Chap 8: Land of Waves
"A Crank mission just came in, your to perform guard duties for a man headed to the land of water." Minato said and team7 nodded in return, Naruto excited at the prospect, leaving to pack their backpacks, before meeting at the gate in thirty minutes.
"It's only a Crank so there shouldn't be enemy ninja that we run into." Hinami said in response to Ikumi hugging her tightly and begging her not to go on the mission, she rubbed his head a moment, smiling softly, a rarity nowadays. Wearing her black hair in a plait braid with one lilac strand and one yellow strand intertwined with her own. wearing a lilac purple sleeveless top with a black skirt, paired with a tan cropped jacket overtop, with the hyuga symbol on the arms, with the Senju symbol on the back in black. Wearing a shuriken holster on her right thigh with a kunai pouch on her back, wearing sleeveless black gloves on her hands with arm guards underneath her jacket. Her scar which sat on the left side of her face, just outside of her eye, she came close to loosing the appendage, but was lucky.
"You promise you'll be okay?" Ikumi said in question and Hinami nodded in return, assured that she would.
"Yeah. Make sure you work hard with your training, I'll test you when I get back." She said looking towards Ikumi who nodded in response, releasing her as their parents walked up, placing hands on their shoulders and wishing them luck on the mission and the girl nodded. Before leaving the house, heading to the leaf village gates where her team would be waiting with Tazuna, the client.
"Oh, are you the ninja supposed to be guarding me? Your nothing but runts." Tazuna said and Hinami merely glared over before completely ignoring him, her hood over her head, hiding most of her features from view. Sasuke walking up next, His black hair spiked behind his head as he wore a blue short-sleeve shirt with tan shorts, his shuriken holster on his right thigh, with his blue headband tied around his forehead. Wearing tan arm warmers on his forearms, and blue sandals on his feet.
"You're early, as usual, Hinami." He commented, addressing the girls who just tched but didn't offer a verbal response. Naruto coming up as the last of the genin, with Kakashi showing up right as it hit the ten minute mark. Barely making it on time.
"Ah perfect, we're all here." Kakashi stated, wearing his white hair up above his head, wearing his headband diagonally over his face, hiding his scar and his left eye, wearing a blue mask on his face hiding his mouth and nose. Wearing a blue ninja outfit with blue sandals and gloves on his hands looking towards the genin and Tazuna. The genin looking towards him a moment, 'yeah cause you were way late again sensei…' they thought briefly
"We're the ninja that'll be escorting you. I am Kakashi, this is my team. Hinami, Sasuke, and…" He said to the man, gesturing before Naruto jumped up,
"I'm Naruto Namikaze! I'm going to be the next Hokage, Believe it!" Naruto said to the man who looked to be mid to late 40s early 50s, he gray hair almost hidden by the hat on his head, wearing what seemed to be a fisherman's outfit.
"Well you don't look like much, but whatever let's go." He said as they started down the dirt path, heading towards the man's small town, where he was to build a bridge but needed protection from bandits. As they walked through the forest, Naruto kept his hands behind his head before looking towards the man.
"Hey old man, how come you've asked for ninja from the leaf, aren't there ninja where you live too?" Naruto said in question,
"Yeah, I've never heard of a land without a ninja village, not that I can remember anyway, so, wouldn't it have been easier to ask them?" Naruto commented, looking towards the man and Hinami spoke up from the side of them,
"No there isn't. You're confusing the land of water with the land of waves. It's too small to justify having a ninja village, besides with the natural protection they have, it's usually not as needed." Hinami said before Tazuna could,
"Woah, really?" Naruto said and Tazuna nodded,
"That's right. My village is surrounded completely by water, and we can't get in or out of the village without boats. But having a bridge? A bridge would change everything for us. Which is why it's important. But these… bandits, keep attacking and dwindling any progress we can make or have made on the bridge." he said and Hinami glanced over, Kakashi had caught onto the hesitation as well, her mind working overtime to try and figure out what he was lying about. Before they passed a puddle of water, 'it hasn't rained in weeks. we're in the middle of a dry spell. So why is there a puddle?' Hinami thought, looking towards the puddle a moment, as they continued down the path, 'This isn't the Crank this man said it was. He's hiding something, dangerously so.' Kakashi thought as they continued on their path, looking towards Tazuna with a more calculating look than before.
