"What about my family? My friends. MY village. They suffered the same fate as this village at the hands of you Hidden Leaf ninja. How is it fair to let only you people preach about peace and justice?"

Naruto woke up shivering with sweat dripping down his face. These dreams, or whatever they were, they were starting to get annoying.

He tried to think about something else... Hinata. That calmed him down pretty quickly.

He knew he was up a bit earlier than he probably should be, so he decided to let the rest of his team continue sleeping. In the meantime, he decided he would use the quiet surrounding as an opportunity to train his Sage jutsu. He sat near the edge of the cliff and emptied his mind, absorbing nature energy from all around him.

It wasn't easy with thoughts of a loving Hinata running rampant through his mind, innocent and otherwise. God, how he missed her.

Thankfully, he found that he was already able to reach Sage Mode faster, about ten seconds. After dismissing the nature energy, he started over and repeated the process until after a few minutes, he was finally able to once again reach Sage Mode in an instant.

"Naruto? What are you doing?"

"H-Huh? What's up?"

He stirred back to reality and stood up to see Shikamaru approaching him from behind.

"Oh, I see. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." Shikamaru said as he took notice of the orange hue around Naruto's eyes.

"It's all good. I'm still a little rusty so I figured I'd try it out for a few minutes."

"Gotcha. Sai and Sakura are still asleep. Any idea when we should wake them up?"

"We've got plenty of time, let them sleep."

Shikamaru walked over and stood beside Naruto as they both looked out at the Hidden Rain village in the distance.

"How do you wanna do this?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'm thinking, we catch one of these Owari guys on their own, grab him, and bring him back here with Sai's bird things. What are they called again?"

"Uh, Super Beasts or something like that."

"Sure. Anyway, then we interrogate him and figure out what these guys want, and where to find the rest of them."

"Interrogate? How are we going to do that?"

"I thought I'd give it a try. It can't be too hard, just gotta be a little intimidating."

"You? Intimidating? I don't think so."

"Aw, come on, you don't think I can be scary?" Naruto asked with a laugh.

"No." Shikamaru replied bluntly.

Naruto narrowed his gaze at Shikamaru before closing his eyes for a moment. When they opened again, they were glowing bright red with slit pupils.

"How about now?" Naruto said in Kurama's demonic voice.

"Ah! What the hell? That's creepy as shit!"

Naruto's eyes returned to normal before bursting out with laughter. "See? I've got this. The only part I can't figure out is how we're going to nab the guy without drawing attention."

"Hmm... hey, I've got an idea. It's, uh, questionable."

"By all means, let me hear it."

"If I can ride with Sai on one of the drawings, I can use its shadow as an extension of my own."

"I'm listening..."

"That way, I can use my Shadow Posession jutsu from the sky. I'll render the target immobile and we can swoop down and grab him before anyone else sees. We just have to make sure that whichever one we grab is alone and out of sight."

"Maybe Sakura and I can infiltrate the village and distract one of them while we're disguised as civilians. We'll draw them away, and when there's nobody else around, you guys grab 'em!"

"I think that's just crazy enough to actually work."

"Dude, if we can pull that off, that'd probably be the coolest thing I've ever seen."

"So, we got a plan?"

"Hell yeah! When the others wake up, we'll let them know what's going on."

"And... Shikamaru, you're sure about this?" Sakura asked with an eyebrow raised.

"It's a good idea. I've tried stupider things and they worked out. Don't worry about me and Sai. We've got the easy part."

"He's right, Sakura. If we're going in, we need to be careful not to draw unwanted attention." Naruto said.

"How do we do that?"

"Blend in. Do normal things. Look like ordinary people."

"That reminds me..." Sai spoke for the first time today. "Could you two go ahead and show us what your disguises look like? That way we know who to follow."

"Good thinking." Naruto replied.

Sakura and Naruto both transformed into their 'civilian' disguises. Sakura was a young attractive woman with long dark hair and blue eyes. Naruto was a young man with brown hair and dark eyes.

"You two should fit right in. We'll watch you guys until you get one of them alone. If you can, try to find one on the eastern side of the village, where the sun shines a little brighter. It'll make our shadow stronger." Shikamaru said.

"I think we can manage that. Oh, and we need a signal. When we have one by himself, I'm going to activate Kurama's chakra. When you see me glowing orange, that's your cue. Sai, when you swoop down to grab the target, could you pick Sakura and I up as well?" Naruto replied.

"Sure. I'll summon a larger Super Beast so it'll fit everyone."

"We have a plan then. Everybody ready?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Ready." They all said in unison.

