Chapter Eleven
Forging Bonds
The blood lust was all consuming and was tearing at everyone on the bridge. It ripped through all of their beings and stopped them in their tracks when it first appeared.
Everything seemed to freeze in time.
Even the water below the bridge had come to a standstill.
And then everything seemed to explode all at once.
There was nothing that Haku to do to even try and dodge the rampaging blonde as he ran straight at the Hunter nin with a ferocious right hook. The next thing that Haku knew was that he was slamming into one of his mirrors before falling to the ground. His head was pounding with pain and the hunter nin already knew that he wasn't going to be able to hold his mirrors any longer an so he wasn't surprised when they shattered.
Sasuke could only stare as his once unconscious and injured teammate stood over the downed hunter nin without problem, panting heavily and what sounded like an animalistic growling. The Uchiha wasn't sure what had just happened but from the feeling of weight crushing over him as he held onto the corpse of his pink haired teammate, shielding her from the falling ice mirror shards that cut into his shoulders and neck. He worried for his blonde teammate now but there was nothing he could do to help Naruto as he couldn't move from the fear running through his body.
Naruto felt the power running through his body, felt the rage clouding his mind, felt the blood thundering in his ears. He didn't know how animalistic he looked or how menacing his aura felt, just that he wanted to sink his claws and fangs into the trembling hunter nin in front of him. He just wanted to taste the blood on his tongue as he ripped the other's throat out for daring to hurt his own Skulk. How dare for this low prey even lay a finger on any that he had called his own.
Haku slowly stood up, holding a hand to his face after his mask had broken and fallen off of his face. He'd no longer be able to keep his identity a secret and he'd face this frightening Genin with his pride. That's all he'd have left after all, especially when Zabuza learned that this genin had beaten him, for his knew that he couldn't fight this monster, not with the power the blonde had. He was useless to his master now.
Naruto blinked in surprise at the familiar face in front of him, but his snarl only seemed to deepen as he realized the betrayal. The hurt that grew in his chest seemed to cause the fire in his belly to strengthen furiously. HE wasn't about to allow this infraction against his Skulk go. He was going to destroy this infidel and leave nothing left of him.
Haku saw the recognition in those hateful crimson eyes…crimson? Haku blinked in surprise for he was sure that the blonde had blue eyes not too long ago. Haku quickly shook those thoughts away as he realized that the blonde indeed recognize him but instead of stopping him it only pushed the blonde forward to attack again. Just like he wanted. Haku smiled as Naruto leapt at him, claws and fangs both ready to sink into Haku's tender flesh.
Only to stare in surprise as two arms wrapped around the Blonde's middle and pulled him back into the chest of his sensei. Itachi struggled to keep a hold of Naruto while he glanced over his shoulder to stare at Sasuke. "Are you alright Otouto?"
Sasuke gulped and nodded his head before looking down at the body in his arms. "Sakura…she protected us." He said before looking up just in time to see Itachi adjust his hold on the blonde so that he was facing him. "Naruto just went…insane."
Itachi nodded as he got Naruto stare him in the eye as he made his Sharingan spin. Crimson met crimson and Itachi knew that he would be able to gain control of the rampaging blonde as Naruto instantly stilled in Itachi's hold. "Sleep Naruto, just go to sleep. Everything will be alright as soon as you awake." Itachi muttered as he kept his eyes on the soon dulling crimson that faded into a navy hue and then the blonde's eyes closed all the way and slumped in the Uchiha Heir's hold.
Itachi sighed in relief as he carried Naruto over to Sasuke and laid him next to the young raven. "He'll be alright now, but I can't watch you two so you'll have to stay out of the way the best you can. These fights aren't done just yet." Itachi explained before turning to look at the still stunned Haku.
"Don't lay a finger on him." A voice growled as a new figure appeared in front of the stunned Haku.
Itachi raised an eyebrow at the bloodied Missing Nin while Haku stared in awe. "Why shouldn't I kill him where he stands? He killed my student and has injured the other two." Itachi stated as he pulled out a kunai to fight against the broken sword. "I should gain retribution for my student shouldn't I?"
