For the last two months team 7 had completed twelve c-rank missions with the majority of them being bandit extermination and very few of them being escort or package delivery. (The young Uzumaki always complained about not getting to 'let loose')

Now Naruto (who had grown another tail which brought him up to seven tails) stood in front of Minato (each day it got harder not to kill him with his own jutsu) with his teammates and sensei for yet another mission.

The 4th hokage looked them over (barely holding back his hatred for Naruto) as he handed Kakashi the c-rank scroll.

The silver haired jonin read it as Minato spoke in his eternally calm monotone that gave the Aburames a run for their money. "This is a c-rank mission to Wave to protect a bridge builder by the name of Tazuna as he finishes the bridge from Wave to the main land. We've been informed that the most you should have to face is bandits and highwaymen."

Without a word the three genin shunshined (Naruto taught both Sasuke and Sakura the jutsu within the first week) out to their own places where they got their supplies ( Naruto: Kunai, shuriken, ninja wire, ink, chakra paper, calligraphy brush, and his katana. Sasuke: kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and his ninjato. Sakura:kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, soldier pills, and her collapsible bo-staff) then they shunshined to the northern gates within two minutes.

When they appeared they saw Kakashi and the client (who grumbled about getting kids instead of the 'real shinobi' that he had asked for) and began their track to Wave.

After six hours Naruto was the first to recognize a puddle of water as a genjutsu and signalled his findings to the others. 'Puddle. c-rank genjutsu. advise?'

Kakashi signalled back. 'Capture'

Naruto immediately threw a kunai at the puddle forcing two missing ninja to jump out only to be intercepted by both Sasuke and Sakura who knocked them out with a quick synchronized round house each then Naruto tied them up with ninja wire and placed chakra seals (kept them from accessing their chakra) on them.

Tazuna fell on his ass in shock, eyes wide with fear. "I-it can't be, he's really that hell bent on stopping the bridge from being built?!"

Kakashi sighed and rubbed his nose in annoyance. "Great so this is a surprise to you as well which means that you didn't lie to us but it also means that whoever is against the idea of this bridge being built is willing to do anything to kill you, why couldn't this be an easy mission."

Naruto ignored his sensei's childish complaining and slapped one of the tied up ninjas face to wake him up. As soon as he opened his eyes the young red head used a genjutsu taught to him by Kurama. "Fox style genjutsu: information gathering."

After a full minute of Naruto mumbling incoherently and his eyes glowing he nodded then swiftly decapitated both missing ninja.

(eyes back to normal)

"These guys were Gozu and Mizu otherwise known as the demon brothers, they were hired by Gato of Gatos shipping company, he has two more missing ninja in his pocket along with a small army of bandits that he uses for 'gathering taxes' from the civilian population." The preteen had said 'gathering taxes' with such disdain that it was obvious he hated what he saw.

Kakashi nodded. "Did those two know how strong the other two were?"

Naruto shrugged. "Yes and no, the one they knew for certain was Zabuza Momochi as an A ranked missing ninja who goes by the moniker 'Demon of the hidden/bloody mist, the other is his apprentice but these two didn't know his level, they estimated him to be high b rank to low a rank due to him being with Zabuza for over 12 years already. He is called the demon of ice." Naruto grumbled about all the demon monikers when these two were so easy to take out.

Kakashi nodded. "It seems that you'll finally be getting your chance to 'let loose' Naruto."

The Uzumaki boy nodded at this though he had a feeling that this would be a very bad thing. (And his gut feelings had never steered him wrong before)

The red head sealed the corpses into storage scrolls along with their heads then he sealed the scrolls in a storage seal on his right bicep before they continued on.

Kakashi had his team guard Tazuna in diamond formation with Naruto up front, Sasuke on the right, Sakura on the left, and him in the back. They were all on high alert but still were thinking about other things.

(With Naruto)

Naruto took a quick look at Sakura before looking forward once more. 'She was quick to respond when the fight started, able to knock out a chunin with years of experience in the field and as a rogue ninja at that. Why do I have this... desire to make her mine? She's not an object so i shouldn't feel that way but i can't help it.' thought the red head in confusion.

(With Sakura)

Sakura looked to Naruto and blushed a little. 'I hope he noticed my strength, that may be the only way to get the knucklehead to notice me. UUGHHH! Why can't this be easier and he just see that i actually like him?!' thought the pinkette in aggravation.

(with Sasuke)

Sasuke looked to both of his teammates/friends and chuckled mentally. 'Naruto, you really are an idiot not to notice Sakura likes you. Go for it. For once in your life focus on something else other than avoiding your father and actually look around you.' thought the Uchiha with an amused smile on his face

(Kakashis P.O.V)

Kakashi smiled under his mask as he watched his students. 'At least they can still focus on more than their training and missions. I prey that they can keep this thought process.' Thought the silver haired jonin before focusing back on the mission.

(normal P.O.V)

The next three days went exactly like this, walk at a civilian pace until night fall with very few breaks, (those only happened because Tazuna didn't have the strength to go non-stop) make camp as the sun was setting, take shifts guarding the camp at night, (the schedule was Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, then Kakashi) rinse and repeat. They had no problems, that is... until now.

