Hey everyone! Here we are, another chapter of Born Again is on its way.
This chapter will be very lengthy, even in comparison to my previous longest chapter. The reason for that is that the Zabuza Arc is going to be written out all in one go. The entire chapter is going to be from the start of the arc to the end of it. I may also add some more stuff after this segment of the story has ended this chapter if only to set up the next one.
As always, some clarifications for my readers and reviewers. One of you was concerned over the fact that there was no way Kurenai or her team could overcome Zabuza. Don't worry! I'm well aware of this fact. I will be using her status as a new Jonin this chapter to my advantage as well. I've got the whole thing scripted out in a notepad tab, so with any luck, it'll turn out well.
Another one of my readers was confused, wondering if Naruto was still a Jinchūriki at this point in the story. Hiruzen noted this in one of the earlier chapters, but I will be clear on the matter for anyone who may be wondering. No, Naruto is no longer a Jinchūriki. The reasoning behind this is that when a Jinchūriki dies, the Tailed Beast inside of them dissipates into pure chakra. It is later reformed somewhere else in the world.
I won't say anything else about the chapter now. Don't want to spoil you guys for this one.
I'll see you all at the bottom of the page, as always. Enjoy chapter 9 of Born Again!
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Chapter 9: Wave Country
The Land Of Fire, Border To Wave Country, 3 Days Later
Moving through the trees swiftly, Team Seven were closing in on the last known location of their fellow Konoha ninja. They had only recently gotten the details from their sensei, but supposedly another Genin squad was in serious trouble. Ordering his team to stop, Kakashi dropped to the ground level, beginning to inspect the scene ahead of him. There appeared to be a sharp, serrated metal claw piece wedged into the ground. Examining the weapon and cross-referencing it with the information provided, Kakashi determined that they were in the right location. Turning to the trees, Kakashi nodded, giving his team the go-ahead to come down. Dropping from their cover at their sensei's orders the trio began examining the scene themselves.
"It looks like we've found the correct location," Naruto voiced dryly, squatting down to examine the claw piece further. "The information provided by Kurenai stated that the opponents she fought used poison claw gauntlets right?"
"The Demon Brothers yes, they are low ranking in the bingo book, but that doesn't stop them from being potentially fatal if they sneak up on you," Kakashi replied to the blonde as he began to scout out the area for a clue as to where Kurenai's team would be. "Kurenai's message stated that she had felt with the two of them, though by the looks of things they got a surprise attack in beforehand. No doubt her and her team are safe, but we should get to searching."
Resisting the urge to question Kakashi on what the bingo book was, the Genin nodded along with their sensei's words. "Alright, but where should we start? They could have gone in any direction from here." Sakura voiced to the Jonin, unsure as to how they should begin their search.
Suddenly, the group heard the sound of one Kiba Inuzuka shouting at the top of his lungs to the right of their position. Lone eye twitching in annoyance at the Genin's brashness, Kakashi offered his team a lazy smile. "It looks like we found them. Come on, let's go meet up." Turning in the direction of the noise, Team Seven swiftly made their way towards the general location of Kiba's voice.
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"I don't see why we're waiting for those bastards to show up. We're perfectly capable of completing this mission on our own!" The voice of one Kiba Inuzuka raged in the small clearing his team was currently occupying. "Sure our sensei is injured, but we took out those Demon Brothers with no problems after the fact! There's nothing that those rogue ninja can throw at us right now that we can't defeat!" His voice had reached maximum volume by the end of his rant.
"Kiba, that's enough! Sensei is trying to rest. You're disturbing her!" Hinata Hyūga reprimanded, for once without a stutter in her voice. Realising how harshly she had snapped at the dog boy compared to usual, Hinata's face went red with embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry Kiba-kun, but we need to keep a low profile right now. There's no telling who could be coming our way." The blue-haired girl honestly couldn't take any more of the boy's whining at that point. She wished the other squad would show too if only to relieve her of this conversation.
Hearing good-natured laughter from behind her position, Hinata turned her pale gaze to the man they were supposed to protect, Tazuna. The man had, for whatever reason, taken a liking to both Kiba and herself. She wasn't entirely sure if he was drunk and just wanted to make friends or if he genuinely liked them. The idea that a total stranger could take a shine to her, even with all her flaws, was comforting. At the sound of bugs returning to their location, Hinata's gaze turned to her other teammate, Shino Aburame. "Has the other squad arrived yet Shino? Please tell me they have!"
Before Shino could respond to the girl, Kakashi and the rest of Team Seven dropped into the clearing. The Jonin gave everyone a wave and a smile, before pivoting his head from left to right. "Where is Kurenai? Is she secure?" Seeing the expression on all three of the Genin's face sour, Kakashi's jovial nature faded. "Is she still alive?"
"Of course she's still alive!" Kiba snapped at the Jonin. Taking a moment to breathe in deeply, the boy gestured for Team Seven to follow him. Entering a smaller clearing within the original, Kakashi rushed to the side of a cringing Kurenai, three long blade marks running down her arm. "Kurenai-sensei believed she had captured the Demon Brothers properly. Didn't bother to check the rope she had tied. One of the brothers took advantage of the situation. Cut Kurenai-sensei deep before we brought him down." Gritting his teeth at feeling useless in the current situation, Kiba continued his story. "Shino was able to determine that their claws were poisonous, and none of the team is a medical ninja. We've tried easing the pain, but she's too weak to even stand by herself. Let alone fight. She refused to go back to the village after the attack. She said she could handle it." Cursing himself for not pressing the issue further, Kiba clenched the sides of his hoodie.
