The next day most of Team 7 stood outside the Bridge Builder's house. "I leave Naruto in your hands, he's pushed his body to the limit, using up as much Chakra as he has. Normally he'd be more careful, but I think this mission has made him a bit too overeager. He probably won't be able to move at all today" Kakashi explained to Tsunami, who'd come to see them off. "What about you, you're still recovering yourself?" She asked. "Why, do I look wobbly? I'll be fine" the Jounin replied with an eye-smile. Sasuke stared at the house where his brother was sleeping, then turned towards Tsunami, "please look after my Elder Brother Tsunami-San" he implored with a bow. The black-haired woman smiled and nodded, "of course, and you take care of Tou-San as well as yourselves alright?" she asked kindly.

Everyone nodded before leaving.

ŃĚĤ

Naruto groaned as he opened his eyes, blinking at the midmorning sun. His eyes widened, 'midmorning!?' he shot up in bed, "oh that's just great, and I can't sense the others Chakra nearby! Damn it, even Sasuke just left me here!" he exclaimed, looking out into the kitchen where Tsunami was washing dishes, "where is everyone?" he asked, trying to be polite despite the gnawing fear in the pit of his stomach, the feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong today. "Oh, Naruto, your Sensei wanted to let you rest, so you've got the day off" the civilian woman replied. Naruto shook his head, "no! no! no! something bad is going to happen today, I just know it! And they chose today of all days to let me rest?! Today's supposed to be the day that Zabuza is recovered enough! I need to get out their damn it!" he exclaimed, rushing back into his borrowed bedroom and changing into his clothes before grabbing his Gunbai.

He then ran out of the house, call out a "see ya!" to Tsunami as he went.

ŃĚĤ

Naruto leapt through the trees, 'damn it, if that bastard lays one finger on my Otouto!' he thought, before his attention was caught by something below on the forest floor. It was a boar that had been all cut up.

ŃĚĤ

Kakashi, Tazuna, Sasuke and Sakura arrived at the bridge, but were shocked speechless at what they saw. Well, the Shinobi were, "hold on, what the heck is this!?" Tazuna demanded, seeing all of his workers laying on the ground. Sasuke ran towards the closets one, and checked the man's vitals. "They're alive, just out cold" he explained, rushing back towards his team and Client as soon as he'd made sure of that. "Could it be?" Kakashi whispered to himself.

ŃĚĤ

"Inari, could you give me a hand here? Inari?" Tsunami called. "Be right there!" the small boy called. Unknown to either civilian, Gato's two "Samurai" stood just outside their house.

ŃĚĤ

Back on the bridge a thick mist began to roll in. "This mist-" Kakashi said, before moving in front of Tazuna, "Sasuke, Sakura! Get ready!" he ordered. Both Genin got into position, Sasuke pulled up a kunai, with his other hand on the handle of his sword, but didn't pull it out yet. With how close they were to each other, he might accidently injure Tazuna or Sakura, but that didn't mean he shouldn't be ready. Sakura opened her kunai pouch and held her hand there, ready to pull one out in an instant. "I knew he was still alive, he just couldn't wait for round 2" Kakashi said. "Kakashi-Sensei, it's Zabuza isn't it? this is his Hidden Mist Jutsu?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke's body shook, his hand clenching and loosening around the handle of his sword. "Sorry I kept you waiting Kakashi, I see you've still got those brats toddling along behind you, that one is still trembling- pitiful" Zabuza's voice said from the mist, talking about Sasuke. Suddenly four Zabuza's were surrounding them. But Sasuke simply smirked, "I'm trembling with, excitement" he replied. Kakashi turned and eye-smiled at his student, "go on Sasuke" he said. Sasuke leapt into the air, unsheathing his sword in an instant and before you could blink, had sliced through all four Zabuza's, revealing them all to be Water Clones. When he landed, his eyes widened, realising that his regular eye-sight had improved to the point where he could tell Water Clones from the Original. 'Looks like that training that Naruto suggested is paying off' he thought.

*Flashback* Naruto stood in front of Sasuke in one of the Uchiha training grounds. Both boys were nine years old. It had been a few days since that tiger had tried to kill Sasuke and the Uchiha had awakened his Sharingan. "Alright Otouto, first I want you to activate your Sharingan and tell me what you see, what differences there are and how you see" the blond said. Sasuke nodded and did as asked. His black eyes bled into crimson with one Tomoe in each eye. The boy looked around, taking in the new information that his eyes gathered. "Well, I can see in much more detail, like right now, I can see each individual strand of your hair being blown by the breeze, the wrinkles on your clothes and even the dust particles in the wind, that's- wow" Sasuke replied, eyes widening just a bit.

And this was only stage one of his Sharingan? No wonder so many members of his Clan had so much pride their Dojutsu! Naruto nodded, "alright, so this stage gives you a higher perception then?" he asked. Sasuke nodded, "just like my relatives said it did" he replied, looking around, "that's really weird" he said. "What is?" the blond asked curiously. Sasuke looked back at his Elder Brother, "it's like, I'm not just seeing more details on things, but everything's moving in slow motion too" he explained. Naruto took up a thinking pose, "I see, so if your Sharingan makes everything seem like it's going in slow motion in order to help you react faster, then that means we need to get your body up to speed- literally. Not only that, but it would be good if you were able to see things in slow motion or whatever else your Sharingan gives you without having to have it active the whole time, at least partially" he said to himself.

Naruto nodded, "right, first things first, show me just how much those eyes of your help you Sasuke!" he exclaimed, rushing forwards without any warning. Sasuke saw it coming, but was barely able to dodge in time. "Ack! Anija! Wait, g-give me a minute!" he demanded, desperately trying to dodge or block each of Naruto's strikes. Naruto continued ruthlessly, "you don't have a minute Sasuke! On the battlefield every second counts and just 'cause you can see your opponents movements in slow motion, doesn't mean he's moving in slow motion! You need to improve your speed and reaction time to match what you can see, and if you can do that- It'll really be like they are moving in slow motion!" he exclaimed, as he threw another punch, but this time, Sasuke was able to move out of the way and grab the appendage as it few past him.

Then he moved with his Elder Brothers momentum and flipped the blond over his shoulder. Naruto blinked up at him, before grinning, "well done Sasuke, that's it!" he stood up. "Keep going like that and you'll get it in no time!" he exclaimed happily. The young Uchiha smiled, "ariato Anija". *End flashback*

'I can see it!' he thought with satisfaction. "So you could see they were Water Clones huh? The brat's improving" Zabuza said as he and the fake Hunter-Nin stepped out of the mist. "It looks like you've got a rival Haku" he said to the boy at his side. "So it seems" the now named Haku replied.

To Be Continued