To change the world

Up! Sasuke thought, raising the rake high above his head.

Breathe in! he thought, taking a deep out.

Down! With a muffled impact, the rake dug into the soil in front of him.

Pull! He pulled the rake towards him, plowing the ground in front of him.

Breathe out! He breathed out.

Step! He took a step back.

Up! he thought, bringing the rake once more over his head.

He repeated the process, again and again, as he already had been doing all morning. Next to him, his two teammates were doing the same. After the training they had done together with Team 8 – he still didn't get what that dinner together was supposed to achieve – their sensei had decided that it was time to go on missions again. Yesterday they had been sent on a short errand, and today they were helping on a field. D-rank missions were really starting to annoy him. They were a waste of his time. C-rank missions would at least allow him to gather experience, but this? Pointless. He had no idea why Tanya-sensei was so obsessed with them. Over the last week, it had appeared as though she would finally start prioritizing their training, but no. Just after a few days, she was right back at it.

Breathe in!

To be fair, the young Jōnin was determined to make this one not as pointless as it could be. Instead of just letting them do how they saw fit, she had turned it into an exercise and made the three of them adopt a certain rhythm. Especially Naruto had trouble with that at the start, but by now, all three were actually somewhat in sync. Tanya stood beside them and paid close attention that it stayed that way.

Down!

Teamwork. Not long ago, that word was not part of his vocabulary. Dead weight, that was all he could see the others as. But after spending time with them, especially after the training camp that had gotten cut short, he started to adopt a more… nuanced view of his two teammates.

Pull!

Sure, Naruto was still loud and obnoxious. But his determination and his refusal to accept himself failing a task was admirable. He would of course never surpass Sasuke, but he might one day develop into someone Sasuke wouldn't mind standing side by side with.

Breathe out!

And Sakura, well, she had at least reduced the number of her annoying advances. Also, now that he was finally no longer surrounded by all the other girls in his class as well, now that she was no longer one of many, she was actually much more tolerable. And while she lacked raw skill, she was a hard worker, and her knowledge and chakra control were nothing to scoff at. He could still remember vividly how he had accidentally pushed himself away from that tree trunk, only to look up and see the pinkette sitting on the highest branch on her first try. Not that this meant he had any plans to respond to her advances, but… he wasn't bothered by her presence.

Step!

He knew it was a topic he would have to think about eventually. After all, rebuilding his clan was one of his two big goals. He couldn't do that without finding a wife. But killing his brother came first, and that was something he had to do alone. This was his revenge, the others had nothing to do with that. But for that, he needed to become stronger, which was exactly why he hated wasting his time.

Up!

Starting a new cycle once more, he couldn't help but throw a sideways glance at his sensei. The golden-haired girl truly was an enigma to him, but one thing about her was indisputable: she was strong. Incredibly strong, despite being barely older than him. And so far, she had probably only shown a small fraction of her arsenal. It was a shame that he hadn't seen most of her fight against that Missing-nin from Mist.

Breathe in!

And she was a capable teacher. As much as Naruto wouldn't get tired of insisting that she was crazy – at least when she wasn't around – if she was, then there was the proverbial method to her madness. Sasuke hated to admit it, but if she hadn't pushed them to their limits during the bell test, none of them would've passed. She could play a key part in his revenge. He only wished she would stop being so obsessed with D-rank missions.

Dow-

Within the motion of sticking the rake into the soil once more, his eyes opened wide and he quickly ducked, Tanya's kunai flying over his head. To some degree, he could understand her point that a shinobi must never drop his guard, and he had been able to avoid her blades better lately, but his pulse still shot up each time she attacked them out of nowhere. However, he also knew that she would get angry if he'd let that make him fall out of his rhythm, so he quickly resumed his work. She didn't comment any further and neither did he.

Pull!

For just a second, Sasuke imagined how it would be if she were to end up as the mother of his future children. It happened subconsciously, he had no idea why his brain did that. Consciously, he could never think of it. Well, to be fair, her strength would certainly be a great asset to the renewed Uchiha clan. But on the other hand, it would also mean he would have to spend the rest of his life with her. Actually, did he? He didn't know much about him, but Sasuke had once heard that the man he was named after, Sasuke Sarutobi, had had multiple wives. If it was for the sake of his clan… no, that thought didn't sit right with him.

