A.N.

This chapter has been edited as of 1/11/16. The Root ANBU in the Wave Arc has changed to someone else.

A.N.

Many of my readers have reached out to me by either PMs or reviews and expressed their concerns about Naruto's ability to fight the opponents that appear after the time skip. After talking to several readers, I've decided to split up my story. 'Master of the Basics' will cover everything before the training trip with Jiraiya while the sequel will be about the training trip and everything after it. This story's plot will still be the same as Naruto will only learn C rank and under jutsus. The sequel will then focus on him learning the higher ranked jutsu.

I'll like to give personal shout outs to Deltablacknaruto and Ryuujin96 because they helped me decide how to proceed with this story. I'll try to edit my earlier chapters because several reviewers have said that they didn't understand which character was speaking. To the guest that told me that I'm not allowed to reply to reviews, I haven't read anywhere that states that I can't. Also I'm continuing my Fairy Tail story, Team Cana after a few fans requested that I continue it. That means I won't have a timetable for updates since I'm now writing two stories. Sorry about that but I hope to have your continued support.

Chapter 7: The Mist Demon and the Ice Maiden

Hiruzen walked at a brisk pace towards the council chambers. As he entered the room, the entire council was already seated and was waiting for the Hokage. On the right side were the six shinobi clan heads. On the left were the six civilian council members. At the top right sat Tsunade, a clan head as well as an elder. If Jiraiya was present, he would be situated at the top left. "Thank you all for coming on such a short notice. I've called the council to discuss the upcoming Chunin Exams. There's a chance that all five Great Shinobi Nations will be participating in it." Hiruzen said, immediately bringing up the matter so that it could be discussed.

Uproar erupted inside the chambers as everyone began speaking at once. The Chunin Exam could be the greatest or worst in history depending on how everything went. "Quiet!" The Hokage shouted to gather everyone's attention. "We're not little children; we're to discuss this in an orderly manner." Hiruzen's voice was one of authority.

Shikaku, the Nara Clan head, raised his hand to talk. "Hokage-sama, may I ask why Iwa, Kiri, and Kumo are coming to the Chunin Exams?" He inquired. "It's suspicious as they aren't our allies." Shikaku voiced his concern. The Hokage acknowledged the suspicion as a knock came from the door. Hiruzen told the person from behind the door to come in. Stepping into the room was the ANBU Commander, Dragon.

"Hokage-sama, we've just received a message from Daimyo-sama." Dragon informed. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow before accepting the parchment from Dragon. The Hokage read the contents and a frown formed on his face.

"Thank you Dragon, you may return to your post." The Sandaime dismissed the ANBU before returning his attention to the council. "To answer your question Shikaku, it seems that our Daimyo asked the other Daimyos to make their villages participate in the Chunin Exam. Daimyo-sama wants to make the exams the biggest event in recent history. He succeeded in convincing the other Daimyos and that's why Kiri, Kumo, and Iwa will be participating." Hiruzen explained.

Several council members wanted to protest the decision but they knew it would be futile. No one, not even the Hokage, could override a Daimyo's orders. "Since we now know why they're participating, we'll need to revise our plans for the Chunin Exam." Hiruzen said. Everyone mentally sighed as they knew it was going to be a long day.

*Back with Team 7*

Team 7 plus Tazuna were walking towards their destination. The shinobi were currently in a diamond formation with Tazuna in the middle. Kakashi manned the top, Sasuke and Sakura on the sides, and Naruto in the back. The kunoichi was trying to strike a conversation with her crush but he kept on giving short replies. The blonde boy was asking Tazuna questions about Wave to get a general idea of the area. The Jonin was, of course, reading his favorite book.

"Kakashi-sensei, do you expect enemy shinobi on this mission?" The kunoichi asked her sensei. Kakashi lifted his head from his book and turned to face her.

"Generally during a C-Rank mission, you'll only encounter bandits and thieves. If we were to encounter rogue shinobi, this mission will be upgraded to a B-Rank mission." The Jonin answered. Both he and Naruto noticed a slight flinch from Tazuna. The silver haired man eyed his client suspiciously but decided that it wasn't anything important.

As they continued walking, Naruto saw a puddle on the side of the road. 'Why is there a puddle when the ground isn't soggy?' The jinchuriki wondered since the ground underneath his feet was dry. The blonde turned to his sensei to voice his suspicion but Kakashi gave him an eye smile to assure that everything was alright. Just as Kakashi turned back around, chains wrapped his body. The chains tighten around the Jonin's body and the silver haired man was ripped into shreds.

The Genins were shocked as they turned their attentions to the assailants. Both males had a Kirigakure hitai-ate and an oxygen mask covering the lower half of their face. One of them had a single horn on his hitai-ate and wore a dark cloak over his camo clothing. A gauntlet was attached to his right arm. The other man had two horns on his hitai-ate and wore a tan tunic over his camo clothing. A gauntlet on his left arm was connected to his partner's. Sakura let out a scream while Naruto and Sasuke prepared for action. "Sakura, snap out it and go with Plan S." Sasuke yelled, getting her out of her stupor.

Over the course of the four months, Team 7 had made several battle strategies to use when facing different enemies. Plan S was used when Kakashi was unable to assist in battle and there was more than one enemy. The person nearest the client was responsible for protection while providing range support. The other two would stall the enemies to give Kakashi time to recover.

Gozu and Meizu pulled their chains back to them and rushed towards Tazuna. Sakura, although shocked, got in front of Tazuna and fired her jutsu. "Doton: Doroku Gaeshi (Earth Release: Rock Shield)." The pinkette raised an earth wall a few feet in front of the two missing-nins, causing Gozu and Meizu to split in two different directions. Naruto and Sasuke intercepted them as they split.

"Raiton: Rakurai no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Lightning Bolt Technique)." Sasuke fired a lightning bolt at Meizu while Naruto threw an explosive tag at Gozu. Both enemy shinobis jumped in the air to dodge the attacks.

"Doton: Iwa Tounyuu no Jutsu (Earth Release: Rock Throw Technique)." Naruto and Sakura both shouted as two fist sized rocks formed, hitting both enemy shinobi in mid-air. The missing nins fell from the sky and were quickly wrapped in chains. Everyone looked to see that it was Kakashi who had tied them up.

"Great job team. Even though you initially panicked, you were able to regain your bearings and defeat the enemies while keeping the client safe." Kakashi praised his team as he tied the missing-nin duo to a tree. "Now I'll like our client to explain why we have two Chunin level missing shinobi attacking us. Our job description was to protect you from bandits." The Konoha Jonin glared at Tazuna. The bridge builder shrunk under the gaze and quickly told them about the situation in Wave and about Gato.

"I'm sorry for lying but you have to understand that I had to do whatever it took to help my country." Tazuna said desperately. He needed them to come with him. He was his country's best hope in finding help.

"Because of your lying, my squad could've gotten killed. Were you going to take responsibility for their lives?" Kakashi asked angrily. He wasn't going to risk his team because the client decided to give them misinformation. Tazuna looked down in shame. He had planned to guilt trip the team into going with him but he forgot that even ninjas were human. They didn't want to die as much as the next person.

