First

"This will be your first mission" Hiruzen said in front of Team 12 and handed it Over to Yamato

"Let me read it!" Yoru snatched it from Yamato's hand

"Hey Yoru calm down." Yamato said with a sigh

"Eh? To catch a Black Cat? With Golden Eyes?" Yoru exclaimed

'Ah is it Toru? But why do I feel like she's describing herself?'

"Yosh let's go I want to go home fast!"

Before they could leave

"Ryu, stay here for a while I have something to tell you" The Hokage called out to him

Guren took notice "We'll wait for you outside" to which they closed the door leaving the Hokage and Ryu inside

"What is it old-man?" Ryu asked

"*sigh* You really sound like Akemi but you took your manners from Eito" As he said that he took out a scroll from his drawer and gave it to Ryu

"Here Little Ryu, its as I promised your mother when you were young, let Naruto read it too and please burn it after a week."

'He finally fulfilled his promise! Yes I've been waiting for this I can use this against Inari"

"Thank you Lord Hokage" Ryu bowed respectfully

"Tell me Ryu, what are your plans when you grow up? Do you also want to be Hokage?"

"I'm still thinking about Old-man, but I'm weighing the options and benefits."

"I understand, you can leave now"

He then continued to smoke his pipe

'I really haven't noticed it but it does feel a bit different when Danzo was still alive, did he really put something here to manipulate me?'

________

After hours of searching for the cat

"Found her!" Guren shouted

'I wonder how many Ryo did the Daimyo spend on this cat? knowing this mission is almost available everyday?' Ryu thought

"There there little one" Yoru caressed Toru, "we'll be going back now"

"Wow Yoru, in all my missions I've never seen that cat be as obedient" Yamato explained

"Eh really? She is kinda cute" she tilted her head in disbelief

"Come lets go report back now."

____________

After weeks to months worth of performing D missions Yamato finally felt that they were good enough to accept higher ranking ones.

"Lord Third, I think they're ready for A higher ranking missions"

"Oh, what's your assessment Yamato?"

"Truthfully if the Chunin Exams were to happen now I'm sure they will ace and beat everyone as they are already Chunin level strength Individually except for Ryu who I believe is Jonin level, as a team recently they have forced me to go all out and they do not lack in anything"

"Oh quite an assessment there Yamato even coming from you who's had the highest accomplishment in ANBU, in short you believe them to be able to take on B ranks possibly A ranks?"

Yamato nodded at his statement and answered proudly

"Yes Hokage-sama"

As they were finished a dog came in carrying a scroll in its mouth and gave it to Hiruzen.

Hiruzen raised his eyebrow as if it was fate that Yamato was present right now.

"Yamato, prepare your team now, you'll be giving Kakashi back-up apparently the Rank C mission that I gave them suddenly jumped up a grade or two as you here right now I'll be giving this mission to you now go Pakkun will take you"

As soon as Yamato opened the door to leave and call his Genin three figures collapsed on each other.

"Ouch!" Said a blue haired girl

"Oi Yoru you're getting heavy" A boy sounded

"Yosh! Finally a new mission!" Said the tanned girl

Yamato face palmed at the antics of his team, even though they were leagues above their batch they were still kids through and through Yamato smiled at this thought knowing time will fix their mentality.

"No need to tell us anything Sensei! We've already prepared everything! Lets goo!" Yoru excitedly shouted

"Last one to the Gate gets to treat us at Ichiraku!" said Ryu, soon the three genins vanished

"My wallet"

Hiruzen at the back laughed at the face of despair from Yamato and the antics of Team 12.

___________

"First again!" Yoru exclaimed soon a fox jumped at towards her head

"Yasaka!!!" when she saw who it was she took it into her arms and pampered it.

"You've been getting faster Yoru" When Yasaka heard the voice she immediately jumped towards Ryu and nestled towards Ryu's neck and slept.

'Lazy fox' Ryu grumbled, soon Guren arrived followed by Yamato

Guren asked Yamato when he finally arrived

"So what's the actual missions Yamato-sensei?"

Yamato nodded and provided an overview of the situation

'Oh shit isn't this The Land of waves escort mission? I hope that Naruto has used his Talk-no-jutsu on that kid Inari if I remember? I want Naruto to refine that jutsu on the kid and I'll try my luck at Zabuza and Haku I really feel bad for them and I know they're stronger than they look.' Ryu thought

"So basically Yamato-sensei the Hokage has asked us to do this B-rank mission possibly A rank because you told the Hokage we were Chunin level strength?" Guren strongly gazed at Yamato knowing her sensei can sometimes exaggerate things too much but was deeply happy inside that he acknowledged their prowess.

Yamato not wanting to deal with an angry Guren quickly responded

"Yes, I trust you guys that we can handle this now let's leave! Pakkun lead the way"

___________

After Travelling they finally arrived at their destination

"They're in that house" Pakkun told the group

"Understood, Ryu Assess if there are dangers in the area before we enter it doesn't hurt to be cautious"

"Mm" Ryu nodded, Yasaka then fused with Ryu to enhance his sensory abilities

[Mind's Eye of the Kagura!]

"Nothing's in the vicinity Sense, Only 4 Chakra Signatures inside the house, and looks like Naruto's chakra has flared up a little sensei"

Yamato nodded and gestured his team to go inside while they would check on Naruto while Guren, Yoru and Sakura would go with Tazuna to guard the bridge.

