Hinata hit extremely hard.
Naruto grunted quietly, muscles flexing as Hinata sent strike after debilitating strike towards his guard.
He'd always known that Hinata had held back during their training sessions but he hadn't thought her physical process matched his own.
No, that wasn't quite right...
She was exceeding his strength.
Every attack was made with purpose. She moved with grace, speed and flowed to a degree that made Naruto nervous. He'd never been pressured in the academy because his physical prowess was so far ahead of his classmates.
And yet, Hinata was now pulling ahead.
It didn't make any sense!
Especially not when she was, supposedly, still recovering from her injuries.
Naruto blocked low, extending his left hand towards Hinata, stepping into her guard. She weaved through his movements, almost as if she knew what he was going to do before he even did it.
Meeting his advance, Hinata dipped low to the ground, bracing her body and grabbing Naruto's extended fist. Her nails dug into his flesh as she used his own momentum against him, shouldering him over her body to slam his back into the earthen soul.
Naruto wheezed in pain, eyes widening in shock as her fist scythed down toward his throat. He managed to contort his body at the last moment, moving his head slightly away as her fist struck the earth, cratering it as if it were cheap wood.
Naruto grunted angrily, bracing his knees before slamming them into Hinata's abdomen. With a quiet grunt, Hinata flowed backwards, unbothered by his counter.
With no time to reprieve, she darted in once more, foot pointed to the sky as she brought her heel down towards his head.
Naruto placed his palms upon the earth, twisting his body in an abnormal way to avoid the vicious attack. Hinata's foot crashed into the earth, creating a shockwave that had Naruto covering his face reflexively.
It proved to be a mistake on his part.
With a surprising burst of speed, Hinata blitzed forward, palm connecting with Naruto's stomach. The blow staggered him, and as he tried to sloppily raise his defenses, Hinata rained down several blows that were far too fast for him to follow.
Three jabs forced his head skyward, vision blurring for but a moment before a spinning roundhouse sent him careening through the training grounds. His back slammed against the earth, momentum carrying him into a tree before Hinata appeared before him in another burst of abnormal speed.
He had no time to mount a defense as her foot rocketed against his masked face, bashing his skull through the tree and carrying him into another one.
Naruto's ears rang painfully, vision swimming unevenly as he stared into the sky.
What is going on?! He blearily screamed in his head. Why can't I follow her movements?!
A familiar sandal suddenly appeared directly above his skull and once again, Naruto was forced to brace his body as Hinata struck once more.
Why?! He wanted to scream.
How?! He nearly snapped.
The Jinchuuriki released a cry of pain as Hinata's foot struck his abdomen, sending him crashing further out of the training grounds. He skipped across the soil harshly, arms wrapped around his abdomen in sheering pain.
Why is she hitting so hard?! How is she hitting so hard?!
Had the gap truly grown so much in such a short amount of time?!
"You really are a disappointment, brat." A deep, insidious voice bellowed from the confines of his mind, causing Naruto to spiral even deeper. "Swap with me."
Through unfocused eyes, Naruto remained motionless, staring blankly up at the blue sky. Anger surged through his veins and he nearly allowed it to control him. The only thing staying his hand was the knowledge that he'd unleash something he couldn't hope to control.
"Why are you fighting so sloppily?"
Naruto nearly growled at the question, fingers scratching the soil beneath him. "If you're going to gloat over a sparring match, then leave." He snapped in annoyance, avoiding Hinata's gaze.
Her frown only grew deeper as she stared down at Naruto. "Are you going to keep acting like this, Naruto?"
"Why do you care?" He retorted quickly. "After all, we're just teammates right? It's just business as usual."
"You're being unfair." She replied evenly. "You refuse to cooperate and have been avoiding me for the past three days. You're gone before Shikamaru and I wake up, you don't eat dinner with us and you're staying out as late as possible..." She furrowed her eyebrows as he turned his head away. "Why won't you talk to me?"
Naruto stared out into the forest blankly, remaining silent.
Hinata's frown grew deeper, genuinely saddened that Naruto had become so distant as of late. He'd always been the life of the team, causing mischief and antagonizing whomever he laid his eyes upon. But nowadays, his words lacked their usual jovial manner and his eyes had grown cold.
"Whatever the problem is..." She began quietly. "I want to fix it. But you won't even let me try..."
Naruto continued to remain silent.
With a quiet sigh, Hinata turned and walked away.
"There's nothing to fix." Naruto finally spoke up, tone even and flat. "You don't care about me like I do you."
Hinata paused, glancing back at her blond teammate. "Is that what you really think, Uzumaki-kun?"
When Naruto spoke, his tone was strained. "I get one good thing in my life and then get told I'm acting 'irrational' for it... You judged me because I wanted to help you!" His voice strained hoarsely. "And then you ask me what's wrong when I don't want to speak to you?! Are you stupid?!"