"Kakashi-sensei, I would like to continue this mission. It'll leave a bad taste in my mouth if I abandoned the mission and allowed a tyrant to rule their country." Naruto told his sensei. Tazuna looked up with hope in his eyes. Meanwhile, Kakashi looked over his team and debated whether to continue the mission.

"Do you two feel the same way as Naruto?" The Copy Nin asked his other two students. Sasuke nodded since he didn't want a failed mission on his track record. Although hesitating at first, Sakura nodded since she wanted to help the country. Kakashi inwardly sighed as his team outnumbered him. "Tazuna-san, you're lucky that my lovely Genins have decided to continue this mission." The Jonin said with an eye smile.

Tazuna bowed and thank the Genins for their kind hearts. "Kakashi-sensei, I think we should ask for backup." Naruto suggested to his sensei. Kakashi nodded at the suggestion. "I agree since we're likely to face a Jonin level missing-nin." Kakashi summoned Pakkun as he was talking. "Although I'm curious why you suggested us to request backup though." He remarked as he handed a parchment to Pakkun.

Kakashi gave the ninken his orders and Pakkun dispelled to send the message to Konoha. "These two are Gozu and Meizu, missing shinobi from Kirigakure. According to the bingo book, they escaped Kirigakure with Momochi Zabuza after they failed to assassinate the Yondaime Mizukage. It's safe to assume that they're still working with Zabuza." Naruto gave his deduction.

Kakashi was surprised at Naruto's analytic skills to guess they would face Zabuza. It was better to know your opponent rather than being in the dark. "Great job Naruto but let's ask those two to make sure." The Jonin sensei said as he turned and walked into the forest where the captured duo were. "I'll ask you this once, who are you working for?" Kakashi asked threateningly. Both Gozu and Meizu turned away and ignored the Konoha-nin.

"Kakashi-sensei you aren't doing it right. Look this is what the crazy snake lady from T&I told me." Naruto said as he gestured Kakashi to bend down. When Kakashi bent down to Naruto's height, the blonde began whispering into the Jonin's ear. Gozu and Meizu watched as Kakashi's visible eye turned to shock. It quickly morphed to disgust and then settled on a sadistic expression. The missing-nin were horrified. The thoughts of what the boy was telling the Jonin scared them.

"W-wait we'll tell you! We work for Gato and he hired us to kill the bridge builder." Gozu quickly replied.

"Are you working alone or is someone else working with you?" Kakashi asked while keeping the same expression.

"We're working with Zabuza and his apprentice." Meizu answered as he cowered under Kakashi's gaze. The silver haired man then gave them an eye smile.

"Thanks for the help boys, ANBU will arrive shortly to pick you up." Kakashi said in a friendly tone as he and Naruto walked back to the others. 'Man all Naruto told me to do was change my facial expressions and those two were shitting themselves.' Kakashi mused as he made a mental note not to piss off his student.

The group continued their journey as they discussed their plans on what to do when they encounter Zabuza and the apprentice. "Alright team lets go with this." Kakashi announced. "I'll create four Raikou Bunshins (Lightning Clones) and have them Henge into Tazuna and you three. Sasuke and Sakura will stay behind with Tazuna while Naruto and I meet the enemy. Naruto will hide in the woods while I engage the enemy. After I manage to successfully separate the enemies, Naruto will attach his stun seal on one of them and help me attack the other one." Kakashi explained the plan to his team.

After the Jonin finished, he saw the scowl on Sasuke's face. "Why does the dobe get to do it and not me?" Sasuke asked in disapproval. "I'm the Rookie of the Year and an elite Uchiha. He isn't better than me." The Uchiha fumed at not being picked. Sakura wanted to come to Sasuke's defense but she found it hard to. She thought Kakashi's plan was solid as Naruto was famous for his stealth ability.

"Maa Maa, no one here said that Naruto's better than you. He simply has a certain skill set that helps pull off this plan. I trust that Naruto's capable of pulling this off. If you don't approve, then maybe you have a better idea that we can use." Kakashi said as he didn't want to deal with Sasuke's temper.

"I say that we just face them head on. I'll take on the apprentice while Kakashi-sensei takes on Zabuza. The dobe and Sakura will protect Tazuna while providing backup." Sasuke explained his plan to the group.

'You would think he realized that Naruto isn't a dobe by now. He's too caught up in his pride and here I thought the team was finally breaking through to him.' Kakashi believed as he frowned at his student. "Let's take a vote. Who thinks we should go with Sasuke's plan?" Kakashi asked. Sasuke instantly raised his hand and waited for Sakura's hand to go up. Although hesitantly, the kunoichi slowly put her hand up to make her crush happy.

Kakashi frowned at this action. 'Old habits never truly die. When we get to somewhere safe, I'll need to talk to them individually again.' The Jonin sensei mused. Kakashi was glad that his mask covered his frowning face. "Tazuna-san, since it's even, can I ask what plan you prefer?" Kakashi asked. Tazuna was caught like a deer in headlights.

"Um, I prefer the one that offers me more protection." The bridge builder replied since he wasn't paying attention. The team deadpanned as both plans essentially offered the same two Genin protection.

"Fine, we'll go with Sasuke's plan but if it backfires, you're going to be punished." Kakashi submitted since he didn't want to deal with it any longer. The Uchiha smirked at his victory and settled back into his post. Naruto didn't really comment as he observed his surroundings. Sakura was unsure if she made the right decision.

They made their way to a fisherman who took them across the water. As the boat weaved through the fog, a bridge came into view. "Wow, is that the bridge you're building Tazuna-san?" Naruto asked quietly.

"She's a thing of beauty, isn't she? When this bridge is finished, Gato will no longer have a monopoly over us." Tazuna replied with a voice full of hope. Team 7 quietly admired the man's work.

After a couple of minutes, they landed on the shore and continued their journey to Wave. As they were walking, Kakashi sensed two presences ahead. "Stop, get into Manji Formation." Kakashi ordered everyone to halt. The Genin formed a triangle with Tazuna in the middle. "You can come out now." Kakashi called to the presences ahead.

Soon a towering figure came from the clearing. The man wore his Kirigakure hitai-ate sideways on his head, blocking his pitch black hair. He was shirtless with a blue belt going across his shirt, which held his large sword. As a bottom, he wore blue striped pants that went up to his belly. In addition, two brown and white arm warmers were worn, along with matching colored leg warmers. The most notable accessory, however, was the bandages that obscured the lower part of his face. "No wonder Gozu and Meizu failed, they were up against Sharingan no Kakashi." Zabuza commented as he appeared from the fog.

Sasuke was startled by the mention of the moniker. 'He has a Sharingan!? That's should be impossible since all Uchiha are dead except for me and the traitor.' The raven haired boy thought.The Uchiha boy wanted to inquire but decided it wasn't the appropriate time. Naruto knew about it since Kakashi was in the bingo book while Sakura slowly came into realization of what the moniker meant.

