Naruto was skipping on the street of Konohagakure.

Well, to be fair, he had done a lot of useful things during the last week.

He had completed his wind element training. Still not as good as it was during his time, but hey, it's just a week and he already got it to that level. And he was stuck in a ten-year-old body, so that was a plus.

He had managed to gain respect from Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei. Since after the tree climbing training, Kakashi-sensei hadn't called him a dead last, and Sakura hadn't punched him silly like before, except for when they were sparring, of course. Sure, Sasuke was still a jerk, but at least he had opened up to everyone in the team more than ever.

He had managed to make the old Hokage tell Sasuke the truth about the massacre of the Uchiha clan. Maybe it was the reason why Sasuke had mellowed out that much. And even jiji didn't look like a senile old man like he was before; he looked somewhat happier, and somehow... stronger. Naruto didn't understand why, but that couldn't be a bad sign, could it?

And he, together with his team, had managed to complete a lot of D-rank missions. Thanks to the shadow clones, anyway.

So there, what was the reason for him not to be in a very happy mood?

CRASH!

"Ow!"

"Ow!"

But despite how happy you were, you should have kept your eyes on the road while you're walking, Naruto.

Naruto rubbed his nose while wincing. That hurt. He snapped his head up, ready to throw an insult to the face of the bastard who rammed into him...

Then he stopped abruptly. Because he realized that the one who just crashed into him was Hinata.

The anger in his head was gone in an instant, replaced by honest concern. He jumped toward the fallen girl and shook her lightly.

"Hey, Hinata-chan... Hinata-chan, are you okay?"

The girl groaned meekly and opened her eyes, only to face the concerned blue eyes of her crush directly above her, staring straight into her white orbs.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod... I crashed into Naruto-kun... He is staring at me...

Her face immediately heated up to a dangerous level. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her consciousness started fading...

"Oh no you don't," Naruto cursed. He had almost forgotten about Hinata's strange habit. "Don't go fainting on me now. Wake up Hinata-chan! Wake up!" He slapped her cheek gently.

Hinata groggily opened her eyes again. And she saw Naruto's face, even closer to hers than before. She fainted again.

"Damn it!"

'Well, I don't know how to say this, but maybe it would be better if you GET YOUR DAMN FACE OFF HERS?!' Kurama snapped in annoyance. The boy was still as dense as always.

"Ah. Good point."

"Hey, what are you doing to Hinata?"

The voice from his back almost made Naruto jumped. He turned back, and realized he was facing Kiba. He smiled nervously.

"Ah... I just crashed into her a few minutes ago, and I was trying to get her back up. Then she just fainted like that." Then he realized the backpack on Kiba's back. He saw that Hinata was also wearing a similar one. "Hey, is your team going somewhere?"

"Ha! We're having a C-rank mission out of the village, so we have to prepare for it!" Kiba bragged. "A dead last like you will not going to have anything like that!"

Akamaru whined. He gave Naruto a look that could be understood as 'Sorry, Naruto-san'.

Naruto rolled his eyes. He had known Kiba for so long that he didn't care about his bragging habit anymore.

Behind them, Hinata groaned and opened her eyes. Again. Fortunately for her, there was no sign of Naruto's face near hers anymore.

But unfortunately for her, he was the first one who recognized that she was awake.

"Ah, Hinata-chan!" He exclaimed, his legs ready to leap towards her. Hinata snapped her eyes shut. She didn't want to be sent to the dreamland once more.

"What? Oh, come on!... Fine..."

Hinata opened her eyes one more time, and sweatdropped seeing Naruto talking to himself, while waving his hand around as if he was chasing some invisible mosquitoes.

Naruto started to sweat when he realized Hinata's stare.

"Crap, I said that out loud, did I?"

The two of them continued staring at each other awkwardly for a while. And maybe they would have stood there like that forever if the voice full of annoyance of Kiba hadn't rose from behind them.

"Oy, lovebirds, cut it out! We have a mission to do here!"

Hinata and Naruto immediately snapped back to reality, their faces both heated up.

Lovebirds...? Hinata had to concentrate every particle of her mind to keep herself from fainting again.

"So... good luck on your mission, Hinata-chan..." Naruto said lamely.

