Previously on Storm God Naruto…

There was a strong wind blowing. It was originating from the blond before him. The red lightening was shooting from his body as well. Haku was troubled. He never sensed anything like that ever before. Just who was that kid?

The blond finally turned towards the ice user. His face still hidden in shadows, revealing only two red blazing points. Haku knew immediately, it was his eyes. They were so full of hatred and blood lust. They were hateful blood red instead of caring deep blue. And the iris was slit. The blond finally spoke, with painful and hateful tone, which could scare even a kage.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

Charter 10

Wave Mission- part 7- The Bridge to the future- part 3

The wind blew strong. It was as if naruto was the source of a taifun. Flames of red chakra on the blonde's body, bloody red eyes, sharp claws, ridiculously muscular arms and shoulders, the aura of pure hatred, red lightning, electric currents running through the senbons, that Haku impaled into the boy's flesh, and then burning as all the injuries were instantly healing in the hiss. It was terrifying. It was like seeing the storm itself.

"His wounds…" Haku whispered in awe. "They're healing so fast. And his eyes… Such blood lust… I MUST defeat him NOW." He threw his senbons, tending to finish this fight. But as his senbons were halfway, the blond roared, causing a shockwave so strong, the projectiles were deflected. The ice user was shocked. Such power in the scream alone. Then the blond shot forward. Haku barely noticed when he moved and disappeared within the mirror. Naruto stopped. A new wave of needles was send flying at him. The fox container caught them easily and threw them back where he saw his enemy.

No, correction. His prey.

Unfortunately, the fake hunter-nin disappeared again. Mad at this, the berserking blond grabbed the nearest mirror and hit the next with it. Haku, who appeared in the top mirror, saw this and was horrified. This child now was strong enough to break his mirrors with brute strength. He had to finish this quickly. So he appeared in all the mirrors at once and threw his senbons. All hit, but the blond did seem to even flinch. He just roared again, shooting them right back. Now he jumped at the top mirror himself, grabbed it and threw it down. While the blond was falling, Haku jumped out from the mirror behind him, performing a new setoff hand seals.

"Ice Style: Piercing Edge of Blizzards!" he called, and around him four katanas made of ice appeared. Naruto looked up, gritting his now fanged teeth. Once he touched the ground, he disappeared before the ice user had a change to hit with his jutsu. Haku looked around and tried to hide back in the mirror, but when he was just about to jump into one, he felt someone grab his masked face an squeeze him to the ground with incredible force. He opened his eyes and found himself underneath the blond.

"What's the matter?" Naruto asked through his fangs gritted. "Fight back." He raised his voice and hit Haku with a powerful punch to his face. Then he grabbed him by the neck and raised him as high as he could, releasing even more chakra. "FIGHT ME, COWAAAAARD!" he roared.

Sakura was sweating cold. Never before has she felt this much wrath and blood lust. It was unnatural. She was trembling so badly, she could barely hold her kunai.

'What's going on out there?' She though, 'What is this power. I hope nothing bad happens to Sasuke and Naruto.'

Tazuna fell to his knees. So much malice in the air, bombarding his senses. It was unbearable. It was a wonder why he hasn't fainted yet.

Kakashi was nervous. He was focused on Zabuza then, since he was really dangerous. But now he was worried about his blond student. He could feel the blast of ominous chakra.

'Damn, Naruto.' he thought, 'Is the seal broken?' the jonin took his time and focused on the chakra. 'No. Luckily, it's just cracked, leaking some of the fox's chakra, but it's still holding. Meaning things are still good enough to save them." The silver-haired ninja opened one of the pockets in his vest and pulled out a scroll. He opened it, cut his thumb, smeared some blood on the scroll, closed it and made a 'ram' hand seal while holding a scroll.

"Say, Zabuza? Since we're both busy people, mind I make you a deal?" he asked out loud.

"A deal? What kind of deal exactly?" came a question from the swordsman. Kakashi smirked under his mask.

"Simple really. If you can land at least a blow on me, I'll give up. What do you say? Or is it that the great Master of Silent Killing has lost his touch?"

"Ha! Ya think I'm stupid enough to fall for something this ridiculous? I can tell you're up to something." Zabuza chuckled. But Kakashi didn't answer.

'Just one more push and it's over.' Kakashi thought.

Haku was struggling. He did everything he could to get free. But his opponent was too strong, releasing all that red chakra and blowing away what he gathered.

'I can't believe it.' He cried mentally. 'His chakra's so strong. It's blowing away my own. Just who is that kid?'

