Cedar |Naruto various x Reader|

A harsh turning point

The four genin regrouped with idate during the night and waited in front of a temple with the other runners. (Y/n) made sure to check everything she had, she didn't want there to be any mistake when it came to this mission. Sasuke watched her, she seemed so different, so mature. He was mature as well but it was different from her, the maturity she shows bothered him because she almost acted as though she was the groups mother. He wanted her to be anything but his mother.

She turned to look at him after feeling his intense stare. She smiled but this made the raven look away and join in on what naruto and sakura were speaking on. She sighed but went to talk to idate. "Its you, what do you want ninja?" he asked as he stretched his legs. "I have packed water and food in case you need them, do look past your pride and ask for it when you need it." she held no qualms with him, this was evident at the care she took to get even him some supplies. He wanted to deny them but knew it was a necessary necessity for him to win. He looked away from her and mumbled out a strained thanks. She hummed and waited while looking at the competition. He didn't look fast to her but who knows. As the sun rose, start was shouted and there they went. Yet what really shook her was not their speed but the fact that idate didn't go to the boat but ran on land. "Oh brother! This guy stinks for this." yelled (y/n) as the four ninja ran after him. She couldn't help but be annoyed that she had to give hard chase for a boy who wanted so badly to be a cheetah.

The boy fell for a double genjutsu as he ran off a cliff. Naruto jumped for him as sasuke, sakura, and (y/n) held a rope and pulled the two up. They continued to follow him, his plan was to beat the competition due to the ocean winds pushing towards land and not away, it would take too long if they were to take that route. He was smart and attentive, although idate was annoying he had a brain. They made it to a different port in the race and took the boat that an kind old man had to offer. They looked to be on good timing, everyone had a sort of job when it came to the boat. (Y/n) was look out, she stood atop the sail and searched around for any threat. She heard her team speaking but tuned them out, for some reason she wanted to know how gaara was doing. She would have to see if she could pay him a visit that is if lady tsunade allowed it. She turned to look behind them, she had felt another set of chakra presence and there she saw 3 ninja following them. "Guys! Behind us!" she yelled as one of the pursuers shot a set of arrows at her.

She jumped down and ran towards Idate. "Me and naruto can handle them, (y/n) make sure nothing happens to idate with." sasuke directed. She didn't want to leave them behind but if they needed her then she would quickly help them. "Im on it." The pursuers shot arrows with ropes attached to them and slowly pulled themselves closer. Sugimoto quickly cut the ropes, she noticed naruto's lack of ninja tools and quickly gave him a kunai along with some shuriken. Although they cut the ropes, they still were not safe as the enemy and their clones rose from the ship. Sugimoto stood guard in front of Idate with sakura. Naruto had ran the original attacker into the ocean yet he jumped back aboard his own boat with the other two attackers.

She watched carefully to keep idate safe, that was till she felt a drop of water fall upon her face. "Rain?" she questioned but when she looked at it and smelt it, sakura yelled the realization first. "Sasuke! It's oil! Don't use any fire!" This warning saved the boy from doing anything that could have put him in danger. The attacker, kagari, cursed and stopped the oil rain. Yet the team was not saved as the enemy with the crossbow shot a fire arrow onto a puddle of oil on the boat. Fire rose from the ship and began to consume it. Sugimoto quickly absorbed some chakra from the opponent and gasped. "Shit! Sasuke, they use water release. We're sitting ducks if we jump in." sugimoto warned. "We have no other choice though." grunted sasuke. "Hell no! You want to use me as a decoy so you can get the hell out of here." idate hollered as the other genin yelled at him to trust them but idate wouldn't budge. Sakura notice clones emerge behind the runner and (y/n), the pinkette grabbed the mast and pulled it from the ship. "Duck!" she yelled to which the two did. The pinkette did away with the clones as she swung the huge pole. (Y/n) grabbed idate's hand, this got his attention. "Please trust us to protect you. Get on my back, it isn't safe to swim." the boy scowled. "As if-" yet she cut him off. "I don't want to hear it, if you truly want to win then shut up." idate grumbled and glared as he clung to her back.