"O-okay... Thank you, N-naruto-kun..." Hinata stuttered back, her face was as red as a cherry now. "S-see you soon..."

Then she ran away like flying, leaving Kiba behind coughing like crazy in a smokescreen coming out from nowhere.

'Poor girl,' Saikyo commented in a sad tone.

'Yeah,' Chomei agreed. 'Falling in love with a boy who is as dense as a rock...'

'Hey!'

"Jiji, we want a C-rank mission."

Sarutobi blinked. It's not like he was surprised, though. He had expected Naruto to ask for this, considering where and when he was from.

"I agree," Sasuke added. "No offense, but all those chores we have been doing since last week made me sick. I'm tired of seeing clients glaring at us when we arrive for the missions already."

Well, maybe all the glares were aimed at Naruto mainly, but still...

And they didn't know why Naruto deserved all those glares. Sure, he might be a prankster, but that didn't mean... Those glares... it's just... as if he was a monster.

What had Naruto done to them to make them hate him that much?

"Besides," Sakura chimed in. "A team has to complete at least five D-ranks before they can advance to C-ranks, right Hokage-sama? Well, Team 7 has fulfilled the minimum requirement!"

Sasuke smirked. "I didn't know you were interested in a C-rank too, Sakura."

Sakura just blushed. "Anything for you, Sasuke-kun!"

Yes, she was still a fangirl. Couldn't expect anyone to change completely in just a week, right? But she would get better. Hell, she would even have the potential to become a person of mass destruction, if she put her mind into it.

But that was the story of the future. Right now, the only thing whatever she was doing did was creeping Sasuke out completely.

"Well, I guess that's true..." the old Hokage scratched his head. "But I'm afraid the last C-rank mission of this week was taken by Team 8 yesterday. Maybe if you return next week, there will be a mission available for you. So then, how about you just do some more D-ranks while waiting?"

Team 7 groaned. Well, except for Kakashi, of course.

'That's weird.'

'Hm? What's wrong, Kurama?'

'As I remember, today is the day you received the mission to Wave, right?' the vixen wondered. 'So there must be at least that mission available for you... Unless...' her eyes suddenly widened in realization.

Suddenly, the door to the mission control burst open.

"Hokage-sama! Team 8, led by jonin Kurenai Yuuhi requires reinforcement for their escort mission to Wave! During their mission, they were ambushed by the Demon Brothers of Kirigakure!"

Naruto's blood froze.

Dread twisted his stomach. Now he knew what happened to the mission to Wave. And worse, he knew exactly what was going to happen during that mission.

Damn it! Why is this happening?

It meant that team 8 would have to face Zabuza instead of them. During his time, Kakashi was known as the most powerful jonin of Konohagakure, even without the Mangekyo Sharingan. And he'd still had to struggle against Zabuza.

What if Kurenai-sensei couldn't hold her own against the Demon of Kirigakure...?

Kiba... Shino... Hinata-chan...

"Jiji! We will take that mission!"

The sudden outburst of Naruto shocked everyone in the room.

Iruka was the first one to revive from the shock. "Don't be a fool Naruto! That mission shall be declared at least B-rank, and there's no way you're qualified enough to take it!"

"Does it look like I FUCKING care?" Naruto snapped back in anger. He didn't even realize that he had just sworn in front of Iruka-sensei and everyone, but as he said, he didn't care. "Right now my friends are in danger, and you expect me to just sit back and watch them die? Someone had taught me before: Those who abandon their comrades in need are lower than trash. No matter what you say, I will not sit there and leave my friends alone to die!"

Iruka was almost thrown off balance. Not only because of Naruto's retort. Something about the boy was making him feel... uneasy. The Naruto in front of him right now was not the same Naruto he used to know. Never before had he seen Naruto so angry. And mature, too. Those words could not be the words of a mere newly graduated genin.

Looking at Naruto right now, Iruka couldn't help but imagining of a certain famous shinobi with spiky blond hair, just like Naruto.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was also shocked, but for a completely different reason. His visible eye locked at the frame of the blond in front of him, gears seemed to grind madly inside his head.

How did he know those words...?

"This is interesting. We will take the mission."

Sasuke's voice suddenly rose. In his face was a predator grin.

