"And all of you are sure that your genin are ready for the chunin exams?" The Third Hokage asked, smoking his pipe. "Most of the time first-time genin don't participate until the year after they graduate."

"My genin are prepared, I think they can handle it." Kurenai said confidently.

"Shikamaru may be a slacker, but he will pull through for his team." Asuma grinned.

"I'm sure my genin would want to do this." Kakashi shrugged, thinking of his most colourful student.

"Alright," The Hokage sighed. "Here are the forms for the-"

"Hokage-sama!"

The old man's eyes narrowed when a chunin burst through the door, two ANBU standing behind him.

"What's the meaning of all this?" The Hokage grumbled.

"There's been another murder in the village!" The chunin gasped, out of breath with his hands on his knees.

"That's the second one in the last week." The Third sighed.

"These murders came out of nowhere." Kurenai frowned, shaking her head.

"Take the forms Kurenai, Asuma," The Hokage said, handing over the papers. "Kakashi stay here, I'd like you to see if you can track the murderer."

Kurenai and Asuma left the office, leaving the chunin, Kakashi, the two ANBU and the Hokage alone. 

"Who's the victim?" The Third asked.

"A twenty-eight-year-old woman, civilian," The chunin replied. "She lived alone in a cheap apartment in the Red-Light District."

"That isn't that strange, that area is rough, murders happen every so often." Kakashi shrugged.

"Not this one," The chunin shivered. "You should see the corpse and crime scene. If the witness hadn't gone to investigate the sounds he heard I don't think there'd be a body left."

"Kakashi, please go look at the crime scene for anything you can find to track the killer," The Hokage huffed. "I expect a report later."

"Come on," The young male chunin said. "I'll show you where it happened."

~~~~~

THUNK!THUNK!THUNK!THUNK!

Four long purple tentacles hit their marks, and Kakazu and Sasori clapped from across the room. She knew she had the extra limbs for quite a while, however, she wasn't confident at controlling them.

"It's kind of like chakra strings." Kana said, retracting her appendages. "It just takes a while to get used too."

"Glad you're getting the hang out it," Sasori said with a nod. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, my bag is all packed, I'm just waiting for Haku to tell me that it's time to leave." Kana replied.

"Have you eaten enough to last you the trip there?" Kakazu asked.

"I think so, plus Hidan packed extra in a scroll for me." Kana grinned.

"So that idiot is good for something." He snickered.

"Heil Jashin-sama!" Kana exclaimed just to mess with him, jingling the Jashinist pendant around her neck.

"Don't get involved with his asinine religion." Kakazu grunted.

"Be safe, don't do anything stupid." Sasori said.

"I will!" Kana chirped just as the door creaked open.

Haku peeked around the door, smiling softly. "Time to go."

Kana hugged Sasori quickly, then moving to Kakazu. "Bye guys!"

Kana left the room, leaving Sasori and Kakazu alone.

"I hope she meant that she'd be careful, not that she'd do something stupid." Sasori sighed.

Kakazu chuckled. "I was just thinking that, but who knows with that runt."

~~~~~

Azumi was the first one at the village gates, her gray umbrella over her head, with senbon hidden in the folds of the fabric. She watched as Haku and Kana slowly approached the gates, prepared for travel, weapons still easily accessible.

"I already filled out the paperwork," Azumi said. "We just have to wait for Tsubaki-sensei."

"Great!" Kana chirped. "The sooner we get there the longer we can relax!"

"And gather information on other participants." Haku added with a chuckle.

"That too." Kana giggled.

The three of them waited for a few minutes, and soon, Tsubaki arrived, a pack on her back and dressed for battle. A scroll hung from her hip and she carried a very short sword.

"Ready to go?" Tsubaki asked, smiling down at the genin.

"Ready." 

"Is all the paperwork done?" Tsubaki asked.

"It's done, I did it earlier." Azumi replied.

"Then let's go!" Tsubaki took off, running down the road and splashing through puddles. Haku, Azumi and Kana were quick to follow, making sure they were keeping pace.

