Chapter Ten: An Unexpected Alliance
As the morning sun filtered through the trees, Naruto waited impatiently by the village gates, bouncing on his toes with excitement. Team 7 had been assigned a mission, and Kakashi had hinted they'd be working with another team. Naruto was eager not only to test his skills in the field but also to see how far he'd come.
Sakura and Sasuke stood nearby, each in their own world. Sakura stole glances at Sasuke, who maintained his usual stoic look, arms crossed. Naruto glanced at them with a grin, a spark of determination in his eyes. He wanted to show them—and especially Sasuke—that he wasn't the same "dead last" from the academy.
Soon, Team 8 arrived: Kiba Inuzuka with Akamaru perched on his head, Shino Aburame moving silently by his side, and Hinata Hyuga walking with quiet grace. Their sensei, Kurenai Yuhi, followed, her crimson eyes sharp as she surveyed Team 7.
Naruto shouted, "Hey, Kiba! Ready to see what I've got?"
Kiba grinned back. "We'll see, Naruto. Don't go holding us back!"
Sasuke smirked, muttering, "Let's hope you don't embarrass us, Naruto."
Naruto shot Sasuke a challenging look. "Just watch, Sasuke. I'll show you who's strong."
Kakashi finally looked up from his book to address the group. "Alright, listen up. Today, we're on an escort mission. Our client, Daichi, is a wealthy merchant who needs to be accompanied back to his home a few days' journey from here. Bandits have been troubling his route, so he's hired us for protection."
Kurenai added, "This mission is classified as C-rank, but we should stay vigilant. Missions can escalate, and you never know what might happen in the field."
The two teams met Daichi, a well-dressed merchant who looked at the young ninjas with cautious hope. "Just make sure I get home safely, and I'll make sure your village is compensated well," he said nervously. His eyes darted around, suggesting he'd had some close encounters before.
Kakashi assigned formations, placing Sasuke and Sakura in front with Hinata and Kiba as backup on either side, while Shino and Naruto stayed near Daichi. The group set off, moving through the countryside, on alert as they kept pace with Daichi's hurried steps.
The day passed without incident, but that night, while the team was setting up camp, Shino's kikaichu bugs sensed movement nearby. He turned to Kakashi and Kurenai, voice calm but urgent. "We have company."
Everyone immediately went on guard. From the shadows, three rogue shinobi emerged, eyeing Daichi with predatory intent. Their leader, a tall man with a scar across his cheek, sneered. "Hand over the merchant, and you can leave in one piece."
Kurenai stepped forward, her gaze cold. "You're outnumbered, and we're not letting you touch him."
The rogue leader gave a dark chuckle, signaling to his companions to spread out. "Then I hope you're ready for a fight!"
"Sasuke, Naruto, take the lead! Kiba, Sakura, support them!" Kakashi ordered. "Shino, Hinata, keep Daichi safe!"
The rogue shinobi charged, sparking an intense battle. Kiba and Akamaru leaped forward, using Fang Over Fang to spiral into one of the rogue ninja, knocking him back.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan, dodging a kunai with ease and retaliating with a fast-moving fireball jutsu that forced one of the rogues to dodge back.
Naruto, feeling the rush of the fight, launched forward alongside Sasuke, kunai in hand. He dodged an attack, channeled wind chakra into his kunai, and swung it at one of the enemies, creating a burst of wind that threw the rogue back.
"Where did you learn that?" Sasuke asked, momentarily surprised.
Naruto grinned. "Training, Sasuke! Just watch—I'm only getting started!"
Shino's insects kept another enemy immobilized, while Hinata used her Byakugan to scan for hidden threats. "Naruto, watch out! The leader is preparing a jutsu!"
Naruto leaped back as the rogue leader unleashed a stream of fire. With a burst of energy, Naruto summoned a gust of wind to disperse the flames, surprising both his allies and enemies.
Kakashi observed, impressed by Naruto's wind chakra control. He's come a long way since the academy.
Sakura stayed by Daichi's side, ensuring his safety while supporting the others with quick shuriken throws and medical knowledge. "Sasuke, behind you!" she shouted, spotting an incoming rogue ninja.
Sasuke quickly blocked the attack, countering with a kick that sent his opponent sprawling. He gave Sakura a nod of appreciation, and she returned a small, proud smile.
The rogue leader, seeing his team struggle, pulled out a summoning scroll. In a burst of chakra, he summoned a massive, armored boar with tusks ready to charge directly toward Daichi.
"Look out!" Kurenai shouted.
Naruto stepped forward, grinning with excitement. "I've got this!"
Biting his thumb, he quickly smeared his blood across his hand and slammed it onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
In a cloud of smoke, a large white tiger appeared beside him, its blue eyes intense and focused.
Everyone, including Team 8 and even Sasuke, stared in awe.
"Naruto has a summoning contract?" Kiba exclaimed, stunned.
Sasuke frowned, watching closely. "Since when did he…?"
The tiger growled, its gaze fixed on the charging boar. "What do you need, Naruto?"
Naruto pointed at the boar. "Take that thing down!"
With a swift leap, the tiger pounced on the boar, clashing with it in a fierce struggle. The boar tried to gore the tiger with its tusks, but Naruto's summon dodged and countered, biting down on the boar's shoulder with precision.
Sakura watched, wide-eyed. "Naruto… when did you…?"
The tiger tossed the boar aside with a final blow, causing it to vanish in a puff of smoke. The rogue leader, seeing his summon defeated, clenched his fists in frustration.
"Don't think I'm done yet!" he spat, launching into another attack. But Naruto, alongside Sasuke, countered his moves seamlessly, each of them covering the other's weaknesses.
Kakashi and Kurenai exchanged glances, both impressed with the teamwork and growth of their students. The rogue leader, realizing he was outmatched, threw a smoke bomb and disappeared into the forest.
As the smoke cleared, both teams regrouped, Daichi still shaken but unharmed.
"Where did you get a summon like that?" Kiba asked, his eyes still wide with disbelief.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grinning. "Heh, long story. Let's just say I've been training hard."
Sasuke gave him a long look, a hint of respect mixed with his usual rivalry. "Hmph. You're getting better, Naruto. But don't think you're better than me."
Naruto chuckled. "Don't worry, Sasuke. I'm just getting started."
Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Well done, Naruto. You've shown a lot of progress."
Sakura nodded, smiling at him. "Yeah, Naruto. That was amazing."
Naruto beamed, feeling a newfound pride. As they continued on their journey, he felt ready for any challenge that might come his way, especially with the Chunin Exams drawing closer.