Naruto: Ren the Sealmaster

"You three were called for an emergency mission and will be sent as reinforcements for another team." The Hokage gravely said to Ren and the two other chunin who previously manned the assignment desk while the three of them stood in front of Hokage's desk at attention.

"This situation caught us at the wrong time." Sarutobi sighed, "A new village, Hidden in the Sound, emerged right in between Konoha, Iwa, and Kumo so the tensions are at an all-time high. Many jonins were reassigned to reinforce the borders or run important missions. We are simply short-handed. You three were the Chunin we were able to gather the quickest."

'Ah, so I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.' Ren inwardly grumbled.

Yes, he technically did not need to do missions but that's not counting emergency missions. Hokage was the dictator of this place and if he told somebody to go on a mission, they had to obey even if they were from a division that normally did not do missions.

Ren couldn't even complain because he was certain the Hokage already had the records and files for him and both of the guys around him. He didn't seem very impressed. Ren had the impression that the Hokage was sending them because he really couldn't get anybody else on such short notice.

Of course, something like this would happen. So far, Ren's life has been quite peaceful, and no mission has gone to hell for him yet. He kinda hoped to keep it that way, but...

"Your mission is to head to the Land of Waves and reinforce Team 8 led by Kurenai Yuhi who went there as a protection detail for a bridge-builder called Tazuna a week ago." Sarutobi promptly narrated the important information, not wasting even one second.

'Wut?' Ren barely kept himself from widening his eyes in shock. Deep down, he hoped that either Tazuna's mission had already happened and the dude was unfortunately offed or the whole timeline was going to be pushed to a later date after Naruto graduated.

But clearly, that was not happening since the mission was right here. A whole year later than it normally should have happened all the while Naruto was still in the academy, playing pranks and annoying his teachers with his stupidity.

"A new intel resurfaced after Team 8 left." Sarutobi spoke and it was obvious he didn't like the situation either, "The Land of Waves is currently oppressed by a businessman Gato who is known to hire rogue ninjas and Tazuna is a thorn in his eye. The mission might be upgraded to B, maybe even A-rank. Hopefully, it won't come to that. Protect Tazuna and ensure the survival of Team 8. You have ten minutes to prepare and leave the village."

For a briefing, this was a very quick one. Barely three minutes passed since they entered the Hokage's office and he was already sending them off.

'He must be really worried for Team 8.' Ren inwardly hummed. Well, Team 8 was full of clan kids so it was only natural.

"Understood, Lord Hokage." Ren and the other two chunins spoke in unison.

"Dismissed."

Ren didn't need to pack. It was the perk of being a fuinjutsu specialist. So, he simply headed straight for the gate and when he arrived there, he pulled out his notebook, immersing himself in seal work. He had to wait for the other two members of his new impromptu team anyway.

...

"Ren. No last name." That was actually quite common in this world, "Fuinjutsu specialist. Bad at taijutsu. Know a few wind jutsu." Ren quickly narrated as he hopped from tree to tree, a bit frustrated with the slow pace but he was not the team leader so he did not get to set it.

They were barely moving at low chunin-level speed.

"Itsuki Taro," The team leader started his introduction. "Shurikenjutsu specialist. Passable taijutsu. Few genjutsu and two defensive earth techniques."

This way of quick introduction was not something Ren made up. They actually taught how to do this in the academy. In case a person is teamed up with strangers and they are short on time, they need a quick way to give a broad overview of their capabilities to their teammates and the team leader.

"Kenji Ginrei. Specializing in Kenjutsu." And Ren inwardly winced at that. He kinda doubted it would be relevant against somebody like Zabuza. "No elemental techniques. Weak sensory talent."

'Of course.' Ren mentally groaned again.

These two sounded like Mizuki and Iruka. They were the dregs of the chunin rank. Genins who were promoted to Chunin not because of their strength but because they just served the village long enough and accumulated enough mission records to earn the promotion.

It was not anything to be ashamed of but Ren didn't exactly feel reassured having teammates like this when he was most likely going to face Zabuza of all people.

'Today just plain sucks, doesn't it?' He looked at the grey sky, wondering how Hinata was doing.

Ren and his teammates ran in silence for almost an entire day, focusing on keeping their breathing stable and keeping pace. When they finally reached the shoreline, they did not stop.

They were chunin and did not need a boat. They just ran straight to the Land of Water on the water's surface. It was not that far away anyway and the journey on the water took them around three minutes.

They stopped only when they were deeper in the Land of Waves as now they would need to find Team 8 and their client.

"Are you sure you are bad at taijutsu?" Itsuki asked while giving Ren a disbelieving glance, his hands on his knees as he tried to calm his hard breathing.

Ren just shrugged, not even winded. He wore his gravity seals the entire last year, releasing them only once every month to adjust to his new physical capabilities. Now that he was on a dangerous mission, he fully released them so his body felt extremely light.

He did not even feel the light jog they had just undergone.

Then again, he didn't want to feel proud about being better than his current teammates. These dudes were basically just Genins who served long enough to be promoted.

Surpassing them meant exactly nothing.

"We should-" Ren started speaking when Kenji's eyes suddenly widened.

"Somebody just used a powerful ninjutsu, at least B-rank, around a kilometer away in the direction of the road." Kenji said and the three of them looked at each other in resignation.

It seemed they found Team 8. But somebody else got to them first.

With no time to spare, the trio ran toward the battle and Ren's stomach sank as the nearer they got, the stronger the mist became.

Deep down, he truly hoped that since everything changed, maybe Zabuza would not be under Gato's employ. That it would be somebody else. Somebody weaker.

But the thick white mist surrounding the battlefield was not a very good sign.

"We are very close." Kenji muttered, knowing that both Ren and Itsuki would hear him, clearly nervous at being in a thick mist where his senses were impaired.

It was even worse since they could hear the vague sound of fighting in front of them but couldn't see anything.

Ren gathered chakra into his palms, refining it quickly into wind chakra as he pointed them forward, 'Great Breakthrough.' He thought and released a powerful but fairly unfocused burst of wind chakra.

It wasn't properly molded so the technique wouldn't be hurting anybody and it was more akin to a harsh gust of wind but Ren couldn't afford to shoot an offensive area of effect wind jutsu in this mist anyway. He could hit his allies.

The only thing it did was to blow away the mist, showing the battlefield just as Zabuza appeared in the middle of the Genins' protection formation around Tazuna just like he did in the canon... but that's where the similarities ended.

The Inuzuka kid barely managed to react and kick Tazuna away as Zabuza's sword cleaved the air where Tazuna's torso was just a moment ago. Sadly, the sword didn't stop there.

All three Genin and a dog were promptly bisected horizontally across their chests, their corpses falling to the ground in two parts with a bloody splatter dyeing the earth red as Kurenai Yuhi screamed in sorrow and rage, and ran at the swordsman.

'Shit.' Ren inwardly sighed, feeling bad about the kids, as he ran forward to prevent the woman from committing suicide by Zabuza. 

'Mission failed, I guess.' Ren mentally grumbled.

This was such a mess.