Chapter 4

Two weeks later and Naruto could be seen holding a rather happy brown cat walking towards the mission tower, a pissed off and scratched up Sakura and Sasuke behind him. Team seven had been together for 2 weeks now and had been doing D-rank missions since the first day. Naruto hated D-rank missions with a passion but understood they had some kind of purpose. The mission they were on right now was the capture Tora mission, and Naruto was really wondering why anyone would call such a sweet cat a demon. She was always nice to him, but he figured that was because she could sense his inner animal. Speaking of Leo, the lion had refused to say that Sakura was a female. Oathkeeper and Kyuubi agreed to his statement. Speaking of those two, whenever he talked to them, they seemed to be trying their best to keep his attention on them. He didn't know what was going on with that, but he figured it was a female problem. Strangely Leo would chuckle whenever this would happen.

He shaking out of his thoughts blinked spotting team eight coming out of the tower, Kiba looking like he had won the lottery. Kiba spotting him said "Ha dobe my team got a C-rank mission before yours. That further proves that I'm better then you."

Naruto blinking asked "I'm sorry did you say something Kiba?"

This made Kiba growl. Naruto had picked this little trick up from Kakashi. He turning to Shino asked "Got your first C-rank?"

Shino nodding said "Yes."

Naruto nodding back turned to Hinata and was about to say something when his danger senses started going wild. He jumping into the air watched as a blond missile hit Kiba with the force of a truck. Landing he rolled his eyes spotting Ino nuzzling a confused Kiba's face. Naruto deciding not to alert Ino that she had missed him, walked past her and walked up the stairs following his team. He reaching the top of the stairs walked into the room and handed Tora back to her owner and winced spotting the obese lady smother Tora. He coughing said "Excuse me."

She looking at him asked "Yes?"

He coughing again said "I think I know why Tora-chan runs away so much."

She blinked and asked "Really? Why?"

Naruto holding out his hands said "If you'd hand me Tora I can demonstrate why."

She handing him Tora blinked when Tora instantly started to nuzzle him as he gently held her and petted the cat. Naruto smiling said "See how I hold Tora-chan. She likes this and wants more affection. You were and I mean no offence smothering her. If you hold her like this gently like a mother holding her child or Kakashi-sensei holding his book Tora-chan will stop running away."

The woman nodding gently took Tora from Naruto and did as he had. She smiled when Tora started to purr. She looking at him said "Thank you very much young man Sarutobi be sure that he gets extra pay."

She then walked out of the room followed by her guards. Sarutobi looking at Naruto said "Iruka be sure that Naruto is paid the amount of an S-rank mission for finally solving the Tora problem."

Iruka nodding did so. Kakashi was looking at Naruto with pride. Naruto feeling the anbu and Kakashi looking at him like that said "I don't see why you're looking at me like that all I did was help her out."

Sarutobi shaking his head said "Alright Team Seven for your next mission you can walk the Inuzuka hounds, weed a garden or."

Naruto with a scowl on his face let his latest genjutsu appear and said "Old man I'm tired of the D-ranks. If I have to walk one more dog or weed one more garden, I'll snap. So I suggest you give us a C-rank before I teach the paperwork how to use the Shadow clone jutsu."

Sarutobi hearing this and spotting Naruto's bandana becoming his face said "Alright Naruto, just don't teach that cursed being the shadow clones jutsu."

Naruto letting the genjutsu drop eye smiled and said "I knew you'd see things my way."

Everyone including the hidden anbu sweat dropped as a genin had just bullied the Hokage into giving his team a C-rank mission. Sarutobi picking up a C-rank said "Alright Team Seven your first C-rank will be escorting a Tazuna back to the small trade country of wave. You will be guarding him from bandits." He then said "You may come in now."

The door opened and Tazuna came in drinking from a bottle of just barely tapped Sake. He looking at team seven proclaimed "What the fuck. I paid for good protection, not a gender confused pink haired boy, a brooding emo avenger and."

He blinked spotting Naruto balancing a kunai on the tip of his finger and Kakashi scratching his chin with a kunai. He smiling said "Never mind the first two must be decoys and the other two come in and kick ass." He nodding to himself like this was the answer said "I'm the great Tazuna, it's your job to protect me until I finish my bridge."

