AN: Long time no see everyone. Here is the next chapter. I finished some chapters that are waiting to be proofread. So, no, I won't abandon this, or my other fiction. Currently, I had a bit of writer's block regarding my HP story, because two other new ideas had manifested themselves in my brain, and pilot chapters had to be written. At the moment, I don't know if they will be released though. Maybe on my Discord server. Looking at FFN, I want to focus on my two main stories for the moment, and maybe branch out and do some crossposting on AO3. Undecided about the last one…
I still don't own Naruto, and I hope you can enjoy this chapter.
Beta by PraetorXyn - u/9025231/PraetorXyn
Uzumaki Compound, Underground Training Facility
Senbon — made of ice and other materials — flew around and impacted the walls. Nearly three weeks after Haku joined the Uzumaki clan of Konohagakure, she and Naruto threw ice senbon at each other to train his use of the combination element. Minato and Kushina watched them from the spectators' area. Kushina smiled, while Minato was still in awe.
Two weeks earlier, Naruto had tried to analyze the Hyōton. A week after that, he had come up with a possible solution. A week later, he was able to use the senbon and wall jutsu. He had kept his clones on the topic the entire time. The exclusive effort of nearly ten thousand Narutos each day had been needed to develop the exercises to train his network using a combination of Suiton and Fūton to create Hyōton.
What Haku — as a member of a clan with a natural affinity — did subconsciously, Naruto had needed to train his cells to adapt, which was the reason he needed four times the time to learn a Hyōton jutsu as he needed for a Suiton or Fūton Jutsu. Minato was a proud father — very proud. His son had advanced the theories on Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta like nobody before him. The reason was his fūinjutsu-assisted insight into the workings of chakra.
For a long time, it had been an unwritten rule and well-known fact that bloodline abilities regarding the combination of elements could not be replicated through normal means. Even the fabled Sharingan of the Uchiha was powerless to replicate elements like the Hyōton. His son, though, had cracked the code. With the help of his Jutsu Analysis Scroll, some clones, and a natural user of the element, he had found out that the combination elements were just that: a combination of the base elements. Still, you would have to be very precise in mixing the natures to reach the wanted element.
To be able to reach that precision you had to master the second stage of each elemental mastery exercise, and you also needed very good chakra control. Not on the Iryo-nin level, but a bit under it. This was still something Naruto was only able to acquire because he had started training his chakra control when he had been very young. He supplemented himself by using special regulatory seals to control the flow of his massive chakra. Using his Kage Bunshin also helped immensely in distributing his chakra and lowering the overall amount in his main body.
Minato Namikaze was a very proud parent at the moment. Even if he was only a clone summoned from the mentor scroll and an imprint of his former self, he could still watch his son grow. Naruto was advancing the arts of fūinjutsu and ninjutsu into a new era, and he had been able to overcome all the hardships the villagers had put him through. Konoha had fallen far if you would ask the blonde former Yondaime. Once a village known around the nations for teamwork, equality, and tolerance was now just a shadow of its former self.
The grief Minato could understand, but not the hatred for something they should have been grateful for. That someone risked his sanity each day by holding back the strongest of the nine bijū — only to be thanked by ridicule, harassment, and name-calling — sickened him. Minato hoped that Hatsumi's mission would bear fruit soon, but even with her skill and the help of the network they had built in the last few years, it would take years to complete the new abode for the clan.
Naruto could work on his skills, maybe even get promoted to jōnin and everything that came with such a promotion. He would need to make a name for himself to get the recognition needed to travel around the nations. This was a prerequisite for getting to know all those sharing his burden, which was the first step in the grand scheme of things. He knew his son would shake up the elemental nations sooner or later. Minato chuckled, but had to clench his teeth, as Naruto was only barely able to dodge some ice senbon at that very moment. He really should dial back on those resistance and gravity seals; that senbon had nearly hit him in a spot he would need if he wanted to repopulate the Uzumaki Clan.
Training Ground 5, with Team 7
"Okay, everyone. Let's switch to individual training before we take off to the Hokage Tower for some missions. Maybe even a low-risk C-Rank this time." Kakashi smiled at his genin after their morning group workout. Since their return from Wave Country, Kakashi had tried to get Sakura and Sasuke up to speed. He had started by taking over Sakura's nutrition plan and working on Sasuke's Sharingan mastery. After that, they had gotten to had puked many times, and she had even passed out, while Sasuke was working until he was on the edge of losing consciousness.
