Disclaimer: I do not
own Naruto or Final Fantasy.
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Chapter 7: The Blades of Chaos
Inari stood outside, crying his heart out. The dinner was a complete disaster, to all parties involved. The boy is quite at fault, no doubt about it, having once again thrown one of his tantrums at the exhausted sight of Sakura and Sasuke. Unfortunately, this time, Kakashi was not quick enough to prevent a rather thoughtless comment from Nazo that ended in the boy fleeing from the house, tears trailing behind him.
It was quite sometime before the young boy noticed someone standing near him, staring at the pale crescent moon as it shone down upon the earth. He could not make out too much of the figure; save for the long blonde locks that flowed past his shoulders. For a while neither spoke, then the figure turned his gaze upon Inari, and it was all Inari could do to stay rooted to the spot. Though the apparition seemed no older than the Genins inside his house, the boy standing before him seemed to have hailed from another plane of existence all together. His eyes were as bitter ice, freezing, and yet burning to the touch, and all about him the air hung thick, unnaturally so.
"Who…who are you?" At last Inari found the courage to question the stranger, his muscle tensing in preparation for an escape.
"Strength… what does it mean to be strong?" The figure asked as he returned his gaze to the uncaring moon. His voice was low, as though speaking to himself. "To protect someone precious… that is where true strength comes…"
To protect someone precious… is to be truly strong… Inari stared at the stranger in surprise. Somehow, the words spoke to him; they seemed to resonate with something inside of him… something someone told him a long time ago.
'If something is precious to you… protect it with all the strength you got… even at the risk…of your own life!'
"Dad?" He whispered, clutching his cloth tighter about himself. "Is what you said true? Then… all this time… have I been running away?"
Mama… Grandpa… They were all precious to Inari, and yet all he ever did was cause them pain… He should be protecting his precious persons, but instead, he had made them suffer needlessly.
"I'm sorry… dad." Inari murmured, trying to keep back the overflowing tears as memories flowed back to him, reminding him the horrible tribulations he had caused his family to endure. "I… I won't run away anymore… I protect them… even at the risk of my life!"
Yet when he looked up again, the stranger was gone.
"Are you okay?"
Kakashi stared worriedly at the young boy. He had reprimanded Nazo severely for such reckless words, and yet no amount of scolding could undo the hurt that Nazo had caused. But to his surprise, Inari was smiling weakly. It wasn't the smile that had taken the Sharingan master by surprise, it was the light of change shining in the boy's eyes that had shocked him. They were full of a conviction that Kakashi knew all too well… he had seen it in the eyes of so many great shinobi. It was the will of fire, through even death it self.
"I'm fine now." Inari's smile grew brighter as the two of them headed back towards the house. "I know what I must do now."
"Really?" At this, the silver haired Jonin raised an eyebrow. This was certainly more than he had expected. Many a man wanders through life, having lost all sights of themselves, and yet here, a mere ten years old boy had found his own path.
"Yep." Inari declared, somewhat loudly. "An angel showed me the way."
Unbeknownst to the two figures, Naruto watched the exchange from above in silence, marveling at the irony of it all. An angel indeed, he thought grimly, demon is a more appropriate term. Yet if he is indeed a demon, why then would he have aided the boy in his self-search, why did he reveal his presence to the boy?
Because you wanted to be forgiven. A voice said in the back of his mind, a voice belonging to neither the fox, nor himself.
Forgiveness… is that what he wanted? To awash away his sins, one small stain at a time. Haku had changed him, changed him in at an alarming rate. Years of frost had begun to melt away, slowly restoring the human that lay beneath. He could still not be called wholly mortal, but stronger and stronger; his frozen heart began to beat.
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Inari sobbed quietly to himself as he sat, hugging his knees close about himself. He was still so useless… so weak. He can't even defend his own mama, when she most needed him. If not for his cowardliness, she might still be free, instead of being taken hostage by Gato's sword wielding thugs.