Hinata recoiled backwards as Naruto screamed at her.
"But I'm impulsive and don't think right?!" He bulled forward angrily, punching the ground. "You stare at me and say 'Its okay Naruto, here's how you should be acting'. As if every waking moment of my entire life hasn't already been dictated and decided for me!" He finally turned to face the girl, eyes flashing red as he spat. "Tell me, what do you think about that, huh?!"
Hinata's frown grew deeper as she avoided his eyes. "If you want an apology..." She began before he interrupted her.
"I don't want anything...!" He screamed angrily. "Not anymore..." He deflated a moment later, looking away. "What's done is done, Hinata..."
The exiled Hyuga remained silent for several moments before ducking her head. "I never intended for any of this... I do sincerely apologize if I made it seem like you caring was a mistake. I just... I'm sorry, Naruto." She turned and walked away without another word, leaving Naruto in silence.
In response, Naruto just closed his eyes. When he was sure that Hinata was absolutely gone, he spoke to himself quietly.
"I already accepted your apology."
"Yer actin' like a fuckin' child, brat." Tsume suddenly spoke aloud, finally revealing herself. "Ya know that, right?"
"Save it, Sensei." He responded quietly, emotionally drained. "Having my feelings completely disregarded by someone I grew to care about hurt. It made me feel like a kid again..."
Tsume came closer, standing just above the boy with her hands in her pocket. "Well, with how ya acted... Ya still are that kid, ya know?"
He didn't respond.
Tsume shook her head with a sigh. "I'm not tellin' ya that yer wrong in how ya feel. I'm tellin' ya that you were childish in how you expressed 'em." She squatted before her student, covering him with her shadow. "News flash kid, everyone is entitled to their own feelings. Ya know what that means, don't ya?"
Naruto just sighed tiredly, taking off his mask before rubbing his face.
"Ya ain't special just 'cus ya suffered. That's how losers think." She flicked the boy on his forehead, drawing an annoyed noise from his lips. "Hurt people, hurt people." She said simply. "Don't be that person."
He groaned, smacking his teeth in anger. "You make it sound so easy!"
Tsume remained patient. "It really is, Naruto." She paused for a moment, placing her index finger on his forehead to gain his attention. "You choose how you respond and react to things. You, and only you, are responsible for your actions. If ya didn't have that chip on yer shoulder, you'd know that already."
Frustration bloomed in Naruto's chest. "So what?! I'm supposed to just... turn the other cheek?! Let people spit on me?! Disrespect me?! How can you look me in my face and tell me to be the bigger person?!" Tears swelled in his eyes as he sat up, getting in Tsume's face. "I've been getting shit on for my entire life for things I can't control! And suddenly, I have to be ok with it?! That isn't fair!"
Tsume offered her favorite student a sad smile before gently placing her hand atop his head. Slowly stroking his hair, she spoke softly and quietly.
"No, no it isn't, Naruto."
He froze under her gentle gesture, not able to comprehend why she was being so gentle and understanding.
He was an unwanted child.
"But that's just life, kid. At the end of the day, you choose who ya wanna be." She offered him a smile, wiping his tears with her thumbs. "Who do you want to be, Naruto?"
The nightly dinners at the Inuzuka Compound had become an awkward affair since that event nearly four days ago with Naruto and Hinata.
Naruto had tasked himself with staying out late, completely avoiding the Inuzuka Compound, or rather, interacting with the individuals who lived there.
Thankfully though, Kiba and Hana, Tsume's children, weren't privy to this tense and awkward affair due to having their own missions. Hana had been sent to study under Tsunade and would be away for the next month while Kiba had been recently sent on a mission outside the walls of Konoha.
The dining room was silent, aside from the occasional clinking of metal on glass as Team Tsume ate their meals. It wasn't anything special, just a homemade beef and noodle broth that Tsume had whipped out after deciding the day had been arduous enough.
Clink.
Clink.
An occasional clearing of the throat. Followed by yet more metallic clinking.
It was...
"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered quietly, idly twirling his noodles. "Is it gonna be like this forever?"
Tsume stabbed her chopstick into a piece of beef, unceremoniously shoving it into her mouth. "Can't force these things, Shikamaru." She swallowed her food, burping quietly without a care. "Naruto wasn't raised like you two were. Sure, Hinata, maybe you can relate to a certain degree, but you'll never really understand him."
Hinata didn't deign to glance up from her plate of untouched food. "If I had known, I would have never said anything." She mumbled quietly, glancing at the plate of untouched food beside her, obviously belonging to Naruto.
