AN: Sorry about the typos from last chapter. I know it was full of it… I apologize. It was a crappy chapter I guess. I just want you guys to review… whether it was to encourage me or to curse me out for the typos I guess. Subconsciously I mean.
Oh about all your questions a lot of you expressed concern that Naruto might be too powerful. Here are some facts that I've broken down.
Naruto just learned how to use chakra from Kakashi by entering the GeninTeam.
He had the book for a couple of weeks. He doesn't have complete mastery… as in he can't see the 'black' spots yet nor even other 'spots' at will. (This will be explained in the story.)
He does NOT have the Sharingan. He has… something else. Well I decided to make his doujutsu more versatile in terms of taijutsu instead of ninjutsu, kind of like the byakugan. So instead of viewing the eye as a separate ability I guess you can say it's part of the same set with the book.
OK! Here we go!
Btw Haku's a girl.
…
It wasn't like Haku was moving fast.
No.
It was like she was teleporting.
Sasuke kneeled on the ground on his knees acting as a pin cushion for Haku. He imagined that this was what his shuriken and kunai practice targets must have felt like. He was helpless in the face of Haku's speed. Sasuke tried to analyze the technique. The first thing that he had found out was that Haku's speed depended on the mirrors and the full effect of these ice mirrors depended on their number. The second thing that Sasuke realized was that these mirrors were immune t any type of technique he could use. He had tried fire release techniques to a barrage of kunai and shuriken. The ice was harder than steel and cold enough to avoid melting from the heat of Sasuke's fire techniques. Not only that but the mirrors had actually caused the area to start snowing as all moisture in the atmosphere was frozen over as heat continued to be sucked up by the mirrors.
The third thing that Sasuke had figured out was that the reflections were simply reflections and nothing more. When Haku rushed towards him Sasuke managed to see multiple blurs attack him. But he had figured out that it was simply a result of her speed. She didn't create clones, she was simply so fast that she left after images.
The fourth thing was that Sasuke was beginning to catch up to her speed.
Or rather than catching up to her speed, he was beginning to be able to see her movements and speed.
He had awakened the Sharingan.
Haku watched from the safety of her mirror as Sasuke looked right at her. She had noticed the change in his chakra immediately and had used their few exchanges, if they could truly be called exchanges at all since Sasuke had yet to land a single blow on her, to see what had changed about him.
Sasuke's eyes had turned from their onyx color to red. Within the red pupils lay tiny little dots of black creating an outer circle with a bigger black circle within. Spinning around the black circle were a different number of tomoe in each eye. One eye had only one tomoe while the other one held two.
Sasuke prepared himself.
Haku launched herself forward once more. However instead of engaging Sasuke in close ranged combat with the senbon in her hands she sailed above him, throwing down a barrage of senbon to the area below. To her shock, Sasuke channeled chakra to his feet, neatly dodging a couple of them but not all. A few of them entered his back making him resemble a pin cushion even more. Sasuke snarled in pain but tried to retaliate actually throwing a few shuriken towards the blur. They simply hit the mirror's surface and bounced off with a loud clang.
"This boy," Haku took out a few more senbon. "Not only is he dodging my senbon at the last second but he's slowly starting to see my movements…"
Sasuke took out a kunai and held it in reverse grip. He lowered his stance wincing as the needles in his body moved with his muscles. He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the pain trying his best to keep his eyes on Haku's movements.
"I see," Haku muttered, her voice sounding as if multiple people were speaking at the same time. "You too, possess a bloodline limit." She crossed her arms in front of her, all of her reflections doing the same, both hands holding a senbon. "My name is Haku… of the clan known as Yuki."
"Sasuke," The Uchiha clan progenitor answered. "Of the Uchiha Clan."
"So that's the Sharingan. No wonder he can follow my movements." Haku began to gather chakra and saw Sasuke tense. "I can't let this battle drag on any longer. I'll begin to run out of chakra and he'll begin to catch my movements."
Haku narrowed her eyes behind her mask. "I need to end this."
Sasuke leaped away as Haku emerged from the mirror. The moment that Haku left the mirror every reflection disappeared. Before Sasuke had awakened the Sharingan he had been unable to see which mirror had been housing the real Haku. But now he was able to see her the instant that she escaped from her ice crystals thanks to his Kekkai Genkai..
Haku appeared behind him while Sasuke was still blocking a few senbon that were sailing towards him.
Sasuke's eyes widened.
"She was actually able to outrun the speed of her senbon." Sasuke felt a senbon enter his back and the back of his thigh. He planted his feet and spun slashing with his kunai in a wide arc.
He saw a blur disappear.
Haku appeared behind Sasuke once more.
"She got me." Sasuke, though he knew it was futile, flicked his hand throwing the kunai in his hand sailing into the air upwards behind him. He tried to spin once more to catch up to Haku's movements when he couldn't feel his leg.
He felt senbon enter the back of his neck, torso, arms and his legs.
Haku watched as Sasuke fell forward, the needles that were already stabbed into him from the front stabbing themselves deeper into his body. Sasuke gave one wheezing cough and stained the snow in front of him with blood. Haku saw his body jerk once as he tried to move his body. Haku ignored it taking out a senbon from her sleeve.
"I'm sorry." Haku closed her eyes steeling her emotions and her heart.
"Heh," Sasuke managed. "I guess you've been holding back on me huh?" He coughed deepening the stain of red in front of him.
