Naruto, the 4th member of Team 7

Give up or continue?

Before I could get a word out he rushed over and did the same thing to the other ninja who was just about to attack Sasuke.

"Hey." Kakashi sensei said nonchalantly as if he didn't just take out 2 ninjas in one go.

Naruto and I both looked over at where Kakashi sensei's body was supposed to be, except it wasn't body parts, it was parts of a log. Substitution jutsu, of course.

"Naruto, sorry for not helping out right away. I got you hurt. I didn't think you wouldn't be able to move."

I helped Naruto up from the ground and noticed his hand was bleeding. "Kuso, sorry Naruto. I didn't react fast enough to help you." I apologized but he wasn't listening, he was just staring at Sasuke and then at me.

Hmm? I wonder what's wrong.

"Anyways, good job Akiko, Sasuke. You too Sakura. Should I be surprised you know a C rank water style jutsu Akiko?" Kakashi sensei praised us.

"Oh! Uh.. well, I had someone teach it to me before in case I had to defend myself. Luckily I did." I gave an embarassed smile.

"Hey." Sasuke suddenly called out to Naruto.

"Are you hurt.... Mr.Scaredy Cat?" Sasuke teased.

"Sasuke, don't." I hinted him to stop, but I could see the frustration on Naruto's face.

"Sasuke!!" he was about to lunge towards Sasuke when Kakashi stopped him.

"Naruto! There's poison on these guy's nails. We need to take it out right away."

"Eh?" Naruto and I said aloud.

"We need to open up your wound and leech out the poisoned blood. Don't move too much or the poison will spread through your body." He instructed Naruto.

"Are you guys hurt?" I turned towards Sasuke and Sakura, poison is a serious issue. We have to make sure we didn't get hurt during the battle just now.

They both shook their heads in response but we all checked ourselves for any wounds just in case.

After a while, Kakashi sensei had tied the 2 ninja who were already conscious to a huge tree.

"These guys are Chuunins from Kirigakure. They are ninjas who are known to keep fighting no matter the cost." He explained to us.

The 2 of them have been silent for a while but one finally started to talk "How were you able to read our movements?"

"A water puddle shouldn't exist when its sunny and it hasn't rained in the past few days. Akiko, you noticed it too, right?"

"Yeah, I thought the same too. It wasn't even a small puddle."

"Then why did you let the kids fight when you knew about it?" now Tazuna questioned Kakashi sensei.

"If I wanted to, I could have killed these 2 instantly. But, I needed to know who their target was."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"In other words, were they after you or one of us?"

I gulped. Us? Kakashi sensei may have made enemies who would want to target, but I'm sure there's no one who is after Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke? Itachi nii-san, but he told Sasuke to find him and not the other way around, doubt he would lie about it.

Me? Those ninjas who massacred my clan.... are they behind this? Did they hire someone to kill me?

I didn't realize that my breathing had quickened and that I was clenching my fists until I felt someone's hand on my shoulder, I looked up to see Sakura looking at me.

"Akiko, are you okay? You look pale. You've been clenching your fists the entire time." Sakura asked me in a worried tone. I looked down at my hands to see that I had been clenching it as there were nail marks on my skin.

"Y-yeah, don't worry about me." I managed to give her a small smile but she didn't look like she believes me.

Sasuke was watching the entire time we were talking. I gave him a small smile in an attempt to reassure him but it didn't fool him too. Sasuke grabbed my wrist and started to lead me away from the others while telling Sakura. "Sakura, we're going over there for a bit. Akiko needs to calm down."

"O-oh okay." Sakura nodded her head and looked at me with worry in her eyes.

We walked over to another tree that was near enough for the others to still be able to see us yet far enough so they won't hear us talking.

"I'm fine Sasuke, we should head back to the others and listen to what Kakashi-sensei is saying." I told him as I looked towards the others where it seems that Kakashi-sensei was saying something to Tazuna-san who was looking very guilty.

"You can fool Sakura and Naruto maybe, but I know you better than they do. And you're not fine. You're worried that you're the target?" he said nonchalantly as he leaned back against the tree trunk with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

Ah, he's right about that. We know each other well enough to be able to see through each other's actions.

I sighed as I nodded my head, leaning back against the tree with my hands behind my back. "I was thinking about it.... and I um... got scared."

"I don't think they were after you. They weren't targeting you at all."

"You think?"

"It's the truth. I think they're after Tazuna-san, they got rid of the jonin in the group first then attacked anyone who was the closest to them."

"I guess that does sound about right."

"Besides," Sasuke turned to look at me "I doubt those ninjas would hire someone else to kill you when they can do it themselves. You know that too, don't you?"

I was silent for a while again, thinking over what he said. What Sasuke said was true, I doubt those ninjas who killed off my entire clan would let someone else kill me, what if they knew about my doujutsu and took it for themselves? Too risky.

"Yeah... When Kakashi sensei said it, I was scared.... I know I'm not supposed to be scared since I'm stronger now than when I was a few years ago.... but...." I thought back to when that ninja gouged out my eyeballs and I shuddered.

"I'm scared of it happening again. I'm just a genin, a fresh one at that, I'm not strong enough yet" I said softly and looked up to see Sakura and Kakashi sensei talking, they seem to be discussing about something.

"Don't worry so much. We have a jonin with us, and besides, I'm here too." I turned my focus back onto Sasuke.

"If those ninjas are after you, it's gonna be harder to get to you this time." 

I smiled at him after hearing his words, "Arigatou Sasuke-kun." To my surprise, Sasuke gave a small smile in return before his eyes widened in shock.

But not at me, behind me.

I turned around before my jaw dropped too. Naruto had plunged a kunai into the wound on his hand, droplets of his blood was spraying everywhere.

Sasuke and I immediately hurried back to the others to hear Sakura shout "Naruto! What are you doing?!"

Naruto was silent as he turned away from us, he was shaking though, but out of what? Fury? Determination? Fear?

"With this kunai, I'll protect the old man.." Naruto started saying out loud with determination in his voice. 

He turned around to show us his shaking hand with the kunai poking out of it before he smirked and declared "We're continuing the mission!"