Chapter 38 – Assassination and Shop

“Burp!” Naruto patted his bulging stomach. The amount of food he ate was equal to the work he had done or so he says.

Kakashi sat beside Naruto and looked at him, “You have to be ready for tomorrow. Do you understand, Naruto?”

“Hai! Hai!” Naruto replied cheerily. “Going so long without eating Ichiraku ramen is making my stomach really angry.” Naruto played with his stomach making Hinata laugh.

“Hinata, here. Take Naruto with you and get some souvenirs. I heard that the shops near the harbor have a variety of shops.” Kakashi looked at Hinata then gave her a roll of Ryo.

“From next week, we are going to have a joint training with Asuma’s group.”

“Shika’s?” Raito asked.

“Asuma has been telling me about this for a time now.” Kakashi sighed showing his unwillingness about this joint training.

Just as Raito had opened his mouth to ask something, Kakashi again started, “Also you three have to complete all those books in the cubicle in this month. I really pity you.” Kakashi looked especially at Naruto, which made him angry for some time. Turning to see Kakashi, Raito felt that he was telling him not to speak for now.

Keeping his mouth shut, Raito dived in for the sweets. Naruto who saw this stared in surprise, “How can you eat so much?”

“Hum?” taking out the spoon from his mouth, Raito ate it once more and looked at Naruto, “Like that.”

Later that night Naruto and Hinata walked out of the inn. Naruto waved his hands and said, “I bring great-”

“Don’t buy garbage.” Raito immediately shouted, interrupting Naruto.

“Raito!” Naruto shook in anger. “I’ll show you what good souvenir is called.” With that Naruto ran.

“Raito-san… ” Looking back at Kakashi and Raito Hinata waved her hands then rushed to meet Naruto.

Raito waved his hands while smiling. But as they left, he looked at Kakashi and asked, “So what’s going on?”

“So serious.” Kakashi sighed. “Here.” He threw the golden cover scroll to Raito.

“Um, ah, ah. Sensei? You want me to?” Raito was dumbfounded as he read the scroll. It was about the assassination of the brother of the Tea Country’s lord.

“If you go there, we would definitely fail the mission.”

“We are accepting it? And you are gonna do it?” Raito asked.

Kakashi checked Raito and said, “We are accepting it and I am going to do it.”

“You made Naruto and Hinata go then why are you telling me to stay.”

“I want you to see.” Kakashi finally said it.

Raito put on a blank face and sighed, “Why me and why not them?”

“You should understand.” Kakashi nodded then went inside the inn.

“A genius like me should understand.” Raito sighed then went to prepare.

Kakashi with his superb hearing felt his face twitching.

In the eve of the bustling night, the roads were full of people and the lights in the shop and outside them made it look like the middle of a festival.

But there are places similar to the lord’s palace where the guards roam around a huge palace.

On the top floor, a man slightly fat with the pointed beard looked at the meal in front of him which would cost more than five thousand Ryo. The meal had gone cold and the maid had replaced it a few times.

The man sighed then looked at the only maid in the palace and said, “Leave. Don’t disturb me for the night.”

The maid hurriedly bowed then left the room.

The man played with a crystal ball in his hand and looked at the full moon. “Elder brother, you were always father’s favorite. Could it be that my children would also follow the same footsteps as me?”

“You have already sent your children outside the country. Preparing everything is a good thing but… Konoha had clearly stated that anyone who tries unfair means would be-”

“Killed? I already know about it. But why should I restrain myself? Our tea country is not ruled by the Fire country. What we do, what has it anything to do with your Konohagakure.” The man who was calmly sitting on the couch stood up and threw the crystal ball towards a dark figure.

The dark figure grabbed it and shattered it to pieces, “If you hadn’t kidnap the twins then there would be no reason for me come here at this beautiful night to kill you.”

“Stop.” The man sat on the couch taking a wine bottle and glass. Filling the glass, the man looked at the dark figure.

Walking out from the shadow Kakashi revealed himself. Then from his pouch, Kakashi took out a folded paper. Taking out another glass from a seal and another wine bottle that had the same label, Kakashi filled it with wine then poured the powder before mixing it.

The man clearly had an unwilling look as he took the wine glass.

“Please.”

“Our village does not take mission against who hasn’t done anything.” Kakashi answered hinting at some points.

The man closed his eyes and drunk it whole. Now, the only thing he could do now was to wait, wait for his death.

With a jutsu Kakashi made the wine in the cup evaporate the filling it again. Sealing everything he had bought, Kakashi cleaned everything before leaving. The surrounding guards didn’t see anything, the only feeling that this particular night gave out was cold, bitter coldness.

