Nothing Special

Chapter 59

By the time they got Rokusuke ran off too, they saw a bunch of people working on a mine, the hid behind some rocks up in the mountain. 

" That must be the place, huh?" Aceso asked. " The Katambi Gold Mine."

" You know, instead of just rescuing Rokusuke and Karashi, I say we finish off this Kurosuki gang once and for all," Naruto stated.

" Let's not get carried away, Naruto," Neji advised.

" OK, so what's the plan then, genius?" Naruto asked as he looked back at Neji.

" Remember what Gai-sensei said," Lee brought up as he pulled out his notebook and pencil. " That worries me."

" What about it?" Aceso asked.

" That the boss of the gang might be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist?" Naruto asked. " If you ask me, that just makes it more interesting."

" I don't know, we can't really be sure that Gai-sensei was right about that anyway," Tenten said.

" What are you talking about?" Lee demanded angrily. " Gai-sensei is always right."

" First things first, we need to investigate," Neji urged.

" Well, let's go!" Naruto declared. They watched people walk in and out carrying rocks, they didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. " Is that stuff gold? Doesn't look like much?"

" The gold is just a part of the ore," Lee informed. " It must be melted and refined, and the mercury and impurities are removed.

" Sounds like a lot of work," Naruto huffed.

" Don't worry," Neji assured. " You don't understand it." They saw an old man fall and drop all the rocks he was carrying.

  " Ugh! Poor guy," Naruto sympathized as the watchers began to circle around him. " That does it! Now I'm mad!"

" Relax, Naruto," Neji ordered, " We're going to finish our reconnaissance before we make a move."

" Ya, hold your horses," Aceso agreed.

" Neji's right," Tenten added.

" Great idea," Naruto grunted as he looked back at them. " Let's just sit here and watch him drive that old man into the ground."

" Right," Lee breathed as he stood up. " You just leave this to me."

" Lee!" Tenten breathed as Lee jumped down. " What are you doing?" Lee was down below, he punched someone into the stomach harshly and took out two more.

" Way to go, Lee!" Naruto cheered as Lee looked up at them with a smile and waved. They all jumped down.

" Are you crazy?" the old man asked once they all landed. " Dear heaven, what have you done?"

" Here, you must be thirsty," Aceso offered as she held out her water bottle. The old man smacked it out of her hand.

" Hey!" Naruto exclaimed. " What's that all about?"

" You've got to do to me, just what you did to them," the old man insisted. " Hurry! Beat me! Hit me! Knock me to the ground!"

" You feeling OK?" Aceso asked as she tilted her head in concern.

" If you won't, then I'll do it myself," the old man insisted before he started to punch himself in the face.

" No, stop that!" Lee insisted as he grabbed the old man's hands.

" What the heck's wrong with you?" Naruto asked.

" Don't you see?" the old man cried out. " If I'm not injured, they'll think I was behind it, and that means they'll give me a funeral." Someone hit the gong, they looked to see someone banging on it.