They stormed the house looking for someone that they might capture, someone that they could use as a trump card against the ninjas, and the old bridge builder who the ninjas protected. Granted, it is a dirty trick that they are concocting, but it remains throughout history as a damn effective one. These shinobis holds themselves as more or less heroes, and self righteous fools like them could never allow an innocent damsel to die before their very eyes, now can they?
Even if the ninjas do not relent, it is doubtful that Tazuna would allow any harm to come to his only daughter. Either way, things would work out perfectly for Gato and his criminal empire.
One thing led to another, and soon Tsunami found her self making a desperate bargain with the two samurais. In exchange for her cooperation, they would allow Inari to go free… and alive. Without any other choice – for the woman threatened to bite through her tongue – the two men agreed and sent Inari to the family kitchen, where he now sat crying.
Why was he so damn weak? Inari questioned as his fist clenched tightly, his nails digging into the flesh. He promised to become stronger, promised to have a stronger resolve, and yet in the face of danger, he found himself nothing more than the child he had been before, pathetic, helpless, and alone. He couldn't do a thing to help his mother; he couldn't even protect her from lowly criminals like those two swordsmen… Why is he so damn weak?
Everyone else is so strong… so awesome…The small boy thought sadly as the faces of his family and the ninjas resurfaced. His grandpa, Tazuna, who wanted to restore the Wave country, even at the risk of death… Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura… Even though the battle against Gato is something they did not need to concern themselves, these shinobis of leaf nevertheless spited the evil that threatened Wave. These people… they were so strong… because they fought not for personal gains… but to defend an ideal.
"I… I won't run away anymore… I protect them… even at the risk of my life!" He said that, hasn't he? He made a promise… no, an oath to himself. He won't run away anymore… He will stand… and fight! Can I be strong too…daddy?
With that thought, the young boy stood up, a new light burning in his eyes. Without hesitation, Inari charged out of the broken doorway, running full speed towards the samurais that held his mother prisoner.
"It's a pity, you know." As Inari reaffirmed his resolve, one of the samurai had chuckled as he stroked Tsunami's face. "That the boss wanted her unharmed. With a face and body like that, she'd make a fine lay."
The other man laughed lecherously, though his hands still held on to his weapon, incase the woman made any sudden movements. "Well, once he's done, there still might be something left of the lass for us, eh?"
Tsunami said nothing, her eyes gazing steadily forward, her lips pale with disgust. Yet no fear flickered across her face, even as the two men discussed, with great vigor, the various things they would have subjected her body to. She will not allow them to see the terror in her heart, to give them the satisfaction of knowing that they hold power over her.
Then her eyes opened wide as she detected movements from behind her, and a single scream escaped her mouth.
"INARI…NO!"
But too late, already the two samurais are running top speed towards the boy, their face alight with a joyous savagery. Finally, after so long without blood, their weapons could once more sate their thirst.
Yet even as their shadows descended upon Inari, thin red lines appeared all over their body, lines that grew and branched, until it covered their whole bodies like some misshapen web. Their movement ceased even as they tried to unsheathe their blades, and there, before Inari the two men stood still, as though they have been turned to stone.
Suddenly, without warning, there came a sound as fleeting and unreal as a passing nightmare, chilling and merciless. The voice was soft, and yet all that was present heard its words. It was as though some ethereal and unseen phantom had whispered next to their ears, though they could not feel a thing.
"You who are a disgrace to the path of the sword… die by the art you so tainted." The voice was neither full of hatred or anger, yet it was more settling than either. "Sword Art – Flash."
As the word fell silent, the eyes of the two samurai widened as their souls fled from their body, a single second of absolute silence passed, and the two men's bodies exploded into bloody mists. When the red haze has settled, nothing remained of them but droplets of blood that clung on to the earth and stones.
'I have discovered your associate's location. It would seem as though they are currently under siege by two other Mana signatures. One of them remains alien to me, but the other one should be very well known to you.' Kyuubi spoke up suddenly, as Naruto had once more dismissed his blade.