"Okay then, let's do this."

After a while of running on the large body of water that surrounded the Hidden Rain, Naruto and Sakura carefully snuck into the village from the eastern side. Thankfully, it wasn't actually raining at the moment and the clouds above were thin enough to let some sunlight through.

Naruto looked up, and after a moment of searching, he managed to make out a bird shaped figure flying high above. It blended in with the sky pretty well, so the chances of Sai and Shikamaru being spotted were slim. Even if they were disguised as civilians, it was far more comforting knowing that their comrades were watching over them from above.

They then found themselves in the streets of the village and began their search. They walked among the villagers, occasionally blending into small groups and listening to conversations. They heard lots of talk about the Owari and how they were a pest to Amegakure and its people.

"How do we know what they look like?" Sakura asked quietly as they continued their walk.

"We don't. Not yet. We need more intel. I'm gonna check out this bar real quick. Surely somebody can tell us something. Keep watch out here. If you need or see anything, come get me."

Naruto walked into a small bar on the side of the street and glanced around. Not many people. He noticed that most of the buildings and shops were almost empty or even completely vacant of customers.

"What'll it be?" The bartender said as he sat down.

"Was hoping you'd have some information for me." Naruto replied.

"I might. What do you want to know?"

"These... uninvited guests. Tell me about them."

"Not from around here, then?"

"Not exactly. So, what do you know?"

"Funny, I can't seem to remember much about them."

Naruto casually placed a small amount of money on the table and inconspicuously slid it toward the bartender.

"This jog your memory?"

The bartender narrowed his gaze at the money for a moment before taking it from Naruto. He then leaned in and spoke quietly.

"They call themselves the Owari. Bunch of punks who used to work for Hanzō of the Salamander. When Lord Pain was the village leader, Hanzō and most of his men were killed. For a while we thought they were all dead. Looks like some managed to stay hidden."

"So they came back? What do they want?"

"Control of the village. When Lord Pain and Lady Konan were both killed, we were left with no leader, no protection. We were completely defenseless, and they wasted no time in taking advantage of that."

"What have they done to everyone? Why are all the shops empty?"

"Why do you think? Assholes took most of our money. Pretty much everyone got most of their funds confiscated, including me."

"Most? Why wouldn't they just take all of it?"

"To give the people something to hold on to. You take everything away from someone, they have nothing to lose, and a person with nothing to lose is more dangerous than anything. People are scared to lose what little they have left, so the Owari get away with whatever they want. They want something, they take it, and if you try to resist, most of them won't hesitate to hurt you."

This enraged Naruto. These people didn't deserve that kind of treatment. They had been through enough hell already. Naruto swore to himself that he'd defeat all of these scumbags and allow the village to get back on its feet.

"Last question. What do they look like?"

"Regular guys for the most part. They all wear a Hidden Rain headband with a scratch through the symbol. Some of them aren't too bad, but then... some of those guys are really nasty people. Some of them have even killed a few people. Be careful."

"Alright. Thanks for your help." Naruto said as he got up and began to walk away.

"Hey..." The bartender called from behind. Naruto stopped and turned around to face him.

"You sure ask a lot of questions. You looking to pick a fight with those guys?"

"Something like that."

Naruto walked outside and found Sakura standing nearby.

"Well?" Sakura said with her eyebrow raised. Naruto took a moment to relay all the information he gathered.

"These guys deserve whatever hell we're going to give them." Sakura stated angrily.

"Agreed. We need to find one first. Let's keep moving."

They traveled throughout the village for a while, searching for anyone with a Hidden Rain headband. After some time, they discovered an Owari member on the side of the street, poorly attempting to flirt with a girl.

"Whatever. Her loss." The man said after the girl rejected him and walked away. He then looked around for a moment until he laid eyes on Sakura with her back turned to him. "Hey, you over there!" He was now making his way over to them with a sly grin on his face.

"Shit. He's coming over to you." He whispered to Sakura.

"W-What?"

"Sakura, listen to me carefully. You need to seduce him. Act like you don't know me and get him to follow you, then lead him into a secluded spot so we can grab him."

"Um, I-I don't know if I can, w-what if he tries to-"

"I'll be right behind you. I promise, I'm not going to let him hurt you. You can do this."

Naruto averted his gaze away from her as the man approached.

"Hey beautiful, what's your name?" He asked.

"Sakura, what's yours?"

"I'm Harui. What are you doing all alone, Sakura? Or is this guy with you?" He said while shooting a disapproving look at Naruto.

