Chapter 20

The group picked up the pace he next day, not wanting any other attacks like the one involving the Iwa Chuunin. As they hopped through the trees, Itachi was explaining to Shisui about his Sharingan and the abilities he now had. While Shisui had, of course, pretty much had this conversation with his parents before, it took on a whole new meaning. Now, he actually had the bloodline. He continued to play with it, activating it on and off with a goofy grin while Itachi would just sigh at seeing the prestigious Doujutsu reduced to a novelty.

Naruto listened in on their conversation, fascinated as he heard Itachi explain the intricacies of the Sharingan. He learned that the Uchiha have much better abilities concerning Genjutsu due to their ability to see the chakra they use. Able to visually understand genjutsu made them intimate with the ability to manipulate their enemies' senses. He also found out about the slight predictive abilities the eyes held, although that mostly came into effect with the evolution to the three tomoe state. However, Itachi hadn't activated that yet. He could only provide the explanation his own father had given him, verbatim. Nevertheless, Naruto was fascinated.

He knew from his father that even a fully matured Sharingan was far from perfect. Minato was said to be one of the few people actually fast enough to render the predictive ability useless. While a well trained Sharingan user could follow him with their eyes, their actual reflexes could do nothing to dodge or block him. It was one reason he had been well-respected by the clan. Naruto thought to himself slighty smugly as he hopped from branch to branch. One day he would be that fast. When Itachi finally matured to three tomoe, they would finally have the fight both had been waiting for.

He was brought out of his daydream as his eyes widened, catching a slight flicker in the periphery of his vision. On reflex alone, he suddenly stopped on the branch he landed on, using his hands to suddenly swing around and press his back up against it. Moments after, ten or so kunai impacted with the branch with dull thuds; some sailing over where his body would have been. Similar things happened with Itachi and Shisui but with their respective Sharingan they were able to see it in time and hurl themselves out the way. Ensui merely melted away into his shadow, the kunai harmlessly passing overhead.

Naruto sighed as he sprang back up onto his branch, already expecting it when a very large and muscular man dropped down some way out in front of the group. He wore black Shinobi pants and sandals as well as an Iwa headband and flak jacket but nothing else. His bulging, ripped upper body was clenching in intimidating display. He had many scars that dotted his chest and arms, a close-shaven shear of brown hair, and black void-like eyes that stared at the three Genin with dispassionate bloodlust.

"When I agreed to an assassination mission against that Gato guy I thought it would be boring..." his slightly scarred mouth twisted into a cruel smile "...then I see two Uchiha and I think my luck is turning around..." Finally he looked at Naruto, his grin turning into a snarl "...then I see the Yellow Flash's brat and that made me certain Kami was smiling on me." He chuckled darkly as he pulled out two kunai, letting the Konoha Genin watch in amazement as he dug them into the earth. When he pulled them out the two blades were coated with rock, forming two very long and sharp swords.

Naruto glanced around, checking for their sensei but he seemed to have conspicuously disappeared. He turned his attention back to their new opponent, noting the fact his flak jacket was that of a Jonin. As powerful as the three were together they didn't stand much of a chance against the man if he went full out. They simply had to hope he underestimated them; however the bloodthirsty gleam in his eye said very differently.

"Masi Kotechi, the stone bull of Iwa." It was Shisui talking and Naruto wasn't surprised considering his friend had practically memorised the bingo book as well as any notable ninja from other nations.

"Well what do you know, my reputation precedes me." Naruto gulped when he noticed the slightly nervous look Shisui had; that could only mean the guy was powerful.

"Watch out for his swords, he can manipulate them into any weapon." Masi just looked irritated as he glared at the Uchiha, pointing one of the stone blades his way.

