Author Note: Woohoo! Chapter Ten! Hitting milestones! Ya'll hit some milestones too! Thanks for giving me 25k+ views and 450+ Followers to support my story! For fun, I decided to share some songs that have been inspiring me as I work on Setsuri.
The initial spark being "Hold On" by Chord Overstreet, influential mentions are "Would Anyone Care?" by Citizen Soldier, "Spirits" (Acoustic Version) by The Stombellas, "Let Me Down Slowly" by Alec Benjamin (Naruto Mix), "My Demons" (Acoustic) by Starset, "One Day Too Late" by Skillet, "Terrify The Dark" Skillet, "Anchor" by Skillet, "Save Me" by Skillet, "Forget It" by Breaking Benjamin, "Rain" by Breaking Benjamin, and "Angels Fall" (Aurora Version) by Breaking Benjamin.
These are not the only songs I listen to while writing, my playlist varies depending on the mood of the scene and chapter. (I listen to the Naruto OST a lot, primarily.) These songs do however set the tone for the story as a whole, especially "Hold On".
"Disembodied voices of higher beings."
"External Dialogue of Lesser Mortals."
'Structured Thoughts'
Setsuri
Chapter Ten
"Courage is grace under pressure."
It was now the second morning of Team Seven's first mission outside the confines of Konohagakure no Sato. Currently, they were in the process of traversing the border between Hi no Kuni and Nami no Kuni and expected to arrive within the small island nation within the hour. The pent-up nervous energies of the previous day's encounter had since left the young genins' minds, allowing them to put their focus and efforts back onto the mission.
Naruto was bored for most of the silent boat ride, it was cramped, and they were instructed to be quiet for its full duration. They'd been on their water-bound journey since just before dawn's first light, and he couldn't even distract himself with the sights because everything was hidden by the morning fog that had yet to burn off for the day. Leaning over the edge of the small vessel Naruto ran his fingers through the chilly saltwater, letting out a long weary sigh.
His disinterest was finally disrupted as something in the distance caught his attention. Looking up, Naruto was awestruck by the sight before him. Although it wasn't finished, the boy looked up to see the largest bridge he'd ever seen in his life!
"Sugoi!" Naruto exclaimed aloud, earning a reproaching look from everyone, except Hinata who nodded in agreement, absentmindedly as she also stared at the partially built bridge.
"Urusai! Do you want us to get caught by Gatō's men?!" The boat driver hissed, making Naruto wince. He'd momentarily forgotten that they were trying to use the fog as cover to sneak onto the island. Stubbornly refusing to apologize, Naruto opted to instead sulk for the rest of the ride. Thankfully he didn't have long to wait, and they made it ashore in under the allotted hour.
Naruto was in awe of all the new foreign sights the environment offered him on the small island nation. Large trees with exposed interlace root systems littered the coastline and waterways. The squad and their charge were using these mangrove trees as additional cover, and the floating forests were completely alien to the inexperienced genin.
As the team unloaded onto the dock, Naruto looked around the small fishing village with childlike wonder. It was so different from Konoha! It was strange to him how all the houses were built on stilts, but Naruto deduced that it was most likely to help during high tide or floods. The village was quiet in the early morning, and the buildings appeared a bit rundown and drab compared to Konoha's bright and colorful construction. Was this because of Gatō's influence?
"Naruto, don't fall behind!"
Naruto turned, catching the voice of his mentor. Kakashi looked back at him with a bit of exacerbation. It looked like they'd be heading up a worn path away from the main village. As his teammates looked back from where Naruto had been left, Sasuke's mild irritation was obvious, while Hinata seemed as patient and understanding as ever.
"My bad, Sensei! It's just so different from Home, ya know?" Naruto explained, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, hurrying to catch up with his group.
"Just remember to stay aware of your surroundings. We don't need to risk being caught off-guard again. There might be more enemies nearby, and next time the ninja might be even stronger than the pair that showed up yesterday. I don't want you to stray too far from the group. Understood?" Kakashi explained, folding his arms as he stared down at Naruto.
"Ossu!" Naruto exclaimed, giving Kakashi a salute followed by a cheeky grin. Kakashi returned the smile with a nod, ruffling the boy's hair before they returned to their march up the dirt road.
Naruto took Kakashi's words to heart, trying his best to remain diligent as the party continued their journey. Along the way, he took his default stance, running towards the front of the party, but not straying too far ahead of the group. Inhaling the salty breeze of the midmorning air, Naruto let his mind relax, concentrating his sensory ability as he'd practiced so often ever since being assigned to Kakashi's team.
Hinata was the closest to him. Her pale blue-violet aura was soft and tingly. It seemed she was excited about all the new sights as well, but still a bit nervous and apprehensive, most likely due to their encounter from yesterday. Next up was Sasuke, his chakra signature was cool, and dense, giving Naruto a sense of a deep rich blue. The Uchiha seemed cautious, but also secretly amused about something. Naruto figured due to the rumbling vibration in Sasuke's aura that he was probably still cocky from his success the previous day, but couldn't be too sure. He was never really able to figure out Sasuke, the boy wasn't ever honest with his feelings, and there was only so much Naruto could assume. He could understand how the older boy felt but had yet to pinpoint the why.
Close to Sasuke trailed Tazuna and Kakashi. Kakashi, for his entire calm exterior, was on alert. He'd been more serious and protective of the inexperienced genin since their run-in with the Kiri-Nin, particularly hovering over Naruto ever since he'd received his injury. At least Kakashi hadn't gone full mother-hen as Iruka sometimes did.
This was a side of Kakashi that Naruto wasn't completely used to, it reminded him of the few memories he had of Kakashi when he was formerly known as Inu-San. When Kakashi went into guard dog mode Naruto knew to shut up, listen, and follow orders. It appeared his other teammates hadn't noticed Kakashi's change in demeanor just yet. However, Naruto wasn't too concerned, they were always more obedient than him during training anyway.