"Momochi Zabuza, Kirigakure no Kijin (Demon of the Hidden Mist), we've been expecting you. Your friend can come out also." The silver haired Jonin said as a masked-nin appeared next to Zabuza. The masked shinobi wore a green pinstriped outfit that stopped at their knees. Above the pinstriped outfit was a short sleeved blue haori with white trimmings. A brown sash tied the two outfits together. The mask was porcelain white with two eyeholes, a red wavy design, and the Kirigakure symbol. The masked-nin had their jet black hair tied in a white bun with two bangs framing the side of the face.

"I'm impressed that you were able to detect Haku. His stealth is at least Jonin level." Zabuza praised since he had personally trained Haku so they could avoid hunter-nin.

"Sorry but I regularly go up against someone whose stealth is better. You needed to conceal your presence more." Kakashi said as lifted up his hitai-ate to reveal the Sharingan.

"I feel privileged that you've already revealed the Sharingan." Zabuza remarked. He decided that the time for talking was over and unleashed his jutsu. "Ninpon: Kirigakure no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Hidden in the Mist Technique).

Mist surrounded the area and visibility was limited to a few feet. Kakashi scanned the mist for Zabuza or Haku, but the mist was making it difficult. The former Kiri swordsman unleashed his killing intent to scare his opponents. Tazuna and the Genins began to shake in fear. The bridge builder's knees threaten to give out but he was held up by a slightly shaking Naruto.

"Oh now that's quite impressive. One of your Genins seems to be handling my killing intent much better than the other two." Zabuza commented as his booming voice echoed around them. "Too bad, it won't stop me from killing the bridge builder." The bandaged man appeared in the middle of the group.

Kakashi turned his head around to get to his team when senbons flew towards him. The Jonin dodged but was unable to get to the group in time. Zabuza smirked as he lifted his sword and prepared to rotate 360 degrees. The blonde boy realized what was about to happen and pushed Tazuna out of harm's way.

"Raiton: Seiteki Suji no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Static Strings Technique)." Naruto shouted his technique as electric strings sprouted from his fingertips. It was the D-Rank Raiton jutsu that the Sandaime had gave him. He coiled the strings around Kubikiriboncho and was able to momentarily halt the motion. Using the opening, Sakura and Sasuke leapt away from Zabuza. As the strings snapped under the force, Naruto jumped away and landed next to Tazuna. The former Kiri swordsman finished his rotation, only for no one to be in his radius.

"You lucky son of a bitch." Zabuza growled out as Kakashi appeared in front of him with kunais in his hands. Zabuza blocked the initial attack but was punctured by the second kunai. Zabuza's form dissolved into water to reveal a Mizu Bunshin (Water Clone). Haku appeared behind Kakashi with senbons at the ready.

Haku was intervened when Sakura raised a rock slab in front of Kakashi's back. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)." Sasuke released a fireball at the masked-nin, who dodged the attack and escaped back into the mist. Zabuza used that moment to appear in front of Kakashi and sliced him with Kubikiriboncho. The Copy Nin's upper and lower body separated as water splashed on Zabuza's face. The missing-nin's eyes widen as he realized that Kakashi was a Mizu Bunshin. The Konoha Jonin pressed a kunai to Zabuza's throat.

"You should give up, you can't beat me." Kakashi advised his opponent. Zabuza smirked under his bandages at Kakashi's threat.

"Suiton: Sensatsu Suishō (Water Release: Thousand Flying Water Needle of Death)." A voice came from the mist as thousands of needles pierced Zabuza and Kakashi. Zabuza dissolved into water to reveal another Mizu Bunshin while Kakashi coughed out blood. He was able to avoid most of the needles thanks to the Sharingan but he was still struck at several vital points.

"Kakashi you should be more aware of your surroundings." Zabuza said as he and Haku stepped out of the mist. "Give me the bridge builder and your team lives." The missing-nin demanded. Haku's eyes roamed the environment as she noticed something odd.

"Zabuza-sama, the blond is gone." The masked-nin warned. Just as Haku pointed out the oddity to her master, Naruto appeared behind them from his Kakuremino no Jutsu (Cloak of Invisibility Technique). The blonde attached his improved stun seal on Zabuza and fled before Haku could retaliate. The mist swordsman realized that he was unable to move. In addition to being stronger than the former seal, the new one stunned the person for four days.

"Maybe you should take your own advice Zabuza." Kakashi said with a small smile. Haku was prepared to retaliate when a tanto threaten to slice her. She dodged the attack as a blue haired boy came from nowhere. Haku realizing the danger, grabbed her master and used Shunshin to disappear.

As the mist dispersed, the Root ANBU sheathed his tanto. "Root ANBU Shin, reporting as reinforcement." Shin said cheerfully, reporting to Kakashi. Everyone else sans Naruto was wondering who the boy was. Sakura and Sasuke also wondered what Root was.

Kakashi acknowledged the Root ANBU before turning to Tazuna. "Tazuna-san is your house close?" The silver haired Jonin asked.

"Yeah we're almost there." The old man answered. Kakashi nodded as his body gave out. Luckily Naruto and Shin caught him before he fell.

"You could've gotten here a little sooner." Naruto chided to his older brother.

"Hey, I got here as fast as I could." Shin defended as Sakura checked up on her sensei.

"I believe he's suffering from chakra exhaustion and temporary paralysis from the needles." Sakura informed as she finished analyzing Kakashi. The boys nodded as they dragged Kakashi's bigger body to Tazuna's house. In five minutes, they arrived at their destination. Tazuna knocked on the door of his home.

"Who is it?" A woman's voice asked from behind the door.

"Tsunami, it's me. Open the door, we have someone wounded." Tazuna said as a long blue haired woman, who wore a pink short shirt and blue skirt, opened the door.

"Welcome home, father." Tsunami welcomed as she hugged Tazuna. She then noticed the boys holding an older male.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt but do you have a room that we can borrow?" Sakura asked politely. Tsunami directed her towards the room as the boys lugged Kakashi onto the bed. Shin and Naruto exited the room as Sakura checked over the Jonin's body for any injuries. Tsunami went into the kitchen to fetch a bowl of water and a towel. She handed the bowl to Sakura, who dipped the towel and placed it on Kakashi's forehead. The kunoichi was unable to do anything else as she had yet to learn medical jutsu.

They exited the room so Kakashi could sleep in peace. The two females returned to the kitchen where Tazuna was drinking sake. "Father, you've just come back and you're drinking already." Tsunami complained.

"I was just in a life and death situation. I believe I have the right to drink." Tazuna said as he chugged the bottle. Sakura surveyed the room to find her teammates on the couch. Naruto was chugging a glass of water while Sasuke was staring at his glass. Shin was leaning against the wall while surveying the house.

"Dobe, I need to talk to you in private." Sasuke said as he exited the house. Naruto looked at Sakura, who had the same confused expression. The blond got up from the couch and exited the house as well. He spotted Sasuke leaning against a tree that was providing shade.

"What did you want to talk about?" The jinchuriki asked as he sat down underneath the shade. Sasuke's words refused to come out as he swallowed a lump of air.