While Sasuke still wanted to catch up to Itachi, his eyes and the new training regimen had made him very happy and kept him motivated. Sakura was still a fangirl, even after receiving more conditioning exercises from Kakashi as a punishment. The cyclops was at a loss as to what he should do.
Kushina had mentioned at their last tea ceremony that in the times before the fall of Uzushio, kunoichi who would be eligible for missions outside the borders of the defenses would be placed in a genjutsu showing them what could and would happen if they were to be captured by enemy forces. The genjutsu would be based on very realistic situations — even the act itself — but before he could go to that extreme, Kakashi would need approval from the Sandaime, something he was reluctant to request because of his reputation.
Why would nobody openly agree with him that Jiraiya-sama's books were one of a kind? Some scenes were highly sexualized, but the plot was good, too. Maybe he was just trying to persuade himself about the plot — Kushina had certainly critiqued it to him at length — but in secret, his sensei agreed with him.
So, what should he do? Kakashi summoned some Kage Bunshin. While he accompanied Naruto, the two bunshin would work with his other genin. He was trying to build them to be more than a chūnin's standard for the upcoming exam. The experience, which — without Naruto's increased skill levels — could easily have been one that not all of his team would have come back from, was not something he wanted to face again.
His new training regime started at 0700 sharp. They did conditioning for two hours straight. It contained the classic strength and agility exercises, and after that some chakra control exercises and training of survival skills like dodging attacks with the Kawarimi no Jutsu. Kakashi had even gotten Sakura and Sasuke some leg weights. He had wanted to ask Naruto for seals, but had been shot down very quickly by Kushina, who for some reason had forbidden Naruto from applying Uzumaki-style seals to non-Uzumaki.
Kakashi would never order his student to go against his mother's wishes — not even for the sake of making his job easier. He feared her frying pan too much for that. After conditioning, some team exercises would follow, to get them moving as a unit. Fortunately, this was something Kakashi hadn't had to worry about since the mission to Wave. After they had witnessed what Naruta was capable of in the field and that he could outlast them easily in training they established a working team structure.
They would not be friends, but teammates, and that was all he could ask for. Kakashi had dreaded the fact that his team had the biggest possibility to turn into a dysfunctional mess. Thank the log that hadn't happened. Now that all the team exercises were done for the day, Kakashi prepared himself to return his focus to the personal areas of each of his genin.
Starting with Sakura, Kakashi was quick to recognize her potential in her near-perfect chakra control. He got her some scrolls on medical jutsu and knowledge, and he taught her some more genjutsu. The one thing she lacked was taijutsu. After checking in on her progress in the other two topics, his clone would iron out her fighting style. That would often result in bruises on her, and even if she managed to hit him, Kakashi would receive the memories and make a new bunshin to help her out. Those little breaks were something the young kunoichi learned to use wisely and tried to reach often.
While he worked on the physical side with Sakura, he focussed more on the psychological side with his other student. Dealing with his trauma and the development of his Sharingan were the primary things the two worked on. Sasuke was very excited to train the capabilities of his eyes. He learned some jutsu from the Uchiha library, which he now had access to thanks to the Sharingan.
The Uchiha's motivation was strong enough to develop his Sharingan in record time to the three tomoe level. On the bandit cleaning missions and other low-risk missions in the last few weeks, he had proven that he was able to use the Sharingan well. Too well, in fact. Kakashi had tried to get the point across that the Sharingan should merely be a tool for Sasuke, but Sasuke was adamant that he was an elite ninja now, and that nobody would be able to beat him again.
Flashback start
Training Ground 3
"Come on Naruto, now I will beat you and show you how an elite ninja should be!" Sasuke shouted at his teammate, who was meditating after they finished their late training. They had gotten back from another C-Rank just this morning, and had switched their usual pattern to accommodate their enforced free time. Naruto just looked at Kakashi, the blonde genin seemed to be bored with the challenges his teammate was giving him. His sensei shrugged and got back to his reading.
Naruto got up and brushed the dust off his black ANBU-style pants. He looked around and lazily spoke to his teammate, "Nothing too destructive; we don't want another dressing down from Jiji for demolishing a training ground, do we?" He got a short nod and both took off with chakra in their muscles. They clashed in the middle of the training ground. Fists met forearms. Feet were blocked with thighs.
