Team Seven was always a special team.
When the Third Hokage was a simple Jonin-Sensei… his team was team Seven. When the Forth led a genin team, his team, it was team Seven. And when the title was handed to Kakashi, he was expected to take the team to the next level.
He had The Uchiha Heir, the Daughter of the Chief of the Civilians Council, and the son of his Sensei and the Village Jinchūriki.
They had just returned from their first mission.
Only they didn't return as they had left.
Where Saskia was prideful, he was now arrogant.
Where Sakura was just a loud fan girl, now she was bordering on becoming the Harrigan that her mother was.
Where Naruto was the village idiot, he was now scary.
Not the scary of being soaked in blood. No, he was the kind of scary of killing half the village and burning the rest.
The Hokage didn't know because of the other issues with the mission and the council trying to get the Uzumaki banished from the Village.
Kakashi stood before the memorial stone and spoke to his dead. Oh course he was not speaking out loud… he had mastered Silence under the eye of father.
Then he thought of something… the brat needed something to focus his attention. As an academy student, he played tag with the ANBU rank and file. He mastered the art of vanishing in plain sight… could he learn to 'Hide in the Shadow of the Noon Sun'?
Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves.
SCNS
Naruto returned to his apartment from doing another day of D rank missions. He would collect the pay in cash rather than bank drafts, and take every job that everyone else was avoiding.
He avoided the gardening jobs as he didn't have the recall to keep the plants separate from the weeds. He could prepare the ground for planting and even plant the harter crops, but the farmers rarely had missions.
He had no objections to cleaning the sewer drains and gutters. And between Kakashi-sensei's tree climbing trick and his clone mastery, he could do whole city blocks at a time.
He tossed his orange coat on the back of the kitchen chair as he stretched out his back muscles.
"So… what are you up to, gaki?"
"Ohayo Sensei. Just doing a few chores for some pocket money." He set two instant ramen cups on the counter and filled the kettle.
He turned to face the masked man in his lair. Only three people were welcome in his home. Jiji-sama, Kakashi and Iruka. It might be foolish, but he trusted these men with his life… and more.
"What can I do for you?"
"I noticed that you were… different from when we left the Village." The jonin perched on the edge of the couch. "The Deaths of the Kiri Shinobi affected you. It concerned me."
"It did." Naruto sat in his chair. "I walk with Death everyday. I understand this. I accept this." He looked his teacher in the eye. "But the casual killing of Haku and…" he breathed deeply. "At least Haku was valued as a living tool, but Gato just…"
"Naruto…"
"But I know that several people here don't even value me at that level." he ran his fingers through his sunshine locks. "I can count my friends on both hands. And half of them are children!"
"Growing up… I had three people I could call friends… and one of them died after telling me to take his eye." Kakashi raised his eye patch. "This is where I learned that the number of your friends doesn't matter but rather the quality of your friends." He pulled the hitai back into place. "It also is where I learned that orders and allies are not interchangeable."
The kettle began to whistle. As Naruto turned off the fire and poured the hot water into the cups, Kakashi picked up the scroll from beside him, and set it on the table.
"A new jutsu. You get the basics down and I will arrange for training for you to master it."
And he was gone.
SCNS
He walked into the Mission Room.
He approached the Chunin on the assignment desk.
"Jonin Kakashi." The Chunin sighed. "I already told you that we are out of D Ranks today."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Just curious… how many missions have me and my team done since we returned from Wave?"
"Let's see… six days… thirty eight."
"And what would you say to the fact that we have not been in? That Team Seven has not even been cleared for active duty yet?"
"What!" The Chunin dropped his pen. "Who…"
"A very easily bored Genin who is very skilled at clone and henge jutsu." Kakashi frowned. "I think I need to talk to the Hokage. Until you hear from the old man, continue with the operation. If he is working, he is not sitting idle. That means that he is not plotting his next prank."
At first the Chunin was afraid that he had been tricked by a foreign agent… then he was afraid of the Genin being bored. "So I will be asking you if you want cash or draft. I thought it was weird that you were wanting the payment in cash."
"Do that. I would advise that you look into inner village C rank missions as well. With his clones… he can do what the others don't want to."
"He is quite skilled at the Henge. He even had the inner team bickering down … and your book habit."
Kakashi turned and exited, not even touching his Book.
As he brushed past the secretary, and into the Hokage's office, he made a hand sign, causing the ANBU in the office to stand ready, but to take no other action.
"Kakashi, what brings you to my office today?"
