Chapter 4
"Land of Waves Mission Report number five. I am sorry to inform that the legitimacy of this report may be compromised due to my current state of spirit. For the first time in a long time, I feel in doubt, confused...My intellect is acting against me and I am my own enemy. A few things about myself have been revealed and I was given a proposal that would turn my life upside down."- Naruto spoke to the audio recorder as he walked around Tazuna's house, completing his patrol duty from three am to five am.
"My brain keeps considering the possibilites. The "but"s and "what if"s keep tormenting me and I haven't slept for the past two days, barely resting the week before that. This all started when I confronted my stalker, as soon as we entered Wave..."
Flashback
"I've read your note. "Clearing directly northeast of the construction site. Eight pm." Here I am, where are you?"- Karin's voice made itself heard across the various surrounding trees and bushes. She had prepared herself for the encounter, both regarding looks and means of defense.
She didn't know if he was going to be hostile or aggressive, but she knew that if he was, he was too intelligent to let her go after she stepped inside the glade. The paper tags hidden below branches and rocks proved it. Thank Kami for my sensor ability... she thought to herself.
"I'm here."- he replied, stepping forward from one of the pine's shadows and taking a good look at the kunoichi spy that stood in the middle of his trap.
Her uniform was similar to the ANBU's, though the armor was tainted black, and instead of a porcelain mask, she had a dark hood and black half-face mask, like Kakashi's. The only two features that could give away her identity to someone who had seen her before were her glasses and the red bangs of hair coming out of the cowl.
"But be aware that even though I am speaking to you face to face, this conversation is still on my terms, and I still hold the power to kill you if you try anything. Understood?"
"Understood. But what exactly do you want to talk about? I'm intrigued."- the spy replied with a question of her own. She eyed Naruto, taking in his looks. Despite seeing him plenty of times through her monitor, she still held her breath when she first saw the blond jinchuuriki.
His blond hair seemed to glow in the moonlight, much like his pale blue eyes. He had chosen the black attire for this "meeting", something that made the redhead blush even more. He's sooo cute!
What she liked even more was that the hidden blades under his sleeves and sneaker soles, as if he didn't even bother to cover up the fact he would kill her, would she cross the line. It gave her a sense of danger.
"I want you to tell me who you work for and why they want information on me and Uchiha Sasuke. I also want to know who you are. Answer me truthfully and I'll let you go with a warning. However, if I detect even the slightest of lies, I'll mess up your nervous system so bad your brain will be telling the kidneys to pump and the heart to filter. Are we clear?"- he responded, a murderous look in his eyes that made Karin shiver. He was serious, that was for sure. But she still had a number of trump cards, and could lead the conversation to another direction if she played them right.
"Your first question is a bit redundant, no? You already know the answer to that one. Both Uchiha Sasuke and you are supernovas in the middle of lifeless planets. The last member of an extremely praised clan who also possesses the Sharingan and one of the best medic-nins of this generation who just happens to be the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki? Every village's got their entire spy network on your tails. No pun intended."
"Let me rephrase since you didn't really get what I meant. I want to know why they're on our tails. What do you want? To target us? To keep us in check? To plan assassinations or capture us? Maybe to recruit us? That's what I want to know."- Naruto shot back. There was something about this kunoichi that gave him the chills. She was definitely not an idiot, and didn't look older than him.
"All of those, but primarily to recruit you, yes. What village wouldn't want such shinobi in their ranks while also depriving Konoha of them?"- she contested with a smirk that was invisible in the darkness of the night.- "I was sent to represent..."
"Kusagakure. I am aware of that. Your outfit shouts that out for someone with my knowledge. What makes you think I'll go? I'm perfectly fine in Konoha, what could there possibly be for me in the Grass?"- Naruto asked with a curious face, as if he actually expected her to gie him an interesting answer. Which she did, shocking him.
"Perfectly fine? With the people who chase you down like an animal after you've just performed miraculous surgery on one of them, saving their life? The village that mostly denies you access to decent weapons, eatable food or fresh water? You're intelligent enough to know when you're lying to yourself."- Karin kept her verbal assault on, seeing his facial expression change ever-so-slightly. She smirked again. Everything was going according to plan.