Raito who sat on a rock few hundred meters outside the palace looked at the palace with a stiff expression. When Kakashi reached to where Raito was, he saw that and waited patiently for fifteen minutes.

Grabbing Raito’s shoulder, Kakashi disappeared and the next moment he appeared in front of the lord’s palace. Looking at Raito, he saw that Raito was still in a state of shock. Sighing Kakashi waited for him to recover.

Raito who was in a daze was jumping inside as he looked at the video.

[Shadow Concealment technique recorded.]

[Afterimage technique recorded.]

[Lightning release – Body flicker recorded.]

Each skill took a total of fifteen minutes to be recorded, which caused Raito to be in this state of daze.

“Whatever you were doing, only do that when you have returned to the village or… to the place you disappear to.” Kakashi waited after speaking.

“Sorry sensei…” Raito stood up and nodded.

Grabbing his shoulder they again disappeared reaching the main hall of the lord’s palace.

Kakashi and Raito who were darker clothes and had their faces covered appeared in front of Shiraishi Eikichi.

Giving a slight bow, Raito and Kakashi greeted, “We greet Shiraishi-sama.”

“Ka-” Just as he was about to call Kakashi’s released his chakra and locked onto Eikichi.

“Mission accomplished.” Then taking out the golden scroll, Kakashi gave it to Eikichi.

“Thank you.” Shiraishi Eikichi stamped the scroll then returned it back.

Walking back, Kakashi bowed then grabbing Raito left the palace.

Eikichi put on a smile on his face, walked down his seat then to his room where his wife was waiting for him with his kids. Looking at his kids, he felt that the burden on his shoulders finally lessened.

When Kakashi and Raito returned to the inn they saw that Naruto and Hinata had just entered the building.

Kakashi walked forward and came in front of Hinata and Naruto.

Looking at Kakashi’s awkward smile, Hinata asked, “Sensei, what happened?”

Rubbing his hair, Kakashi started explaining. Since they had sneaked in and not registered in the country. They were not officially allowed to be here.

“Then can’t we just go and register?” Hinata asked again.

“We had a period of six days. So we must be back or our pay would be halved.” Raito spoke up as he walked forward in his hand a bag each for Hinata and Naruto.

“Our pay would be halved?” Naruto jumped then quickly grabbed the bag, giving Raito all the shopping bag.

“We will also be heavily punished by the council if they knew.” Kakashi continued.

After paying, they directly left the capital through a hidden passage.

“And I thought that I could sleep together with Naruto-kun.” Hinata murmured.

“What was that Hinata? You have to speak up, ya know?” Naruto who was walking beside Hinata looked at her weirdly and asked.

Raito for the first time checked the Info book and selected the skills tab. There were not much but it recorded all the skills he had learned till now even something like cleaning and cooking.

After clicking one of the skill, he found that the skill had various level under it. 1, 2, 3 … 30. The level was from one to till he had cultivated. Then checking for the skills he didn’t have but was still there, there were only a few.

[Demonic illusion – Dream Emotion Rampage]

[Lightning Release – Body Flicker]

[Afterimage]

[Shadow Concealment]

[Heart Kill Combo]

[Beheading Strike Combo]

Raito checked all of them but none of them were that great but the man problem was points.

[POINTS – 200]

“Hey Kakashi-sensei, how about you show me your strongest technique?” Raito asked with a big smile.

“After we reach village.” Kakashi answered then dug his nose to his book.

Raito snorted then looked back at the road with grand thoughts in his mind, “Sharingan is nothing compared to this.”

Then taking out a big rock to carry, Raito started training.

Giving him a side glance, Kakashi had a bizarre thought, “I fear when me meets Gai…”

“Gai-sensei?” Raito looked back at Kakashi.

“No, nothing.” Kakashi sighed then looked at the setting sun.

Sometimes it rained. “Damn it’s unlucky, unlucky.”

“Raito make a house.”

*Gururu. “Raito, I am hungry. Give me food.”

On the returning journey, Naruto annoyed Raito hundreds of time but Raito remained steadfast doing his own thing. Feeling that Raito was becoming stronger and stronger, Naruto also joined in his training. Hinata also joined them but would always lag because of the abnormal training schedule.

Kakashi smiled looking at them. He explained that he was feeling good then used his accumulated experience in ANBU and trained them.

Two days later, reaching the gates of Konohagakure, Kakashi stretched his body and let out a big yell.

“Oh, Kakashi. You are finally back.” Kotetsu stood up and shouted.