"Hokage-sama. We might have a problem brewing."
"Oh? Something I need to worry about?" The old man packed his pipe.
"It's Naruto." Kakashi signed. "Mostly, he is bored." The ANBU in hiding shifted. "He has, for the most part, found an outlet. He has been taking every D rank available and taking the pay in cash. When I just checked on him, he is feeling a little under valued. Less than ten people are keeping him Loyal."
"Do you have any ideas?"
"Increase his circle of contacts." Kakashi frowned. "His taijutsu is subpar and only his fortitude and ability to soak damage allows him to hold his own. Whatever he learned in the academy is all wrong for him. Also… his Mother…" Kakashi trailed off.
"Neko." Hiruzen turned to the shadow in the corner. "You learned under Uzumaki-chan. You are the closest to his Clan's Mastery. On the days you're not here, see that he learns the basics." He gripped his pen as he wrote out orders for the Kid to learn better Taijutsu. "Gui is out on a training mission right now, but he should be back in a few days." He looked up at the Cyclops. "Do you have any ideas?'
"I advised the Chunin in the Mission Room, to allow him to continue to take the D rank missions that everyone else is avoiding. I also said that they should look at in-village C ranks as well. I also gave him a jutsu scroll." He licked his lips. "It was 'Hiding in the Shadow Cloak of the Noon Sun'."
"At least it was not the Flash Step." Neko shed the shadow as she stepped forward. "I will alert Dragon that next week it is 'Open Season' on all ANBU."
"Oh?" The Hokage sipped from his pipe.
"Dual training." Neko cocked her head like the cat, her mask represented. "The Gaki's stalking and evasion skills versus our Detection and Pursuit skills. The best training I had was chasing him across the Village. He was worse than that damn Hell Beast Cat!"
The other ANBU snorted.
"Has he learned the benefits of the Kage Bushin yet?" The Hokage asked.
"Yes and no." Kakashi smiled. "When he dismisses over thirty, he gets a bit of a headache. But he just folds the information into his thick skull and goes about everything like nothing happened. I have asked him about things his clones saw or did and he answered as if he was there, but I don't think he has assembled the truth, or the village would be crawling with henge'd clones."
"That's a scary thought." Neko shivered.
"You know how the bingo books will grant ninja an identifier title?" Kakashi chuckled. "I was thinking that we should dub him 'Legion'."
Hiruzen nodded. "With his reserves… and the Cloak…" the old man frowned. "Do you know his limit?"
"No, I don't think even he knows what it is." Kakashi scratched at the pocket that held his book. "I ordered him to limit them to twenty unless he is in combat."
"Good. I will list him as the 'Shadow Legion'. Try to keep it from him." Hokage-sama made a note on the sheet before him. "Now the others."
"Uchiha is becoming arrogant. The Civilians are just feeding his ego." Kakashi ruffled his hair. "Haruno is also learning some bad habits. Punching Naruto whenever she wants and her Fan Girl attitude for Uchiha has almost gottten her killed twice. Her Chakra pool is a teacup compared to the Uchiha's bathtub. Don't even get me started on the Brat's. If they were anyone else I would advise that you send them back to the Academy or kill them. They won't take being put through a refresher and protecting them will get me or Naruto hurt."
"I will have my son run them through their paces in three days. Individually and as a team." Another note. "In the meantime, I think you need to get out of the Village. I have a job that just came in." A scroll was handed over. "Yamanaka will handle them until you get back." More notes. "Dismissed."
SCNS
Naruto finished his cup of noodles and because Kakashi-sensei left before he ate his…
Now with two cups of noodles in his belly, he picked up the scroll. Unrolling it, he slowly read the prompt, before he got to the theory. He skipped most of it as it was using words and terms that he did not know…
Then he got to the important part. The hand signs.
It was a complex string of over thirty separate hand signs, but it was more than just hiding in plain sight. He was bending the air about his target.
In theory, if he had the Chakra, he could hide the entire Village. But the power required to build the 'shell' was N to the power of X. Where N was equal to the Chakra of the shadow clone. X was equal to the diameter of the average person being Cloaked.
The math just hurt his head.
Two warnings.
One, Any Chakra use within the cloak will cause it to fail completely.
Two, While not a Genjutsu, it can be broken by the same method of Chakra Flare if the Flare is stronger than the Cloak.
He summoned a clone to watch as he practiced the chain of high signs.
This went deep into the night.
