Hey guys! I've been quite busy for a while now so I'm glad to be able to get back to my story! I'm also glad to see quite a few of my followers from this story backing my other one as well! Must mean I'm doing something right!

On with the show

"May we please receive a mission higher than a D-rank, Hokage-sama?"

Eying them Hiruzen sat, pencil in hand and an assortment of files all holding missions. Moving his pipe from one hand to the other, he looked down at the paperwork to draw some feign thoughts from the genin.

He loved to mess with them.

Bringing an eye up Hiruzen stared at them. There was no need to deny them. Track-wise they were perfect with over twenty different D-rank missions and the best performance ratings out of all of the genins teams in cycle, at the moment. At any rate, Hiruzen started pecking through piles of paperwork, much to the genins astonishment.

Discreetly, Hiruzen caught the amazed looks of Team Ibiki. They were that excited to be upgraded a mission rank were they? He'd have to change that. Hiruzen pulled out a manilla folder from the bottom of the pile before looking it over. Perhaps a trip to wave was in order?

"Alright, I'll assign you all to a C-rank mission. You are to escort a bridge builder to wave enacting as his guards. You should not expect anything higher than a few bandits, every now and then." Hiruzen stated.

To his right an anbu shunshined beside him, kneeling. "You are to bring the bridge builder here, alright?"

"Hai."

Ten minutes later a tanned man with gray hair walked in, clumsily. "Are these kids the one's who'll be protecting me?" The man said, "They don't look like much."

"Trust me, these genin are our finest and will return you to wave safely." Hiruzen stated.

Taking another drink from his bottle the old man ran his hand over his mouth, wiping it. "What can they do exactly? I'm not from a ninja village but I know the order."

Ibiki smiled. "As we've said before these are our best genin. So, if you want to know of their ability than you will see it if we are engaged." He narrowed his eyes. "Either through bandits or nukenin."

The man nodded.

Pushing the papers into Ibiki's hands, Hiruzen stood up and gestured to the genin. "The genin's names are Naruto, Haku, and Tenten." the trio nodded. "Now, would you kindly introduce yourself?"

"Tazuna."

Hiruzen nodded before turning to team Ibiki. "You are to meet Tazuna here in one hour at the village entrance," He dipped his mask, shading his eyes, "dismissed."

Meeting Tazuna at the entrance was a major headache, he simply couldn't go five feet without grumbling something insulting to himself. And when they left... it only got worse, but when they made the trek each and everyone of team Ibiki noticed a puddle in the middle of the road. Putting a hand on Tazuna's mouth Ibiki muttered something to the bridge-builder. Whatever it was must've been valuable because he shut his mouth on the spot, replacing his annoyed look with a stoic one.

Right when they crossed the puddle Ibiki made hand-signs for them to attack.

Naruto went first. With practiced ease his arm whipped out four senbon into his hand, his vision hardened onto the puddle before he formed the wind with his senbon. Next, on either side the girls both threw either kunai or senbon to the puddle in a matter of two seconds.

That day, blood flew.

Lying on the ground, the demon brothers writhed stuck with senbons in each neck and a kunai in one of the brother's knees. Tazuna's head hitched as he silently swore.

"Like Hokage-sama said, we're the best genin team right now." Ibiki stated.

Walking over he grasped Haku's shoulder and nodded.

In between D-rank missions they would train in different fields from the leading, most popular, techniques to the basics of the shinobi arsenal—the fundamentals. His team were true prodigies in the sense that they didn't half-ass something. When they did something, they did it hard. However, that didn't mean they were cruel either.

When Ibiki saw how hard they were training he'd urged them to fight with the intent to kill. He needed to see how far they would go despite who they were, who he knew them to be. Ibiki wanted to see whether they would give in to primal urges because even when someone was soft on the outside that didn't mean that they could be just the opposite when the time came.

Though he was surprised... surprised to find that none gave in even after his own passive psychological tortures. His suggestions were simply ignored.

Later he'd tried to get Haku to accept his training in torture techniques to receive the same reply as usual, "I'm sorry Ibiki-sensei, but I don't think I'm right for that position."

He'd pinched the bridge of his nose before he had another idea. He'd simply have Naruto and Tenten learn as well! Then Haku would feel much more inclination to accept his art. Manipulative... yes, but that's how he liked it.

Once his team came together he discussed the topic with Naruto and Tenten in more detail. He almost received the same replies until Tenten accepted with a shrug. Shortly after the effect took hold of Naruto and then Haku, who looked a bit pale. At first he began slowly and on the less painful aspects of torture, slowly forging their fortitude with the art.