Zabuza growled at the Konoha Jounin as he held his place. Haku though wasn't about to let his savior and master to sacrifice himself for him, especially after he had failed. "Master, please, don't allow yourself to be hurt further for me. I have failed you in this battle, I have lost." Haku said with sorrowful eyes. "I am no use to you."
"Be quiet Haku!" Zabuza snapped as he glanced back at the defeated posture of his student. "I will be the one to judge that." He spat before turning back to Itachi. "You still have plenty of uses Haku, one loss does not mean you are useless and deserve to be thrown aside."
Itachi stared at the exchange with a raised eyebrow before sighing and lowering his kunai to his side and relaxed. "Why are you here Zabuza? What possible reason would you have for defecting from the Mist and trying to kill the Mizukage there?" Itachi questioned as he looked at the strained Mizu-Jounin.
Zabuza frowned as he took in the relaxed state of the Konoha Jounin before too relaxing his muscles. "I don't if you heard about it, but the Bloodline Massacres were on a total different scale than what even I could tolerate." Zabuza explained calmly.
Itachi frowned in return. "I see, that was when the Mizukage demanded that anyone with a bloodline limit be killed, wasn't it? Anyone who could do something special, like that child behind you, were killed before they could become a danger."
Zabuza nodded his head. "That's right, didn't matter if they were men, women, or children. Anyone who had a Kekkei Genkai was killed in cold blood without hesitance."
Haku blinked in surprise at the information, even though he had lived through it he had thought that Zabuza had agreed with the regime of that, but he should've known better, especially as Zabuza had taken him in with his own bloodline. "My father found out that I had the Kekkei Genkai to make ice and control water without hand signs." Haku spoke up as he moved to stand beside Zabuza, staring at Itachi and glancing back at Sasuke. "When he found out he killed my mother and then tried to kill me."
Itachi looked at the young boy in front of him, the same age as the Chuunin that had accompanied him and his team, before smirking at him and tilting his head at Zabuza. "Then this big burly man found you and trained you. Must've been tough with such a person."
Zabuza growled while Haku frowned. "Master Zabuza has taken care of me and taught me everything I know. He's done everything for me and I would gladly give my life to achieve his goal."
Itachi smiled at that and nodded his head before turning back to the growling Zabuza. "So your goal is to take out the current Mizukage and take over? Is that what you want to do?" Itachi questioned.
The Demon of the Mist snorted at that and shook his head. "No, there is another who is better suited to the title of Kage in Mizu. She will do a fine job as soon as I can get that annoyance out of the position first." He explained. "He's the reason why the Massacre happened in the first place, scared that he would be overruled and destroyed if enough power was gathered."
The Uchiha heir nodded his head in understanding. "Isn't the current Mizukage also a Jinchuuriki? That makes him even more powerful and dangerous doesn't it?"
Zabuza nodded his head before looking over towards the knocked out blonde on the ground, the youngest Uchiha now standing in front of both his teammates protectively. "Much like your own I would think." He muttered and ignored the glare that Itachi sent his way. "Anyways, I have a mission and I plan on continuing it until I die."
"It seems that would be the point." Itachi whipped around as Kisame appeared, cut up from the wires that had held him in place before but otherwise fine. "Look over there." Kisame quickly swung his sword so that it was pointing towards the end of the bridge.
Itachi and Zabuza both turned towards the bridge and both their eyes narrowed as they took in the growing shadow that was appearing at the edge of the bridge. Itachi even more so due to the fact that he could see through the mist with his Sharingan. "So he's shown up has he?" Itachi questioned as he moved to stand in front of the crowd, Sasuke and Naruto directly behind him.
"Who has shown up Aniki?" Sasuke questioned as he followed Itachi's movements with his own, staying in front of Naruto and Sakura the entire time.
"Gato." Zabuza stated as he went and stood on Itachi's left while Kisame walked to stand on the raven's right, Haku at Zabuza side. "It seems he intends to go back on our deal and kill me and Haku so he doesn't have to pay us." The Demon of the Mist smirked viciously underneath his bandages. "Too bad that entire army of bandits won't do a thing."