"You four are nothing but runts. I'm supposed to put my faith in you, ha!" Tazuna said scoffing, Kakashi grabbing the back of Naruto's hood, the boy ready to charge at the man, arms waving and kunai held tightly, as he waved it ready to kill Tazuna.
"Wrong. No killing the person you've been assigned to protect." he said as Naruto ranted and raved at the guy for his rude words.
"If you're so much better than us then why exactly do you need protection." Hinami said in return, causing Tazuna to go quiet briefly before Naruto looked over towards Hinami,
"By the way, Hinami, how come there's no ninja there, do you know?" Naruto asked and Hinami hummed looking over, moving her hands as she spoke
"Airu sensei told me about it once. Ninja villages are only used for military strength. Basically, so with the natural protection the receive from the water, it's unnecessary." Hinami said in response, Kakashi backing up her statement as she trailed off, telling them about the different Kage. before ninja jumped from the puddle, wrapping the man in chakra chains before reducing him to piles of nothing.
"Sensei!" Naruto called out a moment, before looking towards the two bandits, Hinami sliding in front of Tazuna who slid in front of Tazuna. Who didn't seem surprised to see them in the slightest, merely wary, something Hinami was quick to pick up on as Sasuke saved Naruto. Once the two bandits were done with breaking free,
"Hey youre not hurt are ya? Scaredy cat." Sasuke said to Naruto who was slightly pale having frozen up the moment he came to danger. The boy tching, before the two ninja stood, dropping the connected chain, going straight for Tazuna. Despite having been shaking the entire time, she took out two kunai, unseen by the two shinobi before throwing them forwards quickly, hitting both chunin in the middle of their forehead, the kunai going straight through, stopping in the middle of two trees behind them, blood dripping from the wounds, as the two fell to the ground, lifeless, their blood spilling onto the ground. Looking towards them with disgust in her gaze. Lifting her head ever so slightly,
"Aren't you embarrassed to lose to a child? For godsakes your adults. At least make it challenging." She said looking at the ninja, standing in front of Tazuna
"Nice! Hinami, you took em down like it was nothing." Naruto said,
"You should concern yourself with the poison stop moving around so much." She said in response, glancing over towards him as the boy looked over in confusion.
"Ah, seems you three handled it. Sorry I didnt step in, I wanted to see who their true target was." Kakashi said jumping down, looking towards Tazuna,
"Kakashi sensei!" Naruto said in surprise, 'idiot…' Hinami thought as she looked over
"You four handled this well, for it only supposed to be a C-rank. Well done, Hinami. Sasuke. Naruto." Kakashi said and the three nodded 'So… they saved me after all.' Tazuna thought looking towards the ground, where the ninja still sat, Hinami glanced towards him, her byakugan active as a clear threat.
"You misinformed the hokage either willfully or unintentionally. guarding from enemy ninja is ranked B or above. Not the Crank you requested. You didn't seem surprised to see them. so. What the hell is going on." Hinami said before Kalashi placed a hand on her shoulder
"Hinami your the medic on our team. go see to Narutos wound." Kakashi said, and the girl tched belt walking towards the boy,
"Take the poison vines with you. Hinami." Kakashi said the girl moved her hands and the vines crept back underground,
"Sensei, I don't have an antidote for this poison with me. We may need to head back to the village anyway." Hinami said looking towards the man,
"You could bleed out the poison…" Kakashi said and Hinami's hands shook,
"No I cant." She said in response, before Naruto stabbed through his palm, Hinami looking over towards him in shock, not hearing his declaration that he would no longer run from any enemy. Her eyes widening, 'bl--blo---blood… he's he's going to die… his blood… he… his blood.. The ground… it's he's going to die… the bl the blood.' Hinami thought her eyes wide, as her entire body shook, Kakashi walking forwards, holding out his hand,
"Naruto, stop moving or you're going to die. You're loosing a lot of blood." Kakashi said, before looking towards Hinami,
"Hinami! Get over here. You can heal him." Kakashi said,
"I… I… I can't I… the blood, there.." Hinami said in response, Kakashi placing a hand on her shoulder,
"You can." He said in response and Hinami still shook as she placed her hand under Naruto's as well as over, pulling the poison out, her hands shaking as she healed the cut that he'd given himself.