"I want to apologize." Sasuke replied. Naruto swerved his head to face the Uchiha and looked at him in disbelief. "Don't interrupt me and let me finish. I let my pride get to me and it almost cost all of our lives. When Zabuza released his killing intent, my body froze in fear. We would've died if you hadn't stopped his sword. Then when Kakashi was injured, you were able to stop Zabuza while I stood there and watched." The Uchiha boy shoved his pride down the drain to say his next words. "I'm sorry for almost killing us and thank you for saving us N-Naruto." The Uchiha bowed slightly to his teammate. The blonde was in shock since Sasuke called him Naruto and not dobe.

"No problem, that's what teammates are for." Naruto grinned as he accepted the apology. Sasuke quickly straighten up and began leaving.

"Don't think I'm going to apologize again Dobe." Sasuke said with a small smile. The raven haired boy went back inside the house and left Naruto alone. The whiskered boy was in a happy mood as Sasuke was slowly opening up to him. Shin came out of the house to prepare traps, in case Zabuza and Haku planned to attack. Naruto got up and began helping.

*In Zabuza's and Haku's Hidden Cave*

"That fucking brat, I'm going to kill him!" Zabuza cursed as he laid motionless on the bed. Haku was unable to release the seal due to its complexity. She diagnosed his body to see what was wrong.

"Zabuza-sama the seal seems to restricting your movements. I have no clue when it'll dispel as I've never seen this type of seal before." She informed her master.

Zabuza growled at the news. "When do you think I can move again?" He inquired.

"It could be from a few hours to an entire week. It's impossible to tell." Haku replied. While she understood a few things about seals, this one was beyond her level.

Zabuza gritted his teeth as his frustrations boiled. Suddenly, a trio walked into their cave. "Ah the great Kirigakure no Kijin was defeated by mere shinobi. I expected the bridge builder to be dead by now. I guess I was wrong." Gato commented as he got closer.

"There weren't just some shinobi, Sharingan no Kakashi was there!" Zabuza barked from his prone position.

"I don't care if Kami was there. I hired you to kill the bridge builder and I expected you to finish the job." Gato said as he inched closer to Zabuza. Haku was suddenly behind him with a needle to his throat.

"I suggest you leave before I kill you." She threatened the little man. Zori and Waraji attempted to pull out their swords but was halted when another Haku appeared behind them. "I suggest you don't do that either." The masked-nin recommended the two swordsmen, who also had senbon touching their necks.

"Don't think that this is over." Gato said as he and his men scurried away from the cave. After they left, Haku's Mizu Bunshin collapsed into a puddle of water.

"That was foolish Haku. I'm able to handle Gato even in this state." Zabuza scolded Haku for her actions. It was a lie as he couldn't even lift a finger.

Haku, of course, knew that as well. "I know Zabuza-sama but we still need him alive for your ambitions. If he's dead, we won't get the money you need." She advised her master. The master and tool sat there in silence as they slowly recovered.

*A day later*

Kakashi's eye slowly opened as he adjusted to the sudden intrusion of light. He looked around the room to find Shin sitting on a chair next to his bed. "Looks like you're up Hatake-san. Let me go get the others." The Root ANBU said as he left the room. After a minute, he returned with the rest of Team 7. Sakura did a quick diagnostic on Kakashi's body.

"He still suffering from chakra exhaustion but he should be fully recovered in a week." Sakura said as she finished. Kakashi slowly got upright from his bed with the kunoichi's assistance.

"Naruto, how long does your seal last?" The Jonin sensei acquired.

The blonde frowned as he informed the news. "The seal only lasts around four days. Zabuza shouldn't be able to move until then." Naruto informed. Kakashi had hoped it would last longer but knew he couldn't complain.

"For now, here's the plan. Sasuke and Shin will guard Tazuna when he's building the bridge. Meanwhile Naruto and Sakura will be stationed here, just in case someone tries to attack his family. It will stay that way for three days. On the fourth day we'll come up with a battle plan. As punishment, Sasuke will be Naruto's and Sakura's guard duty." Kakashi said as he expected an outburst. The Uchiha silently nodded before exiting the room. Shin followed him as the two prepared their supplies to guard Tazuna.

"Okay Naruto and Sakura, I realized I've been neglecting you two for Sasuke and I would like to apologize. I'm teaching about teamwork yet I'm favoring a certain student over the others. For that, I would like to say I'm sorry and I deeply regret it." Kakashi apologized while bowing as much as he could. Sakura and Naruto smiled at each other and accepted their sensei's apology.

"I have roughly three days to teach you guys something. Sakura, I know that I've taught you an offensive and defensive jutsu for your Doton affinity. You have excellent chakra control and is in the medical program. You've served well as our team's medic and support but I think we should focus on your weakness. You have a lack of confidence in yourself and your Taijutsu is that of an academy student. I'm going to help increase your physical abilities while teaching you some katas from styles that I know." Kakashi said as he received a nod from Sakura.

"Naruto, to be honest, I don't know much of your skills. I know about your Taijutsu, Fuinjutsu, and stealth abilities. That's about it." The Jonin admitted. He hadn't intentionally ignored Naruto for the others. The blonde was very independent, making it easy to leave him to his own devices.

"I was taught Kenjutsu by Hayate-sensei. We made an original style based of Konoha Ryu (Leaf Style). My Kenjutsu style is called Kage Iai Ryu (Shadow Quick Draw Style) and it's basically a hit and run style that emphasizes my stealth ability. I know the basic academy jutsus along with the five D-rank jutsus that Jiji gave me. I've mastered the academy jutsus as well as the first level of wind mastery. I'm currently working on the first level of water mastery." Naruto explained his skills.

Sakura was confused what Naruto meant at the end while Kakashi was shocked with the blonde's repertoire of abilities. "Can you tell me what jutsus you know, besides the Academy ones?" Kakashi asked.

"They are: Fuuton: Hanpatsu Kaze no Jutsu (Retrieving Wind Technique), Suiton: Mizu Kagami no Jutsu (Water Mirror Technique), Raiton: Seiteki Suji no Jutsu (Static Strings Technique), Katon: Ichi (One), Doton: Iwa Tounyuu no Jutsu (Rock Throw Technique)." Naruto told his sensei.

'All those jutsus are supplementary besides the Doton jutsu. Hanpatsu no Jutsu is mainly used to pull objects closer. Mizu Kagami no Jutsu is used see what's around you. Ichi is used to light small flames. Seiteki Suji no Jutsu simply creates wires made up of electricity but Naruto was able to use it to temporarily stop Zabuza's Kubikiriboncho. Naruto seems to find creative uses for them." Kakashi silently thought.

"I'm impressed that you know jutsus from five different elements. This will make it easier for you to learn the jutsu I'm going to teach you. I think your weak point is that you currently don't have a defense jutsu or an offensive jutsu. I have some jutsus that will complement your style while sort of addressing both issues. I'm going to teach you all five elemental Bunshins." Kakashi said as he gave him an eye smile.

"That's great Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto roared in excitement. "I wanted to learn it when I saw you and Zabuza use Mizu Bunshin!" The jinchuriki exclaimed. He had been previously offered the elemental bunshins by Yugao but at the time he hadn't master the Bunshin no Jutsu.