Sakura hesitated. "Uh... Sasuke-kun... I don't think our skill is enough for that kind of mission..."

"This mission is a good way to prove my strength," Sasuke insisted. "I want to see how good I am against a strong enemy."

Naruto looked back at Sasuke, a wave of gratitude swept through his stomach. He didn't expect the other boy to support him like that.

Although what Sasuke said did make him feel a bit on edge, he pushed the thought away. Right now, the mission was more important.

"Well... if Sasuke-kun said so... then I also have no problem," Sakura said after a deep breath.

Iruka turned to Kakashi for support. "Kakashi, say something! Team 7 is not good enough for this kind of mission!"

As he wished, Kakashi opened his mouth.

"Very well. Team 7 accepts the mission, Hokage-sama."

Iruka almost fainted. "But... but Kakashi..."

"Iruka, remember that those three are not your students anymore," Kakashi cut him short. "They are my soldiers now, and I know what to do with them. I believe they can handle whatever they are going to face in a mission like this. Besides," he gave an eye smile, "they have me with them."

Iruka seemed like he wanted to say some more, but he was cut short again, this time by the Hokage. "Very well Kakashi, I hereby assign the mission to give Team 8 reinforcement as Team 7's first official B-rank. I expect you to depart within one hour, without any delay. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

Realizing the seriousness of the event, Sakura and Sasuke rushed out of the room back to their respective homes for preparation. Naruto was going to follow them before Kakashi's hand grasped his shoulder firmly.

"Naruto, we need to talk."

The eye smile from before was completely gone. Naruto gulped, a bead of sweat started to fall from his temple.

"Okay, sure... But I think we will have to tell jiji about this first. No, seriously, I won't try to run away."

An hour later, Team 7 assembled at the main gate of the village, fully equipped.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Pakkun, Kakashi's personal ninken, appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Wassup Kakashi?" he raised his paw. "What kind of mission is it that you have to require my assistance?"

Kakashi's face was full of seriousness. "Pakkun, I need you to track down the position of Team 8, led by Kurenai. Can you do it?"

"Hm? Kurenai? Isn't that the beauty with red eyes that you like, Kakashi? Alright, wait a minute..."

Naruto snickered. "Kakashi-sensei likes Kurenai-sensei? Really?"

The glare of Kakashi immediately shut him up.

"Found them! They're in the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wave, and are moving at a slow speed! We can catch up with them in two hours if we go full speed!" the dog at his feet suddenly exclaimed. Kakashi nodded, and turned back to his genin.

"Alright everyone, this is the first high-ranked mission you are about the take part in," he said in an unusually serious tone. In his voice, there was no trace of his usual laziness. Instead, it was full of power and professionalism. "I have to tell you, this is not like any mission you have done before. It will likely include fighting, injuries, and even death. Are you sure you really want to do it? If you don't, you can turn back and go home right now, and I will not make you hold any responsibility."

No one budged. Kakashi nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Now if everyone is ready... GO!"

The command echoed through the woods around, and the four shinobi and their dog took off.

Kurenai cursed inwardly while struggling to hold her breath inside her assailant's Water Prison.

Since their departing from Konoha, she had felt something very wrong was going to happen during their mission. And after meeting the Demon Brothers, her dreaded feeling was proven to be true. And she had made the terrible mistake of allowing the mission to continue, though she had also sent a letter requesting reinforcement back to Konoha.

She just didn't expect to run into Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, of all people.

Since the start of their battle, the difference in their power had been proven to be too much. As a Genjutsu specialist, her other skills couldn't hope to compare to those of Zabuza.

And now look at what that devil had done. Shino was lying on the ground, his kikai insect hive completely exhausted. Kiba and Akamaru were smashed into a tree nearby, with Akamaru unconscious, and Kiba holding his ribs in pain. And she was trapped inside this water sphere, waiting for death.

The only defense of their client right now was Hinata. The girl's Byakugan were activated, but her limbs were trembling like crazy.

"I must admit, you are not called the Genjutsu Mistress of Konohagakure for nothing, Kurenai Yuuhi. But even that, you are still no match for me."

A normal human could only hold her breath for about three minutes. If she can't do anything to get out of the water, she will be drowned.

