Huh. Well that's a pity. Regardless, this is still enjoyable. I suppose I'll just have to see if anyone has continued it. Maybe give it a whirl myself...eventually...maybe never lol. Thanks.

Greeeeaaaat, but he didn't leave any clones to guard them as back up just in case more thugs came?

Whaaaaaaaattt you mean they're actually gonna be the assassins they were trained to be, the elite assassin Kakashi is, and locate the source of the problem to gut it? That's my personal fav!

What's gonna work? Teeeeeaaaaaaammmmm woooooooorrrrrk!
Low key wished Kakashi had slit Zabuza's throat to be sure he was dead instead of just checking his pulse tho.

Gaara is not here for ANYONE'S shit apparently. XD Wonder what he and Naruto will say to Inari? Will all 3 become older siblings to him?

I loved this. And your likely right about canon Naruto being held back by his team in that manner at the beginning. No one would give him proper credit for or even liked his pranks or his way of thinking and ability to surprise anyone. Kakashi made it seem like he didn't care about Naruto aside from obligation and never truly engaged or encouraged him. Sakura never wanted to listen or believe him and when she spoke to him it was only to demean and discredit him. Sasuke, hilariously enough, was the best towards Naruto in regards to comradery even though he'd mock and argue with Naruto regularly.
Also I love how you don't use the cliche "its/things are about to be/get interesting" type line plenty of writers will end a chapter with or have a character say or think for dramatic effect. You ACTUALLY swap out the word interesting with synonyms or other words that would work just as well and even offer a different feel than the word "interesting" does. It's like a breath of fresh air seeing you do that. Kudos.

QUESTION!
Has this Kakashi taught them anything of real substance before this mission or did he basically teach jack shit like the canon Kakashi?

Kickass team friendship

I agree there were a lot of characters under utilized or even done dirty in the series, the female characters especially. And I'd say you aren't really wrong about Sakura. She has no real depth and is amazingly shallow. Sure she was once a shy kid bullied for a physical feature that she managed to partially overcome and is repeatedly shown to be very intelligent and great in academics with a good understanding in the concept of "being polite" and much later started to but forth some actual effort in her work. But she's also very dumb(socially and romantically), fairly tactless, blind to the obvious, overly self righteous, largely ineffective on her own in a real fight despite the impressive strength and later medical training, and ignorant. She acts more like a child from a civilian family than the ninja parents she has with the way she complained. And is strangely delusional when it comes to her teammates in her perception of them when she failed to truly get to know either of them. Overall a very disappointing submain or rather main supporting character. But enough about her! Team Naru/Gaa/Hina is a gooooooooooooooooooooo!

Yaayyy.

I don't understand. If he pays attention to and retains things better by learning it from his peers, more so if they're friends in this fic, and I'm assuming he wants to make genin with his friends (Gaara in particular) along with Iruka being more proactive in actually HELPING him...why is he still so hopeless at academics that he's failing like in canon if its NOT sabotage? Also why has no one noted and informed Naruto of the fact that Naruto's skill with pranks could be utilized in the ninja career, Gaara included? You need to plan/strategize, have stealth, stamina, intel gathering, certain knowledge and skill for the tools utilized and possible alternatives, and even speed and evasion skills. Has Naruto at least got a better grasp on his chakra control than in canon?

Naruto punched her on the face, screamed a question at her demanding to know what HER problem was...all after going nuts at a door like a child possessed. All for baby Gaara's benefit in defense of him. Best boi. And he gave Gaara a hug when they left. Yes. Good job. Much wholesome. Very delicious this friendship. Hopefully the Hokage can get Gaara away from there before he experiences that fucked up betrayal like in canon.

Friendship! FRIENDship! FRieNdsHiP! friendSHIP! FRIENDSHIP!
Yknow...I kinda wonder at the other kids time spent there...but fuck'em! Gaara, Naruto and Hinata friendship for the wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnn!

The cute! My life! My gawd! Yes! The friendship! I love! XD

It's the Ichibi. Shukaku is the Ichibi's name, just like how Kurama is the Kyuubi's name.