Chapter Twelve: A New Mission and the Great Seven Bridge.
Author's Note: As always, I'd like to start by thanking everyone who's left a like, comment, or review.
I honestly and sincerely appreciate it.
In other news, this story's done with the Land of Waves Arc, and I will probably end the poll a few days after this chapter has been released. I say 'probably' because I mentioned in Chapter Seven that I would take down the poll when I had left Wave and started on the Exams. Well, we're leaving Wave, but I won't be starting on the Exams just yet, which leaves me in a bit of a pickle; do I end the poll now or wait until I start the exams?
What do you guys think? Let me know in a PM. If I get enough asking to keep the poll, I will wait till the start of the exams to end it. Though, keep in mind I put up the poll to gauge people's thoughts and help me generate ideas. This doesn't mean that the most-voted person will be in or the least-voted person will be out.
Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this story.
Bold: Technique (English Translation)
Italics: Thoughts
Horizontal Line: Flashback
(Scene Change): Signals a scene change
The Sandaime Hokage sat at his desk, the early morning sun peeking through his office window as he read Jiraiya's report on Kurosuki Raiga. It had been two days since Hiruzen had requested the intelligence, and it essentially confirmed what they had extracted from Kushimaru. However, the information about Raiga's actions in Kawa no Kuni, forming a crime family, was surprising.
"Now, who to send to assassinate Kurosuki," the elderly man pondered as he read through a list of the missing nin's abilities, focusing on the bit of underlined information that recommended not engaging the man outside or during cloudy days. "Kakashi's Raikiri (Lightning Blade) would prove useful for a potential confrontation, should there be one. However, that's assuming Kakashi will be facing Kurosuki alone, but we know that's not the case given this new information on a crime family." Hiruzen laid the open scroll on his desk and leaned back in his chair as he continued to think, "I could send Jiraiya along; I'm confident that those two combined could match and overcome Kurosuki and whatever criminals or other missing-nin the man has gathered. Although, it's always better to be safer than sorry. So it would probably be best to include Zabuza, who knows his fighting style. We'll also need a skilled fūton user to counter Kurosuki's other raiton techniques. But the only skilled wind users in Konoha are my son and Danzo. The former is out on a mission, and the latter, I'd rather eat my hat than send him out." The chime of the intercom broke the elderly man's musings.
"Hokage-sama, Team Ten is here to see you now," his assistant, Aya, announced. "Shall I send them in?"
"The heavens smile upon me," Hiruzen smiled as he sat up and pressed down on his receiver. "Yes, thank you."
A moment later, the office doors opened, and Sarutobi Asuma entered, followed by his students Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chōji, and Nara Shikamaru. The group stopped before the Hokage's desk and offered him a bow.
"Greetings, Asuma; how was your patrol?" Hiruzen asked, motioning them to rise as he observed the team; the Nara was yawning, the Akimichi was smacking his lips, and the Yamanaka was pouting while his son appeared relaxed.
"It went well, no complications. The highlights were capturing a few bandits near our border with Ta no Kuni and Genin Yamanaka dirtying her new top when she sneezed on it," Asuma reported, a smirk on his bearded face.
"Ah, that explains Ino-san's expression," Hiruzen chortled, smiling and enjoying the glare thrown at Asuma's back from Ino for a moment before he recalled his plans, and his smile thinned slightly. "Well, other than the ruined top, I'm happy that everything went well. Your students are dismissed. Please give them the mission report to hand off to my secretary."
Hearing his dismissal, the three teens offered their leader a bow before doing as ordered. Ino took the report from Asuma, her light-blue eyes shining with curiosity as she glanced over her shoulder at her sensei before the office doors closed.
"So, what's the mission?" Asuma asked once he heard the door latch click and his students' shoes leave.
"An A-ranked mission to help assassinate Kurosuki Raiga and his crime family," Hiruzen answered, watching as his son's eyes widened ever so slightly and his back stiffened, the only outward signs of his shock.
Asuma took a moment to process the shock of the request before his mind latched onto one word in particular. "Help?' So, who else will be going on this mission?"