"Ryu!" Naruto shouted as he saw his cousin

"Hello Naruto, say did you ask help from Kurama?" he quietly asked this question

"Mm, he's still grumpy about it and he's still telling me to train more instead of relying on him" Naruto exclaimed

"Well he is right Naruto, you cannot always use it until you have full mastery like Rin-san" Yamato told the boy warning him not to use it too often.

"I agree with Yamato-sensei you have to train more Naruto, although Kurama won't hurt you anymore since you are now friends and you've built a bond with him over the years his Chakra is still too much for you right now."

Naruto looked down in frustration knowing they were right, he has been over reliant in it causing him to lose his cool, he looked at his hands and looked at Inari and made a fist

"Understood! I'll do my best to train now Believe it!" Naruto back to his usual self remembering the talk he had with Inari on how the power of will can beat fate istelf.

Suddenly A boy walked in

"Naruto is strong and brave!" The boy exclaimed.

'Naruto alread did his job I guess' Ryu nodded at his words

"He sure is kid, I hope you too"

"My Name is Inari not Kid!" He grumbled but soon another boy came in

"Ryu, Can I ask you to help me?"

"Sure Sasuke" Sasuke guided them outside the house and into an open field, as soon as they were alone Sasuke looked at Ryu in the eyes

"Open my Sharingan Ryu" Sasuke told him in a firm and determined voice

"Are you sure? You do know the requirements right?" Ryu also wanted to open Sasuke's sharingan since the Uchiha massacre had been prevented naturally Sasuke would be weaker without his Sharingan in this battle compared to the canon.

"Yes, I ask that you dispel the Genjutsu once you've seen I opened it"

"Okay then, and don't blame me for what you're going to see" Sasuke nodded at went to look at Ryu again in the eyes soon Ryu's eyes turned red and a bar in the Iris appeared

[ Genjutsu: Ketsuryūgan!]

"Agh!" Sasuke suddenly limped to the ground breathing hard for his life suddenly his eyes turned red and then 1 tomoe appeared.

'He can still take it, I'll push it'

[ Genjutsu: Ketsuryūgan!]

Sasuke then convulsed but soon 2 tomoes appeared.

"Dispel!"

Once the genjutsu was undone, he went near Sasuke and checked on him.

'Phew nothing happened, now I have to go to Kakashi-sensei and patch him up and tell him to teach Sasuke, but what about Zabuza and Haku? Ah I got a plan'

Ryu carried the unconscious Sasuke into the house and healed Kakashi with the [ Mystical Palm technique] he then went to Yamato to ask his permission and tell him what he thought of the situation.

"All done, Kakashi-sensei, Can I speak to both of You and Yamato in Private?" They looked at each other and nodded, soon they were at the field where Sasuke opened his sharingan

"Ok we're alone now Ryu, what do you want to ask" Kakashi told Ryu since he treats him as an equal and has been training him when he was young.

"Kakashi-san, Yamato-san it's like this" soon Ryu told them about the situation, his thoughts about and his plans on him invading Gato solo when he arrives while they will deal with Zabuza and Haku but will only be incapacitating them.

"So its like that then, I'm sure me and Yamato can hold him down now if we both work together but as for the Hunter-nin, I'm not sure" Kakashi told his thoughts also

"Don't worry Kakashi-sensei I already awakened Sasuke's sharingan oh and he personally requested it"

"If it's like that, I'm sure the 4 of them could stall the Hunter-nin or even beat him/her, but what about you Ryu? I know you'll be up against normal people but still even a Hundred of them can be quite dangerous even for an experienced Ninja, I don't underestimate your abilities but as your Sensei I want to ask what makes you think you can pull it off?"

As soon as Yamato finished his statement Ryu threw a Kunai between Kakashi and Him he wanted to see what made him so confident, what happened next shocked both of them when he suddenly appeared behind after a fraction of a second where the Kunai was headed.

'This!' Yamato in disbelief

Kakashi put his hand over his head and scratched it when he saw what Ryu just performed

"At this point Ryu, nothing will surprise me anymore to think you could achieve Lord Fourth's expertise at using the Flying Thunder God, I think I agree with this Yamato at this point he needs experience in it and this is the perfect exercise for him"

"Thank you Kakashi-san! I also want to experience if I can be faster than Minato-san when I combine it with my [Blood Arts : Phantom] this is just the perfect excuse to master it"

"If Kakashi agrees then I as your sensei who also wants to see your growth also agrees" Yamato noded

"Yosh then it's settled!"

'I just hope I'll be fast enough to convince Zabuza and Haku!'

_______________

Back at Konoha in the Hokage Office

"So this is an escort mission correct?" The Hokage looked at the man.

"Yes it is Hokage-sama it will just be an escort mission to the Land of Snow"

"*Sigh* If anything happens on this mission that is unexpected I will increase it rank since recently an escort mission was issued not long ago but a Hunter-nin and Missing-nin was suddenly Involved do you agree?"

The man sweated but agreed since it was only an escort mission

"Y-Yes Hokage-sama!"

"Good" soon the man left leaving Hiruzen

'A month or 3 months from now that group will arrive and 9 months from now the Chunin exams will start, so many documents I wonder how I can hasten it, The Land of Snow is it? I guess Team 12 would be the best team just in case.'

_______________

"Achoo!" 4 people sneezed together

"I wonder who's thinking about us?" Yoru asked

"Beats me" Guren replied while both of them were still on guard duty at the bridge.

'Why do I feel like my wallet will be broke again soon enough?' Their captain thought

'Must be Ino or Hinata' Ryu said to himself