End of the week (Hokage's office):
"Hokage-sama, I believe we are ready for our first C-rank mission. Do you have any available?" Kakashi asked, his anticipation evident in his voice.
The Hokage nodded, acknowledging Kakashi's request. "I actually do. Tazuna, come in," he called, and a man in his late fifties walked into the room.
The Hokage introduced him, "This is Tazuna, a bridge builder who will need an escort to keep him safe from bandits."
Naruto and Mika couldn't contain their excitement; they both jumped up in the air. The mission already sounded like it would be fun.
"Tomorrow you guys will leave; today you can prepare," the Hokage announced before dismissing the team.
As they exited the Hokage's tower, each member headed home to pack for the mission. Naruto, with the help of his nearly endless storage seal, quickly gathered everything he needed. Once he finished, he decided to offer Hinata some assistance instead of Mika.
Naruto was about to knock on Hinata's door when her Byakugan activated, and she answered the door almost instantly. "Do you need any help packing, Hinata?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes filled with warmth.
Hinata smiled at his offer. "I do," she replied, stepping aside to let him in.
The two of them began to fold some extra clothes. As their hands touched the same pile, they locked eyes. Naruto gazed into Hinata's gleaming white eyes, and she looked into his deep blue ones. In that moment, a spark of affection between them ignited, and their lips met in a gentle, long-awaited kiss.
Their kiss was filled with all the pent-up emotions they had held back during their platonic relationship. It was a meaningful and passionate exchange, one that conveyed their feelings more profoundly than words ever could.
Breaking the kiss, Naruto whispered, "I love you, Hinata-hime."
Hinata's heart fluttered with happiness as she replied, "I love you too, Naruto-kun."
The next day, the team was at the village gate by 7 AM, ready to embark on their mission. To their surprise, Kakashi was punctual, a trait he seemed to have picked up from Shizune. Not only that, but Sasuke appeared with his sword, a sight that raised eyebrows.
Since their graduation, much had changed, especially for Hinata and Naruto. The boy's connection with the Kyuubi had grown stronger, as had their bond with each other.
"Kakashi-sensei, how long is this trip going to take?" Naruto inquired.
Kakashi signaled for the team to gather around, and they did so with calm expressions.
"We don't expect any trouble during these first two days," Kakashi began, "but after that, we need to be prepared. Kakashi and I will have us all in a hexagonal formation, with the two of us on the sides and pairs parallel to each other, with Tazuna in the middle. Hinata and Naruto will be together, using their sensor abilities to alert us. Mika and Sasuke, you will be our offensive pair and make first contact."
The team nodded in agreement, ready to follow their sensei's orders. They got into their formation, mentally preparing for the journey ahead.
Sasuke and Mika found themselves in a conversation on one side of the formation. Mika couldn't help but ask, "Sasuke, you haven't been talking to any fangirls, have you?"
Sasuke shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, Mika, only you."
Mika's heart skipped a beat at his response. She felt herself blush as she pressed further, "Why would I want any of those girls who have nothing going for themselves? You're strong and beautiful," Sasuke replied.
Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle at her words. "Really, Sasuke?" Mika's hand went to her chest as she blushed even deeper. "Yes, Mika."
On the other side of the formation, another conversation was taking place. Naruto couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer.
"Hinata," he began abruptly, "would you say we're dating yet?"
Hinata's eyes widened in surprise at Naruto's suddenness. "Wouldn't you have to take me on a date first?"
Naruto scratched his head, deep in thought. "You're right. How about when we get back, I'll take you out somewhere?"
Hinata smiled warmly at Naruto. "I'd love that, Naruto-kun."
After a few more hours of walking, the day came to a close. It was time to set up camp for the night. The boys assisted with setting up their tent, while the girls did the same with theirs.
As Naruto and Sasuke set up their tent, Naruto couldn't help but ask Sasuke about his past experiences. "Hey, Sasuke, I have a question."
Sasuke looked up from his task, curious. "Yeah?"
Naruto leaned in, eager to hear about Sasuke's dating history. "What was your first date like? I'm kind of nervous."
A mischievous smirk appeared on Kakashi's and Tazuna's faces as they eavesdropped on the conversation.
Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. "I just took Mika out to eat and stuff."
Naruto frowned, disappointed with the vague response. He shook his head at Sasuke's lack of detail.
On the other side of the camp, a similar conversation was unfolding between Mika and Hinata.
