Another week was filled with a multitude of D-rank missions as they moved into the next month. They were currently standing together in front of their Hokage as they waited to be assigned another mission for the day. Minato was in the process of listing out missions they could choose from when Naruto groaned loudly.
"Dad," he huffed. "We've completed nearly thirty D-rank missions! Can't you give us something a little more challenging?" Hinata put her hand on his arm to calm him down. "We've completed way more than the other teams, too!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's outburst. "I don't agree with how whiny he sounded, but he's right. Is there anything else you can give us?" Minato looked at Hinata to see if she felt the same and when she nodded shyly, he looked to their sensei.
Kakashi shrugged. "I think they've been ready for a while now. I was just curious to see how long Naruto would last," he admitted. Naruto glared at their sensei and Hinata held him in place.
Minato laughed. "Okay, fine. Let's see how you three do on a C-rank mission." He sifted through the scrolls on his desk before finding the one he was looking for. "This mission will be an escort mission to the Land of Waves," he explained. "Your objective is to deliver a bridge builder by the name of Tazuna back home safely."
Naruto groaned again. "You mean we're basically babysitting? C'mon, dad!"
Minato leveled a look at him. "Naruto. Every mission is important even if not all are eventful. Tazuna-san is here now, so why don't you four meet him?" Minato sent another nin to lead Tazuna in.
A haggard-looking drunk man with short, gray hair entered the room, his face red from alcohol as he stood before the Hokage. Naruto's eye twitched.
"Tazuna-san, these are the ninja who will be escorting you home," Minato explained as he gestured to his old students.
Hinata stepped forward with a polite smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Tazuna-san. My name is Hinata Hyuuga, and these are my teammates Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki," she said, gesturing to them respectively.
Tazuna regarded them for a moment before sighing heavily, Hinata's nose slightly crinkling at the strong scent of alcohol hitting her face. "You mean these children are responsible for me?" His eyes narrowed when he observed Hinata. "This frilly princess doesn't even look like she's capable of hurtin' a fly."
Sasuke stepped forward. "Hinata is capable of killing someone with one strike of her hand, so watch it," he snapped, glaring harshly at him.
Hinata sighed softly. "Sasuke, it's okay."
Kakashi held his hand out. "I'm their sensei, Kakashi Hatake."
Tazuna didn't take his hand and instead took another drink from his flask. "When're we leavin'?"
Kakashi dropped his hand and turned to his students unbothered. "We'll meet up at the village gate in one hour," he said. "We'll meet you there, too, Tazuna-san."
"Good luck on the mission!" Minato called out before they disappeared in a flash. "They're getting better at that."
Outside of the building, Sasuke turned to his teammates. "This guy is a massive drunk," he said.
"That, he is. Still have to protect him though," Kakashi said.
"Of course, we're still gonna protect that alcoholic," Naruto scoffed. "He actually called Hinata a frilly princess."
"I mean, she technically is a princess in a way, don't you think?" The Jonin pointed out.
"Sure, but he was saying it as an insult." Sasuke patted Hinata on the shoulder. "You okay?"
She nodded. She wasn't the least bit bothered by the man's words as the Elders have said much worse to her and behind her back. "I don't need him to acknowledge me," she said. "I earned this headband and that is all the proof anyone needs." They all smiled at her confidence and said nothing more before rushing home to pack for their mission and notify their parents.
Hinata rushed through her house and into the kitchen to ask the cooks to prepare five lunch boxes before heading off to her room. She packed a couple of sets of clothing, some scrolls filled with first aid medication and creams she's made, some feminine products just in case, and extra sets of tools and scrolls she could possibly need. At the last minute, she decided to pack her sunglasses just in case.
When she had finished triple-checking everything, she headed to her father's office and knocked lightly.
"Yes?" Hiashi replied.
"Father, it's me."
"Come in."
She greeted him with a smile and a bow when she walked in. "I'm leaving on my first C-rank mission. I am not sure how long I will be gone," she said.
Hiashi hummed. "I see. Very well, then. Good luck and remember to uphold the Hyuuga name," he said. "Be careful as well, as you are not branded and your doujutsu is valuable."
"Yes, father. I will protect myself, my team, and our client, to the best of my abilities. I will see you again soon. Please tell Hanabi of my whereabouts when she returns home from the academy."
"I will do that. Stay safe, my daughter."
Hinata bowed and turned to leave. "I'll be home soon, father." And then she left. She stopped by the kitchen and thanked the cooks before packing them into her bag and taking off.
Sasuke entered his silent house and went into the kitchen where his mother normally was. He found her sitting at the table, reading a book with a soft smile on her face. This relieved him as it told him she was having a good day.
"Mother, I'm home," he said, causing her to look up at him.
"Sasuke! You're home very early. Is everything okay?" She asked as she closed her book and moved it aside.
"Yes. I'm here to pack for a mission. We just got assigned our first C-rank mission and we'll be leaving the village for a little bit." At his, her eyes widened with worry. "It'll be okay. I'm strong. We're all strong."
"I-I know, sweetie, but I'm a mother. It's my job to worry." He moved to her side and kissed her forehead. "You'll come back, right?" Her grip on his hand was so tight that she didn't feel like a fragile being like she had been for the past few years.
"Of course. I will always come back to you," he said, his voice gentle and comforting. "I'm not going to leave you."
"I'm—I'm holding you to that," she laughed tearfully.
He smiled. "I expect nothing less. Now, will you help me pack? I'm afraid I'm not sure what I need to take." He pulled her up from her seat and held her hand as they walked to his room. "I'll leave a note for Father, so you don't need to worry about that."
More than anything, he was worried about who was going to do the housework while he was away. His father wasn't going to hire anyone as he didn't want news of her condition getting out to the villagers, and he didn't know anyone who could help. He sighed inwardly as he racked his brain for who could help. As he watched her pack a bag for him, it suddenly clicked.
Kushina.