Sasuke smiled as he looked into Naruto's eyes. His blonde teammate looked focussed but bored at the same time. In his thoughts, Sasuke was smirking, he could keep up with Naruto's attacks, and his Sharingan showed what his opponent was about to do. Naruto dashed backward. Sasuke was about to follow, but thanks to his higher precognition he was able to not fall into the fūinjutsu trap.
"Give up Naruto, I am the better shinobi now. I am an Uchiha Elite. You can't mess with me anymore." Clones blocked his view, but he could still hear the cold yet amused words that followed.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu!"
Mist quickly filled his view and blocked his Sharingan. He could dodge the clones' attacks, but he wasn't able to tell where Naruto was anymore. The blonde's voice was coming from every direction now.
"You know Sasuke, I thought I made it clear where you stand the last time we fought." Naruto was feeling a mixture of emotions right now. Boredom, because each week this conversation and the fight happened. This time though, the blonde genin's patience was running low. He was the heir to a peaceful clan, but they had been enough of a possible danger for three villages to attack them. The Uchiha — with a few exceptions — were just a group of average ninja with fancy eyes and very high self-esteem. In his eyes, the Uchiha looked like a more arrogant version of the stick-up-the-butt Hyūga, and were even more overrated.
He waited a short duration for the mist to settle in and blind his teammate. He dialed down his gravity and resistance seals a bit. Chains shot out of the ground, distracting the young Uchiha, who was able to dodge and block them. He gave him some 'love taps' next, to the stomach, two to each shoulder before he swiped him off his feet. A burst of chakra dispersed the mist he no longer supplied with chakra. Sasuke slowly got up. Sakura cheered him on from the sidelines, and Kakashi looked on with a bit of interest above the pages of his book.
"That was the last time that will happen, Naruto!" Sasuke spat at him with a bit of a snarl. He had expected the fight to have a different outcome. Sasuke rushed through hand seals and shortly after that, the signature Uchiha fireball flew toward Naruto.
"You should have listened to Kakashi-sensei when he told you that you would have to improve your body, but no! The little elite Uchiha wanted to advance with his fancy eyes first." A clone popped into existence beside him, and both held a hand seal.
"Suiton: Hatō," Naruto exclaimed, releasing a five-foot wide stream of water from his palms rushing directly at the fireball.
"Fūton: Chō Onsoku Eadoriru!" the bunshin exclaimed, aiming his finger directly at the fireball. First, a loud sound was heard — something Kakashi could only wince at with his enhanced senses — and after that, only three people were able to see the invisible bullet hit the fireball, dispersing it nearly instantaneously. Sasuke didn't have enough time to dodge the tide of water rushing at him and was drenched. Kakashi and Sasuke saw what would happen next with their Sharingan, but Sasuke was not fast enough to do anything about it. The tip of a kunai was placed at the Uchiha's neck.
"This battle is over, Sasuke," Naruto spoke calmly, but with a certain hardness in his voice. Sakura was a bit downcast, while Kakashi looked intrigued. Sasuke sighed and nodded. Kakashi appeared behind both to ruffle their hair.
"That was a good spar. Keep it up you two. But Naruto, what exactly was that Fūton jutsu? I mean, I know you master your jutsu to the point they are hard to copy with a Sharingan, but I have never heard of this one. Care to elaborate a bit for your curious sensei?"
He was smiling his usual way as the three walked back to Sakura.
"Sure, it is called Supersonic Air Drill, and has two versions. A kinda defense type you have seen and…" he held up the half-ram hand seal and pointed his finger in a pistol-style manner at some trees.
"Fūton: Chō Onsoku Eeadoriru!" The bang this time was much quieter, but put a one-inch hole in the next ten trees in a line.
"The offensive one. Not so noisy — I am working on that — and no fancy light show or widespread destruction: just plain and simple penetrating force." Kakashi inspected the hole — or to be accurate, holes. Naruto's jutsu — in its offensive version — would be classified as near to mid-range B to A-rank. He could clearly kill with it. The only thing he would have to work out was the sound at the beginning.
"The defensive variant uses the displacement of air to disrupt Katon jutsu. The only downside is that the bang gets louder in proportion to the amount of chakra needed to cancel the Katon jutsu. I have to lace my ears with a wall of chakra if I don't want to burst my eardrums," Naruto ended his explanation. Kakashi just nodded.