Kisame was smirking as well as he prepared his sword to attack. "Samehada is craving more blood and chakra. These fools should be more than enough to feel him up." He stated excitedly as he sent a glance at Itachi. "Though I doubt he'll enjoy their chakra as much as he did yours."
Itachi rolled his eyes as he prepared to fight as well. "Too bad for it then, it'll have to do with the blood of inferior beings, now won't it?" Itachi shot back.
Zabuza chuckled at the two before glancing at Haku. "Stay back with the Genin, I have a feeling that our battle with them have ended. Do not allow them to come to more harm than they already have." Zabuza waited until Haku nodded before smiling underneath his bandages and reaching out and patting the boy on the head. "You have done well Haku, we'll continue with your training once all of this is said and done."
Haku stared at Zabuza in surprise before smiling at his master happily. "Yes Master!" With that Haku quickly moved to stand in front of Sasuke and held several senbon in his hands, ready to attack any that came too close.
Itachi looked at Zabuza with thoughtful eyes before looking back at their common enemy. "It seems that you are right. Our battle has ended, a truce is in order." He said as he looked at the two Mist ninja that stood on either side of him. "Think you can handle working with me while we take out these lowlife scum?"
Kisame laughed out loud as he rolled his shoulders, preparing to launch himself at the large crowd of bandits and thugs. "I can say yes to that! This'll be fun!"
Zabuza chuckled and shook his head at his old teammate. "Of course I can. After all these fools will restore Kubikiribocho back to full strength!" The gleam in his eyes spoke of viciousness and bloodlust.
Itachi nodded his head with a smirk on his face as he looked at the group where Gato stood front and center. "It seems that you have failed again Zabuza." Gato spoke with his own smirk on his face as he looked over the three ninja, ignoring his broken arm that Haku had caused earlier that week. "I guess you just can't send a second rate ninja to do a business man's job." He stated snidely as he raised a hand into the air. "Our contract is terminated as of this second, get 'em boys." With that he put his hand into a fist and all the rogues attacked.
"Gato is mine." Zabuza spat as he rushed forward at the crowd and began cutting people down with swift and sure strikes, Kubikiribocho swiftly growing as it drank the blood of its victims.
"Fine by me! I'll have more than enough fun with the little fishies!" Kisame called out as he launched himself into the middle of a group of men, spinning on his heels so that Samehada could swing in a circle and cut all the men in half with a swift strike. "Ah! The blood Samehada is enjoying immensely will tide us over for days!"
Itachi rolled his eyes at the two but stayed where he was, deflecting the oncoming bandits that were intent on taking out his Genin. "Protect them with your life Hunter nin." Itachi called as he looked over at Haku with spinning Sharingan eyes. "Cause if another dies then you will also, despite what Zabuza may want." Only once he had a hurried nod of the boy's head did Itachi launch himself at the bandits, running through hand signs. The Fireball that consumed the men incinerated them before they could scream.
Haku watched all of this with narrowed eyes, taking out anyone who came too close to himself and the three behind him. He was not about to allow more harm to fall upon them no matter what.
"Want some help?" Haku startled at the voice and turned towards the source.
"You should be resting." Haku said after he taken in the view of the young Uchiha next to him, almost all of the Senbon had been removed from his body. "I hit many of your pressure points to incapacitate you." He explained calmly.
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders as he threw a kunai into a man's knee while Haku landed a senbon in his neck. "I can still move and like Naruto said, as long as we can move we can fight." With that he swiftly landed a round house kick into a man's neck that sent him flying sideways into the bridge railing and then over into the ocean.
Haku nodded his head at this before killing a man swiftly by impaling a senbon straight through the carotid artery. "Then let us protect your friends until they wake."
Sasuke frowned at the wording as he knocked out another bandit. "Don't you just mean Naruto, Sakura…Sakura is..."
"She is not dead." Haku spoke up quickly. "I merely put her into a death like stasis. She'll wake soon, I promise." Haku smiled at the disbelieving look on Sasuke's face before throwing senbon at Sasuke.
