Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 8

Sarutobi looked over Team 7 as they stood before his desk. They had really come so far so quickly. Every time they left the village, they were in danger though, either enemies willing to take on the Copy-nin, someone willing to risk facing him in order to grab the easiest Uchiha to target or even someone who might realised Naruto's parentage. There were many out there who still carried grudges against the Uzumaki and Minato. But he could not keep them in the village forever, they were shinobi. And his replacement may not care much about protecting him.

And so, he picked up the waiting C-rank mission scroll and handed it over. Their last C-rank was diplomatic but now it was time for them to get some low-level combat experience. A few bandits would be a good test of their training and something Kakashi could easily deal with if the children got in over their heads.

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Wave! Naruto felt the urge to bounce in happiness as he moved around 'his' room, packing his pack. Last time, this had been their first big mission, the real start of their ninja careers, the fights that had made them finally realised how dangerous their lives now were. This time, they had plans to deal with whatever happened. Gatō would die and hopefully Zabuza and Haku would live.

He wasn't nervous, not really, they were a lot better trained this time around after all. Sure, they didn't have the power and skills of their future selves but they had been a lot worse last time they went to Wave. Yes, Naruto was personally as powerful but he was still learning to deal with that power. Dealing with a water clone would be child's play if he didn't care about Kakashi-sensei seeing. But with the man there and watching? That would be harder.

He grinned as arms wrapped around his waist, leaning back against Sasuke's taller form. He hoped he got a growth spurt soon! Then again, fitting against him was kind of nice.

"Sakura brought something up," Sasuke murmured.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"There's that old shrine and priest in Wave…the one who wanted to marry the three of us first time around." It was obvious Sasuke was smirking as he reminded him, and Naruto froze as he remembered that crazy priest.

Except maybe he wasn't so crazy? Had he somehow known the three of them would get together one day? The man had been old, really old, and his temple had been ignored by Gatō since it had no money or anything and the man was harmless. Then again, he'd also tried to marry Kakashi off to Tsunami so maybe he was nuts. But it didn't matter, as a priest he could perform legal marriages…they could marry without involving the bureaucracy of Konoha. Once it was done, then it was done.

He grinned and spun to face Sasuke, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. They were getting married! So, he grabbed a sealing scroll and dug out the most formal clothing he had, bought new since graduation and then tossed the scroll to Sasuke so he could add his and the get Sakura to add hers as well. They would get married in formal clothing to ensure it was proper.

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Kakashi knew his little terrors were up to something, but he had no clue what. Still, they seemed more happy then sneaky so that was fine. So long as they got Tazuna safely home, it didn't matter. And of course, that was when things went wrong and he grimaced at spotting the genjutsu. C-ranks were not mean to involve other ninja so what had changed since Tazuna had left Wave, or had he not been truthful on who was after him?

He readied to leave and see how the kids handled it only for Sasuke to absently toss two kunai into the puddle, the illusion shattering immediately as one of the demon brothers collapsed with a blade in his neck. The other blade had lodged in the other brothers' arm. The less injured one was immediately enraged, lunging at Sasuke in retribution only to take a sandaled foot to the face as Naruto kicked him, snapping his head back. Sakura had dropped back to guard Tazuna, kunai in hand even as Naruto grabbed the brother's head and slammed it into his knee, the man collapsing from the two blows. Sasuke was checking the first, pulling his blade out which let some blood flow but not a lot, so dead already.

Sasuke stared at the body and then the blade before cleaning it off and returning it to his pouch, Naruto handing him the other one. One body and one live to interrogate. Sasuke looked at him, revealing spinning tomoe in red eyes. Sharingan. And then he looked to Naruto and Sakura, checking them over for injuries. Had it been a desire to protect them then that had awakened his eyes? Better than a negative emotion.

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Sakura lay in the tent beside Naruto, Sasuke on watch. So far so good and without Naruto being poisoned, though would it have done anything at all to him now? A first kill was a good reason to give for awakening Sasuke's Sharingan. He was having to use an illusion though to hide the fact it was fully mature. He had the Mangekyo but what about the Rinnegan? He still had the Sage's power after all so technically he should still have it. Maybe he wasn't powerful enough yet, like with her Seal?

Tomorrow, they would faze Zabuza and they had to let it play out so long as no one was in danger of dying. Then they would have the time while Kakashi recovered to secretly approach Zabuza with the truth about Gatō. They needed to save them and send them on to join Mei in sorting out Kiri. One of the Seven Swordsmen plus Haku's bloodline would be a good boost to her cause. The sooner that was fixed and Yagura freed, the better. That would take either Sasuke or Itachi though if they didn't want him dead but there was no way Sasuke could go and it as doubtful that Itachi could overpower what Obito had done.

Sasuke has now made his official first kill and odds were, they both would too if the final fight on the Bridge happened.

Naruto rolled over, tugging her closer. "Sleep," he mumbled, and she smiled, cuddling into him.

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Zabuza smirked as he stared down the three kids, this was going to be easy but…he did feel a little bad at killing three kids who had no clue what they were getting into. Konoha was too soft on their genin. He formed a water clone and sent it after them, giving the kids the chance to run for their lives. He wouldn't chase them if they did and left the bridge builder to him.

The two boys looked at each other and nodded, clones of the blond appearing even as the dark-haired boys' went red…Sharingan. An Uchiha, weren't they all dead? Still, it wouldn't be enough to save them.

TBC…

Been stuck for a while. So, Naruto doesn't have shadow clones, who could he conveniently claim to have seen use it and learn from or something? Been trying to decide how the fight should go and can't without shadow clones so suggestions?