Naruto Rewrite 2: In the White Snake's Coil

by ArachCobra

The Chuunin Exam, a grueling test for genin seeking to advance, looms ever closer. But Team Kakashi has much more to worry about. Someone is pulling the strings from behind the scene, manipulating event and setting people up against each other. Soon, all of Konoha feels the coil tighten around them, as everyone seeks to avert what might be an oncoming disaster.

1. Shark Attack

AN: Hi and welcome back to this project. Nothing much to add here, just hoping you'll all enjoy it.

Naruto Rewrite 2: In the White Snake's Coil

Chapter 1: Shark Attack

The warm sun's rays bathed the land in a pleasant warmth. Konohagakure bustled with everyday activity, many of its citizens taking advantage of the good weather to tend to their gardens, clean their windows or just enjoy the blue skies.

It was also a boon to the four weary travellers who approached the gate.

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed happily. "Home sweet home. I've never been so happy to see good old Konoha before."

"Agreed. I'm going to spend so many hours in a hot spring," Sakura sighed, before looking to the team's third genin. "What about you Sasuke?"

The raven-haired teen paused. "Resting would be nice," he admitted, though he didn't sound like he liked having to say that. "Before resuming my training."

"Is that all you ever think about?" Naruto asked.

"You should take your training just as seriously," Sasuke remarked. "If it hadn't been for that... Thing inside you, Haku would have taken you down."

"Hey, I might have been able to take him," the blond insisted.

"In your dreams, maybe."

"Okay, listen here you..."

"Would you two please stop arguing," Sakura groaned. "I'm too exhausted to deal with it. What about you, Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Huh? Sorry, Sakura, I was just ignoring you all for a moment," the silver-haired ninja replied. "What did you say?"

She sighed. "What do you do to relax?"

"Oh, you know, a little of this, a little of that," he replied, with a gesture of his hand. "And some book reading, of course."

"Is that book really that interesting?" Naruto asked sceptically.

"It's very informative and well-written," their teacher insisted. "But before we can relax, we'll have to drop by the Hokage's office and deliver our report." He paused. "And what a report it'll be."

As they passed through the great gates of the city, a voice from the inspection station at the side halted them with a: "Hey, Kakashi. Finally back I see."

The cyclopean ninja eyed the stationed ninja. "On guard duty again, Kotetsu?"

"You know it," the ninja replied with a grin. His black hair was long and spiky, a long strip of bandage going across the bridge of his nose. "So, how did the whole Tazuna thing go?"

"Ah, let's see," Kakashi noted slowly. "It definitely went places."

The ninja guard paused, then eyed the three genin. Naruto tried a smile, while Sakura looked away, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Sasuke just stared back, absentmindedly rubbing his chest where Haku's needles had pierced it.

"I see," Kotetsu noted, his tone becoming slightly less jovial. "I understand. You better be off to the Hokage's office then."

"That was the plan," the silver-haired jonin replied, as the four walked off. "See you later."

Naruto looked around as they walked through the city. It felt strange to be back home. Even slightly unreal. Occasionally, he'd eye another ninja. Their gazes would meet. They didn't say anything, but many respectfully nodded before going on their way.

"I guess just about anyone can tell," Sakura mumbled, also noting it.

"True. It's often quite obvious when genin have been through their first trial by fire," Kakashi added. "But you have all three done well and my report will reflect as much."

They entered the great central building in which the Hokage had his office, greeting a secretary by the front desk.

"Kakashi Hatake," the jonin said, handing over his ID. "Reporting back from a mission. Is the Hokage available? There are certain circumstances about the mission I'd like to discuss immediately."

"He's going over some budget reports," the secretary replied, looking over some notes. "But he hasn't said anything about not wanting to be disturbed, so I think it should be fine."

"Thanks." He turned to his three students. "Now, you three stay here and try not to argue too much before I'm back." He paused, rubbing his chin. "Actually, thinking about it, if you have to argue, you probably better get it out before I'm back." With those words, he waltzed out of the building again, pausing briefly outside the door before leaping up the side.

"Why don't they ever use the stairs?" the secretary sighed.

"It feels weird," Naruto noted, turning to the two others. "Being home again, I mean."

"I know," Sakura sighed. "I guess it's not unsurprising. We've spent so long now, everyday being on guard in case that Gato's goons or Zabuza and his team would come after us. Seeing all those people and..." She paused, folding her arms. "And our mission went well. We left the Land of Waves better off. But still... I dunno. I can't really put it into word." She looked out a nearby window. "Will it always be like this? Will home ever really feel like home again?"

"Uhm... Huh... I..." Naruto scratched his head. "I mean... It's weird but... You know, sure, it was hard. But... Maybe that's why they want us to relax."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow raised.

"I mean, sure, after training or so on, you, you know, you relax," the blond continued. "Cause you're tired. But maybe, I dunno, it's also because it feels so weird that... I mean... Maybe they're trying to fix that? I mean... Grah," He rubbed his head in frustration. "I don't really know how to put it into the right words either."

"No. But... I think I get it," the pink-haired ninja replied. She smiled. "And I think you're right."

Kakashi landed outside the doors and entered with a: "Alright, he's ready to see you all. You've been good?"

"Of course. What did you expect?" Naruto asked annoyed.

"For him to be eating his hat," their teacher replied immediately, pointing to the secretary.

"No way. This hat's my favourite fishing hat," the guy replied. "It'll take more than three genin to drive me to chow down on it."

"You say so, but you haven't had to sleep in a room next to them," the cyclopean ninja replied.

"Maybe if someone could go to the bathroom at night without tripping over our supplies," Sasuke noted annoyed.

"Hey, how about you put your bag away like a normal person, instead of just dropping it on the floor," Naruto shot back. "Or what, did you expect one of your fancy servants to come by and clean up?"

"That bag," Sasuke started annoyed. "Was out of the way for anyone who can open their eyes and put one foot in front of the other. Sage only knows how you got a good grade for physical exercise, because you're such a hopeless klutz."

"Please don't make me break your jaws," Sakura groaned into her hands, trying to ignore the part of her brain tempting her to rough them up, just to make a point.

"I do believe I stand corrected," Kakashi stated.

"Well, maybe chew on a table-leg or two," the secretary replied. "But not my hat."

"Alright, you three, let's go see the Hokage so I can split you up and gain some peace of mind," the jonin said, as he headed for the stairs.

The group made their way to the upper floors, Sasuke and Naruto shooting each other glares the entire way, only stopping when they entered the Hokage's office.

"Welcome home," the old man greeted them, pausing only to let them greet him in return. "Please, sit down. I hear it has been a trying mission."

"You can say that again," Naruto sighed, sinking into a chair. "That Zabuza fella was tough."

"Indeed. Of course, normally we'd never send genin like yourself up against a master of his craft like Zabuza Momochi," the Hokage continued. "The fact that you persevered and actually accomplished your mission is to your credit." He paused, removing his pipe from his mouth. "I of course do not approve of Tazuna's duplicity, though I understand that certain circumstances clouded his judgement, including a poor understanding of ninjas."

"Yeah, Sasuke even wanted to leave him at one point," Naruto noted, pointing to the Uchiha with his thumb.

"Protocol agrees with me," the raven-haired shinobi noted annoyed. He coughed, looking away. "Of course, it was probably for the best that Gato was not allowed to consolidate his hold on the island."

Hiruzen puffed contemplative. "The protocols is more of a guideline," he advised them. "First and foremost, we of the Hidden Leaf must be able to support any mission we take with our heart and soul. The Will of Fire is fed with dedication and integrity. Could any of you truly have abandoned that man to his fate?"

"Never," Naruto said without hesitation, folding his arms. "Not in a million years."

Sakura gave it some thought. "No. I don't think I could have forgiven myself."

Sasuke was quiet for a while. "In this particular instance, it probably was for the best," he finally admitted.

"In that case, you have done the right thing. I am proud of you all. You have shown yourselves to possess the Will of Fire," the Hokage noted. "And while I do expect to gather more details from the report, already Kakashi has remarked on the skills and experience you displayed." He paused, eyeing Naruto. "Of course, he also mentioned the seal."

"Is it dangerous?" the blond immediately asked.

"I will not lie to you. To be a jinchuuriki is to be both blessed and cursed," the old man continued. "Perhaps we should have gotten you a trainer for it sooner, but between you only recently becoming a ninja and Kakashi working on your teamwork, it was not prioritized. I am sorry for that."

"What? No, it's okay," the blond quickly said. "It's just, you know, when it happened, I almost killed Haku and... Well... I mean, I've heard the, uhm, stories, so... Yeah."

"Another concern, of course, was also that I do not wish for you to feel obligated in using these powers," Hiruzen continued. "The same reason you were not told of the tailed beast in the first place. It was decided that you should have as much say in this as possible and that required waiting until you were old enough to understand the responsibility."

"Ehm, if I may," Sakura began. "If it's that big a responsibility and you wanted Naruto to have a choice, why was the Fox sealed in him?"

"I must admit, I'm curious to know that too," Sasuke remarked, steepling his hands. "Surely you'd wish for something that potent and dangerous to be in the hands of a skilled and competent ninja. A high-ranking jonin preferably."

"Hey, I'm skilled and competent," the blond argued, causing the Uchiha scion to roll his eyes.

"You are pretty good, but... We're still genin," Sakura remarked. "And this must have been done around the time of the Fox' attack on the village, right? You can't have been more than a baby."

"I... Huh... Yeah," Naruto admitted. "That's probably right."

"In truth, sealing the Nine-Tailed Fox inside Naruto was an emergency decision made by Lord Fourth," Hiruzen remarked. "I can only imagine that if he had the choice, he'd have chosen a better candidate than Naruto. Unfortunately, the battle left him mortally wounded and the previous jinchuuriki dead. Naruto was the only living being in the vicinity in which to seal the beast."

