The Masked Shinobi

A Wary Road

Warnings: Blood and violence, minor character death, and minor swearing

Please enjoy!
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After a day of traveling, the group managed to get to the Land of Waves without much trouble. Besides, crossing paths with a few bandits here and there. However, most of them spotted the shinobi gear on the team and decided to run away. The three twelve-year-olds were still chipper about receiving their first C rank mission but had an underlining tension with a high amount of unknown danger within the mission. While Obito and Iruka remained calm and collected, both used to unwanted surprises popping up in mission no matter the rank. However, Tazuna seemed understandably anxious and in a hurry to return to his village.

"Are we there yet?" Naruto drawled out in a long whine for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Almost," Iruka answered blankly. While he continued his pace with the Uchiha sensei behind Tazuna, who was a couple of steps behind the genin students. Then the Umino sensed multiple low-level chakras nearby, "Obito-"

"I know," the Jonin-sensei replied, easily then added when he noticed Iruka starting to become tense. "I want to see how long it takes them to notice. That way, I can get an idea if any of them can be a sensor or not."

"How come we're not there yet!" Naruto yelled with growing irritation, which shocked everyone for a moment from the sudden outburst.

"Naruto, shut up already! We're not going to get there until we're there! So, stop asking!" Sakura replied in the same volume, glaring at her blonde teammate. Know that if there are any enemies around, the loudmouth Uzumaki could give away their location.

"Yeah, but if we're not there, why are there so many people around us?" Naruto grumbled with a pout as he asked in oblivious confusion. To the point where Obito thinks his Sensei's twelve-year-old son is trying to be an idiot.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, now joining the conversation.

However, before the blonde jinūriki could say anything, Obito gave soft applause. That caused everything to stop walking, as Iruka felt the chakra signatures coming closer and starting to surround their group. Obito didn't worry though, he knew that with his skills and the power of his eyes, he could execute all of the unfamiliar chakra signatures around them in under thirty seconds.

"Good job, Naruto!" The Uchiha sensei praised, ruffling the boy's spiky blonde hair. Then calmly asked the preteen, "can you give me an idea of how many people do you think are around us?"

"I don't know for sure... More than five?" Naruto replied, uncertain like he's asking the Sensei's a question.

"Correct! There are about fifteen people around, so all of you prepare themselves. They don't feel strong, but never underestimate your opponent," Obito lectured to his young genin students.

"Yes, Sensei!" Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura respectfully replied as they stood taller, not wanting to disappoint their sensei. While Iruka gave the Uchiha a sharp nod in understanding, Tazuna kept a straight face.

Not much later, a heavy mist settled over the area as the group was in a clearing. Before being surrounded by fifteen men, that looked like a lot more like bandits than shinobi. The genin quickly gets into Monji formation around the bridge builder, as the jonin and chunnin start picking off the enemy one by one. Even though the three preteens still wanted to fight but stayed back to protect the bridge builder from any unexpected attacks. Mostly, being a stray kunai or shuriken whizzing towards, but easily blocked by the genin students.

When the last two bandits standing Obito roundhouse kicks one of them as if passing them to Iruka. The Chunnin-sensei decides to subdue the thug by hitting his pressure points. Similar to how academy instructors use pressure points to stop academy students from fighting and saving some of his chakras in the process. While the older Uchiha headbutted the other thug as charcoal eyes swirled to crimson red capture, the bandit in a genjutsu. The group watched as the Uchiha kept the bandit on his feet by his tight grip on the thug's grimy shirt collar. While the man started to blurt-out information on him and the group he is working for. Mainly about a greedy businessman named Goto. Then about wanting to get paid his share of money and supplies from the raids in the nearby village before they sell the hostages. That made the Leaf shinobi's group worried and concerned, but the thug started spouting out about members of their group found dead. While their potential profit disappeared, they muttered about some odd group shinobi wandering around the area.