Kurenai's body was screaming out in protest. It had reached its limit, and all muscles and organs inside her was convulsing under the pressure and lack of air. Her consciousness was gradually slipping away.

"Now, you'll stay there quietly when I kill the bridge builder."

Kurenai could only watch helplessly when the water clone of Zabuza took its form and started walking towards the client and her genins, sword raised high.

The reinforcement didn't arrive in time.

It's over. There's no way they could escape now. They would all be killed.

She had failed as a jonin sensei...

The gigantic cleaver was brought down in a deadly arc.

....

And it was stopped dead in its way with a loud 'CLANG'.

Never before had Kurenai felt so relieved hearing the sound of steel clashing against steel.

Thank goodness. Reinforcement has finally arrived.

Then everything went dark around her.

Hinata was terrified.

The truth is, she is by no means a weak fighter. With her Byakugan and Juuken, she can kill almost anyone she wants with just a quick slap to their chest. And her speed and flexibility are nothing to be underestimated, either. With all those skills, she definitely has the potential to become one of the most deadly kunoichi in the world.

But that's only if she wants to.

Hinata hates fighting. Being a meek and gentle girl, she doesn't want to hurt anything, or anyone, even if it is her enemy. Because of that, despite being in the Hyuuga clan, a clan specializes in murdering people with their finger pokes of doom, her grade in taijutsu was just mediocre comparing to other students during her Academy time.

Because of that, everyone in the clan laughs at her, and even her own father despises her, calling her 'the failure of Hyuuga clan'.

And because of that, she is the weakest link in Team 8's formation.

And right now she was trembling like crazy when the masked assassin descended at her with his giant cleaver raising high.

"Sorry little girl. I don't like killing children, but you're in my way. So you're going to die now."

She closed her eyes, waiting for the consequence.

The blade was brought down on her head.

She heard Kiba screaming her name, Shino grunting in pain, and footsteps coming from behind her.

Spiky blond hair flashed through her mind.

Naruto-kun... I'm sorry...

A loud 'CLANG' echoed through her ears, and she suddenly felt her body being lifted off the ground. She snapped her eyes open, only to see that all she could see was the spiky blond hair she had just imagined.

"Sorry Hinata-chan, am I late?"

Team 7 had arrived in time.

Yeah, it was Kakashi who jumped out to block the sword of the Zabuza clone right before it chopped Hinata in half and destroyed it with a quick slash of his kunai. And it was Naruto, well, more exactly a clone of him, who grabbed the girl and jumped away from the battlefield.

It would have been an awesome heroic princess rescuing scene which can only be seen in cliché shoujo anime... had Naruto carried Hinata in some other way rather than a fireman's lift.

Well, can't blame him; he is Naruto anyway. Naruto is always an idiot when it comes to romance.

"Go die in hell, author!"

Did I tell you not to break the fourth wall, Naruto? And If I die, you will not exist anymore.

"Well, you're not my creator anyway!"

But I'm the one writing this story.

"Ah, touché."

Zabuza sneered when looking at his new opponent.

"Ah, Kakashi of the Sharingan. The man who has copied over one thousand jutsu. Such an honor of me to face someone as famous as you."

"Zabuza Momochi, known as Demon of the Hidden Mist," Kakashi answered. "I have to ask you to release the woman you're trapping inside your Water Prison, or else I'll have to kill you." He finished, and pulled his hitai-ate up, revealing his Sharingan.

"Oh? I'd like to see you try," Zabuza laughed, and squeezed his hand a bit. Inside the ball of water, Kurenai gasped in pain, air bubbles poured out of her mouth at a dangerous pace. At this rate she would die of asphyxiation in a minute.

"Approach me, and the woman will die immediately. If you don't, she will die in a few minutes. Now which way do you choose, Kakashi of the Sharingan?" Zabuza taunted, and Kakashi gritted his teeth.

Hostage... Damn it... I won't be able to save Kurenai and defeat him at the same time... What should I do now...?

"Neither!"

What?

A fuuma shuriken flew out of the forest behind them, aiming at Zabuza's face. Of course, Zabuza caught it easily with his free hand.

"Hah! As if such a silly trick of some snot nosed genin could even touch me!"

Then the shuriken turned into Naruto, who started dogpiling him with clones. A lot of