Tazuna was harder to read, and easier to read all at the same time. His chakra reserves weren't as high as his squad mates given that the bridge builder was a civilian. This meant he wasn't as easy to physically sense. On the other hand, since he didn't have training as a shinobi his emotions were less complex and easier to distinguish, at least when he was sober.
The old man was stressed, trepidatious, guilt-ridden, resigned, but also hopeful, and determined. The previous evening, Tazuna had come completely clean about the problems facing Nami no Kuni during his talk with Kakashi and no longer held secrets from the Konoha-Nin that might affect the mission. Naruto was relieved, he wanted to help Tazuna save his struggling nation, but it still didn't sit well with the boy that the old man initially lied to them. The orange-clan genin wasn't quite so quick to completely forgive Tazuna just yet and probably wouldn't until the itch of his bandaged hand had diminished.
The wound was healing nicely, and would most likely be completely mended before lunch. When Naruto stabbed his hand to release the poison, he hadn't taken into account all the little bones, tendons, ligaments, and nerves located in the extremity. Nor had the inexperienced ninja held back while handling his kunai. Naruto thoroughly impaled his hand with the blade, just stopping short of exiting the skin in his inner palm.
It still hurt if Naruto put too much pressure on the injury, or flexed the appendage too much. However, he refused to voice his discomfort. Naruto couldn't hold his team back, nor become any more of a liability, not to mention he didn't need Sasuke calling him a cry baby. The jerk already had enough of a bloated ego as it was.
'...Wait, what was that?'
Naruto was brought out of his train of thought as a new entity flickered into the outer perimeter of his senses. He could feel the hair at the nape of his neck stand on end. It felt like someone was stalking them, like a predator eyeing potential prey. The presence felt dangerous, more so than the chūnin of yesterday. Without a second thought, Naruto pulled out a shuriken, throwing it towards the threatening existence, letting his weapon fly through the underbrush.
'Kuso! They're fast! Where'd they go now?!'
It seemed the intruder didn't appreciate having a shuriken thrown at them because the pressure Naruto felt flared angrily for a brief moment before bubbling just below the surface once more. This wasn't safe. He needed to flush them out before his team was caught by surprise. Pulling another shuriken from his combat pouch the blonde desperately looked around, his large blue eyes wide with fear-filled determination.
"Over there!" Naruto growled as he launched the weapon, cursing under his breath as he missed once more. Reflexively he grabbed Hinata's arm, pulling her along with him as he backed closer to the group.
"N-Naruto-Kun, what's the matter?" Hinata asked hesitantly in a hushed tone, subtly changing her stance with a hand hovering near her holster.
"I think we have a welcome party…" Naruto muttered in a hushed tone, looking up nervously toward Kakashi who in turn frowned, shifting his weight into a more alert position. This admission caused everyone to go on alert.
"...How many?" Kakashi murmured, giving the blonde an intense gaze.
"I'm not sure, I think it's one, but they're fast and strong…" Naruto admitted with annoyance, before whipping around and throwing another shuriken into the surrounding wilds. This time the amped-up genin was rewarded with a muffled shriek, but it didn't sound human, which confused him. Cautiously Kakashi made his way through the foliage, picking up a large white hare, and showing it to the nervous group. The poor creature was stunned, but otherwise unharmed.
"Oi! Midget! Don't go scaring us! Stop messing with our heads!" Tazuna griped angrily.
"Heh, I didn't know you were so afraid of rabbits, Usuratonkachi." Sasuke snorted, sighing with annoyance as he put away a kunai he'd retrieved. Giving Naruto a reproachful look that the blonde took to mean he didn't believe him and was probably doing this for attention.
Tazuna, Naruto could ignore, he was just an inexperienced civilian client. Sasuke on the other hand was causing Naruto's blood to boil. How could he handle unexpected situations as they came at him, but couldn't assess a danger preemptively?! How could he not feel that murderous intent? It was sending shivers down Naruto's spine, and making his body scream, his instincts telling him to flee.
"Damare, Temē! I'm serious, there's an enemy nearby!" Naruto snapped, giving his companion a heated glare. Sasuke's laid-back attitude immediately shifted. He might not have been a sensor-type ninja like Hinata and Naruto, but he'd trained with them long enough to trust their judgment in these situations. At Naruto's declaration, Hinata didn't hesitate to activate her Byakugan.
"Kakashi-Sensei! There are two people near our location. However, only one is within the immediate area. Three-hundred degrees from our current position, elevated six meters, most likely in the bough of that nearby tree." The normally timid girl whispered urgently before letting out a gasp.
"Wha-" Naruto started to ask before letting out a surprised yelp as Hinata yanked him forcefully to the ground.
"Fusero!" Kakashi barked out simultaneously.
Soon after Naruto felt something breeze forcefully past his head. Hearing the object connect solidly with a tree ahead of them, the bewildered boy looked up to see the largest sword he'd seen in his life embedded firmly into the thick trunk. Quickly, Naruto whipped his head around to take in the condition of all his companions. His heart thrumming in his eardrums, Naruto didn't dare allow himself a sense of relief. Everyone was in one piece for now, but the danger was closer than ever.
As he hesitantly stood up, Naruto was able to finally put a face to the dark entity that'd been prowling around them. Balanced on the hilt of the large broadsword was a shirtless muscular man. He had short dark hair, wore baggy muted bluish-gray pants, wrapped tightly at the shins by arctic-camo-designed, cushion-covered, guards that matched the cushioned bracers around his forearms. The man's face was hidden behind a tightly wrapped white cloth, and as he turned to glare down at the group Naruto noticed he bore a hitai-ate, tied on his head in a lop-sided manner, matching the enemy ninja from the previous day. Taking in the full sight of the intimidating stranger, the wary genin could swear the man was either close to the same height, or even possibly taller than his sensei.