Haku lurched forward clutching the senbon with both hands aiming towards the back of the Uchiha's neck.
Haku flew backwards, her mask shattered into pieces.
She skidded along the ground managing to gather chakra into her shoulder to avoid any critical damage. Haku grunted and pulled herself up to her feet, one arm holding the shoulder that she used to brunt the damage of her fall.
The blonde, clad in different clothes than last time, stood over his teammate, one feet still lingering with trails of his black chakra that he had used to kick Haku in the face.
"Nice instinct," Naruto muttered his eyes cold. "You sensed that kick rather than see it didn't you?"
Haku stepped backwards planting one foot inside the mirror.
"You won't find me as easy to defeat as last time." She entered the mirror, her body being reflected through all the mirrors once more.
Naruto's eyes glanced from left to right surveying his surroundings. His hands began to leak trails of shadow, sending them wafting up into the air.
"Fast…" Sasuke whispered as blood began to pool around his head. "Should have…" He coughed, sending a few spittle of blood onto the snow. "Stayed outside…" He finished feebly.
Naruto looked down at the Uchiha then frowned.
"His eyes…" He noted. "They're the same as Kakashi-sensei's…"
"Are you done?" whispered a voice right behind him.
Naruto reacted with immediate violence spinning around with a single vicious kick leaving an arc of blackness in the air. The foot connected solidly with the back of Haku's fist which was clenching a senbon. Haku grunted under the impact and felt her wrist strain underneath the kick's weight. With her other hand she stabbed sideways attempting to stick it in Naruto's temple.
Naruto held up the back of his own fist. Over his fist, a few centimeter away, was a flat smoky looking shield made of black chakra. The senbon stabbed into it but stopped right before actually touching Naruto's skin.
"Fast." Thought both Shinobi at the same time.
Naruto twisted his fist. To Haku's shock she felt the senbon being wrenched out of her grip. The blonde's black chakra acted like a physical substance. Her senbon, having stabbed into it spun with the shield of chakra. Using that moment of shock Naruto opened his palm, locking grips with the mist ninja. He quickly bit the senbon that his chakra had dragged near his face, letting it be held horizontally across his face. Naruto's other hand stabbed out with an index finger. With a sickening sound, his entire finger entered her shoulder.
Haku's eyes widened.
She spun so that she was lined with Naruto shoulder to shoulder.
But she already felt her arm, which had blocked Naruto's kick, go numb.
"He hit my pressure point at exactly the right position," Haku's thoughts were racing at almost the speed of light. The shock of having her own technique used against her and the fact that he had done it perfectly, even without a weapon, had sent her into mental shock. "Even if he took my book… how did he decipher it… not to mention he's only had it a week or two at most… this boy-"
Naruto skidded on the ground sideways so that he was face to face with the ninja once more.
"All your speed is useless," He nodded towards their locked grips. "If I have you like this."
She flicked the wrist of the hand of which they had locked grips.
Two senbon launched out of her sleeve shocking the blonde. He turned his head sideways and spat the senbon in his mouth and reached out with his other hand. His senbon knocked one away but his hand was too late in grabbing the other remaining senbon.
The senbon entered the space between his arm and shoulder.
Naruto's arm went limp and so did his hand. Haku leaped away from him entering one of the mirrors. Naruto's other hand immediately took out the senbon with a sickening wrench. Then to Haku's horror and shock he pointed towards himself with his index finger, stabbing himself in the shoulder with the sound of skin entering skin.
He shook both arms as if to get the numbness out.
"Impressive," Haku held the shoulder of her numb arm. "Even I haven't mastered that aspect of the book yet."
"Not only does he know how to induce paralysis," thought Haku. "He knows how to get rid of them. But I doubt he knows any other points to induce fake death or pain yet. Even if he can see them, the points of fake death and sleep are too difficult for him to hit. I don't have to worry about that yet. But paralyzing him will be useless since he knows how to counter it."
Naruto didn't answer.
Instead he brought his left leg back stabbing the ground with the tip of his toe.
Black chakra began to leak out from that single point, almost engulfing the blonde in shadow.
Haku saw his eyes.
She shivered.
His blue eyes had changed.
It had turned light from the rich blue from before. It almost resembled the color of her ice mirrors. She watched as it began to grow lighter and lighter stopping at a shade of blue right before it changed into white. It looked exactly like the sharingan except it had a blue pupil. Instead of the tomoes it had triangles made of a darker shade of blue spinning lazily while rotating at the same time. The blonde had two triangles in both eyes.
Haku hesitated.
"They're not the sharingan but… w-what are they…"
Naruto roared and kicked with his foot, leaving a long groove in the ground. When the kick finally escaped the ground it became a blur. The only thing Haku saw was Naruto creating the semi circle groove in the ground then his feet blurring. The next thing she saw was Naruto standing on his right foot, his left leg straight and held sideways so that it covered his right shoulder.
And the large arc of black chakra flying towards her.
Haku unconsciously crossed her arms in front of her chest even though she was within the mirror. She closed her eyes instinctively as the black chakra wave washed over the mirror. She felt the mirror shake from inside from the pressure of the chakra explosion but enforced it with her chakra forcing it to hold its shape.
Naruto watched as the shadow arc was washed away from the mirror, leaving it as it was before.
"I'm going to need to do a physical attack." Naruto tensed his legs.