"Ain't yer fault." Tsume responded simply, shrugging her shoulders while twirling some noodles upon her chopsticks. "Naruto is entitled to his feelings but he can't go 'round 'n punish people 'cus of it. There's a middle ground and I'm sure he'll find it. Give 'em some time."
Shikamaru rested his head on his palm. "What if he doesn't?"
Tsume shrugged lackadaisically. "Then he doesn't. An' you two will have to just accept it."
"Is that not hypocritical and contradictory?"
Their Sensei, once again, shrugged. "Naruto knows that the Shinobi life is the only path he can take. Whether he likes it er not, ultimately, don't matter. He'll either return 'n act like nothin' happened or he'll try to make amends. Whichever path he chooses, we just gotta accept it. We're stuck as a team for the next three years so..." She ended her statement, popping another piece of beef into her mouth and chewing away.
Shikamaru looked like he wanted to argue but ultimately kept it to himself, knowing a stupid battle when he saw one. He hadn't thought that his friend would have had such a volatile reaction to Hinata's words.
His blowup at Hinata had her nearly reverting to her old self. Perhaps that was just guilt on her part. She hadn't known how Naruto had felt at the moment and perhaps she felt guilty for unknowingly spitting on his Binding Vow.
To be fair, Naruto hid his emotions and rarely ever let them show. At least, not his real emotions. He could casually joke around and antagonize people all day, but the second you asked a question about his personal feelings, he'd dodge the question, redirect it or change the subject entirely. He'd gone so far as to outright just ignore the questions in their entirety and it wasn't as if he or Hinata were going to push him for information he clearly had no interest in sharing.
It was, for all intents and purposes, an annoying affair. It created a tension within the team. Everyone, aside from Tsume, had been walking on eggshells.
As a matter of fact, tonight was the first night they had officially addressed the issue at all.
Would it get better? Worse? Would things go back to the way they were? Could they?
Shikamaru was unsure. He was a creature of habit. He didn't enjoy change but he could certainly embrace it if push came to shove. However, this was a beast of its own. The dynamic of their team had been shattered with a hammer and he didn't know how to proceed forward. He couldn't fathom how Hinata was processing this thing.
She had just been through hell with her family. Exiled, beaten within an inch of her life and sealed off from her Byakugan... It was a miracle she hadn't mentally crumbled from the stress. She was far stronger than he had initially gave her credit for.
Shikamaru sighed quietly, glancing down at his food before slowly picking at it, stomach grumbling quietly due to his distracted thoughts.
The door to the Compound suddenly opened, alerting the three individuals that someone had entered. It was a surprise, welcoming as it was, though. They dared not bring attention to this though, choosing to allow the individual their privacy and space.
Quiet footsteps slowly closed the distance, drawing closer to the dining room as the final member of Team Tsume waltzed into the room. They remained silent however, well aware of the stares upon him.
Naruto quietly walked passed his Sensei, taking his seat at the end of the table next to Hinata. He tried his best to avoid the girl's poor stare, staring down at his sharing of the beef noodle stew concoction.
Grabbing the spare chopsticks at his seat, he broke them apart before partaking in the dinner bestowed by Tsume. He took several bites of the food, remaining quiet while avoiding eye contact with his team.
"Your cooking is still awful, Tsume-Sensei." Naruto finally deigned to speak, his tone full of dry amusement.
And just like that, the tension in the room evaporated without a trace.
Tsume snorted loudly, taking a sip of her green tea as she responded. "That so? I pissed in yer bowl, little shit."
Naruto paused for just a moment, chopsticks held idly in front of his mouth. He made a face before shrugging his shoulders. "I recommend drinking more water then. Your pH balance is all sorts of messed up if this is what you're releasing." He slurped his noodles loudly, ignoring Tsume's annoyed grunt.
Naruto glanced at Hinata, nearly grimacing at the gaze she was giving him. He was silent for a moment, dithering on what he wanted to say.
It took some time but he was eventually successful in speaking.
"You gonna eat that or...?" He asked, using his chopsticks to point at her untouched bowl, a crooked smile framing his face.
Hinata's expression seemed to shift multiple times before inevitably landing on what appeared to be a relieved and content smile.
"I'm... not that hungry, Uzumaki-kun." She stated quietly, pushing her bowl towards him.
He rose an eyebrow in response, happily taking her bowl. "Well, if you insist!" He haphazardly dumped her bowl into his own, nearly overflowing the damn thing. "Growing boy has gotta eat, no?"
Shikamaru stared at the scene unfolding before him before sighing quietly with a shake of his head. "Keep eating like that and you'll start looking like Choji."
The Jinchuuriki made a face at his statement. "Low blow man. He isn't even here to defend himself." He slurped up a hearty amount of noodles before continuing. "Nothing wrong with being... big."
A smirk graced Shikamaru's features. "Ya nearly laughed just finishing that sentence!"