"Come to Kusagakure, and I can promise you great conditions for a good life. A nice house, a safe food and water supply, an actual electrical current in your walls' plugs and civilians that won't shoot glares at you just for walking in the same street as them. Come on, you know damn well what's the smart thing to do."
"I am not going to betray the Hokage. I am not going to betray the place I'm from."- was his response, and that's when she knew she had succeeded. Final Phase, let's put it to work. She thought to herself.
"Are you sure you don't want to betray the one who has crossed you the most? My, my, I didn't think someone of your genius would be this illuded."
"Your point?"
"My point being, who told you Konohagakure is your place of origin?"- and that's when she had got him. That's when the whole sense of security he had developed over twelve hard years was crushed. All of the old suspicions and paranoia came bubbling up and started getting to him. His insides were as confusing and raging as a whirlpool.
"If I had to guess, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Don't blame him, it was pretty much his job to do so. Let's see how serious is the damage, shall we? Where do you think the Uzumaki name comes from?"- she asked him. She noticed how his fists were clenched, and there was an expression of pure rage and betrayal on his face. Karin pitied him, he had already felt those two so much in his life, and she had just caused him to do so again. Don't worry, Naruto-kun, I promise I'll make you feel better later. She swore to herself.
"I was told it was an orphan's name, since I had none other."
"Poor you, the Uzumaki are so much more than that. They once were more recognized and feared than even the Uchiha-"
"Naruto, is that you? What are you doing all the way here?"- Kakashi's voice came to life, surprising the both of them. Karin quickly leapt onto the nearest tree branch, preparing for a quick getaway. The blond quickly performed the half Ram hand seal as a threat.
"Wait! You haven't answered my last question!"- he exclaimed. She glanced back.
"I am Karin. Uzumaki Karin."- she answered before quickly taking advantage of his confusion, leaping away. Naruto felt like he had just been hit by his own Countershock jutsu. Mere seconds later, a certain silver-haired Jonin appeared beside him.
"Who were you talking to, Naruto?"- he asked. It took Naruto a moment, but he eventually snapped out of the transe and made up an excuse.
"I was recording a new report, and probably got too excited, sorry. Why are you here, anyway?"
"Oh, you've been gone for half an hour now, and we were getting worried. Come on, let's go back. Tsunami-chan has prepared dinner."
Naruto stared as the Copy Ninja ran back to Tazuna's house and gave his cheeks a couple of slaps to recover before following him.
Flashback End
"...a part of me tells me she simply made that last part up to both interest me and make a quick escape, but another part of me, deep inside my self tells me I've known I don't belong to Konoha all along, and that joining her would only be benefitial. However, I can not meditate on this at the moment. We've determined Zabuza is alive about a week ago and today is the day I predict he'll be a hundred percent capable of fighting again. Kakashi-senpai and I agreed that displaying my skills would be counter-productive, and so, he's left me guarding Tsunami and Inari while he and the others fight the Kirigakure Demon and his accomplice until further notice. Needless to say, I've got a bad feeling about this. End of Report."
He turned away from the recorder after switching it off before walking out of his room. Tazuna's house was small, but cosy. It gave him a warm feeling. Especially with Tsunami always going about doing some normal, non-shinobi thing and Inari playing with some toy car. It gave off the impression that life wasn't so difficult and painful.
The little boy had disliked them at first, and he still acted like he did, but Naruto could always detect the sense of safety and smiles that the boy made obvious when he thought no one was looking.
Naruto smiled to himself. This was why he became a shinobi. Sure, he wanted to help his village, protect the Hokage and make the world a better place, but he had signed up because of how people looked at him. That is, people who didn't think of him as some nine-tailed monster. In those cases, they gave him thankful smiles and actually thanked him. Just that on its own was what kept him up after so many glares, verbal assaults and insulting graffiti on his apartment's walls.
A loud crash woke him from his trance. Wood falling, it seemed.
He quickly made his way to the noise's origin, keeping in mind that he should stay low and quiet. A woman's scream and a child's whimper revealed that there was, indeed, danger.
Naruto peeked from a corner to see two thugs with sheathed Katana looking down at Tsunami and Inari. The two seemed unharmed.