“Yo.” Kakashi nodded.

“Did something happened?” looking at Kakashi, he seemed different.

“Ah, you took a C-Rank but where are your Genins?” Kotetsu looked at Kakashi’s but didn’t see the Genins.

“You got that Naruto brat, Hinata Hyuga and Raito. So where are they?” Kotetsu asked again.

“Send a message to Hokage-sama. Along with a C-Rank mission, we also had to do an A-Rank rescue mission.”

“An A-Rank? Of course it’s ‘First C-Rank curse’.”

“And there is a personal A-Rank.” Kakashi gave the scroll to Kotetsu then waited.

Kotetsu immediately grabbed the scrolls and ran towards the tower. As he was leaving he kicked Izumo asking to lookout.

“Sensei, ora, ora, ora. RAMEN!” Naruto, who was carrying a bag in his front and Hinata on his back, ran with dust flying.

Raito had already reached the doors and was checking his skill level.

[Sprint Lvl 58]

[Chakra Body Enhancement Lvl 44]

Looking back at Naruto, Raito activated the veil technique, making it look like the gate was closed. Naruto who was at a distance away saw that the gates were closed. So he shouted, “Open the gates.”

Kakashi and Izumo looked at Raito. Izumo had his mouth open and Kakashi praised Raito, “You are really good at Genjutsu.”

“There goes our plan for this year’s exam.” Izumo mumbled then went to register.

Naruto tried stopping his momentum and stopped just inches away from the gates, “Safe!”

Kotetsu came back running but at the end stumbled on Raito’s illusion and fell down crossing the ‘gates’ and as a result, the gates disappeared.

“Wa-What happened? Illusion? Genjutsu?” Naruto’s confused voice made everyone focus on him.

Then asking Hinata to go down, he looked around to find Raito with a mocking smile. “Damn you! Raito!”

Seeing Naruto jump and create another ruckus. Kotetsu grabbed Naruto by the collar and looked at Kakashi. “Hokage-sama says he wants to see all of you.”

But Kakashi had walked ahead with his Genin and disappeared in the crowd. Kotetsu wanted to search for them but Izumo grabbed him from behind, “I say Kotetsu, you have known Kakashi and you still want to tell him…. You are definitely stupid.”

Team seven sat on chairs, in front of a stall.

Kakashi called out, “Teuchi-san, ramen on me.”

“Ichi, ra, Ku. Huhuhu.” Naruto moved like a leaf blown.

“I want my special, Teuchi-ossan.”

“A pork for me.”

After their small celebration, Kakashi instructed them to take a rest and meet at Hokage tower tomorrow.

“But sensei, didn’t Hokage-sama asked us to come today?” Hinata looked at Kakashi with confusion then asked.

“No worries, no worries. Hokage-sama is very kind. He will definitely understand that we had to travel a lot and I also made you do all those training. No worries, no worries.” Kakashi replied with a smile then send them away.

Naruto and Raito looked at Kakashi’s back view with disdain.

“Maybe-” Hinata started thinking but she felt two hands on her shoulders.

Raito looked at her with blank faces and shook his head.

Hinata just said, “Oh.” Then with Naruto and Raito went home.

As expected next morning Team seven got an earfull and mouth full of scolding. Hinata was never on the receiving side of the Hokage’s lashing but she was on her clan elders and fathers. So he just looked at the floor finding it rather beautiful and as a matter of fact, it was rather beautiful. A place where a person, who controls the wind and rain of the whole village, definitely must have something a bit of luxury.

Naruto and Raito were already used to it. They had been playing pranks and doing things that children shouldn’t be doing. So, they were here quite a number of time not only facing Hiruzen but also Yugao, Ibuki, Mari, Shun and Inoichi. Kakashi was even more amazing as he smiled throughout Hiruzen’s scolding.

Hiruzen sat on his chair and drank a bottle of spring water given by Raito then looked at Kakashi with anger. But the spring water quickly acted and calmed Hiruzen. “Fine, fine. What can I even do to you all?”

Taking out a paper, Hiruzen looked at Kakashi and signed a document and called Mariko. “Team seven will only do D-rank for a month.”

Mariko took the paper, bowed and left the room. The punishment was just in name as they would not get C-Rank for a long time anyway.

“Now let’s begin with the report. Since it is an A-Rank, I will be hearing it. The missions having political interference or rank A and S will be directly reported to me.” Hiruzen explained to the three Genins.

