Disclaimer – Kishimoto owns Naruto and the characters therein.
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Memories Of Others
Chapter 14
Technique Of A New Genin
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"I'm not certain that this'll work." The boatman admitted, looking at the expanded party. "I mean, one person, no problem. Five or six, harder but still just about doable, but ten? No. Even if my boat remains above the water, it'll go so slowly that we'll be intercepted no matter what I do."
Asuma frowned and sent a questioning look at Kurenai, who shrugged.
"Anyone got a plan?"
"Yeah, but it involves an S-class secret." Naruto sighed as he pulled out a three-pronged kunai. "Boatman, can you take this to the other side and throw it?"
"That's a Hiraishin kunai!" Asuma gasped. "You know how to do it?"
"Sure do." Naruto nodded. "It's how I got the Demon Brothers back to Konoha, as well as your dad's clone back to us. However, it kinda costs. If my clones do it, it needs three of them to transport one person and they kinda dispel on arrival. Dunno why and I can't stop it, they just go poof, but they get the person there safely. If I'm one of the ones doing it, no dispel. Not a clue why."
"Just when I think I've finally got you figured out, you do something even more troublesome." Shikamaru grumbled. "But I see your plan. You'll create thirty clones and move us all to where the boatman throws the kunai, right?"
"You messed up your maths, Shika." Naruto gloated and the genius frowned for a moment.
"Ten of us… damn. Right,you'll only need twenty-six clones as you'll be part of the trio transporting Hinata."
Everyone stared at him and he shrugged. "What? It's obvious, the way you two keep looking at each other."
"I'll be off then." The boatman said, accepting the blade and tucking it into his tunic.
"So, the Hokage Guard taught it to you then." Asuma stated and Naruto nodded.
"Yep, still failing to get the single-person version down though. Dunno why, you'd think it was an easy step if three clones of the same person can do it, but nope! Da-amn, the Yondaime was a genius."
Shikamaru raised a mental eyebrow at the correction which no-one else looked like they had caught.
"So…" He continued to think out loud. "Team ten will someday need a way to knock someone out so that you can supply clones to take them to Konoha… I assume that there's a special cell in T&I where you can simply… drop them off?"
Naruto nodded with a grin and Shikamaru sighed.
"Troublesome. Ino, you work with plants. I think you may need to start looking at anesthetics and poisons since you have the best access to the source materials."
Ino opened her mouth to protest, then paused as Asuma nodded approvingly.
"Think how well it'll go with your new trap-making skills." Shikamaru added and Ino started to grin.
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Naruto suddenly looked up from where he was watching Asuma and Shikamaru play Shogi.
"He's thrown it. Who's in the first wave?"
"Kurenai and myself." Asuma stated as he flipped his King over to indicate that he was yielding. "We're Jonin, we'll secure the area. You'd better send a clone with us so it can dispel to give the all-clear."
"Thirty clones then." Naruto sighed, ignoring the triumphant smirk from Shikamaru, who was putting the pieces away in their travel-box. "Taiju Kage Bunshin!"
A mass of pops announced the formation of Naruto's clones and Asuma nodded.
"Nice. Alright, I'm ready. Kurenai-san?"
"I do… I mean, I am." Kurenai rapidly corrected herself. "Sorry, I was distracted for a moment, I'm ready now."
A trio of clones surrounded each Jonin, hands stretched out and touching in the Seal of Confrontation, then they vanished in a flash of golden light.
"That's what I saw!" Kiba shouted in belated recognition. "That's how you sent the Demon Brothers to Konoha!"
The other genin gave Kiba a long look.
"What?"
"You missed the whole conversation?" Ino asked. "What were you…"
"Signal's been given." Naruto interrupted as he joined the two clones beside Hinata. "Everyone stand up and get ready."
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The group appeared in a rapid-fire series of golden flashes and Tazuna looked round.
"That way, we'll be at my house in another hour or so."
"Naruto, detail three clones to guard Tazuna." Asuma said. "If anything looks out of place, have them take him to Konoha until we decide it's safe to bring him back."
