Chapter 10

The group continued their journey through the forest, a small puddle came into view, catching Kakashi's attention. He arched a brow, briefly questioning if it had rained before their arrival. Surveying the surroundings, he noted that the puddle was the only spot with water. Instinctively, he prepared himself for any potential danger, silently strategizing, and remaining vigilant.

As they strolled past the puddle, Kakashi's lone visible eye fixated on a leaf gracefully floating atop the still water. With a quick motion, he tucked his hands into his pockets, seamlessly resuming his position trailing behind his genin and the client. His calm demeanor and air of mystery remained unchanged, concealing any hint of concern or curiosity.

Menma, walking a few paces ahead, happened to glance back and was immediately greeted with an unusual and perplexing sight. Two figures emerged from the shallow depths of the puddle, sporting gauntlets connected by a chain and donning gas masks to conceal their identities. Before Menma could react, one of the figures lunged at Kakashi with lightning speed, tightly wrapping the chain around him in an instant.

Kakashi, caught off guard, exclaimed in disbelief, "What?!"

The sudden yell from their sensei jolted Sasuke and Sakura, their heads snapping back to the scene unfolding behind them. Their eyes widened in shock and horror as they witnessed the horrifying attack. Tazuna, the client, began perspiring profusely, overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation.

"One down," one of the assailants declared coldly, as both figures simultaneously yanked the chains, dismembering Kakashi with frightening efficiency. The sound of severed flesh hitting the ground echoed with a heavy thud, accompanied by the macabre sight of crimson blood staining the earth.

Sakura's mouth gaped open, a mixture of a scream and retching rising in her throat. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, tears welling up in her eyes, unable to comprehend the brutal reality before her.

Tazuna's widened eyes reached their limit, his face now drenched in beads of sweat. Confusion, shock, worry, and fear mingled within him, leaving him frozen in disbelief as he bore witness to the unimaginable.

Sasuke's unease grew, his trembling fingers betraying his wavering composure. He eyed the enemies warily, fully aware of the danger they posed. The sight of his revered sensei, Kakashi, being effortlessly dismembered in mere seconds by these unknown assailants ignited a sense of caution within him. Rushing in blindly seemed like a reckless endeavor.

However, Menma's reaction stood in stark contrast. His annoyance manifested on his scrunched-up face, his hand tightly gripping the hilt of his blade. Determination burned within him, overpowering any fear or hesitation.

"Two down," one of the attackers declared once more, their chains poised to ensnare Sasuke. In a swift and calculated move, Sasuke evaded their grasp, expertly leaping and landing on top of their heads, using their own momentum against them.

The stage was set for a fierce battle, the odds stacked against them. In this moment of chaos and desperation, the true strength and resolve of the young genin would be tested.

-.-

On the outskirts of Konoha, atop a rock, sat Naruto, his gaze fixed on the letter in his hands. His expression remained neutral as he absorbed the contents left by Menma, detailing the ongoing C-rank mission and the estimated time of return. With a deft movement, Naruto carefully stored the letter in his pocket, his mind already processing the information he had just read.

A faint rumble emanated from his stomach, reminding him of his hunger. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small green pouch, knowing that it contained enough money to satiate his appetite. The pouch opened, revealing the coins within, as Naruto pondered his next move.

Drawing his hands together, Naruto focused his chakra, activating the transformation technique. In a swirl of smoke, his appearance underwent a dramatic change. His iconic blond hair darkened to a rich brown, his vibrant blue eyes transformed into deep black orbs, and he grew a few inches taller. Now clad in the attire of a jonin, Naruto exuded a sense of maturity and refinement, his physique leaner and his features more subdued.

With his transformation complete, Naruto began his journey toward the village, his mind drifting through a tapestry of thoughts.

'I haven't been having much progress as of late, save for getting into the anbu... I hope Menma brings back something good on this little "trip" of his.' Naruto thought as he strode through the village with a confident gait, his eyes scanning the area before landing on a certain white eyed blue-nett.

