Konoha's No. 1 Most Unpredictable Ninja

[CHAPTER 18]

Naruto woke up at 6 am, got dressed, and made himself breakfast. The first proper breakfast he has had in quite some time. 

Are you going out to train? The nine tails asked his host. 

Yeah I think so. Naruto said. I gotta keep my skills sharp if I'm being recommended for the anbu. 

You still think he'll get you a post in the anbu? Right now, when you just got assigned to a squad? Not to mention that it would be very conflicting with the True Foxes duties on your plate. The kyubi wasn't really asking questions, it was more like he was putting some thoughts into Naruto's head to make him realize that he has no time to be in the anbu.

Well I guess you are right. Naruto agreed. But that still doesn't mean I should be lazy. 

Wow that's a first kid. The nine tails said. Usually I'm the one telling you to get out of bed. 

I won't be the strongest shinobi if I'm sleeping all day. Naruto reasoned. I guess you could say that I'm maturing. 

So you really are committing yourself to this 'dream' huh? The kyubi asked. 

Yeah, I guess I am. Naruto headed out to the river and began to train. 

It was 7:40 am when Naruto finished his light training session and started for the village. 

If you walk you'll be late Naruto. The nine-tails warned. 

I'm already about 2 hours late. Naruto thought. A few more minutes won't matter. 

Naruto walked past the village gates, greeting the guards who kept their promise to leave him alone. They were actually really nice and they don't make it a priority to avoid Naruto like the villagers. 

He was getting close to the hokage tower when he spotted Kakashi walking across the street, reading his book without a care in the world. 

Looks like I was right. Naruto smirked. Sensei is as late as ever. 

Naruto decided to jog the rest of the way to get to the tower before Kakashi; It'll make it seem like he was on time just like everyone else.

"Naruto you're late!" Sakura screeched to the blonde. 

Sasuke just glared at him from the post he was leaning on. 

"I got here before Kakashi, that's all that matters." Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Plus why are you so mad at me Sakura? I didn't show up yesterday for ramen, doesn't that make you a little glad?"

"No! Because, unlike you, I kept my promise and waited at the ramen shop for an hour last night." She said angrily. 

She was lying of course. Sakura walked past the ramen shop when she was on a walk with Ino last night, peaked inside and then left. If Naruto really had shown up then he would've sat there all night without getting any free ramen. 

"Hello there!" Kakashi greeted his students.

"KAKASHI SENSEI YOU'RE LATE TOO!" Sakura screamed.

"I was lost on the path of life." He said simply with his book still in his hand.

Sakura fumed with frustration as team 7 began walking into the tower and towards the hokage's office. 

"Lord hokage, it's team 7. May we come in?" Kakashi asked, team 7 lining up at the door ready to be called in.

"You may enter." The old man's voice croaked. 

"We are here for our mission lord hokage." Kakashi bowed politely and motion for his students to do the same.

Naruto really didn't want to but he was forced down by Kakashi's hand. 

"You'll be escorting the bridge builder Tazuna to the land of waves." The hokage waved for the man to walk into the room.

Tazuna was an old man but surprisingly muscular for his age, must be because of all the building. He walked in with a bottle of sake in his hand and the expression of a drunk on his face. 

"Trying to let off some steam old man?" Naruto asked shamelessly. 

"Who's the little nuisance lord hokage?" The bridge builder turned to lord third.

"That is Naruto. He will be part of the team escorting you home." The hokage beckoned for team 7 to introduce themselves.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake, leader of this team." The jonin said.

"Sasuke Uchiha." The raven haired boy murmured. 

"I'm Sakura Haruno!" The kunoichi said happily.

"Naruto Uzumaki, nice to meet you old man." The yellow haired boy greeted with gritted teeth.

"This is who you're sending to protect me?!" Tazuna exclaimed. "These little kids?!"

"The mission description is simply to escort you back home. Unless there is something you want to add about the difficulty of the mission..?" The third hokage questioned.

"N-no! There is absolutely nothing to add hokage!" Tazuna said nervously.

"Then the mission will start in 30 minutes." The hokage concluded. "You will meet at the front gates. Team 7 you're dismissed."

The shinobi team walked out of the hokages office and went their separate ways.

Did you hear the tone in his voice fox? Naruto asked.

He was nervous, like he has something to hide. The nine tails responded.

Exactly. Naruto thought.

Naruto teleported home to conserve time. 

Now that he actually lived in a house that wasn't attacked by the villagers he actually had to pack. 

Naruto took out a sealing scroll and began to seal clothes, ninja tools, and other necessities. He decided to make some bento boxes for the road so after he finished making then he sealed them away as well. 

The journey to the land of waves shouldn't take long so I shouldn't need so much food. Naruto thought as he sealed away some snacks too. If I run out I'll just summon some foxes to bring me extras. 

Once Naruto was done packing he locked his house with a sealing jutsu for ultimate protection and set out for the village gates.

On the other side of the gates the rest of his teammates were doing the same. 

Sakura packed clothes and some food in a backpack before heading out.

Sasuke packed the same but added some ninja tools and shinobi food pellets to his pack.

Kakashi was surprisingly already at the gates with his pack ready, Tazuna as well.

Team 7 set out for their first mission, but what they didn't know was that Naruto had already sent out a clone to scout the area. 

The clone had found shinobi from the hidden mist ready to attack the squad and already interrogated them. All he needed to do was undo himself to report the information back to the real Naruto. 

As the clone poofed out of existence Naruto learned some very important information regarding their so-called 'easy mission'. However, he decided to keep the information to himself for the time being.