"Jiraiya, Kakashi and his team, and Momochi Zabuza and his apprentice," Hiruzen stated as he rested his elbows on his desk and threaded his fingers.
Asuma couldn't help but gape at that lineup. "You're sending me, Kakashi, and Jiraiya-sama to assassinate one guy? Yeah, he's an ex-swordsman, but what the hell did he do to piss you off?! And speaking of ex-swordsmen, what's this about Zabuza and his apprentice joining in?"
"I suggest you take a smoke before I continue," Hiruzen stated, an amused smile at his son's reaction.
Wordlessly, Asuma did as suggested, pulling out a pack of smokes from his flak jacket and slipping a cancer stick between his lips. He lit the cigarette with a flare of katon chakra, a trick his father taught him years ago, and took a long, deep drag, letting the nicotine soothe his nerves.
"Better?" Hiruzen asked, watching his son exhale, filling the room with an acrid smell of smoke.
"Better," Asuma nodded, the cigarette hanging in the corner of his mouth.
"Good. To answer your questions, I'm sending you and Kakashi because you two have skills that counter Raiga's. Jiraiya is currently with Kakashi's group, and I thought it wouldn't hurt to have him along. Momochi-san and his apprentice are also with Kakashi's group and are coming here to discuss a possible defection to our forces. And since Momochi-san is a former swordsman, I thought it prudent that he be on the mission as well, and we can also treat it as a loyalty test of sorts," Hiruzen explained.
"Momochi's defecting? And he is bringing his blade?" Asuma asked, feeling the need to grab another cigarette at his father's nod. "And now you want us to kill Kurosuki for his blade, so we'll have two under our control. What's next? Want us to go after Hoshigaki so that we'll have three?" Asuma asked, somewhat jokingly, as he took another deep drag of his cancer stick, watching the growing pillar of ash fall to the ground.
"No, because Kurosuki's Kiba will make three," Hiruzen replied, chuckling at his son's shocked expression, which caused him to stop mid-breath and choke on the smoke.
"Wha-what?" Asuma coughed, pounding his chest. "We've already got a blade? Which one?"
Hiruzen then informed his son of what happened during Team Seven's mission to Nami; getting ambushed by the Demon Brothers, the revelation of Tazuna's lie, going to Nami, being ambushed by Zabuza, Naruto's meeting and romance with Haku, their confrontation with Kushimaru and, finally, their assassinations of Gatō and his thugs.
"Jeez," Asuma breathed, pulling out a second cigarette, having smoked through his first. He lit his second, taking a drag and exhaling. "So, Naruto-kun's got himself a girlfriend?" Asuma smirked, having processed the situation.
"Indeed, our little blond is quite the unintentional casanova," Hiruzen remarked with a chuckle, remembering some of the more interesting tidbits Jiraiya had included about Naruto's interactions with his paramour.
"Unintentional?" Asuma parroted, his eyebrow raised. "How does one accomplish that?"
"You can ask Jiraiya when you meet up with him," Hiruzen stated, waving his hand. "Now, any further questions?"
"A few; one, where am I meeting them? Two, could I bring my team along?" Asuma asked.
Hiruzen's brow raised at the request. "May I ask why?"
"Experience; I want them to see the darker aspects of shinobi work. And with me, Kakashi, Jiraiya-sama, and apparently Momochi-san, I can rest assured that they will be as safe as possible," Asuma explained.
Hiruzen hummed in thought. "Are you aiming to get them blooded?"
"Yes," Asuma answered, his eyes resolute.
"Very well," Hiruzen nodded. "Go inform your team and leave for Tanzaku Gai; Jiraiya and his group will meet you in four days at the Asami Inn."
"Understood," Asuma stated before offering a bow, turning on his heel, and exiting the office.
Hiruzen watched the door close before he whipped out a blank scroll and penned a message to Jiraiya, explaining the mission details. He finished it in a few minutes, sealing it with his security seal, then standing up, walking to the center of the room, and summoning Itsuki.
"Yes, Hiruzen-dono? How may I be of service?" Itsuki asked, the tiny snow monkey offering a bow to the aged Kage.