A mischievous smile began to form on Naruto's face. "No idea what you're talking about, Shika."
"You're not about to drag me into one of these stupid conversations." The Nara replied instantly.
"Whatever do you mean by that?" Naruto questioned innocently. "I'm just inquiring the meaning to your previous statement. That is to say, that you may or may not be calling Choji a word that's to be associated with being psychically... large."
"I didn't say that!" Shikamaru insisted in an annoyed manner. "You're putting words in my mouth!"
Naruto held up his hands in a defensive manner. "I'm just saying, Shika! That's what it sounds like!" He turned his gaze onto Hinata, mischievous smile growing larger. "Wouldn't you agree, Hinata-chan?"
The exiled Hyuga possessed a small smile upon her face, resting her hands upon the table. "Uzumaki-kun may be right, Shikamaru-kun."
The Shadow user offered the girl a betrayed look, dropping his chopsticks in disbelief. "No way you're gonna believe him over me! No shot! I'm being played!"
As the three Genin bickered back and forth, laughing and smiling like they had been before this silly fiasco, Tsume quietly exited the room with a smile on her face.
They may not be perfect but they were her students and she wanted what was best for them. Every team had their bumps in the road but she was confident that her team would pull through and become that much closer.
She couldn't fault 'em. They were still kids at the end of the day, regardless of their bloody profession. It was her job to lead them and mold them into proper Shinobi. And if she had to parent them at the same time, then so be it.
They were her legacy.
"Can I store some of my masks in your shadow?"
A sigh.
"C'mon Shika." Naruto droned with a roll of his eyes. "They don't weigh that much. It's not like I'm asking you to hold weapons or anything. Just a few of the dangerous ones."
"And what's wrong with your seals?" Shikamaru asked lazily.
"If I die, I'd rather they not have access to the most dangerous ones." Naruto replied in a rare moment of seriousness.
Shikamaru made a face at his words before sighing and taking a knee. He physically grabbed a hold of his shadow before stretching it out, creating a makeshift hole for Naruto.
"C'mon then." He motioned with a minor amount of annoyance.
Naruto made a flourish with his hands, summoning eight specific masks. Each of the masks gave off a unique sensation and the chakra that clung to them was anything but positive.
Malice.
Death.
Anger.
Grief.
Sorrow.
Each of these particular masks were depictions of various demons and legends from before the Warring Clan Era. One of the masks even seemed to be a depiction of an ancient demon that has nearly wiped out the human race before being sealed away, deep within the core of the planet.
Or at least, that's how the legend went. Shikamaru placed little stock in ancient legends and folklore. However, with some of the things that these masks were capable of, he'd been starting to believe otherwise.
Shikamaru made a face as Naruto placed the Shinigami mask within his shadow. "You'll get rid of this one but not... that one...?" He asked in an uncertain manner.
Naruto rose an eyebrow at his friend, twisting his wrist and summoning the mask that caused Shikamaru to become uneasy.
The mask was a flesh-like color and reeked of death and malice. Possessing four eyes and two mouths, both of the features lining up below the main ones. Black, tattoo-like markings surrounded the edges of the mask, almost ritualistic in nature.
Unlike the other masks in Naruto's collection, this specific mask did not possess a unique kanji upon it. It's full power was still relatively unknown to Naruto who had only managed to recreate the most basic technique afforded to it.
"This one?" He gestured towards his friend.
"Yes, that one..." Shikamaru shied away, closing his shadow and eying the mask wearily.
"Scared?" Naruto asked with a small grin, hovering the object over his face.
"Don't do that." His friend stated dryly. "You know something is wrong with that mask."
Naruto waved Shikamaru off with a lazy wave. "Shika, I can literally summon the Shinigami with one of these masks but this is the one that freaks you out?"
Shikamaru smacked his teeth as he stood to his feet. "Something isn't right with it and I advise you not to wear it for prolonged periods of time. You did almost cut me in half with it and it just... stinks. Like it's rotten or something."
Naruto rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath. "Nearly kill a guy once and he never lets you forget it..." He ignored Shikamaru's pointed stare, smiling innocently. "Lighten up man. I'm the only one in the village capable of using them... Trust me."
"I do." He then eyed the mask harshly. "I just don't trust the mask... It's not like the others. It feels..." Shikamaru struggled to name it before another individual's voice interrupted their conversation.
"Like it's alive?" Hinata suddenly questioned, popping up beside Naruto as if she'd been there the whole time.
"Stop doing that!" Naruto jumped in surprise. "You're gonna give me a heart attack, dammit!"
Her smile was nothing short of devious as she clasped her arms behind her back. "Focus on your surroundings, Uzumaki-kun."