The blonde nodded as he took to the skies, wondering whose presence the fox might have sensed. The number of individuals that are 'well known' to the boy is far and few in between. In fact, now that he thinks on it, only three human in this world could have made the claim. One is the Hokage and the other being Kakashi… and the last…
"…Is it you… Haku?"
So fate has chosen us to meet in combat. Naruto mused as he flew, his cloak billowing behind him. So be it then… Show me… Haku, this strength you claim… Show me the power that comes from your precious person.
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"Aero."
Sharingan Kakashi sighed in relief as the heavy mist Zabuza had gathered was blown away by a sudden gale, just in time for him to intercept a bone-crushing blow from the mist-nin. Though he managed to guard against the blow, the force of the punch nevertheless sent him skidding backward, right next to the black cloaked form of Uzumaki Naruto, who watched Kakashi rise to his feet with amusement… or at least as close to it as the feeling-less boy could muster.
Sakura gasped as her eyes opened wide in recognition. She remember this boy! It was the same one she had found unconscious in Konoha Park! But what on earth is that same strange – 'and handsome too', piped in her inner persona – doing in a place like this? More importantly, why is her sensei looking at the boy with a mixture of relief and annoyance?
"Took your sweet time, huh?" Kakashi asked as he dusted the debris from his Jonin vest. Although from the crinkling of his eye, it is not too difficult to tell that he is not truly angry with the stoic boy.
"Forgive me." Naruto said as his hand glowed green, and soon a soothing light covered the Jonin. To the amazement of all, Zabuza included, the wounds on the Jonin healed at a visible rate, the gashes and bruises closing and disappearing before their very eyes. "Certain matter arose that required my intervention."
A medic Nin? Zabuza wondered as he took several step away from the conversing duo. If the boy is indeed a master of the healing jutsus, then this battle may well be against him. But still, it made no sense. The medic techniques that Zabuza had known all focused on only specific areas… to be able to heal the entire body, as the strange youth had demonstrated, would have required unfathomable Chakra, as well as unrivaled control. If the boy is that good, then not even Zabuza could have stood against him. Besides, judging by his weapon, the boy seemed to be proficient… no… a master at swordplay, effectively doubling his threat.
Then there is the strange Justu the boy had displayed, the one that banished his fog. Zabuza had never even heard of an attack called Aero before, let alone understand its strength and weakness. The unknown is a shinobis' greatest enemy, and Zabuza have no intention of fighting against a foe he knows nothing about. He had been confident in his battle against Kakashi, because Haku had analyzed the Sharingan user's performance… but against this boy…
"Blizzard."
Massive pillar of ice rose up from the earth, converging towards the astounded swordsman. With a loud curse Zabuza jumped upward, in order to avoid a bloody death. Yet even as he sailed skyward, Zabuza felt a shadow casting over him, and lifting his eyes, saw to his horror the descending form of Naruto. He had barely enough time to raise his Zanbato in defense before the long nodachi slammed him back down to earth below. Zabuza could feel his blade cracking under the monstrous strength of Naruto's blow; he could feel his bone giving away.
"Shit." He growled as he watched the boy running towards him again. Without a second to spare, Zabuza launched into a series of hand gestures. Just before Naruto's blade reached him, the Demon of the Mist finished the last seal.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu! (Hidden Mist Technique)"
For the second time that day, the fog rolled in, thick and blinding, engulfing the battlefield in its heavy presence. And for the second time came the whirling storm, scattering the mist from the still incomplete bridge. Unfortunately, the mist had merely served as a distraction, in order to buy Zabuza more time. For even as the haze faded, the Demon of the Mist stood triumphantly upon the rolling waters below Naruto.
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu! (Water Release: Water Dragon Missile)"
As though responding to his command, the water around the man surged forth, rising and twisting, forming into the shape of a massive serpentine dragon. The aqua creature gave a roar of fury as it charged towards the blonde, an unstoppable tidal wave of destruction.