"Please deliver this message to Jiraiya," Hiruzen requested, handing the scroll over.
"It will be done," Itsuki stated, slipping the scroll inside his shirt, before disappearing in a cloud of white smoke.
Nodding, Hiruzen turned on his heel and made to return to his desk when his office doors opened and revealed his assistant, Aya. She walked in carrying a tray of tea and a scroll that bore the seal of Cha no Kuni.
"A Kage's work is never done, is it?" Hiruzen asked, his shoulders slightly slumping as he returned to his desk.
"I'm afraid not," Aya stated, offering her leader an apologetic smile as she laid the tray on his desk and poured him a cup. "Will there be anything else, Hokage-sama?"
"No, that will be all. Thank you," Hiruzen said as he reached for his cup and enjoyed the scent of jasmine.
Aya offered her leader a bow before exiting the office.
Hiruzen allowed himself a few minutes to enjoy his morning tea, savoring its taste before returning to the monotony that was paperwork.
(Scene Change)
Asuma quickly left his father's office and tracked down his genin. Shikamaru was the first and easiest to find; knowing his lazy student, the first thing he would do after a mission would return home and nap, and that is where Asuma found him.
"Why do we have another mission so soon?" Shikamaru yawned as he glared daggers at his sensei's back. "Isn't it protocol that teams returning from patrol get a few days to rest?" he asked, though it sounded more like a statement.
"Leave it to a Nara to know when they get to laze about," Asuma smirked over his shoulder as he led his student toward Yakiniku Kyū, knowing that's the most likely place to find Chōji.
"You didn't answer my question," Shikamaru stated, his brown eyes narrowing as he used the most dangerous thing a Nara possessed; his brain. "Whatever mission you got must be important, but why do you need us if it's so important?"
Asuma grinned, saying nothing as they arrived at the restaurant and entered, leaving his curious student to mull over the possibilities. "Yo, Chōji, get over here; we've got a mission," Asuma said as he waved his student over.
"But Asuma-sensei," Chōji whined, a pout on his swirly cheeks as he sat in his booth, "I just placed my order!"
"Sorry, I promise to treat us during one of the stops on our mission," Asuma assured before jerking his head towards the door. "Now, come on. We'll swing by your house and pick up your gear before finding Ino."
"Alright," the Akimichi heir sighed as he shuffled out of his booth. "Though we better be going out for barbeque."
"Deal," Asuma said, clapping the big-boned brunette on the shoulder. "Now, let's get it."
Asuma and his two male students quickly departed the restaurant and left for the Akimichi clan compound.
"Psst, Shika, do you know what this mission is about?" Chōji whispered to his best friend as they passed by Ichiraku Ramen. "Hmm, it's been a while since I ate there; last time I had a ramen eating contest against Naruto," Chōji's stomach gurgled at the thought. "We should do that again sometime."
"Don't know," Shikamaru shrugged, "But I suspect it's something important because Asuma-sensei hasn't said anything about it."
"Got any theories?" Chōji asked.
"A few," Shikamaru said, his eyes narrowing, "And if any of them are true, then this mission is going to be troublesome."
Chōji's shoulder slumped, and his stomach gurgled again. "Great."
"They know I can hear them, right?" Asuma thought, his eyebrow arched as he made a mental note to teach his team how to communicate through sign language. "Hey, quit gossiping like hens; we're here," Asuma said over his shoulder, enjoying the slight flinches of his students as they found themselves in front of the Akimichi residence.
The boys offered their sensei apologies before Chōji went into his house. A few minutes later, he came out with a large backpack, a stack of four bento, and bits of rice on his smiling face. "Hey, Sensei, Mom made us some lunches for the road," Chōji said as he held out the lunch boxes.
"That's very kind of her; thank you," Asuma said, his eyes glinting and his stomach rumbling as he took the offered lunch boxes. Akimichi cooking was a treat that he wouldn't turn down. Team Ten's sensei quickly sealed the offered meal inside a scroll from his flak jacket, and the group quickly searched for their female teammate.