"Alright let's get some breakfast before we head off to train." The Jonin said as he was helped up by his students. They ate breakfast with Tsunami and Inari since Tazuna had already left for the bridge. Inari was glaring at the shinobi throughout the entire breakfast. Kakashi asked Tsunami if she could provide him with a crutch when they finished eating. The blue haired woman gave him a leftover one that Tazuna used when he had injured his foot. The shinobi trio went into the woods to train.

"Alright I'll explain the difference of each Bunshins so make sure you listen. Sakura you should listen as well since you'll be able to make Iwa Bunshin." Kakashi addressed his students. "Unlike regular bunshins, elemental bunshins can attack as if they're real. They only possess a tenth of the power of the original though. That being said, they have a variety of uses such as reinforcements and diversions. If they go too far from the original, they'll dispel so think carefully before using them." Kakashi explained before he continued.

"All elemental bunshins are different in their abilities. Kaze Bunshin is faster than the other bunshins. Mizu Bunshin is more evasive since they have more flexibility Raikou Bunshin is more powerful with Ninjutsu techniques. Kaji Bunshin is the stronger version of the other bunshins. Iwa Bunshin is the most durable as they are able to survive two attacks before dispelling. Each Bunshin is capable of performing a single jutsu of their element but only if the original knows it as well." Kakashi finished his explanation.

Both Sakura and Naruto processed this new information. They looked at their sensei when they finished thinking and Kakashi taught them the hand seals. Naruto started with the Kaze Bunshin while Sakura worked on the Iwa Bunshin. After a couple of hours, Naruto continued to train on the elemental bunshins while Sakura was performing katas from different Taijutsu styles. While watching Sakura train, Kakashi thought of an idea for her but it would have to wait until they were back in Konoha.

Tazuna returned home as the sun was setting with an annoyed Sasuke and happy Shin. Apparently Shin's constant talking was beginning to get on the Uchiha's nerves. Naruto and Sakura finished their training and went upstairs to get washed up. The dinner was peaceful as Naruto complimented Tsunami's cooking. Tazuna and Kakashi made idle chat about a variety of topics. Sakura, Shin, and Sasuke talked about what Root was. The Root ANBU was allowed to divulge information to allied shinobi if they served as reinforcement. All the chatter was interrupted when Inari slammed his small hands on the table. His blue and white striped hat threatened to fall off of his black hair.

"How can you laugh and joke around when you're all going to die?" Inari shouted at the shinobi. "All the training you do is pointless against Gato because he's going to kill you. I bet none of you know how hard life really is." Inari berated Team 7 and Shin. Sakura was confused at the sudden outburst. Shin and Kakashi ate while tuning out the kid's words. Sasuke and Naruto were pissed but they were able to control their temper.

Inari stormed off and went to his room. Tsunami got up and went after him. Everyone continued to eat when Sakura spotted a photo on the wall. "Tazuna-san why is part of that picture cut off?" She asked. Tazuna shook his head when the Genin asked. The pinkette realized that it was a sore topic so she tried to dismiss it.

"That person was my husband and Inari's stepfather." Tsunami said as she reappeared. The woman told the shinobi about Kaiza and what Gato did to him. At the end of the tale, everyone was solemn and silently finished dinner. As Team 7 was helping Tsunami clean up, Shin went up to Kakashi.

"Kakashi-san, I have a proposal on how to deal with Zabuza." The Root member told the Jonin. Kakashi's visible eye widen as he took in what he was told.

"We can talk about it after we help finish cleaning up." Kakashi told the Root agent. After everything was cleaned, Team 7 plus Shin went into Kakashi's room. The silver haired sensei briefed his team that Shin had a proposal.

"My plan is for us to kidnap Gato and persuade Zabuza to cancel his contract. Gato's a shrewd man and is known for not keeping his end of the deal. If we can find evidence that Gato's trying to cheat Zabuza, we can avoid a confrontation. Even if we don't find any, we have information that Zabuza would like to know. In Zabuza's bingo book entry, it states that he fought the Yondaime Mizukage in order to overthrow him. He failed and has been constantly hounded by hunter-nins since. Although not many people know this, the rebels have successfully defeated the Mizukage and won the civil war. He would then have less of an incentive to actually fight now that he can return home." Shin told them the gist of his plan.

"Okay. That sounds good but how are you planning to execute this plan?" Kakashi asked with curiosity. Truthfully the Jonin was thankful for the plan as Kakashi wasn't sure he would be able to recover in time.

"Like most Root members, I'm trained in espionage and stealth. It should take me a few days to pinpoint Gato's location and how much forces he has with him. I'll also be able to dig up some information that could be useful to us. We have three people here that I'm confident that they can sneak in and grab Gato without being detected." Shin said as he pointed to Naruto, Kakashi, and himself.

Team 7 started to laugh, much to Shin's confusion. Naruto seeing that his older brother was wondering why they were laughing, decide to tell him. "You see, your plan is similar to the one Kakashi-sensei came up with earlier. It's just ironic that we're going to do that kind of plan in the end." Naruto explained.

Shin nodded even though he didn't really understand. He went back to discussing the plan to Team 7. "After we kidnap Gato, we wait until Zabuza appears on the bridge since it would take a while for him to recover. We then try to negotiate with him and if that don't work, we'll have to fight them." Shin concluded.

"Okay, for now we'll follow this plan so go ahead and start scouting. Until then, we'll train." Kakashi said as he dismissed his team for the night. Naruto stayed behind and asked the Jonin if he could go train. The Copy Nin agreed as long as the blonde returned before sun up tomorrow. The blonde agreed and left the house to head into the woods. Naruto worked on the elemental bunshins until he was able to effortlessly make the hand signs. He promptly passed out on the grass from exhaustion and fell asleep.

*Morning*

Haku slowly walked in the woods to gather herbs for Zabuza's wounds. She had exchanged her shinobi gear for a pink kimono that had a dark red swirl design and red trimmings. The white sash that held the kimono in place hid several senbons. Her black hair hung loosely instead of being tied up. Around her neck was a pitch black choker, a present from her master.

As the kunoichi arrived to an open clearing, she spotted yellow grass. Haku was confused by the sight so she walked closer until she saw that the yellow grass was actually human hair. She immediately recognized the shade of yellow belonging to the Konoha-nin that she had fought.

Naruto was already awake when he heard footsteps walking towards him. The steps were quiet like a trained shinobi's. The figure stopped a couple of feet from Naruto as if they were examining him. They were now a few inches away from him. The blonde was preparing to use Kawarimi in case he was attacked. "Hey, you shouldn't be sleeping out here." A soft voice called out to Naruto.

Naruto opened his eyes to see a feminine face staring at him. Naruto lightly blushed since he had never been woken up by a female before. "Sorry I was training last night and I must have passed out." The jinchuriki said while he examined the female in front of him. "What are you doing out here so early? It's dangerous for civilians, especially with Gato around." Naruto asked to get a reaction.

"I'm collecting herbs for my friend that's injured. Since it's early in the morning, I don't have to worry about Gato." Haku half lied to Naruto.

