Author's note: Thank you so much for your support! However, I cannot answer your questions regarding Nina since doing that will completely spoil the whole plot of this fanfic. (No one would want that to happen, right?)

I promise everything will be explained thoroughly when you get further into the story, so please wait until then.

"..." Normal chat.

ABC. Thought.


Chapter 11


Hokage's office.

"Sandaime." Kakashi greets him with a slight bow before approaching the Hokage's desk, which is, as always, full of document's stacks. Offering Hiruzen the report of the previous mission and Nina's data he has collected up till now.

After a few minutes waiting for the man to read through everything, Hiruzen gives him an approval nod.

"Great works. Kakashi. It's a right decision to leave her in your hands after all." Therefore Hiruzen grins, placing the document onto the desk and proceeds enjoying his smoke.

"I watched her matches and tested out her abilities. So I can say that Nina is, at best, an average Genin like anybody else in Konohagakure."

Kakashi then explains further details to him.

First, he had separated Naruto from Nina that night on purpose so that Sasuke could seek out for her. By doing so, he'd be able to check whether Nina willing to hurt any of her teammates in order to get out of trouble.

And Nina had figured out a peaceful way to end the conflict, by dragging him into their argument and asking for his aid.

Second, Kakashi left the main objective in her care from the beginning, fully aware that there's a valuable piece of jewelry inside, in order to test her sense of responsibility.

The girl proved to have done the job well by protecting with everything she'd got.

However that's also considered a huge drawback of her. When the package was stolen, Nina had abandoned her teammates in the middle of the fight and acted alone to retrieve it, without spending a moment to think of the situation she's in.

At result, not only her own life was at risk but also the one's of her teammate, Sasuke.

"Indeed, there's still a long way for her to learn." After listening to Kakashi's analysis, Hiruzen comments.

The only way to measure her strength and weakness is through fighting real battles. That's why Hiruzen had picked this D rank mission, which was originally a C rank mission as they were expected to eliminate a group of bandit that was after the valuable necklace. Of course, this info was only shared between Kakashi and Hiruzen.

Too bad, the ex-anbu didn't have the chance to fully witness her abilities since everything had ended way before she could do anything notable. Or so he thought.

"Right, one more thing." Kakashi requires additional time to look further into the girl's identity, as much as her real motives for coming to Konohagakure. By doing so equivalent to have her staying inside the village longer than intended. And Hiruzen agrees, as long as it will help boosting Kakashi's research performance.

"Beside being a casual Ki user, there appears to be another kind of energy being locked deep within that small body. And it's definitely something I had never encountered before in my life."

Kakashi frowns after hearing Hiruzen's theories about her mysterious identity. Including her special condition of not carrying a single drop of chakra within her body.

"We need to find out what that energy is and how it works. Therefore, I'm leaving this job to you, Kakashi."

Just as he thought, not only him but the Third Hokage had also suspected that Nina's no ordinary human being. Right from the start.

..

...

Around 9:00 P.M on a building's roof top, one day before Nina's being discharged from the hospital.

"I'll speak truthfully to you, but in three conditions." Leaning against the fence to enjoy Konoha's night scenery and the cool breeze against her hair, Nina said. Holding up three fingers to him.

First, no violence or any method that forcing information out of her, including Ibuki Morino's Honesty Room and Inoichi Yamanaka's brain reading. No prison or to be held in a particular type of custody.

Though she seemed fine with him continue stalking her, stating that there were things bounded to be unprevented since he's only a shinobi who worked by orders. But in exchange, he had to convince the Hokage to lengthen her time staying in Konoha. As long as possible.

Second, any forbidden info he gained through their conversations had to be carried into his grave. Revealed to no one about their personal meetings, even to the Hokage.

If she found out that Kakashi broke any of the rules above, considering the deal's off. Obviously.

When he asked what the third condition was, Nina simply said that she would tell him when the right time came.

"And what makes you think that I won't use Sharingan and simply bypass those rules?"

Of course, he wasn't going let a little girl lead him around by the nose that easily.

"Well, you can try but I highly doubt that it will work."

As the butterfly pin almost fell off her hair due to the strong wind, she took the pin off and stared at it for a little while before putting it back onto her head, acting quite carefree as if having heard an empty threat.

Not buying her words, Kakashi activated his Gekkei Genkai and gave it a try. Sadly just as she had said, Genjutsu: Sharingan wasn't working.

"Since you fully understands the use of Genjutsu. I'm sure you have the answer for this mystery already."

It required chakra to work and Nina happened to have none.

But how? Up until now there's no answer for this mystery no matter how much Kakashi had searched. While the quickest way was to ask the girl herself, he doubted that she would be completely honest with him any time soon.

"So why did you run away when Sasuke attempted using Sharingan on you?"

