Protector's pride

SUMMARY: Naruto Uzumaki fought to save his precious people from harm. But he took things seriously very late. This is what happens when the death of one of his precious persons instigate the change in him earlier. This will be an au but will follow cannon pretty closely pairings undecided as of yet.

I don't own the series. This story may have some similarities with other stories with same theme but occurrence of that is purely coincidental

Releasing the demon

The next few days were some of the best days in Naruto's life. He had improved in his training while the new attack he devised couldn't be used until he mastered elemental manipulation, he had learned a new c rank wind technique a really powerful and offensive one. But most of all his meeting with Haku made it more enjoyable to him.

Naruto was well aware of the crush he harbored for the black haired beauty but never managed to tell her about it. Instead he simply basked in the friendship found his happiness again and again. Sitting against the roof of Tazuna's house Naruto let out a sigh 'our training in stealth is almost done maybe in one or two days I have to leave wave. I wish I could meet Haku chan even after this'. Absentmindedly gazing at the stars overhead Naruto tried to imagine what life would feel like once there will be no Gatou in wave.


Kakashi stood with Kurenai going over all the details they have found. The base of Gatou was well fortified but nothing that would bother the jounins. Still Kakashi could not shake off his sense of dread thinking fast for an effective way to solution 'I have to cover every single base if I intend to strike a decisive one. That means both me and Sasuke will have to guard the bridge builder, more shinobi may come for Tazuna's family but who can I spare, Kurenai and Hyuuga and Haruno along with Ino will be best for infiltrating and destroying the bases. So I have only Kiba and Naruto with me. And one of them must go with Kurenai in case there is melee combat taking the brunt of the thugs.'

Cursing mentally for not having an accurate plan Kakashi decided to leave Naruto in the house hoping that he might be able to provide assistance to both sides and deal with any threat coming at him. The next morning was followed with a hint of urgency the war path had begun. Kakashi and Sasuke both of them gifted with sharingan, Kurenai was with the girls and Kiba while Naruto stayed back to protect the family.

He stood at the door and saw rest of the konoha shinobi leave with their senseis his jaw hardened. Naruto knew exactly what was at stake if he failed. His hand reached ahead to touch the communication devise attached with his ear. 'I will not let you down sensei.' He swore in his mind. Pushing chakra in his legs Naruto jumped up on the top of a tree. Keeping his eyes peeled and senses widened enough Naruto quickly summoned ten clones. All of them as if following some unspoken command transformed into various inanimate objects scattered around the area, while Naruto himself stood atop the tree. He had laid his trap now it was only the waiting game to be played.

With Ino

Ino was nervous but thankfully she was not the only one. All of the genins were nervous and rather jumpy. Taking a deep breath ino tried to relax panicking would do no good here. 'Plus it is the first of these kinds of missions I am taking. It's only natural to feel scared' she tried to reason. Besides her the hyuuga princess had her fist clenched and her byaakugan blazing scouting ahead, Kurenai sensei and Sakura took the rear while Kiba was in front.

"Sensei there is a lone thug ahead" Hinata suddenly called with a faint whisper, Kurenai nodded and signaled for Ino to move in. this was just as they planned Ino thought as her hands moved in to her familiar seal, "mind body switching jutsu." A moment later the thug entered the seedy looking pub he was aiming for.

Really trying hard not to show the feeling of discomfort ino went on to seat in a table at the corner. 'Now it's all the waiting game.' Moments passed as ino would have started fidgeting but thankfully just then a big burly man decided to break the silence , "Everyone be prepared orders from Gatou has come. We are to meet him near the harbor."

"They are all going to attack today." Ino spoke her face devoid of color. However she relaxed once she saw the grim satisfaction on Kurenai sensei's face. "It just makes it easier for us. Where are they going to meet?" she asked her body language calm and calculated yet resembling a predator. "The man in the pub said they will regroup at the harbor." Ino supplied from her memory.

