CHAPTER 22
After ten days passed, team 7 was given another C-rank mission. It was another escort mission to Land of Tea to help Wasabi family win the race. This was the formal mission given to team 7 but the real mission was sent to Kakashi and Naruto. To be accurate, Naruto chose this mission after analysing many things but Kakashi wasn't aware. He made the hokage send team seven go to land of Tea, so he could finish another ANBU mission and gain some personal interests on the side.
It wasn't surprising that Naruto chose the mission because it was one of the clauses of agreement he made with the third hokage.
FLASHBACK STARTS
Once Naruto got Kakashi's message about Genma's wilingness, Naruto decided to make peace with the hokage before the meet up with Genma and others in the forest of death. That was why the hokage was given a shock one night to see Naruto on his home.
"Hello hokage-sama"
"Naruto-kun, what are you doing here? How did you get here?"
"I have my ways. I am the wind of Konoha. I go to places undetected others cannot. I can erase my chakra if I want. I came here because you told me you would make things right", Naruto explained.
"I know Naruto. I am thinking of a way", hokage said.
"I don't care. I want some things to be done immediately. Can you help?"
"With what?"
"Didn't you agree to support me with whatever I want hokage-sama?"
"I did. But I have a responsibility and I can't promise you everything at will", hokage replied.
"Good. You still act as hokage. Now I know how you keep the council and elder geezers at bay even though you are negligent", Naruto approved.
"You don't have to worry hokage-sama, I am not here to ask for rights and acknowledgement. I am here to tell you not to reveal my mask. I want my life to remain as it is", Naruto said.
"You don't want to improve your lifestyle Naruto-kun?", hokage was puzzled.
"You can't improve my life Sandaime-sama. Also, I have plans and a system in place already. You will interfere with it if you change it now. I am not here to right the past. I am here to right the present and future. I will cut to the chase. I want to be an ANBU. Unhinged ANBU. I won't go to ANBU headquarters. I won't answer anyone. I want to be my own captain. I may answer to you", Naruto announced.
"Naruto, you are too young to be an ANBU. And there are some tests to be passed to become ANBU. Even if you have jonin level strength, not all jonins are eligible to be ANBU. And you can't work solo. You need experience. You still have to be in team 7 if you want to avoid the council", hokage explicated the repercussions of Naruto's request or demand.
"Itachi and Shushi were my age when they were ANBU. You can conduct my tests for strength and I have already proved my Will. Again, your test will prove I am well above your ordinary jonins. I can work solo missions and I have experience. Here, catch this you will know. I will be in team 7. I will send clones for D-rank and do ANBU missions and choose ANBU missions coinciding with C-rank missions of team 7. The council will not know", Naruto explained that he had already considered everything the hokage said.
The hokage opened the bingo book and looked at the folded page.
Name : Unknown
Nick name : Ishaku
Appearance: Wears a mask and dark cloak. Works in solo or team
Class : A- rank
Alliance : None
Skills : Ninjutsu
Kinjutsu
Weapon : Sword
Wanted for : Eliminating 3 S-rank and 5 A – rank nins. Cleared a human trafficking bandit group and burnt down steel village landlord's warehouse of weapons. Eliminating 50 B-rank and C-rank missions. Killed Hatori, one of the demon of mists and two of his sub-ordinates.
"Naruto? Is this you?", hokage was pleasantly shocked.
"Itachi can vouch", Naruto shrugged.
"How did you leave the village undetected?", hokage wanted to know.
"Not me. My clones and there are ways to leave the village undetected. You friends do that often", Naruto said and the hokage was feeling crossed.
"Have they been doing it for long time?", hokage asked.
"Longer", Naruto confirmed.
"Have they been planning something fishy?"
"Fishier"
"Alright Naruto-kun, I will test you. If you pass I will make you ANBU", hokage was getting heated.
"Hold your horses, hokage-sama. Just because I want to be an ANBU doesn't mean that I am going to work for you. I don't want to be your tool to be wielded against the council. I don't trust you", Naruto brought the deal breaker to the hokage.
"I know you don't trust me Naruto. I-", hokage sighed and started.
"Since you know that, don't think you can say sorry and use your will of fire speech and emotional manipulation to use my strength for your cause. I want to use my strength, which I have attained without anyone's support from this village, to protect myself. I am going to use it now to continuously hone myself and some other things to save myself from the council and Akatsuki in the future. I am not the person for your plans. But, all I can say is that I will swear that I won't harm Konoha", Naruto explained.
