Naruto Namikaze: Konoha's Legacy

Chapter 4: Awakening - 1

Chapter 4: Awakening - 1

"Sensei!" Naruto shouted, holding a flailing brown cat three sizes too big in his arms, "I demand a C-Rank. We've been doing this for a month now and I'm sick and tired of catching this damned cat every other day."

Kakashi smirked, though none of the three gathered genin could see. Over the month his team had completed 42 D-Rank missions, two each week day. One in the morning, followed by teamwork training -which worked wonders for Sasuke- after which came lunch and the second D-Rank. After the mission they'd spent two hours working on one of the three core shinobi skills. Monday and Wednesday were spent working on Taijutsu. Kakashi would create two clones and helped the Genin develop a Taijutsu style that would match their strengths -Ino began learning the Serpent Style, Sasuke learnt an ANBU style that focused on ending the fight as fast as possible, and Naruto was learning Minato's patented Hiraishin Style, though it was quite hard for the blond to do without knowing the Hiraishin himself. Tuesdays were for Ninjutsu, or gaining mastery over the few they had at their disposal at least. Thursday was Genjutsu day. Naruto worked on breaking Genjutsu, as he had nowhere near enough control to use them, while Ino and Sasuke learned new Genjutsu or worked on mastery of their existing repertoire. Fridays were spent on each genin's chosen specialisation. Ino had chosen two, medical ninjutsu and sensory abilities. Naruto had chosen infiltration, and Sasuke had chosen assassination.

"Alright Naruto. Let's go ask Hokage-sama if we can have a C-Rank." The Jonin said.

Naruto's eyes lit up. "REALLY‽"

"Yup"

"What are we waiting for then?" Ino spoke up, "We can finally leave the village!" She said, bouncing slightly.

Sasuke's eyes held excitement as well, which was a rare sight.

"Alright. We'll go right after lunch." Kakashi said, "Last one there is paying." He said, vanishing in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto smirked and pulled out three bento boxes, "I guess he's paying. Let's go to the park by the tower." He said, leading the way to the park.

-DATTEBAYO!-

Tazuna was a grumpy man. He berated Naruto and Ino for their blond hair and brashness -though the gray haired man was no better in the brashness department, especially when drunk- though he seemed to like Sasuke for whatever reason.

"I thought I hired some super ninja not a bunch of brats!" Tazuna slurred as he took another large drink from his bottle. He then pointed at Naruto, "I mean, look at this kid, he's barely at my waist! What could he do against another ninja?"

Kakashi furrowed his brow at this but said nothing, his genin would catch on.

"It's a C-Rank. We don't have to deal with other ninja." Sasuke huffed, "Unless you're lying to us." His eyes darkened.

Tazuna instantly sobered up at this, furthering Kakashi's doubts that this was a simple C-Rank. Things were never that easy for any of Team 7's incarnations.

"O... Of course I didn't lie. But there's always a chance that we meet other ninja isn't there?" The bridge builder stammered.

Ino and Naruto locked eyes and the Yamanaka heiress nodded.

"Let's just drop it. Who cares." Naruto said, "I'm plenty strong enough as is. I don't need to prove myself to a drunk."

Ino subtly took a step closer to Tazuna as they walked. Kakashi -who stood at the back- noticed this and sighed.

"Ino!" Kakashi said, voice noticeably stern, "Can you tell me why Tazuna hired ninja from the Leaf instead of from Wave?"

Ino stepped away from Tazuna, Kakashi had noticed her plan it seemed, "Because Wave doesn't have a ninja corps and we're the closest to them other than the Hidden Mist. But they're in the middle of a civil war currently."