from Academy to Anbu by theriku260

chapter 39

With Naruto, one day later…

Like all ANBU agents that passed their training montage, Naruto could force himself to move with grave injuries and act completely normal. Inside he might be dying and wishing to be knocked out and carried back, but his pride as an ANBU black ops would not allow such a weakness to show.

Well, that, and if he let himself be carted back by stasis scroll or piggy back they would arrive at Konoha sometime next year. Which is why the Jinchuuriki was pushing himself to run at top speed despite the protests of his travel companions.

"Naruto," Tsunade said from behind, far behind. "If you keep this stupidity up you'll open your wounds up and I am not healing injuries caused by stupidity!"

"Baah, I've had worse! Keep up, old hag!"

"Really? You have?" Angel asked, keeping up with him. He gave an eye smile and thumbs up.

"No, you really haven't, fleabag." Kurama's ever cheerful voice spoke up, making Naruto glad his furry friend could not be heard.

"Shh, Kurama. You know I'll be fine. We're less than a day from the village anyway; I'll rest then."

So caught up in reassuring Kurama that he didn't need to be forcefully knocked out, Naruto missed the incoming fist to his head until he was crashing into a branch. Tsunade looked down at him, smirking.

"Yeowch, was that really necessary, Tsunade-sama?" He glared at her as she just healed him up and pushed him off the branch.

"Keep moving, brat. You should know calling me anything less than 'Tsunade-sama' will get you a private date with my fists."

"Tsunade-sama! H-his injuries" Shizune said. She sounded extremely exasperated but when Naruto looked over his shoulder mid jump she gave him a look that just screamed 'you deserved it'.

Naruto rolled his eyes as they kept moving. As long as Dragon-sama remained unaware that he, a dedicated and respectable ANBU, called a sanin less than their earned suffix, there was nothing to worry about. It wasn't like Tsunade-sama would actually hurt him, she loved him like a grandson! He'd be fine. Dutifully he ignored the growing dark aura behind him emanating from said person who supposedly viewed him as a grandson.

Within a few hours, Naruto's chipper attitude had waned. His stomach pulsed with a steady rhythm of agony, to the point even Angel noticed the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He had ignored all calls for rest from Tsunade and Shizune. His village needed him back, but more importantly they needed Tsunade back in action at the hospitals. Deidara, Hokage-sama, all desperately required her expertise.

"Can we stop?" Angel's sudden question after hours of no comment had him blinking. He moved to deny her request or just carry her as they had too much ground to cover, but Kurama decided to be an ass. Right as his foot was about to meet the next branch and propel him, Kurama cut off all of his chakra being used to repair and sustain his host. Naruto jolted in agony and faltered just enough to crash into a particularly thick branch.

"Why I out to rip you out and seal you in a baby fox" Naruto growled to his tenet who stayed silent, blocking him.

"Naruto!" Angel called and landed next to him with worry in her eyes. Tsunade and Shizune followed soon after. He expected a lecture from them both, but instead Tsunade just lifted him up.

"Come on, I know a bathhouse that will let us rest for the night."

"What? Tsunade-sama, we need to get back to Konoha," he said.

"And we will, brat, after you've had another night of sleep to heal. Honestly, the pace you were going we would have reached the village in a week."

Naruto blinked in surprise as they moved towards a well lit bathhouse and inn, remembering it was run by retired chunin. Great, if they saw him being carried in while conscience and they learned he was ANBU he'd never live it down!