"You are still angry at me. I know I deserve it", hokage agreed regretfully.
"Your past actions makes me afraid that you will manipulate and use my naivety or my skills to your convenience. I am trying to salvage what is remained of our relationship. So, I need your straightforward answer and you to keep your word", Naruto wasn't giving an inch.
The hokage smoked his pipe and thought for a few minutes.
"Ok Naruto-kun. I will test you myself. You have to fight me for an hour or until you fall, whichever one is faster. I will not choose your mission. But I have a condition too. I want to know when you leave the village so I can organize team 7 missions accordingly and a report that concerns the missions of the village. You are not going to missions as Ishaku but as ANBU captain of Konoha. So, a report, however short is, needed. I will maintain it without anyone knowing. For missions that requires team, you are to find teammates accordingly. You can choose your own team as you wish", the hokage proposed smoking.
"Don't tell Kakashi or ask anyone to monitor. If you can't trust me, this won't work"
"I won't. Unlike my other empty words, this one is true. If you can pass my test you have potential to have caused some serious damage to Konoha but you didn't. That is enough to prove your character. And, I want to salvage whatever the relationship we have remaining too Naruto-kun", the hokage said sincerely.
"Let's start hokage-sama", Naruto said.
"We have to go somewhere to avoid some eyes", hokage said.
"I know. Let me", Naruto said and touched hokage's hand. He shunshinned to the cave behind Senju compound with the hokage.
"How do you know this place Naruto? I mean, how you can access this place?", the hokage was confused.
"My grandparents are one Senju and one Uzumaki", Naruto replied shrugging and the hokage was surprised.
"Does it give you memories with your sensei Tobirama Senju?", Naruto asked removing the henge bracelet.
The hokage was taken aback to see Naruto in his original form again.
"Yes. It does. He was a great man", hokage replied.
"My favourite hokage, Nidaime (second hokage)", Naruto said.
"It is not your father?", hokage asked.
"I know my father's strength but I don't know my father's ideologies. He believed in peace for the village but he died too soon to brief his goals. Shodaime Hashirama Senju was too strong that no one posed a danger to him. You are all about sacrifice and Will of fire but Tobirama Senju was someone who was strong but not as strong as his brother Hashirama. He had big shoes to fill and he did that without asking for anything. He continued on his brother's and his own goals. He was the most misunderstood by everyone including his own students. He was accused for things he didn't do and so many bad things happened in his name", Naruto said implying Danzo.
"You mean Uchihas?"
"He started the police force but he didn't stop any Uchiha from working in ninjas forces. He positioned Uchiha police building at the end of the village and ninja building at the front to construct a proper village. Yes, he had plans to expand the village with police force as centre so that they could reach everywhere in the village as soon as a mishap occurs. He wanted to bring Uzumakis from Ushio and settle behind the police force building as there were hidden dangers emerging for Uzumakis. The Uzumakis would be safe and they can also keep Uchihas in check as they had potential to seal a genjutsu if required. So, they kind of balanced each other powers since Senju clan was declinig at a faster rate compared to Uchihas and other clans couldn't hold a candle to the Uchiha's power. If there was another clan to rival Uchihas like Senju or Uzumakis, people wouldn't have feared Uchiha clan as much they did before the massacre and Uchihas wouldn't have felt like outcasts in the village they co-founded. Nidame knew that all the Uzumaki's won't shift from Ushio but most people and children would. He wanted to enlarge the lake behind Konoha for the 's why even an Uzumaki temple was built at the outskirts so the Uzumakis could worship. But he died before all that could happen. He became the one who oppressed the Uchihas. You know, people talk about you and Danzo, but they forgot one of his pupils was an Uchiha named Kagami Uchiha, Shisui Uchiha's father. He was injured in the same shinobi war Tobirama Senju was killed. I suspect Danzo for that too", Naruto explained.