Yet no worry reached the boy's eyes as he pointed his right hand towards the raging dragon, as though with that single gesture, he could tame the frenzied beast.
"Blizzard."
The effect was instantaneous. Slowly, from its snout first, the water that created the dragon froze solid, until the once menacing serpent became nothing more than a gigantic ice sculpture, one that glowed rainbow beneath the sunlight.
Before Zabuza had time to recover from his shock, Naruto came at him again, catching him unawares. Steel met steel as the two swordsmen clashed, and once more Zabuza felt the large Zanbato in his hand trembling at the force of the blow. With all the might that he could muster, Zabuza swung, pushing the boy back several steps, where he stood, hovering a few feet above the water.
Then Naruto move, this time the boy, with a wave of his hand, dismissed Muramasa, much to Zabuza's surprise and anger. In a battle between the swords, to sheath away one's weapon before the battle is done is either an act of surrender, or a grave insult. However, the man had no time to feel slighted, for before he could make a move of his own, the boy charged, forming an orb of purest Chakra in each hand. Yet it was not that alone which surprised and even frightened Zabuza, but the fact that his opponent could command two elements simultaneously.
For on his left hand, Naruto held a blazing sphere of fire, and on his right, a sphere of artic cold. Without a word the twin spheres left his open palms and flew at Zabuza, almost as if they possessed a mind of their own. The missing-nin barely managed to escape the impact as the twin orbs collided, creating a massive explosion more devastating the he could ever hope to achieve.
Panting, the self proclaimed Demon managed to land on the bridge again, but before he could perform a single Jutsu, or even speak a single word, a nodachi pierced his chest. The missing-nin gave a gurgling death cry, and fell back into a puddle of water.
A water clone? Naruto frowned at the sight, remembering the technique that he had seen in the Hokage's library. If this Zabuza is only a second rate replica, then the real Zabuza must be… Behind me.
A wall of ice rose up behind Naruto, just as a massive Zanbato streaked towards the blonde. The crystal glacier shattered beneath the impact of the attack, leaving its summoner unharmed.
As the ice wall faded into nothing, several more Zabuza came charging at the boy, all of whom were promptly banished into puddles of water as spikes of ice exploded from the earth all around Naruto, like the sudden birth of some strange and deadly flower.
"Damn!" The real Zabuza growled in frustration as he stepped into view. There was no way to win against the boy at all. Each time he attempted something, the boy simply countered it with those insane techniques, techniques that he had never even heard of. Hell, if he is not careful, he might not even survive the bout. Who…whatever the boy is, he is a hell lot more dangerous than even Kakashi. How the hell did I get into this mess again?
Yet his reveries were cut short as Kakashi's voice sounded above the silence. "Naruto, go and help Sasuke. I may not be in my top shape right now, but I can handle Zabuza well enough."
"As you wish." Before Zabuza could speak, Naruto jumped past him and into the prison of mirrors beyond. With a curse Zabuza picked up his sword, and turned to face Kakashi, his eyes radiating silent fury.
"It seems I was no match for your friend." He growled as he dropped into a fighting stance. "But fighting against you should be a different matter."
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"Is this the first time you've seen a comrade die before your eyes?" Haku asked calmly as she stepped from her mirrors and focused her gaze upon the two boys. She had been surprised by how fiercely the Uchiha had fought against her, to the point that he was able to awaken his own bloodline limit. A battle is a battle, and though she respects him as a ninja, it did not change their relationship. But for some inexplicable reason, she could not bring her self to deliver the killing blow; only induce the raven-haired teen in a comatose like state of rest. He should recover soon, and by then, it would be all over. "Such is the path we ninjas must tread."
Nazo's glance shifted from the advancing presence of Haku to the 'dead' Sasuke, and suddenly, the rich boy dropped to his knees and groveled before Haku, much to the girl's disgust.
