Dark Phoenix of Konoha by White Angel of Auralon

Part 17 - Mission to Wave Country

Mission to Wave Country

Team seven met at the main gate at seven in the morning. Kakashi had informed Sakura what she needed for the mission as he didn't want to waste time with her having to stock up on things today. Sasuke he knew was properly prepared for a two week long mission like this one. They would need about two days to reach Wave Country at civilian speed. Naruto was always over prepared. No need to worry there.

A few minutes past seven the team set out for the mission. Naruto had read the bingo book from ROOT yesterday and was prepared for all the ninjas that could await him. He had sealed more weapons for this mission than the last C-rank to be prepared to take out hundreds of thugs. Out of the village Naruto made ten shadow clones that transformed in small birds and took off, scouting ahead. For some hours nothing really interesting happened. Sakura tried to make small talk with Tazuna, trying to find out more about Wave Country. Naruto had pondered the use of telling Kakashi his information, but had decided to not to. He wanted to do this mission and if he informed his sensei about the higher rank the team wouldn't get it. And between Kakashi and him there was no missing nin that Gato could have hired that they couldn't take out. After all, Gato was greedy as hell. More than a normal jonin he wouldn't hire if at all.

Three hours into their travel, one of his shadow clones dispersed. Naruto signalled Kakashi with handsigns about the potential threat in from of two ninjas hidden in a puddle. Kakashi signalled back to continue without alarming anybody. Naruto confirmed the order. After twenty minutes they reached the puddle Naruto's clones had informed him about. The team passed the puddle without Sasuke or Sakura reacting to it. Really, they obviously needed to train more on situational awareness. It had been warm for the last week. A puddle in the middle of the road was simply impossible with those conditions.

Soon after they had passed the puddle the two ninjas jumped out and attacked Kakashi with a bladed chain, tearing him to shreds. Or at least that was what Sasuke and Sakura saw. Naruto, being immune to genjutsu of that level, saw a replacement with a log. Sakura's screams were tuned out when he quickly analysed the reason for Kakashi's actions. Which made him conclude Kakashi wanted to know the ninja's target. And perhaps test his team under fighting conditions.

"Sasuke left, Sakura, guard Tazuna, I take right." Naruto commanded, which his team-mates immediately followed.

Sasuke rushed at the left opponent, Naruto at the right one and Sakura took position in front of Tazuna with a kunai in her hand. Sasuke pinned the chain of the two ninjas, who wore breathing masks and had Kiri headbands, to a tree with a shuriken, which he enforced with a kunai. Naruto meanwhile had reached his opponent and was going for a quick kill. He pushed wind chakra through his kunai and once he was inside the ninja's guard, he slashed at the throat. Having enhanced the kunai with wind chakra, taking the ninja by surprise with his speed Naruto cleanly cut off the head.

Sasuke meanwhile had involved his opponent in a taijutsu fight. While the ninja tried to get past him all the time, Sasuke was obviously winning. Finally he kicked his opponent in the kidneys, which made him fall down in pain. Just when the other ninja tried to stand up, Kakashi appeared and took care of the ninja, knocking him out. Sakura looked immensely relieved that Kakashi was still alive.

Naruto had to collect himself for a moment. While he had killed animals before without problem, killing a human was still different. He knew it was kill or be killed in this world, but the first kill was still difficult. Hopefully he would be able to take out the thugs. Sakura looked at the corpse at Naruto's feet in horror, Sasuke looked indifferent. He had seen others being killed before after all.

"Good job, everybody. That was a perfectly executed reaction to an ambush. Naruto, are you okay?" Kakashi asked concerned.

"I'm okay, Kakashi sensei; just give me a minute to get it straight in my head." Naruto requested, trying to calm his feelings down.