He nodded to himself, deciding to visit Naruto's house before heading to the gate. Kushina is aware of his mother's condition and he wouldn't need to explicitly say it. It didn't have to become so real, not right now.
His mother turned to him with a small, worried smile as she held out his bag. "Now just pack some extra weapons and you'll be set." He felt her eyes on his back as he did so and smiled at her paying attention to him. He prayed she did okay without him here for a little bit.
Naruto burst through his front door with a happy yell. "Mama! We're going on our first C-rank!"
Kushina popped out of the living room with her arms open. "That's my boy!" Naruto jumped into her arms and she hugged him tightly. "Where are you going?"
"Some place called the Land of Waves, or somethin'," he replied. "Can you help me pack?"
"Of course, honey. Are you excited?" She asked as they walked up.
"Yeah! I can't believe I actually had to beg Dad for it," he sighed.
Kushina ruffled his hair. "He's gonna be like that with everyone and he can't give you special treatment just because you're his son. You know that."
"I know, I know," he grumbled. He jumped on his bed when they entered his room before laying flat on his back. "I think this mission is a great chance to prove what our team is capable of, 'ya know."
Kushina giggled as she pulled out a bag and began digging through his drawers for clothes. "You three are real strong, but don't let it get to your head. That kinda thinking will only get you killed out there," she said seriously as she continued packing his things. "C-ranks don't usually involve battle, but stay on your guard out there. It won't just be training anymore if anything happens."
Naruto sat up and leaned back on his arms. "Okay, mama. We'll be safe and watch each other's backs."
Kushina finished up and turned back to him with a smile. "That's what I like to hear. Here, just pack your tools and double-check everything." She handed him the bag and watched him closely as he went through his tools, thinking about how much he'd grown from the little boy who was just starting the academy. He was stronger, faster, and smarter. He was going to be fine. They all were.
She gave Naruto another hug before sending him off with an excited wave. She watched him run off until she couldn't see him anymore.
To everyone's surprise, Sasuke was the last one to show up. After some complaints from Naruto, they set off. The Uchiha wasn't telling them the reason he was late and instead chose to ignore Naruto and focus on the road ahead. Kakashi did his best to make conversation with their drunk client as the genin listened on.
As they walk on, all three of them seem to take notice of the puddle they're passing by. They were aware that it had not rained recently and that the puddle shouldn't be there. Subtly, they moved to box in Tazuna, guarding him.
"Tazuna-san," Hinata said, "what is your hometown like? Is it nice living on the sea?"
Tazuna shrugged. "It was for most of my life, until recently," he sighed. "But good people live there. We're all working hard to get this bridge built, for the good of our townsfolk." Hinata listened intently, nodding along. Kakashi held back a proud smile as he realized what they were doing. Surprisingly, Naruto had noticed as well but he knew the boy wasn't an idiot, he was just a little slower on the uptake. They continued on for five minutes until their enemies were prepared to attack.
Hinata pulled Tazuna behind her as she got in her family's Gentle Fist style. The trio's eyes widened in shock and horror as Kakashi found himself wrapped with chains that held blades on them.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cried out as the chains were pulled taut and Kakashi was ripped to pieces before their eyes, pieces of flesh hit the ground with a sickening wet thud. There was a brief pause before they steeled their eyes. "Let's get ready to fight!"
"Right!" Hinata and Sasuke replied in unison.
The two enemy ninja appeared behind Naruto in an instant and Sasuke rushed to help while Naruto stayed to guard the bridge builder. Naruto found himself unable to move in the face of real enemies for a brief moment as they swung their dual weapons toward him. He snapped to at the last moment and jumped over the weapon and its holders. Using his shuriken and a kunai, Sasuke pinned their weapon to a tree before kicking one of them in the head, causing the enemy to hit the ground while Naruto punched the other one in the face.
The enemy quickly recovered as they abandoned their weapon and split up. The one with straight hair rushed for Hinata and Tazuna while the other kept her teammates preoccupied. Naruto and Sasuke saw this and tried to go to her, but their opponent with the wavy hair wasn't giving them room to breathe.
Hinata glared and gritted her teeth as she activated her byakugan. "Please, stand back, Tazuna-san!" The older man took a few steps back in fear and waited, watching the battles before him. Hinata bent her knees and spread her arms out before spinning on the ball of her right foot, causing a barrier of chakra to shoot out just as the enemy nin reached out to her. "Rotation!" This sent him flying back into a tree, putting a dent into the wood and knocking him out. She came to a stop and looked back at Tazuna, who gasped when he saw her eyes.
She deactivated her doujutsu. "I apologize for frightening you," she said quietly.
"I was just caught off guard, is all. You saved me, young lady. Thank you," Tazuna replied.
"You're a Hyuuga?" The remaining enemy nin spat. "Are you marked?!"
Hinata glared back. "And if I'm not?"
The man chuckled. "Your eyes will sell wonderfully. And if you survive getting them ripped out of your head, I'm sure you'll sell well in a brothel!" He said as he gave her a slow once-over. Hinata didn't get a chance to respond as Naruto and Sasuke lunged for him and pinned him down.
"Watch your mouth," Sasuke hissed.
Kakashi suddenly appeared, then. "I agree," he said calmly. "Watch your mouth or I'll cut your tongue out." He pulled a kunai out and twirled it on his finger leisurely. Naruto and Sasuke gaped at the sight of their teacher they just witnessed dying in front of them. Hinata, having seen him with her byakugan, smiled at him.
"Sorry about that," Kakashi stated easily as he kicked the nin in the face, knocking him out. "I had to see something." Sasuke and Naruto got to their feet as Kakashi dragged the man toward his unconscious partner and tied them up. "You all did well. Although I was surprised to see you freeze up for a second there, Naruto, you recovered quickly. Sasuke, you did well backing him up. Hinata, great job protecting the client and standing your ground."
"Yeah, Hinata! You were awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. "Where'd you learn that move?"
