Naruto: Shadows of the Divine Flame

Dawn came quickly. I stood at the village gate, arms crossed as I watched Naruto pace excitedly. Sasuke leaned against the post with his usual indifference, while Kakashi—unsurprisingly—was running late.

Tazuna took another sip from his sake bottle, eyeing Naruto's energy with mild amusement. "Sheesh, kid, you act like you've never left the village before."

"I haven't!" Naruto declared, fists on his hips. "This is my first real mission outside Konoha!"

Tazuna snorted. "Then try not to embarrass yourself."

Naruto fumed, but before he could retort, Kakashi finally appeared, looking as relaxed as ever. "Good, you're all here. Let's get moving."

We set out on the road, leaving the gates behind.

The journey started quietly. The dirt path stretched before us, surrounded by dense forest. Birds chirped in the distance, and the occasional cart passed by as we traveled along the main trade route.

Naruto, of course, couldn't stay silent for long. "So, Tazuna, why exactly do you need protection? You some kinda famous guy?"

Tazuna scratched his head. "Well, not exactly famous, but my bridge will change the Land of Waves forever."

Sasuke frowned. "How?"

Tazuna sighed, suddenly looking more serious. "Our country is poor. We're controlled by a man named Gato—he's a corrupt businessman who bleeds us dry. The bridge I'm building is supposed to connect us to the outside world, free us from his grip. But Gato doesn't want that. That's why I need protection."

I absorbed this information carefully. A rich, powerful man trying to crush a struggling nation? Sounded familiar.

Naruto, however, seemed unaffected. "Psh, don't worry! We've got this!"

Sasuke shot him an unimpressed look. "You're way too confident."

Naruto huffed. "And you're way too moody!"

I shook my head. "Focus. The mission might not be as simple as it seems."

Kakashi hummed. "Exactly. Stay alert."

We continued walking, but my senses remained sharp. Something about this situation felt off.

It wasn't long before I was proven right.

A puddle sat in the middle of the dirt road.

I narrowed my eyes. It hasn't rained in days.

I barely had time to process the thought before two figures burst from the puddle, chains flashing.

The chains wrapped around Kakashi, tearing him apart in a burst of blood.

Naruto froze. "K-Kakashi-sensei?!"

The two shinobi turned on us next. Sasuke reacted immediately, leaping in front of Naruto, kunai raised.

I moved faster.

In a blur, I intercepted the first attacker, twisting his wrist before slamming my elbow into his jaw. He staggered, and I followed up with a brutal kick to the ribs, sending him flying into a tree.

The second shinobi lunged at Tazuna. Sasuke managed to deflect him with a kunai strike, forcing him back.

Naruto, however, was still frozen.

The first attacker struggled to rise, but I was already there. My foot came down hard on his chest, keeping him pinned. "Who sent you?"

He spat blood, glaring. "Like I'd tell you."

I pressed harder. "You work for Gato, don't you?"

The second shinobi suddenly stiffened—then collapsed, revealing Kakashi standing behind him, completely unharmed.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Y-You're alive?!"

Kakashi's visible eye curved in amusement. "Of course. That was just a substitution."

Naruto looked like he was about to faint.

Kakashi tied up the two enemies, his tone turning serious. "This was an ambush. Which means someone wants Tazuna dead."

Tazuna hesitated. "Well… about that…"

Kakashi sighed. "Let me guess. This mission wasn't actually a C-rank?"

Tazuna rubbed the back of his head. "More like… a high B-rank."

Naruto faceplanted into the dirt. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "We should turn back."

I considered the situation carefully. The Demon Brothers were just hired muscle—meaning stronger enemies could be ahead.

Kakashi studied Tazuna. "...Gato's involved. That complicates things."

Tazuna looked desperate. "Please. If we fail, my people will suffer."

Naruto suddenly clenched his fists. "...I say we keep going."

I glanced at him.

His blue eyes were steady. Determined.

Sasuke clicked his tongue. "You're an idiot."

Kakashi sighed. "...We'll continue. But from here on, assume this is an A-rank mission."

I smirked slightly. Finally, a real challenge.

With that, we pressed on.