Chapter 13

Kakashi let out a sigh as he rested on the bed after his fight a few hours ago. Chakra exhaustion due to overuse Sharingan always was a problem for him, however, thankfully he is not too exhausted.

This mission has gone from B-rank to A-rank now... Seriously, what Tazuna is thinking lying like this. If it was another Jonin, who was facing Zabuza, he would already be going to be dead now along with the entire squad.

Then again, not all Jonins are going to accept this mission. Kakashi was bored that's why he agreed to continue.

'But there is Sakura... If those 3's teamwork improve and they will finally get along, I guess, I will enlist them to Chunnin Exam...' He thought with a sigh and part of his mind couldn't help but add a small comment 'That if we survive here...'

"Kakashi-sensei, how is your condition?" Sakura asked as she came from the door and approached him.

Kakashi turned to Sakura, his team still was not being told about Zabuza might be alive. However, he knew he will have to tell them soon, and now is the time.

"I'm fine... Only exhausted... Where's Sasuke and Naruto?" He asked.

"Sasuke-kun and Naruto patrol around the house to check its safety," Sakura answered and grimaced slightly. She lowered her head and shame adorned her face "I didn't do anything in the battle..." She muttered.

Sakura must admit she clearly feels so shameful. The moment she entered this team she was thinking it will be Naruto, who stood in her and Sasuke-kun way. But the reality is not like that, it was her, who stood in Naruto and Sasuke-kun way.

She is weak... and she knows it.

She is the weakest in her group... Naruto and Sasuke are just too far for her... This mission is proof of that...

"To be blunt, Sakura." Kakashi said, "You are not wrong entirely..." He stated without feeling any remorse "Compared to Sasuke and Naruto, you are out of their league..."

He sighed as he saw the girl feeling down yet he told her, She needed to have that reality check. They are not Doing those D-rank missions anymore. This is an A-rank mission.

"Anyway, Sakura I want you to find the boys because I have to-"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door before it opened and revealed Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter.

"Kakashi-san? There are people, who are looking for you." Tsunami said, "They said they came from Konoha..."

"Eh? From Konoha?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"I asked for reinforcement after we faced Demon Brothers in the forest." Kakashi explained as he rose from his bed and took a sit position, he was able to move, walk and run, but not very fast "Can you describe their appearance?" He asked Tsunami.

And as if called, the door opened and revealed the members of the Backup Team with its leader.

Kakashi smirked and Sakura gasped when recognized a familiar person.

'How could Kakashi Sensei asked for help from Shiro's team.'

Shiro, the liar, betrayer, and exceptionally weak... at least that's what everyone thinks of him. Yet for some reason one way or another, Shiro never ever lost.

"You look like crap, Kakashi," Yukimura stated with amusement in his tone...

"Yukimura, nice to see you again buddy" Kakashi greeted back with his usual eye smile.

Meanwhile, as if tranced, Blade kept walking towards, Tsunami.

She kept looking at him, smiling all the way, and just when he came near her, she was about to say something, But Blade beat her to it.

"I think you Just stole Something"

Everyone Frowned at hearing it

"What is it?"

"It's my heart, You stole it using your beauty"

Shiro facepalmed on his forehead, Yukimura sensei shook his head, and Akira just sighed.

'Not this nonsense again', This is the thought that's going around inside every team 6 member's mind.

While Sakura and Kakashi just kept gawking at the newly arrived flirty boy.

Tsunami giggled, "Why, thank you"

"Was that you just smiling at me or the sun just coming out?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Every shinobi in this room just kept staring at Blade.

"I guess that's to be expected your face is perfect after all… like a well put together a piece of art. Say beautiful, wanna go on a date with me?"

Ow Ow Ow

"Akira ow ow Stop ringing my ears it's hurting"

She sighed, "God, you are so annoying, You will just about flirt with anyone won't you?"

Ow ow ow

Yukimura sensei turned to Tsunami and politely apologized

"I am sorry if this kid offended you my lady, this kid flirt with every woman"

"It's alright", she said giggling

"Your smile is--- ow ow ow

"Um... Sensei?", came a new voice

"Yes, Sakura Chan?", Yukimura sensei asked

"Um, I am also a woman so why didn't he flirt with me?"

"You are flat as Board"

Blade said directly, as a tick mark appeared on Sakura's forehead.

"Ma ma, You sure got a fiesty one on your team Yukimura"

"What did you say you bastard?!"

Sakura cracked her knuckles.

Blade gulped, "ah...help me Akira!"

She shrugged, "I am not helping you on this one"

Sakura came closer

"Shiro, Buddy, friend?"

Again just a shrugging of Shoulders.

Blade looked at her and gulped, "now girl, let's not do anything nasty okay? I just meant biologically it's impossible for twelve-year-old to have curves... of any kind! well, except Hinata of course, but I mean she is an Exception to this, right? I didn't just mean you..!! I just-"

BAM!