"So, you and Naruto... I heard he helped you pack," Mika said, emphasizing the word 'helped.'
Hinata blushed, recalling their intimate moment. "Yes, he did. We kissed for the second time."
A knowing smirk formed on Mika's and Shizune's faces. "And we're going on a date when we're done with the mission," Hinata admitted, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Mika and Shizune offered words of encouragement. "We'll help you with that when the time comes. You'll be just fine."
"Just let me know if my brother hurts you though; I'll teach him respect," Hinata laughed at Mika's antics.
"I'll be sure to tell you, but um, can I ask one more question? What was your first kiss like?"
"I haven't had one," Mika replied, which shocked Hinata.
"But you and Sasuke are all over each other?"
"Yeah, but we both just take it slow. I'm fine with it." Hinata nodded in understanding.
Once everything was set up, the team settled down for the night, each member in their respective tents.
The next day passed uneventfully, just as Kakashi had predicted. There were no enemies in sight, and the journey was rather monotonous.
However, the calm was about to come to an end as the third day of their mission approached. The sky was clear, and the day seemed perfect. On the trail, a bunny hopped around in the shade of a tree next to a cool puddle. But something felt off suddenly, Naruto and Hinata signaled to stop. "The puddle!" they both yelled.
Suddenly, two men wielding chains appeared, and before Kakashi and Shizune could react, they were cut into pieces. "Senseis!" The team cried out in shock, not wasting another second before getting into their fighting positions.
Dojutsu activated, swords unsheathed, taijutsu ready, and hand signs at the ready. "Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto yelled before using his break through jutsu to send himself flying at one of the brothers. Simultaneously, Hinata threw her senbon before jumping into the fight as well.
The highly skilled ninja grabbed the clone by the neck before using it as a shield for the senbon. Unfortunately, it wasn't Naruto but the clone he was previously holding, which exploded. This left him open to the attacks of Hinata as she sliced him with the bone blades on her arms and hit his vital spots, leaving him in shock from the pain and on the floor as he bled out.
Naruto rushed to Hinata, who looked at the body, still in shock. It was her first kill, and now she understood a fraction of what Naruto felt. "Hinata, it's okay. If you need, we can talk about it later, but we gotta help the other two."
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Mika were engaged in a serious battle. Sasuke had his katana in hand as he slashed at the missing nin. His metal arm deflected the slashes, to which Sasuke fed lightning chakra to his sword. This caused a shock, allowing him to get a clean slash off before Mika used her chakra-infused fist to send him flying.
To their surprise, the brother was durable enough to get back up. Mika used her wood wall technique to trap him, and Sasuke used his ash release to finish the job.
Suddenly, a pair of hands began to clap. "Well done, Genin." The team turned to see their senseis, Kakashi and Shizune, clapping in approval.
Their faces showed a mix of happiness and confusion. "It was a test to see how you guys would do under pressure," Shizune explained, with Kakashi adding, "But first, Tazuna, why would these B-rank missing nin be on a C-rank mission? It seems you've misled us."
The bridge builder gulped nervously. "Um, I don't know, maybe it was a fluke," he stammered, attempting to save face.
"Fluke, my ass! Who wants you?" Kakashi retorted, unimpressed by the feeble excuse. Tazuna broke under the pressure of their questioning.
"My village is in poverty, so I had to lie. This is the only money I had. The truth is, Gato is after me because he doesn't want the bridge. With it, he'll no longer have control over the village."
Kakashi sighed, clearly unimpressed. "If this were any other Genin team, they could very well be dead right now. But I'm confident in my team to go on, especially if you need help," he said with a hint of disappointment.
Tazuna's eyes were filled with gratefulness as he replied, "Thank you," and bowed to the team in gratitude.
After a few hours of relentless rowing through the dense fog, the team finally arrived at the dock of their final destination. The mist had grown even thicker, shrouding their surroundings in an eerie ambiance. Hinata's urgency broke the silence, her voice trembling with concern, "This isn't natural; the mist is filled with chakra. Someone's with us! I don't know where-"
"Duck!" Naruto's voice rang out, cutting her off abruptly as he pulled Tazuna down. A deadly flying sword whizzed past them, narrowly missing its mark. Kakashi's sharingan eye widened as he swiftly analyzed the sword, recognizing its owner. His demeanor turned cold and serious as he addressed the team, "Team, this man is on a whole different level than the demon twins. Focus."