"Let me take a look at her Kakashi-sensei. I might be able to recognise the poison affecting her," Sakura reasoned. Giving the pinkette the go-ahead, Sakura came to Kurenai's side. Taking a few minutes to examine the older woman while the other shinobi waited anxiously, Sakura let out a long sigh. "This is the first time I've seen this in person. Kurenai-sensei is currently being affected by a compound known as Amatoxin. It's a slow-acting poison that destroys your liver and kidneys over time. It's derived from mushrooms and will be fatal for Kurenai-sensei if we do not treat her within the next three days, based on the current progression." Turning her head to look into her sensei's eyes, Sakura continued. "The poison doesn't allow the target to fall unconscious. Kurenai-sensei will be awake and in pain until she is either treated or dies."
"Then we have to get her back to Konoha! The medical ninja will know how to treat her!" Kiba shouted in fear, the concept of his sensei dying right in front of him overtaking his mind. "If Kakashi-sensei carries her we can make it in time!"
"Even with our top travelling speed, Konoha is still at least two days away if we are carrying Kurenai-sensei. By that point, she could have suffered irreversible damage to her organs. We are currently on the border of Wave Country. It would only take us a couple of hours at our top travelling speed to get to a housing area. From there, we can treat her properly." Shifting her gaze to Tazuna, Sakura questioned the older man. "Do you have a house in Wave? If you do, I should be able to treat her, though not to the same degree that a trained medical ninja could."
Nodding at the Konoha kunoichi, Tazuna elaborated for them. "My residence is the biggest in Wave, aside from Gatō's base of operations. We have a spare bedroom that your friend could rest in."
"Then we need to get moving," Kakashi interrupted, picking up Kurenai gently. "The sooner we get there, the easier it will be to treat Kurenai." Nodding at the Jonin, the group set off immediately, moving as fast as they could with a civilian passenger and an injured kunoichi.
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(Timeskip)
Tazuna's House, 3 1/2 Hours Later
Slamming the door open, the Konoha ninja burst inside of Tazuna's residence. "Where is the spare room Tazuna!?" Kakashi shouted at the aged man. Reaching the door a moment later, Tazuna was puffed but had enough breath left to reply. "U-Upstairs, second on the left." Nodding in appreciation, Kakashi dashed across the room, making his way upstairs with Sakura close behind him.
"Father, who are these people!?" Tsunami asked, holding Inari close to her person. Turning his attention to his daughter, Tazuna took a moment to catch his breath before responding. "Konoha ninja, the ones I hired. One of them was injured while defending me. They needed a place for treatment." Entering through the doorway, the rest of the shinobi made their way upstairs quickly, bypassing the civilians without a word. "Don't bother them. One of their own is dying."
Upstairs, the shinobi stood a fair distance away from Kakashi and Sakura. Placing Kurenai on the bed gently, the silver-haired Jonin gestured for Sakura to take over. Nodding in appreciation for her sensei's help, Sakura began to channel Medical Ninjutsu, scanning the black-haired woman's body. After a minute of observation, Sakura ceased her Jutsu, nodding to herself. "She's still treatable, but I need absolute privacy. I'll require immense focus and a large amount of time. Keep up with the mission while I handle things here. Kurenai-sensei didn't risk her life so we could fail." Not bothering to wait for a reply, Sakura immediately got to work, digging into her coat and pulling out some form of bottled substance.
Heeding his student's words, Kakashi ordered every other shinobi out of the room. Heading back downstairs, the Jonin saw that the civilian family was waiting for them with bated breath. Giving them his famous eye-smile, Kakashi eased their worries. "My student says that Kurenai is treatable. She needs privacy and some time." Letting out a breath they didn't know they were holding, Tazuna stepped forward.
"Thank you for escorting me home safely. We'll get to work on building the bridge starting tomorrow morning." Gesturing to Tsunami and Inari, Tazuna gave the Konoha ninja a bright grin. "This is my lovely family. The beautiful girl is Tsunami, my daughter, and the quiet one is her son, Inari." Turning his attention to the two, Tazuna placed his hands on Tsunami's shoulders. "How have you two been? Did any of Gatō's men come by while I was gone?"
"None of them came to our house, but they've been getting more active as of the last few days." Pulling Inari closer to her, Tsunami elaborated for her father. "People have started going missing, mostly people that disadvantaged Gatō in some way. Just yesterday the meat vendor vanished into thin air. I know it's Gatō's work father!" Feeling her son gripping onto her tightly as she shouted, Tsunami lowered her voice, gently caressing her son's hair. "Something needs to be done about this. We're all going to disappear at this rate."
"That's why I have hired these shinobi. Konoha has agreed to oversee our construction of the bridge for the pay we offered. Even after realising that I had lied to them, they are willing to help." Grinning widely at Hinata and Kiba, Tazuna added on to his statement. "I've grown rather fond of a few of these kids over the past couple days. They're good people Tsunami. With their help, we'll finally be able to turn our country around!"