"Now, now, we're not here to hurt you. We're just here to get you, hottie. Of course, if you don't come with us the easy way..."- one of them who wore a blue jacket and a dark purple hat spoke. He seemed like the smart one of the duo, since his partner was a towering thug with multiple scars and bulging muscles. Both had dark tattoos.
"...there's always the hard way."- the thug finished the sentence, taking the Katana just a few inches off the sheath, creating a "click" sound. Naruto frowned. They were obviously cannon fodder.
A nice, buzzing noise came to life as chakra gathered around his left hand, creating a sharp blade. Chakra no Mesu. (Chakra Scalpel).
The two bandits turned to see Naruto walking up to them, his left hand hidden behind his back. He had a strange expression on his face. An expression often worn by people who will show no mercy nor accept any apology.
"Oh look, another kid! And this one's not even a part of our mission! That means I can cut him to pieces! Fuck yeah!"- the behemoth yapped happily. Naruto adjusted his glasses with his right hand, making them shine. If there was one thing he didn't tolerate were cowards. He would bet all of his hard earned ryou that if they were up against Kakashi or any other Jonin, they'd run away with their asses between their legs.
"Tell me, who is your leader? It's obvious that you're here for someone in particular, you've said so already, but who is the buffoon that thought two idiots would be enough for a ninja? Or are there more of you?"- Naruto quickly inquired them, spiking up their anger to get his answers. They didn't seem sharp enough to understand his strategy.
"Motherfucker, I'll make you regret those words!"- the large one threatened, unsheathing his Katana. It wasn't master's work, but Naruto could guess that it would slice through flesh rather easily.
"Calm down, can't you see he's fucking with you? And yeah, kid. There are more of us, about a hundred more. How you like them apples? But no need to worry about our companions, you'll die here, by my hand!"- he ran at Naruto, using a sword-draw style ( a style where someone with a sword similar to a katana or a katana itself only attacks after quickly drawing out the sword and sheathing it back immediately after the strike.) He went for a slash, and for a second, it seemed like Naruto had been cut in half. But then, the thug coughed out blood and fell to the floor, dead.
"W-What the fuck?"- the live thug muttered, shocked and taking a few steps back. Naruto smirked, but not an usual smirk, an evil smirk, looking at the man with murderous eyes.
"I've sworn not to harm another human being, but quite frankly, I've broken that oath a few times now, and after the time I've been having lately, I just don't give a fuck anymore!"- Naruto turned into a black blur do to his dark clothes, and materialized in front of his opponent, inducing sheer horror in the man's face as he slashed right through his heart with the Chakra Scalpel. The, now dead, man gasped, which came out more as a gurgle with blood trickling down his lips before falling like a rock.
Only then did Naruto realize Inari and Tsunami were both horrified as to how cruel and emotionless the apparently dumb and warm boy could be. If he had to, he'd probably come up with an excuse in no time, but the mission itself was at risk, and with a hundred men probably on the bridge aiding Zabuza, he had to hurry.
"Inari, gather the villagers. Tell them that if they want to be free and live confortably instead of hiding in the shadows and feeling the fear every single day for the rest of their lives, they should pick up a weapon and hurry to Tazuna's bridge."- he shot out, but the dark-haired, hat-wearing boy didn't seem to listen. He was still staring into where the man had been standing, in shock. I don't have time for this.- "Listen, Inari, if you don't do this then everything will start all over again! Someone you love will die in a horrible way and you'll spend your days crying like a little baby! Kaiza himself told you that you had to protect those you loved with your two arms. Now do so!"
That apparently woke the boy up, as he shook his head, nodded and ran out into the street with a determined expression on his face. That's one thing taken care of.
The blond jinchuuriki went for the door when someone gripped his right arm in a weak, but firm vice. He turned his head to see it was Tsunami, tears trickling down her face.
"Who...just who...are you?"- she asked, as if begging him to give her the right answer. However, Naruto didn't have that to offer, and simply sighed.
"You know, Tsunami-chan, I'm not sure myself."
And with that, he left to join his teammates.
Meanwhile
The fight on the bridge was looking less than good. From all sides, Team 7 was losing ground. Zabuza was slowly, but surely overwhelming Kakashi in the middle of the mist, covering the man in small cuts every time they clashed.
Sakura was protecting Tazuna, but we all know what would happen if someone actually tried to murder the poor old bridge builder.