"You have such little Chakra now." He groused with a roll of his eyes. "Sometimes I can't even sense you and I'll be looking straight at you." He made the unique mask disappear. "And why is that?"
"She's Restricted." Shikamaru answered as he crossed his arms.
Naruto looked at her for several long seconds, going so far as to encircle around her, looking for something that only he could see.
"Are ya done?" Shikamaru asked unamused.
"Just lookin' for the restriction..." Naruto answered with a raised eyebrow. "Seems pretty unrestricted to me, Shika."
"You are so annoying."
Hinata's quiet giggles caused a smile to form on Naruto's face. "Ever since my Byakugan was sealed off, I've been... stronger, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders. "Tsunade-sama says I've been Restricted since birth and I believe that sealing off the Byakugan 'fixed' me, in a strange sense."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, having been privy to this 'new and improved' Hinata. "Yeah... Ya hit harder than I do. Hell, ya hit harder than Lee does." He paused for a moment before continuing. "But hold on, I thought Restrictions only happened when you had a disability."
"I technically could never use the Byakugan." Hinata answered with a shrug. "I memorized all 361 tenketsu locations in the body but I was never incredibly accurate when using the Juken. Having my Dojutsu sealed off has actually been a blessing in disguise."
Tsume's harsh voice responded from above them. "That blessin' is gonna come in handy then." The woman was seated in one of the various trees, lounging lazily as she gazed down at her team. "We're gettin' called up to provide backup for Team Asuma on their mission."
Naruto smirked as he replied. "Poor K-9. His first mission out the village and he needs our help. I can't wait to rub this in his face."
Tsume hopped down from the tree, smacking Naruto on the back of his head as she did so. "This one's rather serious. It ain't normal protocol fer a backup team to be sent to help on a C-Rank. Something went wrong and we'll know when we see the Old Man." She gestured for her students to follow who did so without question.
"Wave?" Naruto blurted out in confusion with a raised brow. "Where's that?"
"Dude, how did you pass the Academy Exam?" Shikamaru grumbled in annoyance, leaning against the back wall of the office.
"I didn't." He answered sincerely and with a smile. "I cheated, obviously."
"The Land of Wave/s is an island that hovers a couple miles off the eastern coast of the Land of Fire." Hinata answered patiently. "They used to be the biggest provider of fish for the Land of Fire as well."
"Oh." Naruto responded casually. "Used to be?" He questioned.
"I believe that's where I come in." Hiruzen responded with a smile. "It has been brought to my attention that the Land of Waves is currently... indisposed of."
"Dictatorship?" Naruto asked curiously, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall with Shikamaru.
"Of a sort." The Hokage answered languidly. "A long and boring story short, a business conglomerate chose to extort the Land of Waves since it has no governing leadership."
"No government, no military." Shikamaru spoke with a frown.
"Which means no Shinobi?" Naruto asked with a curious brow. "That doesn't seem very smart, if ya think about it."
"Not every country, nation and island are capable of supporting and feeding Shinobi." Hinata explained gently. "It's incredibly expensive to run a country, let alone house a military."
Naruto frowned. "But they were the main supplier of aquaculture for the Land of Fire... That revenue has to mean something, right?"
"Not really." Tsume answered calmly, also leaning on the wall with her two students. "It ain't like the Land of Fire doesn't have its own way of gettin' fish. Wave just so happens to sit on the eastern side, where the supply is plentiful. We actually traded more with the Land of Rivers if ya wanna get technical. I ain't got the numbers fer ya but per pound, it was damn near quadruple the rates that Wave was offerin'."
"The Land of Waves lives and dies off fishing trade." Hiruzen informed lightly. "It wouldn't take much to destabilize the economy."
"Is that what Asuma and his team were meant to fix?" Tsume asked with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms against her chest.
Hiruzen shook his head, taking his trusty pipe from his desk and lighting it. "Not entirely. Discretion was given to Asuma and his team considering their mission was, for all intents and purposes, a simple escort mission."
"Ain't nothin' simple 'bout askin' fer backup for an escort mission." The Inuzuka Clan Head mumbled. "If that were really the case, I'd have trusted Naruto alone with that kinda mission."
Naruto himself was surprised at the faith and belief that his Sensei had for him. Despite the 'simple' escort mission being that of a C-Rank, it was still a big deal that she believed him capable of completing it alone and without her guidance.
Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, smiling as he exhaled. "If only it were truly that simple." He rummaged through his desk before procuring a scroll and setting it upon the table. "We were informed beforehand that this particular 'C-Rank' mission was truly an A-Rank in disguise. The client lied about the dangers."
"Then why are we still talkin'?" Tsume asked roughly. "Don't tell me that Asuma ignored protocols."
Hiruzen chuckled, inhaling from his pipe once more. "You have high expectations of my son, Tsume?"