Breathe out!

Still, he had great difficulties imagining Tanya-sensei as anyone's wife. Or as a mother for that matter. Would she be more lenient than she was as a teacher, or would she be even harsher? Would the kids turn out like her? Would they share her hair color? Now that he thought about it, blonde hair was rare in the Hidden Leaf. The only others he could think about were Naruto and the Yamanaka clan. The latter had a much lighter shade though, closer to sand when compared to Tanya-sensei's more golden hair. Actually, wasn't the Fourth Hokage said to have blonde hair? But… no, she couldn't be. Right?

Step!

In unison, the three realized they had reached the end of the field.

"Almost done," Tanya commented. "One more line each."

As they went into position, Naruto quietly grumbled something that sounded like "you're free to do something yourself". Not quietly enough for their sensei to not hear him though.

"Rather than complaining, you should make sure that you don't fall out of sync with your team, Naruto," the golden-haired girl reminded him with a wide grin on her face, twirling a kunai around her index finger. Naruto gulped, realizing what he had just brought on himself. The three were just about to start with their final row when Tanya called for them to stop. Looking up, they noticed her holding a piece of paper with a satisfied look on her face.

"Change of plans, something important came up. You three can go home, I'll report to Lord Third later and give you your money when we meet next time."

"But… we aren't finished," Sakura pointed out. Instead of answering, the young Jōnin pulled out a scroll and unsealed the object stored within. It was a shovel. Sasuke had already known about it, having seen her holding it after her fight with Zabuza, so he wasn't as surprised as his teammates. It still confused him, why would anyone decide to fight with a shovel?

Ignoring the confused looks, Tanya stuck the tool into the dirt. A faint shimmer around the metal told Sasuke that she was channeling chakra into it. Then, with a quick yank, she pulled it back up again, and the ground followed. Similar to when you sent a wave through a rope, the soil got thrown into the air, broke apart, and turned over. In just a second, all three rows were done.

"There. I'll call you again when I get our next mission."

One hour after I had departed from my team, I could see the Hidden Leaf Village whizz by below me. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, I rushed to quickly reach the Hokage Villa. Objectively speaking, there was no need to be in such a hurry. Whether the Hokage would get the news I carried now or in half an hour made literally no difference. Looking at it that way, my current rush was nothing but a pointless waste of energy.

Why did I do it regardless? Easy: I was pissed. Of course, of fucking course, as soon as it looked like things were going according to plan again, this had to happen. I didn't know if this was once again Being X's doing, or if this was just this world being itself, and right now, I didn't care. Right now, I needed to report this, and then find a way to vent. Finally reaching my destination, I ran up the stairs and knocked on the office door. Upon being called in, I entered and knelt down in front of the desk. None of the aids were there at the moment, so it was just the two of us.

"Lord Third, I have news!"

"I would ask if Team 7 finished their mission, but I doubt that would warrant such a hurry. What is the matter, Tanya?"

"It is as you say, Lord Third. Although we did indeed finish the mission. But more importantly, the Akatsuki answered."

When I had met Kakuzu to pitch the idea that his organization, the Akatsuki, would buy the bridge so that Tazuna could afford to hire them (and forge some documents that made it look like they had invested in the project from the beginning), he seemed interested but said he needed to discuss it with his leader first. So far, s good. I hadn't gone into too much detail about the entire plan of the Land of Water, just that the Mizukage was likely backing Gatō (which had suddenly made Kakuzu's partner much more approving of my proposal for some reason). After all, this was of no relevance should the bridge get finished. Once it was done, the Land of Waves would no longer be dependent on their harbor and the Land of Water would lose their means to pressure them into submission in secrecy.

Now, two days later, he had contacted me again.

"My contact said there was some discussion, but in the end, their leader agreed. Everything else will be discussed with Tazuna since officially, the Hidden Leaf Village is not involved in this matter."

The Hokage nodded.