The team nodded in understanding, their eyes scanning the thick fog for any signs of their hidden foe. Suddenly, a voice echoed through the mist, sending shivers down their spines, "The great copy nin, I've heard a lot about you."
"From your face right now, I assume you know my esteemed title of the demon Zabuza, one of the seven swordsmen of the mist-"
Before he could finish his boastful introduction, Hinata swiftly sent an ice senbon flying toward him, narrowly missing. In response, another ice senbon was launched, but this time it wasn't Hinata's; it was someone else's. Luckily before the senbon penetrated anything sasuke, with his three tomoe Sharingan, had intercepted the attack with his kunai.
"A Yuki!?" Sasuke exclaimed. "There's another here, possibly more. Stay alert, AND PROTECT TAZUNA!" Shizune and Kakashi ordered.
"There are two more outside of this mist," Naruto informed them. Kakashi felt the need to reveal his Sharingan, causing a stir in the back of the team's minds, but they pushed it aside for the moment.
"Mika, encase Tazuna in a box to keep him safe for now, and Naruto, make shadow clones to help Mika and Hinata protect him. Once Tazuna is secure, we focus on Zabuza."
"I'm not going into a box!" Tazuna protested, but a senbon grazing his cheek quickly changed his mind. The team sprang into action, Naruto creating a perfect opening with his great break through jutsu for his sensei. Kakashi and Sasuke took advantage of the opportunity and rushed toward the now-revealed Zabuza. Sasuke activated his genjutsu technique, locking eyes with a smiling Zabuza who freakishly was unaffected.
The swordsman planted his blade into the ground, using it as leverage to kick Sasuke back. He then retrieved his sword and deftly blocked Kakashi's vital strike. "Your student doesn't even deserve to wield that sword on his back," Zabuza taunted.
As Kakashi, Sasuke, and Zabuza engaged in their fierce battle,Kakashi went for a leg sweep. Naruto seized the opportunity to send Shizune flying at the countering airborne Zabuza. Zabuza attempted to counter with a kick to Shizune's face, but instead, he was met with an explosion that sent him tumbling back into the real Shizune. She delivered a devastating blow to his ribcage, leaving him gasping for breath.
Zabuza quickly scrambled to his feet, realizing he was running out of resources and had to isolate a single opponent for a fair fight. The four members of Kakashi's team closed the distance, determined to take down the formidable missing ninja.
However, their advance was abruptly halted by a mysterious boy with distinctive red dots for eyebrows. The boy meant business; he wasted no time engaging in a fierce taijutsu battle against both Naruto and Sasuke, now isolating kakashi and shizune for zabuza. With incredible speed, as the two genin went for kicks he grabbed Sasuke's leg and Naruto's leg, flipping them onto their backs. At the same moment, bone blades resembling those manifested by Hinata grew from his body, and he attempted to strike one of the fallen boys. Sasuke narrowly rolled over dodging the deadly attack, avoiding having his head impaled.
Naruto and Sasuke quickly got back on their feet and realized that the boy was gaining the upper hand in taijutsu. Sasuke unsheathed his sword, and Naruto summoned three clones to aid in the fight. The clones coordinated their attacks, sending the real Naruto flying, landing a mid-air side kick to the boy's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. The shadow clones followed in pursuit, as well as Sasuke to take advantage of the opening resulting in the clashing of the white haired boy's blades and sauke's.
The combined efforts of the other Narutos in the assault gave them the upper hand, but the boy's body reacted unexpectedly. Spikes suddenly erupted from every inch of his body, catching the real Naruto off guard, while a dojutsu activated Sasuke barely managed to escape the vicinity in time. This time, the impalement was real, and Naruto's face twisted in a mix of shock and agony. Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched his comrade fall.
Desperation and confusion overwhelmed Sasuke as he attempted to retreat from the fierce battle. The recent events felt surreal, almost dreamlike. He tried to put some distance between himself and his opponent, but the enemy ninja capitalized on his momentary lapse of focus, leaving Sasuke with a deep slash across his chest. He had lost, and his comrade lay lifeless. "GET BACK UP"
Just as Sasuke contemplated his dire situation, a silhouette cloaked in a crimson aura loomed over the Kaguya. The battle was far from over.
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the battlefield, a masked girl concealed within the dense fog bided her time, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The odds were stacked against her adversaries—a team of ten, consisting of eight clones and two genin. She began analyzing the situation when Hinata's ice senbon pierced through the mist.