"It doesn't matter what you try to do! You'll never beat Gatō! No one will!" Having heard enough from his grandfather, Inari rushed out the door of his home, tears starting to build in his eyes. Grimacing at her son's behaviour, Tsunami noticed the confused expressions on a few of the Konoha ninjas faces. "His stepfather, Kaiza, tried to stand up to Gatō when he first began his takeover. Gatō made an example of him. He cut off both of his arms and executed him in front of Inari and the rest of Wave. Since then, everyone has been scared to go against Gatō."
Listening to Tsunami's words, Sasuke's eyes wandered to where Inari had run out. 'He lost his father, and now he's lost his hope...' Moving towards the exit, Sasuke didn't bother telling the others where he was going.
Frowning at his student's actions, Kakashi decided to question the Uchiha on the matter at a later time. They had more important issues to deal with at the moment. "Tazuna, we may have gotten you back to Wave successfully, but that doesn't mean you're safe. Gatō could send men at any time to kill you. We'll need to stay with you at all times throughout the time we spend here. At least two of us will keep you under watch at all points. I understand that you may have objections to this proposal, but understand we cannot afford to have you alone in such a situation." Though Kakashi had explained it as neutrally as possible, it was clear that there was no arguing with the decision from his expression.
"I understand. There's no way I'd go out there without you guys regardless. I hired you with all the money Wave could scrounge up. I'll be using your services to their fullest while you're with me." Turning to face the silver-haired Jonin properly, Tazuna continued. "While my builders are the best in the business, none of us would be capable of holding off this Zabuza fellow or Gatō's men. We'll need as many of your ninja as possible to guard us while we work. I hope that you understand why we need you to do this. It is as you said, they could strike at any time."
Nodding along with Tazuna's words, Kakashi turned to face the present Konoha shinobi and kunoichi. "Our new mission is as follows: We are too guard Tazuna with our lives while he and his workers begin construction of the bridge. I will be assigning two of you to accompany him at any given time he leaves. These people will change positions with two others every day. Our mission is complete once Tazuna has successfully finished construction of the bridge. Are we clear?" Seeing the five Genin nod in acceptance of his words, Kakashi nodded back. "Good. From this point onward, maintain constant vigilance. You never know when the enemy may attack.
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Gatō's Base, Same Time
"You fool!" The voice of Gatō raged across the room, echoing multiple times against the walls. "The Demon Brothers have failed! That blasted bridge builder has returned to Wave safely, and he has not one, but two Konoha teams aiding his efforts now!" Gatō slammed his hand down on the top of a nearby cabinet. The man's expression appeared to be a combination of both anger and fear. "If the people of Wave finish construction of their bridge, it could mean the end for my monopoly here!"
"Enough," the cold voice of Zabuza Momochi called from his position on the couch, causing Gatō to turn and face the man. "The bridge builder still has at least five days before construction is complete. Before the man has finished, I will see to it that his life ends. Until that point comes, trust in my judgement and rely on my services. I will keep my end of the deal so long as you keep yours." Giving the man a glare that could cut a mountain in half, Zabuza sent Gatō cowering from the room. Sighing in annoyance at his contractor's anxiousness, the Demon Of The Mist considered his options carefully.
'If it were only a single team, Haku and I could deal with them. But I'm not sure that even we could take on two Jonin and six Genin at once.' Thinking for an extended period on the issue, Zabuza eventually concluded what he needed to do. 'If we can't take on the Konoha ninja alone, we'll have to enlist some help to even the odds.' Standing from his position, Zabuza began to move towards the exit. "Haku, I need to go out. I will be gone for a few days. Maintain our position here until I return." Not waiting for his tool's reply, Zabuza made his way out of Gatō's base, eager to complete his objective as swiftly as possible.
He would ensure that he succeeded in his mission, no matter what.
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Wave Country, Forest Area
Inari couldn't understand what was wrong with his family. He couldn't understand why they didn't see what he saw. His father had been a great man, even greater than his grandfather or anyone else in Wave Country. Gatō had not only defeated his father, but he had also humiliated him and made an example of the man. If his father, who had embodied the hope of Wave Country, could not stand up to the monster that was Gatō, there was no way a few ninjas that didn't care could do anything. It seemed like there was no hope left for Wave, and what was worse was that only Inari was the only one in his family who could see that.
"There you are," a cold voice spoke from behind his position. Shrieking in surprise, Inari jumped up and turned around defensively, only to find one of the Konoha shinobi standing before him. Scowling at the raven-haired male before him, Inari practically spat his words at the boy. "What do you want? Shouldn't you be out dying somewhere?"
Raising an eyebrow at the child's defensive nature and insults, Sasuke Uchiha was not one to mince words. "I'm here to tell you that you're pathetic." For a moment, there was only silence, along with the shock plastered across Inari's face. Then, Inari's brain seemed to connect and understand what the Uchiha had said. Ready to scream his lungs out at the dark tween, Sasuke continued. "You're pathetic because your way of thinking is pathetic." Pausing at Sasuke's words, Inari looked up at the older boy, waiting for an explanation.
"You believe that because your father was incapable of defeating Gatō that no one can do so. You think that your way of thinking is superior to that of your family, yet you submit to a tyrant. I can tell that you desire revenge against Gatō, yet you do nothing to accomplish that goal. Every single aspect of your ideology is weak. You have no resolve. Without resolve, you will never succeed in your ambition." Sasuke's words cut deep into Inari's soul, tears now openly dripping down the young boy's cheeks. The worst part was that Inari knew deep down that the shinobi was right.