Like arrows released from bow they set off once more, while they could just take them all out now it was also a race against the time. Ino tried to crush her nervousness as she pumped chakra to her legs, drawing herself in level with the person she considered her best friend and a fierce rival, "hey bill board brow, feeling scared?" "You wish ino pig." Their words held no venom simply a way to ease the nervousness they both felt.

Ino had to halt suddenly as Kurenai raised her hand signaling them to stop. "Once the thugs gather here, I will use genjutsu on them to disorient them; I want you to take them down. Kill if you want if not aim to disable permanently." Kurenai whispered her order while the genins nodded. Gulping down the fear that threatened to overwhelm her Ino also nodded. Her hand tightly gripping the kunai Ino tried to take calming breaths.

With Kakashi

As Kakashi and Sasuke neared the bridge with Tazuna trailing behind, a strong stench of dried blood hit Kakashi's nose. 'So it really ends today.' The muscles of his body tightened it was a fight he will have to take seriously. His senses alerted him of the chakra mixed with the mist, 'another from the bloody mist'. A shadow clone appeared right beside him without any hand seal. Leaving the old man behind Kakashi and Sasuke sped ahead. Nearly the center of the bridge two figures stood side by side. "Zabuza… how the hell?" Kakashi couldn't really believe his eyes but there was no mistaking the demon of the bloody mist.

"Surprised to see me," Zabuza's taunting voice came "you see just like you have your pesky students, I also have my tool." The meaning became clear to Kakashi at once it was the hunter ninja from mist or rather the fake hunter ninja. His right hand reached ahead and pushed the head band up revealing a red eye with three black tomoe.

"So revealing sharingan right off the bat, I guess I should be honored" Zabuza mocked lifting the large cleaver off his back almost effortlessly creating half a dozen water clones. "Look there the boy is trembling in fear." He mocked again. But a fierce snarl crossed Sasuke's face this time as he blurred from the space he was in his kunai held in reverse grip. A moment later the six water clones exploded back in water as Sasuke returned to stand by his sensei sharingan blazing in his eyes.

"Two sets of that damned eye…ku...Ku...Ku… this fight will be interesting. Especially when my tool shall crush your petty brat" Zabuza chuckled before the mist once again covered the area and the masked hunter Nin dashed to meet Sasuke in the mid way. Kakashi wanted to help his student but knew Zabuza had to be dealt first. From the corner of his eye he saw a movement quickly raising his own kunai Kakashi blocked the huge sword.

The impact was enough to push him a foot back, gritting his teeth behind the mask Kakashi channeled lightning chakra in his hand cutting deep in the behemoth of a blade. Zabuza jumped back to prevent further damage to his sword his hands already moving through the seals in a rapid place. But Kakashi was called copy ninja for a reason as he quickly caught up to the point and together the two voices called out "water release: giant water crash". Two huge tidal waves rose before colliding with each other momentary blinding every one save the two doujutsu user. Kakashi rushed in his kunai once again glowing with lightning chakra. But Zabuza dodged at the last moment his left foot rising up to kick Kakashi.

Silently absorbing the powerful kick Kakashi retreated once more. The mist thickened even more cautious about making any noise Kakashi tried to widen his senses, even though his kunai failed to cut the place it intended there was still a shallow gash in his biceps and blood flowed from there. Closing his eyes once more Kakashi tried to filter the different senses of blood around, 'bingo' his left hand armed with the kunai went ahead to block the haze of sword attacks Zabuza launched. The moment he felt the blood moving further, his right hand drove in his back pack to pull out a scroll. He flicked the scroll open at his feet before swiping the blood from his kunai.

Zabuza felt an unknown horror in his heart as Kakashi countered his every move almost effortlessly, 'so this is the power of the sharingan. It is really frightening.' He failed to notice the small cut in his right bicep still dropping blood. He wasn't sure if he would survive this day but one thing he knew that his dream to free the mist was a dream worth dying for. He tensed for a moment as he felt a large amount of chakra being utilized near him before he dashed to the spot his trusty blade already in mid swing but this time fate was against him. The ground beneath his feet and a pack of ninja dogs leapt up.