"Good. I also looked through some of our past spy reports if we had any information about Akatsuki. There wasn't much, only that they are a group of mercenaries that do whatever they get paid for. But they have an interesting range of customers, even the Tsuchikage is said to have hired them a few times. On the other hand, even if you can vouch for one of their members, there are still too many questions for my taste. I think we can trust that they will be able to resolve this matter, but further affiliation with them is likely not a good idea."

"As you wish, Lord Third. I mean, as I said, as far as the Hidden Leaf is concerned, we weren't involved in this matter either. But that is unfortunately not all the news I bring. Coincidentally, my contact was able to acquire a piece of information he was willing to sell. I had a bad feeling, so I took the initiative and bought it out of my own pocket, and I believe I made the right call."

I stood up.

"He didn't know any details, but apparently, Orochimaru is planning to do something during the upcoming Chūnin exam."

The old man visibly tensed up, and understandably so. Orochimaru was the most infamous Missing-nin of the Hidden Leaf and an incredibly dangerous man. I only knew about him from reports, but going from what I had read, he was the kind of person that would make Development Chief Engineer Adelheid von Schugel look sane in comparison. While exaggeration was always a possibility one had to consider, the fact that I could even draw that parallel already spoke volumes.

"Do you know anything beyond 'something'?"

"Unfortunately, no," I said and shook my head. There was of course the possibility that Kakuzu didn't tell me everything he knew, but what would he gain from that? Unless Akatsuki was also planning… no, that made no sense.

The usually gentle expression on the face of the Third Hokage darkened.

"So, after all these years, he is on the move again," he grumbled, more to himself than to me. "Maybe we should… no, canceling the exam is probably not a good idea. We know too little, and nothing would stop him from simply waiting for the next one. If we are prepared for him, we can use the opportunity…"

He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Apologies Tanya, I trailed off there for a moment. You acted correctly, and you will of course be compensated for your… deal. I doubt I must say that this matter is to be handled with absolute secrecy."

"Of course, Lord Third."

"Good. I will consult my advisors and will also meet with the Kazekage. We will discuss how to proceed, but for now, assume that the exam will happen as planned."

He leaned back in his chair and began to stuff his pipe.

"You plan on having your team partake, do you?"

I pondered on the question for a second. Not only because I wasn't immediately sure how to word my answer, but because I actually had to think about it for a second. This morning, it would've been a clear yes. The point was whether or not the new information would change my stance on the matter. It certainly would be a massive boost to my reputation if my very first team would collectively become Chūnin after just four months on their first attempt. But more important would be that they survived. So: was the risk now too high?

Then again, it wasn't like Orochimaru was going to partake in the exam, that thought was obviously ludicrous. He likely had some high-profile target and wanted to use the exam as a distraction. With security tightened, there was little direct risk for the Genin.

"I guess I did make it a bit obvious, Lord Third."

"That you did," he chuckled. "Do you think they are ready for it?"

"No."

"No?" he asked, the immediate answer making him raise an eyebrow.

"They are not ready. Yet," I clarified. "That is precisely the reason why I wanted to finish the required eight missions as quickly as possible."

"You could just train them in between missions though."

"Not the way I planned."

"I see. I'll be looking forward to seeing how they turn out under your tutelage." "

I got his attention, nice!

"Then I don't want to delay your plans. Just this morning we got a C-rank that would make a perfect number 8."

C-rank. Meaning we won't be done today. Then again, entering the exams with only D-ranks probably wouldn't be good. They got some field experience when we went to rescue Team 8, but a regular C-rank mission that doesn't go south would also be valuable for them. And as long as it's not an escort to another country, it shouldn't take too long.

"It's an escort mission, a merchant who is traveling to the Land of Bears."

Damn it!

"I have a variety of spices with me, so if you want to enhance your dinner a bit, I can sell them to you at a discount!" Zun offered with a wide grin. He was a man in his late fifties, and the merchant Team 7 was currently escorting. His brown hair and beard started to have patches of grey in them, but years of pulling his cart had left him with a rather toned build.

