This is not my longest chapter, but i hope it's good enough. I had a bit of writers block with this, but i got it done.

Enjoy.


Chapter Seven

Naruto sheaths Tenken after wiping the thugs' blood off of it, and turns to Inari, taking the knife from his hands.

"You should only wield a weapon if you are prepared to use it."He tells him and in one smooth motion, throws the knife overhand at the other thug, impaling his head.

Tsunami gets away from the body, which, along with the other one, is picked up by Naruto and taken outside, where they are thrown unceremoniously into the waiting water. Naruto returns inside.

"Where did the rest of my team go?"He asks the still shocked family.

"Th-they went t-to the b-bridge, with my f-father."Tsunami stutters out.

"I suggest one of you goes to get the town together, some of them are willing to fight now."Naruto tells them before dashing out, heading for the bridge.


It wasn't going very well for the team on the bridge. Tenzou and Zabuza were locked in a duel, hidden in the mist, while Sasuke was fighting Haku, and losing badly.

"You should not be surprised; this is the fate of a ninja, to die in combat."Haku says from behind her mask, throwing another hail of Senbon at the Uchiha from inside her mirrors. Sasuke takes several hits, now looking more like a pin cushion than a ninja.

"Hadō #31,Shakkahō!"

An orb of red fire crashes into one of Haku's mirrors, obliterating it. Naruto jumps through that opening, sword drawn, ready to fight.

"What is your answer Haku?"He asks, wanting to know before he attacks.

"I accept, but Zabuza does not."Haku replies, coming out of her mirror.

"What are doing dobe?"Sasuke demands, breathing heavily.

"I'm getting allies Sasuke."Naruto responds. Haku lets her mirrors sublimate, turning into mist.

Sasuke attempts to attack Haku again, but Naruto stops him.

"She's on our side now Sasuke, just don't."He says, getting a growl from Sasuke. Then he falls to one knee, his injuries catching up to him.

"Now to clear this mist. Hadō #58, Tenran!"He exclaims, holding his arms out in front of him, a giant vortex of wind extending from his palms, clearing away the mist, showing Zabuza restrained by Tenzou's wood style techniques, Tenzou himself panting while he recovers a bit.

Unfortunately Zabuza sees Naruto, and with a gleam in his eyes, unleashes his demonic chakra, which forms a demonic face above his head, and breaks through the wood style with a supreme effort. He picks up Kubikiribōchō, and charges at Naruto, who draws Tenken, before Tenzou has any chance to stop him.

Their swords meet in a clash of sparks, and the separate. Naruto jumps up and over his companions to a clear space on the bridge, where they can duel openly. Zabuza follows with another slash, though this one in low, allowing Naruto to jump up over the blade, using his senses to keep himself alive instead of his spiritual energy.

Naruto attempts an overhead slash from the air, but Zabuza surprises him by detaching the handle of his sword and blocking his stroke with it, and then reattaching it quicker than Naruto could sees.

Naruto pushes away with some spiritual energy, avoiding Zabuza's next attack, which surely would have killed him had he not had spiritual energy.

"What, no weird technique with your blade this time? Where the challenge I was expecting?"Zabuza roars, his mind slightly clouded by battle lust. He rockets forward, bringing the full force of his sword down on Naruto, who, taking the initiative, summons his bow to act as an impromptu shield, and winces, knowing he'd hear about that later.

It does save him though, as Zabuza's blade is deflected, cutting deep into the stone of the bridge. Naruto lets his bow dissipate and jumps away again.

"You want my swords techniques; well you've got your wish! Roar, Tenken!"Naruto exclaims, the phantom flames appearing behind him, and out of them the phantom arm holding its sword appears, copying Naruto's movements. Naruto slashes at Zabuza's side, which he blocks with his giant zanbatou, though the force sends him flying a fair distance away.

"Now that's more like it!"Zabuza roars, releasing more of his demonic chakra.