"What the hell!" Sasuke exclaimed as he ducked the barrage of Senbon before looking behind him to see a man standing over him with an axe in his hand and senbon sticking out of his neck and arms. "Uh, thanks." Sasuke muttered as he kicked the man's feet out from under him and then again to send him rolling away.
"No problem." Haku said with a smile. "Let's continue shall we?"
"Definitely." Sasuke replied with a smirk.
Itachi Sensei
His head pounded brutally when he finally came to, leant up against a bunch of construction equipment. "Ugh, what hit me?" Obito asked as he raised a hand up to the side of his head.
"The butt end of a sword, that's what." Kakashi snapped at his disoriented teammate while Rin wrapped bandages around the silver haired Chuunin. "Zabuza was able to get both of us and almost take us out of the battle fully." He explained as Obito finally opened his eyes.
Obito nodded his head groggily as he began to sort things out and get his bearings back. "He must've hit me pretty hard to knock me out then. How long has it been?"
Rin answered this time as she turned to Obito with a sad smile. "For at least ten minutes. The battle is almost over thanks to the team up we had a little bit ago." Rin explained before she moved to settle in front of Obito with a serious and grim face. "There's something you need to know before you decide to jump back into battle."
Obito frowned as he brought his vision back to single digits and looked at Rin, only then did he realized what was wrong. "I can't see out of my right eye." He stated with a frown.
Rin nodded her head at that as she laid a gentle hand on the side of Obito's head, where he had been hit. "The Optic nerve that allowed you to see in your right eye was detached from the brain. The hit that caused it must've been brutal for that to happen." She explained as gently as she could. "You'll never see out of your right again as the Optic nerve cannot be reattached to the brain without danger, a danger and not even Tsunade would be able to prevent."
Obito frowned at that before nodding his head and then looked at Kakashi. "What about him, how bad are your injuries Kakashi?"
Kakashi frowned as he touched the bandage around his face before shrugging. "The eye was torn apart, there's no fixing it. I'll have to have it removed so that the socket doesn't get infected later." He explained as he went to stand, only to stop as Obito held his hand up.
"The optic nerve that Rin just talked about…yours is still intact right?" Obito asked as the idea he had formulated fully, seeming more and more of a good thing the more he thought on it.
Rin nodded her head. "Yes, the actual eye was cut and it leaked from the eye socket, but the nerve itself is intact. If he wanted he could have a transplant to replace the lost eye." She explained before she blinked in surprise at the face splitting grin that Obito had. "What are you planning?" she asked as Kakashi's own eye narrowed at his idiotic teammate.
"The optic nerve to my eye is damaged, it can't be fixed, but it can be put to use by someone else, can't it?" the Uchiha questioned as he turned a look at his silver haired teammate. "It would be a shame to let a Sharingan go to waste like this when a competent ninja could put it to good use, don't you think?" His smile turned into a smirk when both his teammates' faces took on surprised looks. "Transplant my eye to Kakashi Rin, you can do that, right?"
Rin nodded her head as she looked between her two male teammates. "Are you sure about this? Do you want to do this Kakashi?"
Obito nodded his head in determination. "I'm sure, it's useless just sitting there in my head, Kakashi can put it to use this way, most like better than I could anyways." He admitted sheepishly.
Kakashi stood there for a long time before he slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, alright, I'll take it." He said as he laid his eyes on his raven haired teammate. "You'll help me control it later, right?"
Obito smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah I will."
Rin sighed with a smile on her face before she became serious. "Alright then, lay down next to each other and I'll get this going."
Itachi Sensei
Zabuza howled in anger as the bandits just continued to pile in front of him to guard Gato from him. He was getting tired of their crap real fast and he let them know as he allowed Kubikiribocho drink the blood of the fallen bandits, quickly restoring it to its original form. That only caused his reach to extend and even more bandits fell to his Head Cutter Sword.
Gato meanwhile could only watch in horror as Zabuza neared him, destroying any and all bandits that were stupid enough to get in his way. "Damn it! Stop him! The one who kills Zabuza the Demon of the Mist gets a half mill!" He called out in desperation.