SCNS
As the sun was rising in the East, a shadow drifted across the village roofs. Neko was on a threefold mission.
Primarily she was going to meet and collect her new student. Uzuki Yūgao was traveling as her other Rank, Jonin. Reaching the tenet apartment building. There were only two people in the four floor building. The Building Manager in the small apartment on the base floor. And Uzumaki Naruto on the top floor.
Other than the graffiti on the walls, she couldn't find anything wrong with the place.
In her research into her new student, she found out that the boy owned the building through a shell company. Or rather, he owned the company that owned the building. It seems that the Hokage had been using the Boy's Company to buy out failing businesses all over the Village.
Vixen Ventures.
It seemed that she would also have to teach him finance. She hopped the gap to the railing just outside his door and swung over the rail.
The door was answered by the boy in his under shirt. Like he had just got home.
"Yes?"
"New Orders from the Hokage." She offered him the scroll.
"Neko." The smile plastered across his face. "Come in… the Boss needs someone from outside to inspect his work."
Inside, it was cluttered, but clean. A raggedy couch sat facing a galley style kitchen. To the back, she could see the bathroom door open and the Bedroom was empty…
She frowned, before releasing a Chakra pulse.
She got the boy behind her… and something in the middle of the kitchen floor…
She turned to the boy and 'looked' closer. The body before her had a Chakra signature just above hers. When he was last before the Hokage when she was watching… he was like a burning sun. What was before her was a campfire. A small campfire.
"Kami-sama!" She spun back to the sensor ghost in the kitchen. "In one night! You learned the Shadow Cloak in one night!"
The air shimmered as the smiling blonde appeared before her. He stood behind a chair and table with his thumb up. "Dattebayo!"
'He really is her child.' Uzuki Yūgao shook her head. "New orders from the old man." She tossed the scroll to the boy as she began to really look the place over.
"Nice place you got here." She inspected the bedroom layout. "And the neighbors?"
"Moved out within the first year I moved in." Naruto shrugged, as he read the note.
"How's the rent?"
"Don't know, Jiji-sama handles it." He frowned. "Yūgao-sensei? What are you going to teach me?"
"The basics of your Mother's Clan's Kenjutsu. She trained me. When the time comes, we will go get the Master Scrolls." She looked the boy over. "First… we need to get you a sword. Get dressed, and follow." She exited the room.
She looked around. The building was closer to the Tower than her current place, and if she could get a deal on the rent… and her girlfriends might want to rent one of the other units…
The boy closed the door behind him, before drawing a pair of strings across the doorway.
"You booty trap your own place?"
"No, but I used to. The string is just a bluff. Most who come looking for trouble prefer to catch me on the street." He gave a dark smile. "Now I get to defend myself."
He followed her to the 'Broken Kunai'. A Ninja Weapon shop that required you to show your Hitai to enter.
"Yūgao!" The mountain of a man yelled as they entered. "Why have you got the kit?"
"The Old Man asked me to teach him the basics. He needs a basic blade for now." The two adults turned to watch the boy pick out shuriken and kunai, before he moved onto other items that the shop had on display.
"Watching him move, looks more like two short straight bladed swords rather than one long blade." Yūgao spoke to the shop keeper.
"Teach him both. His Mother was a two blade Master, and his Father…" the man grunted. "The less said the better."
"Within three years, he is going to be known as their son." She smiled sadly as the brat continued to poke about the shelves. "Last night, the Hokage has dubbed him the 'Shadow Legion'."
"Do I want to know why?"
"He has mastered the basics of the Multi Shadow Clone, and just this morning he demonstrated that he knows the Shadow Cloak of the Noon Sun."
"Has he shown any real interest in any females yet?"
"Why?" She grinned at the Smith. "Thinking of shoving your daughter under him?"
"No… but I won't drag her out either."
"Hey Brat!" She pitched her voice to carry. Get your ass over here!"
Naruto trotted up and piled his findings on the counter. He then dug out a green frog wallet. The frog was bursting at the seams. He then began to pull out rolls of ryu notes and strings of coins from his pockets.
Seeing the pile of money, the weapon smith snorted and strolled off and pulled a chest pouch from the racks. He dropped it on the pile of things. You wear this under your jacket and vest. It will muffle the jingling of your coins. You can even use your Chakra to prevent it from being stolen."
He started poking through the items in front of him. He reached under the counter and placed another Kunai pouch on the counter. "Learn to use your other hand as well. That will be… thirty five ryu." He counted the coins on one string… "Twenty five here. Do you want to…"
Naruto opened the frog wallet. "Gama-chan, let's see if…" he passed over a ten ryu coin.