'If I recall, she should be that girl who used to sit at the back of the classroom and stare at me.'

The young Uzumaki's lips crinkled into a small smile, his blue eyes zeroing in on his target seated at a certain ramen stand, ducking under the cloth and into the shop, the aroma of ramen of all kinds caressed his nose, the stimulus resulting in another rumble emanating from his stomach just loud enough for the girl next to him to hear.

"Oh my..." A soft voice muttered, Naruto peered up to meet their gaze, deceptive ebony contrasting natural white.

"S-sorry..." She stammered, averting her gaze.

"It is quite alright," Naruto replied his lips quirking into a smile, the girl nodded meekly while fiddling with her thumbs trying to avoid eye contact.

"Are you a regular here?" He questioned as he lowered onto his seat.

The girl eyed him meekly, hesitantly opening her mouth to speak, "N-no, not really..." she replied.

The waiter at the ramen shop came out from behind the curtains, a bright smile plastered on his face as his eyes scanned the stand, his eyes falling on the still form of two people.

'I know the young lady, but... who is that guy?' he thought, scrutinizing the fellow, 'He's wearing jonin attire so he must be a newly appointed jonin.'

"What would you like to order?" Teuchi questioned both people. The girl flinched slightly before speaking in a soft tone, "U-Umm... pork flavoured ramen please..." She answered, teuchi nodded his gaze shifting to the boy to his right, "And you?"

The boy smiled, "I'll have what she's having." he replied pointing to the girl next to him who gazed at him with a look of confusion.

"Alright, two pork flavoured ramen coming right up!" Teuchi stated as he shifted the curtains and began preparing the two dishes, leaving the two customers in an awkward silence.

'If I play my card right, she might be useful...' Naruto smirked as he cleared his throat and leaned forward, resting his elbow on the table with his palm supporting his head, "My name is Kotaro, would you mind telling me yours?" he smiled, gesturing for a handshake.

-.-

With swift agility, Sasuke grasped a kunai from his holster, propelling himself off the heads of the two enemies. He landed gracefully next to Sakura, who trembled lightly with fear. Sensing her vulnerability, Sasuke spoke with determination in his voice. "Sakura, guard the client at all costs, even if it means risking your life," he commanded. Sakura nodded fervently, wiping away her tears as she armed herself with a kunai and assumed a defensive stance beside Tazuna.

In a sudden burst of speed, the two enemy ninja darted in an arc, completely ignoring Menma as they advanced towards their target, their intentions clear. One of them engaged Sasuke in battle, while the other swung his gauntlet, chains detaching as the iron claws poised to strike their target.

Tazuna let out a surprised yelp as the menacing figure closed in on him. Sakura tightened her grip on her kunai, readying herself to confront the enemy head-on.

The attacker swung his claw with formidable force, and Sakura managed to parry the blow with great difficulty, stumbling backward under the impact. Exploiting the momentum, the assailant lifted his foot, his leg slamming into her side, causing her to stagger further.

Despite the pain, Sakura planted her feet firmly into the ground and seized the opportunity. Gripping the man's leg, she readied her kunai and plunged it deep into his foot. In retaliation, he clenched his teeth and delivered a forceful punch to her face, causing her to fall back with a cry of pain.

As he withdrew the kunai, his eyes narrowed with malicious intent, blood trickling down his leg from the inflicted wound.

"You're dead," he declared, lunging towards the still grounded Sakura, his intention clear. However, his attack was abruptly intercepted as a powerful kick slammed into his face, propelling him forcefully into a nearby tree.

Disoriented and slightly bewildered, the enemy ninja emitted a grunt of discomfort, his attention now drawn to the individual responsible for the sudden interruption.

The assailant locked eyes with Menma, the determined look in the blue-eyed genin's gaze revealing no trace of emotion as he muttered words too soft for anyone else to hear.