If Naruto didn't feel the danger radiating off the man that gave him pause, he'd most likely have mistakenly leaped at the enemy without a second thought and would've quickly brought an end to his budding ninja career. Fortunately, Naruto wasn't that impetuous, instead choosing to shuffle closer to his teammates in a bid to guard their commissioned charge. Trying his best not to be overtaken by the bloodlust he could sense emanating from the man.
"Well, if it isn't Momochi Zabuza-San, the nukenin who ran off and left Kirigakure!" Kakashi drawled out in an almost cheerful greeting, while subtly positioning himself between his young wards, their client, and the aforementioned threat.
"K-Kakashi-Sensei…" Naruto stammered weakly, worried that Kakashi wasn't taking the threat seriously enough, only to receive a wave of his sensei's hand signaling him to be quiet and listen. Kakashi seemed too calm. The young sensor couldn't even get a proper read on his mentor's aura, except a vague sense of protectiveness. It was as if the more experienced shinobi suddenly shut off his emotions.
"Don't interfere, and give me room. This one's on a whole different level than our previous opponents." Kakashi ordered in a hushed yet stern tone, just loud enough for the trio of genin to hear as he started to lift his hitai-ate, showing the scarred eye he usually kept covered.
"Sharingan no Kakashi, I presume? If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you surrender the old man?" The man now known as Zabuza requested, in the same calm demeanor Kakashi was displaying. Naruto wasn't fooled. The men were releasing tension so thick in the air that he could almost choke on it. It was as if watching two dogs circling each other, about to fight over a scrap of meat.
'...Sharingan? Why does that sound so familiar?' Naruto wondered absently, gazing up at his mentor for answers.
"Assume the Manji Battle Formation! Protect Tazuna-San. All of you stay out of this fight. That's the kind of teamwork this situation demands, Kakashi instructed before opening his left eye revealing a crimson iris embellished with three black rotating markings similar to tomoe.
"Now, Zabuza, you know I can't do that… We both know how this works, shall we?"
Naruto winced, feeling the sharp stab of an oncoming headache at the sight of Kakashi's eye. He could feel his grip on reality slipping as his mind was flooded with an onslaught of images involving more of those hellishly scarlet orbs. Pain, misery, rage, false hope, death, loneliness, regret, the flurry of unfamiliar yet nostalgic sensations erupted within his being, causing Naruto to tremble as he struggled to keep from fainting.
'No, not now! Kuso! I need to stay focused!'
Shaking off the distorted phantasmal aftershocks that pursued his consciousness, the apprentice ninja quickly stepped back, joining his teammates in their task to surround Tazuna from all directions. Naruto spared another glance towards his guardian and mentor. Right now wasn't the appropriate time, but once things settled down he'd need to ask Kakashi more about that eye, and it seemed he wasn't the only one interested in it. If Sasuke's presence was anything to go off of, the deceivingly stoic boy was emanating suppressed anger, confusion, apprehension, a small sliver of hope.
"Yes... As pleasant as this greeting has been, I'm on a bit of a tight schedule, but unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to get you lot out of the way first." The rogue ninja mused, leering over Kakashi's shoulder towards his target's trembling line of defense, causing the novice ninja to flinch. Naruto gulped, tightening the grip on his kunai in a bid to strengthen his resolve.
What followed next was a silence thick with tension. The awaited break in anticipation happened within an instant. Zabuza kicked off the tree, freeing his weapon easily and vanishing, only to reappear over the surface of the nearby riverway. Even from that distance, Naruto could feel their opponent building a large concentration of chakra.
'So fast! Wait… Nandayo?! How is he standing on the water?'
"But, Kakashi… It looks like I'll need to kill you first, with the finest of ninjutsu, Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu," Zabuza calmly uttered as he dispersed into a mist that soon thickened and enveloped the surrounding area. The enveloping fog was even thicker than what the group had experienced just that morning.
"H-He's gone!" Tazuna exclaimed, his voice holding an edge of nervousness and fright. Naruto couldn't blame him, he was just a civilian entrusting his life to a bunch of rookies fresh out of the academy. The old man wasn't aware of Naruto and Hinata's advantages in this type of battlefield, but neither could Naruto risk divulging this information in case the enemy decided to view them as a threat. The young ninja knew that as soon as this more experienced shinobi viewed them as such their lives were forfeit.
"During his service in Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza became famous for his skill in the silent killing technique. Letting your guard down around him will buy you a direct trip to the afterlife. He'll most likely come after me first, but I haven't yet mastered every aspect of the Sharingan Dōjutsu, so don't lower your guard!"
Naruto felt anything but comforted by Kakashi's words, and it seemed his teammates were of the same sentiment. He could feel their anxiety and stress building over the current situation. Turning his head, Naruto could see Hinata already had her Byakugan activated in his peripherals, a determined look encompassing her profile as she held her kunai steady. Though Hinata's family expected her to master their taijutsu techniques, Kakashi had her work on utilizing a kunai until her Jūken strikes became more lethal.
This side of Hinata always confused Naruto. Normally she always appeared timid, shy, and almost too gentle to fit into the shinobi lifestyle. However, underneath her amiable demeanor lay a hidden fierceness, strength, and determination few ever got to witness. Naruto saw this on occasion during their training exercises and was proud to see it now.
"...There are eight targets, larynx, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, the subclavian artery, kidney, and heart…" Zabuza's voiced through the mist. Naruto and Hinata caught each other with a side-eyed glance, sharing the briefest of nods. The sensory duo had a general idea of where the enemy was and moved to minutely shift their weight accordingly to compensate for their blind teammate.
"...So many choices! What vital, vulnerable place shall I choose? Heh-heh…" Zabuza chuckled before the trio of genin let out a unified gasp as they were subjected to a thick blanket of bloodlust. Naruto wasn't as caught off-guard as his companions since he'd been feeling this vile emotion boiling beneath the surface ever since Zabuza had started stalking them but Naruto still felt compelled to bite his lip to keep himself from losing his lunch. He still suffered some drawbacks to his sensory abilities that he needed to work through, at the very least he wasn't at risk of becoming a liability to his teammates.