The group first stopped by the Yamanaka clan house, catching Ino's mother just as she exited the residence. They explained the situation to the Yamanaka matriarch, who told them that Ino had dropped off her backpack and left to shop. Ino's mother then asked them to wait before returning to the house and coming back a few minutes later with Ino's pack.
"Good luck, and tell my daughter that I packed fresh clothes for her," the Yamanaka matriarch said as she handed the pack to Asuma and smiled at the group.
"Will do, Mam," Asuma said, nodding as the other two bid farewell. Then the group was off again, heading toward the shopping district.
"Do you know what shops Ino likes to frequent?" Asuma asked his two students as he scanned the crowds.
"Clothing/Clothing," the two boys said, shuddering, their eyes becoming blank slates as they recalled being dragged on one of Ino's infamous shopping trips. They got dragged from one clothing store to the next, forced to stand outside of changing rooms as Ino tried on a seemingly endless line of tops, dresses, skirts, and pants that she claimed came in different shades, but all looked similar to the two bored boys who'd rather be sitting through one of Iruka's droning lectures than answer the same question for the thousandth time; "Do you think Sasuke-kun will like this?"
Asuma's eyebrow raised at the two boy's reactions. He was about to ask what was wrong when out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something that caused a grin to bloom on his face. "Nevermind, guys, I think I've got us a quick way to find her," he stated before jogging away, "Hey, Kurenai, you got a sec?"
Shikamaru and Chōji followed their sensei with their eyes. They saw that Asuma was chatting up with Yūhi Kurenai, the beautiful, red-eyed raven-haired sensei of Team Eight who was leading Hyūga Hinata somewhere. The two boys traded a look before shrugging and walking over.
"I suppose I have a second to spare. What do you need?" Kurenai asked, a soft smile on her face as she drank in the broad-shouldered form of her boyfriend, feeling a thrill of pleasure racing down her spine as she watched his brown eyes roam down her body, tracing the curves that her bandaged dress accentuated.
"Well, I need a few things," Asuma grinned before he looked into her eyes, "Though that can wait until later; my team has a mission, and we need to leave soon, and I was wondering if I could recruit Hinata to track down Ino for us. Ino's mother told us that she was in the shopping district."
Kurenai frowned at this information. "Really? Didn't your team just get back from a patrol mission?"
"We did," Asuma nodded, "But something came up that needs my expertise, and I requested that my team come along for some experience." Seeing his girlfriend's eyebrows knit together and her beginning to bite her lower lip, signs that she was puzzling through something, Asuma quickly flashed her a hand signal for 'Hokage' that caused her eyes to widen and Shikamaru's eyes to narrow.
"So, we're going on a mission from the Hokage that requires Asuma-sensei's expertise," the Nara heir thought, his mind racing as he placed his hands in his pockets and began drumming his fingers on his thighs. "Sensei's skilled in a lot of things, chiefly close combat, though we've got a lot of close combat specialists in Konoha, so it's probably not that. He's skilled in fūton. In fact, he's probably the only one in the village, outside of that Elder 'Shimura' dad gripes about, that's skilled with it. So, our mission involves someone that's at least jōnin level of skill and more than likely is a raiton user." Shikamaru finished his analysis in a few seconds before sighing and muttering, "Troublesome."
"Well, I wouldn't want to keep you waiting," Kurenai said as she turned over her shoulder and addressed her sole female student with an encouraging smile, "Hinata-chan, do you think that you could locate Genin Yamanaka?"
"Ye-yes," Hinata nodded. The navy-haired Hyūga heiress then closed her pale, white eyes as she went through a series of hand seals before stopping and holding the ram seal. "Byakugan!" the girl thought as her eyes burst open and veins near her temples bulged. Hinata then started scanning the surrounding buildings, starting with the clothing stores, and searched for Ino's chakra signature. Having been classmates with the Yamanaka heiress for six years, she knew what her chakra looked like at a glance. So, it took her little time to clear the shops before finding Ino in the third store she checked. "Ino-san's in Kawabata's," Hinata stated, opening her eyes and deactivating her byakugan.