Seizing the opportunity, before the attacker could fully recover, Menma swiftly closed the distance between them. His sword raised high, he brought it down with purposeful intent. However, the man managed to raise his claw in defense, skillfully deflecting the attack. In retaliation, he launched a punch towards Menma, but the agile genin evaded it effortlessly. Seizing the opening, Menma swiftly grabbed the man's arm, twisting it in a fluid motion. With precise speed, he brought down the hilt of his sword onto the assailant's elbow, resulting in a sickening crack that reverberated through the forest. The man let out an anguished scream, clutching his broken hand as he doubled over in pain.

Menma observed the writhing figure on the ground, a fleeting moment of sympathy flickering across his features. However, that sentiment swiftly dissipated as he delivered a forceful kick to the man's temple, rendering him unconscious.

Menma peered to the left noticing that Sasuke was still engaged in combat with the other assailant. And he was on the receiving end of the onslaught, Menma's brows furrowed in annoyance as he spoke, "This is annoying," Menma expressed, his annoyance hidden behind a scrunch of his face, "Kakashi, you can come out now," he stated, his tone tinged with irritation.

Sakura's brow furrowed in confusion and mild anger, her face reflecting her disbelief. "Kakashi sensei is dead, we all saw it!" she retorted, her voice rising in protest.

Menma briefly glanced back at Sakura, then shifted his gaze to the right before exhaling in annoyance, "Do you really think someone like Kakashi would die to these mediocre opponents?" he questioned, his voice tinged with skepticism. Although he didn't particularly like Kakashi or any of his teammates, he knew that Kakashi wouldn't meet his end at the hands of two chunin-level opponents, even if caught off guard.

Sakura clenched her fist in frustration, angered by Menma's insistence that Kakashi was still alive. After all, she had seen what appeared to be Kakashi's dismembered corpse right there... or so she thought.

Suddenly, her eyes widened with realization as she discovered that what she had perceived as Kakashi's bloodied and dismantled remains was actually just a log. Thoughts raced through her mind as she struggled to process the new information. 'What? I thought he died! Did he use a substitution technique?' Sakura pondered, her mind grappling with the implications.

As Sakura wrestled with her thoughts, Sasuke began to find his rhythm in the fight. He swiftly ducked beneath a high kick, smoothly transitioning into a leg sweep that knocked his opponent's standing leg out from under him. The assailant stumbled backward, off-balance and vulnerable. Seizing the opportunity, Sasuke delivered a powerful kick to the chin, sending his adversary airborne.

With a graceful leap, Sasuke ascended into the air, executing an axe kick aimed at his opponent's midsection. The impact of the blow sent the enemy hurtling toward the ground, leaving him incapacitated and unable to continue fighting.

Landing with poise next to his defeated foe, Sasuke let out a light huff, his breath showing signs of slight exhaustion from the intense battle.

Sasuke shifted his gaze to the right, observing Sakura deep in thought, her hand resting on her chin while wearing an inscrutable expression as if attempting to piece together a puzzle.

His attention then turned to Menma, who stood with crossed arms, sporting his trademark scowl. He tapped his finger against his arm in a display of impatience, seemingly waiting for something. Sasuke's eyes trailed down to the defeated figure lying at Menma's feet, realizing that the battle had ended for quite some time.

Frustration welled up within Sasuke as he thought, 'Damn it, he defeated that guy faster than me, and he doesn't even appear the least bit exhausted.' Although they weren't competing, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at being outperformed by Menma.

"Well done, you three." A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts, emanating from above. Sasuke looked up to see the silver-haired jonin standing before them.

Tazuna breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Kakashi. Menma let out an exaggerated huff, rolling his eyes in response.

Sakura's face lit up with joy. "Kakashi-sensei! You're really alive!" she exclaimed. Confusion quickly replaced her elation as she questioned, "But if you were alive all this time, why didn't you help us?"

"If I wanted to, I could have easily taken care of these two," Kakashi replied, his tone calm and measured. "But there was something I needed to uncover."

Sakura's curiosity piqued. "And what is that?" she inquired.

"I needed to find out who these two were after," Kakashi revealed, his visible eye fixating on their client. "And it wasn't any of us. They were after you, Tazuna."