Hinata blushed prettily. "I've been studying many moves under my father," she explained. Sasuke patted her shoulder, silently complimenting her. She accepted it with a nod.
"What were you looking for, sensei?" She asked.
Kakashi looked at Tazuna. "They were targeting Tazuna-san. Now, why is that?"
Tazuna sighed. "Yeah, they were after me."
Kakashi looked around. "Let's keep moving for now. Someone will come looking for these two, stronger opponents. We shouldn't fight if we don't have to."
Naruto stumbled and barely caught himself, shaking his head to rid the dizziness. "What the…?"
Kakashi went to his side. "You good, Naruto?" He asked.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I just…felt dizzy for a moment, I guess." He felt a throbbing pain on the back of his hand and looked down at it to see an irritated, red scratch. "I got hurt? I didn't even feel it."
The Jonin inspected his hand. "Looks like their weapons contained poison. We'll have to go back to the village or maybe Hin—"
Naruto swiftly pulled out a kunai and stabbed the wound, causing it to bleed profusely and shocking everyone. "No. I will not be a burden to my team or hinder the mission! We've worked hard to get here, damn it! I won't ruin it, I swear it!" Naruto hissed.
Kakashi blinked before he spoke with a slightly wobbling voice, clearly amused. "That was…cool and all, Naruto, but you realize you have a medic on your team, right? You, uh, didn't need to stab yourself," he explained, biting back a laugh. Naruto's eyes went wide as he looked at Hinata who gave him a sympathetic smile and nodded.
"I mean, I guess it doesn't matter now since he bled it all out," Sasuke said, clearing his throat to prevent himself from laughing.
Hinata sighed sharply, an amused smile on her face, as she grabbed his hand and looked over the wound. "It will heal easily. You'll be fine," she assured him. She placed her right hand over his injury and Naruto watched her face closely in awe, as her hand glowed a pretty blue. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the look on his friend's face before promptly looking away and focusing on the flock of birds flying in the distance.
Their sensei had watched their interactions closely with a raised brow. It was clear to him that while Naruto had accepted their engagement, he wasn't trying very hard to hide his feelings and Sasuke wasn't fond of it but also couldn't say anything because he still felt guilty about the whole situation. He tilted his head slightly as he thought of Hinata and wondered if she held feelings for either of them. Either way, he knew it was going to be messy and he wasn't looking forward to doing damage control once her feelings were revealed and it all blew up.
Once she was done checking for remnants of the poison and closing up the slash, she pulled out a small jar of one of her creams—one Kakashi was familiar with as he always kept a jar on him—and applied it to the unscarred area to help with tenderness. After wrapping his hand, she took a step back with an approving smile.
"All the poison is out and you're all healed up," she said. She turned back to their sensei. "There's a small clearing up ahead, about a quarter mile just before we reach the river we're supposed to cross."
"That'll be perfect," Kakashi said. "Tazuna-san can tell us why he lied once we get there."
Tazuna hid his face under his hat in shame and agreed. They walked for a few minutes until Hinata pointed to where they needed to go off the path. When they got to the clearing, Kakashi faced Tazuna.
"When you put in a request for this mission, you asked for standard protection and there was no mention of ninja targeting you personally. Had we known, we could have gotten higher-ranked shinobi as this is classified as an A-rank or higher but you endangered the lives of these genin who have only graduated a month ago." It was clear to his students that Kakashi was livid. "I'm sure you have your reasons for doing so, but lying to us and to our Hokage is unacceptable."
Tazun remained quiet, his eyes on the ground.
"Although these three are more skilled than your average genin, I won't know if they're strong enough unless you tell me who exactly is after you and why," he continued. "Should you refuse, we'll only take you as far as the boat to ferry you across to your destination and drop you off there."
"All right. You four deserve the truth. The person after me is a terrifying man by the name of Gato. I'm sure you've at least heard of him," Tazuna revealed.
"Of Gato Transport? He's a business leader and one of the richest men in the world."
"Yes, that's right. But underneath all of that, he's a manipulative little bastard who uses despicable ways to take over nations… He sells drugs and contraband and uses gangs and ninja to do his dirty work. He came to the Land of Waves about a year ago where he used his endless supply of money to take complete control over our transport and shipping. Anyone who tried fighting back would never be seen again. On an island, anyone who controls the sea controls the island and its people as well as the government but we have a way of breaking free from him."
"And how is that?" Kakashi asked.
"The only thing that man fears is what I am currently building. If I finish this bridge, he will no longer be in control," Tazuna replied.
"If you take out the bridge builder, then there's no one left to build it," Sasuke said.
"But if this bridge is that important, then why did you hide it in your request?" Kakashi asked.
"Our nation is very poor. Even the feudal lords have no money. And those A and B-rank missions are too expensive to the commoners who are building it. If you leave me to go the rest of the way on my own, I will be killed almost instantly. But, I suppose you don't have to continue escorting me. My poor grandson will no doubt cry," Tazuna sighed sadly, causing the rest of the team to feel guilty. "And my daughter, bless her soul, will blame Konoha ninja for my death. Our town will suffer and perish, but I understand."
Team 7 glanced at one another before Hinata took a deep breath and nodded to herself. She reached over and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I see. Then I will send your family flowers to put on your grave," she said gently, throwing everyone off and shocking them.
"Hinata, what the hell?!" Naruto exclaimed. "That is not what our eyes were saying!" Even Sasuke was taken aback. Kakashi waited patiently as he knew Hinata wasn't the kind of person to just turn away from someone in need—not the best quality to have as a heiress.
"Wha…" Tazuna gasped.
"Tazuna-san, if you do not ask for help, you will not receive it. I am not happy you lied to us and our Hokage, though I understand the reason. However, I will not be guilted into something when the option to ask is always open," she explained, looking at him expectantly.
The bridge builder felt properly scolded and looked down once again. "Yes, you're right. I apologize. Will you four continue the mission? We don't have much but I will give you what we can."