"We'll travel until dark!"

~~~~~

Kakashi followed the rabbit and cat masked ANBU, along with the chunin from earlier. Many people stared as they walked by, curious as to what was going on. A blur of yellow rammed straight into Kakashi, and he stumbled back a step, sighing at the kid before him.

"Naruto, I'm busy, go find Sasuke or something." He sighed.

"Sasuke's busy, and I want you to teach me a new jutsu!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I'm on a mission right now, come find me later." Kakashi replied.

"A mission? I'm coming too!" Naruto decided.

"No, you don't have the stomach for this kind of mission." Kakashi said.

"I'm going!" Naruto huffed.

Kakashi sighed, looking to the ANBU. "Can he come?"

"Your call." Cat replied.

Naruto looked up at him with sparkling eyes and Kakashi gave in.

"You can come, but don't say I didn't warn you, Naruto," Kakashi said. "Do you even know what we're dealing with here?"

"Well, no..." Naruto mumbled.

"Murder, Naruto," Kakashi grimaced. "We're dealing with a murderer."

"Like bandits outside of Konoha?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"No, Naruto, it happened in the village, just yesterday." Kakashi replied.

Naruto went silent, he just followed his sensei as he thought about what he was told. They turned down a poorly lit alley, and the chunin nervously gulped and looked back.

"We're here."

Naruto peeked around Kakashi and his eyes watered at what he say. He turned away and vomited, tears streaming down his face.

~~~~~

"Zetsu, what have you found about him?" Pein asked, his purple eyes seeming to light up the dark office.

"Not too much," White Zetsu chirped. "He's made it to Konoha though, and he's been stirring things up."

"What do you mean?" Pein inquired.

"He's been there for only a week and yet he's already killed two people from Konoha." Black Zetsu growled.

"Has Konoha found any traces of him yet?" Pein asked.

"No, but they have their best trackers on the cases." White Zetsu said, then snickering. "Although it's hard to track someone when your evidence is a pile of bones."

"Just keep a close eye on him."

~~~~~

The scene was incredibly bloody, and what was left of the corpse resembled an animal attack.

"This was a murder?" Kakashi asked. "It looks like an animal attack."

"What kind of animal stabs clean through the back and into the heart?" Rabbit asked.

"Good point, now that I think about, it is more like a murder." Kakashi agreed. "No animal would come inside Konoha just to kill a person."

"At least we have a body this time." Cat sighed.

"What do you mean by 'this time?'" Kakashi asked.

"Last time there was only bones left, they had to be identified using dental records." The chunin answered.

"Why would someone do this?" Naruto croaked, not peeling his eyes away from the cadaver.

"Who knows," Kakashi shrugged. "There are some sick people out there, reasons range from revenge to just killing for the hell of it."

"That's sick." Naruto whispered.

"It's a sick world Naruto." Kakashi sighed, placing a hand on his students back.

"Is there anything you can use to track the killer?" The chunin asked.

"I haven't spotted anything, the only thing I can think of is if there is some kind of hair or something on her clothes or under her nails." Kakashi shrugged.

"There are no signs of a scuffle though." Rabbit said. "It's as if the killer swooped in silently and got her when she was off guard. Stabbed them from behind, into the heart, and out the chest."

"What's the murder weapon? A sword maybe?" Kakashi asked.

"The holes are so weird," Cat sighed. "The entry wound is huge, but the exit wound is much smaller. Like some kind of tapered object."

"Nothing I've ever seen." Rabbit said.

"Me neither," Kakashi said. "This is so weird."

"Anyway, we should probably get a statement from the man who discovered her body and send the body in for an autopsy." Cat said.

"Alright, should I go to the hospital and get some medics?" The chunin asked.

"Yes, please do." Rabbit nodded.

"I guess I'll go to Hokage-sama's office and fill out my report then," Kakashi said. "Buh-bye."

He shunshined away with his student, not at all headed to the Hokage's office, but instead for Naruto's apartment. 

Comrade's first, mission second.

A/N

Sorry that this chapter doesn't really focus much on Kana, but I thought it would be important to address all the stuff happening in Konoha, it all ties in after all. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, what did you think? Feel free to let me know~!