"I expect him to not be a dumbass." She answered truthfully with a shrug.
Hiruzen openly laughed once more. "He informed me before leaving that this mission was more than meets the eye." He gestured towards the scroll, causing Tsume to step forward and read it. "There are some complications that have come up and while I believe that my son and his team would have little issue in completing this mission, I believe that your experience and presence will provide extra comfort."
Tsume's eyes scanned through the scroll, eyebrows slowly furrowing as she continued to read.
"Gato?" She asked with a frown. "Like, the Gato?"
"The one and the same." Hiruzen answered with a smile and a nod.
Naruto and Hinata looked slightly confused whereas Shikamaru was stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"I've heard that name before..." The Nara mumbled. "Guy is like a... billionaire. Owns a lot of real estate in the Land of Fire and has nearly two dozen businesses and corporations in the Land of Wind. Real business tycoon type."
"Correct." Hiruzen answers with a nod of his head.
'So, why's he important?" Naruto asked curiously.
There was silence for a few moments before Tsume placed the scroll back on the table.
"Ya want us to kill 'im, yeah?" She asked simply.
Hiruzen dipped his head, hiding his face beneath his wide brimmed hat. "Gato has been very vocal about his support of Sunagakure. If the rumors are true then he was tasked with taking over the Land of Waves to stifle trade between the eastern countries. While we don't have the best relationship with Kumo or Kiri, this particular event guarantees that it'll never happen."
"How does that work?" Naruto asked with furrowed brows. "I get that the trade they provide is decent but how does Gato stop an alliance?"
"He technically doesn't." Shikamaru answers with a frown. "However, he controls the waters on the eastern coast where Kiri and Kumo sit. If we want to discuss alliances with either of them, then the waters are always up for bargaining. Kumo and Kiri don't actually have a market for fish like we do... If Suna, and by extension Gato, can prevent us from holding onto the ocean, then we can never have these talks to begin with."
"Is that not dangerous?" Hinata asked rhetorically. "What is Gato getting out potentially inciting a feud with a Major Nation."
"Major Nations have a reputation to uphold." Hiruzen answered simply. "We cannot be seen as openly hostile. Doing so paints us as an aggressor and gives Suna political fuel to douse us with. We cannot just ransack a Nation without repercussions."
"So, ya want us to get rid of Gato so we can talk business with Kiri and Kumo?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, but not for that particular reason." The Sandaime answered lightly.
Naruto was confused.
"It's 'cus the Sand is bleedin' for cash right now. Gato is a cash cow and as long as he's alive, then Suna has a decent cash flow to sustain a potential war. The Wind Daimyo has been openly outsourcin' missions to Konoha and the Kazekage ain't happy 'bout it." Tsume answered simply.
"But what does Gato get out of it?"
"More money and business." Shikamaru explained. "War is actually incredibly profitable for the right people and can even be a boon to infrastructure and manufacturing. It's actually kinda ridiculous how much money is burned and created during wars."
"So... we gotta stop that from happening?" Naruto asked.
"It is up to Tsume's discretion, of course." Hiruzen answered simply.
"That's his way of sayin' that we ain't got a choice, little shit." Tsume grumbled. "And if Asuma's report is true then this mission is A-Rank guaranteed. Why ya want my team fer it? Wouldn't Gai's team be better suited fer it?"
"An interested third party wants to see how well your team will fair when under dire circumstances." The Sandaime answered with a smile.
Tsume's frown became more pronounced. "Careful... Yer makin' it sound like I ain't gotta choice in the matter."
"You do not." Hiruzen agreed with finality. "Failure is not an option, Tsume. I wish you and your students good luck. You will need it."
The feral woman's lips pulled back in a vicious snarl as she ripped the scroll off the desk. "Move out!" She demanded angrily towards her team. The three Genin didn't bother questioning her tone, knowing a pissed off Tsume when they saw one.
As her students exited the room, Tsume turned towards the Hokage and glared. "Tell that third party to back off... I ain't givin' up my students to the Black Ops." She said nothing more, leaving the office and slamming the door for good measure.
A moment later, a masked Shinobi dropped from the ceiling. "She continues to be a violent and irrational woman." Their voice was slightly androgynous, possessing a deep baritone coupled with a high pitched and soft tone.
Hiruzen merely smiled. "She means well. This is her team, after all." He reminded Ryu.
"You asked me to scout and I have." Ryu answered simply. "I will be watching them."
"Yes, but do make sure to not interfere." Hiruzen reminded. "This is their mission after all."
Ryu merely nodded their head before suddenly melting into the floor and disappearing without a trace.
Their travel had gone off without a hitch. It'd take nearly a day to reach the Land of Waves and Team Tsume were eager to get a sense of the real world.