A few minutes later:-

Everyone in team 7 and team 6 circled around Kakashi's bed

This is Awkward

Cough*Cough

"So let me get this straight Kakashi, you fought Zabuza, got careless as a result got trapped in Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique) then your boys set you free and you beat him. However, afterward, there was Hunter nin intercepted your fight by killing Zabuza with senbon to his neck and took his body away?"

Great job steering the topic in this awkward Situation Yukimura sensei.

"Pretty much so..." Kakashi answered with a nod.

"You should know that Hunter nin always dispose of the body on the place immediately, right? That was their protocol to ensure the safety and secret of their village." Yukimura commented.

"You are right on that, buddy, I didn't think about it because I was quite exhausted at that time. I was barely able to run at my prime speed." Kakashi admitted and defended himself at the same time.

"What's the point talking about this anyway, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked with a scowl "Zabuza is dead, his body got carried by that hunter ninja, right?"

"The Dobe is right, Kakashi... If there is a thing we should talk it is better to be about handling Gato..." Sasuke grunted while crossing his arms, Sakura also seemed to agree as she nods her head.

Kakashi sighed when he watched all the genins nodding their head, including Akira and Blade.

Yet Shiro remained neutral.

Yukimura sensei scoffed 'Typical Shiro, he already understood the entire story'

"That's where you are all wrong..." Yukimura sensei stated, gaining all Genin's attention "Tell me Sasuke, what was that Hunter nin weapon again?"

"Senbon..." Sasuke said and Sensei nodded.

"True, it is common to target neck since it was a vital point of our body, however, the problem is this Hunter nin weapon was Senbon... Senbon's real purpose is acupuncture medical treatment rather than attacking because its power is low. This Hunter nin should have used kunai or shuriken rather than senbon if he/she wished to kill Zabuza…"

"So you are saying that the Hunter nin did not kill Zabuza? But Kakashi-sensei checked Zabuza's body and made sure he is dead!" Naruto argued.

"Do you know there are few acupuncture points in a body that if you get stabbed in will only make you look like dead?" Yukimura Sensei asked again and this time all Genin froze.

"Are you telling me... Zabuza was only placed in the death-like state? Then, that Hunter nin is Zabuza's ally!" Sasuke concluded with wide eyes.

"You got that right, Uchiha..." Yukimura remarked "An expert in senbon use can easily put their target into a coma or death-like condition if they want, its purpose is actually to sedate the patient if there is no sedative when it's needed. However, if people play it right, it could be used to fool enemies, like this case."

"W-Wait! Wait! Wait! Aren't you all being too much? There's no guarantee that man is still alive! You even checked the body!" Tazuna said

Hahahahaha

Everyone looked at Shiro like he had grown a second head or something

"Shiro", Kakashi sensei asked

"I am sorry sensei", he said with a smile, "I just felt it funny"

"What is?", Tazuna Asked

"Nothing, Shiro be quiet", Blade came from the side

'This guy is just going to run his mouth again'

Shiro clammed his mouth

"Hey, I wanna know why was he laughing", Naruto asked

"Naruto be quiet", Kakashi sensei said sternly

"Ah, I am sorry everyone for my rude and out of line reaction", Shiro said

Shiro looked at Tazuna and smiled,

The Reason Shiro laughed was because other than the Jonins in this room, no one wished to acknowledge the truth, all of them want to take the piece of meat without actually working for it.

Well, It's not like they would like to be hunt by a super ninja that was able to summon giant dragon of water and blast away portion of the forest.

"As Yukimura said, there is a big chance he was put into the near death-like state," Kakashi said, crushing the hope of everyone in this room.

"Speaking about death-like situations, Kakashi your two dogs were found in that state and Demon Brothers have gone missing," Yukimura told him and Kakashi snapped his neck to him quite fast.

"What?!" Kakashi asked with pure surprise and worry.

"I am sorry"

"Sigh... it's alright"

The silver-haired man let out-breath of sighing at that. He then pinched his nose bridge before clearing his throat.

"So... We have Demon Brothers back, Zabuza, and one of his mysterious allies that is very skilled in human anatomy," Kakashi concluded.

"Two Chunin, one Elite Jonin Shinobi, and one solid Jonin... That isn't fair, right?" Sakura asked in a slightly frightened tone.

"Well... If you put it that way..."

"Hey! No need to be negative like this!" Naruto shouted in a positive manner "Those Demon Brothers are weak, We can easily defeat them like before"

"Get over, yourself", Shiro said without a single emotion

"Why you bastard"

"Listen Naruto, Chunnins are experienced Shinobis, forged with life and death battles, that's especially true for Kiri Shinobis... The entire reason you won before is because you had Kakashi of Sharingan"

"Shiro is right." Kakashi continued when Shiro trailed off, "You two may be able to defeat Demon Brothers, but not yet, You guys are world apart right now..." He said with a grim look.

Everyone was down and serious...

"And don't forget about the enemy can possibly get extra reinforcement." Shiro added his opinion, which made everyone turn to him this time "This is Gato, one of the biggest investors in the Elemental Nations. And, now he focused himself on the Wave, I am pretty sure he already spotted us and seeing Zabuza and his group lost against yours, then he is going to rent extra ninja because Zabuza can not win if there was our reinforcement when he lost against only your group?"