"Are you an Uchiha as well?" Haku asked gathering chakra and trying to buy time to think up of a strategy.
Naruto shook his head. "No… He unconsciously held up a hand to his eyes.
He saw things differently now.
He knew that his eye had changed when his vision changed.
He saw the flow of chakra in battle and within Haku's body. He saw Haku's chakra flow into her arms and her legs as it began to concentrate there. Naruto looked around him, seeing some fog looking substances which he now knew as chakra. Some of them were the same color as Sasuke's chakra and others were the same color as Haku's chakra. He saw black chakra that was his own.
But more importantly…
He saw the points that had been outlined in the book.
But not always.
The points seemed to disappear and reappear depending on how Haku was standing and how she held herself. Sometimes there were more points on her body than before. Some points were large, some were small. The points also varied in color. The smallest points turned black but when they turned big again they seemed to turn into a greenish color. He had read enough of the book to know that black points represented death. But the points were painfully small and almost always at a naturally vital spot. If he forced himself to press that point he'd leave a huge opening of himself. He remembered what the color of the points meant from reading the book. Green points were points that would heal the person. Blue points resulted in numbness or paralysis of the muscle or chakra. Red points represented pain and damage. Yellow points represented sleep.
He could see them all, though not at the same time. As stated, the points that were available switched each second depending on the miniscule movements of the opponent's body.
Haku watched as the triangles in Naruto's eyes began to spin faster and faster, rotating faster and faster as well. They rotated so fast that they seemed to be circles instead of triangles creating a ring around the center of his eye.
Haku leaped out of her ice mirror.
Naruto leaped back as Haku stabbed towards him with a fist, senbon held between her knuckles pointed outwards. He kicked backwards as Haku disappeared from his vision. Haku leaned back allowing the tip of Naruto's heel, trailing black chakra, to pass by inches away from her chin. She punched upwards attempting to sink the senbon into Naruto's shin which was still in the air. Instead Naruto extended his foot allowing the tip of his toe to touch the top of Haku's head in a downwards kick.
Haku reacted with deadly speed skidding along the ground sideways appearing in front of Naruto, her legs spread to either side and her torso low to the ground. Naruto's foot slammed into the ground creating a large crater and shaking the ground. Haku placed the bottom of her fist on the ground to steady herself and swung her torso swinging her useless arm towards Naruto's single leg which had been supporting him.
Naruto brought his other leg up, bending it at the knee and blocked the strike.
However Haku's speed combined with the fact that her arm was numb allowed her to crush through Naruto's chakra enhanced guard and to his other leg, sending Naruto toppling towards the side off of his legs.
Naruto placed a palm on the ground sending a small shockwave of black chakra from the impact. He kicked sideways with his leg, which for him, was upwards. Haku leaped up into the air dodging the kick. Naruto continued the momentum of the kick, flipping backwards and onto both feet once more one palm on the ground. Haku landed on the ground a few feet away from Naruto and leaped backwards towards the safety of her mirrors once more.
Naruto launched himself at the mirror flipping forward and bringing his feel down on the mirror.
The mirror shattered to pieces.
Haku exited the mirror right before it was shattered with surprising speed, sending a few barrage towards Naruto who was in mid air. Naruto arched his back as they entered a few spots in his back. The blonde landed on the ground and spun immediately his feet skidding along the ground. Haku landed a few feet away, turning to face Naruto immediately and skidded on the ground backwards, one of her arms still hanging down limply.
Haku flicked her wrist, her sleeve pointed towards the blonde once more sending a few senbon flying his way.
Naruto batted them to the side with his palms trailing black chakra turning to the side so that his shoulder faced Haku.
Haku appeared right in front of him.
Naruto was facing towards the right.
Haku swung her limp arm again, using the numbness to her advantage to swing as fast as she could.
Naruto leaned to his right lifting his left leg up into the air bent at the knee. Haku swung so hard that her limp arm had gone all the way to the left side of Naruto, the direction which the sole of his left foot was facing.
"I got her." Thought Naruto.
Naruto lurched back towards the left and with his left leg, hooked the bend of his knee on Haku's arm right before her shoulder. Continuing with his momentum Naruto continued his spin and brought his right leg up, bent at the knee.
He hit the back of Haku's head hearing a satisfying crunch.
Naruto landed on his left leg his right leg still raised in the air both of them bent at the knee. Haku was falling towards the ground face first. Naruto kicked with his right leg straightening it and placing the bottom of his right foot straight into Haku's chin sending the kunoichi straight up into the air, her body completely straight.
Naruto stood up, this time facing the left and crossed his arms in front of him.
He glanced with his eyes at Haku who was airborne.
Her whole body was riddled with points of red.
Then with his right leg, with a tornado of black chakra that was spinning around it, he stomped the ground where Haku had been standing.
A pillar of black chakra exploded out of the ground, perfectly round.
Haku couldn't even scream as the tower of shadow engulfed her and with it pain completely swallowed her mind. The black chakra seemed to be digging into her skin and exploding from the inside by reacting with her chakra. She arced her back and began to jerk sporadically before the technique finished its course sending her towards the ground face first.
Naruto raised his leg, right when Haku's head was at his eye level.
Then he slammed his heel onto the back of the kunoichi's head sending her falling even faster towards the ground.
The crunching sound of her nose breaking was accompanied by the cacophony of all her ice mirrors shattering all at once.
