Chapter 37 : Assignments(3)

Naruto had a strange relationship with Ushi. The ox-masked operative was a giant of a man, and bald, very bald. The Hokage had placed him on Naruto's team to see if the blond could handle the handful that was Ushi. He had been placed on six different teams before he was given to Ro-Han, and it wasn't because he was so amazing and everyone wanted to share.

He only listened to people who were physically stronger than him, and even just by looking at the size of his muscles, one could tell that his brute strength was beyond the human norm. It was a good thing that Naruto was ten times stronger than any shinobi in Konoha when he wasn't trying, or he might have had trouble as well.

"Ushi, Neko is in charge from this point on until you are told otherwise by the Hokage, is that clear?" He commanded. The berserker grunted in affirmation, causing Neko to let out a quiet sigh in relief. She hadn't a clue what she would have done with the tank if she was left to give him orders by herself. Apparently her little brother felt her nervousness and, like always, came to the rescue.

Ookami was always a relaxed, calm person, so when he only showed mild irritation at his captain's forced retirement, Naruto knew that it was his way of stating that he was thoroughly pissed.

"Ookami, you do the title proud, my friend." Ookami was a man of great honor and loyalty, so for his captain to compare him to that of the honorable wolf, he was grateful beyond words. He was lucky that his now former leader didn't need such annoying things as words.

"Keep my sister safe." He added, knowing full well that after him, the wolf-masked man was the strongest of the team. He was the oldest as well, and a skilled swordsman that made Hayate and Neko a little jealous. Ookami nodded, taking his words like he would any other order the young shinobi would give him, like he was still his captain.

The last person Naruto confronted was Raion. The lion-masked man was the most awkward person the Uzumaki had ever met. He couldn't talk to women, at all, unless it was Neko, Risu, or Uma – and only because Naruto had beaten it into him to communicate with them.

It was sad at first to the men of the team – he couldn't flirt with the wonderful female species – until it became blatantly obvious that the brown-haired man was only interested in other men. Naruto didn't judge, but made it clear where his and the other men's interests were. "I hope working under a woman will help you get over your fear of females." He said with a genuine smile. "It was a pleasure working with you." He closed his eyes.

He could feel his team's hearts. "It was a pleasure working with all of you." He finally said, opening his eyes to a sight he always loved looking at. The assembled seven ANBU had their right fist on their hearts, and when he opened his eyes, they brought their fist to the sky, Team Ro's personal salute. It conveyed everything their words could not.

We will always respect you, captain!

Naruto let a small, genuine smile cross his face before he too brought his fist to his heart before touching the sky with it.

"As I will respect all of you." He whispered. He knew they heard him, and he knew they didn't care if he practically read their minds. He was the Bringer of Hope, the Kamikage, he was Nezumi-taicho, and he was the only person alive who they trusted fully with their minds. He had their undying loyalty.

And they had his.

Naruto cleared his throat. "Now." He began in his ANBU voice. "Leave." He smirked. "Go and protect your village!"

The seven ANBU stood up straight with a stomp of their feet before simultaneously shouting, "Yes, sir!" And like that, the members of ANBU Unit Ro-Han disappeared, gone to complete the orders of their captain.

He'd always be their leader.

Naruto had gone back to Amaguriama to try out the Kuri Zenzai, and was pleasantly surprised that he actually enjoyed it. He never really ate sweets, but he would definitely come back to try other foods. It was a little awkward for him to walk the streets of Konoha without his mask. It felt like he was three years old again, just waiting for someone to approach him.

No one ever did, but that was beside the point. He was torn again. On one hand, he was happy to be amongst his people, his village, but on the other, he was nervous around them. He did not wish to be rejected, and he most certainly would not allow anyone to beat him again. He was too far past that to continue. If they had a problem, they'd have to take it up with the Hokage.

After Amaguriama, Naruto had gone home to try and figure out what he was missing with his Sage Dust, but after two hours of fruitless meditation he had given up and went to bed early. He had nothing else to do, and he was eager to learn the details of his newest assignment.

The next day saw him with a few familiar faces in the Hokage's office. Hiruzen had summoned them here for some unknown reason, and Naruto could almost taste the awkwardness in the room. He had hoped that the jonin he fought weren't bitter about their loss, but it seemed like that would be the case.

"Now that you're all here," the Lord Third began, "I can debrief you on what I am assigning to Jonin Uzumaki Naruto." Said blond raised an eyebrow. He could faintly feel his Jiji's playfulness towards him, and he had the odd sensation that he had been played somehow.

