Chapter 7

Faint beams of light seeped through the worn-out building, casting speckles across the room. Naruto stirred in his bed, shifting his face away from the intrusive light, hoping to cling onto his dream a little longer. In contrast, Menma was already awake and bustling about. He had managed to prepare breakfast, even with their limited ingredients, and had set it on the bedside table. Although he disliked the idea of stealing, he would do whatever it took to ensure his brother's survival without hesitation.

Menma took a refreshing shower, relishing in the cool water cascading over him. As he emerged from the shower, he gently patted his face dry. Wrapping a towel around his waist, his damp feet made soft thuds against the worn wooden floor as he approached a cracked mirror, half of its reflective surface shattered.

Menma peered into the mirror, his reflection staring back with a mocking grin. Menma saw the faintest visages of the bastard villagers as they spoke hateful words with blatant malicious intent, his fingers clenched, balling into a tight fist as he raised his hand cocking his fist.

His anger surged as the temptation to punch the already broken glass increased ten-fold when memories of the past slowly started to come to the forefront of his mind.

"Menma." A deep beastly voice boomed, it was Kurama's, "That won't help and you know it."

Menma halted his movements before lowering his hand as a scowl donned his features.

"Hmph," Menma harrumphed as he strode out of the bathroom, donning his clothes and stirring his brother awake.

"Hey, get up." Menma said as he placed a plate of food before his brother's head. Naruto's eyes shot open as the pleasant aroma caressed his nose, he promptly sat up and started eating.

Satiating his hunger, Naruto's gaze shifted from the empty plate up to his brother, he noticed Menma walking to the door with his hands in his pocket.

"See ya later!" Naruto waved him off.

"Yeah, you too." Menma replied, returning the gesture as he stepped through the door.

Naruto got up, stretching his joints eliciting a satisfying pop before he washed the dishes and took a shower.

After finishing, Naruto stood before the mirror looking at his reflection and admiring the outfit he was wearing. He had donned a black and grey armor that looked both sleek and menacing. Underneath the armor, he wore a tight black fishnet that accentuated his muscular build. His arms were protected by black arm guards and elbow sleeves, while his legs were covered by black pants and shinobi sandals.

Naruto turned to the side, examining the spiral tattoo on his left shoulder. He then picked up his white kitsune mask and put it on, completing the outfit. He looked back at his reflection, feeling confident and powerful.

But his moment of satisfaction was short-lived as Kurama, the powerful tailed beast sealed inside Naruto, snorted from inside his jinchuriki.

Naruto couldn't help but roll his eyes at the beast's behavior.

"I think I look pretty cool," Naruto replied with a smirk, adjusting the mask on his face.

"Yeah right." Kurama replied, stifling a chuckle.

"Anyways, it's time to go." Naruto said as his face became that of one devoid of any emotion beneath his mask.

Naruto shunshined from where he was and reappeared just outside the Hokage's office.

Before his hand came into contact with the door a voice sounded from behind the door, "Enter."

Naruto silently obeyed and opened the door slowly and walked in closing it behind him. He then walked until he was a few steps away from the Hokage's desk.

Said Hokage, Hiruzen, stood with his back turned to the young Uzumaki. Naruto waited patiently for the Hokage to acknowledge him.

Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, exhaling as he stared out the window towards the Hokage monument and over the village.

"Naruto," Hiruzen began.

"Yes, Hokage sama." Naruto replied.

"From this day forth you are an anbu working directly under me." Hiruzen said as he took another puff of his pipe, turning to face the masked Uzumaki, "And as I had promised before, I will personally oversee your training."

Naruto fought back a smirk as he replied, "Thank you, Hokage sama. I won't disappoint you."

Hiruzen nodded, his eyes sharp as he regarded Naruto. "Good. I have high hopes for you. You have a lot of potential, and I believe you can do great things for the village."

Naruto's eye twitched slightly at the mention of the village, but he kept his expression neutral. He had long learned to suppress his emotions and keep his true feelings hidden.

"Thank you, Hokage sama. I will do my best to serve the village." Naruto replied evenly, bowing respectfully.

Hiruzen nodded in approval before continuing a small smirk present on the corner of his lips, "Your first mission will be to investigate the recent disappearances of several villagers on the outskirts of the village. We have reason to believe that they have been kidnapped by a group of rogue ninja. Your team will consist of yourself, and three other anbu members.

Naruto nodded, taking mental notes of the mission details. This was only the beginning of their plan for revenge against the village that had mistreated them for so long.

"I understand, Hokage sama. We will find those responsible and bring them to justice," Naruto said with determination.

"Good. I expect a report on your findings as soon as possible," Hiruzen said firmly.

Naruto nodded once again before turning to leave the Hokage's office. He made his way to the designated meeting spot where his team members were already waiting for him.

There were three of them, a female who wore a snake mask, the other female wore a rat mask and the last male wore a bull mask.

"You must be the new recruit." Bull said crossing his arms as he exuded a wave of killing intent directed at Naruto who flinched slightly as memories of the past started to bottle up just beneath the surface. He felt a familiar warm but violent chakra start to permeate his body.

'Its ok... He's not trying to hurt me...' Naruto repeated in his mind, assuring himself as he suppressed the chakra.

