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"So I guess this is goodbye for now then." Naruto muttered to Kurotsuchi while they were standing at the edge of a mountain, overlooking a large forest that was surrounded by flowing rivers.

"Yeah, this was one hell of an experience. I never thought I'd be working together with Konoha Shinobi." Kurotsuchi replied with an amused smile on her face. Naruto grinned broadly and turned to face her.

"Hey, Kurotsuchi! When I become Hokage, I'll make sure to go to Iwa to pay you a visit! Believe it! " Naruto declared. Kurotsuchi crossed her arms.

" Hmph! You have a long way to go, Naruto. Strength and intelligence wise. Strength isn't the only thing you need when you want to become a Kage." Kurotsuchi reminded. Naruto nodded.

" Got it." Naruto then smirked and held out his fist. Kurotsuchi looked at it and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" She asked him. Naruto's smirk widened.

"A fist bump before we part ways." Naruto explained. Kurotsuchi smirked and raised her fist.

"Sure."

They fist bumped.

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A few days later....

It was late in the afternoon that team seven trudged through the gates of Konoha, the trip back to Konoha was full of discussion about their respective training plans.

"Ah, Kakashi-san." Kakashi looked at Kotetsu Hagane who was the one greetings him. Kotetsu is a guard to the front gates of the village along with his best friend, Izumo.

Kotetsu has long, spiky, black hair and dark eyes. He has a strip of bandage running across the bridge of his nose and a light-coloured marking on his chin. He wears the standard attire of a Konoha shinobi complete with a forehead protector and a flak jacket.

"I eee that you and your team have returned. I trust that the mission went well?" Kotetsu asked him. Kakashi nodded back while showing his and his three students' identification papers.

"It went as well as it can be expected for my team's first time out of Konoha. They sure do know how to handle themselves, that's for sure." Kakashi replied with a hint of proudness in his voice, making his students smile a little.

Izumo Kamizuki who sat next to Kotetsu nodded at Kakashi's words. "I remember my first time out of Konoha, not quite the experience I had expected as a Genin. " Izumo commented.

Izumo has brown hair, and dark eyes. His hair is combed down and always covers his right eye. He wears his forehead protector like a bandanna along with the standard Konoha shinobi outfit which goes all the way up to his chin and a flak jacket.

Kotetsu snickered. "That's because your dumbass sat on poison ivy. " He teased.

" Shut the hell up man. Why'd you bring that up in front of the kids?" Izumo grumbled with a small blush on his face.

" I had to. You sat in poison ivy, and then you had to have a specialized ointment for your ass. "

Kakashi sighed and ignored Izumo and Kotetsu who started bickering while his students sweat drop at what was happening. He turned around and looked at his team.

"Alright kids, let's go report to Lord Third about our missions."

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" Hehehehe.... " Hiruzen laughed perversely as he was reading Icha Icha Paradise while sitting on the couch that was below the four full body pictures of the four Hokages in Konoha.

Over at his desk were two KageBunshins diligently working on the paperwork that he had. He really needed to thank Kakashi for telling him about this. The boy was hailed as a prodigy for a reason.

*Knock Knock Knock!!*

"Come in." Hiruzen grumbled as his secretary entered the room. Hiruzen looked at her with a small smile on his face.

"Lord Third, Team 7 has arrived back at Konoha and have come to see you." She reported with a small smile on her face. Hiruzen sighed as he shut the adult novel and put it on his desk.

"Send them in please." He addressed while he sat down in his chair and dispelled his clones doing the paperwork. His secretary pushed up her glasses before exiting his office.

Team 7 entered the office second later. Hiruzen looked at Kakashi who had an unreadable expression. He looked at Naruto who had a small smile on his face, Satsuki had a stoic expression while Sakura was looking at Hiruzen with respect.

Hiruzen smiled. "Kakashi, Naruto, Satsuki and Sakura. Welcome back to Konoha, it is good to see you two back from your mission. I have read the report about the Land Of Waves mission you sent me, Kakashi. But I need to want to hear more from you." Hiruzen requested. Kakashi shut his adult novel and started recouting what happened during his team's Land Of Waves mission.

Naruto, Satsuki and Sakura were also involved in teh report, describing what happened in their own perspectives. Hiruzen listened to it with a serious expression.