Then the blond raised his free hand towards the sky and all that red chakra seemed to have gathered there. He curled it into a fist and within a split second, he stroke Haku in the face, sending him through the air, breaking through the mirror, and a few feet away. As the young partner of Zabuza's rolled, his mask broke.

The mirrors, that were left, quickly melted, falling to the ground, and Naruto dashed towards his prey. Haku simply raised his head, not bothering to stand up. His mask fell off his face, revealing a very feministic looking face. One for which you could mistake him for a girl.

'Zabuza. I have failed you.' He cried mentally. 'I can not defeat this child.' Naruto was getting closer. Ready to deliver the finishing blow. 'I am of no more use to you.' He closed his eyes, waiting for the finish.

But it never came.

He opened his eyes, and saw the blond… struggling? Was he fighting with himself? No, he was shivering. In fear and disgust. Haku could clearly see tears running down his cheeks.

"Why did are you hesitating?" the teen asked, standing up and not bothering to dust his robes. "You have defeated me. You the chance to end my life."

"No." Naruto whispered, but Haku could hear him.

"Why not? I killed your friend. It's only fair you take my life for it." Hearing this, the blond backed away his hand, still shivering.

"I have killed once, 'n' I hate it." The ice user's eyes widened at that. "When I killed that man, even if it was in self defense, I saw myself as everythin' I hate. People back at my village keep tryin' to take my life almost everyday. My first kill just showed me, that by killin', I am just the same as them. No matta wha' the circumstances, I will just be the same as them with every life I take." Naruto cried. Only now would any one notice he was no longer the berserking beast, but a venerable preteen boy. Haku's heart bleed by the words this child spoke. He questionably smiled.

"Tell me, please. Do you… have any one precious to you?"

"Huh?" Naruto couldn't understand.

"Precious people, those whom you find precious, do you have them?" the teen asked again. But instead of an answer, Naruto lowered his head. He sure had people close to him. But were they precious? Old man hokage, Anko, her cousin, Iruka, Team 7.

"I… I don't know." The blond whispered. "Why?"

Haku gave him a warm smile. "Because, if you have them, you'll be willing to protect them, even if it means going as far as taking another's life." Naruto gave him a look of fear. To kill someone just to satisfy someone? "You said you don't like killing. But, if it means you can protect them, AND you have NO OTHER option, then you have the will to break that and do it, just so they can cherish with you longer. If it means… they can acknowledge your existence."

"Is that why you work with that psychopath Zabuza? Is THAT why you killed my friend?" the blond roared in anger.

"Yes."

"WHY?"

Haku's smile just widened.

"Because it is thanks to him that I live. My childhood wasn't that pleasant. I was threatened because of something beyond my control. Because of something within my blood. Kekkei genkai. The genetic ability release, ability, jutsu, transferred from generation to generation via their genetic material, sleeping within us until we experience something that forces it to be at use. I grew in the Water Country, which by then was at the Purge War, as our Mizukage feared those with kekkei genkai. He ordered every single one of use executed. My family hid its abilities from the world yet before my birth. Yet, not all secrets can stay hidden from the world forever when one ignorant is all that it takes. Betrayed by those we trusted most, my family was killed. I alone survived thanks to his heart. One year of loneliness, no one troubled to help a child. I simply existed. But was unnecessary. Then he came. Zabuza. He was there. Saving me was the first and only time, when allowed his humanity take over. He never expected understanding from me for thinking of me as a weapon, but for some reason I couldn't hate for that. As much as I loved my family, he was the first to truthfully acknowledge me. I meant something for someone. That's why he's precious to me."

A single tear ran down his cheek. Haku inhaled some air quickly and pulled out a kunai.

"But now, that I failed him, I have no reason to live on. Please, kill me."

Kakashi kept waiting concentrating. He felt the demonic chakra disappear, for which he was glad, but he still had to deal with the assassin. But he was now ready.

"If you can't handle me, Zabuza, then I suggest you just quit. There's still a chance for you." He shouted, pressing the scroll against the ground. Now he waited for the right moment.

"Ha! Like you're able to beat me that easily. If ya could, then why didn't ya do it earlier?" the question came.

That was his signal.

"Because I waited for THIS!" The Leaf-jonin channeled some chakra in to the scroll, and the marking on it surrounded him. Within the next few seconds, Kakashi heard the cry of pain. It worked.

"Earth Style: Summoning: Hidden Dog Track Trap!" Kakashi explained loudly, turning to his left, where he now could see his opponent, who now was held by dogs, forcing him to slowly undo the jutsu. "I finally caught you. You have no idea how long it took me to state you were in this direction."