Flashback end
After the last fight, the weekly challenges had stopped, and they had trained in peace. Kakashi ranked his genin now on a solid chūnin level. Even Sakura had made good progress. She was a qualified medical ninja and could use the Mystical Palm Technique without problems. This was something Kakashi had encouraged and abused a bit so that Sasuke and Sakura could train a bit more by applying the technique in a therapy-like manner after the training.
"Okay team, let's get us a mission, alright?" The jōnin spoke joyfully, and all three nodded and vanished with a Shunshin each.
Wave Country, with Team Hatsumi
"Well, that is a sight for sore eyes. You must be Tsunami-san, right?" Hatsumi was standing before Tazuna's daughter Tsunami. Both wore stylish and body-fitting Kimonos and looked like proper businesswomen.
"Correct, and you would be Hatsumi-sama, right?" Tsunami answered. The CEO of the newly founded Wave and Whirlwind Shipping and Trading Corporation. The woman with dark red hair nodded.
"Yes, that's me. Now, Naruto-sama sends his regards. How is the status of the Wave?" Hatsumi asked as both women took seats in the conference room while they were getting served tea and some snacks from a male assistant. Tsunami took out two folders of paper and pushed one to Hatsumi, who looked at the seal and pushed some chakra into it to open them.
"As you can see, we used the security features kindly provided by the Uzumaki clan for all files. Your trainers are currently training 100 men and women in the Wave Defensive Force. The economy is stable now. We had some trouble with pirates in the last few weeks, but the teams you provided took them out quickly and without any losses. I would say we are ready to help you with your request now. Before I ask when I should schedule the transport, I was asked by our master navigator how you plan to get around the whirlpools?" Tsunami finished her report and took a sip of her tea.
Hatsumi looked on and followed the explanations very clearly looking through the files.
"I am glad that everything seems to be as it should be. Regarding the whirlpools, we will use a specific route I have to open first and close it after we are through. So, as long as the expedition will last, it will be difficult to establish a regular exchange of goods, but when we finish the first border and everything, that will change. We just have to stay under the radar, but there I think we will have no problem if I look at your history."
Tsunami nodded shortly while Hatsmi took her sip of the tea and took some of the snacks giving them to her two guards. Both wore coats and masks to conceal their identities, but both had the presences of those who were very skilled in using the blades on their backs.
Hokage Tower, with Team 7
"Team 7, reporting for mission assignment Sandaime-sama," Kakashi stated with a firm voice while Sandaime Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the Team. He could only smile.
"Ahh yes, the rookie team with the most missions at the moment. You were requested for a joint mission with one of our allies Kakashi. A team from Kusa will join you on an escort mission for one of the sons of our Daimyo. His Highness is currently on a self-searching trip, and he will move from the Fire Temple in the direction of the capital, but he wants to make a detour to the Kusa border. As long as he will be staying in the vicinity of the Kusa border, Kusa provides a local team of sensors and scouts who will help you navigate and everything." Hiruzen closed his statement, throwing the scroll toward Kakashi, who effortlessly grabbed it out of the air.
"Excuse me, Hokage-sama. We were requested?" the jōnin asked with a raised eyebrow. To get requests from clients that only certain ninja accomplish a mission was nothing new. Sometimes it was just because they were famous, or their skill sets would fit perfectly. Some tokubetsu jōnin like Anko Mitarashi even had regulars once a month. But for a genin team to get requested was something he hadn't witnessed in his active career.
"Yes, Daimyo-sama wanted his son to get to know the famous Copycat Ninja Kakashi, so he would have something to lord over other nobles. The mission is an official C-Rank. Our border patrol reported only standard activity for the last month. Currently, Ro is supplementing the border, so you should be fine with your genin this time Kakashi. But don't waste too much time. I want you and your team back and ready at least two weeks before the exams."
Kakashi nodded and looked at his team. "You heard the Hokage; we will move out tonight. Make your preparations and meet up at the gate in the next hour. Our travel speed will be fast till we reach our client." The genin disappeared with their Shunshin after bowing to the Hokage. Something Hiruzen commented with a surprised nod.
"You train them well, Kakashi. Best of luck this time. Don't be afraid to ask for the help of your old team. I've been told the call signs are still the same. Everything seems to be in order, but you know the devil is in the details." Acknowledging the last words of wisdom from his leader, Kakashi got moving. Even a seasoned jōnin had to pack some things.
At the Uzumaki Compound
Naruto was talking with Mito and Kushina while his clones worked on a katana-like sword. It had horizontal cuts and split the blade into five even segments. It was covered with fūinjutsu notes and formulas.
