-2 weeks later-
"Longest mission ever." Sakura said tiredly.
They are now on their way back to Konoha. Their mission was a success. Zabuza and his partner, Haku, had left because some of Konoha ANBU appeared and killed Gatou on the bridge. The ANBU were Naruto's team. They left soon after they finished their job.
Not for me though... The thought appeared in both Kakashi and Naruto's heads.
I wonder what the hell that old man thought. Sent Kyuu-nii and my team to kill Gatou. They almost killed all of the mercenaries. Doesn't he know the four he sent are the most dangerous people on earth? Hell, a lazy genius strategic, a perfect tracker, a silent killer also one hell of a spy, all three plus one blood lustful, perverted, skilled, temporary taichou.... I don't know if Kakashi recognized any of them because Shino obviously used his bug and Shikamaru used his clan's Kagemane. Luckily Kiba didn't bring Akamaru with him or else he would have one hell of explanation to spit. Just hope that pervert didn't recognize them.
"Oi dobe. You're dropping behind." Sasuke's call snapped him out of his thought.
"Eh? Sorry. Lost in thoughts." Naruto quickly run to them.
"You can think?" Sasuke lift an eyebrow in a mocking demeanor.
"Teme."
"Etou, sensei. Those ANBU with Kurama-san, you know them?" Sakura asked, suddenly curious.
"No. I never met them before. I guess they joined after I left ANBU 3 years ago."
"EH? You were in ANBU?"
Naruto tried to cover his over-sensitive ears. Goddammit. If I weren't in my henge I would happily slice your throat or put my hot red throwing knife deep down your mouth so that you can never be able to scream like that anymore. Wait, calm down Naruto. Calm down.
"What? I though you knew? You saw his tattoo on his arm while we were at Tazuna-san's house, right?" the blonde sighed out.
"Yes, but what with the tattoo?" Sakura asked back, confused.
"You, one of the best students in class, don't know what the tattoo for? Well that's a surprise. Anyway, those ANBU earlier also have tattoos like that. Anything ring in you head now?" Naruto sighed again, bored by the pink-haired girls bluntness.
"You mean, the tattoo distinguishes ANBU from normal ninjas?" Sasuke said quietly.
"Bingo. There you have it." Naruto grinned mockingly.
The team looked at him in silence for a while before Sakura decided to speak again.
"But sensei, aren't ANBU are elite ninjas? The ones we met were only about our age?"
"Well, it's normal to have such young ANBU. Like Itachi became ANBU captain when he was 13." They heard Sasuke growl at Itachi's name "Kitsune, the one and only ANBU that no one knows about his true appearance nor his real name and his age is the only thing we know, became captain when he was 10, although he looks two or three years older."
The name made Naruto flinch. And when did they learn about his age?
"And I joined ANBU at the age of seven."
They walked silently again until...
"Sensei. I saw the Shika masked guy use shadow jutsu. Any thought about that?" Sasuke asked casually.
"Hm... only clan that uses shadow in Konoha is Nara. That means Shika must be a member of the Nara clan. That's weird. I don't remember any Nara's at that age. They are all older than 18 or younger than 10."