Hinata smiled and looked to their sensei with a small nod, who sighed. "Well, then we better keep moving if we want to get there in the estimated time."
Tazuna's eyes watered as he thanked them all profusely. Team 7 looked into each other's eyes and knew that this mission was only going to get more difficult, but they were ready. This is what all their teachers had trained them for.
They had passed the river to the Land of Waves a mile back when Kakashi spotted a snow rabbit in the area and he became suspicious. Due to the dangerous nature of the mission, Hinata had been activating her byakugan every few minutes. Naruto managed to pick up the rabbit and pet it.
"Sensei," Hinata said quietly, just as Kakashi had concluded that there was an enemy around.
"I know," he said. Right then, they all turned to see a large blade heading for Tazuna, but Naruto managed to pull him to the ground as they all dodged it. Kakashi instantly recognized the blade and its owner who now stood atop the handle of his blade that was lodged in the tree. "Zabuza Momochi, rogue ninja from Kirigakure. This guy is stronger than the other two you faced, so it'll be up to me to fight him…using this," he explained as his hand went to his covered eye. His team looked on curiously at this.
"Kakashi of the Sharingan, right?" Zabuza replied, his voice deep and rough. Upon hearing the name, everyone looked to Sasuke who was shocked to hear Kakashi had the same doujutsu as him. "Hand over the old guy, huh? And no one else has to get hurt."
"How come he's not wearing a shirt?" Naruto asked. "It looks inconvenient!" Zabuza's eye twitched at this but he decided to ignore the comment.
Sensing the high tension, Team 7 gathered around Tazuna—Sasuke and Naruto protecting the front while Hinata protected the rear—and awaited further instructions.
"Good job, team. Protect him and stay out of this battle," Kakashi warned. He glared at Zabuza. "Let's fight!"
"I should count myself lucky that I get to see the famous Kakashi Hatake in action," Zabuza said. "Back when I was in the Kiri Anbu, our squads were ordered to kill you on sight. You were inside the Bingo Book, and listed as the man who has copied over a thousand jutsu as well as Kakashi, The Copy Ninja."
Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, sensei, you really have made a name for yourself."
"Yeah, one that I'm going to ask you about later," Sasuke added. As far as he knew, Kakashi wasn't part of the Uchiha Clan which made it impossible for the jonin to have one.
"We'll talk later," Kakashi answered.
"Enough talking! If you won't step aside, I'll just have to take you out first, Kakashi!" Zabuza said. Faster than Team 7 could keep up, the rogue nin was on the river near them and gathering plenty of his chakra.
"He's fast," Sasuke muttered. The others agreed. "But nowhere near as fast as Minato-sensei." A thick fog suddenly covered the area, making it difficult to see. Zabuza vanished before their eyes. Hinata kept her Byakugan activated and kept a close eye on everyone's actions.
"Stay on guard. This is a man who was the leader of the Kiri Anbu and a master of the 'silent kill', which you can guess what it means. By the time you realize what's happening, you're already dead. Not even the Sharingan can fully copy it."
The fog began growing thicker and thicker and Kakashi eventually vanished from their sight. Hinata hummed, signaling that she could still him and putting the other three to rest. She searched the surrounding area for Zabuza.
"Sensei, he's three meters to your upper left," Hinata called out.
Right then, Kakashi charged an enormous amount of chakra so intense that he blew away the fog surrounding them. All three froze as they could feel the killing intent being released by the two Jonin about to clash in a fight. It was stifling and Sasuke was suddenly reminded of Naruto the night of his engagement. Just as thick and frightening. Hinata's hand shook as she gripped her kunai tighter and Naruto felt it difficult to breathe. They had been told about this effect by their past teachers, but feeling it was another experience. One that they were hardly ready for.
"Relax," Kakashi said. "I won't let anything happen to any of you. I'll protect you with my life." His voice was so steady and sure that three of them instantly took solace in his words, trusting him wholeheartedly.
"He's coming!" Hinata cried out as she turned and wrapped her arms around Tazuna's body and pulled him back with all of her strength just as Zabuza broke their formation and stood in the middle. Naruto flickered in, but Zabuza was much more skilled and a lot faster and promptly kicked him back a few feet. Kakashi immediately drove the enemy through with a kunai to the stomach, the sound of liquid trickling and hitting the ground, but Hinata shook her head. "No, he's still on the river." The figure Kakashi stabbed burst, like water.
"Behind you!" Naruto called out.
Kakashi turned in time to see Zabuza swinging his sword, slicing him in half. Zabuza exclaimed his shock as Kakashi had burst as well and now stood behind Zabuza with a kunai to the neck. "The water clone jutsu! Even with the heavy mist, you still managed to copy it?!"
"That's right," Kakashi said easily. "Even through your mist jutsu. It's over."
Zabuza chuckled. "Is it now? You managed to switch out with a water clone the moment you saw me create mine. Impressive, but not good enough!" The real Zabuza suddenly appeared behind Kakashi, the one in front popping and falling to the ground in a splash of water. Their enemy swung his sword powerfully, Kakashi barely dodging it as he ducked down. This appeared to be the wrong move as Zabuza kicked him back through the air, causing him to land in the river.
"This water is…heavier," Kakashi soon realized. "Damn it!" No sooner than those words left his mouth, Zabuza was standing behind him on the water.
"I've got you now, Kakashi!" After a series of quick hand seals, he cast his jutsu. "Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"
"No!" Kakashi yelled just before he was surrounded by a large ball of water.
"This may be made of water but it's harder than steel. How will you get out of this one, Kakashi, when you can't even move?" He laughed. "Hard to believe this is the Great Kakashi, easily taken down in a matter of minutes. But don't worry, I'll finish you off a little later. First, I'll handle your brats and then the bridge builder, and then you." After making the tiger seal, the team of genin watched as a clone of Zabuza emerged from the water.
"Damn it," Kakashi hissed, glaring as his team of genin was about to get slaughtered.