"Well, I won't take this fellow with me. Have to iron out some kinks first. Obā-chan, kā-chan, I think I will get to meet the Uzumaki Hatsumi-chan found out about. What should I do?" Naruto looked nervously at the two women in his life. His mother smirked, while Mito looked a bit more dignified but otherwise emulated Kushina's look.
"Are you scared of meeting a relative your age, Naruto-kun?" his surrogate grandmother asked, only to get a small nod. "Well then, let us give you some advice." He blushed with each minute the talk lasted. It wasn't as bad as 'the talk,' but it was a close second.
Shore of Uzushiogakure, with Team Hatsumi two days later
Hatsumi stood silently at the shore. Behind her were twenty trusted operatives she had freed from Danzō and another twenty workers. Beside her stood the master builder Tazuna.
"Well, it looks to me like we have the work cut out for us," he said looking at the demolished port. Hatsumi nodded. They first had to build up the port and defenses to standards before they could start deactivating the inner defense mechanisms.
They had prepared storage scrolls for the equipment, materials, and rations. Naruto, Mito, Kushina, and Minato had made the seals they would have to apply at specific spots around the island. If everything worked as planned, the island would be a safe haven. The seals would do their work and power up while they did the reconstruction of the port. If nothing imploded — or exploded, for that matter — they would advance after that to get to the city, looking at what had to be built up from scratch, or what could be repaired.
She had her work cut out for her for the next several years. Hatsumi would need an office at the port building for the checkups with her agents. For a moment her hand rested on the seal on her belly. Thinking about what Kushina had mentioned before they had parted, what she had done to her before Hatsumi took on this mission. Very pleasant and warm feelings flowed through her and made her blush just a little bit. The Uzukage's new mansion would need a special basement.
Somewhere between Fire Temple and the border of the Land of Grass
Kakashi led the caravan in the direction of the meet-up point with the Kusa team. After some talk, they now knew that the prince had a weakness for botanical things, and because of that, they wanted to make the detour hoping to find some rare plants. Besides Team 7, one monk was traveling with them who was kind of a mentor to the prince.
Naruto was bored. He was the main person responsible for scouting ahead with his clones. He could even feel the Kusa ninja closing in on their position and gave Kakashi short hand signs for an approaching team of three with unknown intentions.
He could feel that an Uzumaki was on the team. Beside her teammates and jōnin sensei, she was like the sun made of chakra. Naruto was instructed at an early age to dial down his chakra presence to sensors. He couldn't really erase it, but he could be a convincing civilian-born ninja. With the amount of chakra coursing through his system, that was an achievement on its own. Currently, he suppressed until he was only at genin bordering chūnin strength.
Kakashi motioned for his team to change the formation and he took the lead. Naruto and Sasuke flanked the carriage with the prince and the monk, while Sakura brought up the rear. It didn't take long for four shinobi to land before Kakashi: one girl with flowing red hair and glasses, two boys with no really outstanding features, and a jōnin with a scarred face and a katana at the side of his hip.
Kakashi spoke calmly while looking at the newcomers. "Would you be so kind as to identify yourselves?"
The jōnin exchanged a look with Kakashi before he spoke with a deep voice, "Team 2, from Kusagakure, to support Konoha's Team 7 on an escort mission." He slowly and in a fluid motion took out the scroll and gave it to Kakashi. Still guarded, he broke the seal and took a quick look through.
"Seems to be in order. Thank you. Team, change of formation. My colleague and I will stay by the client. Sensors up front. The rest will bring up the rear," Kakashi commanded, and his genin followed up with the required position changes. The grass jōnin repeated the orders for his team. A brief shuffle later, and Naruto found himself looking straight at his relative. The teams had gotten in contact about a month ago and established some groundwork. He wanted to build upon it.
The red eyes had pulled him in like the whirlpools which had made their island so famous. It took him some time to get his brain back on track. Sometimes, he had the same when he looked at some girls in Konoha. His mother had told him he would understand when he got older, and she'd only chuckled as he asked her what feelings that would be.
"Excuse me, but do you think a whirlpool will ever come to a standstill?" he asked.
Karin had analyzed the person leading the caravan with her. The blonde hair and blue eyes. Everything matched the description she had been given after those mysterious operatives in masks without faces had gotten into contact with her and her mother. They had been able to extract her mother before she would die, something she would forever be thankful for. That was the reason that she knew the answer to the question she was asked at this moment.