"The previous jinchuuriki? That would be... Kushina, from what Kakashi said?" Sakura remarked.

"Indeed."

"Will that happen to me too?" Naruto asked nervously.

"No," the Hokage said with certainty. "What happened with Kushina was extraordinary. I'm afraid I cannot give you the full details, both due to secrecy concerns and our own lack of intelligence on it. Rest assured that, if you choose to train in how to harness the power of the sealed beast, it will not result in a repeat of that tragedy."

"Then... Hmm..." The blond folded his arms. "I'll think on it."

Sasuke stared at him, before sighing and shaking his head.

"Oh what now?" Naruto asked annoyed.

"You have one of the legendary Tailed Beasts locked inside you and you want to think about if you want to train in using its power?" he said incredulously. "Of course you should. The only reason we won against Haku was because you were lucky enough to use that power."

"I mean, sure, but..." Naruto paused, furrowing his brows. "It was weird. I didn't feel like myself when it happened. I don't know if I want to feel like that."

"Whatever. You be you, I guess," Sasuke exclaimed frustratedly, throwing his arms in the air.

"If you come to a decision on the matter, do not hesitate to come by. Should you decide to train as a jinchuuriki, I will start making arrangements as soon as possible," the Hokage noted. "Now, before you all run off to relax, there's your pay for this mission." With his hand, he pushed over three checks. "As per usual, you can exchange them for ryo bills downstairs, if you need to."

"Thanks," Naruto said eagerly, taking his pay. "I sure could use some woah woah WOAH!" He stared, mouth agape. "That's... Is this right?" he asked, holding it up and pointing to it. "That's way too many zeroes."

"Yeah, our last mission didn't pay anything like this," Sakura noted shocked.

Even Sasuke looked surprised at his check.

"That's because we pay you for the mission you completed, not what we thought the mission would be," the Hokage noted. "In this case, protecting Tazuna from Zabuza and taking down Gato is clearly a rank A mission, and you've been paid accordingly."

"Pops has been wanting to get some new cooking pots," Naruto said excitedly. "I could buy him an entire new kitchen with this and still have enough money to buy a bowl of ramen for everybody."

"Now, you three have been on a hard mission and have had to make some tough choices," the Hokage noted, folding his hands. "All ninjas go through this sooner or later. I can see in your eyes how it has affected you. It is to be expected. So for the next week or so, forget about being ninjas. Go out and eat. Relax and hang out with some friends. It's just as important to take care of your mind and soul, as it is to take care of your body. Part of that is winding down after a mission. And trust me, it's a valuable skill to learn." He leaned back, adjusting his hat. "Many a shinobi has forgotten how live outside a mission. It kills the heart of a man to live like that. A most insidious poison. So take care of yourselves."

The three genin nodded.

"Then you're dismissed. Kakashi, I'd like to go over a few things with you about the mission," the Hokage noted, as the three left the office.

"Wow. I did not expect that at all," Naruto said with a grin, eyeing his pay. "I'm gonna sleep in tomorrow. What about you two?"

"I'll probably still help out in the bakery," Sakura noted. "Probably do some things with Ino afterwards." She stretched. "And definitely visit the hot springs soon."

"Hey, how about you drop by Ichiraku?" the blond asked. "You can try out our ramen."

"Maybe, but... Not today," the pink-haired girl noted. "What about you Sasuke?"

The raven-haired teen was quiet for a moment. "Putting off training for that long seems ridiculous," he stated.

"Seriously, do you ever do anything but train?" Naruto asked exasperated.

"The body of a shinobi must be maintained. Besides, some of us who have obligations to fulfil," the Uchiha scion replied annoyed, as they passed by the front desk. He was quiet for a moment. "Still, it is not untrue that the mind too must be maintained. I'll probably go for some walks around Konoha. I find that it helps me think."

Naruto's mouth became a thin line. "Don't you... Have any friends to hang with?"

Sasuke stared at his feet as they exited the building. "Used to."

The two others were quiet for a moment.

"Hey, uhm... If you wanna... You could drop by too... If you want to," Naruto offered.

"I'm not really in the mood for ramen," he replied, pausing a bit before adding: "But thanks for the offer."

The three split up, heading homewards in different directions.

It didn't take long for Naruto to find his way to Ichiraku, the smell of ramen hanging in the air as the evening customers filtered in. He headed for the back, opening the door while announcing: "Pops! Sis! I'm home!"

"Huh?" Iruka said, looking up from the book he was reading by the table, before breaking into a huge smile. "Welcome back, Naruto."

"Hey Iruka," the blond greeted excitedly while closing the door. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Oh, you know, I decided to drop in tonight," the instructor replied nonchalant. "Teuchi did say I should."

"You liar," Ayame noted with a grin, as she exited the kitchen. "You've been by every evening for the last four days hoping Naruto would be coming home."

"Heh, missed me that much?" the blond cheekily noted, as Iruka tried to hush the brunette.

"I'll be right there," Teuchi called. "Just gotta serve these guys some tonkotsu first."

"You just say if you need a hand," Ayame called, before giving Naruto a hug. "And I've missed you too."

"Same, Sis," the blond replied, before letting go. "How have things been?"

"Oh, the usual, really," his sister replied, sitting down by the table. "But we are starting to prepare for the next Chuunin exam. It'll be held here in town this year after all." She paused. "Hey, Iruka, do you think Naruto's team is going up this year?"

"Doubtful," Iruka replied. "They've not even had a full year as genin."

"Aw. Oh well, it'll still be fun to see," the blond noted.

"Anyway, so Dad's hoping we can earn some extra money off all the people who're going to be coming to town," Ayame continued.

"It's needed too," Teuchi replied, coming out from the kitchen. "I've stirred some of these pots so much, the bottoms are right about ready to fall out." He rounded the table, wrapping an arm around Naruto's shoulder. "How are you holding up my boy?"

"I'm fine, Dad," he replied with a grin. "And you won't have to wait until the Chuunin Exam." He fished his check out of his pocket. "I can just buy you some with this."

Teuchi took the payment and stared at it. "Six Paths, that's a lot of money. Are you sure?"

"Sounds only fair for thirteen years of living off our hard work," Ayame noted innocently, earning her a raspberry from Naruto.

Iruka furrowed his brows. "Teuchi, can I see that for a moment." He took the check, his eyes gliding over it. "That is a lot. But why would... A-RANK!" he exclaimed in shock. He immediately turned to the blond. "How did you end up being paid for an A-rank mission?"

Both Teuchi and Ayame looked at the genin with equal amounts of confusion and concern.

"Ehm... Well... You see, this here guy who hired us..." Naruto began, twiddling his thumbs. "Turns out he may have kinda... Fibbed about how dangerous it was. So it turns out that... Well... This guy named Gato wanted him dead."

"Gato? That name sounds familiar," Iruka noted.

"Gato Transportation," Teuchi suddenly said. "I know some of our food comes in packages with his stamp on it."

"Yeah, that's him," Naruto continued. "So turns out, Gato was a real nasty piece of work and had taken over the Land of Waves. And Tazuna was trying to build a bridge to help the land. So Gato... Well.. Uhm, he hired this guy... Ninja... Named..." He quickly said the name while coughing.

"What was that?" Iruka hesitantly asked, as if he somehow knew he didn't want to know.

"Oh... You know... Zabuza Momochi," the blond said, trying to sound relaxed about it.

"WHO?!" Iruka erupted.

"Didn't Guy mention that name at some point?" Ayame pondered. "He was talking with Kakashi. It was after the last Chuunin Exam I think."

"He's one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, elite shinobi of Kirigakure," Iruka explained in a drained voice. "How... Sage preserve us, how did you end up having Zabuza on your tail?"

"Oh, well, as I said... He was hired to kill Tazuna," Naruto explained. "So he ambushed us and then we... Fought." He coughed. "Twice."

The instructor looked dumbstruck.

"And then, you know, more stuff happened. We fought on the bridge, my seal broke, I beat his student Haku. Nice guy, by the way," Naruto continued.

"Your seal... Broke," Teuchi echoed.

"Apparently that... Just happens sooner or later," Naruto replied. "So we won and saved the Land of Waves. So, yeah. A-rank. Pretty cool, huh?"

Iruka buried his face in his hands.

"So now you've made an enemy of an international business magnate," Ayame remarked. "Well, you've certainly decided to go big."

"Oh, no. I mean, uhm..." Naruto coughed again. "Gato's dead."

Teuchi leaned against the wall with a sigh. "I'm reconsidering whether this ninja business was a good idea."

"If it helps, I can promise you, this isn't normal," Iruka said, looking up. "There's no way Naruto was ever supposed to go up against someone in Zabuza's class. Let alone twice."

"Hey, I did really well. The Hokage said so himself," Naruto insisted. His stomach growled loudly. "Oh, I'm hungry," he groaned. "Dad, can I buy some of our luxury ramen for dinner? I've really looked forward to that?"

"Buy? Didn't you earn a coupon not that long ago?" Ayame asked.

"I lost it," the blond admitted. "While saving Tazuna's grandson from some of Gato's thugs. Had to dive into a river to fish the kid out. I think that's when it got washed out of my pocket."

"You know what?" Teuchi said. "You stay right here, Naruto. You've earned as much ramen as you can eat." He headed for the kitchen. "And once you're done eating, I'll lock you up in the basement."

"Very funny, Dad," Naruto replied. "We don't even have a basement."

"I'll get digging right away. No more incidents," he insisted.

...

Sakura opened the door, letting the cool morning air wash over her.

"I'm sure Konoha won't burn down to the ground just because you decided to take a day off," her father said from inside the building.