"You three think wearing a headband makes you a ninja, is that right? Well, you're dead wrong!" The rogue nin spat. "When you've danced with death so many times that you hardly bat an eye, only then can you possibly be called a shinobi. When you've become so skilled and deadly that you've made it into my Bingo Book, then you're worthy of being called a shinobi. You three are nothing but a damn joke, just kids walking around with weapons and a headband with no idea what kind of life you're in for!"
The clone vanished before their eyes and Hinata barely managed to warn Naruto of an incoming kick when it was too late and he was already flying across the clearing, his headband flying off and being stepped on by Zabuza's foot.
Kakashi growled. "Run! Take Tazuna and get out of here, now! You can't beat him! Leave, he can't chase you without me escaping!" He yelled to his team, his voice warbled and barely intelligible, but they understood what he was saying and they didn't like it. Casting a glance at each other, they know their best option is to somehow free Kakashi. It was luck that Zabuza managed to imprison him and they prayed for some of that luck to free him, even if they were all confident in their abilities. Hinata tensed as she felt a water clone appear behind her.
"A Byakugan, huh?" He moved her bangs aside. "And no seal. You must be that heiress Kumo failed to capture back then." He lifted her by the hair off the ground, causing her to grimace with pain. "Well, Kakashi, it looks like I'll be killing the bridge builder and taking this girl here." Kakashi's yells of anger could be heard but were garbled due to the water.
Sasuke shouted with rage and began running toward them.
"Protect the client!" She shouted, causing him to stop in his tracks. He understood that it was the right decision, but he did not like it. Hinata charged chakra to her palm and slammed it back into the water clone, causing it to burst. She dropped to her feet and was swiftly on guard as another water clone materialized in front of them.
"Your brats are stronger than I expected, Kakashi," The real Zabuza laughed from beside the prison, his hand still firmly connected with the ball of water. Hinata moved to Sasuke's side, in front of Tazuna. "But they're still just playing at being ninja. By the time I was your age, my hands were already soaked in the blood of many."
"Zabuza, the Demon," Kakashi spat.
"Looks like I was in your Bingo Book, too."
"Long ago in Kirigakure, also known as Blood Mist, before a person could become a shinobi, they were tasked with doing the impossible: slaughter every other student in order to pass! Ten years ago, the graduation exam was forced to change due to an unknown child, who wasn't even a ninja, taking down over a hundred students with no hesitation."
Zabuza chuckled. "It was…so much fun!" He laughed, shocking the trio with the evil of it all. They couldn't imagine having to eliminate their classmates in order to become a shinobi and for someone to enjoy having done so was frightening. All three were once again shaking before Sasuke inhaled a steady breath.
"Lock it up!" He snapped. "We have an objective to complete." They couldn't lose sight of it no matter how powerful or terrifying their opponent was. They needed to persevere and free their sensei or die trying. Naruto and Hinata steadied their breathing as well, forcing their shaking to stop.
"Naruto!" Hinata called out. He looked at her. "We need your chakra now." Naruto stares at her for a moment before grinning.
"Hinata, he's using water for his clones, but we know a strong opponent that would otherwise lose," Sasuke stated.
"I was thinking the same thing."
"Go, Naruto!" Sasuke yelled.
Naruto charged forward. "Hey, you! The Freak With No Eyebrows, put this in your bingo book: the ninja who will become Hokage one day is named Naruto Uzumaki and his team never backs down! Multi-shadow clone jutsu!" Over ten copies of Naruto rushed for Zabuza, catching the rogue Jonin off guard. While his focus was on the shadow clones, Sasuke and Hinata ran through a combination of hand seals they often did in practice.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" They roared out as they merged their impressive fireballs together, creating a massive one. The real Naruto jumped back to their side. Zabuza looked alarmed by the skill these genin possessed but instantly recovered and extinguished their fireball with his own water jutsu.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" The dragon emerged from the river and slammed into the fireball, dissipating it into a cloud of steam that covered their view of the enemy and Kakashi. "You kids aren't too bad, but I'm better," Zabuza laughed as he appeared through the steam.
Kakashi growled again. "I told you to run! Your mission is to protect the client, not to prove your strength. Focus!" He yelled.
The three looked back at their client. "Tazuna?" Naruto said.
Tazuna sighed. "We're here because of my desire to live, but I want you three to forget that and do what you need to do to save your sensei."
Sasuke smirked. "Well, you heard him."
"Yup! I gotta plan," Naruto said quietly.
"Yeah? Hinata, protect the bridge builder."
"Got it," she said as her hands went up to defend.
Naruto summoned more clones and charged forward, piling them up on top of the water clone. He easily throws them off, causing Naruto to fly back. As he slid to a stop, Naruto threw a large shuriken to Sasuke.
"Catch!" Sasuke caught it with ease and then smirked when he realized what Naruto's plan was.
"Demon Wind Shuriken: Windmill of Shadows!"
Zabuza chuckled. "How adorable, kid, but shuriken won't work with me." Sasuke charged chakra to his feet before jumping high and throwing it past the clone and toward the real body. Zabuza caught it easily with his unoccupied hand. "Not good enough!" Seemingly out of nowhere, a second one appeared from the shadow of the first one, catching the Jonin off guard. "The shadow shuriken?!"
When it seemed as though it was going to hit, Zabuza jumped and dodged it without breaking the water prison. All of Team 7 smirked as the dodged shuriken popped and revealed the real Naruto—his last clone in the clearing popping as well—who threw a kunai to the rogue nin's back. Zabuza had no choice but to remove his hand from the water jutsu to dodge, subsequently freeing Kakashi.
Blood from a cut trickled down their opponent's cheek, angering the man. He pulled his hand back to throw the shuriken back at Naruto but was stopped by Kakashi's hand, drawing blood from their sensei. Naruto climbed above the water, standing on it, and smiled at Jonin.
"That was very strategic," Kakashi said. "You all did good." He turned back to Zabuza. "Your jutsu worked on me once, but it will not again." Zabuza closed the giant shuriken and pushed it harder against Kakashi's bleeding fist. Kakashi forced it to the side and out of Zabuza's hand.