"Well how about I help you?" Naruto offered to which Haku accepted. She showed him what herb to look for and the two spent five minutes gathering the herbs. The blonde placed the herbs he gathered into Haku's basket. "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, it's nice to meet you Haku-san." Naruto introduced himself with a grin.

Haku promptly froze in place when he said her name. "I'm sorry but Haku isn't my name. I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else." Haku replied nervously.

"No need to put up the act anymore. I knew you were the hunter-nin from the other day when you approached me. Your footsteps are too quiet to be a civilian's. You're gathering herbs to help soothe Zabuza's wounds and it explains why you aren't afraid of Gato. What I want to know is why you didn't attack me when I was asleep?" Naruto asked as he picked apart Haku's civilian act.

Resigning to her fate, Haku sat down on the soft grass. "I'm currently carrying a few senbons on me. Even if I was to attack you and seriously injure you, your team might be able to track me back to my hideout. If that were to happen, I'll be forced to fend your team off by myself. That's why attacking you would be too risky." Haku replied as Naruto sat on the grass as well.

"I notice you said injure not kill. I know for sure that there are several areas where a human could be attacked and killed even by a senbon. After all, I've studied human anatomy so I should know." Naruto said with a grin. The kunoichi was surprised at the blonde's knowledge.

"You're correct." Haku nodded. "Even though I'm a shinobi, I don't enjoy killing. I prefer to neutralize my opponents so they can't retaliate. I must say, I didn't peg you as an intellectual type." The ice user chuckled slightly, forgetting that she was talking to the enemy.

"I get that a lot." He replied, scratching the back of his head. "I had to train my brain and body constantly to be where I am today. I wasn't always this knowledgeable." Naruto said softly as he remembered Mikoto.

"Why do you strive to become stronger?" Haku asked before continuing. "Do you have a goal you're trying to attain?"

Naruto thought for a few seconds. "I guess the reason I initially wanted to be stronger was to become Hokage. In my village, I was always ignored for one reason or another. I wanted to become Hokage so that everyone will acknowledge me. Slowly people are starting to acknowledge my existence. Now I want to become Hokage as a promise to my sensei. Plus I told the old man I'm going to take his job." Naruto said as a smile grew on his face.

She nodded at his words. "The reason I want to become strong is to protect my precious people. If they weren't in my life, I wouldn't know how to live. I believe a person will grow stronger, the more they want to protect their precious people." Haku stated her reason. The blonde liked the reason as it made sense to him.

"You know that makes a lot of sense. I'm starting to have people that are precious to me and I don't want them to be hurt. The only way I can prevent them from being hurt is to become stronger." Naruto said as he smiled at Haku. They sat in comfortable silence as the sun continued to rise in the sky. Haku got up from her position and grabbed the basket.

"It was nice to talk to you Naruto-san but I have to go before Zabuza-sama gets worried." Haku bowed slightly and turned to leave.

"Tell Zabuza that we don't have to fight. The civil war in Kirigakure is over." He informed, shocking Haku with the news. "He has no reason to hide from hunter-nins any longer. He can go home if he wishes. If he doesn't want to go back, I'm pretty sure Konoha will accept you two. I personally know the Hokage so I can vouch for you guys." Naruto told her.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked. "For all you know, Zabuza-sama is a blood thirsty killer and I'm his follower." Haku wondered why he was being so kind to her when they had just met.

"Even if you were, I don't want to fight you. Haku-san, you seem like a nice person that had a horrible past. I can see it in your eyes, they're just like mines once was." The blond explained. Haku stared at him in disbelief. She wondered if she was that transparent or that he had a horrible past as well. His eyes were bright, not clouded in sorrow and regret.

'If what he says is true, then Zabuza-sama and I no longer have to flee from place to place. I believe I can trust him.' Haku thought in optimism. "I'll relay the message to Zabuza-sama, Naruto-san." She replied.

"Call me Naruto; I'm not one for honorifics among friends." He told Haku. The kunoichi laughed that she was already considered a friend by him.

"Hai Naruto and you may call me Haku." She smiled warmly. "By the way I'm a boy, just in case you thought otherwise." Haku said as she watched Naruto's stunned reaction. The blonde was shocked at the sight of such a beautiful boy. Obviously he didn't believe it so he decided to test if Haku really was a 'he'.

"That was a good joke Haku-chan. You almost got me there." Naruto said as he emphasized the chan part.

"I'm in fact a boy." Haku denied the claim that she was female. Zabuza taught her that hiding her identity was crucial as females were generally looked down upon.

"Maybe there's a reason you're hiding your gender but I can tell the difference between a guy and girl." He commented, at least he hoped he was able to tell the difference. "Plus I can see your chest bindings." Naruto gestured, making Haku put an arm around her chest. "Gotcha! So you're a girl after all." Naruto laughed happily while Haku was ashamed that she was tricked.

"A-Anyway I better be on my way. I hope the next time we see each other, it won't be as enemies Naruto." Haku said as she turned around. Her face was flushed from embarrassment.

"Bye Haku-chan, I hope that Zabuza accepts our offer." Naruto teased before heading back to Tazuna's house. The kunoichi's face became redder from the affectionate suffix. After her face regained its normal color, she made her way back to the cave. After all, she wouldn't know how to explain to Zabuza why her face was red.

Naruto made his way through the trees and spotted Tazuna's house from the distance. He quietly entered the house so that he wouldn't wake anyone. On the couch waiting to greet him was Kakashi. "I thought I told you to be back before the sun came up. Do you know how worried I was?" The Jonin scolded his student. He was worried that either Zabuza or the apprentice had killed the blond.

"I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei, I was exhausted after training and I fell asleep in the woods. I forgot to come back late night." Naruto apologized for making his sensei worried.

"Naruto it is okay if you do this in Konoha but out in the field, that attitude could get you killed. What if the enemy found you and attacked you when you were sleeping?" Kakashi asked hypothetically.

"Ha-ha." Naruto chuckled nervously. "Actually the enemy did find me and we talked a bit." The blonde informed.

Kakashi was flabbergasted that Naruto was found by the enemy. He was only saying hypothetically, not for it to be true. "Tell me what exactly happened." The Jonin sensei ordered seriously but there was a hint of concern mixed in. Naruto told Kakashi the story on how he met Haku and what they talked about.

"I then offered Zabuza and her sanctuary in Konohagakure if they didn't want to go back to Kirigakure." Naruto finished. Kakashi had to suppress a sign from escaping his mouth.

'I swear Naruto's too trusting in people. It's like he sees only the good in people like how Kushina-sama…did." Kakashi thought as a sudden realization struck down on him. He studied Naruto repeatedly and took in the blonde's features. 'That hair! Those eyes! They are the exact replica of Minato-sensei's!" The Jonin mused. "…but his child's dead. It was reported that the child died along with Kushina-sama but how is it possible that Naruto look so much like Minato-sensei? I need to ask Hokage-sama as soon as I get back." Kakashi was unsure what he would do if he found out the truth.