"So… how's it look." Naruto said, before humming in surprise as Hinami lifted him by his collar,
"You idiot! That was so stupid. What were you thinking." she said looking towards the boy who paled, apologizing
"Good as new. And Tazuna." Kakashi said glancing at the bridge builder who startled a moment before looking back over
"What is it." He said in response, pushing his glasses up his nose,
"We're going to talk." Kakashi said simply, not giving the man a choice, outlining the difference between the C-rank mission he'd requested and the A-rank mission this'd become.
"We're already here, I say we keep going." Sasuke said looking over, Hinami thinking a moment as did Kakashi,
"Yeah! Ya know! We can't turn back now!" Naruto agreed, and the sensei sighed,
"These chunin went straight for you Mr. Tazuna, and you didn't seem surprised at all. So. you knew that there was a possibility of ninja attacks, and said nothing. If you had, this mission would have gone to jonin and experienced chunin, not a mostly freshly promoted genin team. We could have died due to you willfully misinforming the hokage and us. So I won't continue this mission unless you tell every single thing, and don't leave anything out. I'll know if you're lying." Hinami said in return, looking over towards the man, looking at the man who sighed, a hint of possible regret in his tone as he nodded, seeming to be ashamed. she still had a phobia of blood, so Naruto's mishap was still fresh on her mind.
"She's right, If we'd been informed of this you would have been charged according to the B-rank or higher, not C-rank. You know this, don't you. Tazuna. We're beyond the scope of the mission we were assigned," Kakashi said looking at the man,
"No way! We aren't turning our tail and running! We took on this mission we should see it through!" Naruto said glaring,
"They do make good points. But, we are already out here, and we've accepted the mission. Tell you what, Tazuna, you're going to explain exactly what this mission is actually going to entail, and I'll tell you whether we can complete it or not." Kakashi said looking at the bridge builder. Who explained about the gang attacking their village, trying to stop any advancement with the bridge, the gang had moved into the village and completely taken over the place, killed off anyone who didn't follow their way of life and terrorized the village, he'd asked for a C-rank because it's what he could afford. He couldn't afford a Brank, and needed to complete the bridge. The team boarded a boat headed for the land of waves, Tazuna looking seriously as they kept down, out of sight as much as possible
"He calls himself Gato, he employs rogue ninja that likes to throw his weight around through the ninja." Tazuna said, the genin all saying their confusions as they sat on the boat,
"Gato as in the CEO of Gato travel? He's a business leader, he's after you and the village?" Kakashi asked and Tazuna looked over, nodding
"He's indeed a business man known by many, however, he employs the same ruthless methods to take over businesses and nations. He first made an appearance last year, he killed off any who disagreed and dared to show it. He controls the transport and shipping, owns the sea, so by building the bridge, we're taking back that power from him." Tazuna said
"Great. A power hungry madman. This is why I don't like business leaders. Usually, they're shit people. That doesn't excuse your lies." Hinami said in response from where she sat between Sasuke and Naruto,
"So the guys from the forest were on Gato's payroll." Sasuke said with a hand on his chin, looking towards the man, thinking about something.
"We'll continue the mission. We've already come this far. But, Tazuna." Kakashi said looking over with towards the man, Tazuna meeting his gaze a moment, huffing out a small breath
"Yes, what is it." he asked, they were traveling under the cover of the mist with the engine off, keeping low and quiet to avoid Gato's guards.