"Ice Release!?" The girl's expression turned frigid as she realized that she was facing an Ice Release Hyuga, and possibly, a member of the Senju clan. With Hinata's knowledge of their opponent's position, she advanced cautiously, while Mika stood back, ready to support her teammate but still keeping an eye on Tazuna's safety.
As Hinata closed in on the masked girl, they made brief eye contact, or as much as one could with a mask on. "You're a Yuki like me," Hinata began.
"That I am, but it doesn't change the fact that I am Lord Zabuza's tool. He is my purpose," the masked girl replied.
Hinata was taken aback. "No, you're human. You shouldn't be subjected to the life of a hunter-nin."
The mask on the girl's face was removed, revealing her beautiful face but instilled hardened features. "You know nothing about me. Do you think our name means anything? I'll tell you what your name means. It means wherever you go in the mist, people will hate and kill you. There's nothing better for us anywhere than what Zabuza offers."
Hinata shook her head in disbelief, but the Yuki continued, "You think he really cares about you or that other kid-"
"This is none of your business, so keep your mouth out of it," the Yuki interrupted before dashing past the unattentive Hinata. Her true target wasn't Hinata but Tazuna. Hinata quickly caught on and ran back to her teammate. "Mika, she's coming back towards you."
Mika quickly positioned herself to protect Tazuna, knowing that the masked girl was now targeting them. This didnt work in their favor though, as it meant now they were group up and could be taken down together
"Hidden Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!" the girl yelled.
The twos face jumped with surprise "Hinata, use your Byakugan as best you can. We don't know what this jutsu does," Mika ordered.
Images of their opponent now appeared on countless ice mirrors, surrounding them. At first, it was just one senbon. "AHH!" Mika yelled, punching it mid-air and pulverizing the ice into pieces. But then, another senbon came, which Hinata grabbed and threw back at the same mirror, which seemed unaffected. Soon, the number of senbon multiplied from two to fifty, and Naruto's clones were gone. A stream of senbon flew towards them, and they barely dodged each one, even with Hinata's Byakugan.
To her surprise, she couldn't discern the real Haku from the mirrors. Each mirror seemed to contain her and he chakra signature, but they couldn't all be real. Soon, the number of projectiles doubled exponentially. "Wood Wall Jutsu!" Mika yelled, creating a wooden barrier that deflected a barrage of senbon.
The technique overwhelmed them, and within minutes, their stamina had been heavily depleted. Making eye contact with each other, they knew they needed a breather. Mika hinted at this and quickly constructed a protective structure around them and the encased Tazuna. Mika's hands began to glow green as she healed her wounds. "Hinata, come here so I can heal your wounds too."
Hinata complied, and any injuries she had sustained from missed dodges vanished. "Mika, you try to break through one of the mirrors with your chakra punch while I block for you."
Mika nodded. "Are you guys winning?" a muffled voice questioned from within the wooden box. "Let's hope so," Mika replied with determination, cracking her knuckles.
The girl signed, and the structure dissolved. Right on cue, the Yuki went back to her assault. However, Hinata had different plans. She created bone shields attached to her arms, and the two genin ran towards the nearest mirror. Along the way, senbon were directed at Mika, who blocked most of them, but one slipped through and almost grazed her Swiftly, she sprouted a patch of bone where it would have hit.
Now at the closest mirror, Mika unleashed a chakra-infused punch that shattered it. They quickly made their way to the breach, but Hinata's Byakugan had its limitations, and a senbon found its way through her minor blind spot, striking her neck and sending her collapsing to the ground.
Meanwhile kakashi-sensei and Shizune found themselves in a perilous battle with the dangerous missing-nin, Zabuza. The misty ambiance added an eerie sense of tension to the atmosphere, making their fight even more daunting.
"Kakashi-sensei, stay alert. He's dangerous, especially now that it's just us," Shizune informed her mentor, her voice tinged with urgency.
Zabuza, the missing nin, responded mockingly, "Oh, you brought a little medic with you? How cute. But it won't save you."
The palpable tension hung heavy in the air as the two shinobi locked eyes. Without warning, Zabuza lunged forward, swinging his massive sword with blinding speed. Kakashi leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly blade. Shizune immediately assumed a defensive stance, ready to support her peer.
Kakashi analyzed the situation and said, "He's fast and strong, Shizune. Stay close and be ready to heal."