"Don't ruin the surprise, it's rude, you should-" He was cut off as Naruto suddenly rushed forward in a red blur, intent on catching the man at a moment of distraction. Unfortunately for him the man as better than that and even Naruto's impressive speeds were more average for a Jonin of his calibre. He simply batted the redhead away with the flat of his sword, sending the Genin into a tree. Immediately after that he brought his two swords up, crossing them together as the stone merged into a large shield, blocking the massive fireball Shisui and Itachi had sent his way.

He chuckled as the stone morphed back onto blades, this time slightly curved like Scimitars. He used them to effortlessly parry the kick Naruto had sent him from behind, making the redhead's ankles throb in agony.

The man wielding the weighty stone blades like they were paper toyed with the genin, nullifying and perfectly anticipating their weak attacks. Naruto tried not to show his frustration as he continued to launch lightning fast strikes on the man, only to be parried by the flat of his blades ever time. Seemingly without effort, the jonin began to exhaust them.

It left Shisui and especially Itachi in slight awe of the Jonin, even he had trouble defending against Naruto when he was going all out like this. Suddenly the redhead backed off, flipping back to land on a tree where he quickly shrugged off arm and leg bands he had started wearing since the team had formed. He stretched out a moment, getting a feel for his muscles again after having them weighted down for a while. It was usually unwise for somebody to remove their weights in the middle of a fight but Naruto always made sure he kept them off at the weekends so he could better acclimatise his body to the changes.

Itachi and Shisui were left in even more amazement as Naruto seemingly disappeared from the branch. The only reason they were even still able to see him was their Sharingan; even then he was still pretty much a blur. Both of them were thinking along similar lines as they saw him once again launch himself at the Jonin 'He's been holding back this whole time?' Naruto finally allowed himself to smirk; Masi was still blocking every one of his attacks but now he was visibly trying. He backed off again, panting slightly from the speed he had been moving at.

"Well, at least this confirms you really are that bastard's son, only a Namikaze could move that fast at your age." Naruto kept his emotions in check when the man insulted and praised his father in the same breath and simply turned his gaze to Shisui and Itachi. Getting the message the two of them leapt at the man; not being nearly as fast as Naruto Masi was easily able to fend off their attacks, however when Naruto rejoined the fray he suddenly found himself hard pressed.

Getting annoyed and bored the Iwa nin suddenly clasped his hands together, the two swords merging into one, much larger broadsword growing out like a jagged crystal. With a sweeping blow he managed to catch all three Genin in a move even Itachi and Shisui's Sharingan couldn't help them against. All three suddenly found their necks enveloped in a stone collar attached to the kunai in the man's hands. When they tried to move the collar would close slightly on their necks, suffocating them slowly.

"Impressive for Genin but in the end that's what you are, Genin." He was suddenly cut off as dark black threads pierced his body in multiple places, including his heart. He could only blink once in surprise before the stone collars crumbled to dust and he fell off the branch, dead before he hit the ground. All three Genin were left panting, rubbing their necks as their sensei suddenly revealed himself from the shadow of a nearby tree.

"You three did very well, especially against an opponent of Masi's standards." Shisui just glared at their sensei, still rubbing his sore neck as he struggled to get air into his lungs again.

"Where were you Sensei?!" Ensui just sighed as he poked Masi's dead body with his foot, this time actually checking to see if this was a clone or not.

"It was bothersome... So, I thought I would let you guys handle it. Turns out you needed my help in the end after all." Naruto and Itachi both frowned at this, suddenly feeling inadequate which the lazy, but perceptive Nara making them out to be incapable.

"Don't feel bad though. Iwa's stone bull was an opponent even I would have had difficulty with if you three hadn't provided an adequate distraction. You performed admirably and considering this man was an A-ranked Jonin it was impressive you lasted as long as you did." The two still didn't look convinced while Shisui still just seemed angry their sensei hadn't done anything until the last moment. Ensui just sighed as he began to move through the trees again, motioning for his team to do the same; murmuring under his breath about how bothersome it was to be a good teacher.

AN: The greedy goblin demands stone!!!!