"If you withhold any more information pertaining to the bridge that can cost us our lives, and it won't be the enemy ninja you have to worry about." He said Tazuna nodding, taking his words for the threat they were, sweat dropping from his head, paling as he looked towards Kakashi
"Y-yes. I understand. I apologize." Tazuna said 'man, Kakashi-sensei can be kinda scary…' Naruto thought as he felt sweat drop behind his head.
The ninja and Tazuna arrived at the shore, stepping onto the wooden dock, the boat operator leaving a moment later. Tazuna thanking him for the risk he took, just guiding them there. The group starting off towards Tazuna's home. Naruto sending Shuriken to the left as they walked, saying something about sensing something in the woods, though, when they moved the underbrush, finding a snow rabbit.
"Great. You protected us from a snow rabbit." Sasuke said and Hinami hummed, before walking towards the bunny, opening up her arms,
"No. there was someone here. I sensed him too, this bunny was definitely kept in horrid conditions. Naruto was right. He's still nearby. Go on now, it's okay." Hinami said looking towards the forest, setting the bunny back on the ground, running the opposite direction quickly, Hinami activating her byakugan, before pointing up, 'no wonder those two failed. Kakashi Hatake, the copy ninja of the leaf is a strong jonin indeed. Not to mention it looks like Hinami Senju, the reaper is here as well…' Zabuza thought as he looked at the jonin from his tree branch, grabbing his sword, the Kubikiribocho. Before he launched an attack at the group,
"Locked on… 10 meters away to the left. Looks to be jonin level, at least. *Gasp* Hit the deck!" she said as a weapon came down, the ninja and Tazuna ducking down quickly, as the weapon embedded itself in a nearby tree, a man standing on the handle,
"Zabuza Momoshi, a rogue ninja from the hidden mist village, I didn't think we'd get to meet." Kakashi said
"The Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake. It's a pleasure to meet you. The Reaper of the leaf, Hinami Senju… you're younger than I thought you'd be." Zabuza said looking towards the two,
"You're older than I thought you'd be Zabuza Momoshi, demon of the hidden mist." Hinami said in response, he wore wrappings around his mouth his headband on the left side of his face sitting diagonally in his brown hair. Wearing wrappings around his shoulders, paired with a black tanktop tucked into black pants, wearing blue fingerless gloves that reached just under his elbows, wearing matching leg warmers that went over his ninja sandals.
"You four guard Tazuna. I'll handle Zabuza." Kakashi said and the three nodded, jumping in front of Tazuna, Hinami dead center with Naruto and Sasuke on either side,
"The Reaper? How come he called you that?" Naruto asked and Hinami hummed,
"It's a name people started to call me in the Anbu, I was there for about a year but it wasn't for me and now we're a team. Keep up." Hinami said in response,
"Hand over the old man, Kakashi Hatake." Zabuza said glancing back, Kakashi refusing, the genin standing in a guard position in front of Tazuna, guarding every instance.
"Right so this also required fine chakra control. Move the chakra to the bottoms of your feet… and…" Kakashi said walking up a tree in front of his team, without using his hands, Hinami already knew how to do this as she'd done it with her team before their 10th mission. Demonstrating as such, walking up the tree to the top with little effort. Naruto turned towards Hinami
"Hey! You've done this before, right!" Naruto said and Hinami nodded in response,
"Yes I have." She said, nodding, her black hair in a plait braid with one lilac strand and one yellow strand intertwined with her own. wearing a lilac purple sleeveless top with a black skirt, paired with a tan cropped jacket overtop, with the hyuga symbol on the arms, with the Senju symbol on the back in black. Wearing a shuriken holster on her right thigh with a kunai pouch on her back, wearing sleeveless black gloves on her hands with arm guards underneath her jacket. Her scar which sat on the left side of her face, just outside of her eye, she came close to loosing the appendage, but was lucky.
"Makes sense, she's been genin for two years longer than us…" Sasuke commented, looking up towards her as she walked off the tree,
"Is there another exercise I can complete, sensei?" Hinami questioned and Kakashi hummed, looking towards her,
"Right." Kakashi said having her work on her control with her forest release kekkei tota, the girl giving a hint to Sasuke and Naruto. The boys working hard to climb the trees in front of them, finding it damn near impossible, causing them to continue to work on it.