"Like the tide, they will always come back," she replied.
Naruto had a bright smile when he heard that.
"You must be Karin then. I hope you are well." He looked behind them and some quick hand seals later a clone was visible before disappearing. "Okay, the Dome of Silence activated. You've got to love fūinjutsu; portable privacy domes are just perfect."
Karin nodded approvingly. "Yes, to both questions, and you must be cousin Naruto. Thank you for saving my kā-san," she started with a grateful smile. Pushing up her glasses, she shortly focussed her chakra to get a feel for their surroundings, only for Naruto to hold up a hand.
"Let me do that." He summoned two Kage Bunshin who began to scan for them as he looked at Karin. "How about we get to know each other?" Karin nodded at his joyful question, and they both started exchanging stories. For most of their trip, nothing really happened, so the two Uzumaki had enough time to get familiar with each other. They reached the part of Kusa they had traveled through an hour ago.
First one of Naruto's clones, then he himself and Karin, took note of approaching chakra signatures, which had a feeling of wrongness to them. He gave the signal to stop, and the two jōnin joined them.
"Report, Karin," the jōnin got out shortly, laying one hand upon the hilt of his blade. Kakashi took out a kunai. Karin looked at Naruto, who had released the dome seconds before so as not to raise suspicion.
"There are two to three malicious feeling chakra signatures approaching. They feel like chūnin level, but they could be suppressing their strength." Karin was a bit nervous. She had gotten some training manuals from her secret helpers, but Kusa was not really interested in getting her knowledge and training. Naruto summoned clones and put up a barrier around the carriage in no time. The other genin of Team 7 and Team 2 joined them, looking at their sensei for instructions.
Kakashi looked at his Kusa counterpart. "Well, Naruto has put up a barrier to protect the client. If there are three enemies, we should both take one, and the genin can take the last one together. The jōnin gave a short nod before three people with oni masks landed before them. The one in the middle was slender and had long black hair and pale skin. He immediately took off his mask.
"Kukukuku, Kakashi! To meet you at this desolate place. What a coincidence!" Orochimaru of the Sannin looked at the group. "And such lovely young genin, too." He licked his lips with a very long-looking tongue.
"Orochimaru, what do you want?" Kakashi responded with a tense reaction, only to get another scary chuckle. The Sannin just pointed at the carriage.
"Just the prince and his Dark Release Kekkei Genkai. Just hand him over and nobody dies." He unleashed a bit of his sick killing intent to punctuate his command, freezing up all the genin except Naruto. Kakashi's mind raced to reach a decision. He didn't know how good the jōnin of Kusa's Team 2 was. He and Naruto may be able to hold on until he could get the attention of the ANBU. His old team had good sensors with them.
Kakashi turned to his team. "Flare! No holding back!" He unveiled his Sharingan and attacked Orochimaru, breaking the Sannin's concentration on his KI. Sasuke rushed through hand seals and unleashed a big fireball into the sky, while Naruto released his seals. A clone was about to intercept Orochimaru's henchmen when they entered into a fight with his teammates. So Naruto quickly tried to assert some kind of control over the battlefield. Another barrier sprung up and divided the field into three battlefields: the jōnin with Orochimaru, the genin with the two unknown fighters, and the carriage in the next barrier.
With Orochimaru and the jōnin
"Kukukuku, Konoha seems to be building up their Fūinjutsu Corps again. A nice barrier, and such quick thinking. Quite quick for a mere genin, wouldn't you say, Kakashi?" Orochimaru joked while he was able to dodge or parry the attacks of the two jōnin with ease at the moment. The only thought running through Kakashi's mind was, 'Great, now Naruto has a crazy S-Rank Nuke-nin interested in him.' If they survived this mission, he would have to speak with his superiors about this.
As the Kusa jōnin was about to slash Orochimaru with his sword, the Sannin bent in a very unnatural way. Kakasshi could only see a glint of metal poking out. He wanted to warn his battle buddy, but he was too late.
The Kusanagi, in a very ironic way, cut through the jōnin of Kusa. "Ahh, too bad. Didn't take long for this poor man, did it Kakashi?" Orochimaru seemed to be very amused by the situation that he had killed a man moments ago. He looked at Kakashi. "I hope Konoha's standards have improved, or our dance will be very short-lived, kukukukuku."