"Understood, Asuma-san." Naruto said as he generated another clone, which joined the two others that had helped him transport Hinata.
"By the way, how do you do it so quickly?" Asuma asked as they set off. "It takes the Hokage Guard almost half a minute to do it and you do it in just a few seconds."
"Most of the delay is them matching and harmonizing their chakra." Naruto shrugged. "Since I'm using clones, I can effectively skip that step since it's my chakra anyway. Means I can do it in just under three seconds, but that's still pretty much useless in a combat scenario."
"Damn useful outside combat, though." Asuma mused. "I mean, get a safe-house outside every city and courier missions'll be done… in a flash!"
"Dammit, Naruto." Shikamaru groused. "Do you have any idea just how much this little trick of yors messes up the tactical balance between the Great Five Villages? As soon as word gets out that you can do the Hiraishin, Iwa'll be sending assassins, Kumo'll be fortifying their borders and Mizu's new Mizukage will either demand your hand in marriage as the price of an eternal alliance or join Iwa in sending assassins!"
"New Mizukage?"
"Yeah, my dad mentioned her just before we hauled ass." Shikamaru yawned. "Someone called Terumi Mei, word came in just before… WHAT THE HELL!"
Everyone spun to stare at the questioner and Asuma paled.
"Momochi Zabuza."
"Look, we can fight later." Zabuza stated. "I need to get two things straight here. One, the blond can do the Hiraishin? I thought that only… wait… shit. You look just like him, except for those whiskers. You're his son, aren't you?"
Everyone stared at the Mist Nukenin and he shrugged.
"What? And kid, you sure about Mei-chan being the Mizukage?"
"I… I… my dad said and…" Shikamaru managed, his eyes fixated on the giant sword slung on Zabuza's back.
"Nara Shikaku, right? Yeah, he'd know for sure, if anyone did." Zabuza mused. "Gato hired me to kill the Bridge Builder, but if what you say is true… kid. Demonstration?"
Three of Naruto's clones surrounded Tazuna and they vanished in a golden flash.
"Shit." Zabuza said. "Okay. Hopefully I won't see you around."
Zabuza vanished in a brief cloud of mist and everyone stared at the empty space before Ino broke the silence.
"What the hell just happened?"
"I… I have no bloody clue." Asuma finally admitted.
"Could he be trying to trick us, make us lower our guard?" Kiba asked and Asuma shook his head.
"Nope. Zabuza's a master of Silent Killing. None of us even suspected he was here before he spoke up, if he'd actually wanted Tazuna dead, we'd probably be looking at the old drunk's severed head by now."
"Thanks for the image, Sensei." Choji muttered, turning slightly green.
"Naruto, if you can go and fetch our client, we'll continue." Asuma said and Naruto grinned, summoning two clones and vanishing in a flash of light.
"He still doesn't get it, does he?" Shikamaru grumbled. "He overturns the entire playing field and doesn't realize it…"
"What are you going on about?" Ino asked as Naruto reappeared with Tazuna.
"That was weird." Tazuna stated, giving his ever-present Sake jug a suspicious look. "For a moment, I thought I was back in Konoha. I think the drink's finally getting to me."
The assembled shinobi watched in silence as Tazuna ambled across to the nearest tree and emptied the Sake jug into the earth around it.
"Yup, no more drink for me." He stated. "Okay… why've we stopped? There's a super bridge I need to build. Let's go!"
"Am I the only sane one here?" Ino mourned as she trudged along at the back of the group.
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Gato stared at the man before him in shock.
The person who had just brought the unwelcome news to him was a former Post-nin, trained in the use of chakra to cover long distances and fighting skills geared towards escape and evasion. However, the reason that the man now known only as Kage was a former Post-nin was that he had chosen to betray the sanctity of the post, reading it and using the information for his own profit until the day when he was discovered.