Haku landed on the ground, her clothing ripped and frayed in various places. Her vision shook and when they focused they showed her skin. Although it had felt as if the black chakra had dug into her and exploded from the inside out, her skin only showed superficial damage, covered in cuts and burns. She groaned and tried to get up when her vision shook once more.
Naruto turned around.
Haku began to cry filling the air with her sobs.
"You did well," Naruto muttered. Haku looked up and saw the blonde's legs shaking with fatigue.
"But the things we fight for are different."
"HOW?" Haku screamed, allowing blood to spill out of her mouth. She coughed like Sasuke had moments before.
"I fight to protect my precious person," Haku shuddered gasping for breath. "How is that any different than you fighting for yours?"
Naruto turned his head giving her a gaze at his clear blue eyes. The triangles were rotating and spinning a bit slower now, giving her a full view of them.
"I fight so that I may become Hokage," Naruto whispered. "So that I can change my village…"
"I fight to protect all those who are weak." He narrowed his eyes.
"I fight so that no one has to live the life that I had to live." He turned around once more and walked away leaving Haku speechless.
"I protect everyone in this world that is beaten, tortured and spat on just for the reason that they are different."
"I fight to protect my dreams of a fair and just world…" continued Naruto as the mist began to clear. "You fight to protect the twisted dream of a twisted man… that is the difference between your dream and mine."
"If you have time to cry," Naruto muttered walking away. "Consider what you yourself can do… instead of relying on your master to change Kirigakure no Sato and putting all your hopes in him, become Mizukage and change the village."
"And if you want revenge," Naruto whispered, turning his head a fraction to give Haku the view to his eyes. "I'll be waiting."
Haku felt tears stream down her cheeks as darkness began to creep in from the edge of her vision. "Zabuza-san… I've failed… I'm sorry…"
The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was Naruto's footsteps steadily growing quieter.
…
Kakashi wrenched his hand out of Zabuza's chest as his ninja dogs disappeared accompanied by puffs of smoke.
The one eyed ninja looked down at the jounin. "Momochi Zabuza… This was truly a tough battle." The mist began to clear as the chakra that enforced it disappeared. "I will remember your name for as long as I live."
"Sasuke!" he heard Sakura scream.
Kakashi turned to see Sakura run past him running towards where he had seen Sasuke and the girl called Haku leap off to do their own battle. The jounin saw Naruto walk past the pink haired kunoichi, ignoring him completely. Kakashi saw Haku lying on the ground around where Sasuke was. Haku looked to be completely drained of all energy in her body. Kakashi was able to make out the slow rise and fall of Sasuke's body meaning that the boy was still alive, albeit not conscious anymore.
Naruto walked up to Kakashi. "You should check on Sasuke. He's damaged pretty badly." As he said this the blonde reached behind him and began to take out the senbon out of him with a savagery that surprised Kakashi.
"I want to." Kakashi muttered then turned around. "But it looks as if they won't let us."
"Those useless ninja." Gato muttered holding his staff by both his hands. Naruto watched as the crowd of mercenaries behind Gato began to grow larger by the second.
"You useless pieces of shit. I knew you'd fail." A mocking tone entered his voice. "That's why I decided to just do this myself! I don't need ninja or the citizens of country at all! I'll just kill everyone and take over this country myself!"
Naruto lowered his stance
Kakashi prepared himself as well.
They heard a wet cough behind them.
"What the…" Naruto turned around to see a demon standing behind him.
Momochi Zabuza, with a hole in the right side of his chest, despite all the blood that was pouring down his abdomen and face, despite the bandages on his body completely soaked through with blood, was standing holding his Kubikiri Buchou with one hand the other hand hanging limply at his side.
"This is my mess," He whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'll be cleaning up here."
…..
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura held the unconscious Uchiha to her chest, cradling him on her knees. "No…. no… Sasuke-kun… no…"
Tazuna watched the girl cry holding her first love.
"So is this what it means to be a ninja?" He looked at Sasuke's face. Though his body was riddled with needles to Tazuna it didn't look any different from the boy's sleeping posture and face. He turned away closing his eyes. "It's too cruel… to die at such an age. To make children go through this type of life… it's too cruel."
"Sakura… I'm alive…"
"Sa-Sasuke-kun?" Sakura wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "Y-You're alive!" Sasuke-kun!"
"Naruto… I saw the whole battle… just who are you…"
…
Naruto spun around as black chakra began to leak out of his body. He tensed getting ready to rush at the demon in front of him.
Kakashi gripped Naruto's shoulder. "It's done Naruto."
Naruto tilted his head quizzically.
"Gato's broken our contract," Zabuza rasped. "I have no reason to continue fighting with you anymore."
Naruto relaxed underneath Kakashi's grasp. He looked at the older man's eye. Kakashi traded a look with his teacher. Kakashi realized that Naruto could tell that Zabza was already dead.
He was just extending his life through sheer will.
"Hey kid," Zabuza asked blinking rapidly as if trying to keep himself awake. "Is… is Haku dead?"
"No." Naruto whispered. "She's alive."
Zabuza glanced at the blonde genin. "There's no way he could have gotten out of the demonic mirror technique without defeating Haku first. The other kid's not here… his chakra ceased to be active long time ago. He must have defeated Haku in a one on one battle… not bad."