"But how? Dogs? You didn't know my scent." Zabuza growled in disbelieve.

"No. But luckily, you had my scent on your blade." Kakashi walked over to Zabuza, eyeing him carefully. "I can't believe you're after the bridge builder. Don't you know what are they suffering? How much is Gato paying you to make this country more miserable? THESE PEOPLE HAVE A DREAM OF BEING A FREE COUNTRY! DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT THAT?"

"You're right, Monkey. I don't give a damn about their dream. I have my own dream. A dream to take down that damn kage, who keeps killing all these people just because of the genetic ability."

"Then I'm sorry to do this. You should feel honored, Zabuza. I shall not finish you with another jutsu I copied. I shall show you my very own, original jutsu." Leader of Team 7 admitted. So he ran through the necessary sequence of hand seals, and soon, his right hand was entirely covered with electricity.

'He's gathering so much chakra. I can tell this jutsu must have a hell of a kick if he needs to gather so much of it into his single hand.' Zabuza thought.

"Raikiri!" Kakashi cried. Now he was about to deliver the blow. Finally, it would come to an end.

*Strike*

To both Kakashi's and Zabuza's shock, the jutsu never hit the original target, but somebody else. Haku. Impaled in the heart by the Raikiri. Kakashi was caught off guard.

The hounds disappeared as Zabuza roared in pure rage. The silver-haired ninja tried to avoid the attack, but Haku's body made it difficult. With the last of his strength, assassin's partner made a hand seal, and the ice mirror, from which he was able to come and save his master, turned into a spear of ice and launched at the Leaf-nin. Kakashi saw the projectile, as well as an enraged swordsman, who by now was about to decapitate his enemy.

Luckily, Kakashi escaped. He managed to substitute himself with some wood. Zabuza was damn furious.

Naruto still stood there. Not moving a muscle, as the mist began to finally lift. Haku vanished from where he stood originally. He didn't understand why. Soon, he noticed something pink not too far away from him. He knew who that was all too well.

Sakura.

"Naruto!" she called happily. "You're alright. Where's Sasuke?" The blond didn't answer. She became worried when she noticed his reaction. "Naruto, please tell me he's fine. Please." She cried. The boy just sidestepped, so the kunoichi in training could see the brunette laying on the ground, looking like a pincushion. She stood there for a while until, finally, she ran. As Sakura was passing by the blond, he noticed something about her that pained him more than he expected.

She was crying.

Tazuna, who knew better than to stay behind, made a short eye contact with Naruto, giving him a look telling him he was sorry.

The blond didn't look back at his teammates. His heart couldn't stand it.

Zabuza kept swinging his blade like mad. Mad at the Leaf-nin before him, who was toying with him. Right now, he could use only his right arm, as Kakashi broke the other one. Luckily for him, Kakashi had a serious cut to his side and now both of them were careful.

When the two stopped to take their breaths and think over their strategies, clapping could be heard. Everyone turned to where the sound was coming from. There, at the edge of the bridge, Zabuza, the bridge builder, the genins and their jonin could see a big group, no, an army of thugs. All of them were armed in some sort of weapons, from professionally made katanas, naginatas and crossbows to hand-made clubs. Amongst them, in the first line, there was one person they all didn't truly expect to see. It was a short man, dressed like any other business man, wearing round sun classes and possessing a gemmed cane. That man also had his right arm in a cast.

It was Gato.

"Well, well, well. Lookie here, boys. It appears the great demon is just a lame, weak deformation of a man." He said.

"Gato? What is the meaning of this?" Zabuza asked growling.

"To be blunt, I found this a perfect opportunity to dispose of you, Zabuza."

"What? You tryin' to tell me you were never gonna pay for my service?"

"Exactly. Don't take it personally, Zabuza. It's just business. You missing-nins are just too expensive for my taste. So, whenever you're done with the mission, I just order them killed. And since they're usually exhausted after the job I hire them for, it's pretty easy for my men to get rid of them." He smiled seeing how Zabuza was giving him a death-promising glare.

"Well, Monkey. It appears our fight has ended. Since I am no longer Shorty's employee, which means Tazuna's save, we have no quarrel." The swordsman spoke to Kakashi as calmly as he could, receiving a reply from the ever stoic silver-haired jonin.

"Indeed. I guess you're right."

Then, Gato looked around and finally focusing his gaze on dead Haku. "The girl with the pink hair may be lucky and be spared to entertain me later on. The rest of you will die. And as for this little punk…" Gato moved closer to the corpse, which were just a few feet away from him.