In The next few moments, Kakashi was very glad he had trained more. He was able to dodge the dangerous sword — the fabled Kusanagi — with more efficiency than the other jōnin. He was staying alive for the moment, but he was unable to get his own attacks in. With his Sharingan active, he was leading to exhaustion some time soon. He hoped his former ANBU team had noticed the big flare. They could be lucky again. He hoped they would be.
With the Genin
Sakura and Sasuke looked at Naruto, as did Karin. The blonde quickly tried to analyze the situation. Orochimaru's henchmen didn't seem to be very intelligent. He looked at them trying to destroy the barrier to get back to Orochimaru. "Listen up," Naruto used his voice with a bit more authority. He tried to keep his emotions in check, but he was scared. Zabuza was one thing, but a Sannin was another level entirely. That was dangerous on a whole new scale. "Don't underestimate them. They look like brutes, and maybe they're exactly that, but Orochimaru is known for his human experiments. Whatever he did, it will not be good for us." Naruto looked at Karin and the Kusa genin. "I don't know how good you are, but I would recommend staying out of it until we've gauged their strength." He pointed at the two berserkers, who were still trying to punch the barrier out of existence.
Karin could only look on in awe. Naruto was a very funny person — she got that out of their long conversation — but this commanding presence spoke of more battle experience than she and her two teammates would ever have. A short glance to her left and right, and all three nodded back at him.
"Great. Sasuke, you take the one with the red oni mask. I'll take the black one. Sakura, supplementary jutsu, and get ready to heal some bruises. We have to make this as quickly and safely as possible to help Kakashi-sensei." He got another pair of hai's and nods. He collected himself and switched into his battle state of mind.
Sasuke opened up the match with Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu. Naruto supported that with some wind currents. Both of them got hit, but it didn't look like they felt any pain. The blonde could feel the chakra built up in Sakura as she tried to place them in a genjutsu. Again he had to wince as the malicious chakra in the brutes flared up. They broke out of the jutsu before it even took hold.
"Sakura, fall back." The pinkette nodded and moved out of the way. Naruto could see that Sasuke had made his enemy into a kunai cushion. Red was just angered and tried to punch the Uchiha into a pulp. Naruto looked at his clones as they engaged Black in a taijutsu battle. As one of them managed to tag his brute with his special Locator Seal, Naruto unsealed a tag only to let it rain homing kunai on his enemy. Even as he laced them with Fūton chakra, the effect was the same. The kunai pierced the brute, only for it to grunt and move forward, still trying to get through Naruto's clone squads.
"Sasuke, fatal blows only. They have no sense of pain." Naruto was shocked, but tried to steel himself. He had encountered men and women with disgusting views of the world. Mutants — with no intelligence and no sense of pain — were even more vile. A short glance at the battle between the jōnin and Orochimaru showed him that the Kusa jōnin was dead. He was in a bind. His parents had told him to keep as low a profile as he could, but how much longer could he try to cover up his real strength without letting more people die today?
Somewhere around the border
"Taichō, did you see that fireball?" A figure with an Owl mask asked his superior as they jumped through the woods on their usual patrol route. A short hand sign and they got to a hold. The one in the lead — who looked like a man in his twenties with a cat mask — nodded and looked at one of his teammates with purple hair.
"On it." The ANBU concentrated for a second and laid her hand on the ninjatō on her back. "Looks like three unknowns are meeting up with the group around Team 7. From the flare like fireball and chakra in the air, I would say they are in trouble."
For a short moment, the cat-masked leader looked at his fellow cat-masked ANBU. "Okay, we will look into that. Maybe he needs some help." With that, the group of four moved in their direction. One, named Tenzō, hoped his senpai was not in much trouble, but he didn't fancy his chances of winning that bet, remembering some ANBU missions in which the shit had really hit the fan badly, every time they thought it would be an easy B-Rank.
With Kakashi and Orochimaru
"Is that everything you have Kakashi? I am disappointed. I thought the student of the Yellow Flash would be a better opponent. Now you just run, jump, and do simply nothing of substance." Orochimaru looked and sounded displeased, while Kakashi was sweating. He was exhausted. They had battled for ten minutes now — ten minutes where he'd had to dodge attacks from someone without a spine. The continuous use of his Sharingan was getting to him, as were his worries for his team. He could not risk taking his eyes off his enemy for even a second, and he was down to his last kunai.