"Tell her," Zabuza coughed, hefting the sword up to his shoulder. Zabuza hesitated thinking of what to say.
"Tell her that I loved her like my own daughter," Zabuza hung his head, shadows shrouding his expression.
Naruto thought he saw something fall.
"And that I'll always be watching over her."
The blonde looked at the floor. "I got it." He answered back, his voice low.
Zabuza rushed into action.
He appeared in front of Gato, his body lowered to the ground and the Kubikiri Buchou being dragged on the ground.
"Hey Gato," Zabuza's face was right in front of the corporate tycoon, his eyes absolutely bloodshot and hungry for death.
Gato thought he saw an apparition resembling a horned demon's face, its jaws wide open in a mocking grin behind the man.
"Let's have a long nice talk about the terms of our contract in hell together," Zabuza raised the sword over his head to cleave the man in half. "Shall we?"
"K-KILL HIM!" Gato screamed, trying to back away. "D-DOUBLE, NO TEN TIMES THE PAYMENT FOR WHOEVER-"
Zabuza cut the man in two, showering the area with blood.
Zabuza looked up, his body bent in half, blood covering his face as the rain of blood from Gato's body left droplets on everyone there. "I'll be cleaning you guys up as a service as well…"
Zabuza rushed forward like a demon, wielding his monstrous sword with one hand. The mercenaries stabbed him, cut him and even tried to push him down but the man did not cease to attack. He continued to attack, his skin turning redder and wetter as blood began to cover him from head to toe. He continued to mow the enemies down like grass ignoring the dozens of weapons stabbed into his back. Somewhere along the way the bandages wrapped around Zabuza's mouth came undone and Naruto saw the man clenching his blood red teeth in a feral snarl.
He seemed to be laughing as he danced among the carnage and the blood.
Naruto activated his doujutsu while Kakashi wasn't looking at him.
The man's whole body was black in his eyes.
Naruto growled and deactivated his doujutsu, looking away.
"Do not look away," Kakashi admonished him. "There is a man who has lived a difficult life… and dies as a true shinobi should."
The blonde forced himself to watch.
"Hey sensei," The boy asked his voice low.
Kakashi waited.
"If I become as strong as him," Naruto watched as Zabuza cut down the last of his opponents, standing there covered in blood and gore from head to toe. Zabuza looked up at the sky and Naruto saw the man's shoulder shake with either laughter or silent sobs.
"Will I have to lay aside my principles as well?"
Kakashi looked at his student.
"That's for you to decide."
Zabuza finally fell down, lying in a pool of blood that was both his own and that was not.
He fell staring at the sky as snow began to fall from the sky.
"Haku…" He turned his head sideways as a single snow piece fell on the tip of his finger. "I'll be watching over you… I promise."
…Two Weeks Later…
"Naruto!" Sakura's voice called out from somewhere behind him. "It's time to go."
Naruto ignored her staring at the single grave in front of him.
It was a simple grave, made from two piece of wood fashioned into a cross. Right behind the cross stood a large tree, bigger than any tree that Naruto had seen in the country. The tree was placed right next to the entrance to the bridge that Tazuna had finished. He looked at it and at the giant sword that was stabbed into the ground behind it. Naruto felt the corner of his lips curl when he remembered how he boasted at their first meeting about taking the sword. Truthfully he had debated with himself about taking the sword but it simply didn't seem right.
The blonde knelt down.
"Naruto!" Sakura called out once more.
"I'm coming." Naruto replied in a flat tone. He turned back to the grave.
"Haku's going back to the mist." Naruto began. "I thought she'd take the sword for sure but she decided to leave it here with you." The jinchuuriki traced the beginning of the grave with his fingers, getting a bit of dirt on them. "She told me that she has a new dream. She told me…"
The blonde hesitated then shrugged.
"She wants to become a shinobi that you can be proud of." He continued taking his fingers off of the grave and standing up. He dusted his hands on his knees. "She told me she's going to work hard and become the Mizukage so that she can keep people like you and her from going through what you guys went through."
"Your dream," Naruto whispered. "It lives on through her."
Naruto turned around and began to walk away.
"I'm glad you and Haku were my first opponent… even though you guys were my enemies…" He looked at the sky folding his arms behind his head. "Good bye… Demon of the Hidden Mist."
Naruto walked to see his teammates waiting for him.
Sasuke was sitting on a rock, one knee raised to his chest and hugging it with both arms. He was glaring sullenly at nothing in particular but aimed it at Naruto when he came into view. Sakura sat next to him, kicking her legs like a little girl and staring at Sasuke. Kakashi stood a bit apart from them, a smile on his face beneath his mask, the sharingan covered by his hiate once more.
Naruto was still wearing the loose clothing that Kakashi had bought for him.
It had been his birthday after all.
"You're late." Sakura told him when she saw the blonde walking up to them lazily. "What took you so long?"
"Just saying good-bye." Naruto replied without even looking at her. He looked at Kakashi.
Kakashi smiled at Naruto. "It looks like you grew a lot through this ordeal didn't you Naruto?"
Naruto just smirked.
"Let's go."
…1 Month Later…..
Sasuke stood on the limb of a tree, hiding behind its trunk. He had his hands at his side, one of them gripping a kunai, and trying to appear as small as possible. His breathing was ragged yet quiet to keep himself from being noticed. He looked down below already knowing that Sakura was sticking on the limb that he was standing on, except she was upside down. He would have preferred for her to be the one standing upright since even standing on a tree for extended amounts of time would waste her chakra but it wasn't the time to be picky about things like this. He saw her peer out from the limb that separated them and traded a nod with her.