That caught the bandits attention and all grinned maliciously as they dog piled towards Zabuza, hiding the Mist nin from view for several seconds. Gato grinned, thinking that the demon had finally fallen to the mighty numbers of crooks that he had hired for protection and intimidation factor.
Then Gato heard it…that chilling sound that he had only heard once before and that ended with several of his men dead in front of him.
The laughter of a demon.
The piled up men seemed to explode apart as they were instantly killed and sent flying away, landing upon several of their fleeing or fighting comrades.
In the middle of it all stood Zabuza, holding his sword so that the tip was against the ground and his face was shadowed ominously. Slowly the Demon of the Mist began to walk towards the unprotected businessman and his sword dragged against the ground demonically. "You hired us." Zabuza spoke in a low voice.
"Stay back!" Gato yelled as he walked backwards, coming up against the edge of the bridge that was incomplete. "Don't come any closer."
"You demanded that we kill the Bridge builder." Zabuza continued on, ignoring Gato's pleads as the businessman realized that there was nothing he could do to stop Zabuza.
"I'll give you as much money as you want! I promise! Just don't kill me!" Gato pleaded as he fell to his knees and put his hands together in a prayer like fashion.
"You were only going to kill us so you could keep the money." Zabuza said as he came to stand directly in front of the little greedy pig. "You were going to hurt my apprentice."
Gato stared up into the face of the demon, soiling himself due to his fear of what the ninja would do to him now. "Please, I'll do anything." He pleaded one last time.
Zabuza's smirked and his eyes seemed to glow demonically as his blood lust and presence settled onto Gato, forcing the little man to see nothing but a demon. "Then die!" He roared as he swung his sword.
He chuckled as he listened to the satisfying splash that Gato's head and body made as they fell into the deep depths of the ocean.
He turned to look at the hundreds of bandits that were battling and was about to join in when an arrow flew and landed in front of a bandit that was heading towards the end of the bridge that would lead back to the village. "You're not going any further!"
Zabuza blinked in surprise as he stared at the little black haired boy that wore a helmet and held a crossbow in his hands, a determined expression upon his face. Behind him stood all of the villagers with some sort of weapon in their hands. Right behind the boy stood the bridge builder with a pick ax of all things in his hands and smirking. "This is our home and we're tired of letting all of you low lives control it! It's time we fought back and that's what we're planning to do!" The old man yelled out as all of the bandits turned towards the villagers.
"They aren't the only ones who are going to fight either." A calm voice spoke and soon that silver haired Chuunin stood in front of the villagers with his Tanto drawn and both eyes staring down the lot. Zabuza blinked at the crimson left eye but left it for later consideration as the raven haired Chuunin appeared with one eye sealed shut and his own sword in his hands and then the girl appeared as well. They all appeared ready for a fight.
Soon Itachi and Kisame stood with them and then Haku and the other raven haired brat appeared behind them holding the other two genin each before standing with the others. Zabuza smirked as he leapt over the crowd and just in front of the lineup. "That's right. We're not going to let anymore of this to go on, especially since your piggy bank is dead." Zabuza stated with a devious look in his eyes.
The bandits all looked startled at this and looked back to where Gato had stood, only to see nothing but a blood stain left.
Then the most amazing thing seemed to happen.
Large clouds of smoke appeared and soon hundreds of blonds stood on the bridge, crouched on the railings and standing on the actual bridge. "Leave or we'll kill you." The blonde spoke as one.
Zabuza blinked as he looked back towards Haku with a raised brow. "I thought the blonde pipsqueak was out."
Haku stared in surprise, as was everyone else, before looking behind him to see said blonde standing with hard eyes. "I thought he was too." He admitted as he looked back forward.
Zabuza shrugged as he turned back just in time to see all of the bandits run away screaming like the pansies they were. "Well that was easy." Zabuza muttered as he settled his sword on his shoulders.
Kisame frowned as he settled Samehada back onto his back. "I didn't get to kill the rest of them." He stated mournfully.
Itachi sighed as he rubbed at his forehead before looking back at the blonde, who was now sitting next to Sakura's body while his clones all disappeared. "I guess we should get her back to the house and get her body ready for transport." He muttered as he turned to do just that.