"I know, but... I feel like getting some fresh air would help," she said. "See you both in a bit." She closed the door and began jogging. As was usual on this time of the day, the only ones out and about were ninjas on patrol and whomever needed to prepare for the day's work, such as her own parents. The peacefulness was part of what attracted her to it.

As she ran, she could hear the rhythmic sound of feet catching up to her. She was unsurprised to see Rock Lee matching her stride. "Hey, Lee," she greeted him.

"Greeting, Sakura. It is good to see you again," he replied. "You have been away for quite a while on a mission."

"Yeah. That was an ordeal," she sighed. "I'm just glad to be home."

"Indeed. Guy-Sensei has often said that while being on the road is healthy, so is having a good home to return to," Lee noted. "I hear that the mission turned out to be A-rank. You must have been skilled to overcome such a challenge."

"Honestly, I feel more lucky than anything else," the pink-haired ninja admitted.

"Guy-Sensei says that luck is something a ninja makes," the green-clad ninja replied. "I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe that your skills and abilities had nothing to do with your victory. Capitalizing on fortunate events is also an admirable talent and very valuable skill."

"I guess that's not untrue," she noted.

Lee was quiet for a moment. "Is something else bothering you, Sakura?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about," she tried. "It's just... Some things happened."

"I am concerned for you well-being. If you do not wish to talk about it, I will respect your decision, but if you want someone to talk to, I am willing to listen," he insisted.

She slowed down and stopped, chewing on her lip, as Lee jogged in place, awaiting her response. "On the mission, I fought some people. During the fight, I managed to defeat them in a way that could easily have killed them. And for a moment, it felt... Good. And I'm... Not sure I want to feel good about hurting others. But to protect people... People like Inari... I had to. I had to hurt people. And it still felt good. I won't stop protecting people, but I don't know how to feel about it."

"Hmm, that is a tough one," Lee agreed, rubbing his chin. "I cannot truly know how you feel. But I am passionate about protecting my teammates and my village. These are the ideals I have inherited from Guy-Sensei. The burning flame of my heart drives me to protect others, and following that blazing will fills me with pride in myself. In that sense, I too feel good. But it not the hurting of others that makes me smile, but knowing that I have the strength and skill to defend that which is precious to me. That is the spirit of youth that Guy-Sensei has nurtured in me."

"And I am happy that I'm helping the others too. But... This was different," she said, folding her arms. "I beat them. I was better than them. It felt... Too good."

"Perhaps it is pride in your accomplishment you feel?" the green-clad shinobi suggested. "When I set a challenge before myself and manage to overcome it, my heart beats with joy and pride, for I have exceeded my limits and become stronger. Overcoming those opponents allowed you to push yourself beyond the limits you once had and you have become a greater ninja for it."

The pink-haired ninja was quiet for a moment. "Maybe," she quietly said. "I don't know, but... Maybe." She smiled softly. "Anyway, thanks. I'll think about what you and your teacher have said."

"I am always happy to help," he said, flashing a smile and giving her a thumbs-up. "If you ever need anyone to talk to, I'll always be willing to listen."

"I'll keep that in mind. Ehm, how about we get back to jogging?" she noted, as she began moving again. "Kinda lost focus for a moment."

"It is okay. I have kept myself ready for this," Lee insisted as they moved on.

They finished the round, Sakura spending much of it in contemplative silence. They stopped by the bakery, as she said: "I'll stick with one round today. I am supposed to relax after all."

"Understandable," Lee said. "You have been through a harrowing trial. Even I let my body rest after such an excursion."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "How do you relax?"

"I cut down my rounds from five to three," he replied. "I limit myself to only forty-five minutes of taijutsu training. And no advanced training until after midday."

The pink-haired shinobi couldn't help but giggle. "You have a completely different idea of relaxing than most people," she admitted. "Anyway, I'll see you around."

"Likewise. I look forward to sharing the crisp morning air with you once again," he said, before running off.

She waved goodbye, before heading inside. The smell of sweets and baking bread filled the air. She breathed it in, feeling herself relax.

"Oh, Sakura," her mother said. "I know you're supposed to take the day off, but would you mind taking over the desk for a moment?"

"Not at all," she said, taking her place. "Something wrong?"

"No, I just have to quickly run off to confirm something about our supplies coming in," she said, putting on her shoes. "And your father's out by the oven finishing some bread. I'll be right back." And then she was out of the house.

Sakura folded her hands, idly scratching her ankle with her foot as she observed the store.

The hinges of the door creaked slightly, as the demure form of Hinata poked her head in. "Oh, Sakura. Hey."

"Good morning, Hinata," the pink-haired ninja replied. "What can I help with?"

"Oh, ehm, daifuku, if they are ready," she said.

"Sure. What kind?" Sakura asked, as she bent down to investigate the shelves.

"Do you have strawberry?" Hinata asked hopefully.

"Yeah, we do," she replied. "How many?"

"Four, please."

"Then here you go." She handed the food over, receiving a ryo bill in return.

"Thanks," the white-eyed ninja said. "We're going training with Kurenai-Sensei in the woods today, so I figured I'd get us all something nice for afterwards."

"Sounds like a good idea," Sakura agreed.

"By the way, I heard you three ended up on an A-ranked mission," Hinata continued concerned. "Are you all okay?"

"I mean... I guess," the pink-haired ninja replied, leaning against the desk. "Everything considered, we got out okay. Sasuke had to get bandaged up, but he'll recover."

"I'm glad to hear it." She paused, leaning back and forth on her feet, before carefully asking: "And... How's Naruto?"

"Oh, you know him. Nothing keeps him down for long," she commented. "Bounced right back before the day was even over."

"That's good to hear." She checked the clock on the wall. "Oh, I better get going. Have a nice day."

"You too, Hinata. Good luck with your training."

...

"We'll need two bowls of kimchi ramen," Naruto called from his position at the counter. "And a miso ramen with garlic."

"You got that, Dad?" Ayame loudly asked, as she doled out two bowls of piping hot ramen.

"Two kimchi, one miso with garlic. Got it," Teuchi announced back.

As usual, dinner-time attracted a host of ramen hungry citizens, a mixture of both commoners and ninjas, all gathering together to enjoy Ichiraku's tasty selection. Naruto helped by taking orders, while Ayame was busy delivering the ready food and occasionally assisting Teuchi with the cooking itself. It was while receiving an order for a classic tonkotsu that he eyed the flaps of cloth that separated the guests from the outside street, and saw a very-recognisable head full of pink hair make her way in.

"Looks kinda full," Ino noted, as she followed Sakura into the restaurant. "Think they have seats?"

"I hope so. I must admit Naruto made me kinda curious," the pink-haired shinobi remarked. "Ah, over there. Two seats."

"Lucky us."

The two of them sat down, only to immediately be greeted by Naruto. "Hey, Sakura. I see you decided to drop in."

"Well, we were on our way back from the hot spring," she explained. "And Ino suggested we should stop somewhere for some dinner. And I remembered what you said, so we decided to come by."

"I haven't been here before, but Choji does recommend it," her blonde companion noted.

"On that note, did Sasuke ever drop by?" Sakura asked. "I mean, you did invite him."

"No. I don't think he's going to," the blond said, crossing his arms. "I wonder what he's doing. Could he really spend all that time until our next mission training?"

"Well, when you got a body like his, it's worth maintaining," Ino noted, with a slightly hungry smile.

Naruto stared, his mouth a thin line.

"Oh, you invited Sasuke over?" Ayame asked. "That's so cute. So you're becoming best friends?"

"I don't think so. But... I dunno, it just sounded like he had nobody to spend time with. And... That just sounded sad."

"Well, it was nice of you to offer, at least," she noted. "Anyway, I'll let you go back to flirting. Dad needs me to get him some more mushrooms from storage."

"Wha... I'm-I'm not flirting," Naruto insisted, his cheeks flush with colour. He eyed Sakura for a moment, before shaking his head, trying to stop blushing. "An-anyway, what would you like to eat?"

Sakura blinked at the scene, as Ino giggled. "Ehm... Do you have a menu?"

"Oh, sure," Naruto said, handing over a folder. "There's all the broths we make and some of our most popular combinations. Ehm, you can always order something custom, of course."

"I see. Lots of options," Sakura noted. "Wow, you even list calories, salt and so on."

"Yeah. Dad says that since a lot of ninjas have specific diets, it helps them," Naruto noted.

"Yeesh, I'm not getting a tonkutsu. My thighs would just explode," Ino noted. "But I do like the look of the miso ramen with roasted vegetables. I'll have one of those."

"Luxury ramen? What does that mean?" Sakura asked.

"It's kinda the same as our normal ramen, but the ingredients are way better," Naruto explained. "And it costs more. I mean, Pops makes his own menma and the naruto cakes are imported from the east and not made with river fish."

"I can see why you'd want a coupon," Sakura noted. "It is pricey."

"But worth it," the blond noted with a grin. "Of course, all our ramen is good, so you don't need to buy any of those to get great food."

Ino rested her head on her hand with a cheeky smirk. "I see your dad has taught you how to reel in customers."

Naruto just replied with a chuckle while scratching the back of his head.

"Well, then I'd like a miso ramen with chicken and soft-boiled eggs," the pink-haired ninja stated, handing back the menu.

Not soon after, Naruto would proudly return with their orders. And Sakura had to admit, he was right. The food was good.

...

A couple more days passed as the genin enjoyed their temporary reprieve from work. But soon, once again they had to return to their daily routine.

And it was due to that, that the three genin found themselves standing by the gates of Konoha.

Naruto yawned. "I sure could have used a few more days off," he noted. "I was starting to get used to it."

"Then I'd say you could have used a few less days off," Sasuke commented. "A ninja who snoozes their day away is nothing but ready prey."