"Do you really think you can hide from me with these type of pathetic strategies?"
Sasuke threw the kunai at his assailant's face who dodged immediately. Sasuke placed his hands above his head, placing his palms on the trunk right above it. Channeling chakra he stuck his palm to the trunk, flipping his body upwards in a sudden movement. He skidded upwards on the tree from the momentum but used his chakra to stop it.
His opponent had white hair that fell to his shoulder with a blue sheen in it. His eyes were green glittering with sharp intelligence. He wore the Konoha flak jacket and forehead protector despite being a missing ninja. He used the forehead protector like a bandanna. He was holding two large shuriken in both hands and an additional one on his back.
Mizuki threw the two shuriken one after the other towards Sasuke swinging his arms.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura ran up the side of the tree trunk holding a kunai in each hand in the reverse grip.
Sasuke leaped up dodging the first shuriken when something pulled him down. The Uchiha's eyes widened and he looked at Mizuki who clenched a fist and seemingly pulled.
"Chakra wires." Thought Sasuke right before the second shuriken stabbed into his stomach.
Blood leaked out of Sasuke's mouth.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed throwing her kunai at Mizuki to distract him while running to his side.
Sasuke puffed into smoke, turning into a piece of wood.
Sasuke fell from the top of the trees throwing a barrage of shuriken towards Mizuki.
Mizuki drew the large shuriken from his back and held it by the hole in the middle. He spun it sparingly blocking each shuriken calmly. He watched as the shuriken barrage landed around him.
Sasuke began to form hand seals.
Mizuki swept his shuriken sideways cutting all the wires that were connected to the shuriken that Sasuke had thrown down earlier.
Sasuke's eyes widened, clenching the wires in his teeth. "How did he-"
Mizuki smirked appearing right in front of Sasuke, his arm held back and ready to slice Sasuke in two with the large shuriken that he was holding. "I was your teacher, of course I know all your techniques."
Sasuke doubled over in mid air as Mizuki punched him in the stomach. Mizuki grabbed Sasuke's collar and pulled himself closer while they were in midair, twisting at the same time to get himself behind Sasuke and rode on top of him. Mizuki grabbed his shuriken with both hands and attempted to stab downwards.
The chounin suddenly swung his arm downward, letting go of the shuriken with one hand. He held it at his side and blocked the few kunai that Sakura threw at him. Sakura leaped off of the trunk that she was standing on sideways and grabbed Sasuke from underneath Mizuki, landing on the other limb and skidding along it, throwing up bark and dust.
Mizuki landed on the ground and ran up the trunk of the tree that Sakura and Sasuke was on forming hand seals.
"Fire release," Mizuki muttered holding a hand seal in front of his chest while running up the trunk. His cheeks expanded as he blew. "Grand Fireball."
The fireball exploded as it hit the limb that Sasuke and Sakura were standing on, sending splinters flying through the clearing. Sakura and Sasuke leaped off of it in opposite directions, Sakura throwing a few kunai and Sasuke doing the same. Mizuki sped out of the debris and blocked every single kunai with the large shuriken in his hand before throwing it towards Sakura who was in mid air.
The shuriken hit Sakura and pinned her against the tree between the blades, knocking the air out of the girl. Sakura grunted as she felt her back being slammed into the tree and the blade part of the shuriken sink a bit into her skin and the trunk behind her. She tried to push the shuriken away from her and cried out in pain as it deepened the cut in both her hand and her stomach.
Sasuke landed on the tree trunk that Mizuki was running on. Sasuke crossed his arms in front of him as Mizuki skidded upwards on the bark, placing a kick squarely on Sasuke's guard. The Uchiha grunted and spread his arms savagely, forcing Mizuki to back off. The Chounin leaned forward punching Sasuke in the chest sending the Uchiha skidding upwards on the tree. Sasuke grimaced.
"Even though I'm the one who's facing downwards and possessing upper ground," Sasuke took out a few kunai throwing it towards the missing ninja. "He's still managing to push me back."
Mizuki ran towards Sasuke, ducking low so that his body was lowered on the tree. He dodged each kunai then suddenly lurched making a back fist with his right hand and pulling it towards his chest.
Sasuke was pulled off of his feet and he thought of the punch that the Chounin just hit him with on the chest.
"Chakra Threads…"
Mizuki kicked with his right leg hitting the Uchiha in the stomach. Sasuke's body bent in pain but managed to finish forming his hand seals. Seeing this the Chounin released his chakra threads and sent Sasuke flying upwards, bending his legs and jumping towards the other tree which for him was upwards. Sasuke traced Mizuki's trajectory with his mouth and placed a hand on his mouth to control his breathing. With his other hand he placed a palm on the tree and channeled chakra into it along with his legs sticking to the tree trunk.
Sasuke began to breath in controlled short gasps, sending out small balls of fire towards the Chounin. Mizuki landed on the opposite tree and took out a scroll from his pouch. Without turning around he placed it on the trunk with one hand opening it partially. With his other hand he stabbed it with a kunai, leaving a shallow cut on his finger that was holding the scroll. He swiped his hand down leaving a trail of blood on the scroll. There was a puff of smoke and Mizuki was suddenly holding two of those large shuriken once more. He held them by the ring in the center and began to cut the fireballs that came towards him in two.