Hinami walked through the village with Tazuna, Hinami had her arms crossed in front of her body harshly, glaring around at the villagers, finding it almost desolate.
"That madman has done this to your village. Correct." Hinami said harshly and Tazuna nodded, referring to the lack of food and the starvation people were going through,
"I see." Hinami said before someone reached for her kunai pouch on her back waist, the girl hitting the man with gentle fist, calling him a pervert.
"It will take work to restore your village," She said just as harshly before turning as a child tried to take her wallet, kneeling down she hummed,
"You won't get very far with that. I don't carry money on me at all. Tell me, how many are you trying to feed, is it just yourself?" Hinami asked and the kid looked sheepish at being caught, before he nodded shyly,
"My mom and me." He said in return and Hinami hummed grabbing out some food she'd brought with her,
"Here. it's onigiri and bread. This'd taste better than my wallet, don't you think?" She said the child looked starstruck at the food a moment, wondering if it was okay to take it, Hinami grinned towards him, placing a hand on his head,
"Go ahead, I'm afraid that I'm not very good at cooking, but, hopefully it tastes at least a little like food." Hinami said a small grin on her face and the boy nodded seriously before grabbing the offered bag, and running off down the alleyway.
"So. You have a soft spot for kids." Tazuna said, and the girl tched, standing from the ground,
"Let's finish your errands, old man." She said in response, not confirming or denying his statement.
They met Tazunas family, his daughter and grandson, who unlike his mother was incredibly cold to the point Naruto blew up at him more than once, Hinami not unlike the boy. Which caused him to also blow up at her, though, the girl seemed unaffected by his words. Kakashi explaining Narutos harsh words to the boy who sat outside the house. Sasuke and Naruto competing with everything, from eating to training. Hinami remaining incredibly cold towards Tazuna in particular, something the man had taken notice of, Kakashi merely shrugging towards the man when he'd asked. 2 days later, Sasuke and Naruto finally mastered tree climbing. They headed back out towards the bridge where they were set to face off against Zabuza and Haku. Hinami protecting Tazuna, with Sasuke and Kakashi facing Haku and Zabuza. Haku using an ice style jutsu trapping Sasuke in a row of mirrors.
"Ice style kekkei genkai, there's gaps between the mirrors, let's see.." Hinami said watching both fights, taking out two shuriken, sending them towards the mirrors, moving her hands,
"Shuriken shadow clone jutsu…" She said calmly, the weapons multiplying to the 20s and thirties, hitting the mirrors, causing cracks, but the jutsu repaired itself.
"Harming the jutsu from the outside causes it to repair itself… I see… the same result if inside as well, but if there's an attack of equal strength on both sides of the prison, they'll be a greater chance of it…" Hinami thought aloud before Naruto announced his entrance onto the bridge, putting a hand on her forehead as she looked towards him, before sighing. Kakashi letting him know of the deadly consequences that could have in the future. Looking over, 'well, if he attacks from the outside and Sasuke attack from the inside then the walls'll shatter…' Hinami thought, before she seemed to freeze, Naruto having jumped right into the wall of ice mirrors to help Sasuke.
"Our cousin… is an idiot." Hinami said aloud as her eyebrow twitched, blocking an attack from the left looking like she hadn't moved a muscle. Naruto making it out of the prison before looking towards Hinami as she asked about Sasuke, before looking away.