"Oh whatever," the blond responded. "I don't sleep that much." He looked around. "Wonder when Kakashi-Sensei will be here."

"Knowing him, he'll probably be late again," Sakura commented.

"Heh, maybe he likes to sleep in too," Naruto commented.

"I doubt that," Sasuke stated. "He wouldn't have become a jonin of his rank and reputation if he'd been as lazy as you."

"Hey, who're you calling lazy?!" Naruto called, pointing a finger accusingly.

The Uchiha scion glared back. "You. Obviously."

"I'm not lazy."

"Really? How much training did you get in while we had days off?"

"Wha? Why would I be training when I have time off?"

"Exactly."

"That's not me being lazy. That's you being super obsessed and weird about it."

"I take my job as a shinobi seriously. If that's too much for you to handle, perhaps you should reconsider being a ninja."

Sakura groaned, images of smacking the gates of the city shut on their heads flashing in her mind. So it brought her great relief to see Kakashi drop down from a nearby rooftop. "Oh, Sensei, you're here."

Naruto and Sasuke immediately stopped arguing. "Huh, that was quicker than expected," the blond remarked.

"Yes. I was lost in the labyrinth of love, when I was rather suddenly notified that we had a mission lined up for us," Kakashi explained.

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. "Labyrinth of love?"

"So we'll have to postpone the training I had planned for today," the cyclopean jonin continued. "A new C-rank mission awaits."

"C-rank? Already?" Sakura commented surprised. "I would have expected a least a couple of D-rank missions before that."

"Well, I guess I could tell the Hokage that it's too much for you to handle and see if there's any dogs that need walking," Kakashi pondered, rubbing his chin contemplatively.

"Don't" Sasuke commented dourly. "We will handle this mission."

"Still, it is weird," the pink-haired ninja continued.

"Well, I did request that if any missions of this nature popped up, that they be assigned to us," Kakashi noted. "Sabiru did comment on how lucky we were that it popped up so soon, but I admit it is on short notice. We'll be on the road for roughly a couple of weeks, perhaps more depending on things. You have thirty minutes to repack and say your goodbyes before we'll be meeting here at the gates. Bring gear that will assist in a search-and-rescue mission."

"Search-and-rescue?" Naruto asked excited. "That sounds awesome."

"I dunno. Not after what happened last time," Sakura remarked. "But if that is our mission, then so be it."

"Yes. I'll be taking my leave now, as I have my own things to pick up before we go." And then he leapt up on a rooftop and began leaving.

The three genin looked as he rapidly disappeared across the city's rooftops.

"So... What's the labyrinth of love?" Naruto wondered.

"Who even knows with that guy," Sasuke commented, shaking his head.

...

A little over half an hour later, the group was moving northwards, following the meandering trodden paths of the countryside. The weather was pleasant, a few woolly tufts of cloud drifting across the otherwise azure skies.

"So... Search-and-rescue?" Naruto began. "Exciting."

"Very," Kakashi agreed.

The blond chewed a bit on his lip. "And we'll be gone for weeks? Must be quite something."

"Indeed."

"Yep. Sure must be something special."

"It is."

"Naraka," Sasuke swore in frustration. "Sensei, what is the mission? It's obvious that's what he's fishing for and I'll lose it if I have to listen to any more of him trying to be subtle."

"Hey, a ninja has to be discrete," Naruto insisted.

"You're as discrete as a blazing housefire."

"Oh, you wanted to know about the mission?" the cyclopean ninja stated innocently. "Well, why didn't you just say so?"

"I did," the blond insisted. "You said you'd tell us later. Thrice."

"Well, I suppose now is later," Kakashi remarked. "We're headed north to the Land of Rice."

"Land of Rice? Pops buys a lot of, well, uhm, rice from there," Naruto noted.

"So does our shop," Sakura commented.

"Yes. The country is a pretty important breadbasket," Kakashi continued. "Conditions are ideal to produce a lot of quality rice, so the land earns a lot of money that way. Has no ninja village of their own though. I know there are a few clans there with ninja training, but nothing like Konohagakure. For this reason, Inaho Village sent a runner to us. One of the people living there, a man named Genmai, recently vanished in the surrounding countryside. Bandits have been known to lurk in the area, alongside wild animals. No ransom has been demanded, but that does not mean he's merely lost. So they requested we assist in locating him."

"Alright. Then let's go to the Land of Rice and save Genmai," Naruto declared with exuberance.

"That's what we're already doing, you twit," Sasuke groaned. "We've been on our way to do that ever since we left the village."

"Well, at least I'm trying to keep morale high," Naruto insisted.

"Keep morale...? Why would... Ugh, never mind," the Uchiha scion commented dourly. "I am not even going to bother."

"Heh, point goes to me," Naruto continued with a wide grin, lacing his fingers behind his head.

Sasuke glared at him, as if trying to will him to spontaneously combust.

"I know what would help on my morale," Kakashi dryly commented. "Silence."

"That makes two of us, Sensei," Sakura groaned. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, we know what our objective is, so we'll get started as soon as we arrive," he explained. "That is, as soon as we enter the general area where he disappeared from, we will starts combing through the wilderness. In a situation like this, speed is of the essence. Even if neither wild animals nor bandits have harmed him, exposure to the elements can reduce his chances of survival. Fortunately, the climate in the area is gentle for the most part, but we cannot afford to dally."

"Will we be splitting up?" Sakura asked.

"Unlikely, but not impossible," Kakashi noted. "It depends on terrain. If I feel I can keep an eye on you, then I'll be open for allowing you to roam farther from my position."

"Hey, we don't need you to babysit us, Sensei," Naruto argued.

"What, because you defeated Zabuza?" the cyclopean shinobi asked. "You're still genin. That hasn't changed. And the area can still be dangerous. I am responsible for you."

"Of course," Naruto sighed. "I get it." He paused. "Sooo... Are you gonna have us participate in the Chuunin exam?"

"What!?" Sakura exclaimed, looking at him with disbelief. "Are you nuts? There's no way we're ready for that. Or will be when it starts."

Sasuke held his chin with a look of contemplation. "It would be an excellent test of our skills."

"What? I mean... Yes," Sakura tried. "But the Chuunin Exam is dangerous. People die. We might have managed against Zabuza and his team, but let's not overestimate ourselves." She paused. "I mean, I know I'm not sure I could handle it just yet."

Naruto looked at her. "Hey, it's okay," he said. "I was just asking, that's all. I mean, I'll most likely be helping Pops and Sis with the ramen shop anyway. The Chuunin Exam is good for business."

"True. We'll probably be busy too," Sakura agreed.

Sasuke paused. "True. We might have to wait until next year. Especially as it is a team-oriented exercise."

Kakashi didn't chime in, his singular gaze locked on the horizon.

...

Days passed, as the group ventured northwards. Gradually, the landscape started to become steeper, with the group finding themselves going uphill more often than not. They were only temporarily halted at the border, where a checkpoint had been erected by the Land of Fire along the only major road crossing the border, so that Kakashi could show his papers before they moved on. Dense forest began surrounding them, the towering trees blocking out most of the sunlight.

"Alright," Kakashi noted, studying the map. "We're close enough to Inaho Village that we can start searching." He kneeled down, spreading the map on a large boulder so that the three genin could see. "We'll start with this forest. Divide it up into grids and search them one at a time." He looked up. "Visibility is low, so I want the three of you to stay close. No running off unless it's an emergency."

"So what does this guy even look like?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know. His village did not provide a sketch or photograph, so we only have their description," the silver-haired jonin explained. "Middle-aged rice farmer. Black hair."

Suddenly, the sound of screaming cut through the woodland silence.

"Somebody's yelling," Naruto noted.

"Yeah, sounds like they are in trouble," Sakura remarked. "Sensei, what do we do?"

"You three stay here," Kakashi ordered, before setting off with a leap. He almost flew through the treetops, his feet easily finding branches for him to move across with such practised ease that the man himself didn't even notice. He paused, scouting the mossy ground, where two shapes stormed through the thicket. One was a man, middle-aged and with black hair. His pursuer was a rabid wolf.

The man fell over a log, landing on the ground. He turned around, holding up an arm in blind panic as the wolf closed in.

"COVER YOUR FACE!" Kakashi yelled, as he threw a bomb. The projectile landed between predator and prey, before exploding in a dense, stinking cloud. The lupine hunter coughed as the smell overwhelmed its senses, before in turned around and ran.

The man carefully peaked out from behind his sleeve to notice that he was safe.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked, as he landed beside him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," he said, slowly getting up. "Thanks. A little later and I'd been wolf chow."

The jonin tilted his head. "By any chance, are you Genmai of Inaho Village?"

"I am."

"Huh. Convenient," the cyclopean ninja remarked. "I am Kakashi Hatake, ninja of Konohagakure. Your village hired me and my team to track you after you vanished. What happened to you?"

"I... Don't actually know," Genmai admitted. "I remember being out looking for mushrooms. And then... I think... I think there was... Somebody." He frowned. "Was I somewhere?"

"Okay. So how did you end up chased by a wolf?" Kakashi inquired.

"I... Huh. I remember... Someone... Told me to run." Genmai looked to be struggling to remember. "I'm... I'm sorry, it's all very fuzzy."

"I see. That does make this very concerning." Kakashi rubbed his chin. "Any unexplainable aches or pains? Or does something feel off?"

"Well, my skin feels kinda itchy now that you ask," the guy replied.

Kakashi nodded and took the farmer's hand to take a closer look.

Immediately, an intricate pattern lit up with a blue light across his entire body.

"Wha... WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" Genmai yelled in fear, as the glow intensified into a blinding flare.

"A trap," Kakashi managed, before the light engulfed him.