"I don't know him. I'm... all alone..." Sakura said with a forced smile.

"Can't have that, now can we? How about you come with me? I'll make it worth your while."

"You are pretty cute... I've got a better idea. How about you come with me?"

"I like a girl that takes control."

"Well then I really think you're gonna like what I have waiting for you." Sakura said as she got up and began to walk off, motioning for him to follow her.

Naruto remained where he was until Sakura had gotten a little further away. Suddenly, he took off after them, hiding behind any available structure or blending in with crowds. After following them for a while, they turned a corner and started walking down a secluded alleyway with nobody else in sight. This was it, time to make their move.

Naruto looked up and saw that Sai and Shikamaru were still watching them.

"Alright Kurama, lend me your chakra!"

"You got it! Get that bastard!"

Naruto began radiating a bright orange energy, which the Owari member seemed to notice even from several yards ahead.

"What the hell?"

Suddenly, the man froze and brought his hand to his mouth, silencing himself.

It was almost scary how fast Sai's Super Beast bird had reached the ground, just seconds after Naruto activated Kurama's chakra. When they landed, Shikamaru was covering his own mouth with his hand. It seemed his Shadow Possesion was successful.

"Hurry! Get on and let's get out of here!" Sai said.

They captured the Owari member and climbed on before quickly departing the village and heading back to camp.

After returning to the camp, the Owari member was tied to a tree close by and gagged to keep him quiet. The squad members assembled a little further away as to not give him any details about their mission.

"Holy shit, that was awesome!" Shikamaru said.

"I told you it would be! That worked perfectly!" Naruto replied.

"I have to admit, I didn't think it was going to work, but I'm glad it did. That was actually pretty cool." Sakura said.

Naruto then gave everyone a summary of what the bartender was willing to share with him.

"What do we do now?" Sai asked.

"Now, I'm gonna go have a chat with this guy. See what other kind of information I can get from him. Sai, when I'm done, I'll need you to seal him with your Sealing Tiger Jutsu. We can't escort a dozen prisoners back home. Eventually, they'll all end up either sealed... or dead." Naruto replied.

"Understood."

"Are you gonna torture him?" Sakura asked.

"Not torture. Interrogate. I don't exactly plan on being gentle, though."

"I think I'd rather not be around to see that..."

"I don't blame you. You can stay here and keep an eye on camp, then."

"I'll tag along. I'm curious to see how this goes." Shikamaru said.

"You and me both..."

Naruto, Sai, and Shikamaru approached the prisoner who seemed to be pretty upset about being tied to a tree. For a moment, Naruto thought about how he was going to do this. He had never interrogated anyone before, but from what he could remember from his ninja training, it was important to make the captive feel that they were not in control. If he was gonna do this, he needed to start off strong.

He then pulled out a paper bomb from his ninja tool bag before kneeling down and undoing the gag around the prisoner's mouth.

"Your name's Harui, correct?"

"What's it to you?"

"Here's how this works: I ask you a question, you answer it. If you piss me off any more than you already have, I'm gonna shove this paper bomb in your mouth and watch it blow out the back of your head." Naruto said sternly.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he heard these threatening words. Naruto was always so joyful and energetic, and to hear him speak this way? Surprising was an understatement. He had to admit, Naruto could be pretty intimidating if he wanted to.

Sai's expression was unchanged.

Naruto himself was impressed with his own attitude. What was concerning though, was that it wasn't entirely acting. He found himself becoming increasingly angered knowing that this piece of garbage and his pals were responsible for the latest onslaught of suffering that had spread throughout the city. It was people like this that caused hatred, and that ultimately caused wars.

His temper was growing shorter by the minute.

"Who are-?" Harui was cut off as Naruto forcefully hit him with a backhand slap across the face.

"I'm asking the fucking questions! Tell me your name!" Naruto of course already knew his name. But there needed to be some sort of dominance established first.

"I'm... I'm Harui."

"And you're with the Owari?"

"Yes."

"Why are you and your people here? What makes you think you can treat innocent people the way you have?"

"You don't understand! We used to work for Hanzō. We were in hiding until we heard of Pain's defeat. We tried to come back and just live out our lives, but they wouldn't have us. When they refused to let us come home, we... we forced our way in."

"And then, instead of 'living out your lives', you made theirs a living hell."

"It wasn't supposed to be like that! We just wanted to come home. They didn't give us a choice!"

"Bullshit. There's always another choice. You could've just gone somewhere else. You blame those people for not wanting Hanzō's men back?"