Gato had promptly hired him, not only as a messenger but also as one of his lieutenants. Anyone who knew the value of information was someone that he wanted for himself and the man's known proclivities gave Gato several levers to control him with.
"Are you certain?" Gato asked and Kage nodded.
"Zabuza has departed, taking his helper with him." He said. "I was able to get close enough to listen in and apparently one of the Genin is the son of a powerful Konoha ninja. Since the Hiraishin was mentioned, I believe that the genin in question is the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato."
Gato slowly grinned. "Head to Iwa. Tell them that in exchange for a team to destroy the bridge and kill the builder, the boy in question will be theirs."
Kage returned Gato's wicked grin, then he vanished in a cloud of smoke.
"Soon, Wave will be my permanent fiefdom, a tax-free land of slaves and servants where I rule all and where I can pursue whatever business dealings I wish." Gato gloated, rubbing his hands together. "With my own personal estate as my warehouse and harbour, giving me a secure base ready for infiltrating and subverting the Land of Water, my wealth and power will increase dramatically."
Gato's laughter echoed around his office.
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"And here we are." Tazuna stated. "Home super home."
The assembled shinobi looked at the house thoughtfully.
"How many spare bedrooms do you have?" Asuma asked.
"Two."
"I know that usually it's by ranks, but should we do a male/female split instead?" Asuma asked, glancing at Kurenai, who nodded slowly.
"…I have a tent in my scrolls and can share with Naruto-kun if you need the room…" Hinata offered, blushing furiously as Ino started to giggle. Kurenai shook her head.
"Hinata…" She sighed, then she laughed. "Okay, I'm actually impressed."
"Never expected that from the shy one of your team." Asuma agreed.
"Sorry, Hinata, but you're with Ino and myself." Kurenai said, trying to sound stern despite the smile playing around the ends of her lips.
"Tsunami!" Tazuna shouted. "We're back, with help!"
"Father?" A female voice responded from inside and a moment later the front door opened. "Hello, I… father, I thought you were only going to get a single team!"
"Ahahahahaaa…" Tazuna laughed self-consciously. "You know, it's a super-funny story…"
"Father! What happened?!"
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Onoki stared at the photo in his hands, then his eyes rose to meet the fearless gaze of the ninja who had brought it to him.
"So." He growled. "Your employer wants to hire one of our best teams to kill a civilian and destroy a bridge… and in exchange, we get the son of the damned Yondaime?"
Kage nodded.
"Fine." Onoki grumbled. "Head back and tell this… Gato… that the teams will be on their way by tomorrow morning."
Kage bowed and vanished in a swirl of smoke, leaving Onoki frowning at the far wall.
"Gramps?"
Onoki turned his head to fix his grand-daughter with a glare.
"What is it?"
Kurotsuchi closed the side door behind her as she walked across the Audience Chamber to stop in front of Onoki, craning her neck slightly to look at the picture he was holding.
"I was listening in. That's the son of the Yondaime?"
Onoki nodded.
"Good." Kurotsuchi stated. "Gramps, send me. I'll take down that brat and drag his bleeding carcass back here so our people can rip his techniques away from him."
"Well, you have been training in Keijugan no Jutsu, so you'll be able to get the team there." Onoki mused. "I wasn't looking forwards to making that journey myself…"
"That's because you're old, gramps." Kurotsuchi snorted. "Look, once we've grabbed the brat and blown the bridge, you may as well hand the hat over. I'll grab a team and head out. I'll make sure that dad gets avenged."
"Wait!" Onoki snapped as he grabbed a pen and paper, scribbling down some instructions. "Take this to SOAT command, they'll give you a team to lead."
Kurotsuchi accepted the note, bowed and turned to leave. Onoki watched her stride out and sighed.
"Dammit, be careful. You're the only relative I have left…"
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Authors Afternote: Yep, now you know the technique.
Also, SOAT stands for Shinjun Oyobi Ansatsu Teisatsu-ta which translates as Infiltration And Assassination Reconnaissance Squad.
It's Iwa's version of ANBU, but optimized for missions in other lands.