Even from a distance, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke noticed the rays of light piercing through the dense foliage.

"KAKASHI!" Naruto yelled, jumping up from the rock he had been sitting on.

"Wait, should... Should we go?" Sakura asked, looking to Sasuke.

"He did say wait... Except in an emergency," the Uchiha scion noted. "This might just be one."

"What are we waiting for then, let's go," Naruto said, gesturing with his arm. "Kakashi-Sensei might be in danger. We..." He paused. He could almost feel his ears twitch, trying to catch a barely audible sound, while his nose caught the briefest hint of fish on the wind.

"What...?" Sakura began, only to be pushed aside by Sasuke, just as several powerful blasts of water slammed into the ground where they had been with enough force to break it apart.

"Well done," a playful voice noted. "And here I thought this game would be over before it could begin."

Naruto turned towards the direction of the noise, drawing his kunai. "COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELF!"

"Well, I suppose it's only fair you get to see us. After all, we've been keeping an eye on you ever since you arrived." On a thick branch above, three figures faded into view. The one who had spoken was clad in white cloth with a fish-scale design, a hood resembling the head of a shark on his head. Purple clan-markings underscored his emerald eyes and strapped to his back was an o-wakizashi.

On his left was a much larger and muscular man, most of his features obscured by his teal clothes, which also featured a fish-scale design. His hood similarly emulated the head of his shark, but wrapped around his head so completely that only his eyes peaked out. Mounted to his back was a broad-bladed dai-shuriken.

The last of the three was a woman, wearing purple fish-scale clothes. She was tall and lithe, her wild brown hair barely kept under control by a headband featuring the dark eyes and toothy grin of a shark. Two massive metal kamas were secured to her back.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked.

"Just a little group called the Sharks," the man said, gesturing with his arms to present himself and his companions. "So happy to meet you."

"Figures," Sasuke muttered. "What do you want?"

"To play a little game," the man replied with a grin. "You can think of it like a game of tag. Of course..." He drew his blade and held it up, letting a ray of light reflect on its surface. "It'll be a lot more painful than just getting tagged if you're not quick enough."

"Oh yeah? Bring it on then," Naruto challenged.

"Wait. What about Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura said.

"Oh, right!" the blond exclaimed.

"There's three of them. It might not be impossible to hold them off while one of us go get Kakashi," Sasuke noted.

"But what about that light? If that was some sort of trap, it might not be as easy as just walking over there and coming back with him," Sakura pointed out.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about your sensei," the Sharks leader noted. "Our employer ensured that he would not interfere. He should be safe, but trust me, he won't come and save you. Now then." His companions drew their weapons. "Ready to play?"

"If I say no, do we get a break first?" Naruto asked, causing Sasuke to sigh.

"Sorry to disappoint. The game starts NOW!" the leader of the three declared, as they leapt from their perch.

Naruto was immediately beset by the woman, who wasted no time swinging her iron sickles at him. He went on the defensive, trying to dodge her powerful strikes. He knew trying to guard himself with his kunai would be a mistake. She would easily be able to use her weapons' hooked blades to get around his guard, potentially maiming his wrists in the process. And her reach was much greater. Instead, he began stepping back, looking for an opening.

Sakura was in a similar predicament. The massive assailant wielded his dai-shuriken in close combat, swinging its massive weight around with frightening ease, carving through anything nearby. It also meant the guy created a zone of potential harm around himself, denying the pink-haired shinobi an easy approach that would allow her to bring either her kunai or her martial arts into play.

Sasuke found his opponent, the enemy team's leader, much more manageable. In the sense that he was able to stay within a range where it was hypothetically possible that he could inflict a wound or two. But the leader of the Sharks quickly showed himself to be a master with his weapon, deflecting any attack the Uchiha scion made, before lashing out with precise strikes that Sasuke found himself hard pressed to dodge. The raven-haired ninja jumped back to give himself some space, before focusing his chakra into himself. He breathed out, unleashing a wall of flame.

The man countered with a jutsu of his own, condensing the humidity in the air into a ball, before launching it into the incoming attack, extinguishing it.

Sasuke frowned, holding his kunai ready as his opponent approached again.

Naruto backed up again, feeling the rough bark of a tree press against his back. The woman charged, winding up for a potent strike. The blond ninja concentrated and leapt upwards, the kama slamming into the tree where he had just been. He felt his chakra unsteadily bind him to the tree, barely preventing gravity from dragging him back down again. The woman looked up, frowning, before ripping her weapon loose. She stepped forward, following him upwards, ready to take another swipe.

Naruto kept backing up, kunai raised, as the two went further and further up the the trunk. He smirked, then broke the chakra connection.

The woman blinked as her opponent suddenly dove towards her. She crossed her weapons in front of her to block his sudden offence.

The blond ninja crashed into her. Seeing an opportunity, Naruto raised his weapon to attack.

The woman let her own chakra fade, sending them both tumbling to the mossy ground below.

He rolled, trying to absorb the blow, before quickly getting back up. He saw the woman for but a moment, before she faded into nothing.

Sakura dodged another swing of her opponent's dai-shuriken. He stepped closer, trying to get her within range of his lethal swipes. The pink-haired ninja noted a tree by her side and ducked behind it.

The assailant paused, then saw a pink-haired figure emerge from the left. He once again swung his massive weapon, only to realise that what he had seen was a mere phantasm, further confirmed by the real Sakura using the opportunity to come in from the other side with a vicious kick that sent him stumbling backwards. He held his armament up like a shield, as Sakura continued with her relentless assault. With her suddenly being so close, he didn't have enough space to attack. He narrowed his eyes and leapt backwards, fading into nothing as he did.

Sasuke and the leader of the group circled each other, both of them scrutinizing the other for an exploitable weakness. The Uchiha scion tried to figure out how to approach the situation. His opponent had the upper hand in close combat and could counter his fire blast. He needed to figure out a new way to approach the situation. His fire jutsu was his best option for countering the guy's superior close combat techniques, but by the time he had finished creating the blast, the guy was ready to put it out.

He began taking another deep breath.

The Sharks leader prepared to counter it.

But Sasuke launched the jutsu before having fully formed a complete fireball, instead spitting out a rapid series of smaller blazing projectiles, catching the assailant off guard.

He evaded one of the shots, managed to extinguish a second with what water he had collected, while a third singed his coat.

By then Sasuke had already charged in, swinging his kunai at what seemed to be a vulnerable moment for his opponent.

The guy's blade came up at the last moment, deflecting the blow.

"Clever one, aren't ya?" he said, stepping back. "Seems like we'll have to up our game." And with those words, he faded from sight.

"Naraka," Sasuke cursed under his breath. He paused, trying to pay attention to anything that would clue him in on his opponent's location. He heard a rustling of leaves and turned around, weapon at the ready. He paused, noting that it was Sakura approaching. They both halted, eyeing each other with slight suspicion, before deciding that they both were whom they looked like. "What happened?" the raven-haired ninja inquired.

"I managed to fend him off," she replied. "But then he vanished."

"Their leader vanished too." Sasuke looked around at the surrounding trees. "But I don't think they've gone far."

"Hey, you're both okay," Naruto said as he walked up to them, trying to pick small sticks out of his hair. "So that woman just kinda vanished. And I almost had her too."

Sakura looked around. "What do they want from us? They mentioned an employer, so they are probably mercenaries of some sort. But I have no clue why they'd target us."

"Maybe it's something about that guy we were looking for," Naruto suggested. "What was his name?"

"Genmai," Sasuke replied. "I doubt it. He's just a rice farmer. But who knows. It's certainly possible that..." He paused, staring at Naruto, who had suddenly stiffened, as if straining. He looked around. "Where?"

"I'm... Not sure," the blond said, looking around. "But I definitely heard something."

"You have rather impressive hearing," Sakura noted, as the three turned around, standing back to back. "So they are still here. Stay on guard. They might attack at any moment."

"I don't much care for waiting for them to come to us. But their camouflage jutsu is rather troublesome," Sasuke remarked. "Any idea for how we could detect them before they attack us?"

"I'm thinking. Maybe if we could create some sort of distraction," Sakura mumbled. "Some tools we could use?"

"I've brought some metal wire. Would that help?"

"It's not a bad idea. Unfortunately, they'd easily be able to see us setting it up. Maybe if we laid down some smoke bombs to hide it, but then they might just stay their distance."

"Yeah. The forest is big enough."

"Wait, wait!" Naruto exclaimed. "I know what to do."

"You do?" Sasuke asked sceptically.

The blond folded his fingers while intently focusing, chakra pumping into his body. And then suddenly, he had taken the form of an adult and quite naked woman. "Juhuu!" she called, as she posed and showed off. "Get a load of this."

Sasuke and Sakura stared in disbelief.

And then there was a loud crash up above, getting their attention.

The masked ninja faded into view, holding his face after having run straight into a thick branch. "Oof. Ough," he groaned. "My nose. I think it's broken."

"Really? Really, Iwana?" the woman asked annoyed, as she and their leader faded back into view, the latter steadying himself against a tree to avoid tumbling down from sheer laughter. "That's what gets you?"

"Give me a break, Yamame," he replied, voice muffled by cloth and hand. "I was not prepared for that, okay. And stop laughing, Kajika, this really hurts."

"I can't believe that worked," Sakura commented, as Naruto returned to his original form.

"I don't want to believe that worked," Sasuke groaned.

"Okay... Okay, that... Well played," Kajika managed through the laughter. "Wow, that was... I did not see that coming. You three are better than I thought."

"So, ready to throw down again?" Naruto asked, drawing his blade. "Or are you going to run and hide?"

"Ah, well, no, hiding did not go so well for us," the Sharks' leader noted, eyeing his comrade.