Naruto could feel the fear building in his teammates. Surprisingly, Sasuke's anxiety seemed to be skyrocketing. He couldn't remember Sasuke ever being afraid. Just yesterday he handled two chūnin level ninja without a second thought, but now with his breath hitched at a fevered pace, and his aura screaming, Naruto was tempted to break formation to comfort him, worried that his teammate was nearing hysterics.
"Sasuke, calm down," Kakashi called out in a gentle tone, causing Naruto to exhale a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. So he wasn't the only one picking up on Sasuke's near breakdown, which was a relief.
"Even if he gets me, I'll still protect you. I will never let my comrades die!" Kakashi affirmed reassuringly. Earning a soft smile from Naruto before the boy stiffened, furrowing his brows in confusion as Zabuza's consciousness split into three entities. Two were definitely kage bunshin, or something similar, which meant the third, had to be the real one.
"I wouldn't count on that…" Zabuza replied with a small hint of amusement as he suddenly appeared in the center of the genins' Manji Formation.
'Kuso! He's too fast!' Naruto thought, spinning around to slam his kunai into the immediate threat. Only to watch in shock as Zabuza's form morphed into water. It seemed Hinata had a similar idea as they were now staring at each other with bewilderment.
"Not bad brats, but this is game over!" Zabuza laughed from the side, preparing to slam his broadsword through the unprepared apprentices and their charge. Fortunately, Kakashi was able to intercept just in time, shoving his students and Tazuna out of the way of the strike as he was simultaneously bisected, erupting in a blast of water, catching everyone momentarily off guard.
'Sugoi, this is insane! Are all fights between high-level shinobi this fast-paced?!'
"Don't move," Kakashi growled from behind Zabuza, holding a kunai to the nukenin's throat. Naruto felt his stomach drop, Kakashi had let his guard down, and he didn't know that was just a doppelgänger!
"Kakashi-Sensei! That's not the real one!" Naruto blurted desperately as he sat up, throwing caution to the wind, and knowingly painting a target on his back, earning a horrified look from both Kakashi and Hinata.
"Heh, got yourself some talented brats, eh Kakashi? Then again, I guess they'd have to be, for you to waste time being their sensei." Zabuza stated with a hint of mirth, from behind Naruto's prone and vulnerable form. The boy stiffened, slowly turning to look up with wide frightened eyes as Zabuza lifted his sword in preparation for a strike, "Too bad for you, Brat. Today's your last sunrise." he mused icily, swinging the blade down.
"N-Naruto-Kun!" Hinata could be heard shrieking helplessly, but the boy's focus was completely zeroed in on the threat before him.
Naruto clenched his teeth, fruitlessly trying to shield his head. He knew it was useless, there was no way he'd have enough power to stop that big sword with his kunai, maybe in a few years with lots of training, but not as he was now. However, as the throbbing pulsed through his still injured hand, Naruto remembered his promise not to give up. As long as he was alive, there was a chance, slim as it was.
'Think! Do something! Anything!'
In the next instance, Naruto felt himself being picked up and thrown towards Sasuke. Luckily the other boy seemed to have snapped out of his earlier fear-induced trance, catching Naruto with ease, only stumbling momentarily. The two boys shared a momentary look of appreciation and surprise over Naruto's brush with death and miraculous rescue before turning back to the fight.
Kakashi was not Naruto. He was able to stop the sword deftly with his kunai. Unfortunately, he was not in a good position to guard against Zabuza's counter. The boys winced as they saw their sensei harshly kicked across the battleground with such force it sent the man flying into the nearby water, his enemy quickly pursuing after. The enemy ninja only halted momentarily to avoid the caltrops their sensei had at some point laced across the ground.
"Hmph! Baka... Suirō no Jutsu!" Zabuza exclaimed with zeal as he met Kakashi on the water, pulling the still recovering jōnin up into a large watery sphere. As everyone looked on in shock at the entrapped Kakashi, Zabuza used his free hand to form a partial ram sign.
"Heh-Heh-Heh, you're caught. It's a special prison that makes it impossible for you to escape! Allowing you to run around free makes things more difficult, I'll finish off you later... After I've dealt with the others! Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu..."
'Nandayo?! One-handed seals?! Kuso!' Naruto thought with shock and dismay as a doppelgänger of Zabuza grew from water, chuckling as it made its way ashore.
"Heh-heh-heh… Little ninja wannabes, trying so hard to fit in, you even wear hitai-ate… But a true ninja is one who's hovered between life and death numerous times. Clothes don't make a shinobi. You need skills good enough to rate a listing in my bingo book before you deserve to be called ninja. We don't call your kind ninja, we call them brats! You might have a bit of talent, but a brat is still a brat!" The Zabuza-clone laughed as he lunged forward, aiming for Naruto once again.
'Shimatta! He's fixated on me now!' Desperately Naruto created a flurry of clones to swarm the incoming adversary before yanking Sasuke close.
"Look, we don't have much time. We both know we're no match for Zabuza. Nor can we outrun him. We just need to outsmart him long enough to free Sensei. Luckily for you, I've already pissed him off, so he seems dead set on taking me out. You're better at shurikenjutsu than I am. We need to work together to get out of this alive. Can I trust you to follow my lead?" Naruto asked hurriedly, fighting against the adrenaline surging through his veins. Zabuza would be on them in less than a minute. Sasuke stared at Naruto in surprise for a moment before finally answering him with a curt nod.
Naruto smirked, turning back to the Zabuza-clone, utilizing the Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to conjure a larger quantity of kage bunshin to surround the mizu bunshin. The unexpected use of such a high-ranked technique briefly caught the more experienced shinobi's clone off-guard. Using the opportunity to take a breath and steady his nerves, Naruto put on the mask of confidence he always wore within the village with a broad smile.