Both Jonin jumped back and began running through the same hand signs. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" From the water, two dragons formed opposite of one another before clashing together. The force of the impact caused the water to splash onto land and drench Hinata, Sasuke, and Tazuna while Naruto was tossed back into the water. In the middle of the river, Kakashi was holding off Zabuza's sword with nothing but a kunai.
With her byakugan, Hinata saw someone who was wearing a mask appear just within her range of vision, just watching the battle. "Sasuke," she called out. He turned to her. "I see someone nearby. They seem to be observing."
Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Should I go after them?"
She shook her head. "No. We know nothing about them and you shouldn't go alone. It is better to wait." He reluctantly agreed. Hinata kept an eye on the masked individual while the battle between Kakashi and Zabuza continued.
"Water Style: Giant Water Vortex Jutsu!" Kakashi summoned. The jutsu hit Zabuza head-on with crushing speed, sending him hundreds of feet on land and sending Naruto back to safety. The rogue nin slammed against a tree, injured and panting.
Hinata and Sasuke shielded Tazuna to the best of their abilities and Hinata narrowed her eyes as she didn't see the masked person anymore. "They're gone!" She warned Sasuke.
Sasuke gritted his teeth. "What are they after?" Kakashi had already gone after Zabuza, so they were unable to inform him quietly. They all followed after him, Naruto joining them soon after having located his headband and tying it back on.
Kakashi sent kunai flying toward his exhausted opponent, striking him in both arms and legs. "You're finished, Zabuza."
The man yelled out in pain. "But how…? It was like you knew what I was going to do before I did!"
Just as Kakashi was about to respond, Hinata saw the masked person again. "Someone's here!" She yelled. Senbon flew through the air and Hinata's was not fast enough to block them, missing them by centimeters. To everyone's surprise, they flew into Zabuza's neck, killing him instantly. Team 7 and Kakashi stared them down, waiting for the next move.
"I thank you all," they said, voice young and soft. "I've been after Zabuza for a while now."
Kakashi regarded them for a moment. "Your mask… You're an Anbu from Kirigakure," he said before jumping down to Zabuza and checking for a pulse. "He's definitely dead."
"Yes, I am. You're very knowledgeable. It is my duty to track rogue ninja down in order to protect village secrets," they explained.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed just a bit as he analyzed the person's voice and stature. This was a boy, no older than his team of genin, and yet he was already an elite ninja tracker. Kakashi instantly knew there was something extraordinary about this kid.
Hinata focused on Zabuza's body closer and could see a faint flicker of his chakra, meaning he was just barely alive. She tilted her head slightly.
They wouldn't capture a rogue shinobi alive, so why?
"Sensei," she said. Kakashi looked at her and saw her eyes focused on their fallen opponent. The anbu did not miss this exchange or the girl's eyes and was beside Kakashi and Zabuza's body promptly.
"I must discard the remains. Thank you again, but I must be going now." They easily picked up Zabuza's body and were gone in a second.
"Hinata," Kakashi stated, asking her to confirm what he thought she meant.
"Yes. He's not dead, not fully," she answered.
Their sensei sighed. "They'll be back, then. We'll have to reach Tazuna-san's village by then."
"Why didn't you stop him?" Sasuke questioned, his eyes narrowing.
"The shinobi world is filled with all kinds of people. There are even those who are younger than you three, but stronger than me. The mission is our first priority and he wasn't challenging us," he replied. "We do not fight unless we have to."
Naruto huffed. "So then what's the point?!"
"The point," Kakashi began, "is that you continue to get stronger for your village. You want to become Hokage, right? They're not just going to hand you that title. You work for it and earn it. The point is to keep going."
Sasuke thought about his brother and how quickly he had advanced. When he was Sasuke's current age, he was already in the Anbu. Sasuke was merely a genin and no closer to bringing him back. This realization angered him. Hinata sensed this and put her hand on his arm, squeezing it gently to ground and comfort him.
"We'll continue getting stronger together," she said to her teammates. "We'll never stop." She smiled at them and this seemed to calm them down rather quickly. Kakashi was surprised by how fast she could cool them down but was ultimately thankful for that ability.
The Jonin lowered his headband back over his eye. "We better keep moving." As he took a few steps forward, he froze. Suddenly, he fell to the ground completely exhausted, and passed out.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted. Quickly, Hinata was on her knees by his side, her hands glowing as she checked him over. "What's wrong with him?"
"He's exhausted his reserves," she responded. "He needs rest."
"Well, we're near my place now. He can rest there," Tazuna said, finally speaking since the middle of the battle.
When Kakashi awoke, he was surrounded by his students and bundled up in a blanket in a home he didn't recognize but that he assumed to be Tazuna's. His Jonin vest was off and the cut on his hand was completely healed and bandaged, something he knew to be Hinata's doing.
"Thank you for protecting us, Kakashi-sensei," Hinata said.
"Yeah, after we saved him," Naruto said, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Naruto, don't be rude. Sensei, it seems like the Sharingan has a huge strain on your body," she said. She moved a glowing hand over his covered eye and poured some of her chakra into the pressure she felt there. "How is that?"
He closed his other eye. "That feels better, thank you. However, I think I'll be laid up for about a week."
"What are we going to do about that kid and Zabuza?" Sasuke asked.
"Well, even though senbon are not very fatal, where he was hit is still going to affect him. I'm guessing we'll have a week to prepare for them."
"How can we prepare if you're laid up in bed?" Naruto huffed.
"I can still train you three," Kakashi answered. "Besides, you three have proven that you're capable of fighting against tough ninja. Your teamwork is impeccable and you three are stronger than the average genin by a longshot! The only thing you're missing is the battle experience. I'm sure you three will do just fine." They all shared a smile.
Hinata turned to the door just before a young kid rushed in with a hard look in his eyes. "Grandpa!" He said as he tackled the older man in a hug.