"Seriously, you've seen tits before," Yamame exclaimed incredulously. "I can't believe you'd let that ruin a perfectly set up sneak attack."

"Look, I get it, okay," the man mumbled. "I was just surprised is all."

"Yes. Well, I think you three have earned that break you wanted," Kajika noted with a grin. "So when you're ready, we'll meet you in the cave behind the waterfall, straight west from here."

"And why should we wander into what's obviously a trap?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, if you don't, I can't guarantee your poor sensei will make it out of here," he said with a shrug. "Since you need me to break the trap he's in and so on. But in the end, that's your choice I suppose. See you around. Or maybe not. Who knows?" And then the three of them left, leaping through the treetops.

"COME BACK HERE!" Naruto yelled, getting ready to pursue, but Sakura stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, saying: "Wait. We need to see what happened to Kakashi."

The blond paused. "Yeah, you're right."

The three headed in the direction from which they had seen the light, only to come upon a gently glowing globe the size of a small house.

"A seal of some sort," Sasuke noted. "Kakashi must be trapped inside."

"Can he get out?" Naruto asked concerned.

"Dunno. It looks advanced though," the Uchiha scion remarked, stepping a little closer. "He might not even be aware of anything happening."

"It must be advanced to be able to ensnare Kakashi like that," Sakura remarked. "We should head back to Konoha and get another jonin to help him out."

"But what if those three kidnap or kill him while he's like this?" Naruto asked. "We can't just leave him."

"Protocol would suggest that we avoid confronting those three and instead do as Sakura suggests," Sasuke remarked.

"What, you're just gonna abandon him?" Naruto challenged.

The raven-haired shinobi was quiet for a moment. "I didn't say that."

"I couldn't leave him either," Sakura remarked. She rubbed a hand over her face, frustratedly asking: "Ugh, why does this happen to us? We're not equipped to deal with all these people."

"Then we adapt," Sasuke remarked. "That's what ninjas do. The lair they mentioned might just have information we can use to break Kakashi free."

"Right. And if we can get that without having to deal with those three, so much the better," the pink-haired shinobi agreed. "Of course, that part won't be easy. They'll see us coming for sure."

...

It didn't take the trio long to find the waterfall, a beautiful sight in the dense forest. And true to what Kajika had said, a tunnel was hidden behind the water.

"You know, I remember that often in Jiraya's stories, the bad guy would have a lair hidden behind a waterfall," Naruto quietly mentioned, as the trio snuck in.

"I didn't know it was such a popular venue," Sakura replied, as they slowly made their way down the damp tunnel. "Then again, Takigakure is an entire ninja village hidden behind one, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

They moved slowly, vary of the water that pooled on the stone floor, as they sought to advance without making too much noise. Fortunately, the roar of the waterfall helped mask their intrusion. The only light was what little sunlight could make it through the curtain of falling water, a light that steadily dimmed as they went in deeper and deeper. They slowed their pace, vary of alerting their enemy by turning on a light or making noise by stumbling in the dark.

"Wait," Sasuke said, squinting. "I see light up ahead."

"Then we should be extra careful," Sakura remarked. "That is probably their camp."

They advanced slowly, as the tunnel opened up into a massive cavern, most of it dominated by an equally massive underground lake. A few torches had been set up, their flickering flames reflecting in the still water of the deep reservoir. A few stony islands snaked through, leading up to a massive rock formation in the middle, parts of it carved away to make for several open rocky terraces.

"Well... This is cool," Naruto noted under his breath, while looking around. "No sight of those three though."

"Doesn't mean they aren't here," Sakura commented. "They're probably hiding, waiting for us to show. If we're to search this place, then we need a distraction." She paused, then looked to Naruto. "Do you think you could summon three clones and disguise them as us?"

"Ehm, I can try," the blond replied, folding his hands. "Why?"

"Because then we'll send them in. While the Sharks are preoccupied, we can infiltrate the cave." She sighed, folding her arms. "And then we'll just have to wait and see. I have no clue what in here could possibly be linked to the seal. I guess we'll just have to keep an eye out."

Naruto focused. There was a puff of smoke, as chakra and air condensed into three identical clones. "Alright, ugm, you try to look like Sakura and, ehm, I guess you can be Sasuke."

"Can't he be Sasuke instead?" the clone asked, gesturing to the third clone.

"What? No way, I'd rather be Sakura," the third one said.

"I mean, I don't really care either way," the first clone remarked.

"Sage preserve us, could you just do this one thing right," Sasuke groaned into his hands. "We don't have time for your circus routine, so just do your job before those three notice us."

"Alright, alright, don't have to be such a grump about it," the third clone remarked, rolling his eyes. He and the first clone folded their hands, moments after taking on the shapes of Sakura and Sasuke respectively. Or at least, an approximation. None of the colours were just right and their features were off just enough to be kinda uncanny.

"Maybe... They won't notice," Sakura suggested, though she didn't sound like she believed it was a possibility.

"I doubt this would fool them long enough for us to accomplish anything," Sasuke remarked.

"Come on, give us a break," the original Naruto said annoyed. "We haven't actually tried to take on your forms before."

"Well, definitely something we should work on," Sakura noted. "Could come in handy in the future." She paused contemplatively. "I could maybe augment the clones with my illusions. You know, mask up the flaws a bit. But then I'll have to stay here and concentrate while the two of you sneak in."

"Then that's our best bet," Sasuke said.

Sakura nodded and concentrated, her chakra condensing around the two clones, their appearance now reflecting the originals much better. "Alright, now go."

The three duplicates nodded and marched into the cave. Sasuke and Naruto waited for a bit, before snaking off to the side, walking along the dark, rocky cliff-side.

The three clones continued towards the middle, eyes on the rocky platform. Stony stairs had been cut into it, allowing them to ascend.

"Well, well, well," Kajika said, as the trio of fakes stepped up on the platform. He was sitting on a boulder, gently sharpening his blade. "Almost didn't expect to see you. You must really like your teacher."

"So what happens now?" the clone disguised as Sakura asked. "We fight?"

"I suppose that yes, that's where this is going," the Sharks leader remarked casually.

The clone disguised as Sasuke looked around. "Where's your two buddies?"

"Oh, they're around. I wouldn't worry about them right now." He rose from his position and walked closer, still inspecting his blade. "You know, it's quite funny. About shadow clones, that is."

The undisguised Naruto clone's eyes widened. "What...?"

Momentarily thrown off guard, he was also unprepared from the sudden and swift movement that left Kajika's o-wakizashi hilted in his chest. He and the two other clones stared at the wound, then up at Kajika.

The mercenary's eyes had turned solid black, staring into the clone's eyes. "They lack a certain... Something," he continued, before retracting his weapon, leaving the dying clone to fall to the ground.

On the wall, the real Naruto and Sasuke stared.

"Naraka. He saw right through them," the Uchiha scion cursed.

The blond shivered and rubbed his chest. "Oh man. That's an... Unpleasant memory to get. I actually feel..." He paused, registering the faint sound of boot scraping against stone. He glanced in the direction.

Sasuke followed his gaze and swiftly whirled around, unleashing a blast of flames from his mouth. Yamame dodged out of the way, her disguise breaking as she scampered across the cliff to avoid the blaze.

Back in the tunnel, Sakura was still channelling the illusion. Behind her, the air shimmered, as Iwana manifested. He lifted his massive weapon and brought it down with a swift movement. Only for the Sakura he had intended to hit to fade away. He blinked, as part of the tunnel wall to his left changed colour, as the real one lunged forward, her knuckles colliding with the mercenary's head, sending him stumbling back.

"Dammit, woman," he groaned in agony, holding up his dai-shuriken to block a follow-up strike. "My nose had just stopped bleeding."

"Then I'll give you something else to focus one," she replied, trying to get into position to get another attack in.

Back on the stone platform, Kajika's eyes shifted back to normal, as the remaining two Naruto clones regained their original forms and attacked with their kunai.

The Sharks' leader diverted one blow with his blade and kicked the clone away, before redirecting his attention to the other trying to shank him in the back. He danced out of the way of a stab, bringing down his sword as he did, separating the clone from both his weapon and right hand. The doppelgänger stumbled back in shock, before Kajika decapitated him with with a swift strike.

Back on the wall, Yamame rushed up the cliff-side, her weapons ready to tear into the two.

"Don't worry, Sasuke," Naruto said confidently. "I have a plan. I'll juavahah," he sudden gulped, clasping his throat.

Sasuke paused, briefly unsure whether the weird sounds were somehow part of some inscrutable plan, before pulling his blond companion out of the way as their opponent brought her kama down, hammering them into the rocky cliff.

"Would you wake up already?" Sasuke hissed, as Naruto unsteadily tried to maintain the bonds of chakra that kept him glued to the wall. "What's wrong with you?"

"Hey, I just learnt how it feels to get decapitated," he replied defensively. "It really sucks, okaouargh!" The blond arced his back, his face twisting into a pained grimace.

Sasuke eyed the stone platform, where Kajika withdrew his blade from the final clone's spine. Then he returned his gaze to the approaching Yamame. "Terrific." He took a deep breath and spat several smaller fireballs at the approaching woman, who awkwardly began dodging up and down the cliff face. She leapt upwards to evade one attack, but the moment she landed, she stumbled, as a sharp and sudden pain hit her. She looked down, eyeing the two shurikens that had dug into the flesh of her shin. Sasuke had used his blazing projectiles to cover for a second offensive, one she had missed. Already unsteady from having had to dodge the attack, the combination of pain and the weight of her weapons threatened to send her tumbling down the cliff, forcing her to focus in order to maintain her chakra.

And it was this distraction the Uchiha scion had counted on. He rushed forward while she was off-balance, launching a spinning kick, which collided with the side of her head.