"Lord Hokage, why do we have to be present for Naruto-san's assignment?" Asked an irritated Asuma. Once again, he was pulled away from time with Kurenai because of his father.

"Because his assignment involves the four of you." The older Sarutobi replied. "As you all know, there will be new genin teams formed, and the four of you already know who will be assigned to you." Seeing the understanding nods from his shinobi, Hiruzen continued. "All of you have led or have been in teams with genin, chunin, and jonin before. You know how to work with lower-ranked ninja, and how you're supposed to guide them." The Hokage turned to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, however, has been in the ANBU Black Ops since he was four, and has absolutely no experience with lower-ranked shinobi." Naruto nodded. "So I've decided to attach him to you four. He will rotate between your teams and learn how to properly work with genin, chunin, and jonin."

Everyone besides Naruto and Kakashi were surprised. The boy had destroyed them in the duel yesterday, and now the Hokage was saying that he needed to learn from them? All four jonin turned to the blond when he cleared his throat.

"I look forward to learning many great things from all of my senpai's." He said politely, and gave them all a respectful bow.

Kakashi was the first to reply. "I can't wait to work with you again, kohai." He said with an eye smile. "Just like old times." He finished, rubbing the top of Naruto's head, gaining a small laugh and smile from his little brother.

"Yes, senpai." Naruto said. "I can't wait!" He was genuinely happy to once again be under the Copy-nin. He may not be as strong as him, but Kakashi still had full authority over him. Hatake Kakashi was the Kamikage's captain, and he always would be. The lazy pervert had a god-like fifteen year old at his beck and call.

"I…" Kurenai began. "I look forward to it as well, Naruto-san." It took her a moment to process that she was going to help train the Bringer of Hope, but she finally snapped out of her daze and spoke up. She received a smile and a nod from the boy, which strengthened Yugao's claims that her brother was a very humble and kind boy when he wanted to be. Respectful to his subordinates, and terrifying to his enemies. It really hurt the Genjutsu Mistress's head when she thought about how complex the boy was.

Asuma sighed, but finally relented. "I don't know what I could possibly give you." The younger Sarutobi began. "But I'll try my best to help as well." Naruto could tell that even though he was a little bothered by it, he was truly going to do his best for a fellow Konoha-nin. That alone earned him the respect of the Kamikage.

"Thank you, Asuma-san." Was all that Naruto said to the chain smoking jonin.

"Yosh!" Yelled the green-clad ninja with a bowl cut. "I will help brighten your flames of youth, Naruto-san!" Naruto smiled at Gai's antics. He would have a fun time with the taijutsu specialist, that he was absolutely certain.

"I can't wait, Gai-san!" Naruto said with equal gusto. Kakashi shook his head and leaned in real close to his rival.

"If you put any kind of spandex on my kohai, I'll accident you." The silver-haired man said deathly serious. "Understood?" He asked, daring the man to say anything but what he wanted to hear.

Gai gulped. "I promise, no spandex." Kakashi didn't move a muscle for a good ten seconds for good measure. After the ten seconds were over, he gave the man an eye smile like he hadn't just threatened him and nodded.

"Glad to hear it." He said before pulling away from his friend of many years.

Hiruzen chuckled. Why were all of his jonin so strange? Was he like that too when he was young? 'No, I was normal, am normal.' He thought to himself smugly. He raised his head to speak with his shinobi.

"Now that you all know, you are dismissed." He stated as he picked up his pen to get started on his mountain of paperwork.

One by one, the jonin walked out of the Hokage's office. When they were down the stairs, the four older shinobi turned to face their newest jonin in arms.

"How's lunch with your new subordinates sound, kohai?" Kakashi asked, reaching into his back waist pouch to pull out his porn. "Gai's buying." He added quickly. Gai held his fist to the air.

"Damn the gods for making you so cool and hip, Kakashi!" The blue beast roared. Apparently, Kakashi had won their last little competition, and that meant that Gai had to pay for the lunch.

Naruto shrugged. "Sounds good. I was just going to go home and train for the rest of the day, but lunch sounds fine." He smiled when he felt his senpai's mind.

"Ichiraku's it is." The Copy-nin stated, getting a smile from not only the blond, but Kurenai as well. Not many people knew that the genjutsu specialist liked Ichiraku's ramen as much as he did, but like everyone else, she couldn't hide it from Naruto. He smirked. Yeah, he'd get along just fine with these people.

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