"Even the so called Uchiha Clan," Mizuki mocked. "Is nothing special huh?"
"We'll see about that." Said a voice above him.
Mizuki's eyes widened as he struggled to look up. "Distraction-"
Sasuke flipped in the air right above Mizuki planting his heel right on Mizuki's neck. Since Mizuki was standing on the tree trunk it meant he was standing horizontally to the ground. Sasuke allowed the momentum to carry him and Mizuki all the way to the ground slamming Mizuki face first into the dirt.
Sasuke groaned on his back and rolled off of the unconscious Mizuki. He looked up at the tree where he had just taken Mizuki off of and saw Sakura smile down at him, still pinned in place by the shuriken.
"I'll get you out right away Sakura." Sasuke grabbed the shuriken that pinned Sakura against the tree by its ring and heaved, pulling it out.
Sakura fell towards the ground, losing consciousness from the blood loss.
"Sakura!"
A pair of arms caught her. "Good job Sasuke."
Kakashi smiled up at Sasuke who quickly leaped down to the ground. Kakashi hefted Sakura over his shoulder. "I'm surprised you guys succeeded in this mission."
"What about Naruto?" Sasuke threw the shuriken to the side and placed his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.
"Come on," Kakashi muttered. "He's right this way."
….
They found Naruto sitting down and looking at the sky.
He turned his gaze to his teammates when they approached. "Kakashi-sensei," He muttered. "What took you guys so long?"
Kakashi waved smiling. He was holding a rope by its end, dragging a tied up Mizuki at the other end. Sasuke and Sakura walked though they seemed to be tired. The two genin's eyes widened when they saw Naruto and the field on which he had fought.
It was a small clearing sparse of grass and full of rocks. It was surrounded by trees on one side and a lake on the other.
There were dozens of craters, varying in size in the ground. There were entire trees that had been ripped in half from whatever strike had hit them.
Naruto sat on top of his two opponents that were stacked on top of each other, one knee raised up and one hand resting on the it. The other hand was twirling a kunai by the ring on its handle.
The craters and the damage to the surrounding shocked Sauke and Sakura but that wasn't all.
Naruto's opponents were two humongous large men their hair tied up into a topknot. Both of them had on a vest that barely fit them. One of them had a beard beginning to grow on his chin. He was the one on the bottom and seemed to be completely unconscious, drooling a bit from the corner of his mouth. The other one was just as big, if not bigger than his partner. His eyes were open but unfocused and was making groaning noises. Naruto sat on top of the two looking as nonchalant as if he had just eaten dinner and was about to go to bed.
Sakura looked back and forth between Naruto and Kakashi.
"I-is this why you were late sensei?" Sakura asked. "You had to help-"
"Nope." Kakashi answered looking at Naruto's opponents. "Naruto did this himself. I actually wasn't even here. I was watching you and Sasuke do the mission." He smiled at her. "You guys did splendidly by the way."
Sakura gulped and looked at Naruto. "Then just how well did he do…"
Sasuke gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He looked down at the ground his eyes burning with rage.
"Just how much stronger is he… why can't I catch up?"
Blood began to leak out of his fist.
"I have the sharingan that I wanted so much… why can't I surpass him?"
…..
The Sandaime cleared his throat gathering the attention of all the jounin in his presence. He sat behind a table with a candle on either side of him. He leaned back on the sofa-like chair noting the faces of all the jounin and other tokubetsu jounin that he gathered. The jounins sat in front of him in neat vertical and horizontal rows, sitting on the floor their legs crossed. In the front row he spotted Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, Maito Guy and even Yuhi Kurenai which surprised him. He had expected Asuma, Kakashi and Gai but not Kurenai. Kurenai was rather new in her capacity as a jounin and he wondered if her students inspired that much confidence within her.
The Third Hokage spoke up. "As you can see by the members that are gathered here," He already knew they knew, which was why those four were sitting in the front. "It's time."
Kakashi sighed trading a look with Asuma who sat next to him.
"It's already that time of the year eh?" Kakashi muttered.
Asuma nodded. "I thought it was about time." He smirked. "You think your team is ready for this Kakashi?"
Kakashi smiled with his one eye. "I guess we're about to see aren't we?"
"First," Sarutobi gestured at the three shinobi in front of him. "We'll hear from those who are watching over the new genin."
"Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai," Sarutobi asked. "Are there any of those under your charge that you would like to nominate for the exams?"
Kakashi cleared his throat. "Team 7 composed of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and…" Kakashi hesitated but they all knew whose name he was about to say next.
Kakashi wasn't a fool. The vendetta against Naruto was especially severe among the higher ranked jounin. A lot of people had been against Sarutobi even enrolling Naruto in the ninja program in the first place. Some of them knew that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son, some of them didn't. But it wasn't a matter of hating him or not anymore. Their fears were justified. They heard all too many stories of jinchuurikis in other villages going out of control causing casualties. Of course they were scared of Naruto.
But now Kakashi was about to enroll him in the chuunin exams. They weren't stupid. They all knew that Naruto had been deadlast and had been incapable of using the simplest of chakra exercises while in the academy. The fact that Kakashi was nominating him for the Chuunin exams was a testament to Naruto's improvement as a ninja and his aptitude for it.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Kakashi finished he winced as all the other jounin took a sharp intake of breath. "Under the name of my clan Hatake, I recommend them to take part in the Chounin exams."