He leaps forward; bringing his sword down in a cleaving motion, which is blocked by Naruto, now far outclassing him in power.

Naruto bats him away with the flat of his blade, and he land on the other side of the bridge.

"Is that all you've got Zabuza? I was expecting more from the supposed Demon of the Bloody Mist."Naruto taunts, leveling his blade with Zabuza. Zabuza roars bloody murder at Naruto, charging again, but before Naruto can swat him away again, an arrow implants itself in his side, and he drops his sword, falling to one knee.

Everyone looks in the direction the arrow had come from, and are partially surprised to see Gato with an archer next to him, another arrow ready to shoot.

"Well, it looks like I've come a bit early, I was hoping you would have killed Zabuza and his little girl I got here, but I guess I can work with this. Men, anyone who can bring me one of their heads gets double what I promised."He calls behind him.

A horde of people carry all kinds of weapons, from spears to halberds and from katana to Western style two handed broadswords. Naruto had been so focused on his battle he hadn't sensed their approach.

Zabuza glares at the short man, whose smirk just made him angrier.

"Sorry kid, but our battle will have to wait. I need to teach Gato here a lesson in pain."Zabuza says to Naruto, rising and grabbing Kubikiribōchō.

"You wouldn't mind if I helped you, would you?"Naruto asks, letting Tenken's Shikai form fade away.

"The more the merrier."Zabuza chuckles evilly before the two charge at the horde of thugs, numbering somewhere in the hundreds.

They all fall before the dual onslaught of the shinobi wielding their special blades. Gato turns to flee like the swine he is, but is stopped by an arrow embedding itself in his foot. He screams and falls to the ground, clutching his foot in pain.

Everyone on the bridge that was still alive turns to where the arrow came from, and they see Inari standing there holding a crossbow, another bolt loaded onto it. From behind him what seems like the whole village appears, all wielding some kind of makeshift weapon.

All the remaining thugs take the opportunity to turn around and flee for their lives, though Naruto sends a hail of arrows flying after them, killing at least a dozen of the remaining score of men.

The villagers surge forward to surround Gato, each getting their turn to cause him pain, though none of them kill him.

Every villager turns to Inari, giving him the final say in what would happen to Gato. Inari raises his crossbow, Gato firmly in his sights, but he hesitates.

He feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to see Naruto standing there, a sign of support.

Inari sights again, but now he doesn't hesitate, he fires, straight through Gato's head.

The villagers cheer, though that ends abruptly as Zabuza walks over to him.

"You're good kid, I'll give you that. Maybe you are a shinobi after all. Take care of Haku in the Leaf or I'll have to come over there and castrate you."Zabuza says, and then falls over while laughing.

Haku appears at his side, dressing his wound.

"So what will you do now Zabuza?"Naruto asks, ignoring everyone that was looking at them.

"Don't know yet, I can't stage another coup without money and as of now I have none."Zabuza replies.

"You do know that the bloodline wars are over in the Mist, right?"Naruto asks

"What?!"Zabuza exclaims.

"They ended at least a year ago; we had a whole week long lesson about it afterward. The fifth Mizukage is reestablishing the Village as we speak."Naruto tells the shocked man, and his former follower.

"You mean, we could have gone back?"Zabuza asks

"Yep, though before you go back to the Mist there are some things I'd like to talk to you about."Naruto tells him.

"What?"Zabuza growls out, his demeanor changing back to its usual gruffness.

"I was wondering if you would consider staying here. I need to find someone to teach these people to wield a sword, and who better to teach them than a member of the Seven Swordsman."Naruto asks him, using his most salesmen like tone.

"What do I get out of it?"

"Well for one you get a place to stay, and a purpose aside from just surviving. You can make an impact here for the better, teach them to fight, to protect themselves so another person like Gato can't just swoop in and take over so easily again."Naruto elaborates, trying to sell the idea of staying to the former Anbu.

"So you want me to stay here, instead of going back to Wave, and teach these civilians how to use a sword?"Zabuza asks, getting a nod in response.

