SailorStar9: Chapter 5 goes up, this is Chapter 6. Read and review.

Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 6: Number One in Surprising People, Naruto Joins Battle!


On the bridge...

"Now, that's what I call water pressure." Naruto joked.

"Quit the lame jokes, kit, and stick to the plan." Keena retorted. "Don't make me filet you."

"Sorry for the soak there." she turned to Sasuke. "Normally, I would have used an ice dragon, but knowing you, I don't think you'll appreciate getting frozen."

"Right..." Sasuke snorted.

"Now that I'm here," Naruto declared. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Naruto!" Sakura beamed.

"The main character of a story usually appears like this and defeats the enemy in a flash!" Naruto grinned.

"It's that kid." Zabuza snorted.

He talks too much. Sasuke deathpanned.

That idiot. Kakashi sighed. He needs to take the enemy by surprise, not appear like that.

That boy... Haku recalled.

"All right, let's do this." Naruto challenged. "Shadow Replication..."

"And so goes my plan out of the window..." Keena sighed. Maya had took off to guard Tazuna.

"Oh no!" Kakashi gasped when Zabuza tossed four shurikens at Naruto. "Dodge it, Naruto!"

Haku intercepted with his needles.

"What?" even Zabuza was shocked.

"He was saved..." Sakura breathed.

"How lucky, the enemy's attacks collided with each other." Tazuna remarked.

"Hey, what are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura demanded.

"What kind of idiot tries to execute a technique right in front of an enemy?" Kakashi chided. "A ninja's essence lies within deception. It relies on your ability to deceive your enemy. When you execute a technique, you must do it while the enemy is not looking. You must take them by surprise, and think beyond the normal boundaries. The way you appeared back there only makes you target practice."

"Oh crap..." Naruto whined. "I came here to help though..."

"But what worries me more is..." Kakashi added, looking at Haku.

That kid... Sasuke hissed.

"Haku, what's the meaning of this?" Zabuza demanded.

"Zabuza-san, leave him to me." Haku requested. "Please let me do this fight my way."

"What did you say?" Naruto demanded as Haku remade the demolished mirrors.

"So, you don't want me to interfere, Haku." Zabuza noted. "As usual, you're too easy on the enemy."

"Guess I'm sitting this one out too." Keena remarked.

"I'm sorry." Haku noted.

Too easy on the enemy, eh? Sasuke echoed. He's right. Judging from these wounds, I'm sure hes attacking me with needles, but he hasn't gone for any vital organs. Is he trying to just torture me?

"Then, I'm going to beat you first." Naruto swore.

It's impossible. It's too difficult for Naruto. Kakashi mused. I should do this...

"Hey, don't think of anything weird now." Zabuza cut in. "If you move, you know what's going to happen to that geezer, right?"

True. Kakashi agreed. If I leave this spot and go to Naruto, Zabuza will kill Tazuna-san. Sakura won't be able to stop him by herself.

"Let's observe how the young ones will fight, shall we?" Zabuza offered.

"That mask..." Naruto started. "So, you were one of Zabuza's men. How dare you trick us!"

"I'm sorry." Haku replied. "But your teacher said this too: 'The duty of a ninja is to deceive and to find an unguarded spot. Please do not take this personally."

You don't have time to chit-chat like that! Sasuke readied another kunai knife and tossed it, only to have Haku dodge the attack.

Sasuke? Naruto turned to the trapped raven.

"I didn't forget about you." Haku added.

I thought I didn't see him. Naruto mused. So that's where he was.

"I would have liked for you to just lie there quietly, but I guess I can't expect that." Haku turned to Sasuke. "Very well, I will finish the match with you first."

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed when Haku re-entered the mirror.

"Naruto-kun, I'll deal with you later." Haku promised.

Who is he? Naruto mused.

He's here. Sasuke readied for another battle. So, that's where he is.

"This way." Haku stated just as Sasuke reached for his weapons pouch.

He moved? Sasuke was stunned when Haku readied his needles within the mirror behind him. How?

Replicating himself within the mirrors, Haku bombarded his needles at the raven.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura gasped.

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed.

What was that? He wondered. Sasuke's body was torn to shreds in a flash. What kind of trick is he using?

What kind of technique is he using? Sasuke growled. The possibilities include him putting replications on the mirrors and making them throw the needles all at once... no, it's way too fast for that possibility to be true. Why can't I track down the trajectory of the weapon? And if he is just using replications, I see no reason for these mirrors. But there's no doubt that these mirrors are vital to his attacks!

What they can do is attack from both the outside and inside. Kakashi mused.

And to determine what those mirrors are for. Sakura added.

I'll need to... Naruto decided.

I guess I'll have to attack from the inside, and make Naruto attack from the outside. Sasuke reasoned.

"Hey, I came to help you!" Naruto popped right beside the raven. "Are you okay, Sasuke?"

What's the point in taking your allies by surprise? Kakashi deathpanned.

On the fence, Keena quirked an amused smirk.

"You idiot!" Sasuke retorted. "If you're a ninja, be more careful!"

"What's with that attitude?" Naruto fumed. "I came to help you!"

"If you come into the mirror as well..." Sasuke snapped. "Damn it. Forget it, idiot."

"Idiot?" Naruto retorted. "What do you mean idiot?"

He's no doubt the number one ninja in surprising people. Kakashi sighed. He came to help, but he's only making the situation worse.

"I'll just have to destroy the mirrors then." Sasuke decided. "Fire element!"

"Hey, what are you doing to do?" Naruto blinked.

"These are mirrors made of frozen water." Sasuke replied. "Then... Blazing Fireball!"

"It didn't work at all!" Naruto fumed.

"It won't melt with that kind of firepower." Keena supplied. "You'll need at least a Level Three attack."

Haku then let out a blinding light, attacking both distracted pre-teens simultaneously.

"Damn it, where is he attacking from?" Naruto cursed. "Are those replications? Where's the real one?"

"There's no use trying to follow me with your eyes." Haku warned. "I will never be caught."

"Shadow Replication!" Naruto activated his jitsu.

"Stop it!" Sasuke warned.

"Then, I'll destroy all the mirrors and see which one is real!" the Naruto replicas decided.

The numerous Hakus then leapt out of the mirrors, taking down the replicas easily.

"This is a traveling technique that utilizes mirror reflections that only reflect me." Haku revealed. "From my speed, you two look like you're standing still."

Just as I thought! Kakashi realized. "That must be a Bloodline Limit technique."

"Bloodline Limit?" Sakura echoed.

"It's the same kind of thing with the Sharingan." Maya supplied. "They are techniques that are only passed down through deep blood relations and through the genealogy of those with superior body structures."

"That means...!" Sakura gasped.

"Yes, even I cannot copy that technique." Kakashi confessed. "And there's no way to get past that technique."

"Damn it..." Naruto cursed. "So what? I can't die here. I still have a dream I need to achieve. The dream to become the Hokage!"

"Dream?" Haku echoed. "It is difficult for me to become a pure ninja. If it's possible, I do not want to kill you and I do not want to make you kill me. However, if you are going to fight me, I will kill my compassion with a blade and become a ninja. This bridge is a battleground that leads the dreams of many people. I will fight for my dream. And you will fight for your dreams. Please do not hold any grudges. I want to protect an important person. I want to work for him, fight for him, and make his dreams come true. That is my dream. In order to make it come true, I will become a ninja. I will kill you!"


SailorStar9: Wow, now that's done, read and review.

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