Sasuke was in an entirely different situation. His eyes were no longer dark and soothing, like Sakura described them, but red with one iris and one tomoe spinning around it every time he predicted a move. He was imprisoned in an ice mirror dome, each mirror reflecting the image of the hunter-nin that had saved Zabuza the first time. Every time the mirrors shone, senbon rained upon the Uchiha, but now, he seemed to dodge and block every single one of them. However, each "round" tired him more.
The Sharingan wasn't cheap when it came to chakra cost, and predicting moves with a level one Sharingan was like having a baby sprint. It was too strenuous.
So eventually, the raven-haired boy began to lose speed. Some senbon were missed by his eyes, and he was quickly turned into a pincoushion.
"Kakashi, you don't have your little friend to help you today, that means you're going to die!"- Zabuza taunted as he attempted a slash from behind, being blocked by a kunai.
"I don't know what you're talking about. My Kage Bunshin is the one who defeated you."- the silver-haired Jonin replied, instigating a smirk in KubiKiriBocho's wielder.
"Yeah, right, don't try to fool me you copying monkey! You had me fooled that day, and that's why you defeated me, but not today! I know that that kid's the most powerful in your team! But let me tell you something, whatever you did it to him to get him that strong, I hope it was fucking worth it, because you did a number on the guy."- the swordsman casually commented while deflecting a kunai stabbing attack and responding with a dull-side of the sword's push.
"What do you mean?"- the cyclops, now not so cyclopic as the forehead protector was pulled up, revealing the Sharingan asked curiously. His enemy's face turned serious again.
"That kid, while he fought me, even if he was transformed into you, he had this look in his eyes. A look that reminded me of me and many other heartless shinobi I've met, including many of the Seven Swordsmen. Mark my words when I say that if by some fucking miracle you escape from here alive, you should keep your free eye out for him."
Speaking of the devil, Naruto had just arrived in the battle scene, and quickly analyzed the whole deal, making a decision almost immediately. It's too late to hide my identity from the enemy now. Kakashi-san would agree with that. Sakura is fine right now and can't really see what I'm doing if I enter the dome, Sasuke is nearly passed out, and when he finally does go unconscious, I'll be able to finish off the enemy quickly. I think senpai can hold Zabuza for a few more minutes now, as long as I don't take too long.
Naruto ran and jumped into the dome through one of the cracks between the mirrors, receiving a glare of disbelief from Sasuke.
"Are you fucking kidding me dobe? You should have stayed out and given me support! You've just killed us both!"- the Uchiha shouted at him.
"Whatever, the important thing is, I'm here to help now, right?"- he replied with a stupid grin, surprised that Sasuke hadn't even noticed his black clothes. Blood loss is a bitch, huh?
For a second, the raven-haired boy looked like he was going to say something back, but then he just dropped to the floor, as if fainting. Yup, there it is.
"I'm sorry, if you don't step back and give up, that's going to happen to you too. I'm not a shinobi by heart, I wasn't born to be one, but if it's Zabuza-san's wish, I will slay my heart with a kunai and do it anyway!"- she threatened, gripping several senbon. Naruto adjusted his glasses.
"Before we fight to the death, I want to know two things. The first, your name, and the second, why you work for that psychopath."- he replied, noticing how his enemy's grip on the deadly needles faltered a bit. She was tired, obviously, but it was also obvious that she was doing something that sickened her.
"My name is Yuuki Haku. And that psychopath is the only person who ever even cared about me!"- she shot back. Naruto raised an eyebrow.- "Not all Kekkei Genkai users are hailed as demigods. At least not in the Land of Water. As soon as I showed signs of having it, my own father killed my mother and gathered the rest of the village we lived in to kill me! I had to walk on my own two feet with no support, help or even acknowledgement from anyone. Just when I thought I was going to die, Zabuza-san appeared, and offered me a reason to exist, just as long as I became his tool. And that's what I did. I don't regret it, and I don't expect you to understand since you've always had everything. friends, family, the whole drill!"