Covering his left eye, Kakashi asked her and she groaned in respond. Probably having enough of Uchiha bugging her around here and there.

"I absolutely have no idea how to fake being hypnotized by Genjutsu: Sharingan. And if Sasuke figure out that I'm somehow immune to his clan's trademark technique, do you think he will let me off that easily?"

If Kakashi didn't help her going through Sasuke's interrogation back then, who knew what kind of chaos he was about to bring up next.

"Reasonable enough, I guess." Kakashi scratched the back of his head.

For some reasons he couldn't help but feeling off about this strange agreements she's offering him, since it could turn out to be a trap in order to lure him into something much bigger.

What Kakashi needed right now was something to ensure him that Nina's trustworthy enough to risk for. "Do you have anything to prove that any of your info would actually worth my time and effort?"

However she refused to reveal anything, guess his bait's not good enough. "Hmm... I don't think so. Sensei, you haven't agreed to work with me yet."

"You don't have to tell me everything. Just a little bit is already enough."

Almost twenty minutes later, the girl still stood there watching the night scenery. Seem to be deep in thought and hadn't cracked a single word to him ever since. And Kakashi's starting to lose his patience.

"If you need more time to think, we can continue this matter on another day." Therefore Kakashi offered her to leave it for next time. Since he couldn't afford having his time wasted when there's an unfinished report waiting for him at home. And tomorrow's already the deadline.

As soon as he finished talking, Nina spoke up. "Nohara Rin committed suicide because of the Three-Tails sealed inside her, didn't she?"

His heart throbbed the moment she mentioned exact his teammate's name and the reason of her death, still, Kakashi tried his best to stay calm from the shock and questioned her back.

"I... don't know, why are you asking me?"

But to no avail, as that the girl had already noticed something's stirred in him due to the short hesitation at the beginning of his sentence.

"Well, I thought you would be the one to know best, sensei. Since you Chidori your teammate right through her-"

And Nina had never seen anyone who moved to grab her neck that fast in her life.

"That's enough. Who are you working for?" Kakashi demanded for answer, his tone deepened so much that it sounded like a threat.

Yet Nina didn't flinch for the first time being overwhelmed by his power. As if having predicted for this to happen to her from the very beginning. "You seem nervous, sensei. Are you okay?"

She pointed out how Kakashi's right hand was shaking horribly, only to have his grip on her neck tightened. And Nina figured that if she caused just a slight movement, he could snap her neck into two.

"Don't worry. I am my own boss here."

The shinobi girl held both of her arms up as a sign of defeat, while assuring him that she acted alone in this world. Utterly confident and relaxed, "If you still don't believe me, you're welcomed to search for whoever or whatever is hiding behind my shadow. Hell, I can even help you if you want."

Seeing the uncertainty in his eye, Nina chuckled. "So, Kakashi-sensei. What's your answer?"

...

..

Ichiraku ramen restaurant

Since there's still many things for her to take care of at home, Nina has excused herself first after finish eating the ramen. Now there are Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke who are still staying behind to enjoy their cup of teas and little chitchats.

"It's only been a week since Nina's hospitalized, right?" After all the fun and game, Sakura then mentions about their other female teammate's condition, which quickly gains their attention.

"But this morning I saw the wound on her shoulder was completely gone. That's not possible for someone who going through natural healing. If I remembered correctly, it's quite a deep cut too."

Sasuke's eyes are still fixed onto the cup in front of him while listening to Sakura's words.

"Really? Well uh... maybe her body's trained to heal fast?" Naruto's happy for his friend after hearing the news. Yet once seeing Sakura's serious expression, he tilts his head and starts thinking about what's wrong. Well, if she recovers from injuries quickly then that's good right? What is there to worry about?

"That could be one of the reasons. What do you think, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura then turns to ask him for his opinion. However, what they see now is an empty cup of tea and the boy is nowhere to be seen.

"Eh? He's gone."

On the way to Nina's apartment

Nina's shopping for some red apple at the vendor by the street. Only to be interrupted in the middle when Sasuke appears right before her, demanding for answers of what happened back at Kibutsuji's lair.

It's a fair trade between them since he had helped her getting away with it last time.

Third Training Ground.

"That's it? Are you bullshitting me?" Sasuke frowns after hearing her half-ass explanation.

Nina shrugs in respond and refuses to provide anymore information to him. "Sadly no, That's pretty much everything I know about it."

Yet something in that annoying attitude of hers is telling him there's something more than simply *I was born with it* and *Things just happened on its own*

"You must be a special case of stupid to expect me to believe in any of that."

Without a single warning, Sasuke starts attacking by throwing several Shuriken toward her. In return, she uses her Shuriken to deflect his and patiently wait for him to strike first. So she can counter his attack and kick him in the stomach while his guard's lowered, sending him flying away.

