Chapter 7: Those Who Go to Heaven
"...huh?"- the jinchuuriki muttered, regaining consciousness. He could hear two different voices speaking, and so decided to eavesdrop. One definitely belonged to Kakashi, and the other belonged to...Zabuza? Were they still on the bridge?
"Kakashi, I'm telling you, keep an eye on that kid. He looked like a reincarnated Kushimaru Kuriarara on that bridge. Shit, he gave me the chills."- the assassin spoke. Fear could be felt in those last words.
Naruto slightly opened his eyes to see he was in the same room in Tazuna's house that Kakashi had been resting in. He tilted his head to the side. Haku was there, asleep. The girl was obviously naked, despite being covered with white sheets. Her face looked bruised, and despite the blood spot on the sheets that covered her torso, she looked fine. He took that moment to see just how pretty she was. She wasn't as pretty and cute as Hinata, but she was still beautiful. Her long dark hair wasn't constrained in a bun now, and since she had no mask, he could look at her crimson lips and baby-like smooth skin.
Naruto smiled before turning his head again and seeing the most awkward and terrifying thing he had ever seen in his entire life. Momochi Zabuza and Hatake Kakashi calmly playing chess. There were so many things wrong with the picture that Naruto didn't know where to begin. The two didn't seem to notice that he was awake, and so, he decided to just play along.
"Since you're coming with us, you can do that yourself. But I know what you mean, the blow he delivered to Haku and the way he attacked that huge mob? Scary, to say the least."- the jounin replied, moving his horse and taking one of Zabuza's pawns. The rogue merely shrugged and took the horse with a bishop.- "Speaking of Haku, how is she?"
"She's tough. I admit that she was in a really bad state, but she'll be ok by the end of the week. She probably used Hyoton to stop most of the blood from falling out. How are your kids doing?"- Zabuza pointed at Naruto while watching his bishop get killed by a tower. He quickly moved his queen, placing a threat on the King.- "Check."
"Naruto comes from the Uzumaki clan and thus has a very strong life force. That dark chakra almost consumed him, but he hung on to life and should wake up soon. Sakura is ok and I sent her to guard the bridge again."- Kakashi replied, performing the Roque technique and saving his king from sure death. Zabuza smiled, as if knowing Naruto would be ok conforted him.
"That girl is a devil with the flute. I feel sorry for any poor sap that tries his luck at the bridge today."- the rogue smiled, remembering how Sakura had put him under a torturing genjutsu when he tried to kill Tazuna.- "How about the Uchiha guy?"
"Luckily, the icycle didn't hit any vitals. The ice also helped him from not bleeding out. The only thing that's hurt is his pride."- Kakashi reached the edge of the table with a pawn and took his queen back, ready to unleash hell on Zabuza's pieces.
"To someone like him, that's probably the worse that could happen."- Zabuza quickly used his horse to take the reborn queen out.
"Yep, that's Sasuke for you. By the way, just out of curiosity, why do you want to ask for refuge at Konoha?"- Kakashi asked, disappointed with his plan's failure. Zabuza could be a crazed killer, but he was a hell of a chess player.
"I don't like being some mercenary, Kakashi. All I want is for my village, Kirigakure, to become a respected and peaceful village again. Yagura, the current Mizukage, is a fucking retard that starts rivalries with any village he finds on the map. Besides, I want Haku to live a normal life. The poor girl has gone through enough and has had more blood on her hands than most jounin do, yet she is still thirteen. I regret making her do it, and want to compensate."- Zabuza explained while cornering the King with a tower and a queen of his own. Kakashi couldn't believe it. Zabuza was a decent man after all. Thank Kami I didn't use Raikiri and killed him.
It was then and there that Naruto decided to stop the show.
"Uh...what happened?"- the jinchuuriki asked as if he was waking up. Zabuza turned his head to face Naruto and rose an eyebrow.
"You don't remember? Really?"-he asked. Naruto focused really hard but didn't get much out of it.
"All I remember is being inches away from stabbing Haku. I lost consciousness by then."- he explained, crawling out of the bed. He was wearing his black clothes, and by the corner layed Nuibari, the Fuma Shuriken and his black jacket. Zabuza was preparing another game with Kakashi as he replied.
"Well, nothing that interesting. You just pierced through Haku with Nuibari as if she was nothing. Then, my employer and the one who corrupts this land, Gato, and about nine hundred thugs appeared, all armed. Your dark chakra enveloped you even more and you made special kunai scatter all around them, appearing from one place to another, throwing Nuibari and piercing through dozens at a time before grabbing Nuibari and pulling the wire, stitching all of those corpses together in a bundle."- Zabuza started the play by taking one of his horses out. Apparently, he wasn't fond of sacrificial moves with pawns. Kakashi quickly forward one pawn, making way for his left tower before smirking.