"And that's where you're wrong, Haku-chan. Exactly in the day I was born, both my parents perished. I've had no real friends all my life, and I have just found out that the ones who cared about me actually only think of me as a tool as well. From the day I learned how to walk, I was on my own. I busted my ass to try and survive, and even though there still isn't much of a meaning to my existence, too many people are counting on me for me to die here. Some of them, I've barely met, some of them I haven't met at all, but just like you, that doesn't matter to me. At least someone cares about us, right?"- Naruto answered, making Haku tilt her head. Could it be that he really understands me?- "I'd much prefer to let you live and come with me, but we both know that Zabuza is too important to you for you to betray him. So here is where we clash. Here is where we decide who's will to fight for their dreams is the strongest!"
Haku apparently got the message, as she gripped the senbon tightly and the mirrors shone, alerting anyone near of the deadly rain that was about to start.
"Ice Release: Demonic Ice Mirrors."- as soon as the last word was spoken, the senbon were thrown from all sides, each of them aiming for a vital spot. Naruto smirked as he adjusted his glasses. A seemingly unbeatable jutsu. Makes me remember that day...
Flashback
"Come on, Naruto. Get up, your training is not over yet."- the raven-haired teenager told him, but the eight year old Uzumaki didn't do so.
"Itachi nii-san, I can't. I am too tired. And this training is not doing anything, I still can't dodge your combination!"- he whimpered, receiving a warm smile from the Uchiha and an outstretched hand that helped him get up.- "It's impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible, Naruto-kun. Only the degree of difficulty varies, nothing else. Trust me, I know how you feel, and I had that mindset too some time ago. Please, try one more time without having your mind clouded by insecurity."- he asked, making naruto sigh but nod and take a few steps away. Itachi started his combo.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."- he quickly spat out in a rapid succession. Naruto jumped over the gigantic ball of fire like he had done so many times, noticing the smaller fireballs coming from all directions.
Normally, that's when he'd get hit, but the blond came up with a nice strategy, and threw kunai with exploding tags at the flames, blowing them up as soon as they were in range, dispersing the fire and revealing the shuriken that were inside of it.
He alligned his body to let the shuriken pass by him, and blocked the only two on crash course with him with shuriken of his own.
Then was time for Itachi's last attack. The sharingan-using Uchiha had leapt up, and was unsheathing his tanto to quickly slash Naruto, when his red, three-tomoe owning eyes saw just what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into. Clever work, Naruto-kun.
Naruto avoided the slash and quickly gripped Itachi in a hug as another Naruto on the ground performed the half ram hand seal.
"Clone Great Explosion!"- the blond jinchuuriki that had his teacher in a grip detonated, sending Itachi crashing into the ground. Only seconds later did the original Naruto realize the Uchiha had switched into a log.
"Very good, Naruto-kun. Not only did you manage to avoid all of my attacks, but you also replaced yourself with the technique I taught you yesterday for a counter attack. See? No attack is really impossible to defend against..."- he complimented, approaching the blond one and placing his right hand on the boy's hair, showing pride.- " ...as long as you use this. Remember, a shinobi's greatest weapon is not a great jutsu that everyone is afraid of, a terrible illusion that could make the bravest cry in fear or a life-risking taijutsu that can move mountains, but their brain. As long as you use your abilities to their fullest, you'll do fine. Even if you only know the Clone technique."
End Flashback
Thank you, Itachi-san. He thought to himself as the needles crashed down to the ground while he leapt up, throwing shuriken and blocking Haku's next attacks with a kunai.
Through the kunoichi's eyes it was as if Naruto could predict any and all attacks she launched, but through the medic-nin's perspective, it was a simple trick.
With his level of chakra control, he could release a great ammount of chakra and hold it in one big orb around him. As soon as anything entered that orb, he could feel it coming. It was an old technique performed by the Hyuuga since only they had such chakra mastery, but Naruto had quickly picked it up in one of many times that he had snuck into the clan compounds.
This particular technique was pretty useful, since without it the jinchuuriki probably would have missed the fact that Haku didn't really teleport, but rather jump from one mirror to another at large speeds, throwing senbon as she did so, making it seem like they came from all sides.
Something else he noticed was how Haku actually had a pattern going on. Much easier to memorize and subconsciently jump in a determined trajectory than to do it randomly.
He quickly digested all of the information and came up with a plan before attaching his feet to the top mirror with chakra. Naruto ran in the exact same pattern as Haku, though it was inverted, dooming them to clash against each other at any time.