Everyone of team 7 stared at Shiro with a surprised look as if he just spoke some breaking news that was very up-to-date. Eventually, the silence was broken by Kakashi.

"Very sharp one you have, eh, Yukimura?" Kakashi asked with an amused eye smile.

"You don't have any idea, Stay with him for a month, and You will actually be afraid of him..." Yukimura snorted in the same amusement.

"I am not scary"

"Yes, You are kid"

Grrrr

Yukimura sensei along with Kakashi eye smiled...

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke stared at Shiro with awe and shock...

"When did you get such smart?", Naruto asked Shiro.

But Shiro didn't notice anyone's reaction to his antics, there was something else.

The one following them since Konoha... that guy is the real problem.

His concentration got broken when Akira said something...

"I hate it when you're like this..." Akira said in a deadpan tone.

"What? What do you mean by that?!"

"When you act like some kind of all-seeing God"

"On my defense, I was just stating fact and reality."

"Then, what when we were doing the C-rank mission, you actually foretold the attack days ago"

"Hey! Didn't it help"

"Then how about when you find out I am--

She nearly blurts out the thing about her parents.

Shiro understanding quickly diverts the topic to help her out...

"I only tell what I observe! And it was all the truth!"

"well, that's kind of true"

"Okay! Okay! As if it's amusing to watch you two bickering!" Kakashi come and interject their conversation, clearly, he was amused by the antic "Right now, cast that aside, we need to discuss what we are going to do..."

"Training, of course." Shiro responded "This situation is not that bad... We are not losing, in fact, we may be equal."

"Umm, Shiro, I'm not trying to be a negative one here, but will small training help us? I mean, we are facing experienced Shinobi here." Sakura said in a tone, "Are you stupid or what?"

Akira blade and everyone frowned...

Shiro... Stupid? if he is stupid, then no one in this room has a brain

This sentence snapped something in Shiro

'No more mister Nice Guy'

With that Shiro dropped all pretense of Nice Guy and does whatever he wants.

He is a Liar, Manipulator, he knows how to get onto someone's nerve

"Don't be useless, Sakura Haruno"

"Excuse me"

"Why? You are offended?... get over yourself, useless girl"

"Why... you bastard", Naruto was ready to pound at Shiro, yet held onto, by Blade.

"You, Who only knows how to bully others just because they are Orphans. Despite being so weak"

!!!

Everyone stopped what they were doing...

Sakura just stare at him, 'He knows'

Sasuke and even Naruto stared at him, 'He was there?'

"You, who don't understand the pain of the people's past"

"..."

"You disgusting creature... stay away from me, don't talk to me either or I might truly kill you"

"Shiro... that's enough", Kakashi sensei called out

"It's not like, I am telling a Lie, Tell me Sakura, Did you actually helped in the battles so far"

"I.. I"

"Shiro stop it... You will break her", Yukimura sensei called.

"Hey why don't you tell me something, didn't you think that it will be Naruto who will be standing between you and Sasuke, You thought he is weak just because he was weak in studies, you thought he is useless, weak and not worthy of someone great like you"

"I-I didn't"

"Really? Hey, Sasuke, Why don't you tell me, Naruto? what do you think"

"I-I r-really di-didn't", Sakura was already in tears

"You hit him, called him names", he scoffed, "Tell me did yo--

Sakura in tears ran to him to punch him...

"NO DON'T", Yukimura sensei yelled as he was about to run towards them, Kakashi held onto his hand. Shaking his head and stopping Yukimura

Just as the punch was about to hit Shiro's face, Shiro disappeared from his position

!!!

And appeared back to back with her. Just an Inch away from her...

!!!

'What the--- what's with this speed'

Sakura turned around and saw Shiro stretching his arm.

"NO"

Yet a Kunai appeared from his sleeves... and cut few hairs.

She stumbled back and fell onto her ass.

The Killer Intent she felt was real.

Shiro already killed when He was 5, it's not like these Kids who are only starting their Journey

Shiro chuckled and lean-to her, "Hey, Sakura, tell why are you so useless and weak"

She was crying at this point in time.

Just as Naruto was about to come and intervene using his fists... another voice came

"SHIRO... THAT'S ENOUGH", Akira yelled

!!!

He looked at Sakura crying her eyes out.

'Damn... I went too far... if Akria didn't stop, I might have broken her'

"We will go with my plan... Blade, Akira train with Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi sensei you need to get better, before the weekend... I will go, scout, the village, Sakura protect the Client, your presence alone would be enough for this, And Yukimura sensei train the team"

"W-wait, why are you giving the orders, Isn't those 2 Jonins and you are Genin", Tazuna said

"Old man, do you also want to hear the earful from me, Don't argue with me"

"Y-Yes", Tazuna was seriously scared of this 12-year boy.

He looked at Sakura, feeling guilty, wanting to apologize.

Yet his pride did not allow him to...

He went out of the room. Trying to scout the Village and find out Zabuza's Hideout