Naruto was ecstatic. After all these menial tasks, they had finally gotten a C-rank on their own! And unlike Kiba, he wouldn't need to get rescued. It was now the first evening of their trip, and they were currently in the process of preparing the camp.

"So, is this your first time escorting someone?"

Naruto crossed his arms and sported a smug grin.

"Maybe, but don't worry, uncle! Nothing will happen to you! Because you are looking at the next Hokage, believe it!"

The old merchant let out a heartfelt laugh.

"Oh? Then let's better hurry before I can't afford you anymore! Jokes aside, I've been on this route many times. I think I got protected by more kids than adults at this point. Trust me, I know better than to underestimate someone who wears a Leaf sigil on their forehead. I'll never forget that girlie from eight years ago. Absolute pipsqueak, but more ferocious than a bear who got kicked in the balls. Kid could tear a grown man six times her weight limb from limb. And I mean that literally, wasn't a pretty sight," he recalled with a mixture of laughter and shudder.

"Ah, right, I guess that happened," Tanya-sensei suddenly chimed in, making Zun's eyes go wide in realization.

"No way, you are that girlie? Haha, guess you always meet twice. I was surprised when I didn't see an adult. Does that mean you're a big shot now?"

"In some way," she shrugged.

"Congrats! What about the other two? Did they race up the ladder as well?"

"Unfortunately, they didn't get the chance. I'm the only one left."

The only one left? Did they quit? Naruto wondered.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry! What happened?"

"One got backstabbed by someone she trusted," she explained in a voice that was difficult to read. "The other… died on a mission he wasn't qualified for."

Shit, that was what she meant. They are all dead, except for her sensei maybe. I had no idea. 'Backstabbed by someone she trusted' … is that why she insists that we must never drop our guard? Maybe I shouldn't have just shrugged her off as some crazy chick. And 'a mission he wasn't qualified for', that must be the reason why she doesn't pull any punches during training.

He concluded that he might have judged the young sensei too hastily.

Five more days passed, but while they were constantly on the lookout, nothing happened.

"Are escorts always this boring?" Naruto complained as they once more prepared their camp.

"Yearning for action, huh?" Zun asked with a wide grin.

"Well, I guess."

"Congratulations, Naruto," Sakura deadpanned. "You just told the client that you wished someone would target his life."

"J-just so we could protect him! Didn't you say bandits were a common occurrence outside of towns?"

"They are, but that doesn't mean you are guaranteed to meet some as soon as you leave a town," Tanya clarified. "Depending on your route, your chances are between five and fifteen percent. Before you say something, consider how many people are on the road each day. That is a high risk. We actually passed some – or at least a group that could have been bandits, judging by the fact that they were hiding – yesterday around noon."

"What?! Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because a) I wanted to see whether either of you three would notice them and b) because we are bodyguards, not road patrol. Our top priority is and must always be the client. As long as they don't attack, they don't concern us. Sasuke – who was by the way the only one who noticed them – understood that. He kept quiet but was prepared for an attack. Just as you two should have."

He threw an angry glance at Sasuke who simply smirked back at him. Naruto was about to yell and throw a punch at him but got interrupted when Sakura switched the topic.

"But why didn't they attack?"

Tanya tapped her headband, her fingernail making a slight clink! when it hit the metal.

"Not all bandits are equally stupid. Some know that even a child could take them ten to one if they wear this symbol. Bands that have rogue ninja in their ranks, those are the ones you need to look out for."

Starting from the next day, they started to see changes in the environment. Slowly, the forests consisted of less and less hardwood, while the softwood started to increase. The Land of Bears was much smaller than the Land of Fire, so after crossing the border, it didn't take long until they reached Zun's destination, a small town on top of a hill.

"Hey, what's that?" Naruto asked, pointing at a strange mist in the far distance.

"That's the devil's ravine, a canyon filled with poisonous gas," Zun explained. "Behind it, you will find the Hidden Star Village."

"Woah! Can we go there, Tanya-sensei?"

"Of course not, why would we?"

"I never talked to ninja from another village before! Well, unless you count the guy who attacked Kiba and the others."

"And that won't change today. Now let's wrap this up and then get back on the road. We still have a few hours of daylight, and I plan to use them."

