Chapter 7

 Led across a worn and dilapidated bridge, the surface of which shook under the combined weight of the group. The path towards this bridge was filled with lush greenery all around.

"Kakashi-sensei, what does the Land of Waves have going for it?" Sakura questioned.

"My land has no Shinobi in any form. We're just a small island that relies on Konoha for trade and food in order to continue forward." Tazuna explained immediately.

"Why not just create an academy? It can't be that hard to do. " Naruto asked.

"We're a small isolated territory with barely anything to provide. The resources we have simply aren't enough to dedicate towards such a project as we are now." Tazuna mumbled out.

"We're just trying to survive..."

An extended silence then filled the air as team 7 continued to escort Tazuna towards the Land of Waves. During this, Sasuke continued to show signs of trepidation and anxiety at the situation.

"Other than the Five Great Nations, have many countries have shinobi?" Sakura turned to her sensei.

"The Land of Rivers is to our west. The Land of Steam is to the east and the Land of Sound is up north..." Kakashi slurred while reading.

Traveling south across the Land of Fire, the journey to the coastline, bathed in sunlight. The closet passage to the Land of Waves, the journey wasn't long, but it was arduous and exhausting.

"Will we see any shinobi show up on this mission?" Sakura clenched her arms together in a curious tone.

"Oh no, That's not a thing in these C-ranked missions... So don't worry." Kakashi patted the kunoichi's scalp.

This statement rendered Tazuna to tense up before staring at the ground, chugging his alcohol.

"Damn it..." Tazuna muttered under his breath.

A shinobi veteran, Kakashi took notice of the discomfort that accompanied Tazuna, filling with him anticipation at what was coming ahead.

Two hours later.

A puddle? But it hasn't rained all day. Naruto thought to himself

Walking ahead of his friends, Naruto's pupils became to swell and expand, pushing his ocular rings. Shifting into a field of colorless vision, he focused on the puddle, filled with blue and green chakra that was ahead.

A tense feeling struck Naruto as he sighed after strolling past the puddle, breathing in patient relief.

Glancing over the book he read, Kakashi's visible eye glanced at Naruto, studying his body expression.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Kakashi winked.

"Are you sure-" Naruto's response was quickly interrupted.

Rising from the tiny puddle, a pair of mask-covered figures came from the water's surface. Adorned with the headband of Kiri, their bodies were partially obscured by tattered grey cloaks.

With mud-colored camo pants, they wore black shinobi shoes with a mechanical rebreather. An iron claw was strapped to their opposing hands, brought together by a metallic chain.

Twin brothers with needle-like black hair, one of these siblings were hurled through the air. Stretching the chain that connected them, this shinobi landed beside Kakashi, ensnaring him with iron.

As all three Genin spun around, their sensei was shredded into chunks of disheveled meat. Forcing his concealed eyes to throb, Naruto's whiskered face was illuminated by a violet aura.

They've found me! Tazuna panicked.

Screaming with control, Sakura raised both hands to her face, hiding the horrific expression she displayed. Tripping over her own feet, she swallowed a wad of spit while Sasuke unsheathed his blade.

Surging towards Tazuna, a metal claw was parried by Sasuke's sword, spewing loose sparks.

As these shinobi approached, Sasuke unsheathed his sword before parrying a metal claw. Creating several sparks, sparkling cinders polluted the air, dispersed by a thrashing gust of wind.

As the world around him slowed to a claw, Naruto's rippled eyes began to twitch with chakra. Enthralled by the chuckling laugh of Iruka, an enraged scowl spread across his fair face.

"No!" Naruto's voice pierced the tree-line.

Erupting with the force of gravity, surrounding earth was cracked and splintered. Rustling under this vortex, Naruto's bangs violently wavered, exposing the vibrant and ancient eyes he possessed.

Rupturing like a shockwave of wind, this vortex slammed against the attacking Chunin. Robbed of their balance, these shinobi were hurled through various trees, snapping the chain that linked them.

"They're just kids! We can't fail!" Meizu snarled, raising his right claw.

Brushing the dirt from their attire, these shinobi rushed forward, dampened by their rebreathers. Throttled by a muscular bicep, these twin shinobi were snagged by Kakashi, held under each arm.