Kakashi tried to come up with something, but many things happened quickly in seconds. First a girlish scream, then an eruption of killing intent. Even though his experience told him to stay focused, after some seconds he lost the battle against his curiosity. He looked at the genin battle only to see nearly all of them laying on the ground unconscious, while Naruto was the last one standing engulfed in red chakra holding the red-haired girl bridal style staring down two monstrosities. They looked like two monsters out of scrolls telling about the old yokai. Two horns and a big tail. Tall like two men in one. Hands and arms with blade-like bones on them.
"Amazing isn't it," Orochimaru asked before he backhanded the jōnin like a fly sending him on a merry trip straight into the barrier wall. Bouncing off the barrier wall Kakashi tried to get up, but he also looked with his Sharingan at his team. Luckily, he could see that all of them were alive but unconscious. Then before he could engage Orochimaru in combat again, he saw that the Sannin looked on with curiosity. "Ahh, the kyūbi container. Let's see what he can do."
A moment before with the genin
Naruto and Sasuke had tried their best, but each time they were nearly beating them, they had just gotten another power boost. His tenant was growling, seemingly knowing what happened. His clones maintaining the sensor field reported that they used some kind of alternative chakra, perverted and twisted, but not the normal chakra a human would use. He would look into that. Then everything escalated, as Sasuke tried to behead his enemy with his kunai. Both of the brutes switched gears so to speak. Their bodies changed, and their speed increased. The red one manhandled Sasuke, rushing at the others.
"Naruto, whatever they are, enough of your holding back. Do it, or I will take over," he kyūbi growled angrily. Naruto was still training to come up with a way to stay under the radar. He could not show Uzumaki Chakra Chains when Orochimaru was looking on. The barriers were one thing, but the chains would have Orochimaru on his case for the rest of his existence.
He was angry, as he dodged his enemy's attacks while his clones tried to cover the others without much effect. The only two still evading were Karin and Sakura. His anger bubbled up, and without even realizing it, he began to draw on the chakra his tenant was seemingly willing to provide.
"Sakura, R-Formation," he said, his voice getting deeper, and he gritted it out while punching his opponent against the wall. Sakura wanted to do exactly that, rushing at Karin and readying their escape. She reached for the redhead's hand, only for both to be clipped by a punch. Karin let out a scream, and the next Sakura knew after only thinking of escaping this death trap and fear was blackness and oblivion.
Naruto used his speed, this time without holding back. He caught both girls, but held onto Karin as he stared down at his two enemies. It was like he switched into another state of mind. His careful battle mind was giving way to something more sinister.
"You want to play who is the scarier demon, do you? Let me show you." Naruto looked at them both with red, slitted eyes. He vanished from sight and punched both of them through the barrier wall. They landed right before Orochimaru's feet. He again vanished from sight, reaching out with two red chakra hands, punching right through the hard bodies of the two brutes and ripping out their hearts, flinging them at Orochimaru.
"Leave, before I fully take him over and eat you whole, snake," Naruto growled with his best imitation of the kyūbi at Orochimaru. He was kind of desperate. He could feel that Kakashi was low on chakra, and alone, he would have to use everything in his arsenal to beat the Sannin.
"Interesting, we will meet again," the Sannin chuckled as he sank into the ground, only for a group of ANBU to surround them and wooden pillars springing up in an instant. Kakashi looked on with a sense of relief until the pillars attacked Naruto.
"Stop it!" he tried, exhausted, only to fall unconscious, getting caught by one ANBU. Naruto tried to evade, but the wooden pillars seemed to stick to him like glue. "Let them catch you Naruto, they are Konoha forces; you are safe now. We will talk when you join me in the seal," the kyūbi spoke in his mind. Naruto stood still and played as if he was struggling to regain control, his eyes changing back to blue. The ANBU with the purple hair noticed, but too late. Her taichō got out at the same time the pillar got hold of Naruto and sucked the chakra out of him, putting him to sleep.
"Taichō, he wrestled control back the moment you got to him," she told her captain only for him to nod.
"Sure, but we had to make sure. Standard procedures, let's get them to camp. Secure a perimeter. Orochimaru could still be close. Seal away those bodies for further study, and check in on the client."
His team nodded and did what they were told. What happened here? That was the question of the ANBU, not noticing the last of Naruto's clones dispelling after they took a good look at the readings they got from the jutsu that knocked the Boss out. They think to themselves that this and this perverted chakra could be a good new thing for a personal research project.