"But hokage-sama, elders of the council used his name and blamed Uchiha for everything. After kyubi attack, you and the council sent them to the outskirts of the village and he was told as the reason. But he understood who Uchihas were and embraced anyone who had overcome the curse of hatred. He didn't send them to the outskirts of the village, you guys did. Uchihas were never against Konoha, they were against you and your elder friends who were biased against Uchihas. They just chose a path of bloodshed for that and contrary to popular belief, the Uchiha's clan head Fukagu-sama didn't support that violent method but he had two sons who might be seeing the wrath of his clan if he refused. All of this could have solved if you visited them personally without anyone knowing and promised Itachi or Shisui would be groomed to be the next hokage or ANBU commander. You could have negotiated to give some positions for them in ANBU and got some positions for other clans in police force in return. It may not avoided the rebellion but it sure would have bought some time and we couold have regrouped and came with a plan, good or not, but literally anything could be better than the massacre. Sandaime, massacre didn't empathasize what fully happened. Just think, children who were my age and younger were killed under Danzo's manipulation and you didn't do anything to him. Is that what your sensei would have done if he was alive? Do you really think he only gave up his life on the war for the children of a particular clan or entire Konoha? Just touch your heart and tell me, even if you guys weren't there and the Nidame had to give up his life for Uchiha clan children, wouldn't he have protected them willingly? He certainly would. He wanted a village where the children would live in peace. He hated Madara and power for greed of Uchihas. He never wanted to obliterate them. If he wanted, he could have done it easily and he was so strong that he would not have needed a cover of rebellion to hide this genocide. The bad part in all this was that you always knew what Danzo was capable of and you suspected him but you never did anything. Your friend's word influenced you too much and you became wary of Uchihas too. The seed of rebellion germinated when you stopped Uchihas from helping my father to control the kyubi. They could have helped but you didn't trust them and the rest is history. May be my parents would have been alive if the Uchihas were allowed to help them with the kyubi. But you ordered them to stay back. You trusted your friend too much. You trusted your crystal ball too much. If I can outsmart it, your friend who knows eerything about you and want your job would have come with a solution better than mine", Naruto explained and the hokage was dumbfounded.
"We spoiled my sensei's name and I did so many mistakes", hokage sighed rubbing his temples. The gravity of what he had done finally sunk in his bones and the weight was too much for his heart. The fact that Naruto could have had his parents alive and lived a life of prince on Konoha hurt his soul. Everything Naruto said made sense and he trusted his friends and gave them too much power. It was too late now and he only hoped Naruto had an idea to solve that.
"Let's start hokage-sama. I have other plans tonight."
"I am not going to go easy on you Naruto-kun", hokage removed his robe and showed his warrior clothes.
Naruto removed all the gravity seals and it made a huge rumble.
Naruto started the fight first with a kunai and shuriken. They fought in close distance with taijutsu. Naruto showed his Uzumaki style combined with Uchiha interceptor style. They were not moving from one category to another but it was combined with kinjutsu, kenjutsu and ninjutsu. Naruto exhibited proficiency in all five chakra affinities. The hokage then created shadow clones and pulled Naruto into a game of strategy and team work. Naruto created his clones understanding the hokage wanted to see if he was capable of saving his teammates in time and how he commanded his teammates in fight. Naruto made five clones each one having a particular skill set and faced the five clones of the hokage. The fight lasted for an hour and both of them were sweating, Naruto more than the hokage.
"You passed Naruto", the hokage said after an hour.
"You are old", Naruto smiled.
"Don't talk unless you beat me", hokage said smiling too.
"That was refreshing. I can never go full scale unless I was fighting Itachi. But that emo uses genjutsu. Today, I fought to my heart's content. We should do this often and I hope you want to refresh your rusty bones too. Thanks. I will beat you soon", Naruto said and nodded at the hokage.
"You are stronger than I were at 12. And you have been sustaining a clone at your home and silence seal at this place while fighting me. You almost won if I didn't use wood release. Your strategy and teamwork worked perfectly. You didn't get you and your team be trapped. Your sneaking skills are extraordinary. My kunais and shurikens never connected with you. I am not going to ask how you know Sarutobi, Akamichi, Aburame and Hyuga clan jutsu", hokage rolled his eyes and Naruto chuckled.
"You can get your mask Naruto-kun. I will arrange for that. Which animal you want?", hokage asked.
"Mizuchi (water dragon). Give me a Ryu (dragon) mask hokage-sama", Naruto said with a conviction. He wanted to wear a mask symbolizing Uzumaki clan's water dragon.
"Ok. I will leave then", hokage said wearing his robe. He was about to leave when Naruto stopped him.
"Jiji", Naruto called and hokage-sama felt like his control shattering. Hiruzen Sarutobi never thought Naruto would call him jiji again especiallly after the conversation earlier.
"What is it Naruto-kun?", hokage's voice was unsteady.