"Inari! I'm home," Tazuna said, patting the boy on the head.
Inari glared at the ninja. "You three are just gonna get killed! Gato and his men are gonna wipe the floor with you," he said. "You don't stand a chance!"
Naruto shot to his feet. "What did you say, you little brat?! Listen, we're stronger than strong, so no one's gonna beat us, especially that Gato guy, you know! We're heroes!"
"Heroes? How stupid! If you don't wanna get killed, you better just go home!" Inari huffed.
"You little…!" Naruto said, running for him. Hinata held him back. "Let me go, Hinata, so I can knock some sense into this pipsqueak!"
"Naruto, calm down. He's just a child," Hinata sighed, holding him in place. Inari gave him a once over before turning his back and leaving the room with the slam of the shoji doors.
"I'm sorry about him," Tazuna apologized.
Hinata bowed her head. "That's okay." She turned to Kakashi. "Let's go get that training done, sensei." Slowly, she let go of Naruto when she was positive he wasn't going to go after the boy.
Kakashi, with a worn-out look on his face, nodded. "Yeah, let's go." Naruto glared back at the door the boy went through before following his team outside and into the surrounding forest. Kakashi got there with the help of crutches.
"So what do you want us to do? Naruto inquired.
"So you three can use your chakra to balance on water and run up trees, correct?" They nodded. "Good. But you've never done it the way I have." He smirked, looking at Hinata. "You remember the training I had you do for chakra control and speed."
Hinata's eyes widened a bit before she grinned. "You want us to wear weights, don't you?"
"Right on the mark, as usual," he praised. "You three are a lot stronger than you were five years ago, so you'll be starting off with twenty-pound weights on each leg instead of five or ten. Understood?"
"Yes, sensei!" They replied. Kakashi pulled out a scroll and unsealed weights from it.
"Put them on. Once you're ready, try to stay on the tree for as long as you can and mark your distance with a slash of your kunai when you feel you're about to fall. There will be no running start. You will walk and keep going until you make it to the top. Not only this, but you'll be wearing them until I tell you to take them off. Don't expect that to be anytime soon," he explained.
As he was explaining, Team 7 strapped the weights on and pulled a kunai to ready themselves. They each walked up to a tree and put their feet on before beginning their ascent. Due to previous weight training and expertise in chakra control, Hinata was rising faster than the others. She made it halfway up before slashing the tree and flipping back to the ground. She landed with a small grunt due to the added weight. Naruto came down first, having lost his grip on the tree and sliding down with a yelp before Sasuke flipped back as Hinata did. It was clear to Kakashi that the boy would need some encouragement, specifically from Hinata.
"Great job, Hinata! Boys, you could learn a little something from her," he said. He waved Hinata over, pointedly ignoring the glares from his teammates. He put his arm around her shoulder and lowered his voice. "I want you to take turns encouraging them, okay? Praise Naruto but not Sasuke, and then praise Sasuke but not Naruto, then repeat."
Hinata frowned. "But that's too mean, kakashi-sensei," she argued. "I don't want to hurt their feelings."
He shook his head. "Don't worry about that. I can guarantee that this will help with their training," he assured her. "And you want to help them improve, right?" She nodded. "Then you'll have to do this."
"Well, okay. I'll do my best."
"Good. I'm going to head back for a nap, now," he said, stifling a yawn. "I could sleep for days, but I'm afraid I don't have the luxury."
Hinata giggled. "Get some rest, sensei. I'll check on your condition when we return later tonight." She waved at him once before returning to her own training.
After a few more minutes of training and Hinata seeing that they were barely making any improvements, she bit her lip before taking a deep breath to follow Kakashi's instructions.
"N-Naruto, you're doing so awesome!" She called out with an awe-filled smile. Sasuke looked at her with something like betrayal and anger before immediately getting back on the tree more determined than ever. Naruto grinned happily as he blushed. He had just landed on the ground when she said that and he suddenly felt more energized.
"Thanks, Hinata!" He chuckled. "You're doing great, too! You're blowing me and Sasuke out of the water!"
Sasuke huffed, voice tight as he spoke. "Speak for yourself, loser."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Oh, is she not kicking your ass in this, too?" He teased, looking at the distance in their marks compared to Hinata's. Sasuke glared but didn't say any more as he knew Naruto was correct. Hinata continued to praise Naruto for the next thirty minutes as they made it higher and higher before switching to Sasuke.
"Wow, Sasuke, you've gotten so much farther! That's so amazing!" She laughed. Praising them like this was certainly getting easier and she was glad for that as she had started out awkwardly.
Sasuke smirked, and Naruto huffed. "Thanks, Hinata. You're not doing too bad yourself."
Hinata blushed and ducked her head. "Thank you."
Naruto rolled his eyes but said nothing as he began walking up the tree again. Sasuke and Hinata followed suit. And it wasn't until an hour later when Hinata made it to the top and rested there as she was drenched in sweat and dusted with dirt and leaves. Naruto and Sasuke watched with awe as her form was lit by the slowly lowering sun.
Naruto cheered. "Awesome, Hinata! You did it!" He yelled loudly. Hinata looked down with a happy smile and a light blush. She waved back down in response. Naruto turned to Sasuke with a smirk. "C'mon. We can't keep getting shown up by her, you know."
Sasuke returned it. "Yeah, I got it." They readied their kunai and began their climb once again as Hinata watched them from the top. After a while, she decided to walk down the tree again rather than jump off. From this height and with her weights on, it was only going to damage her legs.
Inari watched from the trees, not knowing Hinata was aware of his presence, and huffed at their training. "This dumb training isn't gonna stop Gato from killing you," he said before turning away and walking back home.
When Hinata made it back down, she decided to go check in on Kakashi. "I'll be waiting for you two back at the house," she said. He looked at their marks and saw that Naruto had made the most improvement. "Naruto, you're improving so quickly! Good luck!" Then she turned away and began the trip back to Tazuna's.