"No... but it doesn't matter now. We knew that someone would come to stop us sooner or later. We accepted that long ago. There's nothing left for us anyway. This is the end of us."

"Save the dramatic crap. Where can we find the rest?"

"Tallest building in the city. Used to be Pain's main location. Good luck with that, though."

"What makes you say that?"

"Look, if you try to go after them, they won't surrender. Each member is prepared to die if that's what it takes. Hell, most of us are expecting to die. Of all Hanzō's men, we were the weakest. That's why we went into hiding instead of fighting back in the first place. It doesn't matter. This village, it's all we have left. If we're going to die, it's gonna be here."

"No. It's going to be in a prison cell. I get it, having nowhere else to go, feeling like you don't belong anywhere. But the way you treated those people, the lives you took from them? I can't forgive that."

"What's gonna happen to me? I'm not like most of those guys! I just wanted-"

"Shut up. I don't care. You've given me the info I need. Sai, do it."

Sai released his sealing tiger, followed by Harui disappearing into the scroll.

"That worked well." Naruto stated.

"Jeez, dude. I didn't know you had that in you." Shikamaru replied.

"I didn't either, to be honest."

"You good?"

"Yeah. Let's get back to camp and plan our next move."

They walked in silence back to camp and found Sakura stoking the fire.

"How'd it go?" She asked.

"Naruto needs to work with Ibiki." Shikamaru joked.

"No way! That guy gives me the creeps."

"What's our next move?" Sakura asked.

"It won't be long before they realize one of their members is missing. We need to act, and soon." Naruto replied.

"Okay, so what's the plan?"

"The Owari stay in the tallest building in the city. I say we run a late night raid when they're all sleeping. If we're quiet enough, we can sneak through the tower and seal all of them before they even know what happened. We can finish this mission tonight."

"Sounds good to me. I'm ready to go home." Shikamaru stated.

"Then it's settled. We'll rest up until a couple hours after dark, then we'll move in and finish them off. Everyone cool with that?" Naruto asked.

The squad members all murmured in unison before dispersing to rest for a few hours.

It was late by the time they got to the tower, midnight at the earliest.

"This is it. Remember, stealth is what we're going for. Avoid hand to hand combat unless absolutely necessary. Everyone ready?" Naruto asked.

"Ready."

They snuck into the tower and found several rooms, each with one or two Owari members sleeping inside. One by one, Sai sealed them into his scroll as they moved throughout the tower. It almost seemed too easy!

"Last room. Let's finish this."

They quietly entered the only room left. Only one enemy this time. Sai quickly sealed him away, and just like that...

Mission accomplished.

"We did it!" Sakura said happily as they returned to camp.

"Well Naruto, I think you should really consider leading future missions. You did pretty damn good. When you bother to stop and think for a moment, you're not a bad strategist either. That couldn't have gone smoother." Shikamaru said.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys. Seriously, I can't thank you all enough for your help. We all made this happen."

"It was a pleasure to serve under your command, Naruto." Sai said.

"Agreed. We should celebrate when we get back! Naruto's first time leading a mission... I bet Hinata's going to be so happy for you!" Sakura said excitedly.

"Oh come on, it's not that big of a deal... is it?"

"I think it could be fun. Plus, it gives everyone an excuse to hangout together again." Shikamaru replied.

"Yes... I believe that would be fun." Sai said, trying to sound exciting.

His awkwardness caused an uproar of laughter among the group.

"Alright guys, it's pretty late. We'll take tonight to rest, and then tomorrow, we'll go back into the village and spread the word to make sure everyone knows they're safe now. After that, we'll head home." Naruto said once they all calmed down.

"What's gonna happen to the village now?" Sakura asked.

"Granny Tsunade and the other Kage are working on that. I'm not quite sure what they have planned yet."

Once they all settled in for the night, Naruto laid awake in his tent again and replayed the events of the day in his head. Everything had worked out so perfectly. He had been nervous before, but was incredibly relieved to see that his plans had worked flawlessly, and that his first mission as a leader could not have been more successful.

Which meant... he was about to become Chunin.

A wide smile found its way on his face at this realization. The dream of becoming Hokage one day was becoming more and more like a reality.

He couldn't wait to get home, to see Hinata and tell her all about his adventure.

He wondered what she was doing right now, if she was awake, and if she was thinking about him like he was about her.

"I'm coming home, Hinata. I'm coming home to you."

I know this chapter didn't really have any romance, but I thought it would be cool to have an actual mission chapter instead of just skipping over it. Hope you enjoyed it, and I promise, the fluff will soon return!