"Which is why you should step up," Sasuke continued, causing Inari to look up at the boy once more. "It's true. You are weak as of right now. You are more than likely incapable of achieving what you desire. That doesn't mean you should stop, that means you should train yourself to be capable of grasping that desire. No one in this world can accomplish their ambition without the resolve to never let go of that ambition. So long as you never stop believing that one day you can reach your goal, you will eventually do just that." The Uchiha finished speaking, looking down at the small civilian child.
Moved by the older boy's words, Inari rushed forward, wrapping Sasuke in a tight hug. Freezing for a moment at the foreign contact, the raven gently wrapped his arms around the child in response, holding him close. Staying there for minutes on end, Sasuke eventually pulled back from the hug, resting his hands on Inari's shoulders. "Come on. Your mother and grandfather are most likely worried about you right now." Nodding along with the Uchiha's words, the two set off back in the direction of Tazuna's home, Inari's hand intertwined with Sasuke's.
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Tazuna's House, Main Room
Entering into the main room, Sasuke and Inari were greeted by the sight of dinner on the table. Letting go of the younger boy's hand, Sasuke gestured for him to go to his family. Grinning at the Uchiha, Inari took off inside, running up to and hugging his mum in excitement. While the family caught up on why Inari was so happy, the raven silently took up a seat next to his best friend, who was giving him a soft smile. "You helped him, didn't you?" Naruto's tone was approving, and the Uchiha knew he'd have to answer.
"He reminded me of someone I used to know." Distant memories of a doting mother crossed through Sasuke's mind as he spoke. "All Inari needed was someone who understood what he was feeling. I provided him with that person." Not elaborating further, the Uchiha got to eating. He knew he didn't have to explain more to his best friend. Naruto always understood.
"Now that we're all here," Kakashi began, eyeing Sasuke for a moment before continuing. "I'd like to explain what our protection system will be to all of you." Gaining the entire rooms attention, the Jonin began expressing the details. "As I mentioned earlier to most of you, Tazuna will be guarded by two shinobi at all times when leaving the residents for any reason. I will come along with those selected in case Zabuza should attempt an attack. I have made a roster explaining who will be on duty and when." Pulling out a pile of documents, Kakashi handed them out to both sides of the dinner table. "The estimated time it will take to build the bridge is five days. In that time, we will shift who is guarding Tazuna so the enemy can't prepare against us properly."
The roster in question was easy to follow. There was one detail to it that gave the Genin pause though. "The final day states that only Kiba, Hinata and Naruto will be guarding Tazuna. Why not have all of us be there if Zabuza attacks that day?" Sasuke was concerned that the number of members would not be enough to defeat the rogue.
"That is due to Kurenai and her condition, which is why I made this roster in the first place," Kakashi explained. "Normally I would have all of us on scene at all times in case Zabuza launched a surprise attack. With Kurenai injured and Sakura forced to treat her, we have to split our forces up. It is to prevent Sakura from being defenceless if Gatō or Zabuza strike at the house." Turning his attention to Sasuke and Shino, Kakashi elaborated further. "I am keeping Sasuke here on the final day because he is one of the strongest fighters available. Shino will be staying because of his bugs capability to sense chakra nearby. They will be critical if an attack does occur here."
Seeing the logic in the plan but disagreeing wholeheartedly, Sasuke bit his tongue. He knew better than to question his sensei's strategy. The man hadn't disappointed as of yet. And if Gatō did attempt to attack Sakura while they were all on the bridge, Sasuke wasn't sure she could defend Kurenai and herself at the same time. The safest plan was to split up their forces so they could all come out of this alive.
"So Shino and I will stay here to defend Sakura and Kurenai, while the rest of the shinobi guard Tazuna on the bridge on the final day?" Sasuke wanted to make sure that he understood the plan. It wouldn't do to reach the final day and to have forgotten what they needed to do.
"Correct. Naruto, Kiba and Hinata should be enough to hold off any attempts at Tazuna's life on the last day of construction. Along with them, I will also be present, meaning that if Zabuza were to show up, I would be there to handle him personally." Giving the Genin his eye-smile, Kakashi seemed entirely confident in his plan of action. "So long as we stick to the roster and there aren't any hiccups along the way, we will be fine." Picking up the food on the table once more, Kakashi continued. "That's enough for now. Let's take the time to enjoy this lovely dinner Tsunami has prepared for all of us." Nodding along with the Jonin, the Konoha ninja began to dig in once more.
It was going to be a long five days. There was no need to suffer through them on an empty stomach.
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(Timeskip)
Final Day Of Construction, Tazuna's House
Standing before the five Genin, Kakashi addressed them as a collective. "We've done well these past few days. As of right now, there have been no incidents during and after the construction process. That doesn't mean we can slack off. Today is the most imperative time to be alert. I do not doubt that Zabuza or Gatō will attempt to strike at us today. Remember our mission, protect Tazuna at all costs. Even if we must sacrifice every other worker on the bridge, Tazuna must live and complete the bridge. Is that clear?" Seeing the groups hesitance at his last words, Kakashi gave them all a reassuring smile. "We will do our best to protect everyone, but Tazuna is our main priority. If we do our job well, no one will die." Hearing the Jonin's words, the Genin looked much more confident now. Nodding at the group, Kakashi made his way out with them to Tazuna's location.
"Ready to go?" Kakashi questioned the bridge builder.
"As ready as I'll ever be. After today, Wave will be one step closer to securing our freedom!" Confident in his words, Tazuna gestured for the Konoha ninja to assemble as they always did before they left his residence.