It was too much. Yamame lost focus completely, her whole world spinning as gravity took hold, before she with a splash landed in the waters below, disappearing into the dark depths.

Iwana, meanwhile, found himself on the defensive, as Sakura refused to let him have the chance to gain the space necessary to swing his weapon or the time to reapply his camouflage. All he could do was hold up his weapon as a shield and fend off her blows. Fortunately for him, the pink-haired shinobi didn't have the means to get through his dai-shuriken and the limited space also made it hard for her to get around it, now that she had spent the element of surprise.

Sakura for her part darted from side to side, trying to find an opening that would let her get around the weapon. She occasionally had to step back to avoid the mercenary's swings, but lacking space, they were nowhere near as deadly or as far-reaching as when they had fought in the forest. Still, they were now at a stalemate. She mostly kept dashing from back and forth to keep Iwana guessing, in an attempt to at least delay potential counter-attacks. She briefly considered trying to push him back towards the waterfall, but the tunnel was long and she was unsure about leaving her friends behind for too long. But as she observed her opponent, she realised that his attempts at shielding himself left him with an exploitable vulnerability.

She paused and concentrated, only to seemingly split into three as she charged him again.

"Great, more illusions," the mercenary noted annoyed, stepping back and holding his dai-shuriken up. "Don't think that'll get you around me." He held the weapon steadily, trying to position himself so he could react once he figured which one was the real one.

The answer came in the form of a clenched fist crashing into his face. He stumbled back with a yowl of agony as blood exploded from his nose.

Sakura had punched straight through the dai-shuriken, through the hole in the middle that was normally used for a stable grip or mounting it. It was small enough that it would have been difficult to strike through while he was moving about, but her illusions kept him still long enough for her to launch a precise strike. Capitalizing on her opponent's flaring agony, she sidestepped the weapon he was still defensively trying to hold up, launching a kick at the back of his left knee, collapsing his leg. He stumbled, as she slammed him in the face again with a right hook, then grabbed him, allowing her to force her knee into his stomach, before sending him crashing into the rocky wall with another punch. The massive shuriken felt to the floor with a echoing clatter, as Iwana tried to stabilize himself against the wall, before sliding coughing to the floor.

"And stay down," the pink-haired shinobi warned him, before adjusting her hair. She felt a brief surge of satisfaction and joy, seeing him crumbled like that before her, but it quickly drowned in a wave of disgust. She felt her stomach somersault and found herself also leaning against the wall as her insides revolted. She tried to focus. Her friends were in danger. She could feel terrible later. The nausea subsided. She swallowed. And then forced herself to hurry back towards the main cave.

She entered, just as Sasuke managed to help Naruto down on a out-jutting rock, wearing a look of annoyance. "Hey! Are you two okay!?" she called.

"Barely. Had this idiot almost faint on me," the raven-haired ninja replied.

"Hey, you try dying thrice in a row, then you can come back and tell me to take it like a champ," Naruto shot back as he steadied himself.

"Whatever." Sasuke turned his focus to Kajika, who was observing them. "Now there's just you."

"Yes. I must admit, quite the impressive performance." He paused, his smile fading a bit. "And my dear friend, Iwana? I must presume you defeated him. Does he still live?"

Sakura paused. "Yes," she finally said.

"Ah, excellent," the Shark's leader said with a hint of relief. "I'll have to fish Yamame up too at some point. Would have been quite the grisly end to our game if they had to give up their lives for it."

"Why are you doing this?" Sakura inquired. "You keep calling this a game. Why?"

"Oh, well, I can't quite give you all the details. At least, not yet." He smirked. "As I said, I have an employer. One who has an... Interest in people with potential. Perhaps if you win the game, I'll give you a little more than that." He held up his blade. "For now, this game must come to an end. You have done far better than I imagined. But I'm not going to give up quite yet."

"Hah. We'll beat you too," Naruto said, raising his kunai. "And then you'll have to free our sensei."

"Oh. Well, I'd love too, but..." He shrugged. "I can't."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I can't. I literally have no idea how that seal works. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't crack it. That's one of my employer's little tricks."

"What!?" Naruto exclaimed. "But you said you'd free him if we followed."

"Well, I lied. Just my way to ensure you'd follow."

Sakura sighed, muttering under her breath: "Should have stuck to protocol."

"Now then." Kajika leapt forward, blade ready as he sailed through the air towards Sasuke and Naruto. "LET'S PLAY!"

He landed between them, lashing out with his blade against the Uchiha scion while kicking out against the blond.

Sasuke barely managed to deflect the blow with his kunai, rapidly stepping back to get space, but the Sharks' leader pursued, attacking with quick successions of swipes. The raven-haired shinobi found himself nearly overwhelmed. His opponent was way faster and way more precise than when he had first fought him. He realised with some frustration that the mercenary had held back, probably as part of the game he was playing. He dodged back from another swipe, only to realise he had forgotten about the terrain, as he stepped over the edge, his foot sliding down the rocky side. Which was not helped by Kajika socking him in the chin with a solid blow from his off hand, sending Sasuke tumbling down the rock and into the cold water with a splash. His body throbbed from the numerous bruises he'd earned on the way down, as he struggled to reorient himself.

Naruto got back up with a scowl, as Sakura landed beside him. The two attacked at once, trying to outflank the Sharks leader. The blond tried to stab him in the side with his kunai, but found his strike parried, before being forced on the defensive. He tried to remember what his clones had seen before they had been killed, hoping to use it to prevent himself from sharing their fate.

Meanwhile, Sakura dashed in, aiming to use Kajika's offensive against Naruto against him. She launched a blow against his kidney, but the swordsman spun out of the way, bringing his blade down as he did. The pink-haired shinobi jerked her arm away to avoid losing it, but wasn't quite fast enough, retracting her limb with a painfully throbbing flesh wound.

Naruto then tried to strike him in the back, but Kajika swirled around, lashing out with his weapon as he did. The blond had to pull back, bending himself to avoid the blow, but even then, the only thing preventing him from being gutted on the spot was his combat vest absorbing most of the strike, instead leaving him with a painful but survivable cut across his stomach.

Sasuke leapt out of the water, as his two allies pulled back, his eyes aflame with the red glow of the sharingan. He landed and dashed forward.

"Ah yes, the sharingan," Kajika noted. "I'm so happy to see that I can push you to use it. That was on the to-do list."

"Just shut up already," Sasuke replied, as he launched into an attack. He was unsurprised that the mercenary leader managed to parry and dodge his blows. But he could read his opponent's attacks much better, allowing him to stay his ground and thus stay engaged.

Sakura surveyed the situation for a moment, before calling: "Naruto! Clones!"

"Gotcha!" he replied and concentrated, as Sakura willed several illusions of herself into being. And then the two groups charged.

Kajika parried another blow from Sasuke, halfway turning so he could see the approaching horde. His pupils rapidly expanded, until his eyes were nothing but black orbs. He smirked. "Your tactics lack... Substance." He lashed out, cutting down one Naruto clone, ignoring two Sakura illusons, before making an attack.

The real Sakura was forced back, clutching a cut above her right eye. She raised her weapon with one hand, trying to staunch the bleeding. "My illusions. You're seeing right through them."

"Of course I am," Kajika said, with a smirk. "They're nothing but dead air. I barely even notice them."

Sasuke saw the strike and prepared to stab Kajika in the back while he was still recovering from countering his allies. However, what was supposed to be a finishing blow met nothing but air and the raven-haired ninja realised that his enemy had lured him in, as the Sharks' leader danced out of the way. Kajika grabbed the now off-balance shinobi with his free hand, before bringing his elbow down.

There was a loud, stomach-churning crack as Sasuke's arm broke, forcing a yell of agony from him, before he was thrown away.

The swordsman advanced again, blade raised, only to be forced to divert his attention as three clones rushed in. As he began fighting them, Sakura grabbed the downed Sasuke and leapt off the stone island with him. She landed unsteadily on the cavern waters and ran towards the middle platform, Sasuke doing his best to not slide into the water as she did. On the platform, Naruto was already awaiting them, slightly shivering as he received the memories of his departed doppelgängers.

"Running away, are we?" Kajika called, as a headless clone collapsed behind him. "That's cool, that's cool. I did say this was gonna be like tag anyway." He jumped off the rock and began pursuing.

"Naruto, do you have any smoke bombs?" Sakura asked, as she and Sasuke got up.

"Yeah."

"Okay," she said, pulling her own bombs from her backpack. "Then use them."

"How many?"

"All of them."

As Kajika rapidly closed in, the entire central island was suddenly engulfed in a massive cloud of obscuring smoke. "Oh, hide and seek instead?" He smiled, as his eyes turned black. "I can play that game too." As he scanned the thick cloud, his eyes began picking up the small sparks of impulses dancing along the nerves of his opponents, outlining them. He focused chakra into his legs and jumped into the air, launching himself at the group trying to hide. "IN FACT, I'M QUITE GOOD AT IT!"

"How the Preta...?" Naruto managed, before the group had to run. "It's not working."

"Just keep your distance from him," Sakura said, trying to see Kajika over her shoulder. "We can't take him in close combat."

"Can we maybe hit him at a distance then?" the blond suggested.

Sasuke ran along quietly, brows furrowed in concentration. "I have an idea," he finally said. "Naruto, I'll need your help. He broke my throwing arm."

"Oh. Uhm, okay," the blond began. "What's the plan?"

"As you said, hit him at a distance. I can make out where he is with my sharingan," Sasuke explained.

"And where is he now?" Sakura asked.

"Leaping over us."

"Wait what!?" Naruto exclaimed, as the three stopped running.

Kajika's form was barely visible as he landed in front of them, sword ready.

"The other way," Sakura commanded, and the three genin retreated from the swordsman.