"Very good, Hinata-chan! That took you less than a minute!" Kurenai praised her female student, feeling a sense of pride in the girl's improved abilities.
"Indeed, very impressive," Asuma added with a nod and a smile.
"I-it was nothing," Hinata squeaked, blushing as she poked the tips of her index fingers together and tried to sink into the neck of her heavy parka like a turtle escaping into its shell.
Asuma then turned towards Kurenai, "I'm off."
"Good luck, and be safe," Kurenai smiled before looking towards Shikamaru and Chōji, "All of you."
"We will," the boys said before they and Asuma departed for Kawabata's. They arrived at the store just as Ino exited, her arm hooked through the loops of a shopping bag.
"Asuma-sensei, what are you doing here?" she asked, her light blue eyes shining with confusion before they fell on the backpack on his back; her backpack. "Oh, no," Ino groaned.
"Fraid so," Asuma said as he held out her pack. "We've got a new mission." And before Ino could mention it, he added, "We'll swing by your parents' shop as we leave so you can drop off your shopping." His piece said Asuma turned on his heel and started in that direction, expecting his students to follow, which they soon did.
"...Fine," Ino huffed, pouting as she grabbed her bag and slung it on, trailing behind her teacher. "Did-"
"-Aunty packed you fresh clothes," Shikamaru yawned from her left, predicting what she would ask.
"Cover your mouth when you do that," Ino scolded, placing her hands on her hips, "Honestly, why couldn't I be on a team with Sasuke-kun?"
Shikamaru slightly smirked. "Cause you lost to Sakura and Naruto in the academy."
Ino opened her mouth to snap at her teammate, a rant about Sakura's inferiority on her lips when the second part of Shikamaru's comment registered. "What do you mean I lost to Naruto in the academy? He's the dead last!"
"Exactly," Shikamaru agreed, his smirk growing, "And it's well known that the lowest-scoring student is always paired with the highest-scoring male and female student. So, if you wanted to be on Sasuke's team, all you had to do was be the best kunoichi in the class or, far easier, be the worst student overall. Therefore, you lost to both Sakura and Naruto."
"But," Ino stammered, trying to find a way to refute Shikamaru's logic as Asuma and Chōji chuckled. She turned to Asuma, "Sensei, is it true? Is the worst student always matched up with the best male and female ones?"
"They are," Asuma nodded, a grin on his face, "So, it's as Shikamaru said; if you wanted to be on Uchiha's team, all you had to do was be the worst."
Ino's jaw dropped as this information registered with her, she could have been on her precious Sasuke-kun's team so easily, but then she thought about what her mother and father would think about her intentionally failing exams and shuddered. They might have disowned her. Ino shook her head to rid herself of the disturbing thoughts as she scoffed, "Whatever. It doesn't matter if I'm on Sasuke-kun's team or not. I'm a better woman than forehead; Sasuke-kun will be mine!"
The three males on the team sighed at her declaration, with the eldest shoulders slumping as he cursed himself. "I can't believe I forgot that Ino's crush and love rival is on the same team. This is going to be, as the Nara say, 'troublesome."
Shikamaru sneezed behind Asuma.
"Bless you," Chōji said as they stopped in front of the Yamanaka flower shop, with Ino running inside to drop off her shopping and say goodbye to her mother.
"Thanks," Shikamaru sniffed before he turned to his sensei, "You gonna tell us what this mission is about?"
"When we're on the road," Asuma said, watching Ino come out of the shop.
Shikamaru nodded as their team walked away from the shop and towards the village gates, where they signed out with the eternal gate guards Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo. Then, a few minutes later, they were on the road heading southwest. "So, sensei, you finally gonna tell us what our mission is about?"
Ino and Chōji's ears perked up as they looked at their teacher, wondering the same thing.
"Well, I did promise," Asuma stated, pausing in the road and turning toward his students. "Our mission is to aid in the assassination of Kurosuki Raiga, bearer of Kiba." Asuma grinned, wishing he had a camera to capture the slack-jawed expressions of his students. The first to recover from their shock was Ino.