"Wait!" Sakura chimed in. "Aren't we at least spending the night here?"

"No, I have something planned for you and want to go back as quickly as possible," Tanya stood her ground. She then turned her attention to Zun so he could sign the mission scroll.

"C-can't we at least take a quick shower?"

Pocketing the scroll, Tanya sighed.

"Sakura, do you know what you do when nature calls in the midst of combat?"

"Um… holding it?"

"No, you crap your pants and then you keep fighting! Not showering for a week or two is hardly the worst thing you'll do as a shinobi, so get used to it!"

All three got quiet. Eventually, Naruto broke the silence.

"I think you smell great, Sakura!" he tried to cheer her up, but the pinkette merely groaned.

Without a civilian with them, their traveling speed greatly increased. By the time the sun finally hit the horizon, they were almost at the border again. While they were once more preparing for the night, Tanya suddenly raised her voice.

"I know you are there! I advise you to come out and not try anything funny!"

"Relax, I'm not an enemy!" a voice answered. A young man, maybe nineteen or twenty years old, appeared between the trees. His long, brown hair was tied into a ponytail, while the shorter-cut bangs hung into his face, stopping right above his narrow, green eyes. His most notable features were the forehead protector with a sigil in the shape of a star engraved in it and the gas mask hanging on his belt. He stepped out of the bushes – or hobbled, to be exact, since he had a wound on his right foot that was bleeding quite heavily.

"Who are you then?" Tanya questioned.

"The name is Hanran, ninja of the Hidden Star. You're from the Leaf, right?"

"Yes, we are on our way home."

"Figured. Hey, uh, you wouldn't happen to have a first aid kit with you?"

"What kind of shinobi doesn't," Tanya asked and rolled her eyes as she tossed him some bandages.

"I had one. Lost it when that damn bear blindsided me."

"Okay, in that case: what kind of shinobi loses to a bear?"

"One that is too full of himself and gets careless," Hanran admitted as he sat down on a tree stump to tend his foot. "On that note, I hate to trouble you more, but could you maybe help me reach my friends? Our base is close, just a bit far with this injury. I can offer you some beds and a tent in return."

"Let's help him, Tanya-sensei!" Naruto immediately insisted. He would get a chance to talk to a Star Ninja after all!

"We would've stopped here anyway, it's not like we're losing time," Sakura added, earning a nod from Tanya.

"We can't exactly turn a blind eye if an ally of the Leaf needs help, can we?"

And so, they departed, with Naruto and Sasuke each giving Hanran a shoulder to lean on. After a few minutes, they reached an encampment surrounded by a high wooden fence and guards at the entrance.

"Is this an outpost?"

"Something like that," the Star Ninja explained to Tanya. With Hanran vouching for them, they were let in with no issue. Inside the fence were multiple large tents, as well as a multitude of shinobi walking about, all wearing Star headbands. As they entered one of the tents, four additional beds got carried in. They were small and simple, developed to be easy to take on travels before being comfortable, but they beat sleeping on the forest floor any day. Even if the tent was now rather cramped.

"Since I messed up my hunt, all I can offer you is rice," Hanran laughed. But together with their own rations, they were able to make a meal that was at least okay…ish.

After dinner, Naruto bombarded Hanran with questions. The Star Ninja was fun to be around, and the two kept talking until Tanya insisted they went to sleep so they could get back on the road early in the morning. All in all, Naruto had a great evening.

Then, in the middle of the night, a loud bell tore him out of his sleep. He shot up in his bed, as did Sasuke and Sakura next to him. Tanya was already standing and fully equipped, while Hanran was getting out of his bed and reaching for his weapons.

"We're being attacked," their sensei stated in a matter-of-fact manner. The three barely had time to grab their gear as a wind jutsu blew their tent away and exposed them to the fight. All assumed a combat stance next to Hanran, as three figures landed across from them. They were… Star Ninja?!

"Shit!"

As Hanran cursed, Naruto looked around. Battles raged everywhere in the encampment, but every shinobi he saw wore a star on their forehead. What in the world was happening?