"Oi! For being just a brat, I've been making you work pretty hard, eh? Listen closely, you eyebrow-less freak! I've got a new listing for that bingo book of yours right here! A guy who's going to be Konohagakure's next Hokage! Konoha-Ryū Ninja, Uzumaki Naruto!" With his proclamation made, the young blonde's clones descended upon their target with weapons drawn.
They were no match for Zabuza's skill, especially after Naruto riled him up with his taunt, but with each clone dispersed a plume of smoke clouded the surrounding area, obscuring the Zabuza-clone's vision. This was just what Naruto had been aiming for. During the confusion, Naruto took the opportunity to henge into a Kage Fūsha Shuriken, a collapsible variant of the Fūma Shuriken. One of his doppelgängers quickly grabbed him up and ran over to Sasuke.
Being transformed into an inanimate object left Naruto without the majority of his senses, so, he had to rely solely on his sense of touch, movement, and body position, but most importantly his unique sensory abilities. This was in addition to the trust he had in his teammate. If there was one thing Sasuke completely outclassed the other genin of Team Seven in, it was shurikenjutsu, his specialty quickly becoming the Kage Shuriken no Jutsu. However, this wasn't a training exercise or simply target practice. If Sasuke messed up even by a fraction their plan would fail, and they'd most likely be swiftly eliminated.
Naruto felt himself shift in Sasuke's grip, seeing as he couldn't hear or see anything the transformed ninja just had to wait. Different emotions kept fluctuating across the battlefield, Zabuza exuded a flicker of amusement tinged with bloodlust and sadness. Whatever he conveyed at that moment seemed to elicit disgust, fear, and anger from Naruto's teammates. He wasn't looking forward to dispersing his remaining doppelgänger to regain those memories later. It was probably going to be unpleasant.
This was it! Naruto felt as he was released from Sasuke's grip to whirl through the air. He sensed himself closing in on the real Zabuza, and mentally prepared himself. He couldn't release his transformation too soon, or Zabuza would have a chance to counter.
'Not yet… Not yet… Just a bit more… Now! Here goes nothing!'
Naruto timed his disbursement with the momentum of his spin, harnessing the kinetic energy to increase the speed and power of the kunai he'd thrown in the rotation. The hand-blade rocketed through the air but was no match for Zabuza's enhanced reflexes and experience. Inwardly Naruto cursed that he'd only been able to graze the nukenin, but his objective was accomplished. Zabuza's technique had been dispelled due to the distraction, and he'd been forced to dodge the air-propelled weapon.
In the next instant, Zabuza's fury erupted. Momentarily stunning Naruto as the boy plummeted towards the water. From this position, Naruto would be exposed to retaliation from the Fūma Shuriken Zabuza still possessed in his hand. The orange-clad boy's breath hitched in dread of the impending counter-attack that Zabuza was preparing to launch. In the blink of an eye, Naruto was once again saved by Kakashi's interception. In the next moment, all he knew was wetness, water, and a burning in his eyes, sinuses, and lungs.
Quickly, Naruto resurfaced sputtering as he choked up the water he'd inhaled. Saltwater was gross and burned way more than freshwater! The change in the playing field was immediate. If Naruto wasn't currently busy coughing, he'd probably risk a chuckle at the situation. Zabuza's anger was replaced with fear, shock, and nervousness. The Kiri nukenin was completely dumbstruck at this turn in events.
'Heh… Serves you right for underestimating me! Dattebayo!'
Kakashi on the other hand was rolling off waves of righteous fury and worry under his calm exterior, but the heavy emotions were lightened by an undercurrent of pride, relief, and amazement. Naruto looked up, seeing the warmth in his sensei's eyes as they locked gazes. Naruto couldn't believe Kakashi stopped the Fūma Shuriken with his hand without being fazed by the injury, his sensei was so cool!
"Good job, Naruto… Your strategy was brilliant! You've matured, both of you have." Kakashi praised admiration evident in his tone. Naruto beamed, chuckling cheekily now that his lungs were clear. However, the warm moment swiftly passed as all the ninja present returned their attention to the conflict.
As the adult shinobi's clash raged, Naruto fought to not drown as he struggled to make his way back ashore, and to his teammates. He couldn't keep track of the battle, the pace and ferocity had amped up between Kakashi and Zabuza. The novice just hoped to not bring any more attention to himself. He was glad to be of help to his sensei, but couldn't be more than a hindrance from his current position. Just as quickly as the fight had begun, it was over. As the waters calmed, Naruto witnessed Zabuza's unexpected demise at the hand of a newcomer.
'This is probably the second person Hinata mentioned seeing earlier,' Naruto thought, cautiously assessing the newest arrival as he swam closer to shore. The masked shinobi seemed no older than himself, which caught Naruto by surprise. The emotions exuded by the stranger's presence were relief, anxiety, and anger. Emotions that didn't match the demeanor the individual presented towards the group.
This suspicious behavior put Naruto on immediate alert as he crawled up the bank. Now that he was closer to everyone Naruto could still sense chakra emit from Zabuza, though it was more subdued at the moment. Was he truly dead? Naruto wasn't sure. He'd never been exposed to death before. Did a corpse still emit chakra for a short time?
Naruto wanted to alert Kakashi of his suspicions, but he could feel that his sensei's strength was wavering, and the newcomer wasn't eliciting any hostile intentions. They seemed pretty peaceful, even if they were a bit suspicious. Just as he was about to catch Kakashi's attention, Hinata appeared in front of him.
"Naruto-Kun, a-are you alright?" She asked hesitantly kneeling to help Naruto to his feet. The drenched boy accepted the help sheepishly, a faint blush blooming on his cheeks as Hinata grasped his hand and aided him to solid ground.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine, -ttebayo! It was nothing, Hinata-Chan!" Naruto explained bashfully, pulling his hand reluctantly out of her grasp to rub the back of his head nervously. He kept his free hand near his kunai holster, keeping the stranger within his sights. They seemed to be having a discussion with Kakashi. It appeared the newcomer was claiming to be a part of Kirigakure's ANBU, but Naruto felt this was false, what they were saying, and what he was feeling didn't match up.
