57 Naruto : Chapter 57

Back in Konoha team seven was debriefed by the Hokage this time. The mission was too high ranked to just give a short report to a chunin in the mission office and hand in a written report.

Though Kakashi would still have to hand in the report, together with his students as they all had done parts of the mission that were at least B-ranked.

Kakashi gave the first report, then Naruto filled in the part of the assassination of the camp and the base where he had been doing the killings and in the end Sasuke and Sakura reported on their part in the village of taking out the thugs.

Then Kakashi reported about the behaviour of the three chunins that had been sent to be back-up for his team which made the Hokage frown. He hadn't thought that chunin would go against his orders like that.

Even if the team they had to support had Naruto in it. They would face disciplinary measures. There was no way he would tolerate that kind of behaviour from his subordinates.

The last thing Kakashi informed the Hokage about was the amount of money and the documents he and Naruto had confiscated from Gato. He also handed over the three prisoner scrolls that held Haku, Sanae and Kimie.

"In these three prisoner scrolls are three ninjas of jonin level that Naruto and I caught. I think the T & I department of the ANBU should interrogate them for information.

If they are willing we might want to consider for them to join our ranks. Haku isn't in the bingo book, Sanae and Kimie are. All three have a bloodline limit. Haku has ice release, Sanae has steel release and Kimie has poison touch.

Haku is in stasis and has injuries that would need to be treated and the other two have just been drugged." Kakashi informed the Hokage.

"That's indeed fortunate for the village. If we can convince them to join our ranks we would have three powerful ninjas to support us. I will also make sure that the bounties for the Iwa ninjas and Aoi will be transferred to your and Naruto's accounts.

Sasuke and Sakura, you will receive the equivalent of the payment for an A-rank mission and a recommendation for performance above your level for your files.

Additionally you are forbidden to talk about the details of this mission with anybody that doesn't have the clearance for A-rank missions, meaning the jonin and ANBU.

This mission could have given Konoha a lot of problems if it hadn't gone like it did. There is information that could harm the village if it gets into the wrong hands." The Hokage said.

Both genin nodded.

"This is about the Iwa nins and how they reacted to finding out that Naruto is an Uzumaki, isn't it?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes. Not many people know this today anymore, but the Uzumaki clan was once our strongest ally. And Naruto is well on his way to regain the knowledge of his clan. In some way you can compare the importance of Naruto not being exposed too soon with yourself Sasuke.

The Uchiha and the Uzumaki were very close in skill level and strength in the past. It was as much thanks to Uzushio's support that we won the second ninja war as it was to our own ninja's strength." The Hokage said.

Sasuke nodded and looked at the four pictures of the Hokage's on the wall. He noticed a certain similarity between the fourth and Naruto. He filed that information away for later consideration.

"I need to talk with Kakashi and Naruto about some things in private, so you are dismissed, Sasuke and Sakura. You have the next three days off then you will restart your training." The Hokage informed them.

They both bowed and left the office.

...

When they were outside Sakura turned to Sasuke.

"What do you think they are talking about that we can't hear?" She asked.

"I guess it is about the Iwa nins. There is more going on than they are telling us. One piece of advice, Sakura; don't get on Naruto's bad side. You have just heard what the Hokage said about his importance.

We have both seen how strong he is and as much as I hate to admit it, at the moment he is stronger than me.

I will catch up to him as soon as I can, but I also have realized that Naruto and I are more similar than I thought. You will regret it if you don't treat him properly." Sasuke said and left.

Sakura was wondering why he had told her that. It was also one of the longest talks she had had with him.

But he was right. Naruto was strong. This mission and what she had had to do had really opened her eyes to her chosen profession. And she knew she needed to find a way to do more for her team.

She had learned a lot over the two months she had been a genin now and she had massively improved. Seeing how horrible things had been for Wave Country and how the skills especially Kakashi and Naruto had had helped freeing a whole country from a despot had set her views straight.

Things weren't as her mother had told her. The world outside was dark and if nobody did something against it, things would stay that way.

But how could she do more for her team? What skills did they need most that weren't covered by the other three? Kakashi and Naruto were extremely strong and skilled; Sasuke was also a good fighter.

They had been extremely lucky as Kakashi had pointed out in the debriefing that their stronger opponents had either totally underestimated their strength or that they had surprised them in their sleep by their quick actions.

Otherwise her team would have had to take serious injuries. She stopped in her thoughts. Perhaps that could be an area for her to help. Neither Kakashi nor Naruto nor Sasuke had any medical jutsus.

She knew there were techniques medic nins learned and being skilled enough to treat the more common wounds in the field would be very useful for her team. She would have to talk to Kakashi sensei what he thought about it.

...

In the Hokage's office meanwhile Kakashi and Naruto discussed with the Hokage what steps needed to be taken next. The ANBU had left again on orders of the Hokage to give the group privacy. As that was quite normal by now, they didn't wonder.

"We just avoided more suspicion regarding you, Naruto. I also think Sasuke suspects something with how he looked at the pictures of the Hokages." Kakashi said.

"Yes, I noticed that. But for now he only has suspicions. I also think he has come to realize that he isn't as alone in his situation as he thought he was. He finding out about how the Uzumaki clan died has put things into perspective for him." Naruto replied.

"I think it has. But we need to make sure nobody finds out too soon. We can be pretty sure Iwa won't know how their ninjas disappeared for a while.

And they can't do anything openly as we didn't attack and the whole of Wave Country is backing us up.

The neighbouring countries of Wave will soon find out about what Konoha did for Wave Country and it will give us very good publicity.

I think we won't be able to prevent the news that we have an Uzumaki in Konoha from spreading. Especially not considering that the bridge is covered with your seals.

But as long as nobody knows more, it will be easy to keep going like we are until the chunin exams in four months. Wave is small and I don't expect the news to spread fast into the regions we don't want them to go for now." Kakashi said.

"Yes, I think you are right, but just in case I will send Jiraiya a message to keep an ear open for that happening.

What I wanted to inform you about is that thanks to the new seals our ninjas are using out in the field now, there are rumours about us having a new seal master in Konoha. Though nobody knows more about it.

I will do nothing to distract the information in the village, but all the chunin and jonin are informed to not speak about the source of them outside their ranks. They only know about your alias Dark Phoenix anyway." The Hokage addressed Naruto.

"We have very good results from the teams we had on missions that used your seals. They praised the variety of new seals they got and described the ways they managed to use them. I'm very satisfied with how much they improved the success rate for our missions."

"Thank you, grandpa Hokage." Naruto said smiling.

"You earned it, Naruto. Next, you said you got sensei's sword back from Aoi Rokusho when you killed him?" The Hokage asked.

"Yes. I didn't mess around in that fight at all. I used the Flying Thundergod jutsu and Rasengan to quickly kill him. The sword is a family heirloom and it angered me that somebody like him had it." Naruto said.

"That's good to know. I will keep that part out of the official report. Try to not openly use the sword in Konoha before the chunin exams. I don't want more paperwork that is so unnecessary." The Hokage requested.

"I will do so. I want the sword to be a surprise in the exams." Naruto agreed.

"Good, Naruto, you are dismissed, take the next three days off and relax." The Hokage said.

Naruto bowed and left the office.

...

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