"I have asked Kakashi to let Genma Shiranui train me in senbons. Somehow, Anko and Guy joined and they were going to meet me or test me if I am right, day after tomorrow in Forest of Death. I want you to give them your word to approve it. I don't want the council to know this training but I hold no interest in turning your shinobi against you or disrespecting your orders for my personal gain. My relationship with Kakashi is different. It is beyond conforms of the ninjas. But other ninjas are different. They are your shinobi and I don't want them to hide anything from you and make them feel guilty. I don't think trust starts with an act of betrayal and I don't want them to turn against their hokage", Naruto told his request.
"Thanks for thinking like this Naruto-kun. I will approve it unofficially", hokage said.
"Thanks jiji", Naruto said.
The hokage sighed and patted Naruto on the shoulder.
"Thanks for calling me jiji again", he said.
"I haven't forgiven you. I just don't want anyone to suspect my change in address for you. Most ninjas in Konoha knows that I call you jiji", Naruto said and the hokage's hand fell down from Naruto's shoulder.
"But I am willing to try if you don't deceive me again. I am willing to be your surrogate grandson if you are willing to try to be my surrogate grandfather", Naruto offered.
"I will try to do better Naruto-kun. I hope I will earn your trust", hokage vowed to do better.
"I hope that too. Until then even if I don't mean it, I will call you jiji. But you will know the day I mean it from my heart", Naruto agreed.
The hokage agreed silently to that.
"Since you showed your sign of sincerity by agrreing to my conditions, this is mine", Naruto said and gave a set of documents.
The hokage opened it and read for two minutes before his rage exploded.
"Danzo didn't disband ROOT? He still has people?", the hokage smoked his pipe aggressively.
"You don't even know half of it", Naruto was cool as cucumber.
"There is more?", hokage asked angrily.
"It doesn't matter. I am going to give you a piece of advice. Don't touch him, for now. Even I don't understand what is going on fully. He had many allies outside Konoha. Let him think that he is fooling you now. I will monitor him first. That is why I want to be an ANBU. Other missions outside Konoha can be done with my other identity but to defeat him, I need to command Konoha ninjas and hence this ANBU mask", Naruto explained.
"I understand", the hokage realised that Naruto wanted to prove himself to be an ANBU candidate before showing the ROOT file. He didn't want to blackmail the hokage but he wanted to earn his ANBU mask.
"If you trust me, leave Danzo and council to me. Act as if you don't know. I will take care of everything about him. I have to pay him back", Naruto said in a cold tone and the hokage felt the intense chakra forming a slight film covering Naruto. It flickered between blue and red and the hokage was thrilled to know naruto was capable of splittting his chakra from kyubi's. The hokage assumed Naruto's anger was for his childhood but only Naruto knew that it was for Shisui.
"Alright. But update me the milestones", hokage agreed and said goodbye to Naruto before vanishing.
Naruto used his wood release and repaired the tree, damaged by the third hokage in his wood release. He wasn't going to let anyone know that he could use Wood release for long time.
He smirked knowing the third hokage could only use wood release combining earth and water. But Naruto could use original Mokuton and summon many things at will and his moods might even affect trees without him doing anything.
"Good job Naruto. Your strength increased after training in Wave. Now summon Baqi and start running", kyubi hurried the already tired Naruto.
'Kyyyuuubiii', Naruto whined.
"No. Run", kyubi acted as a drill master.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Team 7 was on its way to Land of tea. Naruto was at the last. Sakura at the middle and Sasuke at the apex while Kakashi was at the side running parallel to Sakura. Naruto's clone was scouting ahead. Kakashi didn't get a chance to talk with Naruto for a week because Naruto sent his clones for D-rank missions.
He had to find time to talk with Naruto about the new mission to Tea now. Kakashi and Naruto had a different mission altogether. Team 7 was assigned to make sure the annual race between two families in the village go smoother. Konoha ninjas were going to support one side of the family, which was good. The job was to make sure the runner participating in the race would not be endangered by the ninjas other family hired.
Kakashi and Naruto was supposed to catch the traitor of the village who was hiding in Land of Tea, separately from the team.
Naruto had other agenda which only he knew.
When they were going towards the land of tea, they stopped at a teahouse on the border of Konoha.
"Sensei, let's have tea in the teahouse", Naruto said.
"Naruto, why are always thinking about eating?", Sakura asked.
"I am a growing ninja. I need more energy dattebayo", Naruto explained.
"Usurotonkichi", Sasuke scolded.
"We have time. I want tea too", Kakashi agreed.
They went to the teahouse.