Gently, Naruto brushed past Hinata with an apologetic smile, quickly making his way to Kakashi's side, "Kakashi-Sensei, anou... are you sure we should allow that guy to leave with Zabuza?" He asked, trying to find a way to warn Kakashi without starting another fight so soon.
"That's how it works, Naruto. Zabuza is a wanted rogue ninja from Kirigakure. He's no longer a threat. Therefore, he's no longer our concern." Kakashi explained, turning to face Naruto with weary eyes. Naruto frowned, could his sensei be more worn out from the battle than he originally thought?
"..Yeah, but that guy is giving me a weird vibe…I don't like it, the whole thing doesn't make sense," Naruto muttered, struggling to find the right words. Was Kakashi right? If he was, would it even matter if Zabuza was still alive? He wasn't a threat anymore from whatever that weird ANBU did to him. As he contemplated the issue Naruto felt a heavy hand on his head, ruffling his hair affectionately. Looking up he saw that Kakashi was starting to stand back up.
"Well, I can understand your confusion. It can be hard to accept, but there will be times in your life that you'll run into a kid younger than you, but stronger than me," Kakashi explained simply, earning an exasperated groan from Naruto.
'You're totally misreading my words, Sensei…' Naruto thought with mind annoyance.
"Your battle is over, and now I must dispose of the remains, lest they give up secrets to our foes. Well then, I must be off." The masked Kiri Nin declared as they quickly gathered Zabuza's body and disappeared.
"Hā?! Kuso! Ugh! You know what… Mō ī yo! Kakashi-Sensei, I have a lot of questions, but first, the most important one! Can a body still give off chakra if the person is dead?" Naruto asked after throwing a momentary tantrum, much to his sensei's amusement, at least, until Naruto asked his question.
"Hm… No, not to my knowledge, once you run out of chakra you die. So, if a body is still imbued with chakra, either someone else is supplying it, or that person's still alive… Why do you ask Naruto?" Kakashi asked as he shifted his hitai-ate back over her scarred eye once more.
"...I think Zabuza is still alive…"
"Oh, is that all? I see… Shimatta…" Kakashi sighed in a vacant tone, swaying for a moment before he started to fall. Naruto struggled to catch his sensei, which was a feat in itself since the jōnin was a whopping one-hundred-eighty-one centimeters, completely towering over Naruto's measly one-hundred-forty-five centimeters. With a grunt, Naruto gently set Kakashi's unconscious form gingerly on the ground to inspect him for any life-threatening injuries.
"Is Kakashi-Sensei alright?" Hinata asked as the rest of the group rushed over to examine their fallen captain. Naruto frowned. They'd only been genin for close to two months. They only knew how to diagnose common injuries and administer the most basic of first aid.
"Well, besides his chakra signature being less bright, and the wound on his hand I don't really see anything. What about you Hinata-Chan?"
"Not that I can tell, I'd have to agree with you. It looks like he's just suffering from chakra exhaustion." Hinata explained after giving Kakashi a once-over with her Byakugan.
"Oi! Kids, is your sensei alright?" Tazuna asked, bringing Naruto's attention to him. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't know how to answer the question. He'd heard of chakra exhaustion but never suffered from it himself. Feeling lost, Naruto turned back to Hinata for help. She smiled softly before giving a polite nod.
"Hai, he just over-extended himself. He'll be fine after some rest, Tazuna-San."
"Well, that's good to hear. You kids can bring your sensei along and lick your wounds at my house. It's not much further up the road."
"Thank you for the offer, Tazuna-San. We greatly appreciate it." Hinata accepted with a polite bow.
"Now the question is… Who's carrying Kakashi-Sensei the rest of the way there?" Naruto asked, turning to his teammates, only to receive a raised brow from Sasuke, and a complete lack of eye contact from Hinata.
"You're the only one who can summon their own personal army, Dobe… And with Kakashi-Sensei out of commission, we're more vulnerable to attack. You're the best choice." Sasuke explained gruffly, folding his arms and shifting his weight awkwardly.
"Hā?! That's so unfair! I'm tired too, -ttebayo!" Naruto growled, stomping his foot and grinding his teeth. Sasuke merely closed his eyes, and turned his nose up, like a parent ignoring their child's tantrum.
"P-please, N-Naruto-Kun? I'd help, but Sasuke-Kun is correct. If it's any consolation, we can pull your weight for the mission while you and Sensei rest." Hinata offered in an attempt to pacify the frustrated boy.
Naruto avoided her eyes, rubbing the nape of his neck as he let out a defeated sigh, "Fine, and that's not necessary, Hinata-Chan. I'm not so tired that I need to burden the team, dattebayo…" He grumbled with embarrassment before making a small troop of Kage Bunshin, and then he grabbed Kakashi's pack, tossing it to one of the clones.
"Alright guys, don't drop Sensei, or drag him either! I need a couple of you to watch our rear since Kakashi-Sensei's out of commission." Naruto instructed absently, receiving a handful of complaints, several solutes, or other enthusiastic forms of acknowledgment from his doppelgängers. Turning back to his team, Naruto was met with looks of surprise, well except Hinata, she just seemed appreciative, which made Naruto's belly feel warm and tingly.
"So, you guys ready to get going?"
As the group marched on, Sasuke kept staring at Naruto with a look the whisker-faced youth couldn't discern, and it was quickly getting on Naruto's nerves. He was tired, not to mention keeping his clones up was starting to wear him out, making the pint-sized preteen mildly cranky. Naruto was trying his best to appear tough, not wanting to disappoint Hinata's faith in him, but after dealing with his teammate's scrutiny for about fifteen more minutes Naruto couldn't take it any longer and decided to speak up.
