and abilities you showed this far... I'd say you are at least high ranked Chūnin or low ranked Jōnin", missing-nin said.

Naruto raised his eyebrows to missing-nin and chuckled then. "Oh, you're talkative one, aren't you?" he said and crouched into ground, pulling kodachi from his back. "I hate to say this, but were wrong about my ranks. I am indeed just a Genin, but I'm ANBU too. Have been four and half years already, ANBU, that is. I am in my strenght Elite Jōnin level."

Missing-nin blinked. "Genin? ANBU? You? That's one hell of messed situation there", he said finally.

"Officially I'm a Genin, I have my Genin team and Jōnin sensei, I have other relatives than adoptive brother who 14 years older than me and godfather with whom I live and I read porn novels that my godfather writes", Naruto snorted softly as he said that. "Unofficially I have been ANBU Operative four and half years, I was made ANBU over four years before I made a Genin officially. ANBU me exists as much as does Genin me, but it's well hidden. I have my own mask, I am the WOLF, ŌKAMI", continued smiling behind his cloth mask that covered his lower part of face.

Missing-nin burst in laughter. "You are a quite character, aren't you, Ōkami-kun?" he asked.

Naruto chuckled as well. "In this mission I am not an ANBU. I have no porcelain mask, see? My code name is Uzushio", he said. "Neither I am Genin, but simply who I really am", he continued. "You seem rather nice fellow, mister, but as it is my mission I have to kill you. Too bad."

Missing-nin nodded understanding. "It truly is. Under other circumtances we might could have been friends", he said and readied himself to attack.

"True. But now, I shall kill you and take your head with me", Naruto said. "Good bye, and don't remember me badly in after life, my friend", he said and moved, leaving only blurred after image. Before Kusa nin even managed to move his kunai to defend himself, his head was already severed from his body.

Naruto's gear was sprayed with blood and his face was also bloodied. He sealed head quickly in scroll and searched missing-nin's body finding some documents, money and weapons. He did quickly small katon jutsu and burnt the body. "Goodbye, my friend. I will place you some flowers in memorial stone when we get back in home."

"Uzushio reporting in. One more missing nin left. Umi, your situation?" Naruto asked speaking into communicator.

Line crackled unclearly a bit and then Iruka's voice came. "Umi listening. 14 left, some minor injuries gained and chakra is starting to get low, but nothing too serious. I'm done with them soon, Uzushio. Go take last one down."

"Roger that, Umi", Naruto said and line went dead. He merged into ground and appeared next to his own last Kage Bunshin. "Job well done, you can go now", he said to clone who nodded thankfully before disappearing in plume of smoke. Again some memories flooded in his mind and small remaining amount of chakra to his system.

Missing-nin attacked immediately as he had seen what happened. Blond ANBU easily evaded barrage of kunai and shuriken that rained in his direction. One kunai managed to nick him bare shoulder and he knew immediately that kunai were poisoned when Kyuubi's chakra started to neutralize poison from his system. Naruto thanked Kyuubi silently in his mind for neutralizing the poison but he knew that demon wouldn't hear him.

Missing-nin seemed to be slightly shaken by the fact that his poisoned kunai didn't effect blond teen at all, but he still continued his attack regardless.

Naruto took one of the poisoned kunai from ground and weighed it thoughtfully in his hand while he absently glanced towards missing-nin. He started to whirl kunai rapidly in his fingers and then... He threw the kunai faster than even trained eyes couldn't follow it. Last missing-nin collapsed into ground completely dead his own kunai in his throat.

Naruto sighed deeply and walked to dead nin to finish his task. He cut his head off and sealed it into scroll, searched it's body but found nothing out of the ordinary, only money, weapons, scrolls, normal things like those. Then he burned corpse quickly.

"Uzushio reporting. Mission accomplished from my part, and all three Kusa missing-nins are eliminated", Naruto spoke into his communicator. "Umi, your situation?"

Line was for a moment completely silent before Iruka answered. "Umi reporting. Only 5 bandits left. Done very soon with them, meet me here", he said.

"Roger that, Umi", Naruto confirmed and merged into ground.

By the time Naruto appeared to Iruka's side of camps, fighting had already ceased and Iruka stood alone mids of the blood and cut corpses of bandits, panting and sweating, sporting some injuries and wounds and his chakra nearly all drained.

Naruto hurried to help Iruka, cursing himself for not sending some Kage Bunshins to help him. He helped Iruka to clean place and started immediately to clean and heal his wounds.