One side of him hoped that Naruto was his sensei's son. After his father died, Minato had taken care of Kakashi and treated him like a son. That would make Naruto as a little brother of sorts. It would give the silver haired Jonin hope that the people he cared about weren't all dead. On the other hand, he also hoped that Naruto just happened to look like Minato. After all, he was never in the boy's life until recently. He had seen the terrible acts of violence that the civilians and ninjas inflicted on Naruto when he was still in ANBU. Kakashi normally sent the members of the mob to T&I for questioning. It was usually Itachi or Yugao who took care of the blond.

"Kakashi-sensei, hey Kakashi-sensei, are you in there?" Naruto asked as he waved a hand in front of the Copy Nin. The Jonin broke away from his thoughts.

"Anyway Naruto, that was too risky since you couldn't have known Haku's intentions. This time nothing bad happened but be more careful next time. There are people out there that'll harm others for no reason." Kakashi told Naruto, rubbing the blonde's hair. 'Even if he isn't sensei's son, he's still my student.' Kakashi genuinely smiled at his student, though the jinchuriki couldn't see it because of the mask.

*Two days later*

It was the day that Zabuza would be able to move again. Kakashi was gathering his gear and double checking to make sure he had everything. The Konoha Jonin had regained some of his strength from the battle. He had begun helping with Tazuna's guard duty, relieving Shin and Sasuke from their misery. The Uchiha had gotten closer to his teammates as he would initiate conversations with them. He even asked Naruto and Sakura for spars and gave them tips on their training.

Naruto and Sakura had completed most of their training over the past few days. The pinkette had yet to find a Taijutsu style that suited her. The Copy Nin suggested that she seek out her own teacher like Naruto had done with Gai. He recommended Tsunade since Sakura was already studying under the Sannin and Tsunade's Taijutsu required extreme chakra control as well as brute strength.

Naruto was able to learn the elemental bunshins that were his affinities. He was now working the other three elemental bunshins. The other three proved to be quite difficult as it would take several tries to produce a decent copy. The blonde also worked on polishing his Taijutsu and Kenjutsu as he didn't want his skills to diminish.

Shin had successfully gathered enough information on Gato. Gato's headquarters was located to the northwest of Wave, where the bridge would end. The shrewd businessman had hired 200 mercenaries in hopes of getting rid of Zabuza and Tazuna. Team 7 was to strike Gato's headquarters tonight in a two part attack. Team 7 was the decoy and was responsible for taking care of the mercenaries. Meanwhile Shin would kidnap Gato while the enemy was distracted.

Kakashi took the liberty of telling Tazuna and Tsunami the lives of his students. Inari had apologized to the shinobi after he was scolded by Tsunami. After hearing about their lives, Inari regretted his shouting and vowed to be like Kaiza. The one eyed shinobi had finished suiting up for the night assault on Gato's base. He exited the room and headed out of the house to find his team waiting for him. Shin had went on ahead to personally scout the area.

Team 7 had already said their goodbyes to Tazuna and his family. They made their way towards the unfinished bridge. At the end of the bridge, two figures stood in their path. "It's about time you got here Kakashi." Zabuza announced as he and Haku stepped into the moon's light. Both were wearing their shinobi gear. "I was wondering if what that little brat told Haku was true." He asked while pointing to Naruto.

Kakashi eyed the duo cautiously, looking for a sign of an attack. Seeing nothing, the Jonin relaxed his posture. "What Naruto said to your apprentice is true. The civil war in Kirigakure is over with the rebels winning. Konohagakure will also offer you sanctuary if you choose not to return to Kiri." The Konoha-nin explained.

Kakashi didn't exactly hold any power regarding missing-nin hoping to join the village. That power belonged to the Hokage and the council. The most he could do was back the missing-nin's case. As long as Zabuza didn't know that, they would be able to avoid unnecessary fighting. Plus Konohagakure would gladly welcome one of the seven swordsman of the mist and his apprentice.

"Who's the Mizukage?" Zabuza asked as he was still skeptical.

"The current Mizukage goes by the name of Terumi Mei." Kakashi informed. He had learned the information from Shin. Team 7 noticed how Zabuza froze as the name was said. He was muttering things like 'shit she's going to kill me when she finds me', 'why did they make that temperamental bitch Mizukage', and 'I need to run as far away as possible'. Haku was confused by her master's demeanor as he wasn't afraid of anyone.

"A-are you absolutely sure you got that name right?" Zabuza asked, his voice shaking throughout. Kakashi nodded as he was surprised that Zabuza's tough guy act had disappeared. "Well Haku, looks like we're going to Konoha." The swordsman told his disciple. The masked kunoichi was shocked at the turn of events. While she expected Zabuza to end his contract with Gato, she believed that they would be heading back to Kirigakure.

Naruto inwardly cheered that his friend would be coming back to Konohagakure with them. He flashed a smile to Haku to show his happiness. Sasuke and Sakura didn't have much input in the decision. Kakashi was relieved that the mission got easier.

"The only problem we have is my contract with Gato. I'm a man that carries out my duty so I still need to kill the bridge builder." Zabuza commented as he grabbed the handle of Kubikiriboncho.

"What if I told you that Gato has hired 200 mercenaries in hopes of killing you and our client?" Kakashi asked as he threw a piece of paper to Zabuza that Shin had snatched from Gato's files. Zabuza caught it and read the contents. The paper seemed authentic as it had Gato's signature and stamp on it.

"Looks like I have a little man to kill." Zabuza answered, tearing the paper into shreds.

"You won't be able to kill Gato since one of our men is going to kidnap him but you can tag along as we take out his base." Kakashi suggested, giving Zabuza a way to vent his anger.

"Fine but if I see that overgrown rat, I'll be the last thing he sees." Zabuza agreed. The swordsman's words were filled with malice. Team 7 was glad the man was now on their side.

The group of six headed towards their destination. When they arrived Kakashi stopped the group from advancing to plan. They needed to tweak the plan because Zabuza and Haku were here. "Alright we may only be fighting bandits and mercenaries but I want you to be careful. A single mistake could cost your life." Kakashi spoke to his team.

"Don't tell me these brats haven't killed before?" Zabuza scoffed in disbelief. After all, he killed his entire graduation class when he was around their age. Haku experienced her first kill when she killed her father and a mob that was chasing her. He was shocked when Kakashi nodded to his question. "Damn it, I don't want to deal with them freezing up after their first kills." Zabuza complained.

The Genins didn't know how to respond. Although they knew shinobi had to kill, the act of killing was something foreign to them. No amount of training or books could prepare them for taking someone's life. Kakashi noticed how silent his team was.

"As much as I don't want them to experience killing, they would have to one day. I would rather them kill someone with me around than on their own." Kakashi said. His students slowly steeled themselves for what was to come. At Kakashi's signal, everyone leapt towards the camp. There was 4 tents in front the large house were Gato was located. Kakashi and Zabuza quickly took care of the watchmen with a quick slice to the throat. The blood splattered all across the ground, making the grass look crimson.

The Genins looked away from the scene. Haku, Zabuza, and Kakashi began going through hand seals. Haku was the first to finish and she raised her arm to fire her jutsu. "Hyoton: Kōri no Hashira (Ice Release: Ice Pillars)." Several ice pillars of varying sizes erupted from the ground, hitting everyone that was in the range of the jutsu. Team 7 was surprised at not only the Kekkei Genkai but also from the use of just one hand to execute the jutsu. People that avoided the pillars escaped out into the open.