"Are you insane?!" she shrieked, her hands clenched into fists as she shook in equal parts fear and anger, "We just got done with our first C-rank, and now you want us to assassinate someone?!"
Chōji was the second to recover as he quickly dug into his hip pouch, pulled out a large bag of potato chips, and scarfed down the snack as he nodded to what Ino said.
Shikamaru was the third to recover, schooling his face into his usual apathetic expression, though the narrowing of his eyes belied that. Just one glance at the Nara heir's black orbs, one could tell that the gears in his mind were turning furiously: "You said 'aid,' meaning we aren't the only team on this mission."
"Got it in one," Asuma complimented, "We'll be joining Team Seven, Jiraiya-sama, and some…recruits for this mission."
"We get to be with Sasuke-kun?!" Ino exclaimed, her eyes shining as she wiggled back and forth in what one might call a 'happy dance.'
"This is—gonna be—troublesome," Chōji said between bites of chips.
"You've got that right," Shikamaru sighed as he processed the new bit of information. "So, whoever this Kurosuki guy is must be important for the Hokage to send two teams and Jiraiya of the Sannin after him." Shikamaru's eyebrow then arched, "Who are these recruits joining us?"
"I'll let them introduce themselves," Asuma smirked, making a mental note to pick up a camera in Tanzaku Gai. "Now, let's beat tracks. I want to eat up some more miles before we break for lunch."
"Alright!" Ino yelled, holding up a clenched fist as a fire burned in her eyes, "Just you wait, Forehead! Sasuke-kun is mine!"
The three males sighed at her antics before hitting the road.
(Scene Change)
Sakura felt a shiver go down her spine as she packed her belongings, something Haku noticed as she gathered the spare bedding for the wash. "Is something the matter, Sakura-san?"
"No," Sakura shook her head, dislodging one of her long, pink bangs, which she curled back into place with a stroke of her fingers, "I just felt a sudden chill is all."
Haku tilted her head. "A sudden chill?" Haku then shrugged, offering, "Maybe someone's speaking ill about you? Or maybe something bad is going to happen in your near future?"
As she rolled her eyes, Sakura resisted the urge to snort, "Those are just superstitions, Haku-san."
"Maybe," Haku said, balling up some sheets and placing them in a laundry basket. "Though we are shinobi, our everyday lives are supernatural to most civilians. So, who's to say there's no truth in those superstitions?"
Sakura paused in folding one of her red dresses, her eyebrows furrowed and a slight frown on her face. "I guess I never thought about things like that," Sakura stated before resuming her folding, "Anyways, even if what you said is true, the only person I can think of that would speak ill of me is Ino-buta."
"Ino-pig?' I assume with a nickname like that, you two don't get along?" Haku asked as she stripped the pillows of their cases and threw them in the basket.
"Why would I get along with her?" Sakura scoffed, resuming folding her dress aggressively, creasing the fabric, "She's a blond bimbo who throws herself at Sasuke-kun whenever she sees him."
"My! And how do you really feel?" Haku teased, folding up the spare futons. "So, it's safe to assume that this 'Ino' is your love rival for Uchiha-san, correct?" the raven-haired Yuki heiress asked, getting a vigorous nod from the younger girl. "Alright, but may I ask what you see in Uchiha-san?"
Sakura's eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands before her chest and gushed, "Sasuke-kun's handsome, skilled, comes from a prestigious clan, and he's cool!"
"I see," Haku said, flashing the girl an indulgent smile as she gathered up the folded futons and placed them in an open closet on a shelf.
Sakura shook herself out of her crush-induced catatonia and asked, "What about you? What do you see in Naruto?"
"Similar things that you see in Uchiha-san," Haku answered, sliding shut the closet door and facing Sakura, a warm smile on her lips, "But most of all, he understands me."
Sakura didn't know why, but she felt a pang of jealousy at Haku's smile. Shoving the feeling to the back of her mind to be analyzed later, Sakura shifted topics, "So, are you excited to see Konoha?"
"I am," Haku nodded, her smile still on her lips, "Naruto-kun promised to give me a tour after our meeting with the Hokage."