"What do you want, Sasuke? I can't risk getting distracted with a fight with you right now, and your staring is starting to piss me off." Naruto hissed, shooting the taller boy a warning glare when he thought Hinata wasn't looking. Sasuke stiffened for a moment, quickly looking away guiltily.
"...Why?" He finally mumbled softly.
Naruto let out a drawn-out sigh, rolling his eyes at his ally's annoyingly reserved behavior. Getting Sasuke to talk was like pulling teeth...out of a rabid bear. Actually, Naruto would take his chances with the bear.
"You're going to have to give me more to go off than that, Bakayarô. Why, what?!"
Sasuke growled at the insult, breathing out to calm himself, before giving Naruto his full attention, "Why was Zabuza so fixated on you? At one point he even completely blew off Kakashi-Sensei to get at you. You were never a threat to him, and would have died if it wasn't for our sensei's quick actions."
"Ah, that... Heh-heh, I guess you wouldn't know. What, with how you kept skipping out on afternoon training until just recently, -ttebayo! Kakashi-Sensei gave me and Hinata-Chan a big speech about it when we first started out. Basically, since we're sensor-type ninja that puts a big target on our backs in combat situations." Naruto explained, pausing to frown as another thought occurred to him.
"...I wonder if that's why Kakashi-Sense enjoys working us into the ground? So that Hinata and I can better defend ourselves? Granted, we weren't really expecting to meet up with enemy ninja on this mission! Dattebayo..." At that, he shot a knowing glare towards Tazuna who in turn winced before looking away.
"...Basically, Zabuza figured out I was a sensor and decided to take me out after he saw me giving Kakashi-Sensei an advantage. It was my own fault for letting it slip, I bet Kakashi-Sensei's gonna chew me out for it later, -ttebayo... I'm so not looking forward to that!" Naruto explained with a resigned sigh, running a hand through his hair nervously at the thought of his impending lecture.
"...How exactly were you able to tell Zabuza apart from his Mizu Bunshin anyway? Even Kakashi-Sense couldn't tell, and he has the Sharingan," Sasuke asked, frowning as he brought up the dōjutsu.
In response, Naruto merely shrugged, "Is there supposed to be something special about a Sharingan? To me, it just looked creepy and… Well, anyway! Zabuza's clone! Sensor abilities! Dattebayo! I guess since we're teammates I should explain it a bit to you. Pretty much, I can sense chakra, and have been improving enough to pinpoint chakra signatures. Though, I can't literally see them in the same sense that Hinata-Chan can…" Naruto trailed off, shooting Hinata a bright smile. Hinata blushed, quickly turning away, becoming flustered at the sudden attention.
"So, that's basically how it goes! I dunno how else to explain it. When I close my eyes I can see… Actually, I guess more feel other people's chakra. It's hard to put in words…" Naruto explained trailing off, and he looked up at the early afternoon clouds.
"Yeah… But that doesn't really explain how you could tell Zabuza's clone from his real body." Sasuke pointed out with a tinge of annoyance.
Naruto grinned, secretly enjoying the sudden interest from his usually less-than-friendly teammate, "Oh that's easy! -ttebayo, people tend to use less chakra to make a clone than they possess in their own bodies, right? That means the real person's chakra signature is going to be brighter to me. Make sense?"
"Hn…" Sasuke grunted as he worked to process the information Naruto had divulged.
"...And the normal Sasuke has returned," Naruto muttered with a chuckle, earning a playful shove from the other boy. From his peripherals Naruto could swear he saw the Uchiha smirk, causing him to spout a grin of his own as they picked up their pace to Tazuna's residence.
Not long after arriving at Tazuna's house, Kakashi had regained consciousness. Though, the weary man was significantly weaker than he'd been earlier in the day. Given their commanding officer's vulnerable state, Team Seven wasted no time discussing their plans for continuing the mission, and Naruto's suspicions. Which Kakashi was quick to confirm, but only after going over the proper procedure of shinobi corpse disposal used by the ANBU Oinin Butai, a grotesque practice that Naruto hadn't been inclined to learn, and wanted to quickly forget.
The squad had just finished their evening meal, taking time to become acquainted with Tazuna's family. His daughter, a woman by the name of Tsunami, was a nice enough lady, if a bit rough around the edges compared to the women of Konoha. Given the circumstances that their small island nation was suffering from though, it was to be expected. Her son, Inari, on the other hand… The best way Naruto could describe his first impression of the kid, and remain civil, was to refer to him as a stone-cold brat. At the same time, Naruto felt almost like he was viewing a younger version of himself, back when he pretended that he didn't cry. It was a painful reminder that itched beneath his skin. The kicker was, this kid wasn't alone, he at least still had his mom and grandfather, shouldn't he be grateful for that at least?
With everyone settled in for the night, the time Naruto had been dreading ever since his earlier conversation with Sasuke had finally arrived. Sitting seiza, his head bowed in chastened submission, the sheepish boy looked anywhere but into Kakashi's reproachful gaze. Naruto felt like a small child once more, instead of a full-fledged shinobi. His teammates didn't need to be empathic sensors to know Naruto was in for a tongue-lashing and wisely left the master and apprentice to their privacy.
"Naruto, why did you interfere when I was battling Zabuza, going directly against my orders?" Kakashi finally asked. Naruto fidgeted uncomfortably, this is how it always was between them. Kakashi never raised his voice or hand with Naruto. No, instead he'd ask a lot of questions, forcing Naruto to think and come to his own conclusions. It was completely different than with Iruka. Actually, Iruka's method was preferred, it was generally over quickly, and they could move on with their day. Kakashi's tactics may have made the lesson stick, but they also left Naruto with a lot of confusing thoughts and emotions afterward.
"...I was afraid you'd get hurt, Sensei. I didn't want you to be caught by surprise, and it looked like you didn't realize there was a third Zabuza," Naruto mumbled, shifting his weight as he fidgeted, listening as Kakashi let out a sigh.
"...Naruto, what do you think all these teamwork exercises have been for?"