Kakashi was confident of his victory no one could out run his ninja dogs especially when they were blinded by the mist. The said mist was clearing by then as the residual chakra ran out. But his good mood didn't last for long as he felt a new trouble. The air seemed to saturate with the terrible blood lust from the nine tailed fox. Quickly turning back Kakashi's eyes widened as ice covered the entire area a huge ice dragon swirled the sky and the limp body of the last Uchiha lay on the ground. Standing by that body covered in what seemed to be armor made of orange fire was Naruto.

Zabuza cursed aloud as he felt the vile chakra, "shit, Haku run from here." He shouted aloud using a last attempt to save his apprentice but his voice was drowned in a loud chirping noise of birds started. Zabuza's eyes widened in fear as he beheld the technique Kakashi was now using. Lightning seemed to condense in his palm creating a blade of pure thunder, a few tendrils shot out in an arc cutting through the hard rocks and steel like they didn't even exist.

Kakashi knew he had to end Zabuza now and then stop Naruto from getting berserk. His clone had already moved in to stop him but so far Naruto's only concentration seemed to be directed at the masked enemy. He gathered his chakra for the killing strike lightning chakra flowed to the palm of his hand creating a sphere of pure electricity covering his hand increasing the piercing power to cut through lightning. "Behold my greatest attack Zabuza and die knowing that you died by my own jutsu." He must force Naruto back in control and with his sharingan the task just might be done.

Fifteen minutes earlier with Naruto

Naruto was getting bored, a lot of time had passed but no one showed up. But suddenly he heard some rowdy voice gaining closer. Peeping out of his hiding place Naruto spotted two samurai in dark red armor heading towards the house. He sent a silent signal to his clones and waited as soon as the duo crossed the boundary and stepped into the courtyard the trap sprung. Grinning as the samurai duo failed to notice his clones sneaking up, Naruto dropped in front of them. "What do you want?" he tried to sound intimidating and to some extent succeeded. The samurai were startled to see a shinobi they didn't expect any opponent as such but thankfully the shinobi was only a midget. "Listen kid, get the hell away from here or we will chop you to pieces." The taller and leaner thug growled his left hand grasping the hilt of his katana tightly.

Naruto only smirked and jumped at the samurai his kunai already in hand. Even before the speaker realized he was taken out as a kunai embedded in his chest from the behind. The person collapsed without any more sound but things got complicated as the other samurai quickly turned around and with a swipe of his blade cut both the kunai and the clone. Naruto was already lunging at him when the samurai turned back and with a swipe of his katana forced Naruto to dodge.

Growling slightly Naruto quickly summoned six more clones and clashed with the opponent again. This time the samurai was pushed to the back feet as seven opponents attacked him in tandem always going for the blind spot. He was sporting shallow wounds all around his body one of his eyes were blocked by a nasty wound. 'I can't win it' he realized as he stumbled back in his weariness. Doing the only thing that was wise in that situation he dropped his katana before yelling, "I surrender"

Naruto stopped a tiny smirk forming in his features. Quickly binding the guy tightly to a tree, he went inside the house. But suddenly a voice spoke through his earphone "oi! Naruto, Gatou has already sent shinobi at the bridge Kakashi sensei might need some backup." Naruto froze for a moment before quickly creating a clone and ordering it to evacuate Inari and Tsunami, he took to the trees. Pumping chakra through his legs as he rapidly crossed the distance.

He could see the huge bridge at some distance and surprisingly some strange kind of dome what reflected light on to it. Grinding his teeth in frustration Naruto channeled chakra in his feet and jumped straight onto the bridge. His jaw dropped as he saw the sight before him thirteen mirrors made of ice created a dome and inside the dome was Sasuke badly out of breath. Surprisingly Kakashi stood a few feet behind him a scared Tazuna beside him.