(scene change)

They had packed everything and sealed it away before getting into formation. They all walked in silence for an hour when a mist began to form around them.

Naruto recognized the jutsu and signalled the others. 'Hidden mist. Zabuza. signature jutsu. silent assassination. can't track. advise.'

Kakashi answered quickly. 'Hold position. use hearing and smell to track.'

The boy did as told and added his yokai to his nose and ears and found both enemy ninja. 'Both are here. Zabuza ahead. apprentice in trees.'

Kakashi smirked under his facemask. 'Go for apprentice. lethal force authorized.'

Naruto left in a silent shunshin (he faded like a ghost) and appeared behind the masked ninja before knocking him out and tying him up.

When he returned to his position he was forced to deflect a large blade with his own blade. The sword was embedded halfway into a tree when Zabuza momochi (same clothes as canon) appeared on it.

Naruto smirked up at the A-ranked missing ninja. "Zabuza Momochi, demon of the hidden mist, you surprise me."

This intrigued the jonin. "Oh? how so?"

The red head pulled out a copy of the most recent bingo book. "I read all about you and every missing ninja still breathing and your M.O doesn't match the way your acting, you take jobs to kill corrupt politicians, tyrants, rapists, drug smuggalers, and other such... people, not a bridge builder who's never even been in a bar fight.

Logically you should have killed the ass hole who hired you and just took the money he offered."

Kurama saw it, a slightly glazed look in the missing ninjas eyes. "Naruto, he's under a fox genjutsu, one of my underlings must be working for this Gato person."

Naruto nodded and and appeared behind the supposed 'demon' and placed a hand on the guy. Both Naruto and his kaa-san charged up a bit of their yokai for this jutsu. "Fox style genjutsu:Dispell!!"

The glazed look cleared up in a second and he dropped completely unconscious to which Naruto made two shadow clones that carried the two missing ninja.

When they arrived to Tazunas they were greeted by the mans daughter and grandson then shown to the room they'd be staying in.

Naruto untied the boy but stripped him of his weapons which consisted of a shit ton of senbon needles then stripped Zabuza of his weapons which was surprisingly only one kunai and his sword.

Sakura came in as Naruto finished sealing the weapons away. "Hey Naruto me and Sasuke have finished our patrol and sensei has set up some traps, is everything going alright on your end?"

The boy nodded. "Yea, they are completely unarmed and i was just about to place a chakra seal on them just to be safe."

The pink haired Haruno nodded. "Do you need anything?"

Kurama spoke to Naruto. "Now's the chance kit, tell her how you feel or you may lose her."

Not wanting to take that chance Naruto spoke up. "Yeah, come here for a second." When the girl was seated he spoke as he drew the seals. "We've been friends for awhile to say the least and we've helped each other along with the other three members of our small group of friends grow stronger than we could have alone."

Sakura nodded in agreement but she stayed quiet for now. "And you know about the circumstances behind my birth and how my father blames me for my human mothers death."

Again she nodded and stayed quiet. "Well with me being a bijuu hanyou I have certain instincts and one of those is the need for a strong mate and while they called out to me in whispers for Ino and Hinata when you knocked that missing ninja out with one kick they were screaming out for me to uhhhh... 'make you mine'."

This had the effect of making Sakura full body blush. "I refuse to treat you like an object so I've been holding it back but it's hard to do because my instincts are being fueled by the fact that I have feelings for you."

Before the boy could say more Sakura squealed in delight before hugging Naruto. "Oh thank kami! I thought you didn't like me the same way!"

This shocked Naruto. "Y-you mean that you want to be my girlfriend?!"

The pinkette nodded excitedly "Yes!"

While they were chatting Kurama was thinking. 'Zabuza was under a powerful fox style genjutsu which means the culprit had to have at least seven tails if not more but which of my underlings would agree to work for this Gato person of all humans?' This line of questions would be left unanswered for now so she focused on her son and how he was able to truly smile now.

(scene change)

In a darkened room stood two people, one was a short fat man in a mid quality business suit who was known as Gato of Gato industries.

The other guy was a tall leanly muscled man with tan skin, raven black hair, and glowing red slitted eyes. He was wearing a high quality black business suit with a blood red undershirt and a black tie, his name was Kurobi, first born son of Kurama and he had only a single raven black fox tail coming from his lower back at the moment.

Gato was the first to speak. "Your plan didn't work! what am i supposed to do now that they're here?!"

Kurobi spoke in a calm business like manner. "Relax Gato-san this is but a minor setback, I'll handle everything and all you have to do is sit back and continue to run your little 'empire' as if nothing was wrong."

Gato nodded as he relaxed. "Of course, you've never steered me wrong before so I'll trust your judgement on this."

As soon as Gato was gone the man chuckled. "So, mother has had another child and this one is a hanyou huh? we'll meet soon little brother."

XXXAN: WHAT?! Kurama had a son before Naruto? Sakura and Naruto got together?Alright so I'm gonna let you all know that there will be some suprises in store for our hero in the next chapter. I won't say what but if you can guess what they are besides the obvious one of him having a brother I'll give you a shout out and allow you to have an OC of your own in this story.as always MCL homies