Hinata, Kiba and Kakashi immediately got into formation. As Naruto made his way to join them, Sasuke stepped in his path. Wondering what his best friend was stopping him for, the blonde rose a questioning eyebrow at the raven. Wrapping the boy in a tight hug, Sasuke didn't seem to care for the questioning eyes on the two of them. "Don't die out there," the Uchiha whispered to Naruto. Heart tightening at Sasuke's words, the former Jinchūriki hugged the boy back, gripping him with just as much force as his friend was. "Wouldn't dream of it," the Uzumaki replied just as quietly.
Letting go, the two gave each other a reassuring nod. Hopping into formation with the rest of the squad, Naruto waited for Kakashi's orders. Seeing the tween had joined the team, Kakashi turned his attention to his front.
"Move out!"
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Wave Country, Bridge Construction Sight
"Come on! We've still got at least four hours of work left before this bridge is travel-worthy! No slacking off!" Tazuna shouted from his position at the middle of the construction site. Not far from the aged man, Kakashi and the trio of Genin were keeping watch of their surroundings. For the last three hours, they had yet to encounter any of Gatō's men or Zabuza himself. Though they were hoping for a smooth few hours, the Konoha ninja knew better. They were in for a rough time. It was just a matter of when.
As if on cue, bridge workers began to drop like flies from the railings and into the water below. Immediately surrounding Tazuna in a protective formation, the shinobi scanned the area for any imminent threats. The operation had already gone south. They hadn't expected Zabuza to be ruthless enough to murder regular workers before the fight started. In hindsight, they shouldn't have been so naive. Zabuza had butchered his classmates to graduate. Workers were nothing in comparison.
Suddenly, two figures appeared on the bridge. One was undeniably Zabuza Momochi. From the aura of intimidation to the Kubikiribōchō resting on his shoulder blade, he was impossible to miss. The other individual was a mystery to the Konoha shinobi. With an androgynous appearance, it was hard to tell if the enemy ninja was male or female. Their face held no indication either, covered by a hunter-nin mask. The only obvious observation that the team could make was that they were around fourteen to fifteen years old based on their height.
"Kakashi Hatake," the ominous voice of Zabuza echoed across the bridge. "You're quite famous outside of Konoha, you know. Copy Ninja Kakashi, a user of over 1000 Jutsu. Supposedly you have the Sharingan hidden underneath that forehead protector." Holstering his blade into a fighting stance, the rogue blasted out a massive amount of KI. "I can't wait to tear it out of your head!"
"It was foolish of you to come here Zabuza," Kakashi replied. "I am more than capable of handling a shinobi of your calibre on my own. Even with your friend there, I doubt they can take on three of us at once. The way I see it, there is no way this can pan out in your favour." The silver-haired Jonin was confident he could defeat the Demon Of The Mist. It would be a challenge, but with his Sharingan and skill level, he could pull through. "If you give up now, we will allow you both to leave. Though you are rogue ninja, our mission is to protect the bridge builder. Your crimes have nothing to do with our current mission." If Kakashi was honest, he wished they would take his advice and leave. Though he could probably defeat Zabuza, the fight wasn't going to be easy.
Laughing at the Jonin's suggestion, Zabuza began slowly advancing. "If you think I am going to walk away from the amount of money that bridge builder has on his head, you're insane. I doubt you Konoha shinobi will abandon your mission either. There is no reason for us to talk any longer." Keeping his gaze on Kakashi, Zabuza spoke confidently. "Your observation may have been correct, had I not brought back-up." Zabuza extended his arm, and suddenly, four other figures dropped onto the bridge behind him. "Say hello to the Nokizaru Group!"
Eyes widening as he registered the name, Kakashi reacted instantly, just as a flash of light lit up the area. "Don't open your mouths!" Following their sensei's orders, the Genin immediately covered their mouths, waiting until Kakashi gave the go-ahead to stop. As the light faded, Kakashi confirmed they were allowed to breathe again. "Try to avoid inhaling during this battle. The Nokizaru use a technique known as Exploding Insect. If you inhale even one insect, there is no saving you with our current members. Try not to tap into your chakra if you are fighting them. Taijutsu is best."
"Haku, pick who you want to fight. The Nokizaru will deal with the other two. I will handle Hatake myself." Nodding at his master, Haku examined the trio of Genin. Picking out Naruto, he turned his attention to the Nokizaru. "Take care of the dog boy and the girl. I'll take the blonde." Dashing forward at incredible speed, Haku took hold of a surprised Naruto, pushing him back to a separate part of the bridge. Eyeing the two Genin remaining, the Nokizaru readied themselves for battle. "Kiba, Hinata! Protect Tazuna!" Kakashi's voice shouted. Not a moment later, the Jonin dashed toward Zabuza, the rogue doing the same. Swallowing harshly, Kiba and Hinata got into fighting stances, ready to defend Tazuna with their lives.
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Kakashi And Zabuza
Clashing with the former Kirigakure shinobi, Kakashi backed off to examine the conditions of their fight. 'Something is wrong. Zabuza hasn't cast his signature Jutsu, the Hiding In Mist Technique. He could have activated it before he even appeared, yet he hasn't done so. There must be a reason.' Turning his attention to the other combatants present, Kakashi quickly figured it out. 'He needs the Nokizaru to be able to fight properly. If he activated his Jutsu, they'd be just as blind as we would be. So he's forced to battle in the open.' Shifting his focus back to Zabuza, Kakashi readied a kunai. 'So long as the Nokizaru are battling Kiba and Hinata, we have an advantage.' Moving his hand to his forehead protector, Kakashi slowly pulled it upward, revealing his Sharingan. 'I'll use that opportunity to strike Zabuza down!'