As the man nodded, Naruto removed his jacket and, with Yūgao's help, he shrugged into the pouch rigging. He then strapped the second Kunai pouch to his left leg. Then he said his orange coat back on. Shortly the counter was clean.
"Okay. First, let's find you a katana." Yūgao headed to the sword section.
The smith ghosted in their wake. "Okay, take off your jacket. We need to see how your muscles flex."
It was almost an hour before they selected a sword, in a battered, black, chipping lacquered scabbard. But the balance, length and style agreed with the Brat's body movements. It also had the Uzumaki crest as the tsuba.
Then he was told to find a set of short swords…
He finally selected twin straight bladed, hand and a half hilted single edged swords with a loop on the button like his Kunai.
As he bought his new swords, the smith laid a trident shaped Kunai on the counter. "Remember this Blade. Those of us who carry them, are a select few who knew your Father. We are bound from telling you anything about him until you are Chunin. Those who are the Disciples of your Mother carry a different blade. They were great Shinobi and they fell during the Kyuubi attack. They gave their lives and their Greatest treasure in protection and defense of the Village. Thank you for continuing their service." And he was gone… taking the Kunai with him.
"There are some who have declared themselves Disciples." Yūgao led the boy out into the street. "He follows the Tao that your Father founded. I and a select few follow the Tao of your Mother." She frowned at him as he fiddled with the sword hanging down the center of his back. "Why do you wear that heavy thing?"
"I like the color and it was the best of the things that they would sell me." He waved at a clothing shop they were passing.
When she was looking at his paperwork, she saw a couple of her favorite shops were either owned or rented from Vixen Ventures. She changed direction towards the closest of the shops.
As she led him in, the sales woman came bustling up to him, "What are you doing here? I told you to never come in here." She looked at Yūgoa, "Escort this… Urchin from my store."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Yūgao smiled at the woman. "I do believe that the Owner will have something to say about that."
"I am the Owner."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you bought it from Vixen Ventures."
The woman gasped and stumbled away. "What do you know about… them?"
"That they are owned by a very important Clan here in the Village and they own many businesses that were hit hard by the Kyuubi Attack. They bought many shops and allowed the owners to run things as they pleased." Yūgao glanced at the boy. "You no doubt heard about his last big mission to Wave. He made the Owner of Vixen Ventures a minor profit… to the point that the Big Guy would close every shop in the Village to keep the Brat happy."
The Woman swallowed. "And my business?"
"Oh, the Brat will pay retail… and only retail."
"What does he want?"
"Proper Shinobi wear. Mesh under armor, pants and jacket in orange…"
"In Orange? Shinobi Wear?"
"He has a peculiar fighting style. The Orange is part of it." Yūgao stepped close to whisper in the woman's ear. "Did you not see the Crest on his back? He is Clan'd. And when his Clan Comes for him…"
The woman swallowed her fear and began to collect the things the boy would need. While she didn't have Orange, she would have it next week.
Naruto paid the price… in full… in advance.
Back on the street, Yūgao had him send his clothes back to the Apartment by Clone, as she led him to the training area.
Only instead of taking the boy to a flat grassy field, they arrived at a log cabin style Dojo with a roaring waterfall and a deep pond. There was a mountain cliff face on the other side of the wooden walkway.
On four of the many posts of the walkway, a ninja was poised.
A Hyuga was holding himself stiff, flat and vertical, using only the forefinger of both hands.
A Kunoichi stood, with her arms out to each side, her eyes were closed.
A youth dressed in a green bodystocking with Orange leg warmers on one hand posing as a human starfish.
The Jonin was wearing the same green bodystocking with a vest, using only one finger as he stood straight and tall.
"Yūgao! So good to see you? What brings you to our Dojo so early?" the Jonin smiled bigger than Naruto, his teeth glinting in the morning light.
"I was given orders from the Old Man. I am to oversee the combat effectiveness of the brat here. He needs you to put him through his paces. In exchange I am willing to offer Kenjutsu lessons for Tenten. He is okay, but no style and shitty training. Kakashi thinks that a month under your training and he might be a challenge for your Mini me."
"Lee!" The man in green flipped off the post, as the boy in green fell and landed on his toes. "You two do as you please." He led the way into the Dojo.
The girl jumped down and followed the group inside.
The Hyuga just changed fingers.