Tsume pitied their excitement. She'd grown cynical over the years and she couldn't remember the last time she'd been 'eager' for a mission.
Tsume's shadow warped in an alien-like manner before a large wolf seemed to appear, taking its place beside her.
Kuromaru was a giant even for his particular breed. He stood on all fours, coming up to Tsume's shoulders while practically dwarfing her. He possessed fur as black as the night's sky and possessed an eye patch over his right eye.
"Nervous?" Kuromaru asked with a tilted head.
Tsume frowned at her companion, eyes focused on her students as they lead the way. "Somethin' ain't right with this mission. I don't like it..."
"I've got yer back." Kuromaru growled before nudging Tsume. His body seemed to 'melt' before morphing and clinging unto Tsume's skin like some kind of fur-lined hoodie. His head covered her skull, resembling that of of a wolf cloak and hood.
Kuromaru was, for all intents and purposes, a part of Tsume.
Tsume placed her hands into the 'pockets' of Kuromaru's hood as her features became more animalistic, resembling that of a wolf. Her fingers stretched and morphed, claws becoming more pronounced to resemble that of a wolves paw. Her face then morphed afterwards, jaws extending a few inches to house her new fangs. Her legs snapped and popped, growing nearly a foot in height as she finally finished her transformation.
"You better." She felt him stir, as if he was laughing at her words.
Tsume and Kuromaru were of the few Inuzuka members that could utilize their bond in such a manner. Kuromaru was not just Tsume's Ninken and nor was she just his master.
The both of them were partners.
Bonded from birth.
Two halves that, when brought together, became whole.
Kuromaru was an extension of Tsume and vice versa.
For one could not exist without the other.
It was a 'forbidden' technique within the Inuzuka Clan. Some individuals in the clan weren't entirely compatible with their Ninken and therefore, would never be able to fully utilize the Imitation Beast Ninja Arts. The Four Legs Technique was as far as some went when in combat with their Ninken.
They were just a cheap imitation of the real thing. When an Inuzuka was truly one with their Ninken, they could essentially become them.
The tech oque was forbidden because if done prematurely and incorrectly... Well, use your imagination.
"It's cool every time." Naruto exclaimed with a grin, suddenly appearing beside Tsume's transformed state.
Tsume's wolf-like eyes glanced towards her student before she huffed. "Yer into furries, brat. No shame in that."
Naruto physically gagged at her words, causing Shikamaru to openly laugh. "You're plenty hairy enough without Kuromaru. It's probably a forest down there! You'd need a Fire Jutsu to clean it up."
Tsume snarled in annoyance as she bonked the boy on the back of his head, grinning at his hiss of pain. "Mind yer business, little shit! What I got goin' on down there ain't none of yer business."
Nursing his bruised skull, Naruto smacked his teeth. "What else is up with this mission?" His question garnered the attention of Hinata and Shikamaru, both of which slowed down so they could listen in on the conversation. "You didn't seem very happy at the end there with the Old Man."
Tsume was silent for a moment before replying in a gruff manner due to her transformation with Kuromaru.
"Anytime the Hokage says somethin' 'bout a 'third party havin' an interest', just know that the ANBU are scoutin' ya."
The three Genin blink in surprise.
"The ANBU?" Naruto questioned in confusion. "I thought the ANBU was for... specific types of Shinobi. Why would they ever scout for Shinobi?"
"Probably for the Black Ops Division." Shikamaru answered his teammate with a frown.
"The Black Ops Division?" Hinata questioned. "Don't tell me that the covert black ops organization of Shinobi have their own covert black ops division of Shinobi."
Tsume chuckled lowly. "That's actually on the money."
"That is..." Hinata began.
"Dumb." Naruto finished with a grin.
"I agree." Tsume rumbled. "But apparently the ANBU Commander has an interest in you three..."
"You don't seem particularly happy." Naruto stated.
"Why would I be?!" The woman growled back. "The fucker is tryna poach my team! The ANBU ain't fer everyone and the Black Ops Division, even less so! He can piss off!"
Naruto bumped his shoulder against the woman, laughing at her possessive tone. "Aww, c'mon Sensei! We're not going anywhere, anyway. Right guys?"
Shikamaru and Hinata voiced their agreement, causing a smirk to form on Tsume's face.
However, their conversation was brought to abrupt stop as a spike or Chakra suddenly manifested from beneath them. Each member of Team Tsume had less than a second to react before a gargantuan explosion erupted from beneath them.
BOOOOOOOM!
Ash, soot and various forms of debris slowly rained from the sky due to the monstrous explosion. A crater nearly three meters deep and ten meters wide was all that remained of Team Tsume.