"Wait Aniki!" Sasuke shouted as he turned to walk over to Sakura and kneeled next to her. "She's not dead." He said before looking at Haku. "When did you say she would wake up?"
Haku kneeled down next to the pinkette too and carefully removed a Senbon from her neck. "She should waken quicker now." He said and true to his words Sakura began to breathe and soon her eyes opened.
"Wha…" She gasped out but was unable to finish as arms wrapped around her carefully and she was brought into a hug.
"I thought you were dead." Naruto whispered into her ear as he fought back the tears. "I thought he had killed you."
Sakura blinked at that before smiling softly and wrapping her needle impaled arms around the blonde. "I'm alive Naruto, that's what counts."
Naruto nodded his head as Sasuke sat next to the two with a hand on the pinkette's shoulders and a smile on his face. Itachi sighed in relief at the fact he hadn't lost a Genin and now he had all three together again.
"Seems this turned out alright in the end, even if I didn't get to kill enough people." Kisame said with a yawn.
He didn't expect the hit to the back of his head from Itachi at all.
Itachi Sensei
"The name of this bridge will be Shichi Bridge!" Tazuna announced as the ninja all walked across the finished bridge.
Itachi smiled at that before looking at his Genin Team with proud smiles. All three were talking amongst themselves, both Sasuke and Naruto staying close to Sakura just in case something happened. They had been a little over protective since she woke from her death trance but otherwise alright. She was covered in bandages as was Sasuke, but Naruto was completely healed and would just watch both his teammates to make sure they were alright.
Itachi soon looked at the three Chuunin, all of who were talking as well. He took in the fact that Kakashi now wore his headband slanted to cover his left eye, which would permanently stay in Sharingan mode and continue to eat his chakra reserves if not covered or kept closed. Obito wore the fact that he only had one eye proudly even with his eye socket now stitched up closed permanently. It would leave it looking like a scar as it sealed itself shut. Rin would constantly ask if Obito was alright since the Uchiha Chuunin did still have a concussion from the blow he had taken.
The Itachi glanced over at the three Mist nin that were walking with them for the time being. None of them spoke to anyone and instead watched the Chuunin and Genin talk amongst themselves, even Haku remained silent amongst the much older Ninja.
"What will you three do now?" Itachi questioned as he looked at the trio with curious eyes.
Zabuza shrugged his shoulders. "Haku and I intend to follow Kisame for a while. The big idiot here doesn't know where he's going much either."
Kisame scowled while Haku giggled. "Watch it Zabuza, I'm still much stronger than you, I can kill you anytime I wish."
Zabuza snorted derisively. "Sure you will." He said while rolling his eyes. He then turned back to Itachi. "Either way we'll separate from you when we hit the border of Fire country. From there you and your own will have to make it on without us."
Itachi nodded his head before looking back at his team. "I am thankful that you have decided to travel with us for a little while. I am unsure of how they could handle another confrontation with ninjas if that were to happen. They are all injured in some way or another, I don't want to have to push them even further."
Zabuza nodded his understanding but it was Kisame that spoke. "That blonde…he's one of those isn't he?" The shark like man questioned softly as his beady eyes landed on said blonde.
Itachi grimaced before nodding his head as he couldn't really hide it after that surge of chakra on the bridge. "He is, he knows as well, but that's actually the first time such a things has happened with him." He explained calmly to the two older ninja, Haku looking confused at the exchange.
"Be careful then." Kisame advised as he turned a grim look onto Itachi. "Villages are unkind to his kind and will do anything to be rid of him until he proves his power." He explained with narrowed eyes. "They will want to harm him and even kill him, maybe get him banished from the village itself."
Itachi nodded at this before looking back forward. "I will do what I can to protect him, even if it means abandoning my clan to do so."
Kisame nodded while Zabuza remained quiet with Haku.
What none of them realized was that two individuals were listening in on the conversation with narrowed eyes of their own.
Itachi Sensei
A.N. Haha, another chapter done! The Wave Arc is over and next on is the beginning of the Chuunin Arc with a mini thing just before that! I hope you all are looking forward to that! I know I am! Review and tell me what all of you thought!