"That's nothing compared to what you did with Gato, though. You managed to crucify him with Nuibari on a lamp post. You didn't cut the wire, and simply forced your Raiton through it, electrocuting the business man to death before creating a little ball of concentrated dark chakra and exploding him to pieces."- his sensei explained as if it was the most common thing in the world. Naruto looked down at his hands, the hands that had caused such damage. What the? So that's the power of Nuibari and Kyuubi fused together. Wait, concentrated chakra... I could make a jutsu out of that! Probably not so powerful right now, but hell, even a normal chakra variation would be devastating! If I could figure out a way to mix my Raiton in as well, it could very well be my Ultimate Jutsu! But this kind of thing is not easy to make, the sooner I start, the sooner I'll get it.
"Ok, I've got to go now!"- he quickly grabbed his jacket and weapons and almost flew out the door. Kakashi stopped him with a look.
"Oi, Oi, where are you going?"- the jounin asked, wondering what his happy-go-lucky student had in mind now.
"I've got an idea for a new jutsu! Got to try it out quickly."- and he was gone, leaving the two A-rank ninja wondering if he had teleported or just ran like a maniac.
The chess game went on for about ten minutes, not really deciding anything until one of the jounin realized what Naruto was talking about. I talk to him about a concentrated mass of chakra and suddenly he's talking about a new jutsu? What could he possibly be talking about- And then it hit him.
"FUCK!"- Kakashi jumped from the chair and ran as fast as he could to the bridge. Zabuza just sat there, dumbfounded.
"I can see this is going to be interesting."- he muttered to himself before chuckling.- "What was he so worried about anyway? He was talking about a concentrated mass of chakra and using it against the enemy-"- he shutted up then and there. If the kid would try to replicate the jutsu, something could go wrong and he could end up blowing the entire village to Kingdom come!- "FUCK!"
It wasn't even a minute later when Zabuza reached the bridge to see a terrified Kakashi trying to carefully approach Naruto, who was holding a blue sphere of chakra in his right hand.
"Naruto, cut the chakra flow to that quickly. You're putting everyone on this bridge in danger!"- Kakashi demanded, trying not to look too scared. Naruto nodded, but his face looked desperate for help.
"I know that I have to do that! Easier said than done! I have to cut the chakra flow and contain it at the same time otherwise it will blow!"- he replied. The ball of chakra was spinning furiously, ready to destroy anything that its creator wanted it to. Naruto tried to cut the chakra flow, but it didn't work and the sphere started to expand. Kakashi quickly kicked Naruto's hand, causing the jutsu to get out of control and explode, sending them flying away. Kakashi merely rolled back and most of the others weren't affected except for the sudden rush of wind. Naruto wasn't so lucky, however, as he went flying against a tree.- "Gah..."
"Naruto! Are you ok?"- Sakura quickly hurried over to him. Apparently, she didn't care about looking dumb. She was actually worried about him.
"Y-Yeah... That kind of hurt though. I see why no one has tried this already."- he replied, standing up, holding his right leg that had twisted in a weird way when he fell. Sasuke simply sighed and walked up to him, took his right arm, put it around his neck and helped him walk.
"Seriously, you are such a pain."- the Uchiha said as he carried his comrade around. Kakashi followed them.
"Naruto, you idiot. You could have just asked about it first. Your father had already developed a jutsu like that. One you can actually control. Once we get back to the village, I'll teach it to you."- the jounin quickly told him. Zabuza smirked. Kakashi had managed to explain something to Naruto, make him excited about it and prevent him from trying anything stupid again at the same time. No wonder he is in the bingo book.
Their leave was not silent. Every single villager insisted in throwing a party for them and thanking them personally. Naruto could not count how many times he was promised eternal friendship and gratitude. When the bridge was completely done, they even called it "The Great Naruto Bridge".
Of course, Zabuza and Haku didn't get any of those privileges. They were the ones that spread the terror after all. But no one resented them for it. By now, it had been made public how Gato betrayed them and how it hadn't been anything personal. Apparently, if it hadn't been for Zabuza, Naruto would have gone wild and probably would hurt innocent people. He knew just how to control the Seven Legendary Blades' side effect, and quickly drained Naruto of the dark chakra.
As they left the village, Naruto felt strange. It was as if even though he was really tired and even hurt, he felt a whole lot stronger. Not just because of his new chakra, his new sword or his new skills. Also because of the people he met. It made him understand that the shinobi life was not all fun and games, and that in order to become the strongest of all time, a lot of sacrifices had to be made, a lot of horrible decisions had to be taken and a lot of injustices had to be faced.
I, Uzumaki Naruto, promise today that I will become a strong ninja and that even in the darkest of times I will not lose myself or my ninja way!
(I know this one was pretty small guys, but I was exhausted when I wrote it. Next one will be longer.)