"What are Leaf Ninja doing here?!" one of the three asked confused.

"Who cares, they are just some kids! If they are with them, they are an enemy!"

That earned him a knock on his head by the guy in the middle, seemingly their leader.

"Open your eyes, Idiot! Those aren't 'just some kids', that's the Pixie of the Hidden Leaf!"

"Huh? Wait, are you serious?!"

His question got answered as Tanya let out a sigh.

"I really can't escape that nickname, can I?"

Once the name fell, the mood among the Star Ninja immediately changed. The three across from them visibly tensed while Hanran seemed… hopeful?

"Were you hired by these people?" the leader of the attackers asked.

"No", Tanya answered truthfully.

"Then I hereby offer you the right of the bystander."

"We accept," their sensei confirmed after thinking for a second. Much to Hanran's anger, apparently.

"WHAT?!" he shouted and spun around – as far as his injury allowed. "Damn it, I should have known it!"

Without any warning he jumped at Naruto, kunai drawn. Too surprised, the blonde couldn't react in time, but before the attack reached him, five bomb tags stuck to the Star Ninja's body. Guided by chakra threats, he got pulled back and flung high into the air.

'Kugutsupō…' [Puppet Art…]

"Tanya-sensei, wait!" Naruto shouted, but it was too late. The golden-haired girl clenched her outstretched hand into a fist.

'…Rainma no Haji!' [...Rhine Devil's Grasp]

High up in the sky, the bomb tags exploded. What little remained of Hanran rained down on the trio of attackers who looked quite intimidated. All Naruto could do was stare blankly at the fate of who he thought had been his new friend. A single drop of blood fell on his cheek.

"To reiterate: we claim the right of the bystander."

The leader nodded and raised his voice.

"Everyone! The Leaf Ninja have no part in this!"

"Get your stuff, kids. We're leaving."

Perplexed, the three Genin got their bags and followed Tanya. Naruto had no idea what was going on anymore, but despite the heated fights all around them, no one attacked them and they reached the gate unscathed.

"What… what is the 'right of the bystander'?" he finally managed to ask.

"Who knows it?"

Sakura's hand rose, albeit not as enthusiastically as normally when an academic question got asked.

"Go on."

"The 'right of a bystander' can be seen as a form of gentleman's agreement," the pinkette explained. "It means that two fighting parties acknowledge that a third party is not part of the fight and let them retreat from the battlefield in peace. It is a tradition that supposedly originated from the samurai in the Land of-"

"Wait, so we are just leaving?!" Naruto interrupted. He couldn't believe it. People were dying right behind them!

"Precisely," Tanya affirmed and stepped through the broken gate.

"B-but… we have to help them! Didn't you say they are our allies?!"

"Help who?"

"What?"

"Which side should we help? Can you even say who belongs to which side?"

Naruto looked back. He couldn't. Wherever he looked, Star Ninja was fighting Star Ninja. The corpses that started to litter the camp all were those of Star Ninja.

"But Hanran was so nice to us!"

"And then he tried to kill you," she reminded him, pointing at a cut in his jacket just barely not deep enough to reach his skin. He gulped as he realized how close of a call it had been.

His sensei sighed. "What did I say is the most valuable thing for a Ninja?"

"Information," Sakura immediately answered.

"Exactly, and right now, we have a critical lack thereof. Yes, the Hidden Star Village is our ally, but we have no idea what is going on here. Picking a side can only make things worse."

"But… but…," Naruto stuttered, trying to come up with a rebuttal. "But that SUCKS!"

"Yeah, get used to it. That's just how the world is."

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. Noticing his sudden halt, his teammates also stopped and turned around.

"Fine! If that's how the world is then I have to change it!" He clenched his fist and pointed it at Tanya. "I swear, here and now, that I will become Hokage, and that I will give my all to create a world that doesn't suck!"

"Change the world, huh?" Tanya asked with a neutral expression. "Many before you proclaimed that their goal. And their graves bore witness to their failure. If you shout that loudly, better be prepared to back your words up."

"I will! If no one succeeded before, that just means that I have to be the first! I never go back on my word, believe it! Because that is my Nindō!"