"You can't win Hatake. Even without the use of my favourite Jutsu, I am still capable of fighting you as an equal. If you somehow managed to defeat me though, you would lose to Haku." Seeing Kakashi narrow his eyes at his words, Zabuza decided to elaborate to stall for time. "Haku is my ultimate creation. He is a weapon of destruction that is unrivalled for his age. Not only is he an exceptional shinobi, but he also possesses a deadly Kekkei Genkai! Your student doesn't stand a chance against him."
"Don't think I don't know what you're doing Zabuza," Kakashi retorted instantly. "I am well aware you are stalling for time so that your companion has more time to win his engagement." Shifting into a fighting stance, Kakashi offered the rogue shinobi a smile. "I assure you, Naruto is fully capable of dealing with him. Much like I am about to deal with you."
With the time for talk seemingly over, Kakashi and Zabuza dashed forward, clashing once again.
-Linebreak-
Naruto And Haku
Having gone far enough away from the other combatants, Haku released Naruto from his push, flipping backwards shortly after he did so. Recovering swiftly, Naruto examined his new opponent. They were fast, incredibly so, he'd have to watch out for that. By the look of the pouches they carried, he determined that they were a senbon user. 'The opposite of me then, light attacks to wear enemies down over time.' Cracking his neck, Naruto decided to attempt conversation with the unknown shinobi. "I take it you aren't in the mood to talk this out?"
To the blonde's surprise, Haku responded. "I am perfectly willing to wait this out with you if you so desire. My only objective at this point is to keep you preoccupied while Zabuza-sama battles. If your solution to that is to 'Talk It Out' with me, I am entirely content with that choice." Naruto honestly had not expected such an honest response from the female sounding ninja. Despite that, he had a mission to complete and couldn't afford to sit around chatting with the enemy while his comrades put their lives on the line. "Believe me when I say I would love to do so, but as of right now, my fellow shinobi require my assistance. We will have to fight because of that, unfortunately." Weaving through hand signs, Naruto executed his Jutsu. 'Earth Release: Stone Gauntlet Technique!' As he activated his technique, Naruto slammed his hands into the ground. Rocks quickly formed around the blonde's arms, taking the shape of gauntlets. Pulling his arms from the ground, Naruto gave Haku a dry smile. "Maybe we can talk after this is all over."
"Perhaps we will. Given you aren't beat by then." Pulling senbon from his storage pouches, Haku readied himself for battle.
-Linebreak-
Kiba, Hinata And The Nokizaru
Warily observing the four shinobi in front of them, Kiba and Hinata were at odds as to what they should do. "We can't attack first Kiba-kun, our mission is to protect Tazuna!" Gritting his teeth at the Hyūga's statement, Kiba replied harshly. "I know that Hinata! But we can't just sit here and let them close in!"
"It looks like your sensei informed you guys as to how we work." A man with shaggy, shoulder-length white hair taunted. "It doesn't matter. Even without our Exploding Insect Technique, we're still efficient killers. Genin like you are small fry to mercenaries of our skill level." Unsheathing a tanto knife, the man seemed to enjoy taunting the duo. "The Nokizaru Group are more formidable then you pathetic Konoha ninja could ever hope to be! You look green enough for this to be your first mission outside of your village!"
Growling in irritation at the man's words, Kiba forced himself to calm down. He couldn't allow himself to get worked up, not when Kurenai-sensei's life, along with everyone else's, was on the line. Pulling out duel kunai, Kiba spoke directly to Hinata. "You take the two on the left. I'll take the white hair prick and the other guy." Nodding at Kiba's words, Hinata shifted into the Hyūga clan's fighting stance.
A moment later, the Nokizaru charged.
-Linebreak-
Kakashi And Zabuza
Grunting in exertion as he blocked a slash from Zabuza with his kunai, Kakashi pulled back once more from the engagement. Breathing heavily, the silver-haired Jonin couldn't believe he was having such a difficult time defeating the rogue. 'Is this what staying in the village for too long does to you? Have my skills dulled this much in that amount of time?'
Pulling Kubikiribōchō onto his shoulder with great effort, Zabuza let out a long sigh of relief at the short break from combat. "You're not as good as they say Hatake. With such a reputation, I'd expected a lot more from you." Observing Kakashi's kunai, Zabuza noticed a subtle crack on one side of the weapon. Taking note of it for later, the Demon Of The Mist gave the Jonin a smug look through his eyes. "You must have gotten old. There's no other reason this battle between us could be so... lacklustre."
Tightening his grip on his kunai's handle at Zabuza's words, Kakashi tried not to let the shinobi get to him. "Even if my skills aren't what they used to be, I can still defeat you. Today is the day you die Zabuza Momochi, make no mistake of that fact."
Feeling that the time to talk was once again over, the two raced forward.
-Linebreak-
Naruto And Haku
Dodging senbon left and right, Naruto, for the first time in his life, found himself unable to advance. Whoever the shinobi in front of him was, they knew not to mess around. Every time he attempted to strike at them, they avoided his blows, yet every time he tried to move away from their battle, senbon hurled towards him with precision. There was no way that Taijutsu was going to win him this fight. Ninjutsu would have to do.