The other jounin's eyes widened.
"Team 10 composed of Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Chouji," Asuma muttered. "I also declare under the name of my clan Sarutobi," He pronounced those last words as if challenging anyone else to say otherwise. "That I nominate them for the Chuunin exams."
"Team 8 lead by Yuhi Kurenai," Kurenai continued not missing a beat, riding the flow as easily as if she was carrying on a conversation. "Composed of Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzaka Kiba and Aburame Shino under the name of my clan Yuhi, are also nominated for the Chuunin Exams."
"Hokage-sama!" Iruka's voice rang out with clarity breaking the flow.
"What is it Iruka?" The Hokage took a drag on his pipe.
"These genins that were all named," Iruka continued, desperate to make an argument. "Were students at my academy until a few months ago. If you could please let me have a word-"
"That was a few months ago Iruka." Kakashi cut in. He looked back at the chounin a belligerent tilt to his chin.
Iruka didn't back down if anything he became more aggressive.
"Hokage-sama," Iruka continued organizing his thoughts. "These genin are not ready! They need more experience! They haven't had enough missions that has the necessary amount of danger present for them to have matured into their own as shinobi yet. This test will crush them!"
"I took the test when I was only six years old." Kakashi quipped. "Six years younger than Naruto."
"NARUTO'S NOT LIKE YOU!" Iruka yelled.
Kakashi sighed.
"Recently we received the B-rank mission of finding the missing chounin Mizuki and the Stupid brothers. They were ordered that if they should find these ninja," Kakashi began. "To report back to me right away. Of course being the young hotheads that they are they decided to fight them. Sasuke and Sakura took down Mizuki who's known for his strength even among the chounin." Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "Naruto himself, without any help, took down the Stupid Brothers sustaining not a single wound. The only aftereffects of that battle he sustained was chakra exhaustion. But only a minor one."
The room began to be filled with whispers at the last part.
"Maybe they will be crushed," Kakashi continued. "Maybe not. But they're too cocky. Crushing them might be fun."
"Kakashi," Asuma warned. "That's enough."
Kakashi ignored him. "But that's not your call to make anymore Iruka… They're not your students anymore."
Iruka's eyes widened.
"They are my soldiers and their lives belong to me. Whether they live or not is my responsibility and my call to make." Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "So I'd appreciate it if you stop babying my soldiers." Kakashi turned back to face the Hokage.
The meeting finished without any further incident.
A few people stayed behind along with the Hokage.
"Kakashi, Kurenai," The Hokage muttered while taking a drag on his pipe. "Are you sure about this?" He gestured at Asuma. "I trust Asuma's judgement. He's produced more chounins than any other jounin sensei in the village and is renown as a good teacher. He's judgments have been proven to be sound and correct."
"But Kakashi," The Hokage continued. "These are your first students and Kurenai, it has not been that long since you've been instated as a jounin. Are you two sure about this?"
Kakashi nodded. "Both Sasuke and Naruto are already chounin level and growing faster at a rapid pace." He cleared his throat. "Naruto is no longer the dead last who couldn't grasp the concept of chakra anymore either. He defeated the hunter-nin from the Mist by himself. Sasuke is a progenitor of one of the most powerful clans in Konoha as well."
"Kakashi," Gai began. "You do know what you're doing?"
"It's time for them to stop living in fear of him." Kakashi stated. "Naruto is a ninja and nothing more, nothing less. It's time for him to show off his strength that he is in control and no one else."
"What about Sakura?" Gai asked.
Kakashi hesitated.
"As long as Sasuke and Naruto are with her," Kakashi muttered though he sounded a bit unsure. "She'll be fine. Besides I've already given her some special training. If we don't take this test she'll blame herself for dragging her teammates down. This test will make her grow in ways that she did not expect herself to grow."
The Hokage nodded at Kurenai.
"They are all from respectable ninja clans," Kurenai shrugged summing up her argument. "I don't need to train them in any special ways. They have already had the basics beaten into their core."
The Hokage nodded. He had expected as much. "Then all of you are dismissed… except Kakashi."
The rest of the jounins vanished using the Body Flicker technique to disappear in various ways.
"Kakashi," the Sandaime began. "I want to talk about your latest report."
Kakashi froze.
"As I said I'm not sure but-"
"Kakashi," Something dangerous entered his tone.
"Do not lie to me."
Kakashi nodded. "I think… Naruto has gained an additional ability from the demon. I'm not sure what it is but… I think it's a doujutsu. I saw some weird chakra activity in his eyes." He shrugged. "Again I'm not sure but…"
"Have you asked Naruto about this?"
Kakashi fidgeted. "I was waiting for him to come to me on his own accord."
The Hokage stapled his fingers, resting his elbows on his desk. "I see. Keep an eye on him and at the first sign of danger… report back to me. Understood?"
Kakashi nodded.
"Understood."
AN: The end. Not really action filled or anything but it was a needed chapter. I think this chapter was pretty good if I do say so myself. I think the battle with Naruto and Haku was actually really good. Naruto wasn't too powerful but he was strong enough to definitely declare his superiority over haku. Yeah I let Haku live. I thought it fit the story. The Chuunin exams begin next chapter! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!