"P…please… don't kill me!" The boy whimpered as he retreated on hands and knees. "I… I can't even fight! I…I'm not a threat to you, honest! Look… You killed Uchiha right? I mean, he is actually kind of dangerous to you… but I'm a failure at this shinobi stuff and I promise I won't try anything if you spare my life! My parents are filthy rich… I'm not lying! And…and if you let me go… I'll pay whatever you want!"
Haku's expression changed from one of pity to the deepest loathing. His friend… his comrade had just 'sacrificed' his very own life to save this boy, and yet this scum would beg for mercy from his comrade's assailant? Her eyes narrowed, Haku summoned several needles between her delicate fingers. There was not a shred of mercy in her eyes as she regarded the boy.
"Die."
The needles flew true, or would have, had not a blinding flash silver interceded their path. A single nodachi stood quivering before her, its blade buried deep into the earth. The sword is massive, even for a nodachi, as long as the Zanbato Zabuza wields, perhaps even longer by several inches. The surface of the weapon is unadorned, though several points of dim light seemed to shimmer within the sword itself. Though the blade looked unmarked and untainted, the well-worn hilt of the nodachi told quite another tale. Around the sword lay the scattered pieces of the senbon needles that the deadly steel pierced in its flight.
"This is enough." A voice sounded behind the startled Haku, who, upon turning, found her self staring into those hypnotic azure eyes that she had come to know all too well. Shame washed over the girl as she stepped away from Naruto, drawing several more needles in the process. He found out… as she feared he would. What would happen now… to her?
"Yeah! Kick his ass!" Nazo, upon seeing the sight, leapt up with joy, all his terrors forgotten as he beheld the sight of his savior. "I told you I'm someone important! See, they even sent… ugh!"
Even before he could finish the sentence, a blast of lightning smote where he stood, sending the unfortunate Genin crushing into one of the ice mirrors, effectively rendering him unconscious, and silencing his wretched words.
"Do stay quiet." Naruto muttered and turned to Haku again, his eyes revealing none of the hurt, the betrayal Haku had anticipated. There was only a sense of hard to make out peace that the surrounded the boy. "Haku…"
Why is he so calm? Haku wondered as she removed her mask hesitantly. Why isn't he angry that she had practically lied to him about everything. All this time, her words had been hallow, whispers of untruth that she could not follow. Yet he was not angry despite all that. Why?
"Why?" Haku found her lips move despite her mind. "Why did you come here? You weren't supposed to see me like this!" Tears trailed down her cheeks as her words grew weaker and weaker. It tore her apart to have to lie to Naruto, for in the short times that they were together, their friendship had turned into something more for Haku. Something that was almost like… love.
Yet what occurred next no one, this world or the next, could have believed. In an act of gentleness that was utterly alien to the boy, Naruto reached up and brushed away the falling tears.
"Why do you cry?" He asked puzzled. Though Haku had awakened the shadow of humanity inside him, he still could not understand the mental tortures that humans put themselves through. Yet somehow, for reasons totally beyond his comprehension, instead of calm down the poor girl, it made her tears flow all the faster. Then, without realizing what he is doing, Naruto gathered the girl into his arms, where she leaned against him, her frame raked with sobs.
"I… I lied to you!" She stuttered as she managed to control her emotions once more, though she seemed reluctant to leave Naruto's embrace. Is this love she is feeling, or simply a sense of belonging? "I said children are born without sins… and yet… and yet…"
Naruto frowned. He honestly did not see how this could have inspired such sorrow within the once placid girl he had met in the woods. For that matter, why did his body react to Haku's sadness in such a manner, when his mind was still processing the various solutions that he could take? It seems to the swordsman that more and more, his body is acting independently of his mind, which, in his case, is not a good thing.
Luckily, it seems that these moments occur only when he is around females, primarily Haku. Perhaps it is a natural reaction due to his biological structuring, the blonde thought, trying to identify the cause for his irrational behaviors. While he has never had the talk of 'birds and bees', Naruto did not truly need it, all that information, along with history, mathematics, physics, chemistry, politics and more are stored within his brain, as result of the various experiments that molded him into the weapon that he is today.