Zabuza, not wanting to be upstarted by his disciple, went next. "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)." Huge amounts of water sprang from Zabuza's mouth and formed a giant waterfall. The water drowned several enemies while dragging others away. The enemies were soaked from head to toe.

Kakashi, hoping to capitalize on the water, fired his jutsu. "Raiton: Jibashi (Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder)." Kakashi struck the ground and electrified the water. Anyone on the water was shocked by the lightning.

Gato's troops were frozen, soaked, and electrified in the span of a few seconds. Those that were still standing suffered some sort of damage. What originally were two hundred strong, was reduced to a measly seventy-five. To diminish their hopes even further, Shin walked out from the large house with a roped and gagged Gato. The Root ANBU waved and then left the battlefield with Gato in tow. With many of their comrades down and their employer captured, the bandits ran for their lives. Unfortunately not all of them ran as some became enraged and prepared to attack the shinobi.

"Kakashi let the younger ones deal with this lot. They need to know what the real world is like." Zabuza advised. The Jonin wanted to protest so his students wouldn't experience the horrors of killing but he knew Zabuza's logic was correct. "Haku, lower the odds for Kakashi's brats." As soon as Zabuza commanded, senbons penetrated the attacking mercenaries. They collapsed in a heap, paralyzed from the sudden attack. It left only six remaining bandits to be dealt with.

The Genins quickly separated from each other so that they would only had to worry about two opponents. Sasuke was able to hit one of them with a Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique). The mercenary yelled in pain as his arm was seared with flames and he toppled over in pain. The other one tried to take Sasuke by surprise by attacking from behind but was met by a kunai to the jugular. Blood splattered all over Sasuke's face as the man's life drained away. Sasuke slowly wiped the warm blood from his face with his arm warmer. He was able to feel bile rising up but he pushed it back down. The Uchiha boy had experienced something more gut-wrenching before but it didn't make to first kill any easier.

Sakura's opponents fared better than Sasuke's but was still overmatched. A quick Bunshin no Jutsu was all that was needed as her opponents became confused on which one to take. By the time they realized the real one wasn't among them, the kunoichi had embedded their chests with kunai. It seems that Sakura had misfired while aiming for their heart, but in reality her desire to not kill changed the direction of the attack. That only made it worse for her two enemies as they were hurting and quickly loosing blood. They stared at her with eyes full of hate as they tried one last ditch effort. Retrieving two more kunais, this time her aim didn't miss. The men fell down to the ground as the sharp metal punctured their hearts. Turning away from the scene, the kunoichi was unable to control her stomach. She vomited her dinner on the red stained grass.

Naruto was up against two men who seemed to rely heavily on their physical strength. They attempted to tackle the smaller Naruto but the blonde simply leapt over them. He hesitated in drawing his sword. That slight hesitation allowed the brutes to recover their balance. This continued until one managed to grab a hold of him. Instinctively he drew his sword and gutted the man that was holding him in the stomach. The man released his hold, clutching his wound in pain. The jinchuriki had no time to process what had happened as the other man swung at him. Dodging the fist, Naruto retaliated by directing his blade towards his opponent's skull. The metal pierced through attacker's head, instantly killing the man. The blonde retracted his blade as blood gushed out the open wound. The body collapsed on the bloody ground with a thud.

Naruto was in a daze, unsure what had happened. The other man with the stomach injury screamed at the death of his comrade. He got on his feet as he stood straight up. "YOU MONSTER!" The man yelled out in rage, charging at the blond. Naruto countered with a swipe to the man's jugular. Blood erupted from the injury, spraying red liquid all over the blonde's attire. Some had managed to land on his hair and face. Naruto didn't register the man collapsing on the ground nor Haku's hand on his shoulder as the adrenaline wore off. The only thing he noticed was that his once white blade had been dyed crimson.

Reviews:

emilbootanimefreak – I'm actually a fan of Samui as well. So I was glad that Samui was able to sneak in, although it was at the expense of Anko. Shadow clones are always abused by writers so I wanted to do something different.

APieceOfPie4Everybody011 – You're welcome. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Ryuujin96 – I hope the fights met your expectations. I also realized my mistake in training Sasuke and not Naruto but I think I was able to redeem it. Kakashi will be more involved with Naruto as well as several other people. Again, thanks for the help.

Please read my stuff – Thank you for reading!

skg1991 – It was my fault that Kakashi forgot about Naruto but I think I redeemed it. Genjutsu training will be coming up soon, I think. I think Sasuke learning several jutsu is a little much but I believe it's possible. Of course compared to Itachi, he isn't as good but who is? Itachi didn't master every jutsu if I recall but he's still a badass.

gual1 – Glad that my story flows well. Thanks for answering my question and I agree after reading your explanation.

NinjaFang1331 – Haku's coming to Konoha with Naruto. If she didn't, well let's say I would have lots of changing to do.

.9 – I've addressed the C-Rank Jutsu problem in the A.N. above. I really wished I let Mikoto alive but her death was necessary for another reason. Shisui did die a couple of days before the massacre but I forgot… Well let's just say I made his death earlier so Danzo could use Kotoamatsukami.

DragonPony022 – If you have any jutsu suggestions, I'll gladly hear them since it's hard to come up with my own sometimes. Tsunade's coming up in the next chapter and she'll be more involved. Everyone always point out that I forget her. You people love Tsunade.

Deltablacknaruto – I believe I answered your questions by PM but oh well. You already knew about my decision to split this story before most. That basically answered your entire review lol. Thanks for the help as well!

Trace Reading – I've followed your advice and separated the speeches. I like Naruto in his trademark outfit but the dark colors are like camo for soldiers. ANBU regularly wear dark colors and they rely on stealth even though they aren't a main part of the Naruto Universe. Out on the field, he would be able to blend in with the environment. In towns, he could simply use Henge into civilians or wear other clothing.

chm01 – I've addressed your question in the A.N.

Waldo Santiago – Thanks for reviewing each chapter even though you just needed to review the latest one. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. You people are making me regret even killing Mikoto but her death was necessary. Danzo's easily one of Naruto's top villains since he manipulated so many people. You say my story is beyond crazy but it's simplistic. Isn't that contradicting? Lol oh well. Thank you for pointing out that I write too many summaries, I'm trying to get to canon storyline so I didn't want to stay in the introductory too long.

loganhunter2 – Thank you for reviewing each chapter. Basics may not beat S class but a simple kunai can kill any enemy. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is used so often that I wanted to try something new. I already explained my reasons for no NaruIno. I addressed the rest of your questions in the A.N. I hope this story gets a 10/10 from you one day.

Finnish Paragade – I'm sorry but I don't quite understand your review. What unbreakable rules am I breaking and why is it disappointing?

kingdom219 – Thanks for the support and I hope to progress them even further.

narumulti – Thanks for the support and I'll try to update as fast as possible.

bandgsecurityaw – Thank you for reading this work!

imgonnadie – Thank you and hope you liked this chapter as well.

125b – Thanks, I hope it continues to meet your expectations.