Team 7's A-Rank Mission: End the War!
Naruto had already reached his absolute limit.
He had fought battle after battle without pause. He had clashed head-on with Gaara, and even confronted the terrifying One-Tailed Beast, Shukaku. The fact that he was still standing at this moment could only be described as a miracle.
And yet, somehow, he had won.
He had defeated Gaara.
He had suppressed and sealed Shukaku.
But now, Naruto Uzumaki was running on nothing but sheer willpower.
His chakra reserves were almost completely drained. His muscles trembled from exhaustion. His breathing was ragged and uneven. Earlier, in a surge of uncontrollable rage, he had unleashed the Diamond Sealing Chains—an overwhelming technique that had consumed the last of his strength.
That attack had wrung him dry.
Even so, when he stood before Baki—the elite Jonin of the Hidden Sand Village—Naruto showed no sign of retreating.
Baki's expression darkened with fury.
This brat had defeated Gaara.
He had sealed Shukaku.
He had single-handedly shattered the Sand Village's carefully orchestrated Konoha Destruction Plan.
And now… he was using Gaara as leverage.
If Naruto managed to escape with Gaara, the Sand Village would lose not only their Kazekage's son but also their Jinchūriki—their strategic weapon.
As the trusted right-hand man of Kazekage Rasa and the Jonin instructor of Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, Baki held immense authority within Sunagakure. His strength was beyond doubt.
In the original timeline, he had instantly killed Special Jonin Gekkō Hayate with a single strike.
Even if circumstances had changed, his power had not.
"You insolent brat," Baki growled. "If you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish."
He extended his fingers sharply.
"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"
A razor-sharp current of compressed wind formed at his fingertips, taking the shape of a nearly invisible blade. The air itself screamed as it sliced forward.
This was the same technique that had ended Gekkō Hayate's life.
The blade cut through space like a guillotine.
It was considered inescapable.
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Wind Release…?!"
Wind nature was the rarest among the five basic chakra natures. In Konoha, Naruto knew only himself and Asuma-sensei as confirmed Wind Release users.
But this was the Land of Wind.
Of course their elite Jonin would master Wind techniques.
And Baki's control was terrifyingly precise.
Naruto immediately understood:
His Wind Blade surpassed Naruto's own Wind Breaker Technique.
It could be controlled remotely through chakra extended from the fingertips.
There was no obvious path of escape.
Cold sweat slid down Naruto's face.
If he were at full strength, he might have found a counter.
But in his current state…
He had only one option left.
As the shrieking blade tore toward him, Naruto suddenly grabbed the unconscious Gaara from his back and pulled him in front of his own body—using him as a shield.
"What?!"
Baki's eyes widened in shock.
He knew his technique's power.
If it struck Gaara directly, the boy's head could be severed instantly.
Gaara was not only the Kazekage's son.
He was the One-Tailed Jinchūriki.
If Gaara died, Shukaku would temporarily perish with him and later resurrect somewhere unknown. The Sand Village would lose their Tailed Beast weapon for an unpredictable period of time.
That price was unacceptable.
With a forced redirection of chakra, Baki altered the Wind Blade's trajectory at the last second.
The blade split, slamming violently into the ground on either side of Naruto and Gaara.
BOOM!
Two massive trenches exploded outward.
The shockwave rattled Naruto's bones.
His heart pounded violently.
"That was close…"
If he had hesitated even a fraction of a second, he would have been decapitated.
Baki trembled with rage.
"You wretched brat! How dare you use Gaara as a shield?!"
Naruto laughed weakly.
"Isn't he famous for his absolute defense anyway?! What's wrong with using him like that?!"
Baki's killing intent surged.
"I'll kill you with my own hands!"
He stepped forward—
—but a kunai flashed between them, blocking his advance with precise timing.
"If you wish to touch my student," a calm voice said, "you'll have to get past me first."
Baki froze.
"Kakashi Hatake…!"
Naruto's face lit up.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi gave Naruto an approving glance.
"Well done, Naruto. Your strength has impressed everyone."
"If we win this war, your promotion to Chunin will be inevitable."
Naruto grinned despite his exhaustion.
"I know!"
Kakashi's tone sharpened slightly.
"Gaara is a crucial bargaining chip for Konoha. Protect him carefully."
"In the name of your Jonin squad leader, I assign you an A-Rank mission."
Naruto's heart thumped with excitement.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei!"
"Good. Regroup with Sasuke and Hinata immediately."
"Understood!"
Baki's gaze darkened.
"Kakashi Hatake… what are you trying to do?"
Kakashi glanced toward the highest rooftop, where a barrier concealed the Hokage's battle.
"Baki," he said quietly, "Orochimaru disguised himself as the Fourth Kazekage. Have you wondered what happened to the real Kazekage-sama?"
Baki's heart dropped.
"You mean…?"
Kakashi sighed.
"Your village chose to cooperate with Orochimaru. That's like dancing with a tiger. Did you truly believe he wouldn't turn on you?"
Cold sweat trickled down Baki's temple.
"No… impossible…"
"Even if Orochimaru betrayed us, Kazekage-sama is powerful—"
Kakashi interrupted calmly.
"If he were still alive and free, would Orochimaru have replaced him so easily?"
Silence.
"When was the last time you personally communicated with the real Kazekage?"
Baki's fists tightened.
He had no answer.
Kakashi continued evenly.
"I'm not exaggerating. Even if he isn't dead, he's almost certainly fallen into Orochimaru's hands."
"Your alliance betrayed Konoha. Now your Kazekage is missing, Gaara is in our custody, and Shukaku can be sealed at any moment."
"Without leadership and without your Tailed Beast… what chance does the Sand Village have?"
"And after this war… what right will it have to continue existing?"
Baki's expression hardened.
"Don't think you can intimidate me with words."
Kakashi shook his head.
"You know I'm telling the truth."
Baki did know.
That was precisely why he refused to admit it.
He forced himself to counter:
"Konoha was caught off guard! Our allied forces are pushing forward. That's reality!"
Kakashi's visible eye curved into a faint smile.
"Baki… you're naïve."
"Konoha has stood for nearly a century. Do you truly believe it would fall so easily?"
"Even if we were momentarily surprised, our response is already underway."
"Believe it or not—the counterattack has begun."
Baki stared silently at the barrier where the Hokage fought.
Kakashi seemed to read his thoughts.
"You're hoping Orochimaru kills Hokage-sama and leaves Konoha leaderless?"
"Unfortunately for you… that won't happen."
"If the Hokage were so easy to kill, he wouldn't be the Hokage."
"After all… he was Orochimaru's teacher."
Baki hesitated.
The disappearance of Kazekage-sama had already shaken his resolve.
"Kakashi Hatake," he said coldly, "the war has already begun. The Sand Village has no path of retreat."
Kakashi sighed softly.
"In that case…"
"Let's settle this first."
In an instant, two elite Jonin clashed.
Steel rang against steel.
Wind tore through rooftops.
The battle between masters had begun.
Meanwhile, Naruto staggered away from the battlefield, carrying Gaara over his shoulder.
Every step felt like walking through water.
But he couldn't stop.
This was now an A-Rank mission.
Soon, he spotted familiar figures ahead.
Sasuke.
Hinata.
Relief washed over him.
The war wasn't over yet.
But Team 7 was regrouping.
And as long as they stood together—
there was still hope.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)