Or maybe, just maybe, it is the result of the unconscious influence left behind by Zack, during the times they traveled together. Despite being somewhat of a womanizer, Zack always considered himself a knight and champion for the fairer sex, and always stressed the point to Naruto as well, though the latter was far too impassive at the time to give the thought a damn. Perhaps the words left a deeper impact than any of them had thought.
Whatever the cause, when Naruto spoke again, the harshness of his voice is noticeably suppressed, though not without some effort on his part.
"I did not befriend you because you are sinless." Naruto said slowly, feeling Haku's warm form tensing in his arms. "I befriended you because in spite of your sins, you looked at the brighter side of life, in spite of your taint, you retained the purity and innocence that I was never allowed."
Haku pulled away from him and delved deep into those oceanic depth. "Is…is this true?" She asked in a trembling voice, hoping against hope that moments from now, the scene would not shatter into dreams.
Naruto nodded in confirmation. Why did humans feel the need to repeat their questions, in order to secure their faith?
Haku showed Naruto a teary smile as the ice mirrors began to dissolve around them. Then all of a sudden, her eyes opened wide as realization hit her like a speeding train. "Oh my god! Zabuza-sama!" In her encounter with the blonde, all thought of the man that had saved her was forgotten. And the knowledge of this upset her immensely. How could it be, that the presence, the existence of someone who she had known for mere days overshadow, even so much as to bury the presence of someone who she had served her whole life? Was Naruto so important to her that already, he has replaced the place of Zabuza in her heart? Yet even as she dashed full speed towards the two Jonins, she felt Naruto's hands holding her back.
"No." In a voice much colder than before, Naruto held the struggling girl still. "Their battle is one much higher than your current level, your intervention would only result in needless injury. Remain here, I will see to it that their battle is ended without bloodshed."
Haku nodded, placing her faith in the boy that was both close and distant to her. She did not know why she felt so great a trust towards the reserved blonde, but she did not really care for the reason either.
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Naruto could not have picked a better time to appear, according to Zabuza as he later recounted the encounter. The Demon of Kiri was held down by the various Ninkens Kakashi had summoned, totally defenseless to whatever Jutsus the copy-nin might throw his way. And it so happens that the shinobi in question is in the process of forming one of his most powerful techniques yet – the lightning blade Raikiri.
"You're willing to sacrifice this place and everyone in it, just to advance your own ambitions. That is not what a true shinobi does." Kakashi growled as visible Chakra cackled around his right hand. Both his eyes – the normal and the Sharingan are wide open, and both are fixated upon the trapped missing-nin.
" Spare me the lectures Kakashi." Zabuza snarled in rage, trying but failing to shake the dogs loose from his body, though his efforts are doomed to fail. "I am fighting for my own ideals… and I am not about to be stopped by soft fools like yourselves."
"I see." Kakashi sighed as even more Chakra gathered in his right hand, his fingers bent, as though clutching some invisible object. The dust around his feet swirled wildly, their movements induced by the power of the Raikiri. "Then your future is death."
At full speed, Kakashi charged, leaving behind a trail of lightning in his awake. The earth parted and gave away beneath the awesome force of the Jutsu, and the very air seemed to burn before its unstoppable path of destruction. One of the primary weakness of the Raikiri lies in its need for its users to travel in a linear line, thereby exposing him or herself to many possibilities of danger and counter attack. But against a foe whose actions are immobilized, the Thunder Blade Jutsu means death itself.
So this is it… This is the way I die. Zabuza chuckled scornfully as he waited for death to come. He was not a coward by any definition, and he will not face death in any way save for with open eyes.
Yet inches before him chest, Kakashi's hand, and by extension the Raikiri was stayed, not by the man's own will, but by the hands of the same cloaked boy he had encountered earlier.
"I apologize for this, Kakashi-san." Naruto said as he dispelled the Jutsu without so much as turning a hair. "But I am afraid the man you call Zabuza shall not die today."