Kakashi holding back Sakura and Sasuke said "I'm Kakashi and these two are Sakura and Sasuke. The one picking his teeth with a kunai is Naruto. We'll see that you get home and build your bridge."

Tazuna nodding left the room. Kakashi letting go of Sakura and Sasuke said "Go home and pack for a month. Meet at the south gate at 9, and Naruto I actually mean 9."

Naruto nodding said "Got it sensei."

His eyes widened when his danger sense started going wild again. He jumping out the open window landed on a roof of another building just as Ino burst into the room, glomped Iruka and said "Naruto-kun."

He shaking his head jumped down from the roof and decided to go get some more ninja wire and maybe finally get his custom made jacket.

The next morning Naruto arriving at 8:59 a.m. looked like he was ready for battle. He had his new jacket on, with the hood pulled up, hiding his face in the shadows. The only thing visible was the white smile on his bandana. He was smiling at the look Ten-Ten had had when he had showed her last night, and how Ayame had swooned on the spot seeing it this morning. He spotting Sakura and Sasuke rolled his eyes spotting Sakura holding a very big bag. Sasuke looked ready for combat, but why was he blushing. Shrugging he blinked when Kakashi arrived with Tazuna at exactly 9. Kakashi spotting Sakura's bag sighed and picked it up. Going through it he shook his head and said "This bag is useless. All that is in here is make-up, perfume and hairspray."

He tossing the bag into the nearest trashcan handed her another bag and said "This bag has what you need."

He turning to Sasuke checked his back and nodded as it was correct. He turning to Naruto asked "How many scrolls?"

Naruto said "Four. One for my medical supplies. One containing my sealing supplies. One with my kunai, shuriken, and other weapons. The last one contains all my notes on the country of wave, and the possible threats we could come across."

Kakashi nodding to this said "As usual you are well prepared." He then said "Diamond formation around Tazuna. Naruto you're in the front. Sasuke and Sakura take a side. I'll bring up the rear."

Team seven nodding got into position and Kakashi said "Move out."

The group of 5 then headed out the gate. A little ways down the road Sakura bored asked "Tazuna-san does wave have it's own ninja?"

She blinked when Naruto said "No wave does not have ninja. Ninja are mostly for the larger nations, with the exception being Iron Country who since the first war has been a place of peace. We have the five great hidden villages."

He thumping his headband said "We have Konoha, the hidden village of the Land of Fire, under the rule of the Hokage and the Fire Daimyo."

He pointing behind them said "We have Suna, the hidden village of the Land of Wind, under the rule of the Kazekage and the Wind Daimyo."

He pointing a to the right said "We have Iwa, the hidden village of the Land of Earth, under the rule of the Tsuchikage and the Earth Daimyo."

He pointing in front of him said "Then we have Kiri, the hidden village of the Land of Water. Normally under the rule of the Mizukage and the Water Daimyo but right now in the middle of a civil war over bloodlines."

He then pointing to the left said "Lastly we have Kumo, the hidden village of the Land of Lightning, under the rule of the Raikage and the Lightning Daimyo."

He then said "Throw in the smaller villages of Taki, Kusa, Ame, Kawa and Frost." He then said "Hot Spring stopped being a ninja village some time ago and now is mainly a tourist trap."

Kakashi nodding said "Correct."

Sakura with a scowl on her face said "I didn't ask you."

Naruto rolling his eyes said "Yes but I answered for Tazuna-san. He has enough to focus on without answering questions from you."

Kakashi nodding said "Again he's correct Sakura."

Sakura huffed. Sasuke with a small smirk on his face thought "Finally shut the loud mouthed Pink Haired Bitch up. Thank you Kami."

A day later Naruto sensing a genjutsu being used looked around for it and had to fight every urge in his body not to release his killing intent spotting the pathetic attempt at hiding by some fools. He calming down signaled Kakashi who told him to see what happens. Naruto walking by the puddle rolled his eyes. Sasuke and Sakura didn't even notice the puddle. When Kakashi was about to pass the puddle two goons with slashed out Kiri headbands appeared out of the puddle and wrapped their chains around Kakashi. The shredding him said "One."