"Here. This way you're still obeying your sensei." Tazuna said and Hinami hummed, taking his hand alongside running towards Sasuke. Looking at Sasuke, she remained standing, a tear slipped past her eyes before she looked towards Haku and Zabuza
"Don't hold back for my sake, sometimes, it's good to let out a good cry." he said as he looked at the boy, who was riddled with needles,
"Ive been a kunoichi for two years longer than Naruto or Sasuke. Rule 25 in the shinobi code is to never show emotions on missions, no matter what." Hinami started as she looked towards Sasuke using her byakugan to look at his network, standing next to Tazuna. Who hummed looking over
"My original team, Geikan was alot like Naruto, and Anita like Sasuke. But we worked well together, we were always together. They were my best friends, they were two years older than me, but that didn't matter. We completed our missions with pride. I was the medic and kept the team together physically. But that changed when we were sent on a B rank mission. Two S rank criminals appeared before our team. I was the only one who survived, Those S rank criminals make Zabuza and Haku even Gato look like children throwing a tantrum. My sensei. My entire team. Was killed that day. When I found out they were dead, it wasn't until a week after the mission had taken place, I haven't cried since. I joined the Anbu after that, but I couldn't take the bloodshed. Ironic. Since this is where we stand now. I was cold and am cold to you due to what happened to Team 4. I don't believe Sasuke's dead, but merely in a near death stasis." Hinami said before placing a hand near her cheek in partial shock a moment, a tear slipping past her eye, blinking, she wiped the tear away quickly, 'So this is what being a shinobi is? It's unbearable.' Tazuna thought, looking towards the girls. Somehow… Somehow, they beat the unbeatable, Zabuza taking out several of Gatos henchmen before taking Gato's head from his shoulders, all without the use of his arms, holding a kunai in his mouth, the groups celebrating their victory before the other rogue ninja questioned about fighting them. Taking the village.
"I think not." Hinami said bringing up her hands as she looked forwards, healing Sasuke at the same time, as the villagers stood against the ninja holding a variety of gardening and farming tools, standing against them,
"Shadowclone jutsu." she, Naruto, and Kakashi said calmly, Hinami creating 29 shadowclones. adding to Narutos 6 and Kakashis 10, Hinami's clones standing on the air each holding a woodstyle scythe with their hoods up over their heads.
"Still want to fight?" she questioned as Kakashi did the same, the Ninja looking over before shaking their heads rapidly,
"No thanks!" they said looking at the villagers and ninja before fleeing from the bridge.
"The bridge is finally built and Gato is no more. I think I'll name this bridge… the great Naruto Bridge. Its the bridge of possibilities." Tazuna said looking at the finished bridge with pride, the town agreeing as Naruto had been a major point in pushing the villagers to stand against Gato and his gang of thugs. Looking as the ninja left their village, Hinami having helped regrow a garden so they wouldn't have to rely on other lands, the garden paired with the bridge would bring more prosperity to the village than before, they were sure of it.
"You know, this mission taught us all valuable things, most of all that Kakashi sensei is definitely a closet pervert." Hinami said looking towards her team. Her black hair in a plait braid with one lilac strand and one yellow strand intertwined with her own. wearing a lilac purple sleeveless top with a black skirt, paired with a tan cropped jacket overtop, with the hyuga symbol on the arms, with the Senju symbol on the back in black. Wearing a shuriken holster on her right thigh with a kunai pouch on her back, wearing sleeveless black gloves on her hands with arm guards underneath her jacket. Her scar which sat on the left side of her face, just outside of her eye, she came close to loosing the appendage, but was lucky.
"Yeah, those books he reads is what pervy sage writes, I found one, one time, and it was… mom yelled at him and threw I think a pan or something… at him." Naruto said in response, his blonde hair sitting around his head falling around the metal of his headband. Wearing a blue-orange ninja outfit with his shuriken holster on his right thigh.
"What was in the book?" Sasuke asked, 'A closet pervert? That's mean…' Kakashi thought, looking towards the three who continued to discuss the fact that Kakashi was a closet pervert much to the mans red faced dismay. his black hair spiking behind his head wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt with tan shorts, his shuriken holster on his right thigh, with his blue headband tied around his forehead. Wearing tan arm warmers on his forearms, and blue sandals on his feet.
"Hinami, did Airu sensei do that too?" Naruto asked referring to the books and Hinami hummed, before shaking her head,
"No, but she did have me play these weird strategy games a few times, no idea what they were, but they were easy." Hinami said in return, shrugging her shoulders a moment.