Chapter 23

Team Kakashi sat in a rowboat on their way to Nami no Kuni (Land of Waves). After tying up the Oni Kyōdai (Demon Brothers), Kakashi demanded that Tazuna told them what was going on. Tazuna relented and told them about Gatō. Gatō held Nami on Kuni in an iron grip with tyranny and violence. He told them about how he had cornered the shipping rights to the village. He would choke the business along the wharf and the prices were tripled for what they usually were. Anyone who spoke out against him was killed. Tazuna said that if his bridge connected with the mainland, then it would put a dent in Gatō's hold over the country.

Kakashi understood Tazuna's plight but he knew that this mission was no longer a C-rank mission. Because of the involvement of shinobi, the mission had a good chance of being an A-rank mission. He left the decision up to his students, hoping that they would select to turn back. He should have known better as Naruto and Sasuke wanted to continue. Sakura just agreed with Sasuke. Out-voted, he continued on with Tazuna to Nami no Kuni.

The boat landed on the shore and the team was once walking toward their destination. They were walking for about thirty minutes when Naruto suddenly stopped. He looked toward the trees and narrowed his eyes. He slipped a kunai out and stared at the trees. His training with Anko had made him a bit paranoid at times. Anko believed in the art of the ambush and would constantly attack from out of nowhere. Because of that, Naruto developed his sense of awareness and danger. Right now, it was going haywire. Someone was ghosting them.

"Naruto, what are you standing there for?!" exclaimed Sakura. Naruto ignored her and kept on looking into the forest. Sakura walked up to him and slapped him upside the head. Naruto turned and glared at Sakura who glared right back.

"What the hell was that for?!" Naruto growled.

"You're holding us up. Come on, we have to get Tazuna home." Sakura said and walked away. Naruto took one last glance into the forest before following Sakura. He caught with her and tripped her up, making her stumble. Sakura glared at the blond who just smirked at her. When they were gone, two figures jumped out of the forest and onto the path they were on.

"Well, that kid nearly caught us." Said the shorter of the two. The guy wore a mask like the ANBU. He wore a moss green, striped turtle-neck sweater and a split skirt in matching color that reached down to their knees. On the outside of that, they wore a green blue short kimono with white edges, and around their waist a green brown obi, in the same fabric as the sweater, with a fringed trail. They also wore light brown platoon sandals with straps in the same color as the kimono and nail polish on his fingernails and toenails in matching blue green color. His long hair was gathered in a white bun holder tied with a green blue, while two locks of their hair fell loose framing their face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends.

"Yes, he's either a senor or he is very well in tune with his surrounds." Said the taller man. He was wearing bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face. He was shirtless, with his chest only covered by a belt to which, was attached to a huge blade, wearing baggy pants with the striped pattern typical of Kirigakure and mimetic wrist-warmers extending up to his elbows, with matching leg-warmers. His hitai-ate was worn sideways on his head.

"Perhaps we should call off the ambush you have planned?" the shorter one said.

"It won't matter if he sees us coming. He's just a genin by the looks of it. The one that I'm worried about is the sensei. Who would have thought that the famed Sharingan no Kakashi (Kakashi of the Sharingan) would be the jōnin in charge? You will keep an eye on the battle and let me know of any weaknesses." He ordered.

"Understood Zabuza-sama." The young teen said. The two vanished back into the forest.

XXX

Naruto was still on edge and kept his senses sharp just in case. He didn't know who was ghosting them but whoever they were, were keeping their distance. He could still feel them, though not as much as before. He stayed close to Tazuna and readied himself for anything. Kakashi saw this and readied himself as well. Sasuke ignored Naruto's caution as did Sakura. They just thought he was being paranoid and stupid.

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