They then dashed forward heading straight towards Tazuna passing the frozen Sakura. Naruto lifting up his hand watched as little black threads shot out of his fingers and pierced through the first of the two. He watched as Sasuke knocked out the other one. Naruto walking closer to the one he was currently attached to said "Tell me who you work for."

The man spitting on Naruto's mask said "Kiss my ass."

Naruto shaking his head said "I could've spared you the pain, but you declined my hospitality." Naruto closing his eyes said "Earth Grudge Fear; Heart Consumption Jutsu!" The threads then thickened and Gosu screamed in agony as the threads converged on his heart and it was pulled out of his body. Naruto winced as the memories of Gosu flooded his mind. He finding the information he needed opened his eyes and said "Kakashi-sensei we have a problem."

Kakashi appearing asked "What is it?"

Naruto removing his hand from the dead man's chest and ignoring how the bloody threads slid back into his fingers said "They were working for Momochi Zabuza an A-rank missing ninja from Kiri wanted for trying to kill the 4th Mizukage. He is working for the shipping icon Gato of Gato Enterprises, and a hit has been placed on Tazuna's head."

Kakashi hearing this narrowed his eyes and turned to Tazuna who quickly pleaded his case. Kakashi said "It's not up to me. I'll let my genin decide."

Sakura quickly said "I say we go back. This is too much for us."

Sasuke snorting said "I say we continue and see how we stack."

All eyes turned to Naruto and blinked spotting him already walking up the road. Naruto without looking back said "I will not sit by as a country suffers under the thumb a greedy evil tyrant. If I did so I'd be no better then the Shinobi council when the other villagers decided to isolate and abuse me." Naruto turning to look at Tazuna said "Plus as the future Anbu Captain Commander and Hokage a mission like this would look impressive on my sheet."

He then turned and walked on, missing the tears pouring down Tazuna's face, the small blush on Sasuke's face, the rolling of Sakura's eyes and Kakashi looking like he had just seen a ghost. Kakashi shaking his head said "It's been decided we carry on. From here on out things will get a lot harder. Sasuke and Sakura if I am unable to lead Naruto is in charge."

Sasuke nodded while Sakura huffed. Kakashi hearing this nodded and moved ahead. He didn't know it but this mission would see the birth of a legend like none other Konoha or the world has even seen before.

Naruto sitting in a boat being paddled across and expanse of water had his eyes closed and was talking to Oathkeeper. He was asking her if she was ready for her first real battle. She giggled and said "I'm so excited. We finally get to show your team our power."

She then let out a fan-girl squeal. Naruto ignoring this asked Leo "Are you ready for a big fight Leo?"

He could feel how excited the lion was as he said "I can feel it in my bones this fight is going to push you to your limits. I'm licking my chops."

Naruto shaking his head opened his eyes and stood up. He getting out of the boat got into position guarding Tazuna. He sensing someone in the bushes was about to toss a Kunai when Sasuke did it instead. He rolled his eyes when Sakura said "Oh Sasuke-kun you're so brave, trying to protect me."

Naruto creating a shadow clone had it check the bushed out. The clone blinked finding a scared shitless snow white bunny. The clone picking up the bunny brought it over to Naruto who handed it to Tazuna and said "The coat is wrong. It's summer time it's fur should be brown, meaning this rabbit was used specifically for the replacement jutsu."

He then tackling Tazuna and the rabbit down said "GET DOWN!"

Kakashi doing the same for Sakura and Sasuke heard something hit a tree hard. Naruto standing up set his eyes on Zabuza who said "Not bad kid." He looking at Kakashi said "Kakashi of the Sharingan that explains what happened to Meizu and Gosu. Those two were worthless anyway." He looking Kakashi in the eyes said "Hand over the bridge builder and no one gets hurt."

Naruto curling his pointer finger said "Not happening. Fire Style; Bursting Phoenix Jutsu!"

Zabuza jumped back as a huge black Phoenix crashed into the tree he had just been in. He landing on the water said "Well this kid is interesting. Making a fire jutsu that strong without even making a single handsign."

He putting his sword on his shoulder asked "What's your name kid?"

Naruto lowering his hood said "Uzumaki Naruto and you are Momochi Zabuza demon of the mist."