"Hmph! You do know how fight after all."

Quickly gaining back balance with his legs, Sasuke states as he wipes the dirt off his clothes. Having cleared out some of his doubts thanks to their short crash just now.

"If you're trying to make me use it again, then you're only wasting your-"

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Doesn't wait for Nina to finish her sentence, Sasuke does the Ninjutsu's signature hand signs and shoots a giant fireball to her spot.

As he's expected, the girl jumps up into the air to dodge it. Which means she's now vulnerable to attack and quickly, he jumps onto the air and gets behind her back to deliver multiple hits. Ending his combo with a kick to send the girl down to the ground below.

"What? Is that all?" Sasuke approaches her with a Kunai in his hand, smirking as he watches Nina struggling to get up.

"Just as I thought. Without that monstrous power, you are nothing."

Perhaps his taunt has triggered something in her as Nina's expression suddenly sharpened. She then wipes away the blood stuck on her lips and jolts up from the ground. Charging at him with the Kunai in her hand.

Again, Sasuke throws several Shuriken to slow down her speed, however, Nina ignores his attack completely, by letting them slash through her skin and when they're only a few feet away. She throws the Kunai toward him.

Sasuke's fast enough to avoids that flying knife, even have the time to spare to land a hit, or two, across her face. But that still not enough to stop her from grabbing Sasuke in the head and slammed him hard against the ground. The force's so strong that it breaks the earth below them.

The Uchiha's stunned by that attack and using it as an advantage, Nina starts pummelling him furiously with her fists. Sasuke wakes up after a couple punches and quickly defends himself with his arms, but still getting hit here and there. It takes him a while to figure out an opening to get free and when he does, they both are pretty much out of breath.

That seriously took me by surprise. What kind of suicidal attack was that? He glances toward to the strange girl who is kneeling nearby. She's staring back and seems to be worn out as much as him.

"You're actually right-handed, huh? Must be fun making fool out of us."

Sasuke compares her first matches against the team 7 where she lost to oblivion by using only left hand to fight and faking to be inexperienced. To that deadly moment just now when she grabbed him by the face and smashed his body onto the ground with her right hand, almost knocked him out cold. I don't understand her. What is she hiding her abilities for?

Doesn't want to get involved into another meaningless verbal fight with him, Nina ignores his mocking and walks off.

"If you continue acting so stubborn, I will expose your lies to Kakashi. And even to Sandaime himself." Sasuke says, standing up from his spot.

Being a snitch isn't really his kind of thing but if it helps solving the problem fast, then Sasuke will not hesitate to do so. And his method seems to work against her as Nina's stopped moving, her teeth cringe.

After a long moment of waiting, the girl finally speaks up. But sounds somewhat pissed. "Seriously. Do you realize how much I've worked to keep myself from getting involved in the storyline? Do you have any idea how crazy it is for me to be grouped in the same team with overpowered main characters? Just why are you keep doing this to me..."

"Storyline? Main character? Overpowered? What are you even saying?"

Sasuke's eyebrow raises, trying hard to comprehend those nonsense words Nina just speaks of. While thinking whether he had hit her too hard earlier that she'd gone out of her mind.

"I'm talking about you, jackass!" Suddenly, Nina shouts and points her index finger to his face.

And no word can describe how deeply confused and speechless Sasuke is right now, as he just stands there watching her sudden outburst with a hanging mouth.

It's not until a minute later that Nina's able to snap back to reality. Gasping in shock here and there and acting as if she has said something inappropriate.

Quickly Nina turns away from him and attempts to escape from the area as fast as she can. "This conversation is over, I'm going home."

"You're not getting away that easily."

Sasuke dashes forward to stop Nina from running away by grabbing her arm, but the girl has disappeared before he can even reach to her. The heck? Was that Shunshin no Jutsu? (Body Flicker Technique)

The next day

Arriving to Nina's apartment early in the morning, Kakashi then knocks onto her windows to notice her about his presence. And about a couple of minutes later, Nina appears by the windows and greets him with a slight nod.

"What have you been up to yesterday?"

Kakashi asks her, after being told by Naruto last night that the girl didn't come home like she said she would after going out eating Ramen with the team 7.

"There was a little problem and I had to take care of it. But it's all good now."

Leaning onto the wall behind, Nina says and Kakashi notices that her hair, outfit are quite dirty and messy. It seems that the girl has been involved in a fight with something, or someone.

Not going to pry into his student's personal affair however, not for now, Kakashi reminds her to explain the reason of their little meeting today. "So? What did you call me out here for?"

Her eyes turn from him to the wide blue sky at his left then finally the ground below, taking a deep breath before speaking word by word clearly.

"If possible, I want to withdraw from team 7."