The girl only detected his intentions when they were one jump away from each other, and tried to stop herself, but her legs were already flexing and pushing her towards him. Darned muscle memory!
They clashed. She had nothing except her fists and legs to use in close combat, and she knew she couldn't deflect his weapon. Trying to deflect a Chakra Scalpel often ended badly. He feigned a slash to the heart before spinning and merely grazing both of her ankles, immediately causing a wave of pain to surge her. My Achilles Tendons!
A loud popping noise echoed through the mirrors as Haku fell to the ground, yelling in pain. Naruto smirked. The plan had gone perfectly and swiftly. (AN: Please keep in mind that even though there are flashbacks, a mere two minutes have passed in this fight.)
"You can still get up. I've only torn your right tendon out."- he told her, and with effect, she was up, putting all of her weight into her left leg.
"I guess your dream is the most powerful, Naruto-kun. I am exhausted and severely hurt. I am out of chakra, I can't run or even move properly like this and you're still up for a fight. But even though you should be proud of such a feat, know you have one last thing to do. You've deprived me of fulfilling my dream, to help Zabuza-san achieve his. My life has no meaning. So, please..."- she told him, no expression on her beautiful face as the mask dropped.- "...kill me."
"..."- Naruto stood silent for a couple of moments. He didn't want to kill anyone, but what was he if not a killer? He was a spy and an assassin for his village, and if this girl stood between him and the success of a mission, he had to take her down. Besides, she asked him to. He slowly walked towards her.- "Fine. I'm sorry it had to end like this."
He placed both of his thumbs on her chest, as if holding a defibrillator, and she gave him a sad smile, as if aware of what was coming.
"Thank you..."
"LIGHTNING RELEASE: COUNTERSHOCK!"- a gunshot was heard as the electricity gave her whole organism a short circuit and sent her flying, crashing into one of her mirrors and tumbling through the ground, causing major internal damage before finally stopping a few meters away from her master with a small smile on her face. However, she was already dead.
Zabuza could barely contain his shock as he saw the one person that had served him for so many years dead at his feet, and that only made his death easier. He was in a rather sticky situation as eight dogs of different sizes and colours held him in one place, biting into various parts of his body.
Kakashi stood rather close to him with his right hand covered in lightning, oblivious to what had just happened, which was fine since he was about to kill someone.
"I'm sorry, Zabuza, but this ends here with the one technique I created. Lightning Release: Lightning Blade!"- the Jonin ran towards the missing-nin, the technique he had performed raging in his hand, sending several sparks everywhere, and the sound itself seemed like a hundred thunders making themselves heard as he struck Zabuza with it, going through the man's heart as if there wasn't any muscle or bone there to protect it.
Zabuza gurgled a bit in his own blood as all eight dogs dispelled before falling to the ground in a pool of his red, life-sustaining liquid, dead.
"Good job, Kakashi-san. Our mission is over..."- Naruto commented, stepping through the cold puddle that used to be the ice that the mirrors were made of, receiving a nod from his sensei.
However, the two A-rank nins didn't have time to catch their breaths from the fights they had just been in when they heard someone clapping.
They turned around to see a small man with a stupid moustache, hairstyle, glasses and cane in a business suit approach, backed up by several dozens of armed thugs.
"Thank you very much, gentlemen. You've spared me the bother of having to deal with those two, but I'm afraid your mission is not over yet. This bridge will never be finished, not as long as I live."- the man that they had concluded to be Gato, the international businessman told them in his high-pitched voice. He gestured to his hired thugs with a small smile on his face.- "Kill them, but spare that little pink-haired girl. I'm going to have some fun with her tonight."
Sakura, who until then had been completely shocked and afraid, "guarding" Tazuna, passed out when she heard the men's warcries, making the old bridge builder grow a tick mark on his head. How the fuck did this one become a kunoichi?
Back to our hero, Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other with no expression on their faces, as if they just didn't care anymore before running right into the crowd.
(And there you have it, mates! Chapter 4. I'm sorry this one took a bit longer, but I decided to take a reviewer's advice and invest a bit more time on this chapter. I hope it was worth it, and definitely give me your opinion in a review please. Anyway, I love you all, as always, Favorite/Follow and have fun!