And started to kick it.

"I own him some for breaking my arm. Take that you filth. Take that. And this one. And another."

Naruto was watching this in disbelieve. That short man, who was the kingpin terrorizing Wave, was kicking a dead body of a boy. It was sickening.

"STOP IT!" he yelled and ran forward. "LEAVE 'IM ALONE!" He ran and ran, until he was caught by his sensei.

"Naruto! Stop it. Calm down. Use your head."

"And wha' 'boutcha, Zabuza? Are ya just gonna do nothin'?"

"Boy. Shut up." Momochi growled. "Haku's dead. What does it matter now?

"Wha'? Ya mean you're just gonna stand 'ere and let him be treated like a dog? Haku and you were together for years. Doesn't that mean anythin' for ya?"

"Alright. That's enough, Naruto. Calm down." Kakashi tried to calm the blond. "Zabuza isn't the enemy here. Now at least." He explained the situation as simple as possible. He hoped this explanation would make his student cool down.

But his words didn't affect him.

"Shut up! As far as I care, he's THE enemy 'ere! Haku wasn't just workin' for ya. He LIVED for ya. Ya were precious ta him. He never had a dream of his own. Didn't care how badly he felt. All he ever wanted was to see your dream come true. And he gave up his life for ya. Doesn't THAT matter to ya? Are ya tryin' to tell me, that when I grow strong, I'm gonna throw him away like a knife that can no longer be sharpened and used? HUH?"

Then, there was silence, disrupted only by the waves beneath the unfinished bridge. The strange aura could be felt in the air. It was the swordsman. But it wasn't a killer intent that could be felt. It was different. You could feel cold, saddening feeling. It was heavy. Then the blond saw something at the assassin's feet. Something he truly didn't expect from the man called a demon.

Tears.

"Shut up." Zabuza said, clearly trying to fight his tears to no success. Kakashi was honestly surprised. This man, who used to kill with no regret, who was just about to take a life of an old man, was affected by the words of a child. "Your words pain me. They pain me more than the sharpest blade ever would. He was too empathic. It was always him, who hesitated to take another's life. And now, damn him, I feel his pain. I can feel my heart bleeding with sorrow and regret I've been ignoring for all these years. I always ignored that feeling, but you, brat, you managed to make these feelings too strong to ignore." He turned his head. Naruto could see his eyes clearly now. So many tears coming out from his eyes. His sad eyes, which probably would never smile again. The swordsman let go of his blade and removed the bandages, revealing his face. He was exposing his sharp teeth while showing his regretful face. "Boy. Tell me your name."

Naruto was shocked for a while. He was truly expecting to find a demon under that mask. He barely comprehended what the assassin said.

"N… Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto."

Zabuza just stared at the boy for a while longer. Eying him, as if looking for something. Finally he smirked, and turned back to face Gato.

"Uzumaki Naruto, huh? Thanks kid. When this is over, I think I'm gonna own you one big time. I've been fighting many enemies. Some of them were so much stronger, that I had no choice but to sneak up at them. Some of them were strong enough to catch me. But you… you're different then any of them. You're the first one to ever break me, without even landing a punch on me. I can tell, you're somethin' else. A shinobi who's heart is no weakness, but strength."

Sakura kept crying. The boy she loved was dead. She couldn't handle it. She was just placed on the same team as he. For her, it was a sign that she could have a future with him. And now, he was dead. Tazuna wasn't trying to comfort her, as he didn't want to hurt her more. He knew that sometimes you have to let people cry and mourn. At least for now. After all, that's what makes us humans.

"Sakura? You're not making it any easier for me to breath." a whisper came. She raised her head. It was Sasuke. He was still alive.

"Sasuke?" Now she whispered, afraid she could be imagining things.

But it was true.

"Sasuke! You're alive!" She hugged him in all her joy, depth to his groans of pain.

'Thank the gods. He was just unconscious.' He thought.

Sakura helped Sasuke get up. Once they were on their feet, they walked over to their teammates.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sasuke's alive! He's just weakened!" Sakura announced. Kakashi eye-smiled hearing this.

Zabuza grabbed the handle of his blade and raised it, ready to attack. Seeing this, Gato stepped away, but kept his smirk, as he had an army of thugs behind him.

"My, Zabuza. You truly think you can take me. Even you can't beat this many. And your current allies seem tired as well. You're all done for." Gato chuckled. It was about sixty against 6. The ninjas traded the looks between each other, ready to fight until the end.

Then an arrow landed before Gato. He jumped in fear, certain it was aimed at him. He looked forward, and what he saw scared him.