With a swift flick of his wrist, Zabuza held out his giant sword, Kubikiribōchō, its blade glistening ominously in the thick mist.
"I see you haven't changed. Let's finish this, Zabuza," Kakashi declared.
The three shinobi engaged in a fierce brawl, a clash of taijutsu against kenjutsu. They exchanged kicks, punches, and sword slashes, each attempting to find an opening in their opponent's defenses. Despite their numerical advantage, Zabuza proved to be a formidable foe, and the two Jonin realized they needed to shift the tide of the battle.
Timing their attack perfectly, Shizune went for a knee to Zabuza's face, while Kakashi executed a powerful side kick. Unable to dodge both, Zabuza took Kakashi's kick and was sent flying back into the dense mist.
As the mist obscured their vision, Zabuza moved with the stealth and grace of a true ninja, recovering his position while Shizune tended to Kakashi's wounds. Kakashi, relying on his Sharingan, attempted to track Zabuza's movements, but it was challenging to anticipate his attacks.
Taking advantage of the cover provided by the mist, Zabuza suddenly launched a surprise attack swept the legs of the two ninjas,using this he yelled, "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive water dragon erupted from the nearby river, hurtling toward Kakashi. Swiftly, Kakashi performed hand seals and countered with his own jutsu, proclaiming, "Kakashi: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
The fiery fireball clashed with the watery dragon, creating a thick, steamy mist that engulfed the battlefield. Seizing the opportunity, Zabuza unleashed a barrage of water bullets at Kakashi, who adeptly dodged them and retaliated with lightning-quick kunai strikes.
Zabuza managed to evade Kakashi's attacks and responded with another jutsu, creating multiple water clones. The battle intensified, with Kakashi and Shizune using a combination of taijutsu, ninjutsu, and teamwork to fend off their respective Zabuza's relentless assaults. Kakashi's Sharingan enabled him to anticipate and counter Zabuza's every move.
During the intense battle, a conversation between the two respected ninja began to unfold, echoing across the battlefield. Kakashi questioned Zabuza, "Don't you feel bad making these children fight for their survival?"
Zabuza chuckled darkly, "I don't give a damn about my useless tools. Don't pretend it's any different between you and your genin." "Do you even know their names?"Kakashi inquired.
Kakashi's expression darkened with disgust as the realization of zabuzas negligence struck him. Across the battlefield, the masked girl and the Kaguya who was now in the death grip of Naruto, wore similar expressions of despair.
Zabuza continued callously, "Of course not. I found these hopeless pieces of trash on the streets of the Mist and used their hopelessness to my advantage."
Kakashi's disgust deepened, and it was evident that he had heard enough. In the midst of Shizune's struggle against one of Zabuza's water clones now in a water prison, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
A loud, high-pitched sound echoed through the battlefield, drawing everyone's attention. It was Chiori, With a fist charged with lightning, he struck zabuza through the heart, freeing Shizune from the Water Prison Jutsu.
"STOP FIGHTING, your master is dead if you stop now we'll take you guys back to the leaf" naruto not listening in a fit of rage now grabbed the masked girl as well dragging the both the through the ground "Naruto control yourself"mika yelled out to her brother as the boys eye blinked and made sense of the situation as regained control. "They killed sasuke and hinata we cant forgive them" naruto yelled to his sensei
The masked girl, her face concealed behind her mask, interjected, "We didn't kill them. The attack I used on Hinata wasn't fatal, and Kimimaro's slash wasn't fatal either. If you hurry, you can still save them."
In a panic, Naruto yelled, "SHIZUNE, HEAL HINATA!" Without hesitation, Mika, still sobbing, rushed to heal Sasuke's near lifeless body.
Kakashi approached the two former enemies, his tone stern, "You have two choices: come with us or face the consequences." Reluctantly, they chose to accompany Kakashi.
Introductions followed, with Haku Yuki and Kimimaro Kaguya revealing their names. Naruto, trying to mend the situation, added, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I think you'll get along with Hinata; she's a Yuki and Kaguya as well."
Their faces displayed shock, but before they could respond, a muffled voice from a nearby box drew their attention. Mika signed and released the voice from its confines.
"If you're truly an Uzumaki, there's much I need to tell you. But first, we must go to my home,"Tazuna declared, leaving everyone in suspense as they contemplated the unknown revelations awaiting them.
