22 Wave Arc Part 4 (2/2)

I OPENE(oops capslock*wipes sweat*) opened my arms for a hug while shouting with anime tears streaming down my face. I could feel Saskue and Sakuras horror and disgust while Kakashi was still frozen in realisation.

”NARUTO”

”GAI SENSEI” he jumped towards me with his arms open.

”NARUTO”

”GAI SENSEI” I was about to close my arms around my clone.

I heard Kakashi shout a anguished ”NOOOOO” before he moved the fastest I've seen him move and snatched my clone midair before hiding him behind his back. ”GAI, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CORRUPT MY STUDENTS”

I couldn't hold it anymore and started rolling on the floor laughing while dropping my disguise, my clone started laughing too. The rest had a gobsmacked expression on their faces before Kakashi recovered fast with a wry expression.

”Lord Uzumaki was that really necessary”

”You shouldve seen your face, and that scream, who knew you could get that riled up hahahaha”

My clone dropped from his hiding spot and handed me the camera, with a salute he dispelled. Kakashi saw the camera with a dumbfounded face.

”Y-you didn't!!”

”This will sell great as blackmail hahaha”

He tried to snatch it but I kept dodging around the room, ”No you don't, I came here to pass by and heard about you being here so I came to visit, It was good to see you but I'm short on time, bye” I discreetly signaled him to meet me outside before leaving through the window, I jumped into the forest and waited. Kakashi soon came and looked at me with a relaxed expression. I let out a authorative presence and pressured him with it.

Kakashi tensed with cold sweat running through his back when he felt the overwhelming presence, he didn't think the Uzumaki leader was this strong to make him feel this powerless just from that presence, he didn't feel any ill intent coming off him so he knew it was just to make a point on how serious it was, he felt like he was standing infront of the Hokage on his bad day, he straightened his posture and looked at him with a serious look.

”I heard you needed back up so Hiruzen sent me here, you can continue with your duties on protecting the bridge builder, I'm currently carrying on an operation on all of Gatos businesses under the disguise of his men making a coup, it'll be done around tomorrow so any news you get from the citizens about the activity is to be ignored, I'll also take care of all the shinobi he hired to assassinate Tazuna, that doesn't give you an excuse to be tardy, I expect you to be alert for an attack any time, you are not to under any circumstances leave him until I'm done lest a rogue operative comes for revenge if they figure anything out, I don't want any laziness on your behalf, is that clear Jonin Hatake” I stressed the last part to make my point clear.

With a resounding ”Hai” from him I took back my presence and told him to go back to his duties, he nodded and disappeared.

For the rest of the duration of our stay in Wave I started rooting out all remnants and returning a fuctional system to the towns by choosing the quailifed candidates among the people, I also started sending clones that were working on rebuilding the houses and doing miscallenous work around to help while relaxing for a bit in a lake fishing, by the end of it everyone was celebrating and made the 1st of April a holiday when they got news that Gato was gone.

They started thanking the clones for this blessing, I quietly dispelled my clones when it was time, some people were surprised to see the goons disappearing but not many cared since they still had built up resentment towards them, they just thought that they left after finishing their repentance. I returned to the team when they were leaving after the bridge was finished.

Kakashi took my words seriously and stayed with Tazuna and the building crew who had renewed vigor after Gato was gone, there were more people coming to help build it everyday, they named it The Bridge of Hope. I had also sent him a panda carrying a message that had informed him secretly of the completion of the operation.

In the meantime he had started training us in Nature transformation after finding out our affinities, my clone managed to dodge using a chakra paper by saying he already had a Natural Wind affinty, Sakura had Earth and Sasuke had surprisingly a Yin, Fire and Lightning affinity, it wasn't shown in the show at first and might be from fixing his psyche since the mind governs spirtiuality and his was fractured. The whole mission took a month before we returned to Konoha, it was longer than normally in the show but I made it back with a lighter heart knowing I made a difference.

Timeline: 15th of April Year 63 ME - End of Wave Arc