"I do not need your pity!" Zabuza roared in rage as he broke from the hold of the Ninkens and charged towards Kakashi. He may be a missing-nin, but he is still the Demon of the Mist, still of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu! He has no sunken so low yet as to accept pity from a mere child! "If I must go down fighting, then so be it!"
Kakashi sighed as he easily side stepped the exhausted Mist-nin's attack, and appearing behind Zabuza, buried one of his kunais deep in the man's arm, rendering it useless in combat.
"Now you can't use your arms, and your Chakra supply is long dry." Kakashi stated coolly as he regarded the defeated shinobi before him. Zabuza may have committed unimaginable atrocities in the past, but he fought each battle with a determination and will that could be found on very few ninjas these days. "Give up Zabuza."
"Heh heh heh…" A voice suddenly sounded behind the combatants, a voice dripping with malice and cruelty. Zabuza's eyes widened as he realized whom the voice belonged to. "He made a fine mess of you, didn't he?"
Gato chuckled darkly as he stepped into view, and behind him stood some fifty samurais, thugs, and other lowlifes, all regarding the ninjas as though they were already dead. "There has been a change of plan, I am afraid." The multi-billionaire laughed jovially, his eyes however, remained mirthless behind the glasses. "Or to be more precise, your plan."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed in barely contained fury as he spat out the words from between gritted teeth. "So you planned this all along then, Gato?"
Gato snickered at the accusation, his hands resting on the expensive walking stick. "But of course, demon, I am a business man, after all. You nukenins are all the same, brainless fools who are so eager to tear each other apart… and by the time you're done; common thugs like the ones behind me can just finish off the rest. Efficient and a hell lot more inexpensive than actually going through with my end of the bargain."
"You filthy slime." Zabuza growled, though at his current condition, it is doubtful that he could do much to Gato. "Kakashi-san, it would appear that our fight is over. There is no more need for me to assassinate that bridge builder over there."
Kakashi could only nod. "Yeah."
"What more can you do, even if the two of you team up against me?" Gato sneered at the scene with obvious contempt in his eyes. "Both of you have worn each other out so that even commoner bandits could take your life."
"True as that maybe…" A voice called out, as several needle buried themselves in the ground before the criminal bosses, causing him to stumble backward in fright and surprise. "But you seem to forget about me… Gato."
"H…Haku!" Zabuza, for the first time in his entire life, looked thunderstruck. He had thought for sure, when Haku did not come for him, that some tragic fate has befallen the girl… yet here she stood, without so much as a scratch on her… At this, he shot Naruto a curious glance.
Even Kakashi's single eye went wide with astonishment. Uzumaki Naruto had actually allowed his enemy to live… not only that, but the blonde had allowed his enemy to go completely unharmed? The copy-nin silently debated with himself whether or not to change his religion as to avoid the Armageddon that is sure to follow.
"You!" Gato screamed in true fear as he quickly ran behind his 'body guards'. "How the hell are you still alive, demon slut?"
The man could not have picked a poorer choice of word if he had tried. For even as he spoke, he found himself the target of two massive killing intent, both of which are short lived as a killing aura washed over the field. Naruto's face still retained its frozen composure as he stepped in front of Haku, but his eyes spoke a different tale. Waves of terror radiated from his body, and washed over Gato's thug. It was not the ordinary killing intent that many shinobi had mastered, indeed, for the aura that oozed from Naruto's being possessed such intensity as to be almost material. Water frozen solid as it passed, and plants withered and died. Frost covered the summer's earth in its wake, and the air it self grew icy.
"Do not insult her." His words seemed to hail from Makai it self, emotionless, and quiet as death. "For your words… you shall burn in the infernos of hell."
Bringing his blade forth, Naruto pointed the sword at Gato, and from his lips a single word escaped. A command that stirred the very elements around them. "Thunder."