The people of Wave were organized as an army. Poorly, but determined. All shouting to Gato to give up or to leave their country. In front of the crowd was a familiar nine-year old with a crossbow.

"We had enough of you, Gato! We're no longer afraid of you! If you want us to submit, then you'll have to kill every single one of us!" Inari yelled, having the whole crowd approve it.

Many of the thugs stood their ground, but most of them started to run away. They were supposed to fight this. Forget it. Gato was about to run himself, but was pushed aside by one of the thugs, hoping the people of Wave would spare them if they had their hands on the man who made their lives miserable. Before he knew, Zabuza was before him.

"Za… Zabuza! Please, don… Don't kill me! I… I'll pay you twice the price if you let me go. What do y…" He never got to finish. His head rolled on the ground and fell to the sea. Gato was no more. As the remaining thugs were sailing away, the people cheered. They were finally free.

Seven days later.

The days past. Zabuza buried Haku's body on the lone hill not too far from the bridge, recognizable for only one sakura tree growing on top of it. That tree would now be decorating his grave. And the hill was named Haku's Bed. Because that's how Haku's body looked like. As if he was not dead, but asleep.

The bridge, over the passing week, was finally complete. It was so beautiful. Now the people of Wave and Fire could cross the bridge, and the country would rise again. Team 7 was ready to be the first to walk on it. Yes, it was the day they would depart. Even Zabuza was seeing them off.

"You sure you don't want to come with us, Zabuza? I'm sure Lord Hokage would welcome you in his ranks." Kakashi asked him. He was certain the village would use someone of his skills.

"Ha, fat chance, Monkey. I'd rather stay here for a week longer until my arm is good enough and then I think I'll travel the world. Who knows? Maybe Haku's comeback somewhere out there." The swordsman wondered. He knew Kakashi offered him a new home, but he preferred to see the world. Maybe he was hoping to find a child which would redeem him of what he did to Haku?

"Oh, c'mon, Eyebrowless. Ya sure ya don't wanna stick with us?" Naruto asked him, grinning like mad. Zabuza just gave him an amused look. After a while, he smiled under his mask.

"Sorry, brat. My mind has been made. But if we meet ever again somewhere out there, maybe I'll teach you some kenjutsu as payback."

At the sound of that, the blond suddenly appeared before him, with stars in his eyes.

"Ya really mean it?" he asked excited. His excitement caused his team and the swordsman to sweat drop, while Tazuna and his family chuckled.

"Well then, I take it this is where we say our good bye." The bridge builder asked.

"Guess so." Kakashi answered. Inari broke into tears.

"Naruto. Please, visit us soon. Alright?" he cried. The only answer he received from his 'older brother' was a thumb up and a cheeky smile.

After everyone said their good byes, Team 7 finally moved out. Tsunami couldn't help but notice that Inari was crying, already missing Naruto, while her father was in deep thought.

"Something the matter, father?" she asked, getting his attention.

"I've been wondering about something for the pass five days. And finally, I've decided."

"On what?"

"This bridge deserves a name. So I'll name it in honor of the one who changed our country and teached us what courage is all about." Now everyone around him was curious, even Zabuza. "In honor of that person, who changed Inari."

"You mean…?" the swordsman was about to finish the question, when he received the answer.

"That's right! From this day on, this bridge shall be known as 'The Great Naruto Bridge'!"

Everyone cheered at the sound of that, while Zabuza smirked again. He was right back then. That kid was something else.

Unknown location.

The bats were looking for a way out, and water kept dripping from the cave ceiling, breaking the silence every few seconds. A hooded figure walked over to the darker corner. There, he was looking at a silhouette with, as it seems, spiky hair. Soon he spoke with a deep baritone. (A/N. Like Tony Jay or Earl Boen in 'WoW: Wrath of the Lich King')

"What do you have to report?"

"He has awakened it." The silhouette answered, and his answer was followed by another one.

"It has only just awakened and it was already impressive."

The hooded man just looked at him for a few more seconds. Finally, he broke the silence.

"I see. Then the gears of destiny began to move."

"What do you want us to do now? Should we tell them?"

"No. Not yet. For now just watch him."

"And the other one?"

"Watch him as well." He reached for under his robes, and pulled out a mask. Then he put it on. "I have no doubt he will reveal himself soon. The question is, which he will go after."

The silhouette nodded and sank into the ground, while the figure walked away.

A/N. Well that's it. Wave arc complete. I'm gonna try make the next chapter something more original, taking place before the chunin exam arc. See to it.