"Baa-chan, four tea", Naruto said while Naruto's clone and Kakashi's clone went to a secluded place behind the tea shop.
They sat on tree branch comfortably like two birds chirping at each other.
"Hiya, Kashi sensei"
"Yo Naruto. How are you these days?"
"I am festive. How are you?"
"I am good. I can see that you were busy", Kakashi told.
"Not much"
"You see, I saw an interesting thing recently", Kakashi started.
"What is it sensei?"
"I saw the bingo book. I saw an addition called ANBU captain Ryu. Do you know anything about him?", Kakashi asked.
"I saw it too", Naruto sighed.
"So?", Kakashi waited.
"So?", Naruto feigned innocence.
"Naruto", Kakashi looked at Naruto pointedly with his single eye.
"It is who you think it is", Naruto accepted.
"Why am I not told of this?", Kakashi wanted to know.
"You will worry too much", Naruto said.
"I always worry about you. Did you really think I wouldn't find it?", Kakashi asked.
"Not for long but I hoped it would be longer than this. When I intercepted and spoiled Danzo's human trafficking ring that brought another set of orphans, as captain Ryu, he wanted to issue a bounty on me. When I informed Sandaime of that, he said it is better to put the captain's name in bingo book with alliance to Konoha to warn Danzo that the hokage was suspecting him about ROOT. I might work with a team later so, I thought it would be good to have my name established. So I agreed. Don't sulk. I know you would be like this so, it was my idea to let you and me work together on the traitor retrieval mission. You can see how I work and rest assured that I am capable", Naruto briefed.
"Thanks for including me on this mission but I already know that you are capable. I just worry anyway and I don't sulk", Kakashi said sulking.
Naruto laughed at the irony.
"By the way, I am in charge of the traitor mission and you are in charge of team 7. So we might have to work on the change in dynamics", Naruto teased.
"It would serve as a training for me to listen to my future hokage, taicho (captain)", Kakashi teased back.
"Don't call me taicho. It sounds weird", Naruto made a face.
Kakashi smirked, "You have got to get used to it if you want to have a team. But I agree, it sounds weird to call that when you are in chibi form".
"I don't want to have a permanent team for now and there is also another thing. If I have a permanent team, they should be loyal to me and ready to work for Konoha unofficially", Naruto said seriously.
"Have you found potential candidates?", Kakashi asked.
"Mmm", Naruto nodded. "Genma, Anko and you for now".
Kakashi blinked for a minute and started laughing holding his stomach.
"You mean, you were recruiting them, not the other way around?", Kakashi said in-between laughs.
Naruto laughed too.
"When I asked for Genma's help, I didn't plan on it. But when Anko joined and Genma was interested to work with me, I decided to train them and recruit them. Hokage agreed too", Naruto explained.
"Are you sure Naruto? I can come if you are not sure about them. We can get their help to train team 7 instead", Kakashi proposed worried. Anko and Genma was good but let's be frank, not as good as Kakashi.
"No. That would be bad with the council and there is no need for you to get back into ANBU again", Naruto refused sternly.
"Is it okay for you to get into ANBU Naruto?", Kakashi asked seriously.
"You know Kakashi, Shisui used to say there is no justice in shinobi world. One village's ninja is enemy to other. I agree. That's why I don't kill ninjas unless special ones come along, that is if they do something immoral in every standard and there is no choice for their redemption. I don't go and assassinate people every day. You only see that in bingo book because bingo book is for someone who is wanted for killing. But those aren't the only things I do. Some things I am wanted for was done before months and years. Hokage included it once I revealed the information to build up my image. My job was not all about blood and gore. I can't do that and I am not your ordinary ANBU. Even the hokage cannot assign me missions. I choose my own missions.", Naruto informed his stand on his ANBU role.
"So, you will not be doing anything you don't want to?", Kakashi wanted to confirm. He didn't want Naruto to do anything that would keep him awake at night.
"No. I won't and no one can make me. Not anymore", Naruto reassured Kakashi.
"That's good. But Naruto I want to be a part of squad zero if you make a permanent team. Before you say anything, I don't want to be a part of every team mission, but I want to do what I can do to help. I want to be included. Ok?"
"Alright. I got it Kashi", Naruto said with a sigh. "We should go Kakashi. My original somehow developed an animosity with a guy, who I assume know us better than he let the mint genins believe. He must be someone from Wasabi or Wagarashi family sent to check our skills. I am leaning towards Wasabi family. That guy isn't a ninja but he has chakra. Our mission to capture the traitor Aoi and retrieve Sword of Life will commence once we reach land of Tea".