As the last syllable is lost to the wind, the clouds above them shifted, hiding the sun from mortal's view, and casting the earth below into shadows. Slowly the blackened clouds swirled above Gato and his men, like a brewing maelstrom waiting to be unleashed. Then from the eye of the storm, a single bolt of lightning streaked downward, carrying with it the vengeance of the thunder god. That single bolt is soon joined by another, then another as it slammed into the ground where Gato stood, petrified by the event transpiring in front of his eyes. A dome of blinding light covered the earth, accompanied by the deafening roar of thunder. As the light dissipated, all that is left of Gato and the mercenaries that he hired is a single smoking crater of some thirty feet in diameter, filled with molten rocks, having melted in the intense heat.
"My god…" Tazuna was the first to express his amazement at the unholy display of power. He was not the only one, however, to be stunned by the sight. Even Zabuza felt something akin to terror as he beheld the boy. Although granted, boy is a relative term in describing Naruto.
"Well…" Kakashi spoke at last, breaking the silence. "What do we do now?"
Naruto looked up at the sound, and turned his gaze to Haku, who bit her lips in discomfort. She wanted to go with Naruto… but she can't just abandon Zabuza, who had saved her from death and raised her.
"Go with that boy." Zabuza spoke up suddenly. "The life of a nukenin does not suit you, Haku. You were always too soft… too innocent… this is no way to live for someone of your purity. You know, this battle made me realize something… whatever we say or do, we ninjas are all too human… I have lost everything when I committed treason against the Mist, but I do not want to loose you too. If I could not give you a past that you could recall with fondness, then I will make damn sure that your future is better than what I could give you."
"Zabuza-sama…" Haku whispered as she did her best to dam the tear welling up in her eyes.
"What about you then, Zabuza?" Kakashi questioned. "Why do you not come with us?" Even if he is a missing-nin, in their battle, Kakashi had almost come to respect the man. Besides, as one of the seven swordsmen of Kiri, the presence of Zabuza could only strengthen the might of Leaf – if he would swear his loyalty.
Zabuza laughed a harsh, grating laugh. "Do you truly believe the leaf will accept someone such as me? Someone with the blood of hundreds on his hand? I am a monster, Kakashi, and my place is the wild."
"They accepted me." Naruto spoke up quietly, and even Sakura found her self listening to his words. They were melancholic, filled with a sadness that was barely detectable. It was the first time Naruto had spoke of his past to anyone, even Kakashi.
"What do you know, boy, of killing?" Zabuza snorted, unimpressed. "Whatever crime you have committed, it could not compare to mine…"
"I have killed." Naruto said quietly, interrupting the larger man's words. Yet the way he spoke of taking a life sounded strange, as though it was no more special than eating breakfast in the morning. "For that was the purpose for which I was created. Yet if the Hokage would accept me into the confines of the village of Leaf, I do not see an exemption made of you."
An uncomfortable silence hung thick in the air, broken only by the sudden sound of coughing of Sasuke as he came to. Sakura gave a joyous squeal and made her way towards the fallen boy. Near him, Nazo also stirred.
"Heh." Zabuza shook his head in disbelief. "I must be going senile for me to say this. Very well, Kakashi… you have yourself a deal."
XXXXXX
Several days later
"So I guess this is goodbye, then." Tazuna said as he and the rest of the townspeople saw the party of seven off at the bridge. "We of the Wave will never forget the service you rendered for us. With Gato gone, we may yet be able to bring life back to this land, so make sure you come visiting soon!"
Kakashi's one eye crinkled, and he nodded in agreement. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Tazuna-san."
With that, the party departed, their forms growing smaller and smaller into the distance. Before they are gone completely however, Inari dashed from his mother's side and called loudly into the mist. "Hey! Guess what? We called it THE GREAT NARUTO BRIDGE!"
From beyond the haze, came a single reply, soft and clear.
"That… has a nice ring to it."
XXXXXX
Preview:
One thing leading to
another and Naruto found himself on yet another rescue mission, his
target – Team 8 and 10. Could he protect the two Genin teams from
the wrath of Iwa, or would they be the death of him?
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Read review and don't flame me! I am easily flammable! Ahhhhh!