"I don't know... To make sure Hinata-Chan and I learn to get along with Sasuke? But we are, -ttebayo! Sasuke and I were able to work as a team! We even freed you from that weird water jutsu!" Naruto exclaimed, his voice rising in pitch as he became flustered. Kakashi chuckled at this, shaking his head as he hummed disapprovingly.
"That's true, but you need to work alongside all of your teammates. Your duty was to guard Tazuna, not rescue me. What would you have done if Zabuza's clone decided to attack Hinata next? What would you have done if he decided to counter instead of dodge? What would you have done if you got caught between one of our techniques while you were isolated in the water? What if his partner decided to finish off the rest of your team while we were focused on Zabuza?"
"...I wouldn't have let that happen! Anyway... We had no other choice, -ttebayo! Zabuza was too fast, we couldn't run away! Even if we wanted to! The best chance we had was to free you, Kakashi-Sensei! Sasuke might be a jerk, but he was willing to follow my plan, and I knew he'd help Hinata-Chan protect Tazuna-Jii-San! Dattebayo!"
"I'm proud of you," Kakashi stated calmly, smiling behind his mask and catching Naruto by surprise. Affectionately ruffling the awestruck youth's hair as Naruto stared at him slack-jawed. "You risked your safety to benefit your teammates. Then you were able to take command once your team leader was incapacitated. All while devising a strategy to improve the rate of your team's survival in addition to protecting your client. You put trust into your team and didn't let your fear control you. "
Naruto blushed, smiling bashfully at this praise as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck before shifting into a more comfortable sitting position. That was something unexpected. He hadn't been expecting to receive such esteem during their conversation. As Kakashi continued, Naruto gave him his full focus
'...Kakashi-Sensei's so confusing...dattebayo.'
"What you did was very foolish, but very brave. As a reward, let me impart some words I was told when I was around your age...Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive."
"Wow, they must've been an amazing person to say something like that," Naruto affirmed as he filed the precious words away into his memory.
"Oh, they were…" Kakashi replied with a wistful sigh. Naruto quickly took note of Kakashi's shift in mood. He seemed sad, nostalgic, but at the same time happy, and full of pride.
"Anô-Sa… Kakashi-Sensei, if you don't mind me asking. Who was this amazing person?" Naruto asked quietly, earning a soft smile from the masked-nin in return.
"The Yondaime Hokage."
Naruto hitched his breath in surprise as he studied his mentor. Kakashi had at one point known the Yondaime! Naruto could tell, his sensei didn't just know of the revered Hokage in passing. He truly knew him as a person. The emotions Kakashi conveyed couldn't be emulated by some random admirer, was this why he was always sad?
So many people blamed Naruto for the Yondaime's death, was Kakashi one of them? Instinctually Naruto bowed his head, gripping his jacket above where his seal was hidden. He'd been aware of the seal ever since he started learning to harness chakra. However, it wasn't until his graduation did he learn what it meant.
A firm hand once again resting comfortingly on his head brought Naruto out of his spiraling thoughts. Looking up he saw that Kakashi's sadness had ebbed, being overshadowed by his pride and joy, "I hope to one day see you become a great shinobi like him... Granted, you need to survive long enough for that to happen! It's great to be brave, but mix that with shortsightedness and stupidity, then you'll land yourself in an early grave. You need to grow by gaining experience and strength to back up your convictions. Strength of body, the strength of mind, and strength in the bonds you hold with your comrades. You understand, Naruto?"
"Ossu!" Naruto grunted with a salute, closing his eyes tightly to fight off the tears that were threatening to leak. He would never doubt Kakashi ever again. He'd been one of the few people in the village that seemed to only ever show him kindness. Even back when they didn't share words, Kakashi was almost like a distant older brother to Naruto.
"Great! To help you and your teammates gain experience, expect to be up early tomorrow to start a new training exercise. Now, I think we both need some rest. You can see yourself out."
"Hai…" Naruto groaned, getting to his feet to leave the room, stopping at the door he turned briefly back, flashing Kakashi a soft smile, "Etou… Kakashi-Sensei? Thanks."
"Anytime, Naruto."
Author Note: Hehe! Team Seven's first encounter with Zabuza and Haku! What did you guys think?
On another note, I'm going to have another small hiatus until probably the 30th at the earliest, I'm sorry! I have to travel out of state to go be in my best friend's wedding (Maid of Honor, FTW!), and then after that, I'll be celebrating my own anniversary with my husband. (Twelve Years, and going strong! w00t! w00t! 0'w'0)
Keywords:
Sato - Village, "Konohagakure no Sato" means "Village of the Hidden Leaf"
Sugoi - Awesome, Great, Amazing
Urusai - "Noisy", "Loud", "Annoying", but when used in the way I used it, it means something along the lines of "Be Quiet!" or "Shut up!"
Damare - More forceful/direct and serious in tone than Urusai, so you can relate it to saying "Shut the fuck up", or just a no-nonsense tone.
Nukenin - "Runaway Shinobi", "Missing-nin", "Rogue Ninja"
Tomoe - Can mean "comma", but usually referring to the comma-like swirl used in Japanese heraldry and Shintoism, closely resembles the usual form of a magatama (type of Japanese jewelry)
Manji - A Buddhist symbol that also used to be used in Japanese heraldry. Hitler perverted it into what westerners refer to as a Swastika. (Though, technically he inverted it, so they're not entirely identical.)
Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu - Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique
Baka - Most know what this means, but it can also mean something/someone is foolish or trivial, and some other similar meanings. Really depends on the kanji used or kana.
Suirō no Jutsu - Water Prison Technique
Mizu - Water (Sui is used when combined with other words to make set phrases)
Kage Fūsha Shuriken - Shadow Windmill Shuriken
ANBU Oinin Butai - Hunter-Nin Corps
Seiza - "Proper Sitting", that formal/traditional way you see the Japanese sit on the floor. (Also seen in anime/manga as a form of comedic punishment.)