"Well, that was easy." A man's smug voice intoned as he slowly stepped out from behind a tree, wearing a unique looking mask with a ventilator. Upon his forehead was a unique headband that had a single horn hitting out from the middle of it with the symbol of Kirigakure and a dash through it.
"I'm a bit disappointed." Another man's voice suddenly spoke out, dressed in a similar manner as the first individual. His headband however had two horns jutting out from the sides. "But, oh well! C'mon, let's get go-!"
Whatever the man was going to say went unheard as a pair of arms suddenly manifested behind him, latching unto his throat and face, before dragging him into the darkness beyond the tree line. The man's muffled screams alerted his partner, who was far too slow to react.
"M-Meizu?!" The man cried out in shock, watching in horror as his brother was dragged, literally screaming for his life, into the shadows of the forest. "Meizu!"
Gozu remained on the main trail, not daring to step foot into the shadows that his brother had been dragged into. In his panic, he was ignorant to the feeling of Chakra gliding across his skin.
"Where the fuck are you?! Stop hiding!" He cried in fear, sloppily placing his metal gauntlet on his left hand. "Fuckin' show yourself!"
Clap!
Before Gozu could react, he found himself summarily sinking into darkness, staring up at the sky that was rapidly ascending. What he initially thought to be vertigo turned out to be something else entirely.
He was...
Falling...?
His eyes widened dramatically as he noticed that the night sky was actually getting farther and farther away.
"Wait! W-Wait, wait wait wait!" He cried to no avail, eyes frantically darting around the ever increasing maw of darkness. "Please, no! Oh, Kami! Someone help! HELP ME!"
The walls of darkness then seemed to enclose upon him, causing his body to contort uncomfortably. His body was forced to contort or break as his ever enclosing prison shrunk smaller and smaller.
"S-Stop! Please! Agh! No more!" He begged and pleaded, feeling his bones moments away from snapping due to their unorthodox positions.
Suddenly, the walls stopped moving. He stopped falling even.
Gozu dared to hope...!
An entity seemed to appear before the chasm, it's head leaning over the hole, as if some divine being had come to rescue him from his demise.
But those hopes and dreams died when the individual spoke.
"I hope you enjoyed the ride!" Naruto's voice spoke in a jovial tone, Oni mask glued to his face as he taunted Gozu. "We're gonna take good care of Meizu! I promise!"
"No!" Gozu cried in fear, watching as the hole of the abyss began to slowly close. "Please don't do this! I'll tell you everything! Please!"
The masked boy tilted his head, watching with indifference as the hole continued to shrink slowly.
"Anything?" He asked curiously.
"Anything! I swear!" Gozu cried in fear.
There was an ominous silence that followed and with each second that passed, so to did the hole continue to grow smaller and smaller. With each second, Gozu's fear multiplied until...!
The hole stopped closing.
Gozu cried in relief. "T-Thank you! Oh, my..."
"Will you die for me?" The voice asked.
Gozu's eyes bulged.
No!
Nononono!
"NO! PLEASE! YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!"
Silence.
Awful, horrible silence.
"Yeah, yeah I do!" The voice responded back in an amused manner, laughing as he did so. "I'll make sure it's quick though! When ya see the Shinigami, tell 'em I said 'Hello!'"
Gozu's scream was cut off a moment later as the shadows suddenly warbled before snapping shut, physically crushing the man's body.
Shikamaru gagged and shuddered, forcibly wringing out the excess blood, bone and flesh from his shadows. Whoever the guy had been, Shikamaru would never know. What had been a human at first, was now nothing more than meat, blood and bone.
"That is very gross." Naruto commented from behind Shikamaru, patting the boy's back as he continued to wring the man's body out of his shadow.
"I'm gonna be...!" He gagged again, turning his head away and spitting out some stomach acid. "It's so gross!"
"Ain't that bad..." Naruto tried to comfort his friend. "I think...?"
"You're not helping, Uzumaki-kun." Hinata mumbled, rubbing Shikamaru's back in a slow circles as he continued to extradite the man's corpse from his shadows.
"What does it feel like?" Naruto asked curiously, ignoring Hinata's annoyed glance.
"Stop talkin'... Please." Shikamaru mumbled while shaking his head. "My shadows are an extension of me... It felt exactly like you think it would."
Naruto nodded his head with pursed lips. "Gross." He hissed in pain as Hinata jabbed his stomach.
"Good luck, Lazy Shit." Tsume deigned to compliment, allowing the boy his reprieve. "Two fer one is rare. Hopefully we get somethin' useful from this bum."
"If we don't?" Naruto asked curiously, walking over towards his teacher to stare down at the gagged and bound Meizu.
"Then we kill 'em 'n move one." Tsume shrugged in an uncaring manner.
"Works for me." Naruto mumbled with a similar shrug.
AN: Chappy done