"Alright, get ready," Sasuke said, handing Naruto a kunai. "He's coming after us, right side. Now!"

The blond threw the projectile.

"Nice try. But you missed," Kajika taunted.

"I said right behind us, not on the other end of the cave," Sasuke hissed.

"Look, I can't see anything, okay," Naruto fired back. "Why don't you...?" He paused, as Sasuke handed him another projectile.

"Moving up the rock on our left. Throw!" he demanded.

The blond tried again, only to earn laughter from their opponent. "Wow, you guys never cease to be entertaining."

"Well, you managed to take out a very menacing rock formation," Sasuke deadpanned. "So maybe now you can focus on your job."

"Look, why...?" Naruto tried, but was cut off by being handed another projectile, while Sakura ordered: "To the right. Around the rocks."

"Okay, he's coming at us from behind. Left side," Sasuke instructed.

Naruto threw yet another projectile.

"I said left. Pay attention or we'll die."

"Just give them to Sakura!" the blond exclaimed. "She's a... Stop giving me these."

"He's trying to circle around us. Straight to the right."

"Augh, fine."

"I said straight. What was that even?"

"Look, I don't know what... Why are you giving...?"

"Straight ahead. Throw and fall back."

"Alright, alright."

"What do you think straight means?"

"JUST SHUT UP!"

"Oh man, you guys," Kajika chuckled, as he followed the fleeing genin. "You are hilarious. It's almost a shame to finish this." He raised his blade. "Almost." Then he leapt into the air.

Sasuke spun around, clutching a kunai. He smirked, then threw it into the air.

Something snagged on the mercenary leader's ankle. He felt himself fall forward. His arm got caught in something. He tried to pull his limb back, but something tightened around it. He began losing altitude. He could feel things tighten around him, tiny unbreakable bonds digging into his flesh, locking his limbs to his body. He landed with a thud on the ground, his weapon flying from his grasp. "What... What the Hell?" he grunted, realising he was wrapped in metal wire, as he struggled to get up.

"Wait, what?" Naruto asked confused.

"Later. Attack now!" Sasuke commanded.

Kajika spotted the three advancing and reached out to grab his sword, only for Sakura to kick it away, so it went flying into the waters below. Sasuke followed up by kicking him in the ribs, sending him rolling across the rock.

Kajika forced himself up, only to find himself starring at a rapidly approaching knuckle, courtesy of Naruto. Stars danced before the mercenary's eyes as his skull rattled from the blow. He wasn't even sure who attacked next, only vaguely registering a gut punch, a kick to the head and then some other attack he only barely sensed as dull, throbbing pains across his body, as he finally collapsed to the ground. His vision danced before him, as his eyes returned to normal.

"There," Naruto breathed out, wiping sweat off his brow. "Got him." He turned to Sasuke. "So, what happened? How'd you do that?"

"Something he said to Sakura made me think. The part about her illusions being dead." He folded his arms. "I figured, maybe he could see living things. So maybe with the smokescreen, he wouldn't be able to see projectiles so well. Of course, if we tried to use that against him, he'd fall back to outside the smoke cloud. So I decided to come up with a trap. I've trained myself to throw equally well with both arms, but he didn't know that. Instead, I let him think I wanted you to hit him. But all those kunai instead held strands of metal wires. Which your clumsy throwing spread all across the island. When I threw the final kunai, it raised the wires into the air, which he then crashed into."

"Good job," Sakura praised him.

"Yeah, gotta admit, that was pretty smart," Naruto congratulated him. "I mean, I wish you'd tell me about your plans, but still, pretty cool."

The Uchiha scion was quiet for a moment, before uttering a quick: "Thanks." He marched over to the fallen Kajika, grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up on his knees. "Now then," he began. "Talk. Who's your employer? What do they want with us?"

"Oh, my employer is very interested in you, Sasuke," the mercenary noted, with a grin. "All ninjas with potential, really. And you three, you're something else. I was just supposed to push your buttons a bit, see that sharingan in action, but you beat me and my crew. That's impressive."

"And why the interest?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, I cannot go into all the details," the Sharks leader noted nonchalant. "But I can assure you, he has his reasons. But hey, look at me blathering on, speaking for him, when I could just let him answer the questions himself."

"What are you...?" Sasuke began, but paused.

Something slithered around Kajika's throat, slowly making its way up. The raven-haired ninja stared as a small white snake coiled up on top of the mercenary's head, its yellow eyes meeting the Uchiha's sharingan. And in a hypnotically smooth yet still intense voice, it greeted him with: "Hello, Sasuke."

"Oh, a snake," Naruto remarked. "Aren't they usually bigger than this?"

"They are. But I don't think this is a normal snake," Sakura remarked, eyeing the ophidian with suspicion.

"Oh, you're quite correct, I'm far from normal," the serpent admitted with a chuckle. "I am but a fragment of a greater whole. It was I who arranged for this little game. I wanted to see the new scion of the great Uchiha clan in action." The snake looked to the two others. "Of course, I could not have predicted I'd find two such fine specimens at the same time. I am quite pleased. You have exceeded my expectations."

"Specimens? What do you mean by that?" Naruto asked annoyed.

"Oh, I'm a collector of sorts. Of fine individuals of power and potential like yourself," the snake said. "The perfect pieces for the great game."

"Pieces?" Sakura repeated. "I'd like to think we're more than that."

"Ah, but we're all pieces on the board. And the game is the most dangerous one there is. I speak of nothing less than the shinobi world itself," the snake informed them. "We all have our roles to play and all players want the best pieces. That's how it has always been. Even Konohagakure seeks to enrich its position, gathering clans as allies and training fine young shinobi like yourself."

"Hey, our village cares about us," Naruto stated insulted. "Konoha is not like that."

"Is it not? A player can care for its pieces. I certainly care for mine. None the less, your village would not hesitate to send you into danger, or almost certain death, if that was the correct move to make. That's the nature of the game." The snake paused. "Of course, some would say that is indeed the problem. That the game itself is at fault. But even so, you cannot leave it. We are all bound by it. You too will come to realise its all-encompassing nature. And when that happens, you will find yourself forced to ask, where exactly on the board you'll need to be to make the winning moves." Its serpentine gaze shifted to Sasuke. "I do look forward to meeting you all again. I foresee great things in your futures, should you choose to join my side."

"I seriously doubt you have anything to offer," Sakura remarked.

"Really? I guess we'll see. For now, we're done. Your sensei has been released and is already looking for you."

"Yeah?" Naruto grabbed the snake below its head and lifted it up. "Then you'll be coming with us, so you can tell him what you told us."

The snake was quiet for a moment, before bemusedly asking: "How well can you swim?"

"Swim?" the blond shinobi repeated. He heard a faint and distant scraping sound, and turned around, his two comrades following suit.

On the far wall, Yamame placed her hand on a series of inked symbols that she had drawn on the rocky surface. She smirked as they lit up, before the entire wall exploded, letting in a massive onslaught of water.

And said water formed into a great wave, rushing forward, swallowing up everything.

"RUN!" Sakura yelled as she set off.

Naruto and Sasuke followed suit, leaving Kajika behind to be swallowed by the deluge. They leapt across the rocks and stormed down the tunnel, pursued by a wall of liquid. It slammed into the back of their legs, sweeping the feet away from under them, and carried the three screaming teens with it, before spewing them out in a massive gout, launching them through the waterfall and into the lake beyond.

Coughing and sputtering, they managed to drag their soaked bodies up on the grass.

"Oh man, land," Naruto sighed happily, pausing as he eyed a pair of boots. He looked up. "Oh, hi Kakashi. How's it going?"

"Well," the man replied. "I do have a lot of questions. But I suppose we should see Genmai safely home first."

...

"Dad," a little kid called, as he embraced the returned villager. "Dad, I was so scared."

"It's okay," Genmai replied. "I'm home now."

"Phew. Glad that's done," Naruto noted, as team Kakashi watched from a distance. "Anyway, so I tried to hold onto the snake, but I kinda lost track of him what with all the water."

"I see," Kakashi mumbled. "It is quite the story." He rubbed his chin. "What concerns me the most is that they knew we were coming. That indicates a serious security breach."

"Who was that snake?" Sakura asked. "Anybody you've heard of?"

"I have my suspicions," the cyclopean ninja admitted. "They'll be hard to confirm. I will have to bring it up with the Hokage and the shinobi council first before I dare speculate out loud. Suffice to say, if it's who I think it is, well, you're lucky it went as well as it did."

"He kept talking about a great game," Naruto continued. "A shinobi game."

"Yes. Some do liken the politics between the five great nations to a complicated game," Kakashi noted, nodding. "I know Asuma really likes comparing it to shogi. It's a popular metaphor."

"So, are we really just... Pieces?" Naruto asked a bit disheartened.

"Well, I suppose that depends on what one thinks a piece is." The jonin shrugged. "You three are definitely pieces of work, that's for sure."

"Gee. You always know just what to say to cheer us up," Naruto grumbled. He paused, turning to Sasuke. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Huh, what?" the Uchiha scion blurted out. "Sorry, I was... Lost in thoughts."

"Something on your mind?" Kakashi inquired.

"It's nothing. Just... This all got me thinking. We should head home and make a report." He began walking off, still looking thoughtful, his broken arm hung in an improvised sling.

"Poor Sasuke," Sakura sighed. "I hope the doctors can help him with his injury."

"It might take him a while to recover, true," Kakashi noted. "But I've seen worse injuries." He paused. "As a matter of fact, I've seen them on myself. Did I ever tell you kids about that one time I was stabbed through the lung with a spear?"

"Can we skip that," Naruto pleaded. "I think I've had quite enough for today."

Not far from them, Sasuke paused. "My winning move," he quietly echoed to himself, before he began walking again.