Jumping backward a fair distance from his opponent, Naruto flashed through hand signs. 'Let's see if they're a fan of the wind.' Finishing his preparations, Naruto immediately activated his Jutsu. 'Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!' Sending a powerful blast of wind in Haku's direction, Naruto focused heavily on the Jutsu, pouring a large amount of chakra into maintaining it.
Sent flying backward from the force of the Jutsu, Haku steadied himself after a moment. Observing the technique, he smiled beneath his mask. 'A valiant effort. But I won't be defeated by such a simple Jutsu!' Waiting until the blonde had released the technique, Haku acted swiftly. Charging at full speed into Naruto, the older boy knocked the former Jinchūriki to the ground. Regaining his balance before Naruto could, Haku placed both her hands together. Channelling his chakra, the black-haired boy activated his Kekkei Genkai as the air chilled. 'Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!'
All around Naruto, mirrors of ice began to take shape. Standing up, the Uzumaki took to observing the technique around him. 'They all appear to be the same size. That shinobi must have some form of Kekkei Genkai. I've never seen anything like this before.' He had already wasted a large amount of chakra on his last Jutsu. Naruto wasn't sure how much he had to spare at that moment. 'Looks like I'll be on the defensive for a bit.' Shortly after he had reached his conclusion, the unknown shinobi appeared before him in one of the mirrors. 'Oh it gets worse,' Naruto added on dryly.
"Konoha shinobi, know that the land you stand on is your deathbed. Should you choose to continue your advance, I will kill you." The voice of the shinobi spoke to Naruto. Suddenly, every mirror surrounding the blonde held the enemies visage. "There is no way to escape my technique. If you attempt to resist, you will only be accelerating the inevitable." The voice of the shinobi seemed to echo now throughout all the mirrors. "Choose now. Stay your hand and live, or attempt to fight and die."
Naruto's thoughts went into overdrive at that moment. 'My opponent could have cast this Jutsu much earlier in the fight, yet refrained from doing so. If their objective is to keep me from interfering, they would have used it immediately. That means the technique they're using takes up a lot of chakra to maintain most likely. If I can wait out the enemies Jutsu, I can strike when they are weak. But they'll most likely want to knock me out if I agree to play nice, so I can't do that. That means I'll have to defend myself from their attacks until they can't hold the Jutsu any longer.' Having come to his conclusion on what to do, Naruto responded to the shinobi. "I think I'll decline that offer. I appreciate you asking me though, very kind of you."
Sighing audibly at the Genin's words, Haku readied her senbon. "Then I will attempt to make your death as painless as possible."
-Linebreak-
Kiba, Hinata And The Nokizaru
Striking the second Nokizaru member with her palm, Hinata panted heavily at the exertion she had undergone to defeat the two opponents. 'That was probably the hardest fight of my life...' Hinata's eyes wandered their way to Kiba's fight while she caught her breath. The boy in question was fairing incredibly well, even better than she had been apparently. Having already defeated one of the Nokizaru, he was still in fierce combat with the seeming leader of the group.
Blocking Kiba's kunai strike with his tanto, the leader of the Nokizaru grinned at the Inuzuka. "You're not as bad as I thought you'd be, but you're still not good enough to defeat me!" Pushing the younger male back, the man began a non-stop assault with his weapon.
Slashing in every possible direction, Kiba was slowly losing ground. Sloppily deflecting a blow, the Nokizaru leader took advantage of Kiba's moment of weakness. Knocking the kunai out of the boy's hand, the older man readied his tanto for the final blow. "When you enter the next life, tell them Himushi sent you!" Watching in horror, Kiba closed his eyes, awaiting the end.
After a few moments of silence, Kiba slowly cracked his eyes open, wondering what had happened. To his immense surprise, Hinata stood in front of him, palm extended and breathing like her life depended on it. Looking for his opponent, Kiba grinned as he saw the man unconscious and on the ground. "Thanks for the save Hinata! That bastard nearly got me!"
Turning to the Inuzuka with a smile that seemed more confident than usual, Hinata replied with a clear voice. "It was nothing Kiba-kun. I'm just glad you're alright." Collapsing into a heap on the ground, Hinata sighed softly. "Is Mr Tazuna doing ok?"
"I'm doing just fine little miss!" The happy voice of Tazuna responded, squatting down to the Hyūga's eye level. "I appreciate your efforts in defending me! Let's lay low for a bit while the other fights finish!"
Both too weak to help their fellow shinobi, Kiba and Hinata nodded, both trying their best to relax after a battle well fought.
-Linebreak-
Kakashi And Zabuza
Still duking it out with Kakashi, Zabuza suddenly felt the chakra signatures of the last member of the Nokizaru calm itself. Confident that they had all been knocked unconscious, the rogue determined that now was the best time to strike. Aiming his blade for the crack in Kakashi's kunai, Zabuza shattered the weapon instantly. Using that moment of surprise, the Demon Of The Mist kicked Kakashi a fair distance away. Acting quickly, he activated his signature Jutsu. 'Water Release: Hiding In Mist Technique!'