"Wait, Naruto. We are retrieving sword of life. Is that the mission?"
"Yeah. Aoi stole that sword. He was asked to be retrieved to take back that sword of Nidaime's. He wasn't worth anything by himself after what he did. When the third hokage knew that it belonged his sensei Tobirama, he wanted to retrieve it. But now only I got this information by chance. I informed him and here we are. Otherwise, Team Guy is more than enough to deal with this mission. Sword of life is physical version of your Raikiri jutsu. It is a lightning blade", Naruto explained.
"So you brought this mission to hokage. Now I understand why the hokage asked me talk to you for the details", Kakashi explained.
"I can deal this on my own with my new wind jutsu but Sasuke was getting anxious with every civilian and council man talking about his sharinghan and this annual race mission came. So, our team is here", Naruto said standing up from the branch.
"True. He is getting frustrated with me showing only basics of sharinghan. This mission will keep him distracted", Kakashi said following Naruto standing up.
"Yeah, that and more", Naruto said looking far way and Kakashi looked at him puzzled. "There is a guy in that village named Idate", Naruto turned to Kakashi and continued, "and his last name is Morino".
Kakashi looked at Naruto with a complicated look and Naruto nodded.
At the same time, three of them were drinking tea while Kakashi excused himself to sit separately to enjoy tea without his genins peaking. He was holding a scroll in his hand.
A guy little older than the genins, came inside and ordered tea too.
Sakura was asking Naruto to behave and not to do anything in the mission that would complicate it. Naruto was telling that it was exciting to go to Land of Tea as he had never been there before. He was explaining he would ace this mission and prove to be a great ninja.
The boy who was sitting parallel to Naruto sharpened his stick cursing ninja of the leaf. Naruto pretended that he didn't hear it but that boy came to team 7's table by himself.
"You weak punks stay away from race in the Tea. I better not see you guys. Well except you girl, I want to see you again", the guy said and Sakura was baffled.
"Don't make threats. Bring it on if you dare", Naruto said to that boy and he glared back.
"Stop wasting time on the hooligan and let's move", Sasuke said arrogantly with both hands behind his head supporting it.
"He is gone", Naruto said with a hidden smile. When Sasuke and Sakura turned, he disappeared.
The shopkeeper gave two bills and when Sakura questioned it, she was told that the guy told them to give the bill to them.
Kakashi was smiling under the mask watching the look on his team's face. Naruto's teasing smile at Sasuke being ignored by that guy, Sakura trying to understand what was going on and Sasuke trying to see how that boy could move fast. That scene looked young, childish and appropriate for their age. He wanted time to stop but the better he could do was to capture this moment with a sharinghan and he did.
Sasuke bent down and put his ear on the ground to listen to the footsteps. "He is far away. He is quite fast".
"So, go catch him. Aren't you ninjas?", Kakashi said.
"That's right. I will try to catch him first dattebayo", Naruto said and started running. Sasuke and Sakura followed.
Kakashi remembered Anko being pissed for three days for not catching Naruto. Naruto had to buy her dango to appease her. 'Sure Naruto, You try to catch him', Kakashi rolled his eyes at the chibi. Their clones disappeared and Kakashi got the relevant information on the mission from Naruto's clone.
Kakashi didn't follow them but processed the information from his clone and opened the scroll real Naruto slipped to him at the gate. It contained the information about the traitor and the sword and some other details.
Kakashi was reading it and following slowly while the three genins caught up to the guy who stumbled on a tree branch.
"You are as stupid as you look", Naruto said standing on a tree branch.
"Did you really think you can outrun us?", Sasuke asked standing on the opposite tree.
"Why did you give your bill to us?", Sakura asked from behind.
"Ah, I lost my purse and took advantage of you guys. I am an ordinary person. Leave me alone", the guy said cowering on the ground.
"Really? Then what is this?", Naruto asked and threw a carved black knife.
"Don't touch that. It is mine", the guy snatched the knife from near Naruto's leg.
"You have nowhere to run. Just tell us who you are?", Sasuke asked.
That guy opened his boots and took off his weights. He threw them down and shouted, "Try to catch me now, idiots". He ran off in front of their eyes.
Sasuke and Sakura looked at him shocked while Naruto was trying to hold his laughter.
"Maa, ignore him. Let's continue on the mission", Kakashi said.
All of them continued their journey.