The Neglected Genius

The Clash of Demons

'I guess... Alright. But please take the mission again later, okay?' Tora asked Naruto as he smiled and nodded saying "Of course!". After the bizarre exchange, Tora jumped from Naruto's arms onto Madam Shijimi's, causing her to look at Naruto with surprise in her face.

"You can talk to cats, Senju-san?" she asked.

"Actually, I can talk to all animals, Madam Shijimi. It's been an ability I have possessed for many years now." Naruto told her, causing everyone's eyes to widen, making Naruto look at them weirdly.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" he asked, making everyone's mouths drop.

"You can talk to animals and never told us?! How can you even talk to them?!" Menma exclaimed as Naruto looked at him weird.

"Well, I assumed you knew after all my interactions with other animals during missions. Also, you shouldn't be so surprised. The Inuzuka can talk to their dogs too, and everyone considers it normal. Why should it be any different with me?" Naruto asked. He had a good point.

"Well, that aside... Will you be taking another mission today, Team 7? We had multiple missions come in today. You can help the Kurosaki clan paint their compound, or you can remove the weeds from the Yamanaka Gardens or-" Minato was suddenly interrupted by his son.

"NO WAY, TOU-CHAN! Give us a real mission! These chores will not help us increase our skills in combat!" Menma whined to his dad as Minato had the decency to look sheepish at Menma's behavior. 

"Menma! Be respectful to Yondaime-sama! You just became a shinobi not too long ago! You're still not strong enough to go to higher missions!" Iruka scolded Menma as Minato took over the scolding to turn it into a lecture.

"Menma-kun, you know when you're on duty, you have to refer to me as Hokage-sama. Second, you just became a Genin a month ago. While you have completed your minimum of D-Ranks to go to a C-Rank Mission, your sensei still haven't cleared you for those missions. As you know, our missions ranking system works by..." and Minato proceeded to explain the ranking system of Konoha to his son, only to realize the end of it, that no one was listening to him.

"Hey! Pay attention to Hokage-sama!" Iruka yelled at the team, using his big head technique.

"But come on, Hokage-sama! We're strong enough to take a higher ranking mission! We have worked our asses ("Language!" Minato intercepted.) off to go to harder missions. We're ready!" Menma exclaimed, getting a nod of agreement from Sasuke, and a little more reluctant nod from Sakura.

"*sigh* Very well. If both your sensei agree that you're ready, I will give you a C-Rank mission." Minato relented, looking at the Jonin for an answer.

"But Hokage-sama! I was their instructor only a month ago, and they were no where near ready for a C-Rank mission! Please reconsider!" Iruka pleaded to Minato, only to get called out by one of the Jonin Sensei for Team 7.

"Chuunin Umino!" came Naruto's kage voice, as Minato, Kushina, Mikoto, Tsunade and Kakashi had learned to call it. It was rare for Naruto to use it, and even more rare to see him pull the ranking card. So to see them both together surprised both Minato and Kakashi.

"While your concern for Team 7 is appreciated, you need to understand that they are no longer your students. They are Kakashi-san and my soldiers. We know what they are ready for and what they are not ready for." Naruto scolded Iruka, who seemed taken aback by the declaration.

"I-I... I apologize, Naruto-sama. It's just that I worry for them a lot. I don't want them to be injured gravely on the field." Iruka relented as he sat down.

"That is understandable, Iruka-san. However, take into consideration who you're telling this to. I don't know if you're aware or not, but Menma-kun is my younger twin, while Sasuke and Sakura have become very precious to me. If anything goes wrong during the mission, both Kakashi-san and I will be there to either help them, or give them time to escape. You cannot coddle them anymore." Naruto scolded a little more gently this time, causing Iruka to look down in shame.