"Kakashi-sensei! He's alive!" Sakura cheered.

Looks like they managed to save me after all. Tazuna's thoughts echoed.

"Great reflexs Sasuke, you reacted very fast and Naruto... You protected everyone." Kakashi winked

At this moment, Kakashi appeared between each of his students, shrouded by leaves. Afterwards, he dropped an unconscious Meizu and Gōzu, scuffling the ground with their bodies.

"Mr. Tazuna... We need to talk." The silver-haired Jonin slurred.

Five minutes later.

Tied and restrained to the base of a large tree, the Demon Brothers were asleep. Once loyal and devoted to Kiri, these rogue shinobi now served Zabuza, the failed assassin of the 4th Mizukage.

"They're Chunin from the village hidden in the mist." Kakashi rubbed his scalp.

Explaining his train of thought, and the actions he upheld, this Jonin held an orange book. Snapping this novel closed, he stroked his masked chin, narrowing the visible eye he displayed.

"I had to see who their target was, and what they were after." He groaned, leering at his customer.

"You didn't say shinobi were looking for you... If we knew this, it would be a B-rank mission, or higher." He glanced at the sky overhead.

"I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't expect this to be such a troublesome task..." Tazuna rubbed his head.

"You knew. You don't need to play dumb. I expected more from somebody who talked as big as you did customer." Kakashi had a hint of anger within his voice despite his rather laid-back demeanor.

If Konoha knew that was a chance of enemy ninja, they would have had a much different setup for this mission in comparison to what was being handled in this case. Instead, they sent raw and untrained Genin, lead only by a sole Jonin, into a battlefield of conflict that could have easily left them all possibly dead.

"Lying to us is unacceptable, we're returning home right now." 

Turning to the north, Kakashi strolled in the opposing direction, trailed by Sasuke and Sakura. Left in the center of the road, Tazuna glared with a downcast face, clenching his defeated fists.

"The one who seeks my life is a very short man, who casts a long and deadly shadow over my very existence." Tazuna slurred in explanation.

"Gato, of Gato transport, he's a well known business leader, but below that he's nothing but a thug, he sells drugs and contraband." As he spoke, his teeth became clenched.

"What do you plan on doing? Are you gonna stop him yourself or something?" Sakura's words rang out in confusion.

"I know that if I finish this bridge...It will do wonders for not only my nation.. but for all of yours as well." Tazuna slurred out with determination.

"When I finish the bridge, my nation will be freed from Gato's control." Choking on his words, he was swollen with pride.

"I don't understand, if you knew he would send shinobi, why did you hide that from us." Kakashi questioned.

"The Land of Waves has nothing going on for it as I've said before, No funds to speak of for a B-rank mission, let alone an A-rank one. A C-ranked mission alone could cost between 30,000 to 100,000 Ryo, a lavish price that was a struggle to get ahold of as well."

"No one cares about us, because we're poor folk." Tazuna's words carried a heavy impression on Naruto who took them in with notice.

Naruto could connect with Tazuna more than anyone in Team 7, because he understood the very issues that Tazuna himself faced. He knew that poor feeling of being an outcast in a society where nobody desired you, of living an isolated and lonely life with nothing ahead. 

"When the bridge is completed, you'll be expected to pay the appropriate costs." Naruto remarked

Kakashi sighed hearing everything that was going on.

"Also, you'll sign a trade deal with the Land of Fire." Reciting the past homework of Iruka, his whiskers rustled.

Barking in protest, Tazuna chastised the young shinobi in front of him, doubting his very word. An old man that had no one to trust, he hesitantly scoffed, unwilling to believe his ears at what he had just heard.

"Don't worry! The Hokage and I are very close..." Naruto replied.

Who's kid is this? Tazuna asked himself. 

Escorting this older man to his destination, Naruto was trailed by a reluctant Kakashi, A still rather confused Sakura, and Sasuke who was ready for anything that would come ahead. Kakashi returned to reading his beloved orange book as he looked on at Naruto while a smile appeared underneath that dark blue mask that always adorned his face.

"Naruto..." Kakashi shook his head as they continued forward.