"So Gato is dead and his criminal empire gone. Zabuza and his now adopted daughter Momochi Haku has now headed to Kiri to join the rebellion which is the Kekkei Genkai side against the Fourth Mizukage's tyrannical rule. And now the Land Of Waves is a potential trading partner with Konoha and possibly the world." Hiruzen summarized the whole story. Kakashi nodded.

" Yes, Lord Hokage. " Kakashi confirmed. Hiruzen hummed.

" The world is changing rapidly. If we do not adapt to it's changes, we're as good as dead." Hiruzen muttered as he puffed out smoke from his smoking pipe.

'To think that such a thing could happen on a mission that was supposed to be a simple C-rank. This is what we get when we have a bad case of misinformation, both from our client and apparently our network outside of the village.'

'Still to hear that a squad of genin were able to complete a mission that was easily A-ranked is astounding to say the least, even if the Jonin with them was a ninja of Kakashi's caliber. '

'And they also completed another A-rank mission on their way back flawlessly too. If they were to join the Chunin exams happening in the next month and a half, I think no one would dare to argue with Kakashi's decision.' Hiruzen nodded before looking back up at Team 7.

"Congratulations you four. You have done a great service to Konoha and will be rewarded accordingly." Hiruzen snapped his fingers as an Anbu operative wearing a rabbit mask appeared out of nowhere.

Rabbit handed Hiruzen eight envelopes filled with ryo before he disappeared in a blur. Hiruzen handed two envelopes to each member of Team 7.

"This is the payment for completing two A-rank missions. 300,000 ryō for the Land Of Waves mission while 700,000 ryō for the Iwa one." Hiruzen explained as Naruto's eyes widened. He needed to safekeep it instantly. Sakura gulped while staring at the envelope which Satsuki remained stoic.

"Thank you, Lord Third." Sakura bowed at Hiruzen who chuckled and waved at her.

"No need for that Sakura. You and your teammates deserved it for having such aegreat performance out there." Hiruzen replied. Kakashi nodded as he out the two envelopes in his hand away.

"You all are dismissed." Hiruzen said as Kakashi, Satsuki and Sakura started walking towards the exit.

" Hey, Naruto. What's wrong? Didn't you say you want to go to Ichiraku Ramen?" Satsuki asked Naruto who stayed still on his spot. Naruto looked at her.

"Don't worry. You guys go there first, I'll catch up. I need to talk with gramps for a moment. " the blonde replied. Satsuki nodded before exiting the office, closing the door behind her. Hiruzen looked at Naruto curiously as the blonde haired Jinchuriki sat down in front of him.

Reading Naruto's expression, Hiruzen understood that Naruto wanted this to be private. He held up a hand, the Anbu who were hiding in the corner of the room appeared and then walked out of the door.

Hiruzen used some chakra to activate the silencing seal that Minato had created when he had been Hokage. There was a soft glow that filled the room for a second before going back to normal.

"You already know from Kakashi sensei's report that I used the Kyuubi's chakra." Naruto mumbled as the old Hokage nodded.

"I take it you want to tell me the details?" Hiruzen guessed. He guessed correctly as Naruto nodded back at him.

" Yeah, when I used his chakra for a few minutes, I was in full control." Naruto replied, shocking Hiruzen who looked at him with a baffled expression.

"You were.... in full control that whole time?" Hiruzen asked, not believing what he was hearing. Naruto nodded.

"Mhm. Somehow i managed to convince the Kyuubi to cooperate with me. He said he will allow me to have full control over one tails worth of his chakra." Naruto explained as Hiruzen was even more surprised.

It was unheard of, the Kyuubi cooperating with a human. Even Kushina who was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi before Naruto tried to convince him to work together with her but she ended up failing miserably in the end.

"This is an impressive achievement, Naruto. Congratulations. It seems that Minato's judgement was correct. " Hiruzen muttered, confusing Naruto with his words.

"What do you mean by that gramps?"

"I'm not sure, but perhaps Minato thought you would make some kind of deal with him, or perhaps he thought you would be able to subdue him. But what I do know that he felt you would be able to use its chakra to protect the people you love. "

" Wow....." Naruto whispered, the Fourth had put so much trust in him when he was just a child. It would be an insult if he didn't make him proud.

"Also gramps, I finished reading those Fūinjutsu books you gave me. Mind giving me some more?"

" Of course, of course. Here you go, Naruto. Be careful as one wrong step could mean the end of your life. "

" You got it gramps!! See ya soon!!"

" Goodbye, Naruto. "

To be continued...