Naruto laughed at Sasuke's noticeable pout. "Haha, your fiancée likes me better!" He bragged.
Sasuke glared before smirking. "Yeah, but she's my fiancée," Sasuke countered, immediately wiping the smile from Naruto's face.
Naruto growled. "Hey, that was uncalled for!"
"You're the one who brought it up," Sasuke shrugged. Naruto got to his feet again and began walking up the tree again.
"Bring it on, Uchiha!"
Sasuke smirked and followed after Naruto. "Just don't complain when I beat you."
At dinner, Hinata watched as Naruto and Sasuke scarfed their food down like they hadn't eaten in days. Kakashi smiled amusedly and said nothing as the two boys competed.
"Slow down, you two," Hinata said. "You're going to feel sick if you eat that fast." They paid her no mind as they glared at one another while shoveling food into their mouths. "You're being very rude to Tsunami-san!" She added, scolding them.
Tsunami giggled. "Just like boys, huh?" She took a seat next to Tazuna, who sat at the head of the table.
"I apologize for their behavior. They're…very competitive, it seems," Kakashi said, though it was apparent that he wasn't very sincere.
Tazuna laughed. "Don't worry about it! It's nice to have such a lively dinner with so many guests, so please enjoy," he said. Now that he had made it safely to his family and was currently working on the bridge as well as no longer drinking to hide the guilt of lying about needing a C-rank mission, Tazuna was a lot nicer—though still a bit grumpy.
Hinata watched in thinly veiled horror as her teammates continued to swallow their food without chewing. As shot out of her seat as their faces turned green and their hands went over their mouths.
"Throw up outside!" She gasped, ushering them to the front door. She winced as the sounds of their vomiting could be heard despite them having run out some ways. "I am so very sorry, everyone." She bowed deeply.
Kakashi sighed. "Being competitive is nice, but not if it involves throwing up your nourishment," he said when the two returned. "Next time, pick a different competition."
They both grumbled an agreement as they sat back down. Hinata regarded them for a moment before putting the rest of her food in their bowls, dividing it equally. "Here," she said. "You're going to be hungry later since you emptied your stomach, so eat this."
"This is your food," Sasuke said, pushing his bowl toward her. Naruto agreed and did the same.
"I'm quite full already, and I also don't think I'll be able to eat anymore after hearing you two outside." Their faces went red with embarrassment, but they thanked her for the food and ate much slower this time. "Tsunami-san, please allow me to help you clean up."
"Thank you so much, Hinata-chan! You're such a good girl," the kind woman replied. They gathered the dishes and stood side-by-side as they washed and dried when a lone framed picture on the wall caught her attention. It was clear that it was a family photo but someone seemed to be torn off. It was something Inari had also kept glancing at throughout dinner. It was of someone important who was no longer around, willingly or not. Despite her initial curiosity, she did not ask. Tsunami caught her gaze and smiled to herself sadly.
"That's my husband," she said quietly. The low chatter at the table came to an abrupt stop at these words.
"He was…called a hero here," Tazuna added, his voice strained with sorrow and guilt. Slowly, Inari jumped off from his seat and made his way to the front door before walking out.
Tsunami ran after him. "Father, you know he hates hearing that!" She yelled as she ran out, slamming the door behind her. Hinata wished that her eyes had not noticed the picture to begin with, but said nothing more as she continued cleaning. Tazuna sighed and smiled sheepishly.
"He wasn't always like that, you know? He was a happy child, who smiled all the time when that man came into our lives. He wasn't his biological father, but those two were inseparable either way," Tazuna explained as his voice shook with tears.
"Did something happen to him?" Kakashi asked. Hinata kept her back to them as she finished up with the dishes, but she was listening closely.
"His father, Kaiza, was the bravest man we all ever knew. He came to the Land of Waves looking for more opportunities. He taught this town what courage truly meant and he was deeply respected by everyone because of it. He was a kind, hardworking fisherman who wanted to protect what was his and help others along the way. Others would go to him as soon as anything went wrong that they couldn't fix. He was dependable," Tazuna explained.
"He seemed like a good man," Kakashi said.
Tazuna nodded, wiping his eyes from under his glasses. "He was. As you can imagine, he instantly clashed with Gato and his men when they set their sights on this land."
It was clear to see how this story ended, for all of them. People like Gato, who only cared about money and power and results, did not hesitate to kill others for it.
"They ambushed him one night. Twenty men were sent to take out one man, that's how strong, brave, and defiant he was. They…beat him all night, breaking his arms because he had once told Gato that he would use those arms to protect the land, then they strung him up for the whole town to see, including Inari, in order to execute him to make a damn example."
Hinata's grip tightened on the plate she was drying as she tried to stop herself from shaking in anger. Sasuke and Naruto felt the same way and could barely keep their composure. Kakashi had seen many situations like this and was able to properly dissociate from them. His team would learn to do the same in time.
"Our town changed after that," Tazuna continued. "Our will was just…sucked out of us the day they sliced him open for everyone to see, including Inari."
After a beat of silence, Sasuke stood up on shaky legs—the training slowly starting to get to him. "Naruto, Hinata."
Hinata put the plate on the rack and dried her hands. "Yes."
Naruto smirked and stood up. "Right behind you,"
"Where are you three going?" Kakashi asked.
"We're gonna show this place that heroes do exist," Naruto said with a grin. The trio left, leaving Tazuna and Kakashi by themselves.
"Those are some strong kids you got there."
Kakashi couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I do. They're more determined than anyone else I've ever seen."
We hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! It occurred to me that this could've been split into two chapters while I was editing and it was too late, so I apologize if things seem rushed :( It feels good to be posting again though, so I'm very excited to get into this arc! It's not a very long arc, only 4 chapters, but it's nearly 30,000 words so hopefully it won't leave anyone unsatisfied. Please let us know what y'all think 3
-hina
NEXT UPDATE: 09/16/23