"Sensei, why aren't you helping him" Naruto hissed at his masked teacher tone dripping with venom. "Because I am only a clone and my original is fighting Zabuza, I cannot leave Tazuna unguarded." Kakashi replied his tone repentant. Naruto felt bad about accusing his sensei now, Zabuza was a very powerful shinobi it still chilled him in his spine as the fight flashed before his eyes.

"I am going in the bastard seems to be out of breath." Naruto announced before Kakashi's gripped his arm. "These ice mirrors are chakra hardened use the maximum fire power available." Nodding in response Naruto quickly pulled out his bunch of exploding tags and wrapped them around kunais.

"This should be enough" Naruto cried before quickly throwing the kunais one after another at the mirror. But what none of them expected was the masked stranger appearing at the back of the mirror and in quick succession avert the kunais one by one. Tazuna had to gulp once he saw the damage the fight was doing to his bridge. However, thankfully for the old bridge builder Naruto stopped using the exploding tags after that futile attempt.

Instead He quickly made a cross shaped hand seal and a cloud of smoke engulfed him. This time there were shurikens flying at the ice mirrors from four different angles, however the masked opponent was way too fast for Naruto's calculation as all of the shurikens were once again deflected all except one. One of the shurikens was slightly off target as such it just got stuck to the ground inside the dome.

At once a great deal of ice daggers flew towards the four Narutos striking them and dispelling them all. For a moment the opponent felt shocked when the shuriken inside the wall transformed in to the blonde shinobi. Before he once again launched a huge number of ice senbon to the two konoha shinobi.

Naruto quickly gathered chakra in hands before thrusting them out, "Sasuke now, Wind style: gale palm." The last Uchiha quickly threw a number of shurikens. The metal projectiles speed was nearly quadrupled by the wind propelling thus vastly increasing the momentum. The ice senbons were no match for the shurikens now all of them hitting and cutting deep in the mirrors.

"That was a nice move from two amateurs" the masked adversary commented idly as he nimbly danced among the rain of metal. "But can you stop something like this. Ice style: ten thousand frozen needles" an image of the boy appeared in every mirror effectively covering them from everywhere. "Sasuke stay close to me and duck. Mass shadow clone jutsu." Naruto yelled releasing a smoke cloud. Thousands of solid clones of the blonde shinobi appeared creating a dome protecting the two within from the deadly rain of ice senbons.

As the smoke cleared a huge demonic claw of fire went flying from within the smoke colliding with two mirrors. There was large explosion and a sound of breaking. The dust cloud settled to reveal Naruto and Sasuke panting while their opponent stood straight his clothes charred from the intense heat but otherwise seemingly fine.

"That was a good combo dobe." Sasuke was the first one to break the stretching silence. The blonde in question simply grinned. But this slight lack of attention created from their inexperience proved to be fatal as that instant a large dragon made of water charged at the panting blonde. Naruto's eyes widened he knew he should dodge but fear numbed his body and he could do no more but stand as two large jaws came closer to tear him apart. He closed his eyes 'I am sorry Iruka nii san but I have let you down.' But once more his fate proved different as a hard push shoved him out of the line of danger. Naruto could only watch in horror as the large dragon knocked back the last Uchiha. "SASUKE" the scream came almost involuntarily and with it came a fierce hatred and a burning anger. Rage strong enough to burn the entire world to ashes yet continue.

'Rip…kill…burn…avenge' an ancient voice filled with power and rage sounded deep within the chest of Naruto Uzumaki. At the same instant orange chakra exploded out of his body. It was covering him, twisting around him forming a burning cloak. Tazuna was flattened with the ground simply from the pressure beside him the clone blasted into smoke.

Author's Note: it seemed like a good place to end and I am sorry for the late update but my semester exam is hanging over my neck like a sword of democheles. So pardon me anyway read and review specially about the fight scenes I tried to make them as balanced as possible relating to the current power levels. I mean Kakashi took down edo Zabuza like nothing he fought on par with v2 how the hell he was getting his ass kicked by the real one. WHAT IS THE SECOND ELEMENT NARUTO SHOULD HAVE

1 FIRE

2 WATER

3 EARTH

4. lightning