Naruto grimaced visibly as he cleaned with desinfectant large laceration in Iruka's arm. Older man had gone through harsh battle, to kill alone 53 bandits and five of them shinobi training to until low Chūnin rank.

"This might leave a scar to your arm, Umi", Naruto said as he healed Iruka's arm with healing jutsu, his palm glowing green. "But luckily it's nothing too serious. Anyway, I should have left army of my clones to help you. Kage Bunshins are nothing to my endless chakra reserves. That was really stupid of me, short sighted really."

Iruka cringed as pain shot through his arm. "You had your own worries at the time. You went against three Jōnins. It isn't easy task to do alone", he said, gritting his teeth.

"Yeah, I know, but still", Naruto said stubbornly and frowned to the Iruka's wound as it stiched itself closed under healing jutsus effects. Then he sighed. "Let's just patch you up, I can give you some strong pain killers to help with pain. Let's clean the camp and return back to village."

"Sounds like a plan", Iruka agreed and continued. "Can't wait to get to home. Long soak in onsen sounds really nice right now."

Naruto grinned. "Agreed. How about we go home as fast as we can after cleaning this place and take really long soak in onsen?" he asked grinning even wider. "Just you and me. You know, after 9 in evening there won't be much people, if not at all, so there will be peaceful. We could even ask onsen owner, who is friend of mine to wash our cloths while we relax in bath. After that late dinner. My treat this time", he offered.

They bumped their fists in agreement and Iruka said grinning. "Deal."

After cleaning the camp and burning the corpses, the took straight line back in village, moving as fast as they could, and they even used to chakra to enchance their speed.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

One and half day later Naruto and Iruka arrived back to village gates, it was already evening, nearly 8 pm. Iruka was slightly wobbly and exhausted from all that fast travelling and fight before, and his all wounds weren't yet all healed. Naruto was only tired and a bit exhausted from travelling. They both were covered with dried blood, dirt and grime.

Gate guards spotted them. "Halt! State your name and business!"

Naruto let out long suffered and tired sigh. "Uzumaki Naruto and Umino Iruka returning from mission", he said and helped Iruka to stand better.

"Uzumaki-san, Umino-san, welcome back", gate guard nin said warmly to them. "Thank you from your hard work."

Naruto nodded and helped Iruka to walk inside the village. "Let's go report old man first", he said and grapped Iruka more firmly. "I'll teleport us there." And they disappeared into gust of wind.

They appeared again outside of the mission room and Naruto helped wobbling Chūnin to walk inside room. All speaking and movements stopped at the moment they were spotted in room. "Is old man in his office?" Naruto asked from silenced room. He got the answer, but it came from Sandaime himself.

"Naruto-kun, Iruka-kun. Welcome back", Sarutobi said. "I felt and saw you arrival", he said from hallway that led to his office.

Naruto grinned mischievously. "Using you peeping ball again, jiisan?" he asked. "Do I hand my report to mission clerk or to you? I have eight bloody heads secured in my scroll, you know jiisan", he said solemnly.

Sarutobi inhaled deeply his favourite pipe. "Ah, yes, that. Come in to my office. Go after wards in hospital to get checked you wounds."

"Sandaime-sama, our injuries aren't serious. Only small scratches and mild case of chakra depletion. Nothing that good food, hot bath and long sleep won't heal", Iruka said. "Besides, Naruto-kun, already took care of my wounds at battleground", he continued as they walked into Sandaime's office leaving stunned, silent mission roon behind them.

In Sandaime's office they finally sat down handed their mission report and scroll containing all heads. As Sandaime read the report his eyebrows rised a bit. "So there was more than three reported missing-nins?" he asked.

"Yeah, Iruka took care of them. They were, according to Iruka, low Chūnin ranked, two from Iwa, 2 from Kiri and one from Suna. I dealt with Kusa Jōnins, with help of my Kage Bunshins of course", Naruto explained.

Sandaime hummed thoughtfully. "It's all written in report. Here are your mission pays, and you will get you bounties from those missing-nins after we have dealt with villages they were from. It might take some time", he said finally, giving duo their rather thick envelopes. "You are free to go now. You both will be off duty following seven days until your all wounds and chakra depletion is healed."

"Yes, sir", Naruto and Iruka both saluted the old Hokage in unison. "Dinner and onsen, here we come!"

Sandaime shook his head chuckling while he looked after as his two most favourite nin left his office.

― TBC ―

Jutsu List:

Kage Bunshins [Shadow Clones]

Kage Kunai no Jutsu! [Shadow Kunai Technique]

Hm... I don't like this chapter at all. I didn't even like writing it. Oh well... One more to go.