As time passed and like every other form of learning the training furthered itself in pain. By then Haku had grown quite a bit, from what he didn't know. He could only assume that Naruto and Tenten had talked to her about it since her views on the subject had changed.

Now the practice could finally be put in motion.

"You're going to tell me everything you know." Haku said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

The brothers merely screwed their eyes shut, the couldn't speak. The pain whoring through them prevented their speech from escaping into fire. And as if Haku knew they couldn't speak because of that she swiftly removed the senbon from one of their necks. Sweet relief echoed through his veins and mind before shocking depression shot again.

"That's right!" Haku giggled, "I forgot that I aimed for that one pressure point."

Crouching down next to him she fiddle with a senbon in her fingers, snaking it in between each digit with ease. "Well?" Haku asked, "Are you going to say anything, or..." She peered down to the senbon in her hand.

His eyes widened as he saw her grip the needle and just before she punctured him he yelled, "I'll tell! I'll tell!"

Her hand stopped.

"Really?"

Standing back to full length Haku nodded to Ibiki, instating his turn. With tired eyes Haku leaned into Naruto's shoulder heavily before saying, "Huh, I don't like to do that but if it can help us than so be it." Naruto went for her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.

"I know, it isn't easy but you did good." Naruto said softly, leaning into her ear he whispered, "You didn't even have to hurt him, you're that good."

On the side Tenten watched the two with a soft smile before an idea crept into her mind. Smirking, she stepped forward.

Shocked eyes gaped, horrified, the small struggle ahead of him was what children were capable of? Tazuna's mouth open and closed with no sound coming forth. So, this was a ninja village? Children fighting and dying as if dust in the wind? He moved to wipe his eyes. He'd never seen a ninja village before with his life so intertwined with wave.

Time hadn't presented itself until now.

At first glance all he saw were children wearing equipment, playing a game. He distinctly remembered teasing them about it too. But now? Now he saw soldiers learning to survive. He shook his head. Would it be alright for him to try and persuade the jounin on something later on?

His eyes voided over to the genin's sensei and then to the genin. He clenched his fist, white. The black haired girl... Haku seemed to be having trouble with what she just did. Although his heart warmed, her team-mates were huddling around her, offering support.

Yes, he would ask later.

"Alright, we've got what we need." Ibiki said stoically. As he walked back he pointed off to the two fallen brothers, he made a gesture across his neck.

It's better to get this out of the way.

The three genin nodded. Walking forth one of the brother's looked up solemnly before his eyes widened. "But we to-" The man's arms shot up pleadingly before falling limp, what skin could be seen instantly turned pale, his eyes... spoke horrors.

Tazuna couldn't believe what he'd just seen. All three genin had taken a kunai out and at the same time had pierced the man's skull, puking out brain from the back of his head.

He felt sick.

Haku had tears running down her cheeks along with Tenten, and Naruto pulled the two girls into a hug before pushing them back and finishing the other.

"It get's easier." Ibiki said, "It always does in time."

"I want you three to stay close and remember the feeling because the next time you do have to kill you will notice a difference."

Ibiki turned his gaze to Zabuza, knitting his brows together. "Now, Tazuna-san I don't recall Hokage-sama saying anything about B-rank nukenins coming after you. In fact, all we were suspecting was a few bandits." Ibiki coolly said.

Sweat caressed Tazuna's face, what was he supposed to tell them? They could easily just leave him to die because of his deception. There was one thing, of course, but would they really do it? He shook his head, he had no choice.

The negotiations with Tazuna had gone well. He explained his situation about his country and Gato, the strife they were in, and the extent of poverty the country. Ibiki didn't have an ounce of pity but quickly changed his opinion when he saw the looks on his genin's face. In their eyes was a spark resonating, echoing in the depths showing fire and if going on this mission meant igniting the will of fire further then so be it.

Mist gathered around them on the boat making vision impossible beyond five feet past the boat.

"I didn't tell you all this but, according to the nukenins from earlier there would be one of the seven swordmen here." Ibiki spoke, hands regarded tensely over his knees, "From what I've heard of him he is supposed to wield the Kubikiribōchō and is reported to have bandages around his face with spiky black hair. With him is supposed to be a gray haired teenager who is supposed to have belonged to the Kaguya clan."

Haku's eyes widened as she silently took Naruto's hand. If the Demon Brother's told the truth then she'd be able to bring down the bastards who left her to die.

"Their names are Zabuza Momochi and Kimimaro Kaguya."

Hey guys! How did ya like the chapter? I think it went over pretty well. Just to keep people updated I plan to update between my two stories and then after that I want to try and get as many reviews as possible to get a good idea of what to improve on!

R&R and PM, it does help.

See ya!