"I'll do you one better, I'll teach them use chakra with their blades."Zabuza tells him sitting up with a grunt.

They then start talking about the finer details of what they would do, bringing some of the older villagers into this. Not everyone would be able to learn how to wield chakra, as they were too old and their chakra coils set for life. Those that could learn would learn some basic Jutsu, but most of what Zabuza would do is teaching them swordsmanship.

A week and a half later…

"Make sure you take care of Haku kid, or I won't go easy on you next time we fight."Zabuza growls, his hand clapping down on Naruto's head.

"Yeah yeah I know, though I'm pretty sure I was the one holding back in our fight."Naruto replies moving out of Zabuza's reach.

He had already said his goodbye's to Haku, who was waiting with the others at the other end of the bridge.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she writes to you, and I'll be writing as well to see how the training is going."He tells the swordsman, and then runs over to his teammates, turning one last time to wave before they set off.

Two days later at the Hokage's office…

"So you mean to tell me that your C-ranked mission turned into a B-ranked mission and you didn't turn back, and then into an A-ranked mission and you still didn't turn back. You fought Zabuza Momochi not once but twice, and each time he was defeated by a new genin, and that you convinced him to stay in Wave to teach the people to fight, and then came back here with Zabuza's subordinate who wants to join our village. Did I get all of that?"Hiruzen Sarutobi asks

"Yeah pretty much."Tenzou replies, his face completely straight.

"Okay then, I'll just leave it at that."Hiruzen says, thinking the same thought he generally does.

'I'm getting too old for this.'

"Naruto, you and Haku remain here; the rest of you may collect your mission pay at the front desk."He tells them with a gesture of dismissal.

Once they leave Hiruzen forms a hand sign and several seals around the room light up.

"There now we can speak in peace. Now Haku, am I correct in guessing that you wish to stay with Naruto in his family compound?"

"Yes if I may."Haku responds quietly, not used to talking with anyone but Zabuza and the occasional employer.

"Well I have no problems with that, but I fear that once the council finds out about your Kekkei Genkai, they'll want you put under the CRA. You do have the ability to refuse entry to the CRA, but the council will pester you to join it until you do. The only successful way to avoid the CRA is to already be under a marriage contract that the other party will not break. As you are now essentially your own clan, you have the power to create your own marriage contracts. I suggest you try to find someone special soon."Hiruzen replies

Haku nods and then sinks into her chair, pondering her options.

"Naruto, on the topic of the CRA, the council has discovered about your two bloodlines. I did everything in my power to keep them away from finding out, but they, specifically that accursed Haruno, discovered the secret and demand that you enter the CRA."

"Doesn't that mean that I'd have to take at least four wives by the time I turn sixteen?"Naruto asks

"Yes, or else the council will choose wives for you."Hiruzen responds, his voice sounding tired, something Naruto notices, but doesn't comment on.

"I'll think about it."Naruto tells him, paling at the thought of having four wives. He could barely survive having two female friends.

"I'm sorry to say that you won't have much time to think about it. The council will find out that you are back soon, and will call a meeting, probably with those they want you to marry."

"Well then, I haven't had any near death experiences for a few days, this should be fun."Naruto says leaning back, though his face remains pale.

"I should warn you, the wall behind Noriko Haruno's seat is a bit flimsy, we had to have it redone after she got out of the hospital."

As if waiting for that to be said there comes a knock on the door.

"Enter."Hiruzen calls

An Anbu enters and kneels.

"Lord Third, the council requests yours and Naruto Uzumaki's presence in the council chambers."They say, and then disappear.

It was time for shit to hit the fan.


Hope it was good enough, I'm not the best a writing fight scenes

I will be updating my other stories, as I'm doing so in a cycle. It goes Blind Justice-Naruto's Journey-Naruto, Cero, Espada of Pain-repeat until finished or another story enters the cycle.

-Divine Justice