Naruto calmed himself and replied in a monotone, "Yes, I am known as kitsune."

Bull looked on slightly amused by the young lad's reaction. The female with the snake mask stepped forward, "I am Anaconda. Nice to meet you, Kitsune."

The other female with the rat mask nodded in greeting, "I am Rat."

Naruto nodded back at each of them, "Nice to meet you both. Let's get started with the mission."

The team set out towards the outskirts of the village, with Naruto taking the lead.

As they made their way towards the location where the villagers had disappeared, Naruto felt an unforgettable sense of familiarity with the area.

Afterall it was the very same place he and Menma had been beaten and abused by the people from the village.

Damn monsters

Just die

You beasts

Demons

Devil spawns

Murderers

He pushed the memories to the back of his mind and focused on the mission at hand. They arrived at a small village and began questioning the locals about the missing villagers.

The villagers were hesitant to speak at first, but after some convincing and intimidation from Anaconda and Rat, they revealed that they had seen a group of ninja kidnapping the missing villagers.

Naruto instructed the team to split up and search the surrounding area for any signs of the rogue ninja.

He took off in one direction, his keen senses on high alert. It wasn't long before he spotted a group of ninja in the distance. He signaled to his team with a hand gesture and they moved into position.

The group was a rather small one, consisting of 5 men who, by their chakra levels, seemed to be at most high chunin level.

They could take out such a group with just a bit of effort but the order was to "capture" not "kill" them.

"Rat, anaconda." Naruto signalled with his fingers, "You guys take the two on the left."

"Bull, you take the other two and I'll take the leader." He ordered, the three nodded as they proceeded with the plan.

Anaconda and rat lunged from the shadows in a sudden burst of speed, brandishing their tantos as they gleamed under the sun's golden light.

"W-wha-" A rogue exclaimed, stumbling backwards as he clumsily blocked a strike from rat with a kunai.

Taking advantage of his confused state, rat moved her hand in a swift circular motion disarming the rogue before landing a heavy kick to his chin sending him tumbling across the dirt floor.

Anaconda raised her hand, her tanto glinting menacingly under the sun's rays as a sadistic grin grew on her face beneath the mask. She brought down her hand, slamming the hilt of the blade into the rogue's head and rendering him unconscious.

A rogue charged at rat and snake who stared at him in disinterest. He reached into his pouch but as he was about to hurl a kunai at the two anbu ladies he felt a large hand take hold of his head followed by a sharp pain and finally darkness.

The other two rogues looked on in in shock and slight fear, the leader of the two stumbled back, the other stood quaking in his boots as the burly man approached him slowly.

He roared like a madman, taking a kunai from his pouch and lunging at the anbu in a final act of desperation. He swung his kunai only for it to never reach its intended target instead he felt a punch slam into his skull as his world started spinning uncontrollably before he landed with a loud thud.

"EEEEEEEE-!!!!!" The leader screeched as he turned to flee, he then saw a child with crimson hair standing in the clearing, he grinned nervously as he lunged at the boy grabbing him and raising a kunai to his neck.

"L-let me go or he gets it!" He declared, pressing the sharp steel against the boy's soft neck. He was shocked to see that the group of anbu only watched on in what seemed to be amusement, showing no intention to aide the boy.

'The hell's wrong with these people?'

"I-I'll really kill him you know!?" He threatened, the anbu still showed no reaction. The man gritted his teeth as he raised the blade into the air, "I'll show you!" He bellowed as he plunged the kunai into the boy's neck, but he was surprised as he saw neither blood nor did he hear a scream.

'What the-'

He looked down at the boy to see him fade from existence, his body replaced with a log, then suddenly he heard a cold and monotonous voice come from behind him, "Don't move." The voice commanded as cold steel pressed against his flesh, a small trail of crimson ichor cascading down his neck.

The man paled as he raised his hand in a placating gesture, "I-I surrender! Don't kill me!"

Naruto promptly retracted his kunai, glancing at his temporary squad. They seemed to be slightly amused at the display of their "leader".

'Good enough,' He thought as he tied up the rogue along with his goons. He interrogated him and found out that they were a group of rogue ninja who had been hired to kidnap villagers and sell them as slaves to other villages.

Naruto's eyes narrowed beneath his mask as he listened to their confession. He couldn't help but feel a sense of anger and disgust towards the people who would do such a thing.

He ordered the rogue ninja to be tied up and sent back to the village to face justice for their crimes.

-.-

'Hey, kurama.... Dont you think that was a little too easy?' Naruto thought as he made his way back to the Hokage tower.

"You thought so aswell?" Kurama replied.

'I find it strange, the way they just gave up such sensitive information like that....' Naruto thought as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion, 'It's almost as if...'

Naruto's eyes widened a margin, it was then that he realized that he had been set up. The mission had been a test not only of his leadership skills and decision making but also to see if he could be trusted with sensitive information.

Naruto's fists clenched tightly, a wry grin growing under his mask as he thought about how the Hokage had toyed him so easily, 'Sly old man.'

He knew now that he and Menma's plan for revenge would be a bit more challenging than he had originally thought.

Either way, he would still play the part of the loyal anbu member and report his findings to the Hokage, biding his time and waiting for the right moment to strike.