The three also nodded and looked at Kakashi. Kakashi sighed than started, if it wasn’t a long practice, Kakashi would love using Genjutsu to show everything. He started from the very beginning, leaving the village, settling in an inn then reaching the border, the small village and lastly the capital.

Everything was in such detail that a movie could be easily made. He even added the mission about assassination which made Naruto look at Kakashi in a resentful way.

“That’s good. I hope the ‘Tea’ remembers. They already used one of the golden scrolls, Konoha gave them.” Hiruzen sealed the scroll in a big scroll given to him by an ANBU.

“Rest for two days.” Looking at the Genins, he gave them an order and made them go out.

Naruto immediately looked back at Raito as they walked out, “Why didn’t he take us?”

“How would I know? He didn’t take me inside. I was just waiting for him outside.” Raito shrugged his shoulders.

“Raito-san.” Hinata pulled Raito then gave him a signal pointing at Mariko.

“Mariko-nee?” Ratio jumped and grabbed Mariko’s hand. Taking out a small carving of a woman sitting in flower lotus, he gave it to Mariko. Seeing that Mariko, still wasn’t smiling he took out few bowls of food and only stopped after he saw the smile.

“I totally forgot you, Mariko-nee. Since I wasn’t here there wasn’t anyone giving you good food… How about marrying me? So I could feed you every day.” Raito joked and dodged Mariko’s hit.

After calming down, Mariko put all the stuff into the drawer then took out a paper and gave it to Raito, “Poison hall has been waiting for you a long time and they are getting impatient.”

Storing the paper into the inventory, he replied, “I totally forgot about that.”

Mariko sighed then looked at Naruto and Hinata giving them a paper each.

“Hyuga Hinata, repot to the Sensory Monitoring division. Go to the information department at the top of mountain at noon.”

“Uzumaki Naruto, report to the Patrolling division. Go to the gates before the sun rises.”

“Since you have a two day rest, make sure to gather some information before going. A ninja must prepare.”

After giving them the introduction paper and the orders Mariko waved at them asking them to leave.

Naruto walked down, turning corners. “Now what’s this? More work? But we still have a two day holiday. What do you think, Raito?”

Not hearing Raito speaking, Naruto looked back only to see Hinata. Sighing he dragged Hinata for a long walk. Hinata was also happy being dragged by Naruto. Her hair had grown and now it was already reaching her shoulders.

Raito stood in front of a huge fortress like house. The gate had a board on top “Poison Hall”.

“I should meet her too. How is she doing? …Maybe she passed.” Raito stood in silence and in confusion. He thought for a while then walked inside standing in front of the main door of the house.

Knock! Knock!

Raito pulled the handle then banged the wooden door twice and waited. He waited and waited for a long time thinking that since the house is so big the people will take a long time.

“Tch.” Looking at the big door, he activated ‘Chakra Sense’ and expanded his senses. The invisible bubble expanded and got bigger and bigger. But what he didn’t expect was that the Poison Hall actually repelled his senses.

Frowning for a while, Raito sighed, “I knew something low level as this would have some defects.” With a giddiness coming from within ratio let out a small smile with his eyes shining, “In future, just like my father, I will modify it and make it even stronger.”

Then looking at the big door, Raito with a furrowed brows, he pushed the door and to his surprise, it was actually open.

Peeking inside, Raito again tried using ‘Chakra Sense’ but he couldn’t ‘see’ anything.

“Why is it soo dark here?” His eyes wandering, Raito waited for this eye to adjust to the light but still, he failed to say anything.

Frowning, he opened the door allowing the light from outside to fall inside but to his surprise, the darkness devoured the light and the inside remained covered in darkness.

“Forget it. Like I wanted to come here anyway.” Raito humped and turned out to depart.

“When you look at the abyss, the abyss looks back at you.” There was a small giggle and the voice of a lady, which made Raito turn around.

“This one is called ‘ten’ and we welcome ‘Yoshizawa Raito’ to the Abyss Hall.”

“Isn’t it called ‘Poison Hall’? Why is it called ‘Abyss Hall’?” Raito wanted to take a step back but he felt the door was already closed and he had taken a few steps in already.

“We are called Poison Hall on the outside but we always have been called ‘Abyss’ from the beginning.”

“Okkkayy. So can I go?”

The women who called her ‘ten’ took a step forward and the hall suddenly lightened. She was wearing a purple robe and her face was covered with only her eyes exposed.

[???, Ten]

“I don’t think that this young lord has ever seen me but let me introduce myself.”

“I am the one who manages the shop in the Abyss, ‘Ten’.” She closed her eyes then gave a slight bow.

“A shop?” Raito face turned into confusion.