Nearly instantly, a thick mist coerced its way across the construction site. Recovering from Zabuza's blow, Kakashi registered the change in environment. 'So he's finally activated his Jutsu. I guess the Nokizaru lost then.' Dashing forward to Momochi's last known location, Kakashi met nothing but air. 'As I expected, he's started his little game. Where will he strike at me?' Waiting patiently for a blow that didn't seem to be coming, Kakashi was beginning to sweat. 'Have to stay focused, he'll take advantage of any opening!'
Suddenly, thoughts in Kakashi's mind clicked. The reason Zabuza had brought the Nokizaru, the purpose of him waiting until they had lost to use his Jutsu. The rogue had planned this from the start.
'Shit! Tazuna!'
-Linebreak-
Kiba, Hinata And Tazuna
"What's with all this mist?" Tazuna proclaimed in annoyance. "It's going to be a lot harder to finish our construction until it passes."
"I wouldn't worry about that old man."
Turning on the spot, the last thing Tazuna saw was the blade of Kubikiribōchō aimed at his neck.
Staring in absolute horror at the decapitated bridge builder, Kiba and Hinata were trembling violently. They had never seen death before, especially not one so brutal and up-close. Turning his gaze onto the frightened Genin, Zabuza chuckled at the two. "Your weakness disgusts me. It's true. If you're unable to handle witnessing death, you are not worthy of being shinobi." Waking past the duo, Zabuza called out into the mist. "Haku! The mission is over! We're going to collect our bounty!"
By the time Kakashi had reached the two, both Zabuza and Tazuna's body were gone.
-Linebreak-
Naruto And Haku
Not good. Well, not good would be the understatement of the century for the current predicament. Naruto had been dodging senbon for what felt like hours, but it seemed like this shinobi's chakra never ended. Every time he avoided nine, the tenth one pierced his body. If he was correct, he had at least twenty senbon wedged into his body as he spoke. Though he couldn't feel it, he knew his body was at its limit. Collapsing to the ground in a heap, Naruto felt his body finally relax. He wished he could say the same about his mind.
"It is as I told you, this land is your deathbed." The voice of the shinobi that had bested him reigned supreme in Naruto's ears. His only thoughts at that moment revolved around his loss.
'There's no way I could have lost!' 'Impossible...' 'He defeated me.' 'Am I going to die today?'
As much as the blonde tried not to consider it, he knew his death was close. In a few moments, the shinobi he didn't even know the name of would take his life. He had to act. He refused to lay down and die like an animal. That was what had happened last time. He wasn't the same as the first time he had died. He would not allow it to happen again.
"Haku!" The voice of Zabuza called out across the mist that had recently appeared. "The mission is over! We're going to collect our bounty!"
Seeing that the shinobi Naruto now knew to be Haku was distracted for that brief instance, the Uzumaki acted. Using the last of his chakra, Naruto pushed it into his feet, sending him flying towards Haku. With a precision that would make the best ninja blush, the tween savagely bit into the older male's neck. Naruto's eyes pulsed happily at the taste of Haku's skin, sinking his teeth deep into the wound.
Knocking the younger male off of him, Haku placed his hand over his neck, the wound bleeding profusely. "What...Is your name?" Haku asked, wanting to know who exactly had taken him by surprise.
"Naruto...Uzumaki." Naruto replied with a grin, proud of himself for having struck his opponent for the first time during their fight.
"Naruto Uzumaki," Haku said, tasting the name on his lips. Smiling to himself, he added mentally. 'It has a nice ring to it.' Removing his mask from his person, Haku revealed his face to the blonde, staring into his eyes. "My name is Haku Yuki. I will see you at our next encounter, preferably under more friendly terms." Placing his mask back onto his person, Haku teleported away, leaving Naruto alone.
Burning the image of Haku's face into his mind, Naruto replied to the empty air.
"See you then..."
-Linebreak-
(Timeskip)
(5 Days Later, Wave Country, Tsunami's House)
Having recovered fully, Kurenai and Naruto were now fully capable of moving without issue. Despite this development, none of the Konoha shinobi was joyous.
Tsunami had not spoken for the last five days since she had heard of her father's passing. She had not kicked them out of her home, but she had not welcomed them either. Inari had shut himself away in his room for days, not willing to speak to anyone, not even Sasuke.
As soon as Kurenai had revealed to Tsunami that she was capable of moving, the woman had ordered them to leave. None of them had been willing to argue with the woman after what had occurred on the bridge. The Konoha shinobi left as soon as possible.
On their trek back to Konoha, no one spoke. There was nothing they could say to each other to ease the situation because one fact remained at the end of the day.
They had failed.
E.N.D Chapter 9
Hey everyone! Thanks for reading chapter 9 of Born Again!
I apologise sincerely for the wait on this chapter. The script went through many rewrites, and I had to do a bit of research on the Naruto universe.
Like I said at the top of the page, the chapter turned out to be very long, more than any other one. I hope that I stayed consistently decent in writing quality throughout the whole thing, but if you guys saw any drop in that department, feel free to let me know.
Canon divergences. I hope you enjoyed the changes I made to the Zabuza Arc. I wasn't sure how to go about this chapter initially, so it took a lot longer to put out then the others. Luckily it's all done and dusted now.
As always, feel free to leave a review or a message to share your thoughts on this chapter. I welcome all conversation and respond to every review I get that is of substance. If you are enjoying the story so far, please do give it a favourite and a follow. It shows me that you support it and want it to keep growing.
Anyway, that's enough out of me. I'll see you all in the next chapter!
- Raime