"And I bet he mentioned going to Ichiraku's during it?" Sakura snorted as she finished folding her clothes and placing them in her pack.
"Once or twice," Haku agreed, "He-"
"-Haku-chan, Sakura-chan; Ero-sennin needs us downstairs for a meeting," Naruto announced from the doorway, interrupting the girls' conversation.
The two girls exchanged glances before getting up and following the blond out of the room.
"Do you have any idea what this meeting is about?" Sakura asked her blond teammate.
"No idea," Naruto shrugged before offering, "Though it might have something to do with Hokage-Jiji 'cause I saw one of his monkeys appear and hand a scroll to Jiraiya."
"Hmm, I wonder what Hokage-sama wants?" Sakura wondered, her eyebrows scrunched together as they entered the dining room where Jiriaya was sitting at the head of the table reading a scroll with Kakashi sitting on his right and Zabuza on his left.
"Good, you're here," Jiraiya said, raising his eyes from the scroll. "Take a seat, and we'll get this mission briefing underway."
"Mission-briefing?" Naruto parroted as he sat next to Haku and across from Sasuke, who sat with his elbows propped on the table and resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. "What mission did Jiji give us?"
"Shut up, and he'll tell you, brat," Zabuza stated, rolling his eyes and earning a glare from the blond and a soft chuckle from Kakashi.
"True," Jiraiya smiled before his eyes hardened and his tone was less jovial, "Our mission is to assassinate Kurosuki Raiga and secure the Kiba blades."
The table was silent after Jiraiya's announcement, so silent one could hear a pin drop as they all processed the news; Naruto clenched his fists; Sakura gnawed her lower lip; Haku frowned; Kakashi's eyebrow raised; Sasuke's eyes slightly widened; and Zabuza grinned underneath his bandages.
"Should have guessed that would have been the case when you approached me, Jiraiya-sama," Zabuza chuckled, breaking the silence.
"Indeed," Jiraiya said, his eyes scanning the table before explaining, "I believe Sensei saw an opportunity given your asylum request and Kushimaru's capture."
Zabuza grabbed Kubikiribōchō's handle. "So, Hokage-sama wants a third blade for Konoha." Zabuza's eyes then narrowed, "And this also serves as a loyalty test for us."
Jiraiya nodded at Zabuza's conclusions while Naruto gritted his teeth as he looked down at the table.
"Why do they need a loyalty test? Isn't helping us take down Gatō enough?" Naruto wondered before he felt Haku's hand cover his own as she stroked his knuckles with her thumb. The Uzumaki heir looked up and saw that his girlfriend's eyes were focused on the conversation as she frowned. Naruto released the breath he didn't know he was holding as he unclenched his hand and threaded his fingers through hers. He gently squeezed her hand, receiving one in return, alongside a smile.
"Will it only be us?" Kakashi asked, joining the conversation.
"No," Jiraiya shook his head, "Asuma, and his team, will join us; we'll rendezvous with them at Tanzaku Gai."
"Ino-buta is joining us?" Sakura blurted out, her eyebrow twitching.
"Will that be a problem?" Jiraiya asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes as he studied the girl.
"No," Sakura answered before she glanced at Haku, who looked amusedly at her. "Maybe there is something to those superstitions after all," Sakura thought.
"Good," Jiraiya said, clapping his hands. "Now, any further questions?"
"A few," Sasuke said, looking at the sannin with an eager gleam, "First, will we be expected to fight? Second, will we be training on the road?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "If you're asking about fighting Raiga, the answer's no. However, we know that Raiga has started a crime family, so you might fight them while we deal with Raiga. As for training, we'll be making a beeline for Tanzaku, so we'll have no time to train," Jiraiya explained to the Uchiha heir before looking toward Naruto, "That means that you'll be finishing your punishment after we return to Konoha."
"Yay," Naruto cheered with a deadpan expression, not seeing Sakura's ears perk up and her curious expression.
"It's alright, Naruto-kun. You nearly had it yesterday, just a few more seconds," Haku assured her boyfriend before she leaned over and whispered something in his ear that made him blush and caused a big grin to grow on his face.
Sakura ignored another pang of jealousy at the couple's interactions and asked, "What kind of punishment is Naruto facing this time?"
"Oh, nothing much," Kakashi said with a shrug, "Just having him walk on heated water while I throw the occasional shuriken."
"Occasional' my ass," Naruto muttered, recalling the dozens upon dozens of sharp throwing stars Kakashi threw at him that the blond would either have to dodge or deflect with his own weapons.
"Isn't that kind of dangerous?" Sakura gulped, shivering as she pictured herself in that unenviable scenario. "I mean, what if Naruto got hurt and another enemy came by? Aren't we considered in enemy territory?"
"We are," Kakashi nodded, "However, we've got Jiraiya-sama; his summons serve as an early warning system, and his mere presence alone is a deterrence."
"Oh, right," Sakura blinked, feeling sheepish as she recalled from her studies just who Jiraiya was; he was a legendary shinobi inside and outside of Konoha. There were very few who would dare to challenge him. That remembrance brought another question: "But if we have Jiraiya-sama, why send Team Ten? Aren't you, Zabuza-san, and him enough for one guy?"
"There's no such thing as overkill," Jiraiya answered, leaning back in his chair and taking in the table. "Any further questions?"
The table's occupants traded glances before they all shook their heads.
Jiraiya clapped his hands before standing up. "Excellent! The teens are dismissed; please finish helping Tsunami-san tidy up. Zabuza, Kakashi; follow me. We'll discuss the finer details outside."
Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Zabuza stood and exited through the kitchen door while the teens returned to their chores.
A few hours later, the group of shinobi was at the entrance of the completed bridge, with the whole of Nami no Kuni gathered to see them off.
"Thank you again for everything you've done," Tazuna said as he strode forward with his family and held out his hand to Jiraiya while Tsunami walked over to Haku.
Jiraiya took his hand and shook it firmly. "It was no problem. If you have further problems, message us, and we'll help you." Jiraiya then smirked as he released his hand, "Just make sure to give us all the details beforehand."
"Noted," Tazuna sheepishly chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Thank you for helping us," Tsunami said as she embraced the raven-haired young woman, placing her mouth beside Haku's ear. "Will I get an invitation to your wedding?" the young mother teasingly whispered before pulling back.
Haku blushed and smiled as she teased back, "Maybe."
Tsunami smiled back before turning to Team Seven and offering them a bow. "And thank you all for accepting my father's mission. If it weren't for you four, Nami wouldn't be free."
Sasuke smirked at her sentiment while Sakura smiled, Kakashi offered his eye smile, and Naruto grinned and bashfully rubbed the back of his head. "It was nothing," the blond said, trying to deflect the praise.
"We'll have to disagree on that," Tsunami softly pointed out as she rose from her bow and overlooked the blond, seeing him in his customary orange jumpsuit. "And how are your pants, Naruto-kun? Nothing feels loose, right?"
"Nope. They feel as good as new! You did an awesome job of mending them, Tsunami-san!" Naruto praised, feeling great that the housewife had repaired his jumpsuit pants.
"I'm glad," Tsunami grinned, basking in the praise of her seamstress skills before addressing the group again, "Thank you all." She stepped back, returning to stand beside her father and passing by Jiraiya.
"Thank you all," Tazuna said to the group of seven shinobi, "I promise that when you return to Nami, it will be one of the jewels of the Nations!" At his shout, the people of Nami cheered as they began saying thanks and waving the shinobi goodbye.
"And that's our cue," Jiraiya joked as he turned on his heel and began walking down the bridge, trailed soon by Kakashi, Zabuza, Sasuke, Sakura, Haku, and finally, Naruto.
Tazuna, his family, and the rest of Nami watched as the seven shinobi walked down the long bridge, soon becoming specks in the distance. "What do you think we should name this bridge?" Tazuna wondered.
"How about the Great Seven Bridge?" Inari proposed, "For Team Seven and the seven shinobi that helped free us?"
"That's a great idea," Tazuna praised as he fondly ruffled his grandson's hair. "A great idea indeed."